Lili Z., “The Two Of Us” (In The Red, 2008)
Her old bands (No-Talents, Volt) were fine garage-punk, but this is really great, and idiosyncratic. Homemade drum-machine punk, with weird sound-squiggles of noise and haunting singer-songwriterisms or yé-yé-esque ‘60s classicisms embedded in maze-like post-punk structures.
Try A/4, A/5, B/2, B/4
1/26/12
Leyton Buzzards, “Jellied Eels And Record Deals” (Charisma, 1979);
Modern Romance, “The Platinum Collection” (Rhino 2006; original recordings 1980-86)
Even among all the multifarious wildness of the UK music scene between 1977 and 1983, this may be the strangest thing that happened. The Leyton Buzzards were first-wave Brit-punk, thuggish and rumbling, but with good melodic invention and a twisted sense of humor. Then they broke up, only to reappear a few years later as Modern Romance, the pioneers of Britain’s short-lived “neo-salsa” pop movement, sporting a horn section and vintage suits! Yet they were still as energetic and outlandishly entertaining as ever. Best of the Buzzards include “We Make a Noise,” “Disco Romeo,” “No Dry Ice and Flying Pigs.” Best of Modern Romance: 17, the immortal “Ay Ay Ay Moosey”; 18, “Bring On the Funkateers”; and 19, “Queen of the Rapping Scene (Nothing Ever Goes The Way You Play)”, featuring some of the most preposterous rapping ever recorded.
Letters to Cleo, “Aurora Glory Alice” (Giant, 1994)
A lesson in the cunning of history: dismissed as generic alt-rock at the time, this band would fit right in now with Speedy Ortiz, Waxahatchee, et. Al. Loose, shagging, shambling grunge-pop that rolls by like rainclouds drifing over suburban lawns.
Try 6 (their MTV hit way back when)
11/10/16
Let’s Active, “Afoot” (IS, 1982)
Debut from early REM producer/jangle-pop godfather Mitch Easter’s group. Has a nice mid-period-Beatles-ish color-splash guitar palette, but with an equally pleasantly twinkly new-wave quirkiness, and some excellent hooks.
Try 2/1, 2/2.
1/23/14
Legal Weapon, “Death of Innocence” (Arsenal, 1982)
Legal Weapon were part of the first wave of suburban L.A. hardcore. But while they shared their peers’ cold edge, dark melodic sense and feral attack, their music was slightly slower, and thicker and more swinging as well. But what really made them stand out was lead vocalist Kat Arthur, whose husky, tremulous wail came at you like a steamroller, with hints of both cute and scary – picture a teenage punk rock Janis Joplin who can also channel Tiffany/Debbie Gibson or Linda Blair’s character from “The Exorcist.” Her lyrics were cool, also sex/drugs/crime/family dysfunction/social conflict/economic collapse. . . kind of like now. Oh yeah, they were catchy as all hell, too.
Picks: 1, 2, 3, 5, 10
Leaf Hound, “Growers of Mushrooms” (Repertoire, 2005; original recording 1969)
Heavy psych-blues from Britain, similar to their contemporaries Led Zep but with a more frenzied, scramblesome approach. Fine stuff, and nice to hear this genre at its origin, with its identity still fluid and a sense it could still head anywhere.
Try 1, 4, 7
7/29/12
La Sera, “Sees the Light” (Hardly Art, 2012)
La Sera Frontwoman Katy Goodman = Vivian Girls’ “Kickball Katy,” and this is in that band’s garage-punk/girl-group vein, but more clear and relaxed. This could be seen as a return to the primal mid-60s pop innocence of Vivian Girls’ first LP, and while I love their later stuff as well, this is a really nice and refreshing surprise.
Try 2, 25, 6
4/3/12
La Luz, “It’s Alive” (Hardly Art, 2013)
Garage-punk women playing surf/girl-group stuff, kind of a “Stones” to Best Coast’s “Beatles.” It’s got a really lovely, haunted late-night feel that conjures up the Cramps in an elegiac mood backing an undead Astrud Gilberto.
Try 1, 6
7/15/14
La Luz, “Floating Features” (Hardly Art, 2018)
Third album from these garage-punk/surf-rock PacNW women, and it’s definitely their best. The reverb-drenched tunes still hang dazed and hazy like swamp willows, but there’s an enticingly sharp melodic pop sensibility to them now that creates the emotional drama to pull off the mythic Americana they’ve always evoked, though now more decisively.
Try 1/ 2, 1/ 3, 2/1, 2/5
4/7/19
La Luz, “Floating Features” (Hardly Art, 2018)
Third album from these garage-punk/surf-rock PacNW women, and it’s definitely their best. The reverb-drenched tunes still hang dazed and hazy like swamp willows, but there’s an enticingly sharp melodic pop sensibility to them now that creates the emotional drama to pull off the mythic Americana they’ve always evoked, though now more decisively.
Try 1/ 2, 1/ 3, 2/1, 2/5
4/7/19