On Broken Glass — release notes

An EP of Furniture's own extended versions, remixes and unreleased takes, drawn from three 12"s that followed When The Boom Was On (ERC072).

The songs cast light on the band's development from 3-piece to 5-piece, adding Sally Still (bass) and Maya Gilder (keyboards) — a new male/female frontline. Their broadened line-up and sound let them start addressing the kind of pop music they wanted to play.

After early releases garnered radio play and reviews, Furniture were "launched into the melee of '80s pop." An anomaly, the band attracted a "specific kind of 'intense' follower, who were often beguiled by Furniture's freaky normality."

"I Can't Crack" (1984) — addressed those intense fans. A more urgent version of the sound debuted on "Why Are We In Love." Sung by Tim, built on a sequencer-like rhythm played live by drummer Hamilton Lee, with a clarinet part by Tim's brother Larry Whelan. "A mix of bleakness and euphoria" — considered by the band to be one of their best self-productions, and a latter-day club play.

"Throw Away The Script" — a studio experiment where the band wrestled with sequencers and synth-pop, then countered it with a free-jazz sax solo. Found on the flip of the double A-side of the "Love Your Shoes" 12". This instrumental version became an underground club hit, including a cult play at Fran Lenaer's influential Valencia club, Spook Factory. "Played loud, the studio mastery, trickery and oft-accidental discoveries come to the fore, with tissue-damaging frequencies giving extra sound system shaking bottom end."

"Dancing The Hard Bargain" — co-produced with Tim Parry (formerly of Blue Zoo). The band "threw everything at these 12" versions" — a compelling, percussive mix with a stop-start breakdown that became a band hallmark.

"Bullet" — sung by Tim Whelan. An edited version had debuted on the 1986 Survival Furniture compilation The Lovemongers; this previously unreleased original take is centred on a mesmeric tape loop, live drums and a guest appearance by violinist Helena Bjorelius.