The Searchers - "Hearts In Their Eyes - Celebrating 50 Years of Harmony & Jangle"
4-CD box set with 64-page booklet (Universal Music - UMC 2745981)

 

There are 120 tracks across the four discs here (including a few interviews with the Searchers) -all the originals, plus demos, solo cuts, live tracks - which might sound like overkill, but it’s a necessary remedy to the chaotic situation of their back catalogue.. In addition, it all comes in a sturdy hardcover book-like package with a series of articles by Jon Savage ("The Heavenly Sound"), Bob Stanley, Frank Allen ("The Sire Era") and Tim Viney on the group's last 25 years, with masses of b/w & colour pics. The quality of writing and photos is streets ahead of many reissues and are almost worth getting in their own right.  It’s a really well put together package, mainly for anyone who ever loved the Searchers, but there's also plenty here for anyone interested in looking beyond the usual Beatles/Stones-centred version 60’s story we get now, and see how the music scene changed from the early through the decade. If only all reissue packages were like this! (Thanks to Mudkiss Fanzine)

Musically of interest for Searchers fans are of course those two live tracks: Every River (live), leadvocal by Spencer and Seven Nights to Rock (live), leadvocal by John. Personell: John, Frank, Spencer and Scott Ottaway on drums. Both songs were recorded in 2010.

All other tracks were released many times before.