Ian Matthews

The second in Iain Matthews' series of demos, outtakes, etc., Orphans & Outcasts, Vol. 2 concentrates on his 1980s output, relating to the years that bookend his self-imposed hiatus between 1983 and 1987. The pre-1983 cuts, along with one recording from 1984, were taken from his techno and new wave dabblings with the Seattle-based Hi-Fi, and to a greater degree, his Shook-era demos. And while many fans of Matthews' '70s work had trouble warming up to this phase of his career, which takes up nearly half of the collection, there are some memorable moments, as there were with the various records of this time. Still, the inclusion of early (quite different) versions of "Perfect Timing" and "Voices" from 1990's Pure & Crooked ("Voices" was added to the 1994 Pure & Crooked reissue) should be of interest, even if only as a curiosity, to those put off by this period. The second half of Orphans & Outcasts, Vol. 2 begins with the album's true highlights -- six Jules Shear songs which were demoed for Walking a Changing Line. None of the tunes appeared on the record, and only "Steady" had, at this point, been issued on one of Shear's own releases. Sparsely arranged, with acoustic guitar, vocals, and the occasional programmed rhythms, these demos actually benefit from the absence of the final album's new age veneer. Of the remaining tracks, only "We Don't Talk Anymore," which seems to have been picked for parts of Pure & Crooked's "Rains of '62," is of any real interest. Orphans & Outcasts, Vol. 2 doesn't quite meet the standard set by its predecessor, but the Walking a Changing Line demos alone make it essential for fans. ~ Brett Hartenbach, All Music Guide