When Edwyn Collins looks back on ‘Coals to Newcastle’, he must wish there was a ‘Greatest Hits’ album as well. But, for Orange Juice, that was never meant to be - they follow the tradition of their heroes, The Velvet Underground, in being cited by multitudes as one of the most influential bands never to have “made it”.
To understand their story, it is essential to start from disc one: an extended version of the 2005 compilation ‘The Glasgow School’. These Postcard Records songs, recorded between 1979 and 1981, are arguably as good as it gets, perfectly capturing the essence of what Orange Juice were: young, fresh, giddy, shambolic. When Postcard Records went bust, Orange Juice signed to Polydor and their debut album proper was re-recorded and released as ‘You Can’t Hide Your Love Forever’. The arrangements are generally more cluttered than the originals and the horn parts sound cheesy and unnecessary, but the album is carried by great songs and the vulnerable charm that made them so alluring.
By the time Orange Juice recorded ‘Rip It Up’, founding members Stephen Daly and James Kirk had departed, replaced by ex-Josef K guitarist Malcolm Ross and drummer Zeke Manyika. The title track was their highest charting single, and remains a pop classic, but it’s plain to see that they had lost their way. In a brief but revealing BBC radio interview (included on disc six), Collins admits, “Rip it Up was a very conscious attempt by the band to do something professional,” and it is the bland studio polish that nullifies their idiosyncrasies and kills their energy.
The final two Orange Juice albums are mediocre by their standards, but there are a couple of gems to be found on ‘Texas Fever’ and ‘The Orange Juice’, the highlight being A Sad Lament - a ballad that would have fitted quite neatly onto ‘You Can’t Hide Your Love Forever’. The best thing about discs four and five is the live material included as bonus tracks. It proves that, despite a decline in the quality of their recorded output, Orange Juice never lost it on stage.
If this sounds like an unfavourable write-up, let me assure you that it isn’t. ‘Coals to Newcastle’ tells the warts-and-all story of a truly unique band. Like the Velvets, Orange Juice were never popular in the commercial sense, and, in terms of mass appeal, they could not compete with the likes of Duran Duran or Spandeau Ballet (bands that Edwyn Collins was clearly disgusted by). The appeal of Orange Juice was that they were rough around the edges and slightly maladroit, but full of energy, passion and - most of all - soul.