Voggue, “Voggue” (Atlantic, 1981)
From Montreal this group appears to have occupied the exact spot where disco blended into synth-dance, and the music reflects the best of both worlds – elegant, bright, propulsive, infectiously catchy.
Try 1/1.
11/12/12
VKTMS, “VKTMS” (Broken Rekids, 1997; originally released 1978-1980)
Female-fronted San Fran punk, like their contemporaries, the Avengers, but darker and more comic, with disorienting postpunk twists. This captures a certain experience of urban dislocation and decay, and makes it sound like fun.
Try 1, 5, 6, 7, 9
7/19/12
Various Artists, “Four Old 7-inches on 12-inch” (Discord, 1981; original release 1980-81)
Collection of early, “Flex Your Head”-era harDCore. Teen Idles were Ian McKaye’s first band; S. O. A. was Rollins’s. All four are great: Teen Idles raw, scratchy and frenzied; S. O. A. fast and clean with shred guitar and vocals, Gov’t Issue pummeling and chaotic, and (my favorite) Youth Brigade a snarling, shuddering, tank-like roar.
Try A: 2, 6, 7, 15, 16; B: 6, 11, 14, 15, 16.
4/19/13
Various Artists, “Teen Expo: The Cleopatra Label” (Numero Group, 2018; original recordings 1960—70)
So this guy ran a tiny indie out of northern New Jersey, and he put out examples of pretty much every happening pop style of the ‘60s—girl-group, garage-punk, folk-psych, dance-floor r&b, even post-doo-wop crooning. But it all feels of a piece – he wrote and produced a lot of it himself, and there’s a distinctive ear/feel at work, gauzy, eerie, sweet, enchanted.
Try 1/1, 2/4, 2/7, 3/3, 3/7, 4/1, 4/3
10/2/18
Various Artists, “The Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House” (Disneyland, 1964)
Before Disney/Buena Vista/Hollywood Rec’s brought us hard-rocking platters like Lower East Side junkie-punk icons, the NY Loose’s “Year of the Rat,” or Hilary Duff’s emo-era works, this disc may have outdone them in the hyper-intensity sweepstakes. Side A is a tour-de-force of Disney’s scary-movie sound-effects, curated by a female voice that’s halfway between spooky-vampy late-night-TV-movie hostess Elvira and the Stepford-Wife intonations of an automated operator. B is the same f/x without the female voice (and not as good).
Try A/1, A/2, A/10
10/15/16
Various Artists, “The Girls Want The Boys: Sweden’s Beat Girls, 1966-1970” (Ace, 2016)
Comp of female-fronted Swedish pop and rock sounds, with more emphasis on the rocking force behind the boppin’ beat than in the French yé- yé-girl counterpart/archetype, but with that light-and-shadow dramatic sweep between major and minor keys that has always been such a distinctive and pleasurable aspect of Swedish pop. Indeed, you could almost imagine this as the common point of origin of ABBA, the Rude Kids and MZM (all Scando-classics).
Try 1/ 3, 1/ 4, 1/6
4/7/19
Various Artists, “The Girls Want The Boys” (Ace, 2017; original recordings 1966-70)
Comp of ‘60s Swedish girl-group sounds. The music is actually twistier and harder-rocking than the Spectorish vib associated with the girl-group tag, and the songs are as dynamic (from autumnal-moody to bubble-gum bright) and catchy as you’d expect from the land of ABBA (two future members here!) and Max Martin.
Try 1/ 3, 1/6
10/18/18
Various artists, “The Girls Want the Boys” (Ace, 2017; original recording 1966-1970)
Comp of ‘60s Swedish girl-group sounds. The music is actually twistier and harder-rocking than the Spectorish vibe associated with the girl-group tag, and the songs are as dynamic (from autumnal-moody to bubble-gum bright) and catchy as you’d expect from the land of ABBA (2 future members here!) and Max Martin.
Try 1/3, 1/6
10/18/18
Various Artists, “The Young Disciples: Eccentric Soul” (Numero, 2008)
In a community center in strife-torn, late-‘60s East St. Louis, a singular music scene emerged – rough-edged funk and soul that could turn urban devastation into truly mind-altering, psych-tinged soundscapes.
Try 3, 12, 13
9/14/12
Various Artists, “TV Sound And Image” (Soul Jazz, 2012)
One of this label’s most audacious reissues, this collects soundtrack compositions from the BBC’s archives. Ranging from big-band to surf to funk to minimal synth and all points in between, this stuff shares a rigor and dynamism that can make you see the cinematic action even with your eyes closed. Try 1/5, 1/10, 1/13, 2/2, 2/11, 2/15, 2/17
8/23/12