Les Fleurs D’Hiver – Fleurs D’Hiver 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1984, les fleurs d'hiver, post-punk, swiss on March 1, 2024 by Frankie Teardrop

Quick and dirty post for your Friday enjoyment… Here’s another single from Swiss label Winterschatten (also home to The Silence Cries), released in 1984. This is the five piece (or four piece with a different bassist on each track) band’s only single which comes housed in an oversized picture sleeve. The songs are sung in a mix of English and French and are equally gloomy and catchy, definitely a great single for fans of Look Back In Anger, Cry of the Innocent, Send No Flowers etc.

Enjoy!

Les Fleurs D’Hiver- Fleurs D’Hiver 
1. Fleurs D’Hiver
2. Association in White

*download it here*

The Silence Cries – Silent Eyes LP

Posted in 1980s, 1987, new wave, post-punk, swiss, switzerland, the silence cries on February 14, 2024 by Frankie Teardrop

Happy Hallmark Day, y’all! Better late than never with a new post. Here’s the debut album from Swiss post-punk/new wave band The Silence Cries, released in 1987. This three piece band reminds me quite a bit of Mecano, Svätsox, Razor Penguins, early Modern English, and other rickety, yet powerful post-punk bands from the early/mid 80s. There’s also quite a bit of sax, trumpet, and accordion throughout the LP, which adds a nice bit of tension. It’s quite an eclectic album – there’s a lot of variation and dynamic range across the album, and the band occasionally flirts with jangle pop, NDW, and more experimental shades, but still retains that gloomy post-punk sound I love so dearly.

The Silence Cries has a rather modest discography,  three albums and two singles, all of which were released on the Winterschatten label. I couldn’t say how their sound evolved on their second and third album, but I’d be curious to find out one of these days. As always, feel free to drop a line if you have any of their other releases, and perhaps you’ll find the band’s first 7” single here soon enough.

Until then…

The Silence Cries – Silent Eyes
1. Change
2. Emotions
3. Grieni Auge
4. Fische Nur
5. Silent Eyes
6. Violence Is Growing
7. Why Should I Dance
8. Slow Death
9. In My Brain
10. Another Beer
11. Frontiers
12. Killed By Unfeeling

*download it here*

Eye Do It- I Lost My Mind 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1984, Eye Do It, new wave, post-punk on November 7, 2023 by Frankie Teardrop

A quick and dirty post today – the lone 7” from UK post-punk/new wave flavored band Eye Do It, who seem to have had a penchant for hieroglyphics judging from the record sleeve. This 7” was released in 1984 via N.R.O. Records, who also released a compilation titled A Night at the Flicks which features the third and final Eye Do It track (which I do not own and have not heard, but would love to if anyone has a copy of this compilation, which also features indie pop band Mighty Mighty).

Touchstones for this single include bands like Ex Post Facto, Repetition, Last Man In Europe, Pink Military, I’m So Hollow etc. I really dig both tracks here, and hope you do as well!

Eye Do It – I Lost My Mind 7”
1. I Lost My Mind
2. Hold Back

*download it here*

Quick housekeeping note – I’ve been receiving a few comments lately, some nice and others unnecessarily hostile (cut the crap), regarding downloads not working. They do, still, for every post that has a download link. If clicking the link does not work to download directly, try the classic right click – save link as trick. Thanks!

October 8- October 8 LP

Posted in 1980s, 1987, indie, jangle, post-punk, US on August 4, 2023 by Frankie Teardrop

Sorry for the delay, folks. Hope everyone’s having a lovely summer (or winter, if you’re in a different hemisphere!). Here’s a recent favorite, chock full of summertime jangle pop/indie rock vibes. This LP was released in 1987 on the E Pluribus Unim imprint. The band was a four (sometimes five) piece from Dallas, Texas, and this is their only LP, and what a humdinger it is… Dreamy, melodic guitars reminiscent of early R.E.M, Grapes of Wrath, Winter Hours,  Ups and Downs, etc. – heavier on the jangly side, but just gloomy enough to catch my interest. Amy Farrington provides vocals on a few tracks and serves as an excellent ethereal counterpoint to Bruce Gregory Dickenson’s more grounded vocals. Dickenson would join power pop band Pop Poppins shortly after recording this LP.

Hope y’all enjoy this LP as much as I do… I can’t seem to get enough of it lately.

October 8- October 8 LP
1. Capitalism
2. Tomorrow’s World
3. The Love I Want
4. A Place To Go
5. Corrupt Means
6. Killing Time

*download it here*

Primitive Pleasure – The Vision 7”/Jupiter Remote LP

Posted in 1980s, 1985, 1987, indie, jangle, new wave, primitive pleasure on May 20, 2023 by Frankie Teardrop

Been seeing a lot of love for this one on the net since I ripped this, so figured it was due time to post it properly. Here we have 2/3rds of the discography by US-based jangle/new wave/indie rock band Primitive Pleasure. We’re missing the first 7” from 1984 here, but plenty of great tracks to pore over in the meantime. “The Vision” remains a standout, appearing on both the LP and the 7” in identical form, minus the synth blurbs at the beginning of the LP version. These segues feature throughout the entire LP, cementing the album as a pure hybrid of both new wave and jangle pop that’s a perfect listen for springtime.

Guitarist Pascal Tiger also played in a folkier project called Courtney & Western while Axel Kröll would go on to write and engineer with other bands such as The Blow Monkeys. Brook Thaler, who played organ/synth on “The Primetimes,” also recorded with new wave project Social Register, who released one 7” in 1981.

If anyone can contribute a rip of Love is a Nasty Girl from 1984, please give a shout. Otherwise, enjoy!

Primitive Pleasure – The Vision 7” (1985)
1. The Vision
2. Become a Target

Primitive Pleasure – Jupiter Remote LP (1987)
1. Your Carousel
2. Unspoken Words
3. Life In Between
4. Souls Will Shine
5. The Vision
6. Drifter Blues
7. Jupiter Remote
8. The Primetimes
9. Forever…
10. More Than Stars
11. Painting By Miro
12. Requiem

*download both here*

Theme – Conflict/Sacred 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1982, band, post-punk, scotland, scottish, theme on April 26, 2023 by Frankie Teardrop

This literally just arrived in the mail a few hours ago, and went straight to the turntable to be digitized. Here we have the lone single from Scottish post-punk band Theme from 1982. A double A-side if you will. “Conflict” has a bit of a B-Movie/The Sound vibe (it’s the classic Roland string synth that always kills me), while “Sacred” has a very early Echo & the Bunnymen sound. Classic post-punk, through and through!

Not much more to say about this one other than…Enjoy!


Theme – Conflict/Sacred 7”
1. Conflict
2. Sacred

*download it here*

Ultime Possibilité- Ultime Possibilité K7 & Compilation Tracks

Posted in 1980s, 1986, 1987, 1988, coldwave, france, post-punk, ultime possibilité on April 3, 2023 by Frankie Teardrop

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Gérald Page, rhythm guitarist of French post-punk/coldwave band Ultime Possibilité during a brief birthday visit to NYC. He was kind enough to pass along a copy of the band’s first cassette, self-released in 1986, two years before their excellent 7”. I also have his blessing to share the recording here with you all. You can expect the same powerful, yet-catchy sounds throughout this tape, including an earlier version of b-side “No More Lies.” The rest of the tracks are unheard, exclusive to this release, and as incredible as the single that follows.

As a bonus, I’m also including two additional tracks the band recorded, both released on cassette compilations in 1987 and 1988 respectively.

Hope y’all enjoy!

Ultime Possibilité- Ultime Possibilité K7
1. Would You Smile
2. Sea of Faces
3. No More Lies
4. La Chambre Vide
5. Gardian Angel
6. Pensees Nocturnes

Compilation tracks:
1. Coute Que Coute (from The Unknown 4 – 1987)
1. What Was Your Mission (from The Unknown 4 – 1987)
2. Coute Que Coute (alternate recording, from Orcades Machinales Volume 1 – 1988)

*download it all here*

Also, please enjoy this amazing TV appearance of the band performing the fiery “Coute Que Coute” on the ZAP program:

Much love to Gérald for his generosity and for all the music! <3

Magic Dragon – Emotional Landscape / Courage of Lassie – The Temptation to Exist LPs

Posted in 1980s, 1981, 1986, canadian, courage of lassie, magic dragon, minimal, minimal synth, neo-folk, neoclassical on March 6, 2023 by Frankie Teardrop

Canada seems like an unlikely haven for a minimal synth/neofolk project with a very European-style sound, but that said, here are two of my favorite LPs from up north.

Magic Dragon formed from the wake of Private School, a punk band who released one single in 1979. Members Maddy Schenkel and Ron Nelson quickly formed Magic Dragon, enlisting bassist Rachel Melas to record their lone LP  Emotional Landscape, which was released in 1981 on Friends Records. The album combined the folky interplay of bands such as Steeleye Span and Mellow Candle with minimal electronics, skittering drum machines, and experimental passages, creating a singular sound that few bands, especially on the western hemisphere, were flirting with. Some other touchstones I can think in this vein are UV Pop, Mekanik Kommando, Solid Space, Les Joyaux De La Princesse, Collection D’arnell~Andrea, and Modern Art, all of which flirted with folkier and experimental influences over their tenure.

Magic Dragon soon evolved, adding violin player Rod Booth. The band changed their name in 1983 to Courage of Lassie (keeping the nostalgic/childhood magic and wonder alive in name), and self-released a cassette in 1984 that featured, amongst new material, the first track from the Magic Dragon LP. Their core folky/minimal synth hybrid sound remained intact, and the band soon recorded The Temptation to Exist, which consisted of a handful of songs from the cassette, a couple of new tracks, and a haunting cover of Pete Seger’s “Where Have All the Flowers Gone,” done in Marlene Deitrich’s German-vocal style. This LP was originally released in 1986 via Amok Records, but has been re-released in 1987 and 1991, respectively. The band would release two more albums (1988’s Sing or Die and 1994’s This Side of Heaven) before calling it a day.

While folks may have heard both of these records before, I’m happy to provide newly digitized versions. Hope y’all enjoy!

Magic Dragon – Emotional Landscape (1981)
1. Objet Du Desire
2. Memories
3. Egyptian Radio
4. Once Upon a Time
5. (White Monkey) Under the Volcano

Courage of Lassie – The Temptation to Exist (1986)
1. All That I Know
2. Iron
3. Hiroshima
4. The Rose
5. Hopes & Fears
6. La Notte
7. Sag Mir Wo Die Blumen Sind
8. Air Du Temps

*download both LPs here*

Be sure to visit the band on Facebook.

Passiflora- Statica 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1987, italian, jangle, passiflora, post-punk on March 2, 2023 by Frankie Teardrop

Traveling through Europe and landing in Italy for our third and final post today. Passiflora were an Italian outfit who tapped into similar sonic territory as Cocteau Twins, combining ethereal vocals with classical influences, jangly/folky post-punk, and some sax thrown in for good measure. Other touchstones include the excellent and underrated All About Eve or even perhaps The Innocence Mission, if they had a more post-punk edge.

This 1987 single is the band’s first release, though a cassette and a LP would follow after. The band would change vocalists in 1988, splitting after the 1991 LP release.

As always, enjoy!

Passiflora- Statica 7”
1. Statica
2. Gente Del Teatro E Della Morte

*download it here*

Aptit – Han Vågar Inte 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1982, aptit, goth, post-punk, swedish on March 2, 2023 by Frankie Teardrop

While we’re on a Swedish groove, here’s a darker, more visceral post-punk single by Aptit, a sextet from Gothenburg, released in 1982. Fans of bands such as Asmodi Bizarr, Stimmen Der Stille, Cry of the Innocent, etc. will find much to love on both tracks, which have always been favorites, especially the driving b-side “Som Vatten.”

Three of the members of Aptit would continue to make waves in Sweden’s new wave/post-punk scene. Bassist Elisabeth Johnson would also play with Camouflage (not the synth pop stars we know and love, but the gloomier, synth-driven post-punk band who would change their name to Tapirena). Guitarist Tinna Möller would also play in Camouflage/Tapriena and sing backing vocals on Lars Falk of Twice a Man’s excellent solo LP. Synth player Ruby Berner would go on to perform with Abcess Exil.

Hope y’all enjoy!

Aptit – Han Vågar Inte 7”
1. Han Vågar Inte
2. Som Vatten

*download it here*