Crispy Ambulance, “Fin” (LTM, 1999; original recordings 1980-82)This vintage Factory Benelux act is a cult band that deserves its cult; if anything, it ought to be bigger. Shares an astringently minimalist guitar-bass-drums counterpoint with Joy Div, but they swirl around in a much more open-ended and dream-like manner. This live stuff leans toward their drony/noisy […]
Crocodiles, “Endless Flowers” (French Kiss, 2012)This band explores the lighter, more lilting side of Jesus & MaryChain style guitar-noise-pop on this release, and the result is quite pleasant whether in lulling or propulsive mode.Try 1, 8.7/12/12
Cruddy, “Negative World” (IZXU, 2012)Music situated at the axis of garage, harcore, and postpunk – loose, frenzied, angular, rousing.Try A/1, A/4, B/35/5/12
The Cure, “Seventeen Seconds” (Fiction, 1980)Their second album, and the first of their greatest works, the doom-trilogy that continued with “Faith” and “Pornography.” Their minimalist post-punk guitar-bass-drums thing still has some of “Boys Don’t Cry”’s sardonic pop chirpiness, but the buzz of neurosis, detachment, and terror is already rising on all sides.Try 7, 107/29/13
The Cure, “Pornography” (Fiction, 1982)The last and most extreme of the Cure’s post-punk minimalist gloom-rock works before their their pop transformation. This oscillates between roiling, tormented cacophony and eerily detached, brooding drones, and is great.Try 3, 4, 8. 1/13/13
Cherie and Marie Currie, “Messin’ With The Boys” (Capitol, 1979)This continues Cherie’s drift into soft-rock territory, but there’s still a lurid glam afterglow that makes its chardonnay lifestyling a little more fun than the competition.Try 1/1, 2/110/2/18
Cherie Currie, “Beauty’s Only Skin Deep” (Lemon, 2005; original release Mercury, 1977)Fresh from the Runaways, Currie released this album, which promptly vanished without a trace, but it deserved a better fate. It filters the Bowie and glitter sounds Currie first fell in love with into a teenage fantasy where punk, arena-rock, and AM radio bubblegum […]
Camera Obscura, “Underachievers Please Try Harder” (Merge, 2003)Funny title, because this album represents this band’s transition from good to great. Same jangly/melodic C86/Velts-derived indie pop as before, same range of moods from effervescent to meditative, but these songs are just so brilliantly articulated and incisive. A must-hear for fans of this sound.Try 1, 6, 7, […]
Candy Claws, “Hidden Lands” (Twosyllable, 2010)Kooky studio indie-pop from this guy-gal duo. Vague Smile/early Eno influence here, appropriate to a “soundtrack” to a book about the wonders of nature’s minutiae, and the best of this is like a dream/hallucination of some kids’ ride at a natural-history museum.Try 1, 107/29/12
Candypants, “Candypants” (SFTRI, 2000)Pop of an elusively eclectic stripe – some garage/’60s usages, but also traces of folk, bubblegum and even show tunes. All super-fun, especially the irrepressibly bounce-crazed “Dishy” (you may have heard it on early-‘60s TV or movie soundtracks).Ty 2, 88/16/15