Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
A best-of compilation from the Bolshoi appeared in 1999, but Friends is the real deal. Friends is the group's 1986 debut album, and it summarizes all of the band's strengths. Although not as goth-inflected as the Bolshoi's Giant EP, Friends is still very dark. Trevor Tanner's lyrics unflinchingly relate tales of hypocrisy in "Away" and "Sunday Morning." In "Away," a family tries to hide that they once forced their daughter to work as a prostitute: "Money's scarce/But family honor/Brings it home, brings it home/And down the shop, the tongues they snicker," Tanner sings with empathy. "Sunday Morning," like XTC's "Dear God," is a scathing attack on organized religion. However, Tanner's target isn't God; it's going to church. "I remember when I was young/Feeling sick on Sunday morning," Tanner reminisces. While it may seem blasphemous to some, "Sunday Morning" offers a realistic perspective; Tanner sounds like a bitter former altar boy, disillusioned by the façade of innocence of the people around him. Paul Clark's moody, nostalgic piano paints the images described by Tanner's words. "Romeo in Clover" and "Books on the Bonfire" revisit the glum, whirling guitars of the Bolshoi's past, echoing the Psychedelic Furs and Bauhaus. While Friends is far from a perfect record -- the Bolshoi were too derivative to make anything that was flawless -- it's certainly much sharper than 1987's uneven Lindy's Party or Away...Best of the Bolshoi, the latter featuring an emasculated version of "Sunday Morning." If Friends/Giant, the CD combining Friends with the Giant EP, isn't within reach, this is the Bolshoi LP to get.
© Michael Sutton /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
From $10.83/month
Mick Glossop, Producer, Engineer - Paul Clark, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Universal Music Publishing Ltd, MusicPublisher - The Bolshoi, MainArtist - Harry Fox Agency, MusicPublisher - Jan Kalicki, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Chown, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Trevor Tanner, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - CMRRA, MusicPublisher - Momentum 3 Music, MusicPublisher
1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd 1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd
Mick Glossop, Producer, Engineer - Paul Clark, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Universal Music Publishing Ltd, MusicPublisher - The Bolshoi, MainArtist - Harry Fox Agency, MusicPublisher - Jan Kalicki, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Chown, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Trevor Tanner, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - CMRRA, MusicPublisher - Momentum 3 Music, MusicPublisher
1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd 1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd
Mick Glossop, Producer, Engineer - Paul Clark, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Universal Music Publishing Ltd, MusicPublisher - The Bolshoi, MainArtist - Harry Fox Agency, MusicPublisher - Jan Kalicki, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Chown, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Trevor Tanner, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - CMRRA, MusicPublisher - Momentum 3 Music, MusicPublisher
1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd 1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd
Mick Glossop, Producer, Engineer - Paul Clark, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Universal Music Publishing Ltd, MusicPublisher - The Bolshoi, MainArtist - Harry Fox Agency, MusicPublisher - Jan Kalicki, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Chown, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Trevor Tanner, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - CMRRA, MusicPublisher - Momentum 3 Music, MusicPublisher
1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd 1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd
Mick Glossop, Producer, Engineer - Paul Clark, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Universal Music Publishing Ltd, MusicPublisher - The Bolshoi, MainArtist - Harry Fox Agency, MusicPublisher - Jan Kalicki, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Chown, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Trevor Tanner, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - CMRRA, MusicPublisher - Momentum 3 Music, MusicPublisher
1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd 1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd
Mick Glossop, Producer, Engineer - Paul Clark, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Universal Music Publishing Ltd, MusicPublisher - The Bolshoi, MainArtist - Harry Fox Agency, MusicPublisher - Jan Kalicki, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Chown, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Trevor Tanner, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - CMRRA, MusicPublisher - Momentum 3 Music, MusicPublisher
1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd 1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd
Mick Glossop, Producer, Engineer - Paul Clark, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Universal Music Publishing Ltd, MusicPublisher - The Bolshoi, MainArtist - Harry Fox Agency, MusicPublisher - Jan Kalicki, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Chown, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Trevor Tanner, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - CMRRA, MusicPublisher - Momentum 3 Music, MusicPublisher
1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd 1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd
Mick Glossop, Producer, Engineer - Paul Clark, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Universal Music Publishing Ltd, MusicPublisher - The Bolshoi, MainArtist - Harry Fox Agency, MusicPublisher - Jan Kalicki, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Chown, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Trevor Tanner, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - CMRRA, MusicPublisher - Momentum 3 Music, MusicPublisher
1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd 1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd
Mick Glossop, Producer, Engineer - Paul Clark, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Universal Music Publishing Ltd, MusicPublisher - The Bolshoi, MainArtist - Harry Fox Agency, MusicPublisher - Jan Kalicki, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Chown, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Trevor Tanner, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - CMRRA, MusicPublisher - Momentum 3 Music, MusicPublisher
1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd 1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd
Mick Glossop, Producer, Engineer - Paul Clark, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Universal Music Publishing Ltd, MusicPublisher - The Bolshoi, MainArtist - Harry Fox Agency, MusicPublisher - Jan Kalicki, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Chown, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Trevor Tanner, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - CMRRA, MusicPublisher - Momentum 3 Music, MusicPublisher
1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd 1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd
Mick Glossop, Producer, Engineer - Neil Brockbank, MixingEngineer - Paul Clark, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Universal Music Publishing Ltd, MusicPublisher - The Bolshoi, MainArtist - Harry Fox Agency, MusicPublisher - Jan Kalicki, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Chown, Composer, AssociatedPerformer - Trevor Tanner, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - CMRRA, MusicPublisher - Momentum 3 Music, MusicPublisher
1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd 1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd
Album review
A best-of compilation from the Bolshoi appeared in 1999, but Friends is the real deal. Friends is the group's 1986 debut album, and it summarizes all of the band's strengths. Although not as goth-inflected as the Bolshoi's Giant EP, Friends is still very dark. Trevor Tanner's lyrics unflinchingly relate tales of hypocrisy in "Away" and "Sunday Morning." In "Away," a family tries to hide that they once forced their daughter to work as a prostitute: "Money's scarce/But family honor/Brings it home, brings it home/And down the shop, the tongues they snicker," Tanner sings with empathy. "Sunday Morning," like XTC's "Dear God," is a scathing attack on organized religion. However, Tanner's target isn't God; it's going to church. "I remember when I was young/Feeling sick on Sunday morning," Tanner reminisces. While it may seem blasphemous to some, "Sunday Morning" offers a realistic perspective; Tanner sounds like a bitter former altar boy, disillusioned by the façade of innocence of the people around him. Paul Clark's moody, nostalgic piano paints the images described by Tanner's words. "Romeo in Clover" and "Books on the Bonfire" revisit the glum, whirling guitars of the Bolshoi's past, echoing the Psychedelic Furs and Bauhaus. While Friends is far from a perfect record -- the Bolshoi were too derivative to make anything that was flawless -- it's certainly much sharper than 1987's uneven Lindy's Party or Away...Best of the Bolshoi, the latter featuring an emasculated version of "Sunday Morning." If Friends/Giant, the CD combining Friends with the Giant EP, isn't within reach, this is the Bolshoi LP to get.
© Michael Sutton /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:54:20
- Main artists: The Bolshoi
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Beggars Banquet
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock Alternative & Indie
1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd 1986 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz?
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalog with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets, and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.
