Love Too Late... the real album

Sorrows

Big Stir Records

This album was originally recorded in 1981, but not released until now on CD. The story is that the producer of the original album, Shel Talmy, and their label, CBS, had ideas for the album, and actually recorded it, but the band didn't like it and broke up shortly after the finished product was released and then flopped. Their first album, Teenage Heartbreak,had been released to critical acclaim, so this was a bitter pill for the band to swallow. Big Stir Media's documentary on YouTube, SORROWS: The Real Story of The Real Album, is a very good and informative film that goes into the details of what the band faced, how they finally got the rights back to these songs, and Big Stir releasing the rerecorded album.

As the original recordings were very much of their time, this is like unearthing a time capsule of early 80s punk--polished, not slick, with grit. Arthur Alexander and Joey Cola snarl their vocals and guitars, and the whole effect is both the kind of album indie rock bands should be making today and won't--no synths, guitars, organically snotty attitude, rather than sounding like robots--and out of time in the best ways, a look back at how things used to be, and maybe should be now.

I think the best track on the album is “What I Used To Be,” about wishing things were better than they are, but all the songs are good. If you want old punk that sounds new, a band with the right attitude, guitars galore, and just great music period, Sorrows are for you.

Andrea Weiss