TIKARAM, TANITA - To Drink The Rainbow: An Anthology 1988 - (Sealed) (2LP)

Pete Paphides’ new record label Needle Mythology delivers its third release next month, a Tanita Tikaram anthology called To Drink The Rainbow: An Anthology 1988-2019. This new collection – curated by Paphides himself (with input from Tanita) – delivers 14 tracks, spanning nine albums over a 30 year period. The writer and broadcaster has long been a fan and had this to say about the singer-songwriter who recently celebrated her 50th birthday: “Tanita is best-known for ‘Twist In My Sobriety’, but in the ensuing decades, she’s amassed an incredible body of work. As she’s matured, her curiosity and enthusiasm have helped shape a very different artist to the teenage Virginia Woolf obsessive a lot of people remember from those early Top of the Pops appearances. No-one else sounds like her; and when it comes to direct, emotionally disarming melodies, she’s one of my all-time favourites.” The collection all but ignores the first two albums (an acoustic version of ‘Valentine Heart’ is one of two bonus tracks) and concentrates on what is likely to be less familiar material, including a trio of songs from 2005’s Sentimental, a couple from 1992’s Eleven Kinds Of Loneliness and the brilliant ‘The Way You Move’ from Tanita Tikaram’s most recent studio album, 2016’s Closer To The People. Eight tracks are previously unreleased on vinyl. As with the previous Stephen Duffy and Ian Broudie releases, the vinyl edition of To Drink The Rainbow will be a gatefold package and comes with a bonus seven-inch single (with the two extra tracks). The CD comes as a ‘vinyl replica’ package with the same bonus tracks appended.