Throbbing Gristle, “Second Annual Report” (Mute, 1991; original release, 1977)It’s heartwarming (and a reminder of their unprecedented sound and its subsequent influence) to recall that this came out the same year not only as “Never Mind The Bollocks” but also “Saturday Night Fever” and the first Boston album (great records all, incidentally). TG used state-of-the-art […]
Johnny Thunders, “So Alone” (Real/Sire, 1978)First, and best, solo album from the legendary N.Y. Dolls guitarist. This does feature some insane guitar, but the primary focus is on J. T. as a singer, songwriters and iconic rock’n’roll frontman. The material ranges from genuinely heart-tugging to brutally nasty, and it all exudes the mammoth charisma the […]
Johnny Thunders, “The New Too Much Junkie Business” (ROIR, 1983)The great man’s last burst of first-rate original work before Mr. Brownstone impeded his functionality beyond the point of no return. A wild, off-kilter kaleidoscope of cubist-stones blues blowouts, bitter, bleary-eyed late-night balladry, shambling live workouts complete with Shangri-Las-style backup gals, and the man’s inimitable monologues.Try […]
Tim Presley’s White Fence, “I Have To Feed Larry’s Hawk” (Drag City, 2019)I find this very talented guy’s work sort of hard to keep track of, but when he pulls off a great one, it’s worth the wait, and that’s what we’ve got here. First disc is haunted/melodic psych-pop-rock tunes with extra guitar grit, à […]
The Time, “Ice Cream Castle” (Warner Bros., 1984)Prince protegés doing new-wave-inflected funk, but with an added suave/sleaze aura, like Rick James if he’d assimilated New Romanticism. A/1 I best, pleasantly paisley-hazy, but B/1 is also a stand-out.
To Damascus, “Come To Your Senses” (Ringent/Restless, 1987)Titanic, oceanic post-hardcore guitar-psych from an L.A. six-string goddess who’d already played with greats from bands like Black Flag and Dream Syndicate. The way she can alternately stretch or compress time and space is truly breath-taking. This music is meant to be a triumph of the human spirit […]
To Damascus, “Succumb” (Ringent, 1986)Sylvia Juncosa would go on to far greater heights, but this first effort is alive with a wildly inventive, let’s-try-everything-at-once spirit. Nearly every strand of mid-‘80s L.A. underground rock is in evidence, from neo-psychedelia to hardcore to SST-ish prog-noise metalisms, sometimes all on the same track.Try 1/3, 2/1, 2/610/23/11
Aluk Todolo, “Occult Rock” (Ajma, 2012)Really interesting group from France; this is real metal (as opposed to heavy noise-rock), but so purified and abstract that its grand sound-monoliths have an art-drone quality that’s naturally their own.Try CD1: 1; CD 2: 3.1/13/13
St. Etienne, “So Tough” (Warner Bros., 1992)Brit electronica/EDM duo with (early) Marianne Faithfull-reminiscent diva Sarah Cracknell out front, and that contrast is their M.O. – delicate Carnaby Street retro-‘60s pop that blends into the techno-industrial nightscape of contemporary London, and vice versa. The wonder is how thrillingly natural and unaffected it all sounds.Try 1, 6, […]
St. Tropez, “Hot and Nasty” (Destiny, 1982).The LP title effectively conveys the aesthetic of this vivid, pleasantly sleazy elecro-disco record. Try 2/1.11/12/12