I find it hard to fathom that this month is the 30th Anniversary since the release of Belly’s first LP, ‘Star’. I remember watching the video to their song ‘Feed The Tree’ on some late late music show and then going down to my local Virgin Megastore (which was in Cardiff at the time) and picking myself up a copy. I absolutely loved this album and was excited when, a couple of years later, they released the follow up which was called “King’. That was it though. Two albums, a few single B-Sides and the odd song that had appeared on soundtrack albums. I was gutted that they did not make another album (at the time) and even though I followed the solo career of Tanya Donnelly, it just wasn’t the same. There was a ‘Best Of’ album (which was really more of a compilation of single mix, B-Sides and rarities) in 2002 and then in 2018, there was a new album. I was also able to see the band live, which was something I missed out on the first time around.
However, it was in their initial spell that I was most interested so I wondered if there was enough material from the B-Sides and rarities to make a third album. Well, there was and on the whole it is pretty good. I did consider including a couple of cover version, as I particularly liked their version of ‘Hot Burrito #1” and ‘Think About Your Troubles’. These would have made the record a bit on the long side.
As it is, the album includes a raft of B-Sides, including ‘Broken’ which was initially only available on a vinyl single and one previously unreleased song, (Lilith) which would see the light of day on the ‘Sweet Ride’ compilation in 2002.
As for the title, I picked ‘Broken’ as it symbolises that the band had split up and also because Belly have only ever had one word album titles.
Side A
- Spaceman – Seal My Fate
- Dancing Gold – Slow Dust EP
- Lilith (Previously Unreleased) – Sweet Ride (The Best of Belly)
- Broken – Seal My Fate (7” Version)
- John Dark – Now They’ll Sleep
Side B
- Baby’s Arm – Now They’ll Sleep
- Sexy S – Feed The Tree
- Dream On Me – Feed The Tree
- Diamond Rib Cage – Seal My Fate
- Sweet Ride – Gepetto
- Thief – Now They’ll Sleep
The cover is adapted from the 7″ sleeve of the ‘Feed The Tree’ single.