Minimalism

 We're out of ice cream and I really want some ice cream.

Pictish (1982)

 Rent Boys Inc. Toronto, Canada

The Still Reflex (1981)


Repetition. London, England

Mysteries for the Mists of Obscurity.

Or something like that.

I actually had to do some internet sleuthing for this one.

And in the end you have to wonder if it was worth it.

I suppose. It's some useless facts that can roll around in your head when you listen.

So there's that, I suppose.

 Indicate Your Love (1981)

Sensible Shoes. This one was from L.A.

There is fuck all for information about this particular band anywhere on the sleeve. Just a few names and a date on the back.

I found something anyway.

It's trivial but puts some kind of context on it, I suppose.

 The singer on this little seven inch of New Wave Pop is David Baerwald who would achieve a decent paycheck briefly in the middle of the 80's as part of  David & David when they had a Top 100 release with a major contender for all-time most 80's production sound "Welcome to the Boomtown"

Not exactly my cup of poison, but hey, they hopefully got paid for it.
So there's that.
I doubt that DB saw any sort of money out of Sensible Shoes.

Good on him for having a song that peaked even at #37.
That's still better than you or I have ever done.

Red Balune (1979)


Red Balune. There's a bunch of Henry Cow connections which should give the savvy listener some expectation of the Avant Garde scratchy artsy damage that will be contained within.

You have been warned.

A Pair of Records from 1979

I am full of Beef and Broccoli.
My colon surely appreciates the vegetable fiber.
I have a window open.
Life is ok.
Even the previous year's quarantine from whence I am typing.

Hello future.

R.U.R. (1979)

R.U.R. were from Detroit in the state of Michigan.

They took their moniker from a play by Czech author Karel Čapek's 1921 titled "R.U.R." that introduced the word "robot" to the popular lexicon.

They weren't the only band to use the name, but the only one I have a record by.

 It's Rock and Roll like Detroit made Rock and Roll.

I like it and I don't dance to it.

Teenage Lifestyle (1979)

The Penetrators were from Syracuse, NY.

This isn't an original copy. It's a 2011 reissue on Windian Records but it is low fidelity, garage punk rock from the heyday.

So just cram it and jam it.
Jam to it.

There were at least a dozen or more bands that called themselves the Penetrators.
This is one of them.

Dance to it.
I dare you.

Rounding Out the Month with More New Wave

So back in the day there was a local access TV show called "Boston Live!" on Channel 68 that featured local bands playing live in the studio. I watched it as much as I could and taped a bunch of stuff off it onto Betamax and watched that tape quite a bit back in the day.

Now most of that stuff is up and available on YouTube.

Like this band.

Q: What.... Ans: Nothing... (1981)

Orbits.
This is some really fucking catchy Bubblegum New Wave Pop you could ever want.

It's like sonic cotton candy.
You just have to tap your foot and nod along so that even when the dude with the serious hair is singing "Big Tits/They make me giggle" in "Rear View Mirror" you just kind of let it slide by you without noticing.

And that's what makes this so fucking special.


This is what they looked like when they were doing just that on the aforementioned "Boston Live!"

The 80s sure were a different time, man. (But I do totally dig that Dan Armstrong plexi guitar though)

Seeing Red

Blah blah blah
Words and other nonsense.
Etc.
Etc.
Etc...

Survival (1981)

Red Beat  were from London best I can gather from following a few convoluted threads.

Very much in the vein of contemporary Killing Joke but not nearly so deliciously brutal.
Let's just say "heavily influenced by" instead.

The Motions (1981)

Redline were from Providence, RI best I can gather without following or looking up diddly squat besides the address on the back of the sleeve.

Very much in the vein of contemporary AOR Nu Wave but not so nearly so delicious.

Let's just say "Band most likely to have frosted hair and wear tight sleeveless t-shirts while the bass player plays his instrument at nearly throat level"