Polysics - neu (2000)

The Polysics refined their derranged pinball-tilts of songs to a formidable degree in Neu (the name paying tribute to?..).

"Go Ahead Now" introduced their electro epileptic fits - fused with the energy of hardcore, and then taken to an even more extreme level with "MS-17", fueled with nuclear mini-progressive videogame deviations and a devastating beat. "S.V.O." takes Kraftwerk-like discordant electronics (circa Computer World) and builds an elaborate construction of amphetamine robotic frenzy, while "Each Life Each End" declares their ties with derranged ditties, Japanese pop and batty videogames, infused with turbine-like tempo changes and miniature-prog synthetic stylings (not dissimilar to the way later-era DNA stylized their whacky songs).

For example "Disorder" is built around a gargling beat and synthesizer lines, fractured-funk guitar phrases, semi-howling vocals, almost math-rock deviations and an anthemic chorus. The recipe is intensified even more with the frenetic jam "CY/CB". Then "X-Rays" is glam-disco electro with hard-rock guitars and industrial-drill intensity, while "What" goes into cryptic vocoder and new-wave disco-punk mode, and "I'm A Worker" into mental Supermario in fast-forward mode. Get it here.

Suburban Lawns - gidget goes to hell/ my boyfriend (1979)

The Suburban Lawns hadn't quite developed their spazz aesthetics in this debut single from 1979. Nevertheless, this remains a delightful slice of bouncy new-wave with heretic attitude. Get it here (vinyl rip, includes pics of the sleeve and vinyl).

Frightwig - faster, frightwig, kill! kill! (1986)

Frightwig sound more restrained in Faster, Frightwig, Kill! Kill!, as the opener "Beverly" shows. This is also confirmed by "Crazy World", a Punk Blues a la Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds with nutty overtones, but overall saddled with theatrical pretense. Where is the mania?

"Big Bang" threatens more, with a T.S.O.L.-like fatalist delivery and spook ambient effects, but still finds itself a long way from the violent car crash of the debut. The same applies for the sabbath "Punk Rock Jail Bait" (somewhere between The Vyllies and The Honeymoon Killers). Do Frightwig do Death Rock this time around?

"Manifest Destiny" finally picks enough traction to present an Acid-Punk meltdown, the kind we love Frightwig for. And we're on fire! The psychotic growl and shriek of "Booby Prize" would make other punk bands turn their heads in shame at their own irrelevance.

The syncopated punk ritual "American Express" is one step lower, albeit a very small step. However, the glacial cool of "I Don't Want To Be Alone" doesn't really suit them, no matter how classy they are (and they are classy). The anthemic Gospel-Rock "Freedom", which closes the album, is both a genuine surprise (elegant, with an emotional zenith in the coda) and a disappointment (out of place and tame for their standards).

Get it here.

Visage (1980)

Visage and Ultravox were the quintessential new-romantic bands. Ultravox turned the movement to an ideology, and Visage were their down-to-earth counterparts. Ultravox made for music for the heart, while Visage made music for the clubs. Coincidentally, Midge Ure and Billy Currie participate here, as do John McGeoch, Dave Formula and Barry Adamson from Magazine.

The tracks can be roughly divided into two categories. The elegant ones, with the symphonic synthesizers, the futurist attitude, the dandy poses, the romantic classicism ("Visage", "Fade To Grey", "Blocks On Blocks"), and the playful, glam influenced ones (the galloping "The Dancer", the wild beats of "Malpaso Man", the robotic "Tar", the metallic disco "Moon Over Moscow").

The album ends surprisingly with "Visa-age" (that nods to the spare minimal-wave of John Foxx), and the apocalyptic instrumental "The Steps". The combination of the cerebral wavers from Ultravox and Magazine, and Blitz-kids Steve Strange and Rusty Egan, has come up with the goods. Get it here.

Dance Disaster Movement - we are from nowhere (2003)

Their Dance-Punk is anguished and pounding, if not downright neurasthenic, but also clumsy, and derivative of the past (the usual suspects: Blurt, Crash Course In Science, The Contortions etc etc). Worthwhile listen though. Get it here (updated link).

Numbers - numbers life (2002)

Ιn their debut, the Numbers offer an update of late 70's no-wave (particularly James Chance & The Contortions) and synth-punk (particularly Crash Course In Science). However, the update is limited only to production values, and not to form. A touch of glam and power-riffing ("Driving Song", "I'm Shy") liven up the proceedings, while the factory-noise of "Prison Life" is probably the most significant track here. In the end, however groovy their spastic vignettes are, you can't help noticing how derivative the whole thing is. Get it here (updated link).

Echoboy - volume two (2000)

Echoboy's, Volume Two begins with "Turning On", an Electronic Kraut neurosis circling around your brain to the point of mental exhaustion. Then "Telstar Recovery" picks up the scraps and sets in a maniacal orbit in what can only be described as vital electronic Punk. Anybody who fell in love with Primal Scream's Xtrmntr is gonna love this.

The Dub Techno "Kelly's Truck", setting in motion an obsessive merry-go-round, explores this anguish from another perspective. In comparison, the atmospheric Lounge "Siobhan", despite offering a melancholic tone, is a disappointment. Ditto for the unassuming Electropop "Make The City The Sound".

The escalating theme "Schram And Sheddle 262" is much better, as if an uneasy mixture of Public Image Ltd. circa This Is What You Want.. and an Ennio Morricone spaghetti-western score. On the other hand, "Südwestfunk No. 5" sounds like a softcore version of Big Beat. This hot/ cold shower continues with "Circulation", a twisted Synth Pop with Reggae overtones that conjures images of This Heat produced by Black Uhuru. Not bad at all.

A record which warrants a listen. Get it here (updated link).