Title: Over Rising
Format: 12" Single
Label: Situation Two
Catalogue Number: SIT76T
Year of Release: 1991
Tracklisting
A1 Over Rising 3:41
A2 Way Up There 4:38
B1 Opportunity Three 7:27
B2 Happen To Die 3:04
I'm sure I remember Over Rising being a much more up-tempo number than this! I had to check I had the turntable on 45rpm, and indeed I did. So it has a laid-back groove, that I'd clearly forgotten about, piano riffs and organ swells abound, some interesting picked guitar riffs. Tim Burgess' vocal delivery hasn't come on much - he seems barely there - but musically the band have definitely come on since their debut.
This increased musicality is also evidenced on the drumming to Way Up There, with some lovely skittering snare-work. This is a bit of lost gem this tune, not even turning up on the 2002 B-sides compilation, it's finally come out on the 20th anniversary edition Some Friendly, and it's well worth a listen.
Opportunity Three is another dance remix disguised as a normal tune (cf. Then's "alternative take"), being Flood's reworking of Opportunity. It's no surprise they chose to work with Flood on their second album, as this is a majestic tune. Built on the bones of synth bass and drum loops, the elements of the original song - organ, vocals, disparate guitar parts and noises - and heavily effected and intricately layered over the top. This is the tune that captures that early Madchester spirit, and takes me straight back to those days.
Happen to Die has already been mentioned, and the version here is shorter. It's a little burst of energy that rounds off an excellent EP, but doesn't top Opportunity Three.
