Archive for August, 2008

The Happy Family- The Man On Your Street CD

Posted in 1980s, 1982, 4ad, brel, josef k, literary references, momus, the happy family, uk on August 26, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop

For my second post today, I’ll be tackling the first of a handful of requests for early 4AD material. I may have posted some of the upcoming releases in the past, but consider this an attempt to start phasing out some of the old divshare links in general. I may update old posts, or do fresh ones with full records in due time, so stay tuned.

Otherwise, this one’s a fresh post on The Happy Family, a UK based quirky pop/post-punk outfit formed in 1981. The band rose from the ashes of local band Josef K, and released both a three-track single and one full-length record in 1982 on 4AD records, landing the deal after a few support slots with the Cure. These remained their two official releases, though ten demos for an unreleased second album surfaced in 1985 as The Business Of Living.

The band’s sound is very different than the material 4AD was releasing at the time… Instead of budding ethereal or doom-ridden post-punk, the Happy Family had more in common with Brel-esque pop, tossing in several literary sensibilities.

Soon after the Happy Family disbanded, lead vocalist Nick Currie finished his schooling, and subsequently whipped up a solo career under the moniker Momus, who eventually signed with Creation Records. Momus is still active to this day…

The Man On Your Street was re-released on disc in 1992, tacking on the Puritans 7” at the end of the record:

The Happy Family- The Man On Your Street CD
1. The Salesman
2. Letter From Hall
3. The Luckiest Citizen
4. Revenge!
5. The Courier
6. The Man On Your Street
7. A Night Underground
8. Two Of A Kind
9. March In Turin
10. Puritans
11. Innermost Thoughts
12. The Mistake

*download it here*

3 Comments »

Comix- Comix LP

Posted in 1980s, 1981, coldwave, comix, france, french, synth on August 26, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop

First of two posts today, been meaning to upload this one for some time. Not much information to be found about French coldwave/synthpop act Comix, and this seems to be their one and only full release.

Records show Comix formed as a duo in 1979, consisting of members André Demay and Natan Hercberg. They released two singles and one full length record before their split, and have since been compiled on the stellar BIPPP: French Synth-Wave 1979/85 compilation.

Here’s the info for the 1981 release:

Comix- Comix LP
1. Walkman Video
2. L’amour C’est Magique
3. Le Jeu de la Vérité
4. Touche Pas Mon Sexe
5. L’été de Mes 14 Ans
6. Top Model
7. Toi et le Petit Prince
8. L’amour C’est Gratuit
9. Pomme D’api

*download it here*

17 Comments »

Ceramic Hello- The Absence of a Canary LP

Posted in 1980s, 1981, 2000s, brett wickens, canadian, ceramic hello, minimal, synth on August 18, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s another request for you folks to kickstart the week. On the slab is Canadian minimal wave band Ceramic Hello’s one and only album, released in 1981. Ceramic Hello formed in 1980 and lasted only 2 years before disbanding, and have never played live. The band consisted of Brett Wickens (ex-Spoons) and Roger Humphreys (a more classically focused musician), who previously played one show together as The Jovial Foresters.

Cermaic Hello released one lone 7” single and the record below, which has been reissued in 2006 by Vinyl on Demand. The reissue contains a record of rare demo materials that were once slated for the band’s second record, and also includes a track by The Partnership, a one-off collaboration between Wickens, Martha Ladly and Andy McCluskey of OMD. The project never got off the ground, but this one track appears on the reissue.

Otherwise, after Ceramic Hello’s split, Brett Wickens began working with Jah Wobble and focused heavily on graphic design, now based in California. Meanwhile, Roger released one limited run folk/psych record in 1996, entitled Beyond the Wall of Sleep. These days, rumor has it that Humprheys and Wickens are working together on a second Ceramic Hello record, due for release soon. Exciting news, if so!

As far as the LP is concerned, I haven’t uploaded the extra goodies, and won’t, as though the first run of the double LP reissue is out of print, plans are in the works to print a second edition run, along with a CD containing all the same tracks. So anyone eager to get those, have a bit of patience and keep your eyes peeled over at Vinyl on Demand and support the band proper! Otherwise, here’s the main feature for your previewing pleasure:

Ceramic Hello- The Absence of a Canary LP
1. The Diesquad
2. Ex / Im
3. Climatic Nouveaux
4. Conversation Between Units
5. Geometry
6. Staticarnival
7. Symphony Of Shudders
8. A Grey Man
9. Footsteps In The Fog
10. Ringing In The Sane
11. Trio
12. Gestures
13. Little Tune (Warlike)
14. Dig That Crazy Beat

*DOWNLOAD LINK REMOVED* – Reissue now available!

If you’re hip to facebook, there’s a Ceramic Hello group. Click below for both a link to the group and to the band’s homepage:

Ceramic Hello facebook page
Ceramic Hello dot com

8 Comments »

Family Fodder- Monkey Banana Kitchen LP

Posted in 1980, 1980s, art-punk, british, family fodder, synthpunk, uk on August 14, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s a fun little gem for you folks today… Below lies the first album by Family Fodder, an idiosyncratic London-based synth band active from 1979-1983 (though they officially formed in 1975). The four piece act consisted of Media Fodder and her three brothers Tod, Rod, and God, obviously a clever lot of pseudonyms, as their discogs.com page reveals a sizeable lot of collaborative members, far more than four, with Alig Pearce being the only consistant member.

Family Fodder released two full lengths and several quirky 7” singles to a sizable cult following. Their fellowship with experimental post-punk act This Heat also helped bring the band to a bit of underground prominence.

Their music was generally playful, a hint of dub and reggae mixed with absurd, blissful pop, with synthpunk and sometimes experimental instrumentation. Most of the lyrics were also sung in French, courtesy of original vocalist Dominique Levillain, a combination rumored to be of some significant influence over Stereolab. Over the years, the band reformed several times over, recording and releasing sporadically since their initial demise in 1983. A handful of greatest hits collections have also appeared over the years, attempting to collect the band’s initial singles and best moments.

I’ve uploaded their first proper LP, 1980’s Monkey Banana Kitchen, which features ‘Savior Faire,’ an infectious little tune I can’t get enough of these days. Here’s the details and download information for the LP:

Family Fodder- Monkey Banana Kitchen LP
1. Darling
2. Symbols
3. Savoir Faire
4. Cold Wars
5. Monkey
6. Wrong
7. Organ Grinder
8. Love Song
9. Bass Adds Bass
10. Philosophy
11. Cerf Volant
12. Banana

*DOWNLOAD LINK REMOVED* – reissued in 2014 on LP and CD!

The only in-print Family Fodder disc seems to be one of the more recent compilations, a 42 track anthology that seems to include several of the band’s hits, including alternate versions and more recent recordings. A definite must-have for fans of the band! Here’s a link to purchase the collection, entitled More Great Hits!

purchase More Great Hits! via amazon.com:

Seems to be a myspace page available as well…Is it official? I can’t tell you at the moment due to work-related securities, but take a peek and decide for yourselves:

Family Fodder on myspace.com

4 Comments »

Aerial FX- Watching the Dance LP

Posted in 1980s, 1982, aerial fx, british, new wave, post-punk, synth, uk on August 7, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop

Another request from down under, ladies and gentlemen…This time for UK post-punk/synth act Aerial FX, and their lone full-length, 1982’s Watching the Dance.

There’s little proper information to be found about Aerial FX, who has only three other 7” releases; 1980’s So Hard 1981’s Take It From Here, and 1982’s Instant Feelings. Seems that they split soon after releasing this full-length. The only solid information I can dig up mentions their involvement with Radiohead, arguably the biggest band in the world these days. Members Chris Hufford and Bryce Edge caught wind of the band through various demo tapes, liked what they heard, and got in touch. They still manage Radiohead to this day…

That said, it’s a shame their own outfit didn’t turn more heads during their tenure…Without any further ado, here’s the details for Watching the Dance:

Aerial FX- Watching the Dance LP
1. Out Of The Window
2. Who Is Down There
3. Hold Me
4. 5.15
5. Instant Feeling
6. Servitors
7. Accident
8. Where Is Tomorrow

*download link removed* – Reissue now available at Radiation Records silver and black.

10 Comments »

Bunnydrums- On the Surface 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1984, 2000s, bunnydrums, minimal synth, philadelphia, post-punk on August 5, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop

I have two releases in store today. A request post will follow, but first up, here’s a stellar Bunnydrums 12” ripped straight from my personal collection.

I loosely covered Bunnydrums just under one year ago, but this release is seemingly out of print. A quick recap: Bunnydrums formed in 1980 and originally split in 1986, after releasing a handful of singles and two full length records. The Philadelphia based band reformed in the new millennium, compiling several of their releases for the PKD/Simulacra collection, still available through Metropolis Records. The Funeral Crashers had the pleasure of playing with Bunnydrums just last year, but since then, the band seems to have split once more. Will they rise again? Only time will tell…

In the meanwhile, here’s the info for 1984’s On the Surface 12”:

Bunnydrums- On the Surface 12”
1. On The Surface (Edited)
2. Boundaries
3. Switch-Blade
4. Closed Eyes
5. On The Surface

*download it here* (RE-RIPPED 3.16.17)

For your viewing pleasure, here’s a live performance clip of the band performing the title track in Holland, 1984:

3 Comments »