{"product_id":"declaration-2014-cd","title":"Declaration 2014 - CD","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan color=\"#000000\" size=\"2\" face=\"Arial\" style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Alarm - Declaration 2014 CD is available to order now, 30 years since the original album was released to dramatic effect in 1984.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/4382\/files\/Declaration_CD_medium.jpg?136\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003eThis time around, fans are still guaranteed an equally exciting listening experience. Everyone who delves into this 21st Century version of Declaration, will be able to hear the album in a totally new way, with all twelve songs being recorded afresh by the band’s singer and songwriter Mike Peters.\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e“I like to take from the past and have it inform and direct the future. Take one step back, to go two steps forward if you like,” \u003c\/em\u003esays Peters. \u003cem\u003e“I felt like a part of the band’s spirit had been left behind during the recording of the original that effectively turned The Alarm from an alt-folk acoustic protest group into an electric stadium rock band capable of breaking around the world. In that respect, the original album is still as great as it ever was, but most definitely of its time sonically.”\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/4382\/files\/booklet-1_large.jpg?134\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDeclaration 2014 – CD Tracklisting\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003eShout To The Devil\r\n\u003cp\u003eWhere Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke?\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe Stand [Full Length Version]\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003eTell Me\u003cbr\u003eHowling Wind\u003cbr\u003eBlaze Of Glory\u003cbr\u003eThird Light\u003cbr\u003eThe Deceiver [Long Version]\u003cbr\u003eSixty Eight Guns [Long Version]\u003cbr\u003eDeclaration\u003cbr\u003eMarching On\u003cbr\u003eWe Are The Light\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003eStripped down and set free of the original arrangements, the songs on Declaration 2014 have been able to move with the times and are as relevant to life today as they were when written in the early 1980's.\u003cem\u003e \"I felt like I could make a special record by treating the songs as if they had been written now,\" \u003c\/em\u003econtinues Peters.\u003cem\u003e \"It wasn't an easy process and I very nearly turned back a few times along the way. I had to take a very disciplined approach that was governed by the first principle The Alarm ever had, and that was to make music with an acoustic guitar, drum, harmonica and voice\".\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003eSince the arrival of the White Stripes, Black Keys, Mumford \u0026amp; Sons etc, the world has now become accustomed to bands without a bass which is also the sonic blueprint for this 'new' Alarm album.\u003cem\u003e \u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\"In 1981-1982, no one, not least me, understood how to make the sound of a band work without a bass guitar in the centre of the stereo picture. Now (with only The Alarm's versatile drummer Smiley), I was able to use the studio to create a record that is not only the sound of The Alarm's original vision but also a sound that is totally in line with contemporary trends, proving that The Alarm's music has, and can, stand the test of time.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003eNo song has been left untouched.'The Stand (Prophecy)' has now been recorded and included in full four verse form for Declaration 2014. \u003cem\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\"1984 was an era when bands left their singles off LP's\"\u003c\/span\u003e says the singer, \u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\"and The Alarm adhered to that in general even though we all wanted 'The Stand' (which had been a 1983 hit in the USA), to be included. To compromise, we included the fourth verse that was not used in the single version at the time.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003eBoth 'The Deceiver' and 'Sixty Eight Guns' have extra verses added and the version of '68' on the CD literally explodes into life at the midway point and is surely destined to breathe new life into the way fans react to this monolithic Alarm song.\u003cem\u003e \u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\"The original 'Sixty Eight' was a narrative inspired by a book called 'A Glasgow Street Gang Observed' and although I presented the lyric accordingly on the original sleeve, I always felts something was missing. As time passed, I began to realise that I had taken out the wrong verse when making the song shorter. Here in 2014, I had an opportunity to put that right and present the song with the complete lyric and a more sympathetic storytelling arrangement.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003eDeclaration 2014 features an unexpected yet most welcome collaboration with Acquire Choir (a community singing group from the village of Rhuddlan in North Wales). \u003cem\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\"I had an instinct to include a gospel choir,\"\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/em\u003eremarks Peters, \u003cem\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\"I wanted a sound to represent the soul of the audience who have lived every word on Declaration and whose singing is a huge part of every show The Alarm play. The choir sessions were conducted in church and they were a most beautiful experience in itself. Once I heard Acquire sing 'Blaze Of Glory' I knew the album was going to be something beyond what I had dared hope for\".\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003eThe title track 'Declaration' features 'Ghostbuskers', another community group of musicians from North Wales. \u003cem\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\"That was the one song I did not know what to do with,\" \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003esays Peters. \u003cem\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\"I was actually going to leave it off altogether. I was at Tape Studios, North Wales getting ready to rehearse for The Gathering, when I heard about this community group which featured over 30 guitar, ukulele and mandolin players…. I was intrigued. I paid them a visit and we cut 'Declaration' in one take with my two young boys Dylan and Evan joining in on guitar too. It's a beautiful sound and the last one committed to the record and fitting in that, for me at least, it creates an audible link to the community that is The Alarm and its extended family\".\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003eThe album's artwork has even had a major overhaul and is no less impressive. \u003cem\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\"I met a young designer named Daniel Shearn who has done some sterling work in graphics for film and theatre companies I was aware of, and commissioned him to redraw a new Declaration sleeve. I was not expecting the vision he brought to the project. As soon as I saw what Daniel had done, I could see instantly that he had kept the integrity of the original and added to it. It totally works with the new album, yet still reflects the spirit of the original most beautifully\".\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003eTo further augment the authenticity of this new Declaration era, Mike Peters has cut a special 15 track companion disc of b-sides and non-album songs entitled 'Peace Train', which takes its cue from the 'words without music' that were included on the original Declaration sleeve art. 'Peace Train' takes hold of all the songs that helped to shape the original Alarm era as defined by 'Declaration'. According to Mike Peters,\u003cem\u003e \u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\"All of the songs on 'Peace Train could easily have been included on the original album had circumstances been different.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/4382\/products\/declaration2014_92c27f77-79a3-4fa4-b4ff-3e5d7a716106_compact.jpg?v=1392251816\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003eHighlights include a first ever studio recording of the legendary early Alarm song 'Mister Jones' (which was only ever performed once at the band's second ever gig in St. Asaph, 1981). Other notable performances include a spoken word and drum rendition of the title track plus contemporary re-recordings of 'Reason 41', 'Across The Border' and 'What Kind Of Hell' plus versions of the late Pete Seeger \/ Idris Davies classic 'Bells Of Rhymney', Woody Guthrie's 'This Train Is Bound For Glory' and Rod Stewarts's Maggie May, all three of which, were songs performed during encores at Alarm shows throughout 1984.\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003eThe 'Peace Train' album is also available in store now along with a limited edition pressing of 300 Red Vinyl Declaration LP's.\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePurchase the complete Declaration 2014 Collection (Vinyl LP signed by Mike Peters) and qualify for £5 discount plus free postage.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003eFor those Alarm fans who have come to love the band through the Poppy Fields recordings (or more recently through the exposure afforded to the band in the aftermath of the 'Vinyl' movie), Declaration 2014 presents an opportunity to embrace a part of the band's history that was special to a first generation of fans who have and still support the group to this very day. \u003cem\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\"Of course, for some, it will represent a trip down memory lane, for others it will be a chance to celebrate something that has value and integrity, a music that has stayed with us through the walk of life we have all lived since we first came into contact with Declaration either in the writing or the listening.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003e'Take this song of freedom put it on and arm yourself for the fight, our hearts must have the courage to keep on marching on and on' - The Alarm - Declaration 2014.\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"em\" mce_style=\"font-style: italic;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"_mcePaste\"\u003e\n\u003cspan mce_name=\"strong\" mce_style=\"font-weight: bold;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003eDeclaration CD\u003c\/span\u003e - Single Compact Disc in Full Colour LP style gatefold sleeve with full colour 12 page lyric booklet. CD Includes full length version of 'Sixty Eight Guns', 'The Stand' and 'The Deceiver'. [£17.99 + p\u0026amp;p]\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan mce_name=\"strong\" mce_style=\"font-weight: bold;\" class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003c\/div\u003e\r\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"MPO","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52853537374340,"sku":"cyo1789879388746","price":15.96,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1009\/4110\/3236\/files\/declaration-2014---cd_1.jpg?v=1789879415","url":"https:\/\/stackingstoragefit.shop\/products\/declaration-2014-cd","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}