The Suburbs: Credit In Heaven (Twin/Tone Records/1981)

The Suburbs were one of the greatest bands to come from Minneapolis in the 1980's. Originally a jumped-up, noisy new wave quintet, and later evolving into a more moody, danceable outfit. The band's first record in 1978, was also the first ever released on the Twin/Tone label (later home to Soul Asylum and The Replacements) and would serve as the band's label until 1983. In that time they released two albums, two EP's and three singles.

The second of those albums was Credit In Heaven. An ambitious double-album platter, with a nice and varied track selection and clear production via Paul Stark (who would later produce The Replacements' Hootenanny album). The album's lone single “Music For Boys” reached number 66 on Billboard's Dance Music/Club Play singles chart. And it became something of a new wave club staple.

While there is a singularly originality to The Suburbs and their material; a few points of references are Roxy Music, Talking Heads and David Bowie. Beej Chaney's vocals point to Iggy Pop, while Chan Polling's voice recalls Bryan Ferry. “Cigarette In Backwards” sounds like a boozy Roxy Music. “Drinking With An Angel” sounds like Iggy Pop fronting Talking Heads. “Idiot Voodoo” and “Dish It Up” sound like absolute new wave dance classics, while “Tape Your Wife To The Ceiling” and “Spring Came” sound like they should be alternative radio classics. Being that it is a double-album there are a few lesser tracks (namely “Macho Drunk”, “Postcard” and “Girlache”). But even those tracks don't detract from the overall cohesiveness and general effectiveness of the album.

The band's playing is tight and the arrangements accentuate the excellently understated rhythm section of bassist Michael Halliday and drummer Hugo Klaers. Lead guitarist the late Bruce C. Allen is shown to be an original player and effective foil to Chaney's spare, quirky parts. And Polling is an a master at knowing what to piano parts to play and what not to play. There is a shared sense of understatement which is common to all.

A highly recommended album.  

Here's the video review:

Special thanks to: Doug Mashkow of New Music Scene and CD Island.

I.R.S. Greatest Hits Volume 1 (IRS Records/1981)

I.R.S. Greatest Hits Volume One was a sampler of material by artists on I.R.S Records. It was available via an offer that came with copies of I.R.S. Greatest Hits Volume 2 & 3. It is quite possible that this album was the Doing Time On Vinyl compilation album that was scheduled, but never released. It was released in a plain white sleeve with a orange sticker indicating the name of album and the slogan “A sampler of tunes you want to hear over and over again”. The copyright date is 1980, but considering it was only released via an offer from an album that came out in 1981, me thinks this didn't actually see the light of day until 1981 as well.

It features great singles from Klark Kent and The Buzzcocks, two tracks from both Oingo Boingo and The Stranglers and a rare single by Berlin with Virginia Macolino on vocals, before Terri Nunn joined the band. It also features Henry Badowski's first appearance on a US LP, Chelsea's fine cover of The Seeds' “No Escape” and Payola$ excellent “China Boys” single.

It's a nice little alternative new/wave compilation album. I've only seen this album two times, tops in the record shops. So, it's a semi-rare release. Recommended.

Here's the video review:

ABP: Something To Believe In (Link Records/1985)

Aberdeen, Scotland's APB was a fairly obscure band until their second single “Shoot You Down” began getting significant airplay on Long Island, NY's WLIR-FM. Their story is the kind of thing that generally speaking, just doesn't happen anymore. The bands' brand of danceable Gang Of Four- inflected funk was hugely popular in dance clubs in the early 1980's, so it's not that big of a shock that they'd appeal to an audience. Only according to the band, it was completely shocked when a major station in the US started playing the bands song, unprompted by anyone, simply because they liked it.

College radio had been generally more open to this sort of thing. Yet major stations with Alternative formats which embraced New Wave were becoming more and more influential. In short, this basically gave APB a career and their largest following was in the New York tri-state area.

The band issued eight singles from 1981 to 1985. They're all compiled on this 1985 compilation album on Link Records Something To Believe In. The tracks are “Shoot You Down” (and its' B-Side “Talk To Me”), “Palace Filled With Love”, “Rainy Day”, “One Day”, “What Kind Of Girl”, “Danceability”, “Summer Love”, “Something To Believe In” and its' B-Side “So Many Broken Hearts”. In my opinion, half of the album is great and holds up well. The other half, less-so.

The album was reissued on Young American Recordings as a double disk set in 2005 with many other unreleased tracks. Recommended if you see it in a used bin for $5 or under.   

Here's the video review:

Special thanks to: WLIR-FM. 

Shadows Of Knight: I Got My Mojo Working (Sundazed Music/1996)

The Shadows Of Knight are one of the definitive American garage rock bands from the mid 60's. Their most successful chart entry was their top-ten cover of “Gloria” by Them. It contained the then-risque lyric “She comes to my room” which the Shadows Of Night replaced with “She Calls Out My Name”, which ensured airplay in all markets. Although, in many major markets the song reached #1. They also made the national top 40 charts with their cover of Bo Didley's “Oh Yeah”.

The always reliable reissue label Sundazed Music issued an alternate version of “I Got My Mojo Working” which was recorded at a 1966 session at Chess Records. It's a lively, raucous recording and a fine addition to their released output. The more interesting side here however is the B-Side. It's a promotional advertisement for Fairmount Potato Chips that was released on a Flexi Disc on Auravision Records in 1967. It is the band introducing themselves and then launching into bluesy proto-punk song about a “Potato Chip”. It's worth the price of record alone.

For fans of Garage Rock. Recommended.  

Here's The Video Review:

The Oysters: Green Eggs And Ham (Taang! Records/1985)

The Oysters are a band that came to my attention via an entry in The Trouser Press Record Guide (1991 edition). It basically said that if Paul Westerberg had increased his drinking and Bob Stinson remained in the band, this is what The Replacements would sort of sound like. The Oysters were a band from Boston, MA and were signed to the TAANG! label (who released record by Gang Green, The Lemonheads and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones). In fact, Dickey Barret from the Bosstones is responsible for the cover art for Green Eggs And Ham. The band only released this one album and a single (Mine Caroline also on TAANG!) before breaking up.

Lead singer and guitarist Richard McKenzie sounds like a decidedly off-key Paul Westerberg. “Make It All Up To To” sounds like a mash up of The Replacements “Mr. Whirly” and “Never Been To College”. Other highlights include “Ballantine Stomp”, “On Special”, “Headhunter” and “Reeperbahn”. While the band does have their own sound, they certainly channel The Replacements more than anyone else. Highly recommended for fans of The Replacements and fans of boozy garage rock.  

Here's the video review:

The Seeds: Night Time Girl (Norton Records/2014)

The Seeds were allegedly the best live band from Los Angeles in the 1960's, so it's a mystery why their label would want them to record a “live” album in the studio and then overdub crowd noise over the results. In April of 1968 the band recorded the album at Western Recorders and would be released as Raw & Alive: The Seeds In Concert At Merlin's Music Box. In 2014 the UK label Big Beat Records released the album without the dubbed audience noise plus another earlier attempt at a full-length live-in-the studio affair, on a two-disc set simply called Raw & Alive.

The wonderful Norton Records released a 7” vinyl teaser from the album. “Night Time Girl” starts off with what sounds like an early synthesizer but it's probably just an over-modulated keyboard. The song sounds like The Stooges meets The Doors, which isn't so surprising. You can hear how Sky Saxon's vocal prowess influenced Iggy Pop on the B-Side “Gypsy Plays The Drums”. These may be my favorite recordings by The Seeds.

If you're a fan of proto-punk, garage rock or rock and roll in general this most very highly recommended.   

Here's the video review:

Gang Of Four: Songs Of The Free (Warner Brothers/1982)

Leeds' Gang Of Four released 1982's Songs Of The Free, their third album, on the heels of the excellent Another Day/Another Dollar EP. It is their first release with Sara Lee on bass, who took over after Dave Allen left the band to for Shriekback with Barry Andrews of XTC. She's a excellent replacement and is adept to playing nearly as deeply-funky as Allen did.

The album is successful in marrying the band's slashing post-punk to the funky new wave that was all-prevalent at the time. It was produced by Mike Howlett of Gong (who also produced OMD, Tears For Fears and A Flock Of Seagulls). Songs Of The Free is really only weak when one holds it up against Entertainment!, Yellow and Solid Gold. All of which are on the perfect side. Songs Of The Free is jam packed with moody, nocturnal grooves and somnambulist funk. Songs like “History Of The World”, “Life! It's A Shame” and “I Will Be A Good Boy” are my idea of perfect background music that I'd love to hear in a bar or pub. “Muscle For Brains” has a great funky guitar line. “Call Me Up”, “We Live As We Dream, Alone” and “I Love A Man In A Uniform” are easily the most effective songs on the album.

“I Love A Man In A Uniform” was a new-wave dance hit peaking at #27 on Billboard's Club Play Singles chart and became a staple of Alternative radio. The album itself is usually held up as Gang Of Fours last initial creative hurrah. Although it produced a handful of decent tracks, 1983's Hard was indeed a fairly soft affair. I've always considered Songs Of The Free part of a logical conclusion to the trilogy of Entertainment! and Solid Gold.

Recommended. Indeed.