Archive for the post-punk Category

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Azile- La Sainte 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1988, azile, coldwave, france, french, lyon, post-punk on April 29, 2014 by Frankie Teardrop

It’s been a dog’s age, ladies and gents- or at least it feels like it’s been some time since my last post.  Life’s been a bit crazy here, but all is well, and I’m hoping to resume regular activity here soon.  With that in mind, here’s a new acquisition originally introduced to me by the always astute Stéphane B. of coldwave.fr.  Olivier, the singer and guitarist of the band was kind enough to send me a copy and to lend his permission to share the single here with you all.

This is the lone release by Azile, a French coldwave band from Lyon, home of some of the best bands of the era, including Gestalt, L’Enfance Éternelle, Opéra De Nuit, etc.  The latter is actually an excellent touchstone, as I find some sonic similarities between the A-side of this single and ODN tracks such as “Inviation” and “Karen Lloyd.”   It’s a short blast of excellent coldwave that I’m glad exists in this world, no matter how obscure.  The flip is no slouch either, combining acoustic guitar and churning synth stabs.

This 7” was self-funded and self-released by the band in 1988, though Olivier mentioned that the band recorded a few more tracks around the same time.  I hope to be able to share those with you soon, but in the meantime, here’s the details for this excellent single.

Azile- La Sainte 7”
1. La Sainte
2. L’Homme Qui Tombe

*download it here*

4 Comments »

Hymn- Coming Home & Too Many Lies K7s

Posted in 1980s, 1983, 1984, coldwave, hymn, minimal, minimal synth, post-punk on April 2, 2014 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s a generous donation of two rare cassette releases from Hymn, a French coldwave band who released a more well known 12” on Nova Express in 1984.  These two cassettes were recorded shortly before that record, the first of which was self-released in 1983, while the other appeared on Autoproduit a few months before the 12”.  While the band’s trademark Joy Division influence can still be heard here, the instrumentation is more on the minimal synth side of the spectrum, with the classic TR606 providing the backbone to the gloomy, Ian Curtis-esque vocals.  I believe the band was originally a trio, and added a drummer just before recording the 12”.

That said, don’t let the sparse instrumentation and the shorter track length fool you, these tracks are still as cold as ever, and there are just enough guitars in the mix to make things interesting.  Without any further adieu, here’s the info for these two gems:

hymn--coming-home

Hymn- Coming Home K7 (1983)
1. Danger
2. Die For You
3. I Guess
4. I Am The Absolute
5. Shock Of The Dates
6. Comin’ Home
7. Nos Pieds et Nos Têtes

hymn--too-many-lies

Hymn- Too Many Lies K7 (1984)
1. Never Show Me
2. Too Many Lies
3. I Can
4. Give Me
5. Like In My Dreams
6. Surch Me
7. Hymn
8. Hope I Dream
9. Lost World

*download both tapes here*

10 Comments »

Move- Move K7

Posted in 1980s, 1985, demo, goth, goth-rock, italian, move, post-punk on March 28, 2014 by Frankie Teardrop

Sorry for the huge delay in posting, ladies and gents.  That said, good things come to those who wait, and I have quite a few obscurities to share to make up for my disappearance.  First up we have a previously unheard Move demo tape from 1985, ripped by a good friend in Italy.  This tape precedes the Move out Sight cassette and the self-titled LP by a year and change and features a handful of otherwise unreleased songs from the Move catalog, as well as a few that appear elsewhere over the years.

I believe this tape completes the Move discography, though I also have been sent a live performance from S.P.S.P., which featured some members from Move.  The tracklisting is unknown, but the band also performed a few Move songs in the set.  I don’t generally go for live tapes, but I hope to post that sometime down the line for anyone who’s interested.  In the meantime, here’s the info for this cassette:

move

Move- Move K7
1. Speeding Speed/Sweet Move
2. Kronstadt
3. Ragazzo Di Strada
4. Re Sole
5. Salto Nel Vuoto
6. When I’m With Myself
7. Lacrime & Sangue
8. Romano
9. F.L.C.T.
10. Lo Scoglio

*download it here*

6 Comments »

Twelfthnight- Masque 7” + Demo Cassettes

Posted in 1980s, 1983, bell hollow, deathrock, goth, goth-rock, Greg Fasolino, Joe Kasher, Joe Truck, New York, new york city, post-punk, Redex, Scarecrow, The Brain Eaters, US on December 19, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

The holiday season is soon upon us, and I’m going to put the wrap on another excellent year with a gift from my bandmate, Greg Fasolino, who some of you may also be familiar with from Bell Hollow and The Naked and the Dead.

Anyone who knows Greg is aware of his vast archiving skills, complete with photos, setlists, friendships, and a collection that most of us would kill to own.  That said, the stories about this particular band date back to his time in the Naked and the Dead, a female fronted deathrock band from NYC who released one acclaimed demo before splitting.  The band reformed in the early 2000s with a different singer and have released archival material as well as sprinkled reissues of the demo across several compilations.  During his years as an underground musician, journalist, and all around music superfan, he befriended fellow musicians Joe Kasher (aka Joe Truck) and Andrew Cushen, who were both luminaries of the 1980s NYC underground as well.

It’s this musical partnership that is responsible for the tracks we’re posting today, but first a little backstory.  Cushen was originally involved in a band called Redex, who only released two demos in the early 1980s.  We’ll get to those another time, perhaps!  After Redex split, Cushen met Kasher and decided to form a new project, heavily influenced by the UK post-punk bands that were gaining momentum at the time.  They recorded two demos as well, one before releasing this 7” on Gash for Cash records in 1983, and one shortly afterwards.   As I understand it, Kasher and Cushen played every instrument you hear on these recordings, but recruited members to perform a few live shows.

The band quickly dissolved but the partnership continued as Cushen and Kasher drafted drummer Ronaldo Gonzalez (later of Swans) and Beth Balousek on vocals to form Scarecrow.  This band performed several shows under this name, and recorded one three song demo with a few live tracks, but as fate would have it, the band would also split as quick as they formed.  Kasher and Cushen then formed Chop Shop with Rebecca Korbet (later of Pussy Galore, King Missle) and Steve DiBenedetto, who also released a demo and recorded an unreleased album in 1985.  Meanwhile, Kasher and Cushen lent their expertise to Fasolino, co-producing the Naked and the Dead demo.  Greg also tells me that Cushen played e-bow on “Cassandra,” teaching him a skill that has become one of Greg’s signature sounds since.  Kasher also released a 7” with his next project, the Brain Eaters, in 1986.  Before Brain Eaters, Kasher and Fasolino played together briefly in a band called Burning Rome, who never recorded anything.  Everything’s incestuous!

Which brings us to today.  Kasher is still involved in the underground scene, and is currently playing as The Burning Ritual, who released their debut EP and are currently playing in the New York City area.  Kasher also collected several of these underground New York projects, including the Naked and the Dead, Scarecrow, The Children’s Zoo (featuring bassist Chris Bollman also of N&tD and Bell Hollow), and others for a compilation called Dark New York (Gotham City’s Post-Punk, Goth, and Deathrock Bands 1983-1988) Vol. 1, one of my favorite releases from last year.  We can only hope a volume 2 is in store in 2014!

Anyway, back to Twelfthnight.  I have here for you both demos (minus the 7” tracks, which I’ve been told are identical to the 7” pressings), and a fresh rip of the 7” from Greg’s collection.  You MAY recall seeing the flip-side to this on an early SOR compilation, erroneously credited to Twelfth Night (sorry!).  I’ve been curious to hear more about this band ever since, and while I’ve known Greg for ages, I had no idea that the missing pieces of this puzzle lay this close to home.

With that in mind, I’m very pleased to bring things full circle after all these years!  Thanks to Greg, Joe, and Andrew for their efforts both here and elsewhere!   Happy holidays and see you guys in 2014!

Twelfthnight- Masque 7”
1. Masque
2. Tree Soldiers

Twelfthnight- Demo #1
1. Silent Spring
2. It Must Have Been Minutes

Twelfthnight- Demo #2
1. All Soul’s Day
2. Sanctuary
3. Premonition

BONUS:
1. Visions of These (Rehearsal 1983 – 17th Street, New York, NY)

*download all three here*

2 Comments »

Atrocity- Because 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1985, denmark, post-punk on December 10, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

A-2468652-1319537665

For those who prefer something a little more visceral than our last post, here’s a complete 180 for you.  A slice of post-punk bliss from Denmark, a very scarce 7” from 1985 on Hub Records (Kalishnikov). One could point to the Factory Records roster for direct inspiration, as those kind of buzzing synths call Martin Hannett and co. to mind. Very possible that the band name is a nod to Joy Division by way of J.G. Ballard as well.

Little else is known about these guys, but bassist Bjarne Hansen has some scattered production/engineering credits over the years.

Atrocity- Because 7”
1. Because
2. Scene
3. Love Song
4. Part of the Crowd

*download it here*

8 Comments »

Various Artists- Treviso Underground Vol. 1: Nuovo Rock/Wave

Posted in 1980s, coldwave, italian, post-punk on November 27, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s an amazing Italian cassette compilation from 1988, generously ripped by Carlo. This is the first in a two part series of homebrew tape compilations from the 80s featuring bands from the Treviso region of Northern Italy. This edition focuses on new wave and post-punk bands, while the second volume caters more towards experimental and ambient bands. You can get the second volume here.

I was originally drawn to this cassette via Wax Heroes and Scent Merci, two excellent post-punk bands that only have a handful of releases between them.  However, the entire compilation is awesome, with the exception of the Nicotine Spyral Surfers songs, which aren’t bad if you prefer things on the more garage-y side. However, the true standout to me is Inside Loneliness, a band who truly invokes the cold Cure-esque vibes of Seventeen Seconds as well as other bands of that ilk.  I can’t get enough of “It’s Over Again,” (which builds to the same simple, but perfect chord progression as The Chameleons’ “Second Skin”), while their second track here is no slouch, either.  Inside Loneliness also contributed more tracks (including an alternate version of “It’s Over Again” that lacks the synth intro) to the Opere Senze Ombre compilation, which features the German Shadowplay, Opera Multi Steel, and the Venus Fly Trap. As you can see, that compilation wasn’t as ethnocentric as this one is, but is still worth hearing and can be found here.

As for the rest of the bands here, Domus Tedii plays a darker, organ driven style of post-punk, while Em’s Dream all but sounds like Robert Smith singing.  In fact, Marathon’s contribution is also reminiscent of the Cure’s Head On the Door/Kiss Me period (see above), with the trademark keyboard flute sounds and sad, yet boisterous melody.  Turbe Psichiche Di Origine Dolosa are the most punk-inspired of the bands, with backing vocals that are both anthemic as well as slightly Byrds-esque.  Aside from Inside Loneliness, my other favorite track on this compilation comes from Lacrima Christi, with some great cold sounds and solid atmosphere.  I’m not sure if this is the same band that appears on a 1991 compilation, but I’d love to hear more from them either way.

R-4002427-1351963938-6694

Various Artists- Treviso Underground Vol. 1: Nuovo Rock/Wave
1. Miky Mouse- Wax Heroes
2. Wake Me Up Wizard!- Wax Heroes
3. It’s Over Again- Inside Loneliness
4. Trees Out of My Way- Inside Loneliness
5. School Days II- Scent Merci
6. The Bright Moonlight- Scent Merci
7. You Make Me Fly (So High)- Nicotine Spyral Surfers
8. Are You Surprised?- Nicotine Spyral Surfers
9. Non Presenza- Domus Tedii
10. Rachele- Lacrima Christi
11. Bloodless (Not Buried)- Em’s Dream
12. Sun of the Awning- Marathon
13. Questo E’ Il Tuo Giorno- Turbe Psichiche Di Origine Dolosa

*download it here*

 

Thanks again, Carlo!

3 Comments »

Quite Simple- Victims 7” & Unknown Stranger LP

Posted in 1980s, 1987, 1989, darkwave, Dutch, goth, goth-rock, post-punk on November 18, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

I have two posts today, both request from friends so I thought I’d drop both on you in one day.  This first post fulfills a request by Xerfrank for the official discography of post-punk/goth band Quite Simple, from Holland.  I’ve seen these two records go for moderate prices over the years, so they certainly warrant some more attention for those unaware of the band.

Fans of hook-driven Leeds bands such as March Violets and the Lorries should love this one, straight down to the male/female vocal dynamics and big, shameless production.   For a private pressing, the production on the LP is especially impressive, and sometimes it sounds like the LP is only a major label away from being Floodland II.

Unknown Stranger was released in 1989, while the 7” (which I prefer by a small margin) was released in 1987.  There’s also another track released on the Made In Brabant compilation in 1987, and since that collection pre-dates the LP as well, I’m assuming the recording of “Visions” from the compilation is different than what would appear two years later.  If anyone has this compilation, feel free to drop a line!   Otherwise, enjoy!

Quite Simple- Victims 7” (1987)
1. Victims
2. Light In the Dark



Quite Simple- Unknown Stranger LP (1989)
1. Unknown Stranger
2. Mistery of the Night
3. Visions
4. Age of Miracles
5. China Town
6. Curious Eyes
7. Nightmare
8. Out of the Spirit World

*download both here*

6 Comments »

Here Today- Whistle In the Yard 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1983, goth, here today, new wave, post-punk, vigil on November 13, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

I’ve always had a soft spot for the self-titled Vigil record, which I first heard via Hi-Fi Hillary.  The album has made the blog circuits before, and is notorious for being the first rock album to have been recorded and mixed digitally.  It was released on Chrysalis records in 1987, and while a vinyl pressing of the LP and the I Am Waiting 12” can be easily found for a few bucks (I have bought/passed out several copies among friends and DJs in the scene), the CD is much more scarce, fetching between $40-60 bucks whenever it pops up.  The album is a hybrid of catchy new wave hooks and post-punk guitars, a bit of grit beneath the gloss.   I’ve always dug it.

However, before Vigil there was Here Today, who formed in Baltimore in 1983 (see also The Mission, Immortal, and The Unknown for more flagship acts of Baltimore’s fertile post-punk scene).  They recorded just one 3-track 12” in 1983, before courting major label interest from CBS.  Without swapping band members, they changed their name to Vigil and began work on their debut record in 1984.   However, the A&R rep who signed the band departed CBS, and the band agreed to a buyout in order to sign with Chrysalis records.  This entire process took three years, and the band were soon dropped after contributing a song to the Nightmare on Elm Street 4 soundtrack, but the title track of this 12” survived the test of time, with a re-recorded version appearing on the Vigil LP.   The Here Today version of the track is leaner, meaner, and darker, and the two b-sides are exclusive to this release.  While ‘Whistle’ is still the standout, the other tracks are enjoyable.  “In the Maze” is a slow, bass driven dirge that picks up mid-way through, while “Del Centro 86/99” is a futuristic themed track that sounds like a hybrid of Devo and Bauhaus’ more spastic tracks (“Kamikaze Dive”).

Meanwhile, Vigil recorded a second album after leaving Chrysalis, which was self-released on cassette in the late 1980s.   There are plans to reissue the first Vigil album in 2014, so perhaps the second album and other assorted rarities will see the light of day.  You can find Vigil here on Facebook for any future updates.

Here Today- Whistle In the Yard 12”
1. Whistle In the Yard
2. Del Centro 86/89
3. In the Maze

*download it here*

Jo Connor has also uploaded a bunch of live Vigil clips from 1986.  Click here to check out his youtube page.  I also remember seeing an official video for the re-recorded version of “Whistle in the Yard,” but it must have been removed.  I’ll link it here if I ever come across it again!

1 Comment »

The Floor- Discography

Posted in 2000s, 2003, 2005, canadian, edmonton, post-punk, synth, the floor on November 5, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

The+Floor

A good friend of mine recently gave me some sage advice.  To paraphrase, he mentioned that it’s a crime to dig too much into the distant past, for fear of ignoring more recent bands who are making incredible music.  By doing this, it only dooms modern bands to the same fate as their forgotten predecessors.

I can’t agree more, and while I’m still on the hunt for forgotten 80s treasures (and have plenty more coming in the mail, mind you), there are quite a few bands from the turn of the century that have already fallen by the wayside in lieu of their more Pitchfork-centric peers.   While the post-punk resurgence of the mid-2000s wasn’t the true second coming we all hoped it would be, there are still several bands who managed to make some incredible music, overshadowed by bands like Interpol, The Strokes, The Rapture, etc., who dominated the scene.

I received a lot of great feedback about Branches, another band that Jason recommended and shared a rip of here, and with his advice in mind, I plan to share a handful of more recent bands that we’re both fond of.  First up is The Floor, a Canadian band who flirted with electronics, classic post-punk bass tones, and shoegaze textures, mixing those timelessly great techniques with big hooks, solid musicianship, and killer songs.  I discovered their only full length back in 2006, shortly after it was released, and it’s a seasonal favorite.  Over the years, I’ve clocked more plays on Personnel than I have any other album from that era, and know the whole record like the back of my hand.  However, I hadn’t heard anything else from them, and as like many bands from that era (including many of my own), I presume they broke up soon after.

However, Jason was able to provide a rip of the two EPs that preceded Personnel, completing the official discography.  The EPs are just as good, as one might suspect…  In general, fans of bands like The Chameleons, A Flock of Seagulls, and For Against’s December should LOVE these guys, and I hope you enjoy these records as much as I do…

The Floor- Doll (2003)
1. Catastrophe
2. Seconds Later
3. Feature 74
4. Doll
5. Warning Signs
6. Mistake to Make
7. Daffodil

The Floor- Autonomy Off/On (2003)
1. Drown Inside
2. Isolene, I
3. Automation
4. Impossible
5. Noncom
6. Blank Reaction
7. Cloud of Blinding Light

The Floor- Personnel (2005)
1. Fallout Forever
2. Someone Else
3. In the New World
4. The Guilt of Silence
5. Personnel
6. Glass Heart
7. Freeze/Frame
8. What Do You Know?
9. Occur
10. Never After
11. Alone On Your Own

*download all three here*

16 Comments »

Vietnam- Vietnam LP

Posted in 1980s, 1985, coldwave, new zealand, post-punk, vietnam on October 22, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

Vietnam1984v1

(Photo credit: Neil Monkhouse)

Sorry for the delay, it’s been a very busy time at SOR headquarters so I’ve been slacking a little bit.  Plus, it’s Fall in New York, so I’m trying to make the most of being outside before hibernating for the winter.  Anywho, here’s a post lovingly ripped and donated by xerfrank, a fellow friend and passionate collector from Spain.  You may have seen this back on Vinyl Obscurity a few years ago, but I believe the post was taken down immediately by some Mediafire bots looking for the latest Rhianna record, long before his blog disappeared into the either as well.  I also included the “best” track from this record on my last v/a compilation, so some of you may be interested in hearing the rest of it.  While ‘Victory’ reigns as my favorite track on this record, I enjoy this one as a whole.

There’s little to be found about Vietnam, yet another extremely difficult band name to Google, but I do know that they existed for a short period of time as part of New Zealand’s post-punk movement and released this record in 1985 on Jayrem Records, a catch-all label for local artists.  There’s the pre-requisite Joy Division influence present in the vocals (fans of De Press, The Opposition, Stranger to Stranger, and Dropopop should enjoy this one especially) but the music jumps from moody post-punk and flirts occasionally with jangle-pop progressions and dreamy, Cure-esque melodies.  “China Tonight” is an excellent moody instrumental track with a descending synth/piano melody.  “Behind the Paintings” is as gloomy, yet driving political anthem, a general theme in the lyrics that hints at a slight U2 influence, who were at the peak of their fire-y political leaning at that point in time.   Honestly, with a name like Vietnam and with artwork like this, it’s safe to assume that the lyrics have a little more spark to them.

EDIT 6/30/14:  I’ve since been in touch with Adrian Workman, the band’s bassist and synth player, who has shared some tales about the band’s inception and current whereabouts:

Four lads from the same High School in working-class town called Wainuiomata (pronounced Y-noo-ee-o-ma-ta , a suburb of Wellington, NZ).  We started writing/playing together in my parents garage and drove the neighborhood insane over a period of time. New Zealand in 1982 mirrored Thatchers UK; an ultra conservative government, poor economy and civil unrest. Wellington (the nations capital) was a volatile mix of public servants, politicians, university students ,and skinheads. The messages of the Punk and Post-Punk era emanating from the UK resonated strongly in the Wellington music scene and local musical acts discovered their own version of the genre. 

The legal drinking age was 20 years old, yet we performed in pubs, clubs and community halls from as young as 16 years, somehow avoiding detection from the authorities.
 
Vietnam was definitely a coming together of 4 very different people that shared a common malaise; suburban isolation in a depressed and oppressed society in the early 1990’s. We were a  weird combination of cultural/ethnic diversity, (unusual in that musical era), and ironically we all achieved well in school and sports…being working class was a badge of honour for us and  we strongly resisted being pigeon-holed into societal roles. Vietnam was a head-fuck for many people because, I believe, we delivered more than was expected of us given our collective backgrounds. We almost dethroned a significant corporate rock band in the national ‘Battle of the Bands’ comp, leaving them crapping their collective duds after we performed a kick-ass set, including  a Vietnam version of ‘Echo Beach’ and just missing the final cut. Anyways…this show got us attention from the right people.
 
It was a pretty intense music scene from memory. Vietnam was a square peg in that scene, mainly due to the stigma associated from the suburb we came from. We played a lot of shows,( including the Aerial Railway stage at ‘Sweetwaters’,  an annual 3 day Music festival, (just think Woodstock meets Lollapallooza). Supported some good acts of the era and made our EP in late 1984 (released in 1985). Radio with Pictures TVNZ picked up ‘Victory’ and the video was made at the cost of taxpayers monies. Shortly after the release I migrated to Sydney, Australia (18 yrs old) in mid 1985, Pete Dransfield followed about a year later. After several attempts to reincarnate a version of the band under different monikers we went our separate ways in 1988, and Pete returned to NZ.
 
Pete released some material in the late 1990’s under the name ‘The Thorn Field’ , became a semi-professional boxer, and continues to work in the live music scene in NZ in a technical capacity.
 
Shane went on to have a stellar career as a national spokesperson for indigenous programs relating to smoking cessation (Go Bro!). Leon has continued to perform political rap in various line-ups.
 
I joined Sydney Band ‘The Bhagavad Guitars’ in late 1988, and stayed with them until 1992. Releasing several recordings in this time on the Red Eye Label, including the belated release of an album produced by Toney Cohen (of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds fame) in 1995 (Lead vox  ‘No News’). We almost made it to the States, but the band imploded exactly at the critical moment:(
 
I was also a founding member with ‘The Verys’ in the grunge era of the 1990’s, releasing the EP ‘That’s A Moray’ in 1993. Ran my own record label briefly and ventured into twisted world music with Bonepeople in the late 1990s. Recently recorded a reformation album with The Bhagavad Guitars in 2011 called ‘Unfamiliar Places’ (Lead vox ‘Autumn’). Check out my name on ‘Discogs’ website for refs. and/or reverbnation ‘Bhagavad Guitars’.

Vietnam- Vietnam LP
1. Broken Doll
2. China Tonight
3. Behind the Paintings
4. Another Day
5. Victory

*DOWNLOAD LINK REMOVED* – please visit B.F.E. records (website/bandcamp) for a reissue of this LP with some bonus tracks!

There’s also a video for “Victory” (!).  Feels like it’s been ages since we had one of those:

Thanks again to xerfrank for ripping this one!  I have some mail arriving over the next few weeks that may interest some of you looking for something a little seedier/synthier.  In the meanwhile, I picked up some rad stuff in Canada, one record in particular that deserves a re-posting ASAP.  I also have another post lined up from xerfrank’s expansive archives, as well as more from Klumpa’s collection to come in the near future.  Also, perhaps some modern surprises as this year winds down to a close.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

On a completely unreleated note, might I bring your attention to THIS?  I have a new project that you all may enjoy, and we just released a limited edition cassette (!) on fellow Brooklyn-based label Function Operate.  I reckon a few of you may enjoy it, and we’ll have plenty more news soon.  If you want to check in on us, we can be found HERE.

7 Comments »

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