The March Violets - Made Glorious

The March Violets' 2013 album, "Made Glorious," received positive reviews for successfully blending their classic dark, gothic sound with richer, more modern production, featuring hypnotic rhythms, shimmering guitars, and Rosie Garland's distinctive vocals, creating a compelling mix of ethereal atmosphere, campness, and deep emotional resonance that was seen as a strong return to form and a worthy addition to their legacy. Reviewers highlighted tracks like the catchy "Made Glorious," the driving "Hammer The Last Nail," and epic "Kraken Wakes," noting its ability to feel both nostalgic and vital. 

The product of a successful crowd-sourcing campaign and a tantalising thirty years in the making comes The March Violets first proper album in the form of 'Made Glorious'. 2011's 'Love Will Kill You' EP provided the first glimpse of a focussed and reinvigorated Violets that a foot firmly in their classic post-punk meets goth sound with a distinctly progressive twenty-first century sheen. But will 'Made Glorious' provide the fans with the closure they have craved for so long?

The album distils the essence of the band's early singles like 'Snake Dance' and 'Walk Into The Sun' into a refined, dreamy, almost psychedelic style to songs like 'A Room With No View', 'Of Roses', 'Dandelion King' and '2024' that feels fresh and shows off the full extent of the band's song writing talent. The strong bass lines and driving drum machine give the album a solid groove throughout songs such as 'Made Glorious', 'We Are All Gods III', 'Little Punk Thing', and 'My Demons' which show they still have plenty of dance floor appeal. But the band aren't afraid to get a little playful as songs like 'Tokyo Flow', 'Discoboy Must Die' and 'Ramming Speed' inject both some humour and pure punk attitude into the record.

As with the EP before it, the band are at their strongest when they delve into the more sublime end of their song writing. But there is still something undeniably compelling about their tried and tested sound, even after all these years.

The time taken over the production side of the album is evident from the opening bars. It has a recognisably analogue vibe to it, but loses the 80's roughness of their earlier recordings in favour of a more dynamic and richer sound. The bass and drums tend to dominate the mix with the dual vocals, guitars and a variety of other instrumentals often fading in and out of songs giving them a more ethereal atmosphere.

It's been along time coming, but The March Violets have delivered on that album they always promised to make. The high quality of the song writing, performance and production is the product of a long journey, but it was well worth the wait.

The March Violets - Walk Into The Sun 12''

The March Violets are an English post-punk/gothic rock band formed in 1981 in the city of Leeds, incorporating singers of both sexes, drum machine rhythms and echo-laden electric guitar, much in the style of fellow Leeds band the Sisters of Mercy. Seven March Violets singles reached the UK Indie Chart; the Natural History LP also was an indie hit (hitting No. 3 in 1984). The original band members met while at Leeds University in 1981. Tom Ashton and Laurence "Loz" Elliot played lead and bass guitar, while vocals were handled by both Simon "Detroit" Denbigh and Rosie Garland. Percussion was provided by a drum machine, a feature that a number of bands in the Leeds scene had in common. Obviously, you already know all this background, but I wanted to make sure that with all the previous March Violets posts the story isn’t lost in repetition and unremarkable comment. What makes this single stand out, apart from it being a classic banger, is that Rosie Garland wasn’t singing. Rosie had left the band following the release of Snake Dance. Walk Into The Sun marked the beginning of the change in direction T’Violets took, enhanced further when Si Denbigh departed. 

The March Violets - Snake Dance 12''

No ’80s goth mix is complete without The March Violets driving single “Snake Dance” a classic of the era that still sounds pretty good today. They’re largely forgotten now, but in their time the Violets got music-press front covers, record sessions for John Peel and Janice Long and release a succession of 12-inch singles, the best of which (Snake Dance and Walk Into The Sun) deserve to stand shoulder to shoulder with She Sells Sanctuary, Bela Lugosi’s Dead and Alice as classics of the time. Snake Dance has been a guaranteed club floor-filler for over twenty years, and more than any other factor it's probably the reason why The March Violets can stage a comeback in the twenty-first century and find an audience waiting for them. Anything is possible, everything is to play for, and the omens are good. 

The March Violets - Crow Baby 12''

Following their first two singles on Merciful Release the March Violets established Rebirth Records and promptly released their third 7”single and debut 12” single, Crow Baby. 

The March Violets' 1983 12" EP Crow Baby (Rebirth Records) is a highly regarded, 4-track post-punk/gothic rock release featuring the title track, "One Two I Love You," "Long Pig," and "Crow Bait". It is noted for its early 80s Leeds goth sound, driving drum machine rhythms, and raw, avant-garde energy that cemented their reputation alongside The Sisters of Mercy. The EP showcases a, "dissonant and wild" style. Reviews often highlight it as essential early 80s goth, featuring a strong, driving, and "crackin'" sound. Released on their own Rebirth label after departing from Merciful Release, the 12" is considered a key part of their Natural History era. The 12" EP is frequently described as having a "Sisters of Mercy vibe" but with a more raw,, "beautiful and ugly" aesthetic. 

The March Violets - Natural History

On this collection of singles, the March Violets sound very much like their former label mates The Sisters Of Mercy: simple drum programs, droning bass, slashing guitar and deep, melodic male vocals (with Simon Denbigh as the poor man's Andrew Eldritch, though, like Eldritch, he clearly loved his David Bowie collection). The main thing that distinguished them from the Sisters is the presence of female vocalist Rosie Garland, while the dark, aggro surge of the music carved its own wired and romantic path. Guitarist Ashton and bassist Elliott found a reasonable space between Joy Division, Echo And The Bunnymen and Bauhaus for their respective approaches, and were as much masters of shade, throb, and scalpel sharp guitar lines as anyone. Natural History isn't organized by any particular order of recording, there are singles (A and B’ sides) and John Peel session tracks. It's no surprise in the end why the band essentially ended after Denbigh's departure in later years; when he was around, the tension usually built to the breaking point. The male/female vocal dynamic was definitely one of the March Violets' strong points, and their most successful tracks push that hard, whether it's the murkier edge of "Children on Stun," the wonderfully vicious "Radiant Boys," or the blunt "One Two I Love You."

Natural History is not without its high points, "Fodder," "Undertow," and especially "Snake Dance," which hints at potential yet to be realized.

The March Violets - Big Soul Kiss [BBC Recordings 1982-1986]

Limited edition double-LP; twenty-three tracks recorded for John Peel and other BBC programmes over six separate sessions - including nine unreleased songs. The March Violets came out of Leeds in the early 80's, initially as label-mates mates of Sisters of Mercy. Releasing six singles, they were a constant presence at the heights of the UK indie charts. They never got around to recording an album; their only long-players, both in the UK and USA, were singles compilations. Eventually they signed to a major and were groomed for a USA breakthrough, but found they were asked to make too many compromises. Thankfully, their career was well-documented by the BBC recording six sessions; three for John Peel, and one each with Kid Jensen, Janice Long and Richard Skinner. The sessions chronicle their development from 1982 to 1986 with lead singers Simon Denbigh, Rosie Garland and Cleo Murray, backed by bassist Lawrence Elliot and guitarist Tom Ashton. It includes nine unreleased songs and alternate versions of their indie hits in a total of 23 tracks. Here is the unheard history of The March Violets.

The March Violets - Love Will Kill You EP

They are back! The March Violets, the legendary pioneers of Darkest Post Punk Rock, who kick-started the Goth movement in Leeds alongside The Sisters Of Mercy, have just released the amazing ‘Made Glorious’ T’Violets ‘difficult’ debut album which is now on vinyl for the first time and on CD with wider distribution - on the eve of their upcoming 2023 tour. Coming to prominence in the 1980’s, the band’s six indie singles made a big impact on the indie chart, and were a prelude to the major-label deal. They were originally label-mates with The Sisters Of Mercy, yet darker and infinitely more messed up than them, and through constant gigging they became integral to the whole Leeds/M62 scene in the early/mid 1980s. Twenty-five plus years later, original band-members Rosie Garland, Si Denbigh and Tom Ashton reconvened with Joanna Moy (Screaming Banshee Aircrew) for tours of the UK and USA. An EP ‘Love Will Kill You’ and video of the track Dandelion King was issued in 2011. Unfinished business included recording an album, and Made Glorious was given a limited release in 2013. However, DIY economics and events intervened to make it a restricted, Pledge Music CD album, much to the disappointment of many. The 2LP vinyl edition was a purple vinyl Record Store Day release in the UK on April 22 and the CD in a card gatefold sleeve follows. The CD and streaming release come on May 26 just prior to their UK, Europe and USA live dates.