Care

More than ten years after the British duo Care had already ceased to exist, a collection of their material finally reached the marketplace. Liverpool, England, served as the birthplace for Care in 1983, when vocalist Paul Simpson—previously the keyboardist in the Teardrop Explodes—joined guitarist Ian Broudie, whose résumé already included stints in Big in Japan and Original Mirrors. The pair merged Simpson’s spellbinding yet sorrow-laden singing and introspective words with Broudie’s glistening guitar lines and luminous keyboard textures. Their debut single, “My Boyish Days,” unveiled the group’s new-wave approach through glistening keys, ringing guitars, and Simpson’s ethereal, downcast delivery. The follow-up, the heartache-steeped “Whatever Possessed You,” evoked an elusive bridge between Echo & the Bunnymen and Joy Division. Issued the same year, “Flaming Sword” climbed into the British Top 50, yet Simpson exited before Care could finish the intended album Love Crowns and Crucifies. During those sessions a turbulent romance with a contributing female musician had begun to unravel Simpson’s stability, while Broudie’s inclination toward buoyant mainstream pop clashed with Simpson’s preference for somber, weightier material. As a result, the tapes slated for Love Crowns and Crucifies remained unreleased. Simpson promptly revived the Wild Swans, whereas Broudie launched the Lightning Seeds.

Although the two musicians reunited briefly in 1990 for the Wild Swans’ sophomore album Space Flower, the partnership dissolved almost immediately. Broudie turned straight back to a new Lightning Seeds record, while Simpson withdrew from music until resurfacing with Skyray in the mid-’90s. Care seemed destined for oblivion until devoted listeners in Japan and the Philippines—where the duo’s songs enjoyed greater success than at home—sustained interest. Responding to online demand for Care material, Camden issued the 1997 compilation Diamonds and Emeralds, gathering singles, B-sides, and the unreleased Love Crowns and Crucifies tracks. Assembled without the consent of Simpson or Broudie, the set nevertheless brought the duo’s luminous recordings to compact disc for the first time.