eli@uw-beaver.UUCP (07/03/83)
This issue . . .
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Marshall Crenshaw--Field Day--Warner Brothers
ep 84 Rooms--84 Rooms--Rackit
ep Hawaiian Pups--Split Second Precision--Portrait
New Order--Power, Corruption And Lies--Rough Trade
Plimsouls--Everywhere At Once--Geffen
(Various Artists)--Posh Hits Vol. 1--Posh Boy
(Various Artists)--Rodney On The ROQ, Vol. III--Posh Boy
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Marshall Crenshaw--Field Day--Warner Brothers
I flipped over Crenshaw's debut disc of last year, but this, his
second effort leaves me kind of blank. In Crenshaw's own words,
"...you have 24 or 25 years to make your first album, and only
one to make your second." Unfortunately this seems to show in the
material he has to offer. None of the songs on this LP are as
immediately POPular, or catchy as those on his debut. Alot of it
sounds like crank it out throw-a-ways. My favorite track on the
album, "What Time Is It?" isn't even his own... it's a cover of
a Jive Five song from 1962. Everyone is praising the production
of Steve Lillywhite, but I like the poppier work of Richard
Gottherer (sp?) on the first album better.
84 Rooms--84 Rooms--Rackit
One of the surprise-from-left-field discs of the year. 84 Rooms is
a band out of San Francisco (named for a sign on a transient Hotel
down the street from their practice room) who combine alot of pop
and psychedelic influences into a hook filled sound. This EP contains
two instrumentals and three vocals, all of which are extraordinary.
Hawaiian Pups--Split Second Precision--Portrait
The real highlight of this EP is a second-grade primer set to sometimes
bouncy, sometimes dark and moody synths titled "Baby Judy." Apparently
on the East Coast children do not grow up with Dick and Jane as we do
here on the West Coast. Instead they have a family that includes one
Baby Judy, who has become the star of her own novelty song. This
track will probably tire your ears rather quickly (and I'll bet
that Rick Carroll stations everywhere will soon be grinding this
into the dirt), but there are some other (less interesting) tracks
to be found here.
New Order--Power, Corruption And Lies--Rough Trade
What do people hear in this aural wallpaper? This is more of the
same post-Joy Division-we-can-be-popular-boring-disco-syntho-pop-
garbage that can be heard on dance floors everywhere. (Please don't
waste your time flaming at me... it's been done more than enough
already).
Plimsouls--Everywhere At Once--Geffen
Hmmm... this band's records seem to be getting steadily less and
less interesting. Plimsouls leader Peter Case started his record-
ing career in a band named The Nerves. (Fellow Nerves were Paul
Collins of The Paul Collins Beat fame, and Jack Lee of "Hangin'
On the Telephone" fame). The one four-song EP by this band has to
be my favorite recording in which Peter Case was involved. Shortly
after the demise of The Nerves, The Plimsouls were formed and
released an independent EP on "Beat Records." This would have to
be my favorite Plimsouls release. The next record by the Plimsouls
was a R&B flavored pop LP on Asylum (?). Again, a good record,
strong material, but they're LA-based fans said it glossed over their
live energies. So finally their latest LP on Geffen is released
amongst much hoop'n'hollar (they are one of LA's more popular
pop bands these days). Unfortunately the material just doesn't
ring true as it has on previous LP's. The real hit tracks on
the LP ("A Million Miles Away" and "Shaky City") were released
as a single on Bomp Records over a year ago, and the rest, while
better than your average pop band, are not up to the levels that
this band has achieved before.
(Various Artists)--Posh Hits Vol. 1--Posh Boy
A terrific collection of mostly (legendary) hardcore bands from
SF and LA. This is worth it for The Nuns "Suicide Child" alone.
(Various Artists)--Rodney On The ROQ, Vol. III--Posh Boy
Another great collection from the tape archives of KROQ weekend
Dj Rodney Bingenheimer. Side one is mostly hardcore bands, while
side two is waveo-pop. A fine collection (with a previously
unreleased Bangles surf rave-up to boot!).