Past Imperfect – The Best of Tindersticks ’92 – ‘21: Vinyl 2LP Tindersticks

As the band celebrate their thirtieth year, ‘Past Imperfect…’ showcases collected works throughout their rich history, with the addition of one new track. It is in chronological order and split in to 4 sections/2 halves – the first half being the original line up of the band with Al Macaulay (drums), Mark Colwill (bass) and Dickon Hinchliffe (violin, guitar, string arrangements). The second half is the present-day line up with Earl Harvin (drums) and Dan McKinna (Bass, piano, string arrangements). Stuart. A. Staples, Neil Fraser (guitar) and David Boulter (various instruments) are always present.

There are two songs from Claire Denis films – ‘Tiny tears’ from ‘Nanette et Boni’ (’96) and ‘Both Sides of the Blade’ from her latest film ‘Avec amour et acharnament’ (’21). There is also the version of ‘Willow’ sung by Stuart, rather than Robert Pattison who sang the version in ‘High life’ (’19).

’92 – ’96 – City Sickness, Her (‘92), Tiny Tears, Travelling Light (duet with Carla Torgerson), My Sister.

’97 – ’03 – Rented Rooms, Can We Start Again?, Dying Slowly, Sometimes it Hurts (duet with Lhasa de Sela), My Oblivion.

’08 – ’14 – Harmony Around My Table, Show Me Everything, This Fire of Autumn, Medicine, What Are You Fighting For?

’16 – ’21 – How He Entered, Were We Once Lovers?, Willow (New), Pinky in the Daylight, Both sides of the blade.

“Nobody was between us and the records that we made,” says Tindersticks frontman Stuart Staples. Mavens of intimate and expansive mood-song, Tindersticks have forged paths of their own unobstructed making over three decades, avidly trend-averse in their dusky and far-reaching explorations of the heart. Released through City Slang on 25th March, Past Imperfect: The Best of Tindersticks ’92-’21 maps the band’s 30-year journey across a peerless 20-track chronology. “Each step a story,” as Staples said on “How He Entered”. And every song a fresh twist in a winding tale. It is the sound of an uncommonly ambitious band always seeking new ways to connect with their songs, rediscovering themselves as a unit at every turn so that everything familiar about their music sounds fresh again. Always, of course, by nobody’s measure but their own.

• 30th anniversary release
• First tindersticks “best of” compilation
• Limited edition Deluxe 3CD and Deluxe Vinyl Box Set
• Limited editions includes Live Album from 2008 – never released on vinyl before!
• The best of includes an unreleased tindersticks song (“Both Sides Of The Blade”)