Scritti Politti - Provision - 1LP on Black Vinyl & CD. To Be Released 11th December.
What Bounty 2026 has been for Scritti Fans…in the Spring…Songs To Remember … then in Summer, Cupid & Pysche ‘85 and now….on the Winter horizon…
Scritti Politti’s visionary third album Provision is returning to Vinyl & CDl!
After a long absence and boasting new sleeve notes from Green Gartside and bandmate David Gamson. This new edition brings to life one of the 1980s most remarkable records. In search of Scritti Politti’s golden sound and embracing the latest recording technology, the duo adopted an elemental approach to recording, bringing together individual parts and musicians to create a truly stunning whole.
Gartside and Gamson were years ahead of their time in 1988, relying on magnetic tape and razor blades… “The whole album was pushing the limits of what analogue recording could do,” notes Gamson of the herculean task they set themselves, which saw them start the record in London and finish in New York.
Alongside Green and Gamson, Roger Troutman, founder of the Zapp band, brought his unique, cutting-edge Talkbox instrument to their sessions; Dan Huff, whose collaborations stretch from Kenny Rogers to Taylor Swift, provided guitar; while Miles Davis agreed to help the pair complete “Oh Patti”, which Green had first started in his London flat. “He was enigmatically charming. I was expecting an entourage, but there was none. Miles came alone and, despite reputation, seemed almost more diffident than taciturn.” recalls Gartside of the jazz icon’s trumpet on ‘Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy)’, which had come about after Davis had covered Scritti’s own ‘Perfect Way’ from previous album, Cupid & Psyche 85.
“He was very gracious and spent time on the piano figuring out the changes and then trying a lot of different ideas over some hours,” Green said of Davis. The contributions from some of music’s true originals and innovators mesh seamlessly with Scritti Politti’s own artistic quest. Somewhat overshadowed by the poppier nature and immediate success of its predecessor, Cupid & Psyche 85, this reissue is a timely reminder that musically Provision is just as much an enjoyable masterpiece.
Candidly, the duo talk in the sleeve notes about the travails and frustrations that accompanied the making of this record, but nearly 40 years on from its release, the likes of ‘Boom! There She Was’, ‘Sugar And Spice’ and ‘Overnight’ swoon with irresistible melodies and a musical elegance; while ‘Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy)’ unites Green’s heady romanticism with Davis at his most sultry. The repressing of Provision recreates the bespoke tracklisting for the vinyl and CD editions.
The LP features the album's core nine tracks, whereas the CD has two extras, the dub of ‘Boom! There She Was’ and an extended version of ‘Oh Patti’.
Tracklists
LP Tracklisting
SIde 1
1. Boom! There She Was
2. Overnite
3. First Boy in This Town (Lovesick)
4. All That We Are
5. Best Thing Ever
Side 2
1. Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry for Loverboy)
2. Bam Salute
3. Sugar And Spice
4. Philosophy Now
CD Tracklisting
1.Boom! There She Was
2. Overnite
3. First Boy in This Town (Lovesick)
4. All That We Are
5. Best Thing Ever
6. Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry for Loverboy)
7. Bam Salute
8. Sugar And Spice
9. Philosophy Now
10. Oh Patti (Extended)
11. Boom! There She Was (Dub)
Rough Trade. Cat. No. Vinyl RTRADLP696 CD RTRADCD696 2026
Scritti Politti - Provision - 1LP on Black Vinyl & CD. To Be Released 11th December.
What Bounty 2026 has been for Scritti Fans…in the Spring…Songs To Remember … then in Summer, Cupid & Pysche ‘85 and now….on the Winter horizon…
Scritti Politti’s visionary third album Provision is returning to Vinyl & CDl!
After a long absence and boasting new sleeve notes from Green Gartside and bandmate David Gamson. This new edition brings to life one of the 1980s most remarkable records. In search of Scritti Politti’s golden sound and embracing the latest recording technology, the duo adopted an elemental approach to recording, bringing together individual parts and musicians to create a truly stunning whole.
Gartside and Gamson were years ahead of their time in 1988, relying on magnetic tape and razor blades… “The whole album was pushing the limits of what analogue recording could do,” notes Gamson of the herculean task they set themselves, which saw them start the record in London and finish in New York.
Alongside Green and Gamson, Roger Troutman, founder of the Zapp band, brought his unique, cutting-edge Talkbox instrument to their sessions; Dan Huff, whose collaborations stretch from Kenny Rogers to Taylor Swift, provided guitar; while Miles Davis agreed to help the pair complete “Oh Patti”, which Green had first started in his London flat. “He was enigmatically charming. I was expecting an entourage, but there was none. Miles came alone and, despite reputation, seemed almost more diffident than taciturn.” recalls Gartside of the jazz icon’s trumpet on ‘Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy)’, which had come about after Davis had covered Scritti’s own ‘Perfect Way’ from previous album, Cupid & Psyche 85.
“He was very gracious and spent time on the piano figuring out the changes and then trying a lot of different ideas over some hours,” Green said of Davis. The contributions from some of music’s true originals and innovators mesh seamlessly with Scritti Politti’s own artistic quest. Somewhat overshadowed by the poppier nature and immediate success of its predecessor, Cupid & Psyche 85, this reissue is a timely reminder that musically Provision is just as much an enjoyable masterpiece.
Candidly, the duo talk in the sleeve notes about the travails and frustrations that accompanied the making of this record, but nearly 40 years on from its release, the likes of ‘Boom! There She Was’, ‘Sugar And Spice’ and ‘Overnight’ swoon with irresistible melodies and a musical elegance; while ‘Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy)’ unites Green’s heady romanticism with Davis at his most sultry. The repressing of Provision recreates the bespoke tracklisting for the vinyl and CD editions.
The LP features the album's core nine tracks, whereas the CD has two extras, the dub of ‘Boom! There She Was’ and an extended version of ‘Oh Patti’.
Tracklists
LP Tracklisting
SIde 1
1. Boom! There She Was
2. Overnite
3. First Boy in This Town (Lovesick)
4. All That We Are
5. Best Thing Ever
Side 2
1. Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry for Loverboy)
2. Bam Salute
3. Sugar And Spice
4. Philosophy Now
CD Tracklisting
1.Boom! There She Was
2. Overnite
3. First Boy in This Town (Lovesick)
4. All That We Are
5. Best Thing Ever
6. Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry for Loverboy)
7. Bam Salute
8. Sugar And Spice
9. Philosophy Now
10. Oh Patti (Extended)
11. Boom! There She Was (Dub)
Rough Trade. Cat. No. Vinyl RTRADLP696 CD RTRADCD696 2026
