Bristol-based avant indie pop outfit Modesty Blaise presents a newly remastered version of "Carol Mountain", previewing the remastered 25th Anniversary edition of their seminal album "Melancholia". This expanded collection features newly-restored audio, many outtakes of the original sessions and updated artwork in a fantastic new 3 Disc version. Forthcoming via European label From Lo-Fi To Disco!, this release reflects on the album’s legacy and continued resonance.
The newly-edited video for "Carol Mountain" was created from footage shot when Modesty Blaise played in New York in 2002, when the band was made up of Jonny Collins, David W Brown, Gregory Jones, Clem Courtney and Julien Clapperton.
Modesty Blaise have been around since 1993 in various guises. In that year, they recorded their debut single 'Christina Terrace' with Edwyn Collins at the helm, garnering them immediate success with a live appearance on ITV and inclusion among many end-of-year top music rankings. Other highlights include supporting Robbie Williams at London's O2 Arena, inclusion in a Rough Trade compilation, an ITV company documentary on Jonny Collins, and a BBC Radio session involving seventeen people.
Originally issued as a standalone single, "Carol Mountain" reflects the defining qualities that have given the album its enduring reputation: restraint, atmosphere, and emotional depth. Built around huge productions and slow-burning intensity, the track expands the sonic world of "Melancholia" — immersive, introspective, and quietly affecting.
"Carol Mountain formed one of the main tracks of the whole album. It was recorded in multiple parts and using three different drum kits. It’s inspired by Steven Gaines’ book "Heroes & Villains" about The Beach Boys, and written in about half an hour on a Sunday morning. In contrast to that quick writing process, the recording took months and more than half of the entire recording budget for Melancholia. We got orchestral players from a Bristol orchestra and I found a barbershop quartet to come and record with us", says Jonny Collins.
"'Carol Mountain' was Brian Wilson’s unrequited love, I believe. We know that Brian knew this song well and that Brian’s band played the CD album on their tour bus. That was a great thing, and it sounds even better now."
Originally released on CD and vinyl, "Melancholia" remains a quietly influential work more than two decades after its original release — defined by emotional precision, sonic restraint, and a timeless sense of atmosphere. The 2026 remaster has been completed with a light-touch approach, focused on clarity and depth rather than reinvention. Greater dynamic range and enhanced detail bring new presence to the recording, revealing subtle textures and spatial nuance while preserving the character of the original mix.
'Carol Mountain' is available exclusively via Bandcamp, reflecting the independent spirit of the anniversary campaign by offering listeners a direct connection to the music ahead of the wider streaming release. On April 24th, the "Melancholia - Remaster" album will be released across all major streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music.
'MELANCHOLIA - REMASTER'
Disc 1: Melancholia - Remastered
Disc 2: Melancholia [de]Construction
Disc 3: Melancholia - The Singles
CREDITS
Written by Jonny Collins
Mixed & produced by Jonny Collins
Remastering at White House Studio by original engineer Martin Nichols
Jonny Collins - vocals & guitar
David W Brown - bass guitar
Gregory Jones - guitar & vocals
Clem Courtney - organ &vocals
Julien Clapperton - drums & cymbals
Video created by Jonny Collins
Cover artwork by Gregory Jones
Released via From Lo-Fi to Disco!
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
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