a certain ratio
ltm catalogue

Manchester band A Certain Ratio released their first single on Factory Records in 1979, and remain one of the defining groups of the post-punk era. The group remain active today, releasing new album Mind Made Up in 2010. For more biographical information click here. To purchase ACR CDs click here.


MIND MADE UP (LTMCD 2531) £10
Produced by Ratio in Manchester between 2006 and 2009, Mind Made Up marks a stunning return to hard-edged funky form. 'The songs are timeless and true to ACR's roots,' says Donald Johnson. 'The emphasis was placed on keeping it simple in the studio. Trickery was kept to a minimum and we never took more than three takes on any track.' Adds Martin Moscrop: 'Most songs we jammed in rehearsal one week and recorded the next, so that they were rough round the edges. And the lyrics are some of the best Jez has ever produced. You'll also hear old ACR influences throughout the album. Teri was actually the first song ACR ever wrote, but it has never been recorded or released until now.' The band line-up remains unchanged since Ratio's last studio album back in 1996, comprising Jez Kerr (vocals, bass), Denise Johnson (vocals), Martin Moscrop (guitar), Donald Johnson (drums), Tony Quigley (keys, sax) and Liam Mullan (keys). This remastered LTM edition features an extra bonus track not included on previous European editions. Full tracklist: I Feel Light, Down Down Down, Everything Is Good, Way To Escape, Rialto 6, Mind Made Up, Teri, Bird to the Ground, Starlight, Which is Reality?, Skunk, Very Busy Man, I Feel Light (Dub)

Reviews: 'Certainly Ratio are happy to hark back to their late 70s peak. Johnson and Kerr recycle classic ACR rhythm riffs, while the predominant funky beats and spooky atmospherics blend nicely with the art-pop of Teri and Bird to the Ground. The results sound surprisingly tough, vital and contemporary' (Uncut, 07/2010); 'The formula remains true, and there's still a vital disco energy in the gritty guitar and rubber-band bass. Faithful fans might find their passion rekindled' (The Wire, 06/2010); 'As fresh and vital as any of their worshippers' output. Theirs is a lean funk, spiked with Wire-y guitars and not afraid of industrial clanks, dry Mancunian wit or anything else that comes to hand. It is also properly funky. Mind Made Up is a record to get or risk losing your edge. A triumph - 5 stars' (Metro, 06/2010); 'ACR have hit the ground running on their latest offering. With grinding riffs and one foot in the early 90s, there's a rootsy, DIY feel, a little dark around the edges, with its smudged sounds and almost punk vibe. It's comforting to hear something which sounds absolutely familiar yet totally new. Bloody brilliant' (Chimp, 06/2010); 'Andy Weatherall's favourite band have been around since the late 70s. Clinically executed, this is a must for history lovers and contemporary alt.funkers alike. 8/10' (DJ Magazine, 07/2010); 'Mind Made Up is perfect, lyrical ‘Head Music’ but still has that tight rhythmic force which has always driven ACR. Set to be a summer highlight for a new generation and firm fans alike' (hangout.altsounds.com, 05/10); 'Very much a long awaited return for A Certain Ratio and easily their strongest work since Force. Without trying to emulate any current scene, ACR remind everybody of their quality and their true groundbreaking approach to music and also how cyclical style truly is' (funkylittlefockers.blogspot.com, 05/2010)


FORCE (LTMCD 2552) £10
Described by Donald Johnson as 'the Mike Tyson of funk', Force marked a convincing return to form for Ratio, mixing the robust funk grooves of single Mickey Way with downtempo tracks, as well as Si Firmi O Grido, the percussive tour de force which provides a reliable climax to live performances. In addition to pin-sharp rhythm and groove the album also displayed real consistency, and even a pop sensibility, courtesy of guest vocalist Corinne Drewery of Swing Out Sister. The album was also one of the first to utilise the brand new Akai S900 sampler. Force reached #2 on the UK indie album chart, and this remastered and expanded CD gains five bonus tracks. These include flipside tracks from single Mickey Way, an ultra rare remix of Bootsy by Robert Racic (previously only available though Factory Australasia) and The Runner, issued on a limited edition Italian EP. Full tracklist: Only Together, Bootsy, Fever 103, Naked and White, Mickey Way, And Then She Smiles, Take Me Down, Anthem, Nostromo a Go Go, Inside, Si Firmi O Grido, The Runner, Bootsy (Racic Remix)

Reviews: 'From the stop-watch bass and drums of Mickey Way to the startlingly optimistic snap and crackle of Only Together and Bootsy, Force almost dispenses with the expected melancholy and puts some of the euphoria of the funk to work' (NME, 11/1986); 'Ratio have jerked from their sleeves a fine pop record. Force is bright, tight, tense and coherent; a glorious achievement' (Melody Maker, 11/1986); 'The moment they hit the groove that resulted in Force they gained a musical joy that belied their reputation as sullen boys with heavy brows. This proved to be the slab of quality funk to which they always aspired, and is just so refreshing here and now' (The Quietus, 03/2010); 'Factory's funk contenders get over their initial cold, long mac grooves and play a more polished but still rhythmic jazzy pop. Fans will laud the two 12-inch bonus cuts too' (Mojo, 05/2010); 'Faultless funk. Each track is superb, with Fever 103's running water intro being particularly memorable, as is the gyrating, thriving instrumental Mickey Way. How can the perfect pop of And Then She Smiles have been ignored for so long? Five out of five' (Record Collector, 05/2010); 'The band's return to its funk roots, with some deep, jerky grooves. Force has aged really well' (Blurt-online, 04/2010)


I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU AGAIN (LTMCD 2438) £10
The third and last album to feature the original quintet of Donald Johnson, Jeremy Kerr, Martin Moscrop, Simon Topping and Peter Terrell, I'd Like to See You Again (1982) saw the band move from the aquatic textures of Sextet towards a more stripped-down sound, influenced by the latin and electro scene in New York. Stand-out tracks include the funky Touch, vocoder workout Show Case and the minimalist single Guess Who? On this remastered and expanded CD edition, no less than five bonus tracks have been added to the original eight on the album. These include the 7" and 12" versions of the ACR dancefloor favourite Knife Slits Water, flipside Tumba Rhumba, an exclusive remix of Guess Who?, and the rare single I Need Someone Tonite, released in 1983 and the first ACR record to feature keyboard player Andy Connell. Full tracklist: Touch, Saturn, Hot Knights, I'd Like to See You Again, Show Case, Sesamo Apriti - Corco Vada, Axis, Guess Who, Knife Slits Water (7"), Tumba Rhumba, I Need Someone Tonite, Guess Who (Remix), Knife Slits Water (12").

Reviews: "Class trip to the land of the good groove. Wish I'd been there - rhythmic sophistication developed under the influence of then-current disco, funk and South American music, and the five bonus tracks make for a very happy package" (Spex, 07/05); "ACR had always been influenced by American disco and funk, but here that influence became more pronounced than ever. Opener Touch is perhaps the slickest, catchiest bit of R&B that Parliament never recorded, and Hot Knights features a swinging beat with some squishy analog synth to keep it bouyed. The highlight though is Axis, which features some truly jaw-dropping bass work from Jeremy Kerr and grooves languidly on a foundation of tightly syncopated beats and well-placed keyboard riffs" (brainwashed.com, 08/05); "In contrast to earlier ACR releases, this feels like an escape from the constraints of glum post-punk noises, and instead the direction is informed by the sounds of New York clubs, leading to a more danceable set which has lasted the distance of twenty-plus years very well. The rhythms are applied to exemplary effect on Touch, Guess Who and Knife Slits Water, and five years into the 21st Century much of this record could still attract a crowd on to the dancefloor" (Leonard's Lair, 07/05); "Touch is arguably the album's best track, bumping along on Kerr's mother of all rubber-thumb basslines and a distinctly bouncy positivity that suits ACR remarkably well. Both Axis and Saturn also serve up lithe funk based around disciplined trumpet work and DoJo's busy high-hat. The cream of the bonus tracks include the brilliant Knife Slits Water (tingly, atmospheric noir on the 7" mix) and the brasher post-Topping single I Need Someone Tonite, which signposts ACR's future direction on Force in 1985" (Whisperin' & Hollerin' 07/05)


AUTEUR LABELS: ROBS RECORDS (LTMCD 2542) £10
ACR contribute 27 Forever (Dasilva Mix) and Listen to the Sound to this acclaimed collection of prime dance and electronic cuts from Manchester imprint Robs Records. Extended CD also includes tracks by Sub Sub, The Beat Club, Mr Scruff, Digital Justice, Spacer IV, J-Walk, Roy Davis Jr, Rack-It!, Anambi and Strangebrew.


LIVE IN GRONINGEN (HOLLAND) 26.10.1980 (LTMCD 2443) £10 SOLD OUT
Superb live show from the Vera club in Groningen, Holland on 26 October 1980 features the original quintet of Donald Johnson, Jeremy Kerr, Martin Moscrop, Simon Topping and Peter Terrell. Recorded shortly after the band spent six weeks in New York gigging and recording their debut album To Each, the set is unusual in that the band choose to concentrate on lesser-known album tracks rather than singles. Stand-out tracks include And Then Again, My Spirit and the extended percussion excursion Winter Hill. Remastered from the original desk master tape, the CD includes two ultra rare bonus tracks for collectors, both also recorded live in 1980. And Then Again is taken from the b-side of the 7" single version of Shack Up (released by Factory Benelux in August 1980) and Felch, recorded in Hurrah in New York in September 1980 and included on the celebrated Crepuscule cassette compilation From Brussels With Love. Live 1980 includes a detailed band history and contemporary tour sleevenotes by Larry Cassidy of Section 25, partners on the October 1980 European tour. Full tracklist: Felch, Oceans, And Then Again, Loss, Forced Laugh, My Spirit, Winter Hill, And Then Again (b side), Felch (compilation lp).

Reviews: "Clearly ACR were cooking onstage. Live, most of these songs from To Each take on an extra dimension, and are performed with tautness and verve by a band keen to push into fresh sonic territories. It's somehow hot and cool all at once, and, amazingly, the 12 minute percussion workout that is Winter Hill here sets up an ultra-hypnotic drone that is difficult to shake once it's tugged you in" (Whisperin' & Hollerin', 07/05); "This CD reminds me of just how fuckin' wonderful ACR were" (Tony Wilson, 01/06)


UMBRELLAS IN THE SUN LTMDVD 2400 £12
ACR perform Back to the Start on this definitive two hour compilation DVD, which also features rare archive clips from Antena, A Certain Ratio, Josef K, Cabaret Voltaire, Marine, Section 25, The Names, Durutti Column, New Order, Crispy Ambulance, Minny Pops, Malaria!, Berntholer, Tuxedomoon, Thick Pigeon, Paul Haig, Kalima, Stockholm Monsters, Quando Quango and Swamp Children. For more details of this DVD click here.


SHADOWPLAYERS LTMDVD 2391 £12
ACR (Simon Topping and Martin Moscrop) are interviewed in this feature length (two hour) documentary DVD, which traces the early history of iconic Manchester record label Factory Records between 1978 and 1981. Shadowplayers features new, candid interviews with Anthony H. Wilson (Factory founder), Peter Saville (designer), Peter Hook (Joy Division/New Order), Martin Moscrop (A Certain Ratio), Vini Reilly (Durutti Column), Simon Topping (A Certain Ratio), Howard Devoto (Buzzcocks/Magazine), Vin and Larry Cassidy (Section 25), Lindsay Reade, Richard Boon, Chris Watson (Cabaret Voltaire), Alan Hempsall (Crispy Ambulance), Wally Van Middendorp (Minny Pops), The Names, Annik Honore (Factory Benelux), Richard Jobson, Killing Joke, Graham Massey (Biting Tongues/808 State), Ann Quigley (Swamp Children) and Stanton Miranda (Thick Pigeon), For further details click here. To purchase DVD click here.

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