Whisperin' & Hollerin' have been more than happy to succumb to the (vastly under-rated) charms of Cath Carroll's songs via LTM's 2002 releases, her recent studio album "Gondoliers Of Ghost Lake" and the re-issue of her 1991 debut solo album "England Made Me."
So, "When It All Comes Down" is a timely compilation of Cath's pre-solo days as leader of intriguing Mancunian trio MIAOW, who left a small but significant stamp on the 1980s with three fine singles, two dynamite Peel sessions and - if there'd been a reversal of fortune/ circumstance - they'd surely have gone on to produce a fine body of work in their own right.
Instead of pondering the 'what if's, though, concentrate on the 20 tracks now collected together here: in effect collecting all MIAOW'S distinctive and sophisticated songs under one robust umbrella.
This writer was previously aware of MIAOW'S two Factory singles, "When It All Comes Down" and the hard-edged, dancier "Break The Code" (both 1987), but these are only the tip of the iceberg, being joined by MIAOW'S debut single "Belle Vue" and its' attendant tracks, the aforementioned Peel Sessions and a couple of surprises.
Tense, trebly and fleshed out with some cheap toytown organ, "Belle Vue" and "Fate" immediately impinge, employing the sort of supple disco beats so beloved of dance-enhanced Manchester. Along with "Sport Most Royal" - the band's contribution to the NME'S legendary c86 compilation - these songs show that while MIAOW'S sonic coat may have shone with the jangly sheen of the times, in Carroll's airy voice and the depth of material they were ahead of much of the mid-1980s competition.
Typically, though, the two John Peel sessions brought out the best in MIAOW and the eight Maida Vale-recorded songs here are sublime. Future B-side "Did She?" kicks off the first (1986), showcasing a band approaching their peak, while the 1987 session is crammed with jewels; not least the rolling, propulsive "Thames At High Water" and a revamped and stronger version of "Fate." These songs are descriptive and intuitive; demonstrating not only that Cath Carroll was a writer and singer of note, but that in bassist Steve Macguire and drummer Chris Fenner, she had two wily acolytes in rhythm.
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Meanwhile, the tracks from the "Break The Code" single and "Carnal Drag" and "Fear Of The Sun" suggest MIAOW were evolving quickly. The embrace of funk and technology - both synonymous with Factory - is all too apparent here, while the sinewy basslines and busy percussion of "Carnal Drag" suggests Cath was already opening herself up to the Latin Ameriacan elements that inform "England Made Me."
The daft version of Elvis' "King Creole" - again from an NME-sponsored project - is by some way the least essential thing here, but it's still fun nonetheless. In any case, you're already more than sold on MIAOW'S oeuvre well before the finishing line looms in sight.
"When It All Comes Down", then, acts as both a testament to a fine band who burnt brightly, if (too) briefly and an important signpost on the road to Cath Carroll's solo career. Extensive scrutiny of both is most definitely recommended.
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