Crime + the City Solution - Just South of Heaven (1985)

Crime + the City Solution was formed by Simon Bonney in Australia in 1978. The band has had four distinct phases, with Bonney's role as singer/songwriter being the only constant. The first two phases in the band's history (Sydney 1977-1978 & Melbourne 1979) came and went with virtually no released material. These phases existed in that same time frame that the Dogs in Space film captured the spirit of so well. This Australian indie, post-punk period running from 1975-1984 has been documented by Clinton Walker in the book Inner City Sound.

After a roughly six year period of inactivity, Bonney relocated to Berlin and reformed the band for their third phase. The bandmates included Simon Bonney on vocals, Mick Harvey and Rowland S. Howard on guitars, Harry Howard on bass and Epic Soundtracks on drums. The earlier incarnations of Crime + the City Solution were peers to The Birthday Party and so this third build of the band includes two former members of Nick Cave's earlier band.

From 1987-1991, the band reshuffled for its fourth and final phase. Mick Harvey remained, joining four new members, and released four studio albums, with a live CD issued in 1996. Being a fan of the band, Wim Wenders featured the band, along with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, in his absolutely incredible film Wings of Desire. Simon Bonney released two excellent country-tinged solo albums in 1992 and 1995. His current activities and whereabouts are unknown.

This posting is a complete collection of all the material released by the third phase of the band. The mini-LP Just South of Heaven is preceded by their first official release, The Dangling Man E.P. and finishes up with The Kentucky Click/Adventure 12" single. The vinyl rips for The Dangling Man E.P. and Just South of Heaven were posted to Usenet years ago. Unfortunately, I didn't keep track of who created these clean rips. I recently discovered an excellent vinyl rip of The Kentucky Click/Adventure single on eMule, credited as "ripped by SCOMPENSATO ®".

This third phase of the band is their most intense. The music is dark, with a deep echo twangy guitar sound, a desolate rumbling rhythm section and emotionally overwrought vocals. Hold on, don't run yet, I mean this all in a good way! Later on, in their fourth incarnation, they became more musically complex (and accessible) and the lyrics became even more ambitious. However, it is with this material produced in their third phase that I connect with and enjoy the most.

Crime + the City Solution - Just South of Heaven (1985)
From The Dangling Man E.P. 12" (1985):
1. The Dangling Man (4:00)
2. The Last Day (5:24)
3. At the Crossroads (5:44)
4. Shakin' Chill (3:32)
From Just South of Heaven mini-LP (1985):
5. Rose Blue (4:48)
6. The Coal Train (5:57)
7. Stolen & Stealing (3:15)
8. Five Stone Walls (4:17)
9. Trouble Come This Morning (4:31)
10. The Wailing Wall (5:29)
From The Kentucky Click/Adventure 12" (1986):
11. The Kentucky Click (5:29)
12. Adventure (3:30)
13. It Takes Two to Burn (4:54)

88.9MB ZIP archive
MP3: (3x) Constant bitrate (192kbps w/LAME 3.96) &
(10x) Variable bitrate (207.3kbps average w/LAME 3.90)

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