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Bunny & The Lakers- Numbers LP

Posted in 1970s, 1979, bunny & the lakers, canadian, experimental, krautrock, minimal, minimal synth on October 12, 2017 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s one I’ve seen shared in snippets across many different blogs, but I’m not sure if it’s ever been shared in full. Perhaps on some long, distant, since purged blog. I’ve had this kicking around on my shelves for a while now, rescued from a NYC shop otherwise known for techno, house, and hip hop (you never know!), but I was recently encouraged to take it down and re-rip it, and I’m glad I did, because it’s quickly jumped up the ranks as a autumnal favorite. Besides, the digital copy I DO have has the track names reversed, so this one is worth another look however you want to dice it.

Bunny & the Lakers performed only once, and self-released this album on LP and cassette in 1979. Only 500 records are known to exist, each of them hand-numbered. There are QUITE a few sounds explored over the course of this LP, including the krautrock dirges of Faust, pummeling experimental electronics a la Throbbing Gristle, icy piano and synth workouts by way of Telekon, quirky synth punk sounds similarly explored by Tone Set, and even a skittery no wave hybrid thrown in for good measure.

The album is wildly experimental and may not be to everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s definitely lots to love here. I especially love the bleak “Weekend Guests,” which features female vocals, primitive electronics, and more gorgeous stream-of consciousness piano ramblings. Closing track “Dolphin Bay” is gorgeous as well… Many of the tracks blend into each other, so I’ve tried my best to separate them. Side B is a bit more structured, but I’m a little unsure where one track ends and the next begins on side A.

Bunny & The Lakers- Numbers LP
1. Inhalation / Ventalation
2. Cops On Parade
3. Yalps From The Alps/Shrieks From The Peeks
4. Maid In Sweeden/Batlore
5. In Terms Of Germs
6. TB Farm (Kiss Me Now)
7. S.O.S.
8. Weekend Guests
9. Sandy
10. Dolphin Bay

*download it here*

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Foreign Press- Downpour 7” & Climbing 12”

Posted in 1970s, 1979, 1980s, 1982, emergency, foreign press, post-punk, uk on December 8, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop

Some classic post-punk on the slab this afternoon, half of this post which comes as a generous donation from Jeffo!, a good chum, stellar dj, and otherwise obscure expert here in the heart of New York City. He’ll be spinning a set at this week’s weekly Wierd Records night, if anyone’s in town.

That said, today’s band is Foreign Press, a UK based post-punk act originally formed in 1978 umder the name Emergency. Within a year, the band shifted their sound from a more standard punk aesthetic to incorporate more post-punk leanings, inspired by the likes of Joy Division, Magazine, and several of the Factory Records bands. The band would even bring Joy Division’s devoted manager, Rob Gretton, in for production on their first 7”, uploaded below.

Foreign Press would release four singles before their demise in the mid-1980s, exploring a more commercial, yet no less gloom-ridden direction over time. For your listening pleasure, I’ve uploaded their first two singles, both their 1979 debut 7” (Downpour), as well as their excellent 1982 follow up, Climbing. Let’s get down to the nitty gritty, shall we?

Foreign Press- Downpour 7”
1. Downpour
2. Crossfire
3. Behind the Glass

Foreign Press- Climbing 12”
1. Climbing
2. Remember You
3. Open Secret

*download both here*

Naturally, these two records are long out of print, but there seems to be a copy of the Climbing 12” on Ebay right this very second. If you’re hip to it, happy bidding!

Otherwise, no new reuploads just yet- haven’t been able to devote enough time to the blog’s backlog. Hopefully this week I can get all the old posts back up and running, so please continue to be patient in the interim. Keep your eyes peeled, however, for several posts to follow this week…

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7” grab bag no. 2

Posted in 1970s, 1977, 1979, 1980s, 1981, 1985, 7'', british, coldwave, french, grab bag, industrial, lars falk, metal urbain, post-punk, spk, synthpunk, twice a man on June 30, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop

Sorry for the delay here, folks…but to make up for it, here’s another one of those 7” grab bag posts, in which i’ve zipped up four singles for your listening pleasure, including one request from an Australian chum. Here’s the information and a quick blurb about each 7”.

SPK- No More 7” (1979)
1. No More
2. Contact
3. Germanik

This is the very first release by Australian industrial collective SPK, and certainly one of their most primitive and direct. This one was a limited run of 200 copies, and the a-side has yet to appear on a proper CD release, though both ‘Contact’ and ‘Germanik’ are featured on their Auto-Da-Fé LP.

Metal Urbain- Panik 7” (1977)
1. Panik
2. Lady Coca Cola

One of the very first synthpunk bands…French origins. This is their first 7” single, but most of their earlier work has since been collected on the Anarchy In Paris compilation.

Lars Falk- TV Eye 7” (1985)
1. TV Eye
2. Doors

Lars Falk is one of the ex-contributing members of Swedish coldwave act Twice a Man, who’s previously featured here. Though it shares the name with the Stooges classic, the a-side is an original number.

Where’s Lisse?- Talk Takes Too Long 7” (1981)
1. Talk Takes Too Long
2. You Stole My Gun

There’s something charming about this otherwise rickety and rough record from this British four piece. This is one of two releases (they followed this with an equally scarce 12” single), and is chock full of early post-punk energy. EDIT: cover scan provied by Rudeboy Noah! Thanks a ton!

*download all four here*

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Pink Military- Blood & Lipstick 12”/Did You See Her? 7”

Posted in 1979, 1980, 1980s, big in japan, pink military, post-punk, punk on November 29, 2007 by Frankie Teardrop

Today’s band rose from the ashes of short lived and seminal anarcho-punk band Big In Japan. Following their breakup in 1978, vocalist Jayne Casey formed post-punk outfit Pink Military.

Originally named Pink Military Stand Alone, the outfit focused on dance rhythms under a somewhat thrashy and hypnotic post-punk aesthetic. The band’s output consists of a few lone 12” releases and one full length record, 1980’s Do Animals Believe in God?. Though the core members of the group were Jayne Casey and guitar/keyboardist Nicky Cool, the band would revolve through a few different lineups before disbanding shortly after their full length saw the light of day. Jayne would continue on with another string of collaborators under the name Pink Industry, which was much more of a minimal electro project.

For your listening pleasure, I’ve uploaded two single releases…Both the 1979 Blood & Lipstick 12” and the slightly later Did You See Her? 7”.

Details: