Peter Hammill The K Box

[strawberrybrick]

Just in from Burning Shed,

"Peter Hammill with the K Group
The K Box (cd pre-order)

The K Box is a beautifully presented 4CD box set collecting the output of Peter Hammill and the K Group, including the studio albums Enter K and Patience and the live recordings The Margin and +.

This limited edition deluxe set also features extra tracks and a 48 page hard back book with sleeve notes by Tim Bowness, reflections from PH and the band, plus previously unseen photographs.

Pre-order for 8th February release. All pre-orders come with a postcard signed by Peter Hammill. "

[olivetti]

https://burningshed.com/index.php?ro..._category=true

[olivetti]

No info regarding what master they will use!?
If it is Hammills own then I'm out
Sadly compressed to hell!

[Buddhabreath]

Not too interested in buying this material for the fourth time really but for some reason I was unaware of "X/Ten", " a live album drawn from Peter Hammill’s 2018 tour versions of material from his 2017 studio release, From The Trees." so thanks for the link olivetti.

Anyone heard that one?

[per anporth]

I am in the same boat - X/ten has caught me unawares. I am excited by this release, based on the versions of the tracks from his last album that I saw him perform in Bristol - which were superb, as well as being significantly different from the studio versions.

Ordered!

[olivetti]

Had completely forgot about X/ten
thanks
need to get it

[polmico]

I ordered the new live album from PH's website, but it hasn't arrived yet. (Though I'm not actually sure when it is/was released.)

I'd be interested to hear the bonus tracks included in this, but I think I'll probably pass (?). Maybe when it becomes available from a US vendor.

[strawberrybrick]

I've got all this K stuff already, but you know, sucker for booklets, essays, all that hat.

[Thomas]

Got the X/Ten CD and it's well worth getting. Fine performances that differ from the studio album. For me, "The Descent" was incredibly moving on From the Trees, but in this version it's even starker and the lyrics really come to the fore. What a great songwriter and performer Hammill is (apart from being my favourite vocalist, period).

[arturs]

Is the K group stuff similar in style to Sitting Targets? I've never heard the K group albums but I like ST a lot. Great angst-filled new wave. Frankly I'm surprised PH wasn't more popular in that era. He had the sound and the look for it. Maybe he was just too old to connect with the 80s kids?

[pmrviana]

Is the K group stuff similar in style to Sitting Targets?

Yes it is. If you like Sitting Targets, you should definitely get the K Group albums.

Enviado de meu SM-J700M usando o Tapatalk

[flytomars]

Yes it is. If you like Sitting Targets, you should definitely get the K Group albums.

Enviado de meu SM-J700M usando o Tapatalk

I love sitting targets and the K group stuff is decent but not as good, IMHO

[flytomars]

Got the X/Ten CD and it's well worth getting. Fine performances that differ from the studio album. For me, "The Descent" was incredibly moving on From the Trees, but in this version it's even starker and the lyrics really come to the fore. What a great songwriter and performer Hammill is (apart from being my favourite vocalist, period).

Does the CD list which shows the songs were taken from?

[polmico]

I love sitting targets and the K group stuff is decent but not as good, IMHO

I’ll disagree. But don’t ask me which one to pick. What a great period from PH.

[Steve F.]

I love sitting targets and the K group stuff is decent but not as good, IMHO

I concur completely. The K Group was the first time I said “hmmmmm, I’m out” with PH.

[flytomars]

I concur completely. The K Group was the first time I said “hmmmmm, I’m out” with PH.

I agree but also to be fair - there are still fantastic gems after the K-group period which drawn me back in (I love As Close As This, + Fireships, + House of Usher, + almost everything that came after 2000)

[thedunno]

Ordered.

Gotta keep the collection complete.

[Steve F.]

I agree but also to be fair - there are still fantastic gems after the K-group period which drawn me back in (I love As Close As This, + Fireships, + House of Usher, + almost everything that came after 2000)

Yes! Absolutely!
I didn't say "hmmmm, I'm out FOREVER!"
I was just out for the K Group.

[pmrviana]

I love sitting targets and the K group stuff is decent but not as good, IMHO

To be fair, I was referring to the question "Is the K group stuff similar in style to Sitting Targets?". Without necesarily saying they are better or worse, I do believe they share a similar style.

But, having said that, I share the same opinion as this:

I’ll disagree. But don’t ask me which one to pick. What a great period from PH.

[strawberrybrick]

Talk about YMMV. Sitting Targets and Patience are perhaps my fav PH releases, as well as live recordings from the K group.

[Buddhabreath]

While far from my favorite PH releases, some of the K-group songs are top-drawer IMO like "The Unconscious Life","Accidents", "Happy Hour", and "Patient" while Sitting Targets has two of his classic songs, "Ophelia" and especially, "Stranger Still". Budding PH aficionados would be making a mistake in dismissing this era of his career.

[JJ88]

Is there a reason for this, with no new content at all? I don't think these albums have ever been out of print...have they? Whereas quite a few of his other 80s/early 90s albums have been for some years.

[thedunno]

On sofasound it is stated that the box will include some previously unreleased tracks.

[alanterrill]

On sofasound it is stated that the box will include some previously unreleased tracks.

Full track listings are here: https://burningshed.com/store/peterh...e-k-box_boxset
From this, most of the bonus tracks are just the single versions - I haven't heard them all but I wouldn't expect anything other than edits as they're all shorter. The exceptions are 'Four Pails' which I didn't know had been played by the K group, and 'Now more than ever' which was a different version to the one that appeared on the album and has never been on CD until now. Seven Wonders was a non-album b-side but was a bonus track on the original CD release of Enter K.
Personally I think the two K group albums are amongst the best of his career - it's a tight and focussed band which goes well outside the rock group format you might expect on first sight. There is plenty of piano and some sax on it, and John Ellis was a surprise star who took some imaginative approaches to his parts. To the guy who said he'd only heard Sitting targets, then I'm sure you'll like these -Hammill put the band together in order to be able to play the material from Sitting Targets live and it grew a life of its own from there. For me , the only down side to this band was the use of Syn-drums (I think thats the name) on the live albums -there are some irritating little ping-pong noises that date it terrribly. Oh, and the track Paradox Drive which always reminded me a bit too much of T-rex (well the riff, not the lyrics).

[Mister Triscuits]

Personally I think the two K group albums are amongst the best of his career - it's a tight and focussed band which goes well outside the rock group format you might expect on first sight.

To me, Enter K seems back-loaded: side one seems a bit ordinary--good songs but a bit potboiler-ish by PH's standards--while the second half is terrific, especially the alcohol-woozy epic "Happy Hour." Patience feels more consistent to me. Both albums are well-salted with some solid PH classics.