THE DURUTTI COLUMN Vinyl & CDs

Review: Formed in the post-punk era of Manchester in 1978, The Durutti Column, led by guitarist Vini Reilly, has remained an enigmatic and influential force in the history of post-punk. Their 1989 release, aptly titled Vini Reilly, is a testament to Reilly's eclecticism and sonic experimentation. The album spans a vast musical landscape, encompassing elements of post-punk, rock, acoustic, avant-garde, jazz, classical, folk, pop, and electronica.The album's 35th anniversary reissue box set includes many great additions that allows listeners to appreciate the enduring impact of his artistry, as he continues to inspire and challenge music enthusiasts worldwide. Includes new essay by Durutti Column/Factory Records expert James Nice, liner notes by band member Bruce Mitchell, liner notes from Anthony Wilson, interview extracts with Vini Reilly and restored images and outtake images.

Review: As one of the quieter mainstays of the Factory Records phenomenon, The Durutti Column have a cult quality which draws attentive listeners in close. Vini Reilly's distinctive approach to shimmering, repetitive guitar playing was instantly mesmerising from the debut album in 1980 through reams and reams of albums over the years. 1997's Time Was Gigantic When We Were Kids is a firm favourite among the many albums Reilly recorded over the years and now it's receiving its first-ever vinyl pressing with five bonus tracks included, as well as expanded artwork and extensive sleeve notes to take you deeper into the album.

Review: "People have described their music as ambient, although that's a description they don't care much for. It's certainly atmospheric and there's something about their sunny-sounding guitar that seemed appropriate to a book that, although published in 1927, didn't become popular in America until the 1960s."
So says writer and director Gerard McInulty about The Durutti Column, the group he drafted for the soundtrack to his 12 Stars group production of Treatise On The Steppenwolf, first staged in Glasgow in 2003. This is what that sounds like - call it what you like, essentially it's just beautiful music to captivate and enthral, without insisting on itself - and you also get an additional trio of extended movements that were used to score the Human Avatars art installation at MOSI, Manchester, in 2005. Ace all round.

Review: Durutti Column fans will often say that this album, Paean to Wilson, is the band's best work since Factory Records began its sad demise in the early 1990's. It was in 2009 that the record was commissioned by Manchester International Festival of Music, at which point Vini Reilly had already composed pieces for Manchester icon Tony Wilson to listen to from his hospital bed. The album developed from there and gave rise to a 70-minute international festival tribute to Tony Wilson. It features plenty of virtuoso guitar performances from Reilly, who refused to sing during that live show as another tribute to Wilson who had always said he should leave the vocals out.