Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine: Straw Donkey… The Complete Singles
(Chrysalis Records)
All Formats Available
Out Now
Carter USM’s, Straw Donkey, originally released in 1995 has been remastered and expanded and is now their definitive ‘complete’ singles collection.
There are many loyal fans of Jim Bob and Les, aka Fruitbat, who have kept the band’s name alive since they parted ways and the Chrysalis reissue campaign, which began with 30 Something in 2023 (originally released on Rough Trade) and completed with Worry Bomb last year, has rewarded us with CD boxes containing bonus content, previously unreleased live sets and DVD’s containing material only previously available on VHS. Alongside these, the original albums have been remastered too.
When Straw Donkey was originally released, just 6 months after the aforementioned Worry Bomb, from what I remember at least, it received a muted response, the band naming it to give the impression of it being a cheap souvenir despite containing a few (at the time) ‘non album singles’. It had contractual obligation album written all over it (which could have been an equally knowing title had Monty Python not used it already).
Now, in 2026 it seems that the years have been kind to this compilation offering it a chance to be a fitting end to the reissue campaign, with the release newly remastered by Phil Kinrade at AIR Mastering and pressed on two 140g black vinyl, housed in a gatefold featuring an obi-strip, there are new track-by-track sleeve notes by Jim and Les as they take a retrospective look back at the complete Carter USM singles from 1988 to 1997. There’s also a CD/DVD version which contains the videos with commentary from the dynamic duo too.
Whilst have been many compilations of varying quality over the last 30 years, this is now the definitive ‘complete’ singles collection. It covers all the singles from a number of labels; from the initial Big Cat releases, A Sheltered Life, Sheriff Fatman and Rubbish, through the Chrysalis years and ending with Cooking Vinyl, with promotional tracks, Stuff The Jubilee! (Extra Special Radio Only Version) and Airplane Food added to this expanded edition also. Carter had a signature style of punk-pop infused with samples, drum machines, and social commentary and Straw Donkey is a timely reminder for any casual fans of just how good they were and how well the songs still stand up, the run of 20 tracks, containing 12 UK Top 40 hits, is testament to this with Jim Bob’s lyrics resonating today.
Arguably, for 4 years, from 1990 to 1994, with the likes of After The Watershed, The Only Living Boy In New Cross, Do Re Me So Far So Good through to Lean on Me I Won’t Fall Over, Glam Rock Cops and Let’s Get Tattoos the band were able to balance being a great singles act as well as a successful albums one, with each of the long players going Top 10 over the same period. Whereas the original compilation ended with the standalone single Born On The 5th of November, actually a fitting full stop to their legacy and completing a circle, the track based on the unreleased Somethings Are Beautiful, recorded a decade earlier in their previous incarnation, Jamie Wednesday; this album continues. Following leaving Chrysalis there would be a further couple of releases, A World Without Dave and I Blame The Government both came out on Cooking Vinyl, and although not offering any ‘hits’ both do have some cracking songs, with Road Rage, And God Created Brixton, and The Undertaker And The Hippy Protest Singer featured here. If readers have overlooked or are unaware of these albums, I’d recommend checking them out too (especially the wonderful Johnny Cash).
Straw Donkey may have once been looked upon as a cheap souvenir but now it’s an essential collection to old fans and those discovering the band for the first time. As LTW’s Wayne Carey said a couple of years ago, “One of the most essential bands of the nineties. A punk duo who influenced many of our acts today and stlll sound top of the game. Sleaford Mods owe their career to these two pioneering legends…”
Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine can be found on Facebook and their official website
You can hear Iain Key chatting to Les on his In Conversation show about the reissue here
All words by Iain Key. See his author profile here or find him via his LinkTree
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