| Just South of Heaven | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| EP by | ||||
| Released | 1985 | |||
| Recorded | July 1985 | |||
| Studio | Strongroom, London | |||
| Genre | Post-punk, punk blues | |||
| Length | 28:20 | |||
| Label | Mute | |||
| Crime & the City Solution chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| NME | favorable [2] |
| Trouser Press | very favorable [3] |
Just South of Heaven is an EP by Crime & the City Solution, released in 1985 through Mute Records.
The EP received quite favorable reviews upon release. Mat Snow, writing for NME , noted similarities of the band's sound to that of The Birthday Party and compared Bonney's vocals to "Tom Waits throwing up into a fried-egg sandwich." He writes however, that "Harvey, Soundtracks and the Howard brothers are developing into something equally commanding [to that of The Birthday Party's music] [...] should Simon Bonney ever outgrow this fetishism, then Crime and the City Solution will achieve the truly distinct greatness promised by this record. They're just a kiss away from the pearly gates." [2] Writing for Trouser Press , David Sheridan called the album "cleaner and more powerful [than The Dangling Man EP]: all six tracks work well. Howard's guitar is as strong as ever, but piano and organ figure just as prominently. A hauntingly beautiful record by a well- integrated band." [3]
Allmusic went on to pick the EP as the highlight of the band's discography, with Robert Gordon writing: "Aussies with a gothic vision of the American South." [1]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rose Blue" | Bronwyn Adams, Simon Bonney | Epic Soundtracks | 4:50 |
| 2. | "The Coal Train" | Simon Bonney | Mick Harvey | 5:55 |
| 3. | "Stolen & Stealing" | Bronwyn Adams | Epic Soundtracks | 3:20 |
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Five Stone Walls" | Simon Bonney | Mick Harvey | 4:15 |
| 2. | "Trouble Come This Morning" | Bronwyn Adams, Simon Bonney | Rowland S. Howard | 4:30 |
| 3. | "The Wailing Wall" | Bronwyn Adams, Simon Bonney | Rowland S. Howard | 5:30 |
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Indie Chart [5] | 3 |
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