Electronic - Electronic - CD (1991), U.K.

Happy Holidays! It's just hours before the end of the year and what better way to celebrate the end by listening to some twitch inducing music? Electronic, formed in 1988, was a joint effort between ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr and singer/guitarist Bernard "Barney" Sumner from New Order. Guest musicians were also involved such as Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe from The Pet Shop Boys and Karl Bartos from German synth pioneers Kraftwerk. Electronic existed after the demise of The Smiths (Marr) and in between and during an extended absence from New Order (Sumner).
During that time, they released 13 singles, 3 full-length albums, and a compilation "best of" album (released in 2006). Electronic's sound represents only a fraction of the vast and creative nature of the Madchester scene going on in the U.K. at the time. Using a mix of analogue synths and guitars, they set out to make an impact with some successful singles such as Getting Away With It, Get The Message, and Second Nature.
For today's post, I'm introducing their self-titled debut album released by Factory Records. It's very obvious Electronic sounds very much like how New Order would sound if Peter Hook took a break from playing bass, but with Johnny Marr on guitar and helping out with writing some of the songs, the similarities become less obvious. Some notable tracks in this album include Tighten Up, Gangster, and Try All You Want. With the exception of Tighten Up, I was surprised that Gangster and Try All You Want weren't released as singles! I wasn't very fond of Getting Away With It, although it has a catchy chorus, it's a very cheesy song with somewhat awkward and simplistic lyrics. Well now, it looks like I've ran out of words,  excuse me while I'm off celebrating and anticipating the beginning of the new year!

Details:

Electronic - Electronic - CD (1991), U.K.

1. Idiot Country
2. Reality
3. Tighten Up
4. The Patience Of A Saint
5. Getting Away With It
6. Gangster
7. Soviet
8. Get The Message
9. Try All You Want
10. Some Distant Memory
11. Feel Every Beat

Review

More Information:
Biography
Discography
Fan Site

Gravity Pirates - This Way To The Cargo Cult - LP (1986), Australia

Originating from the land of down under, the home of wacky-haired Yahoo Serious and the subject of many over the top post-apocalyptic movies, arrives a band who are seldom mentioned and still remain off the radar of most people. Gravity Pirates from Sydney, Australia is a group shrouded in obscurity and will remain so until some more insight is revealed. I was a bit frustrated to find very little information beyond what is on the vinyl's sleeve cover.

The only notable things I could uncover is who all the members were involved while the band existed, the sparse discography (2 LP's) and a Myspace page (with just a grainy music video, music samples and a short magazine article). The people connected with the band were: Steven Hindes (guitar, vocals and piano), Sharon Van Tromp (vocals), Paul Hindes (keyboards), Alistair Stevenson (bass), Pierre Della-Putta (drums) and Keith Boots (drums).

This Way To The Cargo Cult, released in 1986 (not 1984, as the Amazon and iTunes download pages insist) by Survival Music, is quite a find and amazed it didn't go for as much as I'd expected it to go for online in physical form (I got mine for $8). Full of brooding sounds and murky vocals, Gravity Pirates' debut album is the type of music followers of the post-punk genre and the like shouldn't miss out on! The most outstanding tracks are the killer, head bopping opener This Way To The Cargo Cult and the slow, dark and ambient Backtrack. With respect to the artist, I've only put these two songs up for review since high quality remastered digital versions are readily available on Amazon and iTunes individually for 99¢ or the full album for about $7.
There's less than two months left before the year ends, so sit back, listen and bask in the sea of gloominess!

Details:

Gravity Pirates - This Way To The Cargo Cult - LP (1986), Australia

Side 1:

1. This Way To The Cargo Cult

2. Float So Wide

3. Backtrack

4. Frontal Attack

Side 2:

5. Exposure Of My Senses

6. Take My Time

7. Shape Of A Point Of View

Review

More Information:

Official? Myspace

Discography

iTunes (Buy and Download)

Amazon (Buy and Download)

Evening Legions - Evening Legions - EP (1986), France

The temperature is trickling, the leaves on the trees are metamorphosing and the distinct smell of fall is in the air. Happy October 2010! It's a bit sad, yet exciting to see another year nearly coming to a conclusion.
The recent change of scenery has provoked me to introduce Evening Legions. This particular group from France, were quite an astonishment for me. Astonishing, because I've never seen them mentioned along with their contemporaries such as Asylum Party, Little Nemo and Marc Seberg. Evening Legions is one of those bands that have a dark sounding name, yet their music (of what I could find) doesn't quite exactly match the description. These guys produced some very catchy new wave pop music with the lead singer sounding a bit like Nick Marsh from Flesh For Lulu. With this combination, you'd expect to listen to them on the radio, featured at the top of the charts and selling out records, but in reality this kind of recognition was not in their favor (though they were featured on the radio).
The lot behind Evening Legions were: Leaf Seale (guitar and vocals), Jean-Luc Vilgicquel (synth guitar), Pierrick Corzéame (drums), Flash (synths) and Pascal Obispo (bass), replacing Jaco Racotte who was previously on bass.
As I made repeated listens to their self titled EP, I kept wondering to myself: "Wow these guys could've been picked up by a major record label!" and "What ever happened to them?" While these thoughts were cycling through my mind, I rapidly searched for more information about them (the vinyl sleeve just wasn't enough) online. Fortunately, I was able to dig up a Myspace page which features a very short and brief summary about the band (in French), including 3 music videos (2 of which are live), a listing on Discogs and a small fan page. Enjoy this little gem!

Details:

Evening Legions - Evening Legions - EP (1986), France

Side A:
1. Your Dimension
2. Life On Earth

Side B:
3. Soft Silk Pillow
4. Affectionate Disturbances

Review

More Information:
Official? Myspace
Discography
Fan Site

The High - The Best Of The High - Compilation - CD (1997), U.K.

Another month comes and goes, but not without an update! Now that the weather is starting to cool off a bit in September, I have another band to share!

Sometime around the late 80's, Steve Diggle from Buzzcocks F.O.C. (Flag Of Convenience) decided to go back and reform the venerable pop-punk group Buzzcocks with Pete Shelly. The remaining members of F.O.C. which included Andy Couzens (guitar), Simon Davies (bass) and Chris Goodwin (drums) decided to reform a new group, but before doing so they had to recruit a vocalist. After a round of rehearsals for a lead singer, the group settled on John Matthews (formerly of Turning Blue) and christened themselves as The High.

In less than five years, the band signed on to a record label (London Records), released a few singles and two LPs (Somewhere Soon in 1990 and Hype in 1992) before calling it quits in 1993. Although their time together was short-lived, their music remains under appreciated to this day. Perhaps their trouble with success had something to do with the unfair comparison of The Stone Roses, the media quickly losing interest in the Madchester scene or people finally started sobering up on ecstasy. Whichever the case may be, The High deserve more recognition. The most notable aspect in The High's history, is they were one of the last bands who collaborated with renowned producer Martin Hannett before his death in 1991.

I'll admit The High do sound a bit like The Stone Roses, but the differences end there. They have an infectious jangly guitar sound I'm very fond of along with atmospherics and a bit of melancholy to round out their sound.

Here's their best of released in 1997, which for some odd reason is not really considered a cumulation of all their best work. Someone at their record label lazily put together their first LP with a single and called it "Best of", while ignoring their other releases and Hannett produced work (they even used the cover from the second LP!). For first time listeners this will have to suffice, but it's not a bad introduction to the band!

Details:

The High - The Best Of The High - Compilation - CD (1997), U.K.

1. Box Set Go

2. Take Your Time

3. This Is My World

4. Rather Be Marsanne

5. So I Can See

6. A Minor Turn

7. Dreams Of Dinesh

8. Up & Down

9. P.W.A.

10. Somewhere Soon

11. More

Review

More Information:

Biography

Discography

Fan Site

El Pecho de Andy - El Pecho de Andy - LP (1986), Spain

Here's another excellent Spanish band coming from the city of Toledo, Spain. El Pecho de Andy (The Chest of Andy) were a New Wave/Post-Punk group active during the mid to late 80's. Besides the names of the members involved and the albums they released (2 LP's and about 3-4 Singles), I couldn't find any further information about their whereabouts or why they split. The members were: Miguel Angel García (guitar and vocals), Francisco Javier García-Zarco (guitar), Miguel Angel Campos (drums), Arturo Soriano (saxophone) and María Eugenia "Maruge" Muñoz (bass). The sound of this band is very similar to The Psychedelic Furs with a saxophone playing in the background in a few of their songs, minus the Richard Butler-esque sounding voice. Enjoy listening to their first self-titled LP, while keeping cool under the hot summer sun!

Details:

El Pecho de Andy - El Pecho de Andy - LP (1986), Spain

Side One:
1. El Arrozal
2. Última Combinación
3. Vuelo Nocturno
4. A Años Luz

Side Two:
5. Anochecer En Tahiti
6. Brillan Tus Lágrimas
7. Fighting Temeraire
8. Morgana y Ginebra

Review

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Discography

Alice In A Nightmare - Alice In A Nightmare - LP (1988), Greece

I love surprises, especially the ones that shift my desolate frown into a grand smile instantly! This new gem I recently discovered comes from the small country of Greece, the birth place of Democracy, the Olympic games and the mighty Greek gods, just to name a few. Lately there's been some misconceptions surrounding the small, yet highly influential country both politically and economically. Greece has an interesting history, but I won't delve into these subjects and bore you all. I'd much rather talk about Alice In A Nightmare instead!

Obviously inspired by Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland, Alice In A Nightmare emerged a few years a little late into the Greek New Wave/Post-Punk scene, but being first doesn't matter. What matters is the music these guys did was good! It's diverse and a bit quirky with many shades of genres mixed in together such as post-punk, synth pop, folk and a little funk (I can hear that slapping bass!).
The collaborators behind the music were Eli Aslanoglou (vocals), Nick Yeorgoulis (guitar and bass), Dimitris Carastamatis (electric piano, keyboards and synths) and Theodore Vlachakis (drums and synths). This was yet another band who should've gained some prominence outside of their home country, but didn't. After their first and only self titled LP (released by Virgin), the group disbanded mysteriously.

Details:

Alice In A Nightmare - Alice In A Nightmare - LP (1988), Greece

Side One
1. Under The Shadows
2. Shelter In My Dreams
3. Brother Night (Tonight)
4. Magic
5. I Walk Alone

Side Two
6. Tell Me Something
7. Alice In A Nightmare
8. My Love Is Calling
9. Yesterday

Review

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Discography

Blueshift Signal - Seven Natural Scenes - CD (1994), U.S.A.

With the current and ongoing worldwide explosion of shoegaze and dream-pop revival bands, here is one that shouldn't be left behind in the past. Blueshift Signal from Warwick, Rhode Island is a band that should've received a lot of recognition during the 90's along the likes of Slowdive, Lush and Pale Saints, yet for some unknown reason they didn't.

Formerly known as Grace Mansion, Blueshift Signal came together in 1993 with members Ron Kuba (guitar and vocals), his brother Mike (drums and keyboards), David Carpenter (drums and keyboards / not to be confused with the famous horror movie director!) and Kip (bass). After the departure of their bassist, Jay Bouchard would later fill in and help record Blueshift Signal's first album Seven Natural Scenes (1994). A few years since the release of their first album, the group began to diminish until only two members remained (Ron and Jay). During this brief period, they recorded songs for their EP titled Surround. Before Blueshift Signal finally called it quits in 1997, they were joined by John Orsi (drums) and released their last EP, Waterside.

Lush, ethereal and dream-like soundscapes are words which spring to mind when listening to Seven Natural Scenes. For those of you who are into this type of music, this is one album that will not disappoint and will make you comeback for repeated listenings!

Details:

Blueshift Signal - Seven Natural Scenes - LP - CD (1994), U.S.A.

1. Seven Natural Scenes

2. Acquiescence

3. Absolution

4. Between The Night & The Day

5. Beneath The Meadow

6. Highland Cathedrals

7. Oceans

8. Hehaka Olowan (For Mindy)

9. Flicker & Fade

10. The Secret Garden

Review

More Information:

Discography

Official Myspace

B.F.G. - Blue - CD (1990), U.K.

B.F.G. What does it stand for? I have no idea and they're definitely not related to the automotive tire brand. What I can tell you is they were an overlooked band during the crowded Manchester music scene during the 80's. B.F.G. was formed from the remains of Factory Records band Lavolta Lakota and discovered by Joy Division/New Order bassist Peter "Hooky" Hook. He helped the band out by letting them support New Order during their 1986 summer tour. During that year B.F.G. released their first 12 inch single Paris, which immediately sold out in a week!
The members of the band included many such as B. J. Williams (vocals), Mike Lambert (bass), Mike Simmi (drums and guitar), Acky (guitar), El Thomas (Samples), ex Chameleon Andy Clegg (keyboards and synths), Paul Batheran (guitar) and Steve Craig (vocals).
B.F.G.'s sound was originally filled with intense shrieking guitars, a throbbing bass line and lead by a low baritone voice (B. J. Williams). Comparisons were made to Joy Division at first, but when they released their EP Western Sky, their sound suddenly shifted towards sounding more like the Sisters of Mercy. By the time they released their first LP Fathoms (1988), they evolved into New Wave pop music.
For this post, I'll be presenting their second LP Blue (1990). B.F.G.'s Blue album sees them changing their music direction once again and this time they sound like an industrial/EBM band. The music isn't as intense as it was before and some of the beats are so-so, but there are some songs on here that would be great to play on any club dance floor!

Details:

B.F.G. - Blue - LP - CD (1990), U.K.

1. Love Grind
2. Anonymous
3. Switch
4. Gun Law
5. Myth Club
6. Eastern Eye
7. Brain Cage
8. Pulse
9. Monkey Block

Review

More Information:
Official Myspace
Attica Records
Discography

The Lavender Faction - Four Riffs For Joe - Maxi Single (1991), U.K.

I have a complete disdain for the train wrecks people keep listening to lately such as Ke$ha (how do you pronounce that!?), Justin Bieber and among others.
I don't mean to stomp on people's listening habits, I just think some of them need to go out and explore outside of familiar territory and embrace unknown sounds out there that exist outside of the typical mainstream outlets.
It brings me great relief to see there's been a resurgence of some good shoegaze / psychedelic rock bands for a few years now such as Ceremony, The Daysleepers and Ringo Deathstarr. I'm hopeful this new interest in the genre will bring in more listeners now than it did in the past.
The Lavender Faction (I like the name!) was a band who came from the U.K. in the late 80's or early 90's. They're undoubtedly from the shoegaze scene but got lost in between the likes of more popular groups such as The Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine and Ride. I think it might've been the low production quality of their recordings or maybe they were just poorly managed. Whatever the reason was, The Lavender Faction are worth a listen.
Finding any information for this group was very difficult as it usually is the case with these obscure bands. The only information I was able to find was their limited discography (In My Mind, Ride and Four Riffs For Joe) and the members (Geoff Suggett - vocals and guitar, Tony Pickering - vocals and guitar, Mark Patterson - bass and Andy Lee - drums) involved.
The material I'll be presenting here is from Four Riffs For Joe, released in 1991 by Lust Recordings. Four Riffs For Joe is a mix of indie rock with tinges of shoegaze. I think these guys could've gone further with developing their sound and making it noisier than what it currently was, but after the release of this maxi single the group disappeared.

Details:

The Lavender Faction - Four Riffs For Joe - Maxi Single (1991), U.K.

Side A
1. Crawl Down
2. Total Change

Side B
3. Haze
4. Was It You

Review

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Discography

Otras Voces - Soledad - EP (1989), Spain

Sorry for the long delay everyone! I've been very occupied lately with getting myself settled in my new area of residence and getting my belongings arranged (there are some things left I still need to unbox and organize!). I haven't forgotten about this little music blog and do not plan on letting it slide into oblivion. There's still too much to share and write about!
I'm very enthusiastic to introduce another great Spanish band and feel strongly against letting another gem slip past by English speaking audiences. I'm hoping I'll be able to change that!
Hailing from Manresa, Spain is a band named Otras Voces (Other Voices). The band members were Speedy (voice and guitar), Toni Holgado (bass), Joan Prat (drums) and Ricard Pradeli (guitar). The sound produced by this band is very reminiscent of other bands before them such as Joy Division, The Cure and The Chameleons. Obvious influences aside, they are more listenable and less somber sounding than Décima Víctima and less aggressive sounding than most other groups in the Spanish Siniestro scene at the time. Soledad (Solitude) is a very good EP and has been on my listening rotation as of late. Before the group dissolved, they recorded their first full length LP titled El Canto del Cisne (The Swan Song), but unfortunately it was never released. All that remains is this EP.

Details:

Otras Voces - Soledad - EP (1989), Spain

Lado A (Side A)
1. Flores Negras
2. Hombre Vulgar

Lado B (Side B)
3. Soledad
4. Silencio de Dolor

Review

More Information:
Unofficial Myspace

Section 25 - The Key Of Dreams - LP (1982), U.K.

The Key Of Dreams, a strange title for an album that is more of an unstructured nightmare. This is the second album by Post-Punk/Synth-Pop cult band Section 25, who are best known for their hit album From The Hip (1984). Section 25 formed back in 1978 in Blackpool by brothers Larry (vocals and bass) and Vin Cassidy (drums) and were hastily joined by Paul Wiggin (guitar).
In 1979, the band organized and performed a charity concert event for the International Year Of The Child along with Joy Division and Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD). After the event, Joy Division vocalist Ian Curtis and manager Rob Gretton were so impressed with their live performance, they helped Section 25 produce and release their first 7" Girls Don't Count (1980). Section 25 would later release their first album, Always Now (1981) produced by the legendary Martin Hannett (A.K.A. Martin Zero) and distributed by the long extinct Factory Records.
The Key Of Dreams (1982) is truly an experimental album compared to their previous effort and it shows. As it turns out, the nine tracks from the album were taken from a five hour jam session! What else can I say? It is definitely not for everybody, but only for those who are brave enough to sit through forty two minutes of improvisation. What do you think?

Details:

Section 25 - The Key Of Dreams - LP (1982), U.K.

Side 1 (A):
1. Always Now
2. Visitation
3. Regions
4. The Wheel
5. No Abiding Place
6. Once More

Side 2 (B):
7. There Was A Time
8. Wretch
9. Sutra

Review

More Information:
Official Myspace
Official Website

Killing Joke - Wilful Days - Compilation - CD (1995), U.K.

Stress, freezing temperatures (both indoors and out) and lack of motivation have prevented me from posting here the past few days. Yet here I am back again to share a great band which I'm sure people have heard of or haven't (take your pick). Who's this band I'm referring to? Killing Joke! Killing Joke!? Isn't that the Batman graphic novel!? NO!! Killing Joke was a relatively unknown band in the U.S. (except within the heavy metal community), yet quite popular in the rest of the world (obviously).
Killing Joke formed in 1978-79 in Notting Hill, London and were quite notorious for displaying controversial political imagery on their records and during live performances. Their song Eighties was briefly featured in the John Hughes' teen comedy classic Weird Science, starring the beautiful Kelly LeBrock (at the time) and the opening guitar riff intro was ripped off by those awful Seattle grungers, Nirvana.
The band was fronted by Jeremy "Jaz" Coleman (vocals and keyboards - who is also a believer of the coming "apocalypse"), Kevin "Geordie" Walker (guitar), "Big" Paul Ferguson (drums) and Martin "Youth" Glover (bass - later to be replaced by the late Paul Raven).
The material I'll be presenting is from a compilation CD released in 1995 by Caroline Records. It features KJ's music dating back to '79 with Are You Receiving, to the mid 80's with a slightly different version of their atmospheric hit song Love Like Blood and lastly to the late 80's with the lame sounding extended version of America. When I first got this CD, I was mislead into thinking it was their "best of" but instead got a collection of songs that sound like they'd belong in their "worst of". Don't get me wrong! There are some gems in this compilation such as the aforementioned Love Like Blood, yet I feel this release was just an attempt by Caroline Records to cash in on the new found KJ popularity after the critically acclaimed album Pandemonium (1994). Okay enough of my rambling, let's get on with the music shall we?

Details:

Killing Joke - Wilful Days - Compilation - CD (1995), U.K.

1. Are You Receiving
2. Follow The Leaders (Dub)
3. Sun Goes Down
4. Dominator (Extended)
5. Me Or You
6. Wilful Days
7. Eighties (Serious Dance Mix)
8. A New Day
9. Love Like Blood (Gestalt Mix)
10. The Maddening Crowd
11. Ecstacy (The Extended Mix)
12. America (Extended)
13. Change (Re-Evolution Mix)

Review

More Information:
Official Myspace
Official Website
Band History

The Smashing Pumpkins - Live At The Cabaret Metro - CD-R (1988), U.S.A.

For today's post, I have an unexpected and pleasant surprise for everyone. Coming from Chicago, IL "The City by the Lake" The Smashing Pumpkins! They are a very well known grunge/metal/prog rock band in the music world of course, but I won't post anything here that everyone has already heard. Instead, I'll stick to the original intent of this blog and share a very rare side of the band.
Led by the megalomaniacal Billy Corgan (voice and guitar), James Iha (backing vocals and guitar), D'arcy Wretsky (bass) and Jimmy Chamberlin (drums and percussion) the Smashing Pumpkins were a group that was just starting out in the late eighties and still just years away from making it big with their grunge hit album Siamese Dream.
The live bootleg I'm about to present, was taped on October 5, 1988 at the Cabaret Metro and was distributed (in limited quantities on CD-R) at what was supposed to be the last performance of the band on December 2, 2000. Upon listening to the live performance, you'll notice the band exhibits a late post-punk sound with touches of dream-pop and neo-psychedelia (minus the nauseating whiney singing from Corgan!). They would've fit in nicely alongside bands such as Abecedarians and For Against!

Details:

The Smashing Pumpkins - Live At The Cabaret Metro - CD-R (1988), U.S.A.

1. There It Goes
2. She
3. My Eternity
4. Under Your Spell
5. Bleed
6. Spite Face
7. Nothing And Everything

Review

More Information:
Official Myspace
Official Website
Band History

Urban Verbs - Early Damage - LP (1981), U.S.A.

To start off the new year I have a very unknown group called Urban Verbs, hailing from Washington D.C., the murder capital of the world (during the late 80's and early 90's) and home to bands such as Minor Threat and Fugazi. Urban Verbs formed in the late 70's and were the first band from D.C. to play at the now defunct CBGB in New York City.
Members of the group were Roddy Frantz (vocals), Robin Rose (synths), Robert Goldstein (guitar), Danny Frankel (drums and percussion) and Linda France (bass).
It's a shame that Warner Bros. didn't take too kindly with the album Early Damage (1981). Spooky sounding synths, ray gun sound effects, brooding guitars, tribal drumming and droning vocals weren't marketable material to those knuckleheads. The family connection with Talking Heads (Roddy Frantz is the brother of TH's drummer Chris Frantz) didn't help either, thus the band disintegrated.

Details:

Urban Verbs - Early Damage - LP (1981), U.S.A.

Side 1:
1. When The Dance Is Over
2. Jar My Blood
3. Acceleration
4. Early Damage
5. Promise

Side 2:
6. For Your Eyes Only
7. Business And The Rational Mind
8. In The Heat
9. Terminal Bar

Review

More Information:
Unofficial Myspace
Discography