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Anorexic Dread – Tracey’s Burning 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1984, Anorexic Dread, goth, goth-rock, post-punk on December 29, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

On Christmas Day, we lost Perry “Teddy” Bamonte – a long-serving member of The Cure who played guitar, synths, and six string bass from ~1990-2005, and who performed with the band during their last tour for Songs of a Lost World in 2023-24.

So the story goes, Bamonte originally joined The Cure’s road crew in 1984 at the urging of his brother Daryl, and served as Robert Smith’s guitar tech and personal assistant before joining the band officially. For six years he would hone his guitar skills and learn to play piano/keyboards. Once Roger O’Donnell left the band in 1990, Bamonte was the perfect choice to step into the role, and his versatile playing and love for the band was a key asset in the years to come. I’ve always been a huge fan of the albums he performed on, especially 1992’s Wish and 2000’s underrated Bloodflowers, and I especially adore a handful of deep cuts/album tracks/b-sides from 1996’s Wild Mood Swings, which was the “new” album when I first fell in love with The Cure in my early high school years. I’ve also heard wonderful stories about Perry from over the years from those who were close to him and he has been highly regarded as being quiet, yet passionate and sweet across the board.

While The Cure is certainly a massive part of Perry’s story, he also was a member of a little-known deathrock/goth/psychobilly band from the UK called Anorexic Dread. Anorexic Dread were a quartet who were inspired deeply by The Cramps, The Birthday Party, Alien Sex Fiend, and many of the other notorious Batcave scene bands from the era. The band formed in Southend in 1983 and gained a local following over the years, with Bamonte joining soon after the band’s debut performance. While they had a handful of tracks in their set, Anorexic Dread would record but one 12”, which was released in 1984 on Criminal Damage Records. The label also released seminal singles by Look Back In Anger, Ausgang, and Play Dead offshoot Mankind’s Audio Development. As was popular practice with many musicians of the era, Bamonte assumed the stage name Leonard De Finchie (Lenny Finch on the back cover). Soon after the release of the single, Bamonte/Finch would depart the band to begin his tenure with The Cure. Anorexic Dread would continue for another year, recording a new demo and opening up for one of their idols, the mighty Killing Joke. I don’t believe that demo has has found its way to the masses just yet, but the band’s legacy has been cemented by Cherry Red, who did include the title track in the Silhouettes & Statues (A Gothic Revolution 1978 – 1986) compilation in 2017.  The title track has also appeared on the CD editions of the 2023 Edsel Records compilation Young Limbs Rise Again (The Story Of The Batcave Nightclub 1982-1985).

You can read a bit more about the band here – otherwise, here’s a rip of the full 12”, including the more playful b-side.

Much love to the Bamonte family, his friends, and bandmates past and present.

Anorexic Dread – Tracey’s Burning 12”
1. Tracey’s Burning/Epitaph
2. Tick Tock

*download it here*

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Factual – Full Discography

Posted in 1980s, 1982, 1983, 1984, actuel, minimal, minimal synth, nashville, post-punk, US, warm dark pocket on July 22, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

Moving south-east here for the second of four posts today, this one collecting the full vinyl discography by Nashville, Tennessee band Factual, whose track “Psychotic Romance” is an underrated minimal synth gem from this rare neck of the woods. That track must have appeared in the majority of my DJ sets back in NYC’s Wierd party where its driving post-punk rhythms and buzzing synths made for a regular foggy dance floor killer. I haven’t heard the track in some time, and fell in love with it (as well as the similarly excellent tracks “Your Way” and “Wire and Chrome”) all over again when re-ripping these for y’all.

This band was otherwise a four piece, and vocalist/synth player Robb Earls also played in similarly like-minded bands Actuel (whose lone album Monuments is a sublime slice of moody Factory-inspired post-punk, maybe I’ll re-post that one soon as well) as well as Warm Dark Pocket, who released one killer 12” that I also should get around to re-ripping soon… Guitarist Skot Nelson would also join caustic industrial/post-punk project Dessau after Factual’s demise.

Here are all three Factual releases, all well worth your time. Enjoy!

Factual – Your Way 7” (1982)
1. Your Way
2. Think to the Beat

Factual – Psychotic Romance 12” (1983)
1. Psychotic Romance
2. Institutions
3. Wire and Chrome
4. Standing Alone

Factual – For the Song 12” (1984)
1. For the Song
2. Psychotic Romance (Remix)

*download all three here*

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Kindergarten – Interference 12” / No. 3 EP

Posted in 12'', 1980s, 1982, 1987, minimal, minimal synth, minneapolis, new wave, post-punk, US on July 22, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

Today, I intend to post at LEAST three times, perhaps even four if time allows. Hope your ears can take it!

In short, I’ve been going through my collection and re-ripping/de-clicking records that others have shared in the past in an effort to preserve the best quality and sound for these records. Back in the day, 192 was standard, and it was about hearing the music. Now that hard drive and SD card space is much less of an issue for most, it’s time to do the work to preserve these records as best as we possibly can. It’s an ongoing project that will probably take me the rest of my life to complete, but hopefully it’s helpful for folks out there.

With that in mind, let’s get things started with two records from Minnesota-based new wave/minimal synth project Kindergarten. I believe the band were a four (sometimes five) piece centering around vocalist Robert Engberg, drummer Bob Joslyn, and guitarists Chris Beaty and David Foley. Foley and Joslyn also played together in Things That Fall Down, a more experimental post-punk project. There are still some experimental synth sounds on thee band’s first release, 1982’s Interference 12”. By the time of their second release in 1987, the band evolved into a more post-punk/new wave hybrid, with a little more of a darker college radio kind of sound. They would release one more LP in 1988, which I have heard, but do not own and cannot share in a high enough bitrate. Maybe someday!

Anyway, with that in mind, I really enjoy both records here and I hope you do as well. Here’s the good stuff:

Kindergarten – Interference 12” (1982)
1. Interference
2. Auschwitz
3. God Only Knows

Kindergarten – No. 3 EP (1987)
1. Transportation
2. 10 Little Indians
3. Terri Goes Walking
4. Disco-X
5. Aquamarine

*download both here*

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Mumbles – Two Clouds

Posted in 1990, 1990s, drowning pool, ethereal, mumbles, post-punk on July 1, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

I think I’ve been meaning to post this album for… I dunno, five years now? How time flies…

Here we have the lone album from US-based band Mumbles, released in 1990. While Mumbles may not be a name that comes to mind immediately, the band is essentially a continuation of experimental/ethereal post-punk band Drowning Pool, whose esoteric, yet driving sound spanned four LPs and several cassette releases. Three of the four Drowning Pool members are present on this album, including members Adam Elesh and Brett Smith, who were also in Landscape of Sound, a previous project we’ve featured here before as well. New to the fold is vocalist Kelly Ray.

Either way, this is an excellent album, perfect for these hazy summer nights. It should feel right at home if you like Drowning Pool’s excellent, deeply engaging and emotive discography. It was originally released on Italian label Viva Records, who not only released several Drowning Pool releases, but who were also responsible for the excellent Viva Los Angeles compilations, which featured many like-minded “desert goth” (as I like to call it), bands. Despite being released exclusively on CD, some copies of Two Clouds, like the one I picked up, are housed in a oversized, 10”-inspired sleeve, perhaps as a nod to like-minded label Independent Project Records. Pretty cool!

Mumbles – Two Clouds
1. Blue Vishnu
2. Pipe & Dream
3. Johnny Go
4. Hearthmaker
5. Mother Harvest
6. Diamond
7. Utah Smith
8. Star Crossed
9. Lullaby Blue
10. White Out
11. Nuit Blanche
12. Two Clouds
13. American Gothic

*download it here*

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The New Day – Voices LP

Posted in 1980s, 1986, post-punk, US on June 18, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

Something I often admit in conversation is that many of the obscure bands I champion as a DJ/blogger/overall nerd often sound remarkably similar to the bigger, more commercially successful ones. For every true original (whatever that means) there are arguably twenty other bands who tap into the same set of influences and wind up in the same ballpark. Then, of course there are bands where the influences are so strong, it’s uncanny.While my tolerance for new bands doing this is extremely low in 2025, I still have a big soft spot for bands from the 80s and 90s who wore their influences on their sleeves, especially if they’re evoking a particular band whose vocalist sports big floppy hair and copious amounts of lipstick.

With that in mind, here’s the best Cure album you may not have heard from a band from Houston, Texas. Similar to bands like The Essence, Crimson Ivy, and Silent Creatures, The New Day simply adore The Cure from top to bottom, so much so that their name even references one of the best Cure b-sides from The Head on the Door era. Not only that, but this album plays like a series of tracks from that era (as well as Three Imaginary Boys, Seventeen Seconds, and Faith), full of jangly guitar, big hooks, cold synths, similar lyrical themes, and of course, that voice, complete with some yelps here and there.

This is the band’s only album, released on Morning Glory Records in 1986. Of course, you could argue that this album hits too close for comfort, but the truth of is that, for me, the songs are great and there’s some true DIY magic at play here that makes this an instant favorite. I love this album, through and through. Maybe you will as well?

The New Day – Voices LP
1. Sharp Object
2. Flames of Colours
3. The Words
4. Breathing Walls
5. That Noise
6. Scratch
7. Alone
8. Change
9. Pictures R Vague
10. The Voices

*download it here*

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A Special Night – The Big Noise and the Lone Silence 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1986, A Special Night, italian, post-punk on April 29, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s…for lack of a better word…a special one. The Big Noise and the Lone Silence is the first and only release by Italian post-punk quartet A Special Night. This four-track single was released in 1986 via Cave Canem, who also released the excellent Still Life EP, the previous incarnation of Selena Moor, as well as releases by The Gift. You can expect similar sounds here – delightfully dreamy, femme-fronted post-punk in the vein of Repetition, Asmodi Bizarr, etc.

This is such a sweet spot for me, I can never get enough of this sound, personally…

A Special Night – The Big Noise and the Lone Silence 12”
1. Winter Song
2. To Find and Find
3. Kill My Love
4. The Dark

*download it here*

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Réseau d’Ombres – Abracax K7

Posted in 1980s, 1984, coldwave, france, french, post-punk, Réseau d’Ombres, synthpunk on April 24, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

As promised, here’s Abracax, the über-rare  debut 1984 studio cassette release from French coldwave/synth-punk band Réseau d’Ombres.

This is one of three cassettes the band released in 1984 to kick off their explosive career. Live cassette Ireos has been reissued by ειρκτή in 2013, while the other live cassette Eliotropium (sung primarily in English) remains to be heard, minus a track or two on Youtube. This, however, is their debut through and through – the seeds of what the band would become are already flowering into something dark and caustic. All seven tracks on this cassette were part of the band’s repertoire and appear in live form on Ireos, but it’s nice to have these studio recordings to add to the mix.

This cassette taps into early 80s cassette culture in every way – the design of the cover and additional artwork is exquisite. The tape comes housed in a plastic sleeve and comes with seven hand-printed tarot card slivers and a 7”-sized stamped orange insert. You can see additional photos of this one on Discogs.

That all said, hope y’all enjoy the music!

Réseau d’Ombres – Abracax K7
1. Mercenary
2. Passé
3. Natural Gesture
4. The Meal
5. Happy Song
6. External Life
7. Just For Fun

*download it here*

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Réseau d’Ombres – Vinyl Discography

Posted in 1980s, 1985, 1987, coldwave, french, post-punk, punk, Réseau d’Ombres, synth, synthpunk on March 25, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

Ahhh, this band. This band, this band, this band. No single French coldwave band gets my blood boiling more than Réseau d’Ombres. While not romantic and wistful like many of their contemporaries (and like much of the music I tend to prefer), this French trio is downright relentless and extremely caustic, while also remaining completely and utterly danceable. If you haven’t heard them yet, stop what you’re doing right now, download this link, and get listening. You can expect some of the most hard-hitting, synth-driven, coldwave you’ve ever heard – in the vein of bands like Ausweis, Killing Joke, Suicide, Guerre Froide, early Charles De Goal, Les Provisoires, early Xmal, and of course, Bérurier Noir.

The Laval-based band was rather prolific, releasing five cassettes (one which is a live show from 1984), one 7”, one 12”, and two full-length LPs between 1983 and 1987. The live cassette Ireos has been lovingly reissued by Greek label ειρκτή back in 2014, while the other cassettes are a bit more elusive. Except one that is coming in the mail shortly, so more on that later, wink-wink.

When I get in the mood for this band, nothing else will suffice, and with things as they are these last few weeks – let’s just say they’re really hitting the spot today. With that in mind, I wanted to post freshly updated rips of the band’s vinyl-only catalogue, and by “freshly,” I mean, I digitized the two LPs and 12” single for my own personal listening over ten years ago, and just haven’t gotten around to sharing them yet. Much love to Nick from Crispy Nuggets for handling the band’s exceptional debut 7” as well, which I’ve included with his blessing. Also, check out his video restoration work on “Mirrors” as well:

As always, enjoy!

Réseau d’Ombres – Instant 7” (1985)
1. Instant
2. Mirrors

Réseau d’Ombres – Sotcha LP (1985)
1 New York
2 On The Floor
3 D’Estonnie
4 Bigger
5. Return Ticket
6. Blue Horsemen
7. Square
8. Whoska Sound
9. The Gold Of Netsa

Réseau d’Ombres – Axe 12” (1987)
1. Hanky Panky
2. Perska
3. The Gash
4. Holy Scab

Réseau d’Ombres – Faction LP (1987)
1. Soldier
2. Control
3. Howtch
4. Fire Away!
5. 7.00
6. Mockers
7. Today 5
8. Burnt-Offering
9. The Hanged

*download everything here*

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Silent Windfall – And We Have Our Dreams LP

Posted in 1980s, 1986, Danish, ethereal, minimal, minimal synth, new wave, post-punk, Silent Windfall on March 20, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

I’ve been meaning to post this for a long time now. While many may already be familiar with this classic, this is a very special LP, one that has been soothing the savage beast these last few days. I hope this updated rip does the same for you all out there in this crazy world.

And We Have Our Dreams was released in 1986 via Skylight Records, and is the lone LP by Danish project Silent Windfall, who was primarily composed of bassist Lars Ranek and singer/multi-instrumentalist Bo Vess. Pernille Bøcker provides vocals on the first and the last track as well, adding a nice bit of feminine energy to this otherwise gorgeous LP, which is a mix of minimal new wave, post-punk, and ethereal. Some touchstones include early Black Tape for a Blue Girl, Tangerine Dream/Popul Vuh, Felt, This Mortal Coil, and maybe even a little of the mellower, folkier Pink Floyd tracks from the early 70s. There are two tracks with percussion on the first side that lean more post-punk, while the second side is a gentler affair, with expansive piano passages and ambient suites.

I really adore the range and delicacy of this album, and I hope you enjoy it as well…

Silent Windfall – And We Have Our Dreams LP
1. Here I Come
2. She’ll Be My Doom
3. Clouds Are Forever
4 And We Have Our Dreams
5. White Room
6. Float Like A Boat
7. Lifeline

*download it here*

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A Popular History of Signs – Justice Not Vengeance 7” / Crowds 7” / Comrades LP

Posted in 1980, 1980s, 1981, 1984, a popular history of signs, london, minimal, minimal synth, new wave, post-punk on January 24, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

Kicking off 2025 here with a bit of a nostalgic post, compiling the first two 7”s and debut LP from A Popular History of Signs, who I first covered back in 2008, in the first year or so of the blog (ahh, memories). I’m sure most folks into this music have heard these releases by now, but the rips of this material I’ve heard before haven’t been great, so figured I’d give it a quick pass for posterity’s sake…

A recap of the band is certainly in order, especially for those who might be unfamiliar with them. A Popular History of Signs formed in London in 1979. Their sound mixed minimal synth and new wave textures with nervous post-punk vigor and busy percussion, at times sounding like the British answer to Talking Heads (or perhaps a more restless and aggressive Blue Nile). I’m incredibly partial to the track “Crowds” in both forms – the early 7”s mix is a minimal synth gem while the re-recorded LP version retains much of the tension of the track but trades in the skittish energy for a more synth pop sheen. The band changed lineups a handful of times throughout the 1980s, and caught the attention of Ministry’s Al Jourgensen, who remixed two of the band’s tracks for a fledgling Wax Trax label in 1985. The band released eight singles, one full-length LP, and called it a day soon after the release of 1988’s England in the Rain Mini-LP.

As for band members, drummer John Luccibello also recorded with This Parade and The Tempest, two excellent obscure post-punk/goth bands. Singer Andrew Jarman was involved with psychedelic project Strange Fruit and more recently, Southern Arts Society . Christine Isherwood, who sang on Comrades, recorded with Salt Doll and The Jealous Lovers.

Here’s the info for these two releases – hope y’all enjoy:

A Popular History of Signs – Justice Not Vengeance 7” (1980)
1. Justice Not Vengeance
2. Possession

A Popular History of Signs – Crowds 7” (1981)
1. Crowds
2. Crossing the Border

A Popular History of Signs – Comrades LP (1984)
1. Body And Soul
2. Crowds
3. Tidy
4. Halcyon Days
5. Lenin
6. October Already
7. Father And Son
8. Five Towns
9. Land Of The Free
10. Comrades

*download all three releases here*

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