RECORD REVIEWS, JULY-DECEMBER 2025.
BE BOP DELUXE. The Albums 1974-1976. CD boxset (Cherry Red) From the start, Be Bop Deluxe was very much singer / guitarist Bill Nelson’s band. Originally formed in Yorkshire during 1972, the original line-up recorded the ‘Axe Victim’ album for Harvest Records in 1974. Initially they veered more towards Glam and some tracks here do betray a debt towards Bowie, although comparisons with Roxy Music/Eno and Doctors of Madness are just as valid. The album contained some great, catchy songs and a truly iconic cover, but the band would play only one national tour before Nelson ditched the musicians and put together a second version of the band. He was evidently impatient to move the music forward and it took a while for him to settle on the right members, but they then released ‘Futurama’ in 1975 and the new line-up would remain constant until they split in 1978. This album would see them move away from Glam into a more technical form of rock, whilst also developing a heavier sound. Their third album, ‘Sunburst Finish’, was co-produced by Bill Nelson and John Leckie, who would later become known for his work with bands like Magazine, XTC and The Fall. It also included their most successful single, ‘Ships in the Night’, which reached the Top 30 in 1976. During this time the band were among the small contingent of British groups that can be seen as precursors to the Punk and New Wave scenes. … not quite Glam and not quite Prog, but not far away from what bands like Television would be creating during the next few years. In some ways, ‘Sunburst Finish’ had a more straight-forward rock style, with occasional hints of Status Quo, Thin Lizzy and perhaps even Sensational Alex Harvey Band. This trio of albums comes with a 48-page booklet featuring sleeve-notes from Nelson himself, putting everything in context. This is definitely the first step you need to take if you’re curious about this band… and if impressed, you can then move on to…
BE BOP DELUXE. The Albums 1976-1978. CD boxset (Cherry Red) By 1976, the band were probably at their most popular, with successful albums, hit singles and American tours. ‘Modern Music’ was released just 7 months after their previous album, but despite reaching the charts in both the UK and USA, it seemed to lack the energy and creativity of its’ predecessors, possibly because their heavy touring schedule hadn’t allowed them to properly develop the new songs. Noticeably, there was no new studio album in 1977, but instead ‘Live! In The Air Age’ was released, capturing the band onstage at their most direct and powerful. Many bands of the early Seventies failed to capture their live sound when they went into the studio, so this album gives a much better representation of what made Be Bop Deluxe such a popular live act. In some ways it’s possibly the best way to hear them now, displaying both their musicianship and energy. 1978 would see the release of ‘Drastic Plastic’ and while it continued their chart-success, it would also prove to be their last. Nelson had become interested in elements of the Punk and New Wave scene, alongside electronic music and Bowies’ ‘Berlin trilogy’. Although the new songs were still unmistakingly Be Bop Deluxe, the overall sound embraced new technology and moved towards ‘Art-rock’. In retrospect it stands-up rather well, bridging the gap between Be Bop Deluxe and Nelson’s next band, ‘Red Noise’, as well as his subsequent solo career. Again, the boxset includes a booklet including many rare photo’s and Bill Nelson’s extensive sleeve-notes. For someone new to the band, this is the perfect introduction to their later years, whilst established fans will appreciate the smart and thorough way the albums are presented. Whatever your reason, I’m sure you will not be disappointed.
BORN INFECTED. Year of the Rat CD (Engineer) Formed in 2019, this is a five piece Dutch hardcore band with several releases already under their belt. They deliver a ferocious style of hardcore that mixes both the mid Eighties NYHC sound (Agnostic Front/Cro-mags) and early Boston bands like SSD and Negative FX. But although that may be an indication of their roots, both their words and performance will soon reveal that this is a band firmly in the present. Their riffs display some leaning to faster metal sounds, but there’s none of the unnecessary guitar solo’s or vocal histrionics that often ruin decent hardcore bands when they delve into ‘crossover’ territory. Born Infected stick to what they do well, powerful crunching blasts of hardcore fronted by gruff, snarling vocals and helped along by a powerful production sound. And just to keep you on your toes, the CD ends with an ‘Outro’ featuring pounding techno beats accompanying the frantic guitars and chanted vocals. Too many people think of hardcore as being one-dimensional these days, but one listen to this release and you’ll quickly discover that it still has plenty to offer.
CALICO PALACE. Golden Days CD/EP (Engineer) Formed in Milton Keynes, this band have been around for a few years, forging a tight, mid-paced punk rock / alt-rock sound that to my ears recalls the likes of Moving Targets, Dag Nasty and maybe a few hints of Husker Du (apparently, they’re actually into bands like New Found Glory and The Get Up Kids, but being the old fucker that I am, I wouldn’t know about such things, …) A solid rhythm section holds everything down while a big, chiming guitar sounds creates the upbeat atmosphere and the dramatic vocals narrate the intriguing lyrics. Evidently, another EP (‘On the Line’) should follow this soon and hopefully they’ll be touring near you in the coming months. This is something I’m happy to recommend.
THE FALL. Middle Class Revolt CD boxset (Cherry Red) Released in 1994, Middle Cass Revolt’ appeared during a particularly busy time for The Fall. Brix Smith had left the band just a few years earlier, original guitarist Martin Bramah had been invited back to the band but was then sacked (along with keyboardist Marcia Schofield) within two years. The band had also returned to an independent label, Permanent. However, alongside MES, the core musicians still included Craig Scanlon, Steve Hanley, Simon Wolstencroft and, for the first time in nearly a decade, the surprise return of second drummer Karl Burns. Apparently, there had been problems during the early recording sessions which caused them to be scrapped, but when it was eventually completed, the album delivered an interesting and enjoyable piece of work. It included two fine singles (’15 Ways’ and ‘Behind the Counter’) three covers (‘War’ by Slapp Happy, ‘Junk Man’ by the Groundhogs and ‘Shut Up’ by The Monks) and a reinterpretation of an early, unreleased song from 1977, ‘Hey! Student’ (originally titled ‘Hey! Fascist’.) In some ways, it appeared that the album was going to be rather patchy, but in retrospect it sounds pretty solid, with excellent new tracks like ‘M5’ and ‘You’re Not Up to Much’ interspersed by deliberately disorientating moments of noise and confusion, ensuring that the listener is never going to get too settled. There’s a lot going on and not every idea works, but for the most part it is an entertaining album. This set includes the original album, a collection of non-album single-tracks, remixes and the 1994 John Peel Session. In addition there are also three contemporary live recordings from Shepherds Bush Empire, Derby Assembly Rooms and Tramps (New York) giving a great overview of how the band performed the new songs onstage, alongside other, older material. It stands up well in retrospect and, as with everything by The Fall, it’s an album worth reinvestigating or even discovering for the first time.
THE FALL. The Unutterable. CD boxset (Cherry Red) For some unintentional reason, I lost track of what The Fall were doing during most of the Nineties and I didn’t really hear them properly again until ‘The Unutterable’ was released in 2000. This was an album that sounded really solid with the bands’ intent and delivery clear and focused. Musically, they were firing on all cylinders, both creatively and technically, delivering one of the very best-sounding Fall albums, while Mark E Smiths’ vocals, whilst more measured than in his earlier years, were direct and immediate. Songs like ‘Cyber Insect’, ‘Dr Bucks’ Letter’ and ‘Ketamine Sun’ were instant classics, becoming favourites both on record and at gigs. When I heard this album, I instantly regrated not paying attention over the past decade and began trying to catch up (although, in typical Fall fashion their next LP ‘Are You Are Missing Winner’ was a bit disappointing, but then followed by the truly magnificent ‘Country on The Click’…) This 4 CD boxset includes the original album plus the original ‘monitor mixes’, giving you an insight as to how the album developed between actual recording and release. Alongside these, there are two live recordings from Newport and Edinburgh in 2001, presenting sets from a contemporary period. Together with a 20 page booklet with sleeve notes detailing the albums development by those involved, this really is everything you need to know about one of the classic Fall albums.
FORD’S FUZZ INFERNO. Ultimate Fuzz Frequencies. Mini LP (Subunderground) If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know that I’ve been a fan of FFI ever since their first record, ‘Deniers of Fuzz Will Be Executed’, back in 2021. They’ve been pretty busy since then and this is now their tenth release. I’m glad to say that they’ve managed to keep-up the high quality along the way and, if anything, they’ve actually got better and better! Starting out as a solo project, FFI have gradually evolved into a three-piece and each addition to the line-up has opened-up more possibilities for them. They’ve stuck close to their original musical intent, exploring what they can achieve by combining late Seventies Punk Rock with the kind of fuzzed-up guitar sound that Bryan Gregory created during his tenure in The Cramps. But they haven’t just stuck with that one idea and have instead incorporated increasingly melodic tunes, different tempos and further use of the studio to properly capture their raw sound. This mini-album contains nine new tracks and clocks-in at just under twenty-minutes. They don’t waste a second, delivering one great song after another. Side One starts with a couple of noisy yet catchy songs, before ‘This Invention’ and ‘Promises for a Bright New Day’ take some neat twists and turns, building-up to the brief but direct instrumental, ‘Frantic Fuzz Rush’. Flip the record over and ‘Why Are We Here and Who Are You?’ is an instant classic, carefully balanced between tuneful punk and hardcore. It even comes with an instrumental ‘Part 2’, which adds further dimensions and drama to the whole record, before ‘Conquerors’ ups the tempo for a genuine adrenalin-rush of energy. ‘Need No Favours’ ends the set with a slower tempo that veers between hard-stomping, atmospheric verses and catchy choruses. There’s not much more I can say other than, if you miss this band then you may well be missing one of the best punk bands currently active. Yes, they are that good!
HARD-ONS with JERRY A./ You Won’t Shut Up 7” (Cheersquad) The Hard-Ons have had a long association with Poison Idea (their co-headline gig at ULU in 1991 remains one of the best gigs I’ve ever seen!) so it’s no surprise this collaboration has come about. The music is hard and heavy on both tracks, like a cross between the more riffing moments of the early Hard Ons and Motorhead, while Jerry’s vocals on the a-side are instantly recognisable and sounding better than ever. The b-side, ‘Dead End Turnaround’, takes a bit of a detour in that, while the music stays in the same style and tempo, Jerry delivers a more measured vocal delivery, almost crooning through the verses before becoming more animated in the chorus. Fortunately, Jerry has the voice to do this so it really works well and, even though they recorded at different studios and different times, these tracks sound like a perfect union. Rumours of a full album are already being whispered… Going by this single, that should be a real treat if it happens!
HAUNTU. The Unknown Reigns CD (Engineer) Based in San Diego, this is a band who recall the early days of what would become known as ‘Gothic rock’. Of course, it wasn’t called that at the time and was just another extension of the ‘post-punk’ era (which also wasn’t called ‘post-punk’ at the time.) New bands had been inspired to form due to the emergence of UK punk rock but as they developed their ideas and abilities, searched for different ways to express themselves. Unfortunately, with all these different styles emerging, the music press had a field day inventing different ‘scenes’ to pigeon-hole the new groups. Goth was just one part of it but soon became the most obvious target of ridicule for any hack needing a cheap laugh. I don’t think it ever recovered from that, even though a lot of the early bands were great. However, the musical style never received quite so much attention in the States, which is possibly why American bands have continued to embrace aspects of it over the years. In this case, Hauntu have blended a more-experimental version of punk with theatrical female vocals and melodramatic arrangements to create something of their own. The results produce plenty of rhythmic tension and atmosphere, whilst also displaying energy and movement in a surprisingly accessible manner. Different moments will suggest different influences, although the one band I did keep thinking about are the UK band Empire, who were also quite influential in the mid-Eighties DC punk scene. You’ll need to compare and contrast for yourself, but fact is, this is an interesting and entertaining album that gets better with every replay.
JERRY A and THE NEO GIRLS / NORMAN SILVER & THE GOLD. Split 7” (Gallivant) This is a true old school DIY project… One track from each band on limited-edition coloured vinyl, together with a mini-copy of the resurrected ‘Punk Shocker’ fanzine (featuring brief interviews with both bands) and, if you’re lucky, a Poison Idea postcard! You’re going to love this even before you hear the music! Fortunately, both bands live-up to the anticipation and deliver some great tracks. The Neo Girls are Jerry A’s latest band and while the punk-attitude is still there, this song probably isn’t what you’d expect. It’s a cover of ‘Hammer Song’, originally by the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. I didn’t know that Jerry was a fan of SAHB, butb it doesn’t really surprise me. The Neo Girls play it pretty true to the original and certainly deliver it properly. Whether or not the band intend to continue in this style is not yet known, but for now this is a great debut. On the other side of the disk, Norman Silver & the Gold present one of their own songs, ‘Spectre at the Feast’, which in many ways continues in a similar tone and style as the Neo Girls track. The idea behind this band was for a bunch of punks to see what they could produce in a sort of Country & Western style. Of course, it was never likely to be straight-forward and that’s where its’ strengths lay. There are plenty of bands playing C&W by numbers, but these guys are playing it their own way, blending-in a bit of punk-rock distortion and English folk weirdness. I must admit, I don’t know much about this band but It’s an intriguing introduction and I’ll be curious to hear more. So, two bands, two songs, neither what I / you were probably expecting but sounding all the better for it. Why be predictable when you can do something great instead?
JUKEBOX ROMANTICS. This One Looks Cool CD (Engineer) The name might suggest a Fifties rock’n’roll revival combo, but after a brief singer-songwriter style intro (I was worried for a moment) they burst into a fast punky style that’s reminiscent of bands like Samiam, Bouncing Souls or perhaps Jawbreaker. Their songs are uptempo, catchy and enjoyable, which possibly isn’t what you’d expect from a New York band but, dammit, they do it so well. It’s not surprising to find that they’ve been together for quite some time, releasing their first album in 2009 and keeping themselves pretty busy with touring and plenty of releases ever since. By this point, they clearly know what they’re aiming for and how to achieve it. They have the kind of songs that you hear once and think, that’s not bad, but by the third or fourth time you hear them, you’ll be singing along at the top of your voice, not even caring what the neighbours think (fuck ‘em anyway…) A great production with plenty of energy and clarity perfectly captures their sound, while the lyrics (sadly not included with the CD but reasonably easy to follow) are interesting and have some good points to get you thinking. So, probably not what I was expecting, but I’m glad I was wrong. If you can’t enjoy this, perhaps you just don’t enjoy good songs anymore.
MIGUEL KERTSMAN. Paradoxes CD (Aurua) Argh! Prog alert!!! Well, maybe not a full-on 24-minute synth-solo warning, but this is an album that does embrace some of those tendencies. Kertsman is a Brazilian-American composer and multi-instrumentalist with his roots in both classical and jazz genres, tempered by the proggie-productions of the early Seventies. His own music has featured in such diverse settings as video games and Olympic ceremonies. The saving grace for this project is that it doesn’t veer too far towards the more technical elements and instead concentrates on creating atmospheric mood-pieces which sound more like mini-soundtracks rather than pretentious showing-off. I can’t say this is something that I’ll listen to all that often, but fans of synths and Seventies rock will undoubtedly enjoy this record.
MONTY OXY MORON. The Piano Plays ‘til Midnight LP (Damaged Goods) Monty has been covering keyboard-duties for The Damned since the mid-Nineties and before that playing alongside Captain in his solo band, which makes him one of their longest serving members. Following the success of several solo gigs during the past couple of years, recording an album of Damned songs featuring just Monty on the piano seemed like an obvious step forward, Well, here it is! The thing is, The Damned have always involved intricate melodies within their music, even during their more frantic moments, so hearing the songs like this really brings those elements to the fore. Generally-speaking, I think most Damned-fans already appreciate this, so a collection of ‘punk’ songs played in such a manner really shouldn’t come as a surprise and I expect, will be embraced as yet another side to a band that have already delved in to so many different styles. Monty has chosen an interesting selection of songs, from ‘I Just Can’t Be Happy Today’ and ‘Smash It Up’ through to more recent tracks like ‘Beauty of the Beast’ and ‘Nature’s Dark Passion’, along the way visiting ‘History of the World’, ‘Wait for the Blackout’ and even ‘Shadow of Love’. It’s not a ‘greatest hits’ selection but rather songs that work well in this fashion and I really think that fans are going to enjoy it.
NOPE. Done Grieving CD (Engineer) This time, with a solo bloke sitting on a beach (not even sure if it’s a member of the band) it’s the cover that starts to give me the singer-songwriter creeps. You’ve got to understand, there’s just so much crap in that genre and for some reason, I get sent a lot of it. It’s even worse than all those metal bands! Anyway… Nope are actually a punk band from Milan whose sound veers towards melodic hardcore, which is a lot more palatable. Their songs sound highly accomplished and well-formed, which makes it all the more impressive as this seems to be their debut release (although I may be wrong on this, as there are a surprising number of bands using the name ‘Nope’ on t'internet, across many different genres. But I did my best to track down the info…. Just for you.) Back to the review, it really wouldn’t have surprised me if these guys had been together for decades and released many previous albums, as they really seem to know what they’re doing and how to achieve it. They’re driven by a strong guitar sound that at times reminds me of Nicky Garrett’s (UK Subs etc) more melodic moments, while the structure of the songs recalls early Lemonheads or Vic Bondi’s (Articles of Faith, Alloy etc) vocals and guitar style. Altogether, it makes this a surprisingly impressive album and I’m sure that anyone who enjoys the catchier side of punk or hardcore will find it to their taste. Let’s just hope that they make it over to the UK soon enough, so we can see them and make sure!
PETER & THE TEST-TUBE BABIES. The Albums 1990-98. CD boxset (Captain Oi!) P&TTTB originally formed in the small town of Peacehaven during 1978 but didn’t start to make a name for themselves until they signed with No Future records and released the classic singles ‘Banned From the Pubs’ , ‘Run Like Hell’ and the album ‘Pissed and Proud’. They released further albums on a regular basis over the next few years but declining interest in punk rock prompted them to take a break between 1987 and 1990, when they returned to record ‘The $hit Factory’. It was an unlikely album made up of songs that had recently been hits by artists like Kylie, Sinitta and Bananarama, all produced by the Stock / Aitken / Waterman team. It’s not their greatest LP, but remains quite amusing and, at the very least, got the band recording and touring again. The following year, they released ‘Cringe’, which took a heavier rock sound whilst mostly reverting back to their own material (the LP included a cover of ‘Bare Necessities’, while the CD version also included an inspired, frantic version of ‘Yakety Sax’, better known as the Benny Hill theme…) They didn’t get to release another album until 1995, by which time drummer Ogs had left the band. However, ‘Supermodels’ proved to be a real return to form with lots of energy, plenty of catchy songs and a much more appropriate production sound. Unfortunately, it would prove to be the final album for bass player Trapper, who, like Ogs, left due to work commitments. Their next album would be ‘Schwein Lake Live’, recorded in Munich during their German tour in December ’95. Eighteen tracks selected from right across their career, including early fan-faves like ‘Elvis is Dead’ and ‘The Jinx’ all the way through to tracks from the ‘Supermodels’ album. It also gave the band members an excuse to dress up in ballet-tutu’s, making it memorable for all the wrong reasons! That said, it really captured them in their element, onstage in front of an enthusiastic audience. The final album in this set, ‘Alien Pubduction’, was released in 1998 and was the first to feature the new rhythm section, Rum and AD. The production went for a more rocky sound again, but this time found a better balance allowing their punk roots plenty of space as well. It includes some great catchy songs with lyrics reflecting the bands’ long-term love of the absurd. Unfortunately, there’s only a few extra tracks added to the original albums, but a 16 page full-colour booklet, complete with sleeve notes and rare pictures makes up for it. Overall, these may not be the bands’ best albums (although ‘Supermodels’ gets pretty-damn close and ‘Schwein Lake’ is an excellent live recording) but there’s still plenty to play loud and enjoy.
POSITIVE REACTION. Past Mistakes CD/EP (Engineer) Welsh hardcore band, apparently taken their initial influences from the likes of early Agnostic Front and Negative Approach, which to my ears isn’t a bad place to start. Even the artwork reflects vintage hardcore influences although you really need to check out the live shots inside the CD to see what I mean. Positive Reaction have two vocalists that veer between screamy and grindcore styles while the music bounces away from their roots towards more contemporary hardcore, albeit the more extreme measures. These four tracks (clocking-in at well under ten minutes, perfect for vinyl…) put their point across succinctly and with an intense energy that leaves no doubts (please note, not a reference to that shitty band.) This is a release which does what the band set out to do, combining the harsher side of American hardcore with the more frantic side of UK hardcore (before it became ridiculous) and it presents loads of adrenalin, energy and enthusiasm. It’s not going to be to everyone’s taste, but if you get it you're going to go feral!
PSYCHIC TV. A Prayer for Derek Jarman CD (Cold Spring) I think it’s fair to say that the best music Genesis P-Orridge produced usually depended on the people he was working or collaborating with. Gen was great at bringing interesting, talented people together and fusing their ideas to create some truly exceptional results. The many albums released by PTV underline this, veering from highly remarkable recordings through to some very underwhelming material. This collection, a selection of soundtrack work composed for the film and video work of the legendary Derek Jarman, is a great example of Gen and PTV raising their game to compliment his visual artistry. The album contains six lengthy tracks and hasn’t been available for three decades, so I’m sure this reissue (recently remastered and featuring new packaging, including extensive notes from Gen) will be welcomed by any fans who have not had the chance to experience and enjoy this music before now. It’s mostly of a more ‘experimental’ nature, featuring field recordings, drones, and snippets of sounds that will evoke your imagination and elicit their own atmosphere. For me, this is an example of Psychic TV at their best and it remains as valid now as it did originally. During their time, Psychic TV covered a huge range of styles and directions, from industrial through to Hyperdelic pop and dance music, so it's difficult to suggest where someone new to the band should start, but if you're open-minded and want to hear them at their most-potent, this would be an ideal introduction.
THE RESIDENTS. American Composers Series 1982-1987. 3CD set (Cherry Red) During the early Eighties, The Residents developed the idea of a series of ten albums featuring their interpretations of various composers. However, their first two releases (‘George & James’ featuring the music of George Gershwin and James Brown, and ‘Stars and Hank Forever’, featuring John Philip Sousa and Hank Williams) came shortly after the ‘Mole Show’, their first attempt to tour, which had left them broke! Possibly due to their ensuing difficulties, the two albums didn’t receive a particularly enthusiastic response and, since they had to pay licensing costs for use of the songs, they also proved to be rather costly, adding to the financial problems. The series was consequently shelved (although ‘The King and Eye’ from 1989 could be considered a sort of sideways-step from the series, consisting as it does of their interpretations of various Elvis Presley classics…) But over the years they have received a kind of gradual reappraisal, possibly due to the ongoing popularity of the single ‘Kaw Liga’, one of the Hank Williams songs, to which The Residents had looped the bassline from Michael Jackson’s ‘Billie Jean’. Boosted by various remixes, it became a Club hit and has remained a well-deserved fan-favourite ever since. Looking back, the George Gershwin tracks were perhaps a little tame by Residents’ standards, although the James Brown selection is a lot of fun, covering the first side of his original ‘Live at the Apollo’ LP. ‘Stars and Hank Forever’ would be released two years later and proved to be a much more interesting affair. Sousa’s instantly recognisable music for marching bands contained plenty of pomp and intricacies for the Residents to get their collective teeth into, while Hank Williams’ back catalogue often contained dark undertones, while also holding on to a sense of humour, much like the Residents themselves. Consequently, this was a much stronger album and continues to stand up well to this day. Both of the albums are included here, together with plenty of additional material, while a third disk contains yet more rare tracks, not all from the ‘American Composers’ project but from various lesser- known recordings of the same period, including some previously-unreleased goodies. So, there’s a lot to explore and enjoy here, as well as the two albums that really deserve your reinvestigation. Do the right thing now … Buy or Die!
THE RESIDENTS. Leftovers 1970-1988. 2CD (Cherry Red) Over the past five years, The Residents have used Record Store Day as an appropriate outlet to release three albums of previously unavailable material from their archives. These compilations have been a veritable treasure-trove for long-time fans of The Eyeballed Ones, with recordings stretching back as far as 1970 and as recent as 1988. As the material tends to lean towards the bands’ more experimental efforts, the albums have been particularly enjoyed by fans of The Residents earlier style(s) although even within these recordings there are plenty of surprisingly accessible moments. It just depends on your own tastes and whether or not you can appreciate the broad range of musical sounds that emerged from this incredibly creative period. Rather than just releasing a selection of unrelated archival material, each individual album was put together carefully to ensure a sense of continuity even though the tracks may have been recorded in very different circumstances. For me, these results were very successful, but The Residents decided that further adjustments needed to be made to ensure that the eventual 2CD release would work in the same way. As such, the track listing remains similar but has been shuffled in some places, and nine more previously unreleased tracks have been added to the overall collection. Again, it works perfectly and the running order flows from one era to the next in a way that makes total sense (musically, at least…) This would be the perfect Christmas gift for anyone interested in the first two decades of The Residents, but don’t just limit yourself to Yuletide… There are 365 days in a year and it’ll be a great purchase on any one of them!
SNIPS. Work – The Solo Years 1978-1981. CD boxset (Cherry Red) Stephen Parsons, aka Snips, is a singer and musician who first made his mark as the frontman for Sharks, an early-Seventies group who also featured Chris Spedding and former Free bassist Andy Freeman. They released two albums on the Island label which received positive critical response, as well as successfully touring in the UK and America. In 1974 they began recording their third album with John Entwistle in the production seat, but the band fell apart before it could be completed. Snips then played with Ginger Baker in the Baker Gurvitz Army, singing on two of their albums and the subsequent ‘Ginger Baker and Friends’ LP in 1977. The following year he began his solo career and released his first album, ‘Video King’ on the Jet label. His second album, ‘La Rocca’ would not appear until 1981, this time on EMI and produced by Chris Spedding. Snips also kept himself busy as a music-producer, video director and a soundtrack-composer for TV and film. It would not be until 2011 that he formed a new band, King Mob, which also featured Chris Spedding, Glen Matlock and Martin Chambers. They released an album, ‘Force 9’, in 2012 and since then he has continued to work with Spedding, including a reunion of Sharks. This boxset offers a thorough overview of his solo career in the early-Eighties, including his two albums plus an extensive selection of previously unreleased material. ‘Video King’ is a catchy new wave influenced rock album with nods towards Glam and Art-rock. You also get a selection of rare tracks as well as an excellent concert recording originally broadcast by BBC Radio One in November 1978. The second album, ‘La Rocca’, continues the mix of hard rock and new wave and generally it’s more upbeat and quirky. They made use of new production sounds and technology to bring out the best in the songs, creating something both catchy and credible. Again, it’s augmented by a selection of rare tracks to complete the picture. The final disk contains further BBC recordings, including a 1979 radio session and two ‘In Concert’ broadcasts from 1980 and 1981 which present a perfect document of the bands’ live prowess. Personally, I’ve been aware of Snips since the mid-Eighties but only really heard occasional songs over the years, so this collection proved to be the ideal way to properly investigate his solo recordings. While it's not going to appeal to everyone, there’s enough energy, creativity and intent here to appeal to any truly discerning rock fan.
STEVE AVO LINDSEY. Ping CD (Fretsore) I was a bit dubious about this as an initial glance suggested yet another ‘singer-songwriter’ type, which usually means (odds of at least 99/1) it’s going to be shite. But a little more investigation revealed that this chap is a long- time member of Deaf School, as well as being a member of new wave band The Planets during the early Eighties. Since then he’s remained in various aspects of the music business, so it’s no surprise that he’s finally decided to release a solo album. The songs are deceptively-simple and highly catchy, bolstered by full band backings and (in most cases) some really neat arrangements that bring out the full depth of the songs. Steve himself has said that he compiled the record as if it was a Nick Lowe album, which while it isn’t done too obviously, can be heard when it’s pointed out. But there are a lot more influences in play, and whilst, in terms of style and presentation, there’s plenty of variety to the songs, there’s also a strong cohesiveness that makes this a very solid album indeed. It sounds fun, fresh and inventive, proving that sometimes experience really can be as exuberant as any of those kids out there.
THE STRANGLERS. Fifty Years in Black LP (Rattus) Against all odds, the Stranglers have reached their 50th anniversary and both their records and tours are as popular as they have ever been. Recent years have seen the loss of both Dave Greenfield and Jet Black, leaving only JJ Burnel from the ‘classic’ line-up. However, Baz Warne has now been with the band long enough to be considered an essential fixture in their line-up and he’s certainly played a major part in restoring their reputation as one of the UK’s most unique, powerful and highly creative bands. This triple-vinyl album is a superb document of their 2024 UK tour, including songs from across their entire career. Of course, the bulk of the selection comes from their early days, including fan-favourites from the first four albums, but unexpectedly this set begins with three tracks from the much underrated ‘Gospel According to the Meninblack’ album, including the rarely-played (if at all) ‘Hallow to Our Men’. It’s a treat to hear them, while the rest of the set delves elsewhere in their back catalogue to produce a highly eclectic performance. Instead of just releasing an album from one particular concert, this LP contains tracks from all of their 2024 tour-dates ,ensuring that we get to hear the very best versions of each song. Perhaps this one is mostly for the devotees, but if you’ve ever been a fan of the Stranglers and haven’t heard them in recent years, this is an album that you need to hear, if only to let you know what you’ve been missing.
SYSTEM OF SLAVES. Live Not By Lies CD (Engineer) Another band from Wales currently working with the much-respected (and so they should be) Engineer label. Not as extreme as ‘power-violence’ bands, but certainly a step ahead from most, if not all, current Hardcore bands. Most obviously, the vocals are provided are presented from a female perspective (Keda) even though some male vocals support her statements. In some ways, they remind me of the SF Bay area band Punch, although in this case, the recordings capture all the energy and intent of their performance. (Please note, I loved Punch but none of their recordings matched their live prowess.) With this release, System of Slaves have presented themselves at their best. A mix of brutal riffs and rhythms combined with genuinely furious vocals, ensuring that every track is going to kick you in the eye. That this CD combines their most recent recordings alongside the best of their earlier material makes perfect sense. Let’s face it, there’s more to be angry about now than there ever was in 1977 (and that was an angry time!) This may be an uncomfortable sound and statement, but anyone aware of what’s going on in the world, let alone at home, will be able to ignore it. This is Punk / Hardcore doing exactly what it’s supposed to do. Listen now and figure-out what YOU need to do next.
THEME. Meditations on Space, Volume 1 CD (Fourth Dimension) I’m not sure if it was intented for Fourth Dimension to release an album entitled ‘Meditations on Space’, but I seem to remember from some long-lost Physics lesson that the fourth dimension is a concept concerning space and time. Just thought I’d chuck that in there to try and make myself sound intellectual (obviously failed, much like my Physics exams…) Anyway, this is the seventh album from experimental duo Stuart Carter and Richard Johnson (along with various contributors) and captures them working on a mostly instrumental level, with vocals heard deep in the mix like cries in the distance, when you are unable to hear if they are the sound of threats, play or anguish. The music is carefully kept in check, never becoming over-dramatic or histrionic, but at the same time creating moments of genuinely unsettling atmosphere. Heavy bass pulses recur throughout the album, recalling Throbbing Gristle at their best, whilst other moments also had me thinking of Nurse With Wound (although in both these conparisons, never too much to draw you away from the character of Theme themselves. The music isn’t ‘minimal’ but seems to come from the angle of ‘less is more’, setting the tone and then letting your imagination fill in the spaces. This is a great album, creepy but enthralling. Play it in a darkened room and let you mind do the rest.
VENOM. Blackened Priests CD set (Dissonance) The first three Venom albums (‘Welcome to Hell’, ‘Black Metal’ and ‘At War With Satan’) are undeniable classics. The band combined the heaviest elements of Hard Rock with Satanic imagery and Punk attitude to create a style that heralded the oncoming Thrash metal scene. Bands who were destined to become huge (Metallic, Slayer etc) owed a significant debt to Venom and to this day, you can hear their influence in the music of many current bands (check out ‘Midnight’…) However, just at the point where it seemed likely that Venom would be achieving greater success, things fell apart. The ‘Possessed’ album contained some great songs but suffered from lack-lustre production and guitarist Mantas subsequently left the band to work on a solo album. The following album, ‘Calm Before the Storm’, lacked a sense of direction and didn’t have a good reception, prompting bassist/vocalist Cronos to depart. Left as the only original member, drummer Abaddon decided to find new members to continue the band. He recruited bassist/singer Tony Dolan and persuaded Mantas to rejoin the band (along with second guitarist Al Barnes) and used previously unreleased demos to win a new deal with the Under One Flag label. The first album from the new line-up was ‘Prime Evil’, released in 1989. Musically, it sounded reinvigorated and possibly enthused by the emerging Thrash scene. It had an appropriately heavy production, although Dolan’s vocals were perhaps too ‘mainstream-metal’ in places. Regardless, the album received a positive response and prompted the band to release a mini-album, ‘Tear Your Soul Apart’, the following year (also included here.) In 1991 they released ‘Temples of Ice’, but it wouldn’t prove to be the album they needed to follow-up ‘Prime Evil’. In retrospect, the band admitted that they recorded it too soon and the production lacked the energy that the songs needed (Dolan and Mantas would eventually re-record many of the songs for the ‘Crucified’ album in 2013.) That said, many of the songs were good and generally veered back towards the classic Venom style. The final album from this era, ‘The Waste Lands’, would be released in 1992 and this time featured a much stronger production and more creative arrangements. The band were clearly up for it but unfortunately it didn’t get the response it deserved, possibly as fans had been disappointed with its’ predecessor. But songs like ‘Black Legions’ and ‘Wolverine’ stand up amongst the bands best songs, while closing track ‘Clarisse’ is a slower, more atmospheric track inspired by the film ‘Silence of the Lambs’. The line-up continued for the next few years but released no further albums. Listening to these albums now it seems a lot easier to appreciate them. At the time they were too readily compared to the original Venom line-up but in retrospect there’s more space to hear what this line-up were trying to do, re-establishing the bands reputation and adding their own character rather than just becoming a pale imitation of their early days. They weren’t entirely successful with this aim, but they did leave behind three albums which stand-up rather well. If you’re a fan but you’ve never heard these records, this is an ideal way to catch up. It’s a bit disappointing that there’s no extra-material included, but you do get a full-colour booklet with sleeve-notes by Tony Dolan and Al Barnes, as well as plenty of rare photo’s. Accept these albums for what they are – a different approach to Venom - and there’s plenty to enjoy.
THE WALL. Allied Propaganda CD (Spectacle) Over the past few years, a bunch of CD’s have been released documenting previously unreleased material featuring the vocalist Ian Lowery (The Wall, Ski Patrol, Folk Devils etc.) Of particular interest for me have been the rare recordings by The Wall. I got to see this band only once during their original lifespan, supporting Stiff Little Fingers in 1981, by which time Lowery was no longer with them although they continued to play many of his songs and certainly gave SLF a run for their money! A few years later, I heard a band called ‘Folk Devils’ on the John Peel show and then saw them live a short time later. I had no idea that their singer had also been a founding member of The Wall, I just knew that they were a great band in their own right . Luckily I got to see them a few more times after that and even met Ian a couple of times at other gigs, although our attempts to set-up an interview for ‘Grim Humour’ never came together… After Folk Devils, he went on to release records under other guises (King Blank / Ian Lowery Group) before his untimely death in 2001. Since then, he really hasn’t received the credit that he so obviously deserves but at least his music is still getting out there. In this case (yes, I’ve finally got around to the review!) we have two demos recorded at the Music Machine in 1978, two brief interview-snippets and two full live sets, both in 1979 from the Moonlight Club and the Pied Club. The demos (‘Another New Day’ and ‘Manchuria’) are great sound quality, while the live recordings are good audience recordings which, if you enjoy bootlegs, are a pleasure to hear. Perhaps not ‘Hi-fi’ but capturing the adrenalin and atmosphere of the gigs just as they happened. Ian Lowery, The Wall and Folk Devils embodied the period that’s now referred to as ‘post-punk’. They started as basic bands inspired by the Punk ethos, but as they became more competent decided to reach further and create something of their own. This is a truly great collection of recordings, displaying a band playing a great set but clearly wanting to take it further (which both The Wall and Ian Lowery would subsequently do.) If you want to know how Punk evolved and remained valid in the late Seventies, this is as good as it gets. (https://ianlowery.bandcamp.com/)
V/A. Decoder CD (Cold Spring) ‘Decoder’ is a movie that became a cult-classic almost immediately after its’ release in (appropriately-enough) 1984. Featuring FM Einheit (Einsturzende Neubaten), Christiane F, Bill Rice, William Burroughs and Genesis P-Orridge among others, the film portrays a run-down city becoming a dystopia where subliminal muzak is used to keep the population in line, both as workers and consumers. But this begins to change when a musician discovers that replacing muzak with abrasive, unsettling recordings can have the opposite effect, sparking thoughts of dissatisfaction and revolution… The film should have been more widely acknowledged, but as it was mostly in German it received limited-distribution and became unavailable for many years until it was released on DVD/Blu-ray in 2019. Since then it has been reappraised by a new generation who have found that the themes remain disturbingly relevant. Just as important as the plot and characters is the impressive soundtrack, which is now being made available for the first time in 33 years. Featuring several groundbreaking artists of the Eighties (Soft Cell, The The, Einsturzende Neubaten, Psychic TV) the music perfectly compliments the film. At times it creates an unsettling or unnerving mood, whilst other moments are surprisingly catchy and upbeat. It provides the perfect score for the film and the ideas that it puts out there, but also stands up as a solid album in its’ own right. You don’t necessarily need to see ‘Decoder’ before listening to the soundtrack (or vice-versa) but at the same time they obviously belong together and, whichever way you approach them, I’m sure you will become keen to investigate both. Together with some excellent, full colour packaging, this is a record that you can enjoy whilst also taking onboard plenty of interesting ideas.