Scritti Politti : Provision

Scritti Politti’s visionary third album Provision is returning to CD & vinyl after a long absence, boasting new sleeve notes from Green Gartside and bandmate David Gamson, this new edition brings to life and tells the story of 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. While this technique has become the norm now, in an era of computer-assisted recording, Gartside and Gamson were years ahead of their time in 1988, relying on magnetic tape and razor blades to achieve what is now done with a click of a cursor.

“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 then finish in New York at a time when connecting a transatlantic call still proved something of a puzzle. But if you consider the elements Scritti had to play with, it is obvious why they took an approach that was so respectful of each and every part.

Alongside the pair’s own contributions, 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 a track 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,” adds the Scritti frontman of the collaborative atmosphere. And that is Provision’s true joy. 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, and while recording technology has finally caught up with what Gartside and Gamson were trying to achieve in the studio, this reissue is a timely reminder that musically Provision remains ahead of its time. 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, as stipulated by the band on its original release. 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’, reflecting Scritti Politti's embracement of the still relatively new format in 1988.