ldquoSunlight to blue hellip Blue to blacknessrdquo This was one of the more upbeat title suggestions for the very bare, back to basics, reflective album from The Durutti Column. Originally released in June 2008, Sunlight to Bluehellip was a conscious response to the previous two polished and lsquostudiobasedrsquo releases. Here he created some sparse, simply beautiful sketches as he once called them, more reminiscent of his work from the early eighties. Many of the pieces are instrumentals played on his Juan Montero flamenco guitar, and he returns to Without Mercy for the last track Grief whilst reinventing Never Known from LC. Now, for the first time, the LP is available remastered and repackaged as a gatefold double 12rdquo 180gram vinyl release.This album also saw the debut of the then talented young pianist and singer, Poppy Morgan, who cowrote the melancholy Ananda as a duet with what Reilly dryly called intrusive guitar. For the uninitiated, Vini was the first artist signed to Manchesterrsquos influential Factory Records, cowrote and played on Morrisseyrsquos first solo album lsquoViva Hatersquo, and was heavily featured in the Manchester music culture film, rsquo24 Hour Party Peoplersquo. Vini Reilly has recorded under the name The Durutti Column since 1978 and has a rich portfolio of work, releasing over twenty albums in this time. Ever critical of Vinirsquos voice, but ever a fierce champion of his talent, the late Tony Wilson would surely appreciate this return of The Durutti Column.
