Everything’s Gone Green

The early New Order singles, as relentless as the album tracks on Movement, are more beat-oriented and feature synthesizers more prominently. On "Temptation," you can even make out the lyrics clearly, a New Order first. These 3 singles began the change away from (the) Joy Division towards (A) New Order.

The 5 track EP was put together mainly for the American market as a compilation of three of New Order's early singles. It contains "Procession" from September 1981, plus the 12" versions of "Everything's Gone Green" (released December 1981) and "Temptation" (released May 1982) plus two of the b-sides, "Mesh" and "Hurt". A second b-side to "Everything's Gone Green", "Cries and Whispers" is curiously omitted; as is New Order's first single "Ceremony" / "In a Lonely Place". The sleeve was designed by Peter Saville and uses a painting from his then-girlfriend Martha Ladly.

The songs of this era (in particular this version of "Temptation") signalled a critical turning point in the development of New Order as the group shifted from simply being the remnants of Joy Division after the suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis to becoming a singular band in its own right. The EP is frequently viewed as the bridge from the group's debut album, Movement, to the new electronic-based sound contained on their softmore album, Power, Corruption & Lies.

This version of "Temptation" has been described as being "where Manchester's finest stop hearing ghosts in their shell and stake their claim to a danceable pop of unprecedented grimness and power," noting that it was "the first real song this sharp-cornered sound-and-groove band has ever come up with.”

The EP also documents the band's break away from producer Martin Hannett, who had produced both of Joy Division's studio albums and Movement. While Hannett produced "Everything's Gone Green", "Procession" and "Mesh", the other two songs on the EP were produced by New Order. Bernard Sumner remarked: "Martin's last track was "Everything's Gone Green" – fact he walked out halfway through the mix because Hooky and me asked him to turn the drums up"

The Party's Over

Talk Talk are one of the more interesting collectives in all of popular music. The once Duran Duran infused with Roxy Music group soon became one of the forefathers for post rock, creating both Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock, two of the most critically acclaimed albums of the 20th century. These two albums, along with their third release, The Colour Of Spring (which is a perfect blend of jazz-esque structures with an art rock sound) often overshadow the first two releases in Talk Talk's discography, this and their sophomore release, It's My Life. However, these should not be written off as bad records simply due to the fact that they do not compare to the better albums in Talk Talk's collection of albums. Their debut, The Party's Over, is often viewed as "just another new wave album" from the early 80s, and represented the band in their more pop=oriented beginning. Keeping that in mind, this is an incredibly fun record that, given its time period, has aged better than the other synth-pop relics that vanished into obscurity towards the end of the 80s.
I am going to get this out of the way right from the get-go: this album is FULL on 80s cheese. Plucky synth chords, deep, analogue basses, and Simmons drums are all over the record. From the exterior, it seems like your typical new wave album. But Talk Talk has one advantage; Mark Hollis. Hollis is easily one of the most interesting musicians of our time, and his vocal delivery was unlike any of their contemporaries. Some like to point to Hollis as sounding similar to Bryan Ferry, whose producer coincidently produced this album. While that comparison does hold, Hollis's delivery is very different to that of Ferry's. Hollis sings in a weird mix of a whisper and a shout, and isn't afraid to belt out high notes that drastically alter his voice from its normal sound. It's one of the key traits that make Hollis such a captivating singer to listen too. "Today" best shows Hollis's unique voice, with the beginning verses involve him singing in a lower, whisper voice. But once the background singers scream "Today!" and Hollis belts "It's a dream away!" you immediately notice the difference in his style.
These carry over into other tracks on the record, including the self-titled song "Talk Talk," which feature large drums, and even larger synths. The rest of the record is your typical new wave affair, and all of the tracks have some appeal to them. That is with the exception of "Mirror Man." I have listened to all 5 of the Talk Talk records, and this is, without a doubt, their worst song. It starts out promising enough, but once it gets into the chorus, Hollis and the other background vocalists sound like they are choking, it took me by surprise the first time I heard it. It was annoying to enough to anger me slightly, and I just skipped the track all together. Giving it a second listen, it got slightly better due to the nice synth break during the bridge, and the violins and other strings are a nice touch as well, but not enough to save the song entirely.
If Talk Talk had stopped after It's My Life, they probably would have been a forgotten about synth-pop band that would fade into obscurity like many other small bands of the same genre tended to do. But with their colourful history, the first and second albums stand as an early stage of Talk Talk, that many look at when examining the band as a whole. The Party's Over not only stands as the first music of the later incredible band, but a solid synth-pop album as well.

Sixteen Days Of Fighting

“Sixteen Days / Gathering Dust” is a bouncy ethereal Goth pop track that fully displays Ivo’s love of the Goth rock scene with comparisons to Bauhaus, The Cure and early Siouxie & The Banshees apparent. The length of the track at over 9 minutes was quite rare for a pop oriented style of music but somehow keeps the groove generating with the jangle guitars, new wave drum machine and silky Gothic female vocals. The second track “Song To The Siren” a cover of singer Tim Buckley’s 1970 folk song is beautifully performed by Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins. The closer “Sixteen Days Reprise” is exactly as you’d expect it only more in The Cure sort of Goth pop delivery. In fact I’d say it sounds more like late 80s Cure than the Cure sounded themselves at the time. It has more changes and sound effects.

While only a three song 12” EP, this debut is quite the fun listen. Each track is quite distinct, well-crafted and stands apart from the more commercial sounding bands of the era. While not quite as raw as Bauhaus and not as ethereal and dream poppy as the Cocteau Twins, it manages to find that middle ground with just enough rock gusto mixed and mingled with the suave Gothic rock approach. Personally I find this to be a great starting point to explore one of the coolest Goth spinoffs in This Mortal Coil that have since been pegged as ethereal wave(?)

Shadow Man

The Dickies proved that punk bands needn’t have some ideological program or anger/outrage to vent, but that having a whole lot of immature fun and a crazy ride through pop culture could do the trick as well.
They could be compared to The Ramones, minus a few brain cells, with a British touch most apparent in singer Leonard Graves Phillips’ snarly tone, and also the band’s poppy side, reminiscent of bands like The Jam and Buzzcocks. On top of that, it was a gig by first generation British punks The Damned that inspired The Dickies to form, and after a lot of touring Sparks manager John Hewlett decided to produce the band’s debut album, which is often still regarded as the pinnacle of their birthday party inanity.
The band's reputation may also have something to do with their legendary covers, as their takes on Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid”, P.F. Sloan’s “Eve of Destruction” (Barry McGuire anyone?), and The Monkees’ “She” are all performed at the same insane breakneck speed, while Phillips’ stuffed up nose and helium-powered delivery will have you wondering whether you just bought yourself a 78rpm record.
So even though The Dickies never did away with the pop elements in their music, their ferocious attack sometimes resembles the single-minded fury of hardcore punk, lending them a unique American/British appeal.
As for the rest of the album, the comic book simplicity, B-movie camp, and delightful humour never lets up ... these are songs about getting bullied on the way to school (“Give It Back”), meeting the garbage man, cable guy or elevator operator (“Shadow Man”), and the downside of staying in a madhouse. Some of the songs come off as a bit too fluffy (“Mental Ward”, “Walk Like An Egg”), but they’re hard to resist, and remind you it’s okay to act silly once in a while.

Horses Fucking

I’ve been desperate to talk about the 1983 debut mini album by Colourbox, but I’ve never found anyone who had taken the time to review it…until I happen by chance to see Rho had. So here’s his/her(?) take.

Colourbox is the debut mini-album from Colourbox, released by 4AD in November 1983. MAD 315 is the album's catalogue number, used to distinguish it from their 1985 self-titled album, although the mini-album is sometimes referred to as Horses Fucking due to the cover image. Colourbox are as revolutionary as they remain unfairly obscure. Mixing soul sensibility (Lorita Grahame's gorgeous vocals) with fundamental eclecticism into a not at all easy sound identifications, this (actually their self-titled debut mini LP) is one hell of a tiny experimental episode from their precious vaults. "Justice" demonstrates the creative process without digital equipment available now - which Colourbox pioneered beating down many of their peers. The track leans towards ultimate balladry while at the same time the listener is mercilessly mind warped to great effect by its subliminal, experimental repetition. Even Grahame's voice is suddenly perverted by a tape-like chewed sound sliding in and out of its massively reverbed melodic focus. Albeit released in 1983, 'Colourbox' mini LP is way ahead of its time.

And Also The Trees

"So This Is Silence" kicks off the Trees' debut with a semi-tribal drum rhythm sounding not unlike something from the Cure's Pornography, albeit lighter; given that Cure drummer Lol Tolhurst produced the record, such a connection makes perfect sense. However, the Trees weren't, and have never been, mere clones of the Cure despite Tolhurst's help and Robert Smith's long-term patronage, though at this stage of their careers the band's collective influences certainly hung heavy. Flecks of all the early British post-punk/proto-goth big names crop up throughout, from Justin Jones' chiming, intricate guitar lines a la the Chameleons or the Comsat Angels to Simon Jones' Ian McCullochesque sense of vocal projection (unsurprising given how both singers took inspiration from Jim Morrison; the Doors' general sense of art-rock theatre informs much of the album's general vibe, if not specifically the sound). While lacking in immediately catchy songs -- partially due to the fact that at this point the band generally favoured series of verses or poetry without rhyme to more conventional lyric structures -- the album still kicks up some smoke, as with the quite atmospheric "Midnight Garden" and the first gentle, then brawling "The Tease the Tear." "Shrine" is especially noteworthy, given its intricate guitar work mixed with somewhat flanged effects, which soon would become a key element to the Trees' sound. Add to that some nicely melancholy cover art of a fog-shrouded forest and the generally rural setting of the lyrics, and a distinctly 'old' English flavour becomes clear, which would also help further set the Trees apart from other similar bands in later years.

Dominion

Mastered on Mobile Fidelity’s world-renowned mastering system and pressed at RTI, this Silver Label LP improves the record’s splendid dynamic contrasts, low-end thrust, expansive dimensionality, and moody atmospherics. Steinman’s unforgettable sonic contributions finally receive proper due in the form of towering choruses and operatic heft. The group’s signature epic “This Corrosion,” described by Eldritch as a narrative about “power in the face of misery,” sounds downright staggering, with an awe-inspiring performance by the New York Chorale Society and blooming classicism.

Mobile Fidelity's all-analogue remastering of Floodland is a must hear thanks to their audiophile technique. Listen out for mix variations unique to this pressing!

The Sisters Of Mercy emerged from a brief hiatus and lineup overhaul in spectacularly grand fashion on Floodland, an epic album that stands as the group’s commercial breakthrough as well as one of the period’s monumental productions. Having witnessed his bandmates leave, singer Andrew Eldritch recruited bassist Patricia Morrison, utilized a ground breaking drum machine, and hooked up with Meat Loaf collaborator Jim Steinman to attain a glorious, bombastic, and irrepressible marriage of gothic rock and sumptuous balladry.

Throughout, The Sisters Of Mercy traverse myriad styles in breaking down goth-rock conventions. As on the band’s noisier debut First And Last And Always, brooding emotions, nocturnal episodes, and dim sentiments gloss over the song writing. Yet there’s a colossal amplification of evocative spirituality, delicate accents and anthemic riffs that combine with funky drum-machine beats and visceral tension to yield music that dares listeners not to dance and/or lift their hands skyward.
Rhythms play as large a role as the leader’s trademark stentorian vocals, with thundering grooves and crashing percussion illuminating incisive lyrics and industrial-tinted scenery. Whether felt via the dramatic waves of “Lucretia My Reflection,” balladic sweep of “1959,” or charging protest of “Dominion/Mother Russia,” Floodland is a touchstone, topped off by iconic cover art that fits in with today’s vampire-obsessed society as well as it did upon release in 1987.

Upstairs At Eric’s

Vince Clarke can claim involvement in two stunning debuts in only two years: Depeche Mode's Speak and Spell and Yazoo's Upstairs at Eric's. While Speak and Spell is, by far, the more consistent record, Upstairs at Eric's is wholly more satisfying, beating the Depeche record on substance and ambition, and is light years ahead in emotion. "Don't Go" and "Situation" are absolutely killer with Clarke's bubbling synth and singer Alison Moyet's bluesy and powerful delivery. They're both rightful dance floor staples, and have since undergone numerous remixes, both official and bootleg. "Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I)" is just as good a thumper, adding a wonderful mumbled bridge that shows how much Clarke enjoyed messing with pop music. The softer "Only You" would have sounded silly and robotic if it had appeared on Speak and Spell, but Moyet's vocals makes it bittersweet and engaging. The clumsier experimental tracks make most people head for the hits collection, but to do so would be to miss the album's great twist. The loony tape loop of "I Before E Except After C," the skeletal "Winter Kills," and a disruptive phone call in the middle of the naïve "Bad Connection" offer up more complex and intimate moments. Like its curious cover, Upstairs at Eric's presents a fractured, well-lit, and paranoid urban landscape.

Zen Arcade

Grant Hart, drummer and singer of the seminal alternative rock band Hüsker Dü, has died at 56 after being diagnosed with cancer. The news was confirmed by his bandmate Bob Mould in a lengthy Facebook post. 

"The tragic news of Grant's passing was not unexpected to me," Mould wrote. "My deepest condolences and thoughts go to Grant's family, friends, and fans around the world. Grant Hart was a gifted visual artist, a wonderful story teller, and a frighteningly talented musician. Everyone touched by his spirit will always remember." 

"We made amazing music together," Mould continued in his tribute to Hart. "We (almost) always agreed on how to present our collective work to the world. When we fought about the details, it was because we both cared. The band was our life. It was an amazing decade ... Godspeed, Grant. I miss you. Be with the angels."

In many ways, it's impossible to overestimate the impact of Hüsker Dü's Zen Arcade on the American rock underground in the '80s. It's the record that exploded the limits of hardcore and what it could achieve. Hüsker Dü broke all of the rules with Zen Arcade. First and foremost, it's a sprawling concept album, even if the concept isn't immediately clear or comprehensible. More important are the individual songs. Both Bob Mould and Grant Hart abandoned the strict "fast, hard, loud" rules of hardcore punk with their songs for Zen Arcade. Without turning down the volume, Hüsker Dü try everything -- pop songs, tape experiments, acoustic songs, pianos, noisy psychedelia. Hüsker Dü willed themselves to make such a sprawling record -- as the liner notes state, the album was recorded and mixed within 85 hours and consists almost entirely of first takes. That reckless, ridiculously single-minded approach does result in some weak moments -- the sound is thin and the instrumentals drag on a bit too long -- but it's also the key to the success of Zen Arcade. Hüsker Dü sound phenomenally strong and possessed, as if they could do anything. The sonic experimentation is bolstered by Mould and Hart's increased sense of song craft. Neither writer is afraid to let his pop influences show on Zen Arcade, which gives the songs -- from the unrestrained rage of "Something I Learned Today" and the bitter, acoustic "Never Talking to You Again" to the eerie "Pink Turns to Blue" and anthemic "Turn On the News" -- their weight. It's music that is informed by hardcore punk and indie rock ideals without being limited by them.

New Forms Of Beauty

A New Form of Beauty stands as one of most audacious projects in pop history, even if the mainstream of popular culture has no idea who the Virgin Prunes are, or that they existed in the first place. New Form of Beauty, Pts. 1-4 represents early, pre-debut-LP offerings from Ireland's Virgin Prunes, a band that grew up alongside U2 -- in fact, vocalist Gavin Friday would often finish sets for Bono when he couldn't go the distance. The project was conceived in seven original parts, only four were ever released. New Form of Beauty captures very closely the controlled and often anarchic art damage that the band was doing in a live setting early on. Industrial sounds wrapped around more conventional guitar, bass, drum, and keyboard trappings, singers Gavin Friday and Guggi were both outrageously androgynous, utterly captivating frontmen. Collected here, via Mute, in wonderfully remastered CD form, are the original 7", 10" and 12" singles and the full-length cassette releases. Only "Sweethome Under White Clouds" (in a different version) ended up in the band's later catalogue. Basically, this is the sound of tension, intensity, off-the-rails eroticism, pagan spirituality, and an utterly twisted sense of the perverse as wrapped into a post-punk aesthetic. The band's influences range wide and far from folk songs to Throbbing Gristle to the dynamics of bands like Joy Division, PIL, and even Germany's Can, though the Prunes' sonic approach was utterly unique. It is nocturnal always, often nightmarish, like the nether soundtrack to a carnival sideshow, it is, to borrow from Jean Dubuffett, art brut , outsider art of high poetic and aesthetic quality even when it is falling apart. Highly recommended not just for its excess, but its achievement as well.