Shelleyan Orphan
Shelleyan Orphan
So begins the story of Shelleyan Orphan. Their name, taken in homage to the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley is what brought Caroline Crawley (RIP) and Jem Tayle together at first, forming the band in 1983 in Bournemouth, eventually signing to Rough Trade records in 1985. Now, One Little Indian release a beautifully packaged limited edition boxset, containing the band’s best-loved albums alongside videos, rarities, and a moving handwritten letter from Jem Tayle following his musical partner’s death last year. This limited edition box-set contains remastered, repackaged complete albums of Helleborine, Century Flower and Humroot, as well as a new nineteen-track bonus disc. Also included is an unreleased BBC Radio 1 Session containing unearthed versions of Cavalry of Cloud and Melody of Birth, as well as a slew of unreleased demos chronicling all three albums, and session tracks with Art of Noise’s Anne Dudley, featuring Geoffrey Bayldon of Catweazle fame. In addition, the boxset comes packaged with a DVD (6 videos) and an essay penned by Crawley and Tayle, before her untimely death, exploring in deeper depth the story that is Shelleyan Orphan. This is the first time Shelleyan Orphan’s back catalogue is compiled together, further illuminating the songwriting and vocal skills of one of England’s best pop purveyors.