Once again Blue Matter has benefitted from an album which, as has happened a few times, more or less just landed in our lap. The Desperate Ones‘1906’ was released in 2012 on the Oh Roy! label as a download only. Considering it’s a work of such quality it’s amazing it should have taken so many years before finally making appearance on LP and CD. Those of you who heard Eliza Skelton’s incredible ‘The Lookerer’ album, which came out on Blue Matter in 2023, will be delighted to learn that ‘1906’ is an album created by Eliza and guitarist extraordinaire Paul Simmons (The Bevis Frond, The Cravats, The Alchemysts, Oddfellow’s Casino). This fantastic early work combines a dark cinematic mix of brooding folk and rock, with shades of Ennio Morricone in its gothic western appeal. These unique arrangements, which feature Eliza’s vocal mastery, are complimented by an ensemble of excellent and eclectic players.‘1906’ is an incredibly strong record that we at Blue Matter are proud to be releasing, so our gratitude must go to Eliza & Paul for granting us access to this splendid album and allowing us to put it out for all to hear.