Echo & the Bunnymen Heaven Up Here LP

One of the most acclaimed British rockers from the 1980s, this legendary band formed in Liverpool in 1978 and were forefathers of the neo-psychedelic movement. Their lineup consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant, bass player Les Pattinson and drummer Pete de Freitas, eventually replacing the original drum machine.

The band's cult status eventually waned with mainstream success in 1983 after they scored a UK top 10 hit with "The Cutter" and attendant album Porcupine which hit #2 in the UK. 1984's album Ocean Rain is considered a landmark post-punk release, featuring the lead single "Killing Moon."

The band split in 1988 but regrouped in 1997, releasing an album in 2014 that was their first UK Top 40 entry since 1999. The band's popularity never quite made the same impact in the US as it did in Europe so they are ripe for rediscovery for anyone interested in bands such as Suede, Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Blur, Interpol and Oasis.

Released in 1981, Heaven Up Here was the band's second studio album and features the hit singles "A Promise" and "Over the Wall." The album was released under a year after Crocodiles and gave the band their first top 10 album.

...[T]he darkest and perhaps most experimental album of their career. Heaven Up Here lacks the signature hooks and melodies that would make the Bunnymen famous, showcasing instead a dirge-like songwriting approach built around the circular rhythms of bassist Les Pattinson and drummer Pete DeFreitas. In this setting, the band remarkably flourishes...Heaven Up Here's strength is the way in which the Bunnymen seamlessly work together to shape each song's dynamics...