The Sisters Of Mercy - Some Girls Wander By Mistake (1992/2017) [Hi-Res]

Collection of all five early seven inch and twelve inch singles, both a and B-sides, released between 1980-1983 before the band signed to a major label. 19 tracks including the extremely rare 'The Damage Done', 'Watch' and 'Home of the Hit-Men', as well as the original extended version of 'Temple of Love', their covers of the Rolling Stones' 'Gimme Shelter' and the Stooges' '1969', plus 'Alice', 'Kiss the Carpet', 'Valentine', 'Floorshow', 'Phantom' and more. Warner.

The Sisters of Mercy released a compilation of their studio recordings from 1980 through 1983. It’s a dark piece of work, to be sure, but it’s filled with some of the most iconic material of the band’s career.

Formed in Leeds, England, the Sisters of Mercy originally consisted of precisely two members: Andrew Eldritch and Gary Marx, a duo who’d regularly attended a punk night at an established called the F-club. They reportedly only started the Sisters because they wanted to hear themselves on the radio, which they eventually did, so…nice one, guys.

The first single by the Sisters was “Damage Done,” featuring the B-sides “Watch” and “Home of the Hit-men.” Sadly, it failed to chart. Mind you, none of the singles contained within SOME GIRLS WANDER BY MISTAKE managed to chart, but that’s not stopped them from influencing countless goth kids over the years. After the release of “Damage Done,” on which Eldritch played drums and Marx played guitar, the Sisters brought in Craig Adams on bass and replaced Eldritch’s drumming with a drum machine, thereby freeing him up to sing. Also adding guitar work: Ben Gunn. Oh, and lest we forget, the drum machine also had a name: Doktor Avalanche. (You have to admit, that’s a pretty cool name.)

„For over a decade, the early singles of Andrew Eldritch's goth crew, the Sisters of Mercy, existed only in a limited-edition vinyl format. They also went for fairly high prices, something that led to extensive bootlegging. Thankfully, in 1992 head honcho Eldritch decided to release all of the Sisters' pre-major-label material on a single compilation CD. He was rewarded with a U.K. number one album, and the opportunity to buy himself a new Porsche. The title comes from a Leonard Cohen song, "Teachers," which was the first song performed by the fledgling Sisters. All five early singles/EPs are here, from 1980's "The Damage Done" to 1983's "Temple of Love." The material is not presented chronologically, which is fine since the band's first two singles are the weakest on the album. "The Damage Done" might command a high price on vinyl but isn't a particularly good song, and the 30-second B-side "Home of the Hit-Men" is entirely pointless. Follow-up single "Body Electric" is better, featuring the classic punk workout "Adrenochrome," but it wasn't until 1982's "Alice" that the band hit its stride. The title track is an instant classic, while "Floorshow" became a live show staple. The Reptile House EP, featuring tracks five to ten on the CD, saw the Sisters take a turn into more overtly dark territory, featuring some of their bleakest and most anguished work. Their final indie release, "Temple of Love," continued this trend, with Eldritch turning in an impressive vocal performance. The cover of "Gimme Shelter" doesn't entirely work, but it's an interesting glimpse into the band's roots. Some Girls Wander By Mistake captures the Sisters of Mercy at their most ferocious and angry, in the years before the band became weighed down by over-produced synth-based efforts. As a look at the formative years of a still-popular band, it's great, but as a reminder of the punk roots of the goth movement, it's priceless.“ (Jim Harper, AMG)

Produced by Andrew Eldritch

Digitally remastered