Bleep

English post-punk act The Durutti Column’s seminal album from 1984, ‘Without Mercy’, gets a reissue by Factory Benelux. Seeking a new sound in the wake of the anticlimactic ‘Another Setting’ the band borrowed the narrative from Keats’ ‘La Belle Dame sans Merci’ at the instruction of label head Tony Wilson. Expanding their outfit, the band adopted a more orchestral feel on the ‘Without Mercy’ LP, employing the talents of cello player Caroline Lavelle and Tuxedomoon violinist Blaine L. Reininger. The result is a harmonious fusion of genres and temperaments, melding modern classical and chamber music with programmed drum machines and strong trumpet and cor anglais sections, carried out by Tim Kellett (Simply Red) and Maunagh Fleming respectively. An important milestone in the history of the band’s progression, ‘Without Mercy’ explores territory previously uncharted within Vini Reilly’s musical lexicon.