Locked Down & Stripped Back

Locked Down And Stripped Back includes 12 home recordings of The Wedding Present favorites along with two previously unreleased songs: "You're Just A Habit That I'm Trying To Break" and "We Should Be Together." The latter was originally recorded - but never released - by Britpop favorites, Sleeper. With each band member recording and filming their parts at home due to lockdown restrictions, the recording process was far from easy, but the end result is, as always, typically satisfying. From the swagger of "A Million Miles" (George Best, 1987) and "California" (Hit Parade, 1992), to the joyous, previously unreleased "We Should Be Together" - featuring a special guest appearance from Sleeper singer Louise Wener - Locked Down And Stripped Back is an unexpected treat. Elsewhere, a re-working of "You Should Always Keep In Touch With Your Friends" - originally released as a single in 1986 - and a truly epic version of "Crawl" (3 Songs EP, 1990), despite their 'stripped back' delivery, still pack a proverbial punch, while "You're Just A Habit That I'm Trying to Break" - a new song co-written with new guitarist Jon Stewart - is classic Wedding Present. Furthermore, bassist Melanie Howard takes over vocal duties on the sumptuous "Sports Car" (Mini, 1995), while none of David Gedge's famous sardonic wit is lost on the majestic "My Favourite Dress" (George Best, 1987).