[batreleaser]

I'll Start.

The Pop Group-Y.

Truly one of the most ecclectic bands and records in history. This came out in the late 70's. At the time, there were certainly "Punk" bands starting to fuck around with experimental sounds; This Heat, Wire, The Fall, X Ray Spex, that whole No Wave Thing, etc... But I highly doubt anyone saw anything like this coming. An amazing mash up of Punk attitude, Free Jazz instrumentation and harmololodics, funky ass bass lines and beats, incredible Fela-like rhythms, and so much more. Nothing on this album sounds out of place, a skrony saxophone squal can be played over a minimal funk beat while Mark Stewart is making wierd howling vocal sounds. Oh, and about the vocals, they're incredible. I love a strong vocal presence in music. Captain Beefheart, The Fall, To Live and Shave in LA, Boredoms, Sonic Youth, etc.. All these bands have amazing vocalists with extremly unique styles. Mark Stewart is in the same canon as those fellas. He has an amazing vocal style, I don't really know how to describe it. Screams, whispers, high pitched drowned out groans. Jesus. And his lyrics are amazing too. Anyways, I love this album. Sometimes I'd go as far as to say its my favorite record of all time, but this isn't one of those times. It's up there though.


Side Note: Mark Stewart put out a solo record this year entitled "Edit". It got a decent bit of coverage, i.e., a Wire cover story. But anyways, this record is seriously one of the best of the year, and from what I can tell, no one has really been talking about it on here. I suggest you do so.