Crashblack Big Orange- Crashblack Big Orange K7

Posted in 1980s, 1989, chicago, crashblack big orange, darkwave, goth, goth-rock, post-punk, US on April 15, 2015 by Frankie Teardrop

Today’s post is a supplement to Goutroy’s excellent post from 2012. His original post featured the lone full length LP from Chicago based husband and wife duo Crashblack Big Orange, which was a surprisingly excellent late 80s darkwave record in the vein of Intelligence Unit, Stimmen Der Stille, Xmal Deutschland, & Insulin Reaction. I’ve always thought these guys were kind of like a gothier version of X (or even a much less campy version of Rumania-era Nuns).

In his post, Goutroy mentioned that the band released three demo tapes prior to the LP, so this is one of the three missing pieces to the puzzle. This particular demo from 1989 is a single sided, self-titled affair, and features three tracks- two of which are exclusive to this release. The final song appears on the LP as well, and doesn’t seem to be too heavily altered, so it’s hard to tell if they just re-used this version or re-recorded it in exactly the same manner. The two exclusive tracks are exactly what you’d expect if you’re already a fan of the LP. The uninitiated can expect plenty of trashy, distorted deathrock-style guitars, high energy drum patterns, a mix of excellent male and female vox, and plenty of menacing hooks to go around.

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Crashblack Big Orange- Crashblack Big Orange K7
1. Voices
2. Nerves
3. Strange Sky

*download it here*

If anyone has a copies of the remaining two demos, feel free to drop a comment or an email! Would love to hear them!

6 Comments »

The Chrome- The Same Journey 7”

Posted in 1980s, Belgian, post-punk, the chrome on March 30, 2015 by Frankie Teardrop

Hey kids. Still alive and kicking here, and I’ve been gathering up some cool things to share over the next handful of posts. First up is an excellent post-punk 7” from The Chrome, a Belgian band. This is the first of two releases by this four piece outfit, the second being a split 12” with De Hufters. This particular 7” was released in 1982 while the split followed a year later.

After The Chrome split sometime in the mid-80s, it seems that only one member continued on making music (that we know of!). Frank Ermgodts would go on to form The Popgun with Patrick Nicasy. Most notably for SOR readers, Frank would also sing backup vocals on Poésie Noire’s Love Is Colder Than Death LP from 1989.

Otherwise, this particular 7” is more of the same great post-punk sounds we all know and love, with a little stab of new wave sensibilities for good measure. The band reminds me quite a bit of the early Comsat Angels material, if that helps place it on the spectrum a bit. The A-side is a bit darker and edgier, while the flip side has a bit of the ol’ angular jerk to it. Either way, an excellent, if but criminally obscure slice in the post-punk cannon, hope you all enjoy!

The Chrome- The Same Journey 7”
1. The Same Journey
2. Your Eyes

*download it here*

2 Comments »

Mélopée- Mélopée & Lyelle K7s

Posted in 1980s, 1990, 1990s, coldwave, france, french, goth, goth-rock, k7, mélopée, post-punk on March 9, 2015 by Frankie Teardrop

Two fantastic, rare, and undersung cassettes up on the slab today from Mélopée (translation- threnody), a coldwave band from France. Very little to be found on the net about this band, as both tapes were self-released in very limited numbers. One of the tapes (Lyellle) dates back to 1990, while the self-titled cassette doesn’t have a year attached to it, but is likely around the same time period, give or take a year in either direction. Outside of a handful of compilation appearances, the band also released a CD in 1995, but I haven’t heard it aside from the track that appears on the excellent Beaucoup, compilation alongside Lucie Cries, Ellysgarden, Résistance, Babel 17, and more, to say the least…

Fans of all the aforementioned bands (as well as the slew of Mémoires D’automne tapes from a few years back) will find lots and lots to love here!

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Mélopée- Mélopée
1. Le Vide D’Un Cœur Solitaire
2. A L’Aube De La Vie
3. Les Tempes Blanchies
4. Mémorial
5. Ignaledre

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Mélopée- Lyellle
1. Petite Vieilles Fanées
2. L’Arbre
3. Lyellle
4. Vision
5. Niomée
6. Procession
7. Inwradness

*download both tapes here*

8 Comments »

Suicide- Celebration 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1985, goth, goth-rock, japan, japanese, post-punk, suicide on January 22, 2015 by Frankie Teardrop

Welcome to 2015! A bit of a slow start here, but I’m slowly ripping a lot of things I’ve acquired over the past few weeks, with plenty of great stuff to go around for a while. So with that in mind, thanks as always for visiting, and I hope to keep your ears happy in 2015.

Despite the fact that the title of this post reads like a twisted self-help book, what we have here is an excellent and uncelebrated post-punk/goth 7” from Japan, released on Captain Records in 1985.  I unearthed this gem at a record fair in Brooklyn, listening to only a few seconds of each track on what looked like a Fischer Price turntable, and immediately it ticked all the right boxes. Chorus-drenched bass, big guitar hooks, and driving, but melancholy melodies across three tracks. This is the last of three 7”s from this band, and from my understanding, this one leans more towards the goth side of the spectrum, while the first two appear to be more straightforward anthemic punk.

This one should definitely appear to fans of Blitz, Christian Death, Lost Loved Ones, and any other driving and/or big-minded goth bands. Here’s the info:

Suicide- Celebration 7”
1. Celebration
2. Last Decide
3. Darkness

*download it here*

7 Comments »

The Supreme Court- The Supreme Court 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1985, post-punk, swedish, the supreme court on December 30, 2014 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s one that I was turned on to by Goutroy, who brought the 7” over to my place for a listening party. I tracked my own copy down recently, and I’m still as nuts about it as I was that afternoon.

I can’t tell you much about this Swedish post-punk band, but I can say that if you like The Church, The Chameleons, Mighty Lemon Drops, and C86/Flying Nun stuff with a little grit in the mix, you’re going to love this one. It’s the kind of sound I can’t get enough of, so I’m always grateful for more in this vein. This seems to be their only recording, released in 1985 on Alchemy Records. Unfortunately, the sound quality is a little thin, since they crammed four songs here at 45 speed, but the quality of the songs makes up for the fidelity.

Guitarist Claes Westling also played in Swedish Indie band Drug, who had one single in 1991. You can grab that one here.

The Surpreme Court- The Supreme Court 7”
1. Ethical Crime
2. Watching Myself Go Down
3. Solid Ground
4. Between Love

*download it here*

3 Comments »

THX- Luv ‘N’ Trust 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1990, 1990s, ebm, german, new beat, thx, voyou on December 1, 2014 by Frankie Teardrop

A few weeks ago, I posted an excellent New Beat 7” from Iconoclass, an obscure, but solid genre classic. You guys wanted some more of that sound, so I’m happy to deliver! Thanks to Andi, fellow DJ and co-author of the excellent Some Wear Leather, Some Wear Lace book for originally turning me on to this one, which has been an obsession ever since.

THX were a German New Beat/EBM duo consisting of Andy Düx and Peter Schmidt. Düx gets credit here as a member of Jack U Rebels, a techno collective, but I know him best as a member of Voyou, who released one of the best tracks in the genre just a few years prior. This particular 12” was released in 1990 and features three mixes of tracks otherwise available on the band’s full length LP. While the full length is available on CD (and is generally easier to find), the mixes here are exclusive to this 12”. The real winner is the title track, a 7-minute romp chock full of thundering EBM beats, haunting synth melodies, and gritty, almost whispered male vocals with just the right mix of sensuality and distortion (see also: Tricky, though the comparison only extends to the vocal effects). It definitely never fails to get the blood going, and I hope you guys dig it as much as I do!

THX- Luv ‘N’ Trust 12”
1. Luv ‘N’ Trust (Trustworthy Mix)
2. Luv ‘N’ Trust (Devon Mix)
3. Sedation (Call 3-4-8…) (Euthanasia Mix)

*download it here*

6 Comments »

Moral- Dance of the Dolls K7

Posted in 1980s, 1981, denmark, minimal, minimal synth, moral on November 26, 2014 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s a Danish treasure in cassette form. This is the first release from Moral, a female fronted, minimal synth three piece featuring primarily 606 & DR55 driven drum tracks, angular guitar, and sparse melodic synth alongside melodic female vocals. Their second cassette, the excellent Whispering Sons, can be found on the No Longer Forgotten Music blog. The band has also reissued their debut LP And Life Is, on CD with a handful of bonus tracks. They also made an appearance on the amazing Somewhere Outside compilation (and speaking of which, you can expect a post from Næste Uges TV to come in the very near future).

However, I’ve yet to see this tape posted in full, so this should be the final piece of the Moral puzzle. It was released in 1981 on Kubus Kassettes, an industrial and experimental cassette label run by Rob Smit. Moral, despite walking a fine line between hauntingly beautiful synth/guitar-based songs and ambient sound structures, were likely one of the “catchier” bands on the label. Fans of bands like The Vyllies, Vita Noctis, and even early Chris and Cosey should find lots to love here…

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Moral- Dance of the Dolls K7
1. Alone
2. I – My Enemy
3. Involuntary PositionI
4. A Break In The
5. Encyst Yourself
6. Dance Of The Dolls

*download it here*

5 Comments »

Stimmen Der Stille- Morgenstern LP

Posted in 1980s, 1988, german, goth, goth-rock, post-punk, stimmen der stille on October 22, 2014 by Frankie Teardrop

Hi all, apologies for the delay but it’s been a bit difficult to make time for a post these days. I hope to rectify that soon. With that in mind, here’s one of my all-time favorite obscure goth/post-punk records, 1988’s Morgenstern by German band Stimmen Der Stille. Someone had requested this in the Asmodi Bizarr post, and that was the only motivation I needed to finally shell out for this one. Thanks for being a bad influence! 😉

There’s only a little information to be found about this band. Their name translates to Voices of Silence (pretty awesome). The official lineup consisted of Daniela Siemon on vocals, Thomas Stelkens on guitar, Martin Gasper on drums and Pamela Alnoch on bass. The band recorded two demos between 1985-6 and released one 12”, Kristallkugel around the same time as this LP. As one might expect, there’s a lot of similarity to Xmal Deutschland and Siouxsie and the Banshees (including a Budgie-esque breakdown on the title track), but the quality of this record is astounding. A few tracks veer into experimental soundscapes before taking hold with killer hooks and powerful vocals, so there’s plenty to love on this LP from front to back!

Stimmen Der Stille- Morgenstern LP
1. Intro (Warten)
2. Kämpfen
3. Fegefeuer
4. Eine Stunde
5. Morgenstern
6. Unterwelt
7. Sahara
8. Not Red
9. Todeslied

Tracks 8 and 9 are ripped as one continuous track!

*download it here*

3 Comments »

Iconoclass- Tenebrae 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1988, ace buzz, acidity, Belgian, iconoclass, new beat on September 11, 2014 by Frankie Teardrop

Some of you readers may know that I have moonlight as a DJ in NYC for over ten years. During my tenure, I’ve DJed post-punk, shoegaze, coldwave, minimal synth, and everything in between. However, these days I’ve been leaning heavily on the new beat side of things, tapping into the Belgian subculture. For those unfamiliar with the genre (for shame!), new beat is a hyrbid of EBM, acid house and the Chicago/Detroit dance scene, and some of the best tracks walk a fine line between all three. Tempos are slow, lyrics and samples are usually sexually charged, and acid squelches are plentiful. Many of the tracks were written and performed by the same core group of producers, with the singers usually acting as the only variable in the mix (also see Italo).

History lesson aside, many new beat records are affordable, and like any insular dance movement, there was a flood of songs on the market. New beat is one of the more plentiful genres I’ve come across as a collector, so much so that I’m still picking out gems on a regular basis. This particular single is one of the best I’ve come across, and it took a little nudge from Goutroy to check this one out. I was over at his pad one Friday evening, eating dinner and playing old video games, and at some point, he threw on a compilation entitled Best of the Beat– a surprisingly obscure and pricey new beat compilation with no real obvious cuts (101, Tragic Error, The Maxx, etc. are all absent). The whole comp. is solid, though the majority of it was written by a core group of producers- Gery Francois, Tony Baron, Lee Kane, whose projects include Acidity, Lou & the Acid Bananas, and Ace Buzz. As it stands, the trio’s recordings make up over half of the compilation.

Iconoclass is yet another project from these dudes, and quite possibly the best. Released in 1988 and appearing in both 12” and 7” form (both sporting an unassuming cover that looks like Disney meets The Phantom Tolbooth), the original version of “Tenebrae” is one of my favorite new beat tracks that I’ve ever heard; an instant classic combining the traditional new beat techniques with haunting Gregorian chant, a sound that pretty much guarantees true love on my part. It appears here as the B-side, while a remixed (and inferior) version of the track appears on the A-side, likely aiming for the NY hip-hop scene, with some awkward but charming rapping on top of the groove. Your mileage may vary on that version, but the original version is the real deal, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!

Iconoclass- Tenebrae 7”
1. Tenebra (Rap Remix)
2. Tenebra (Original Version)

*download it here*

6 Comments »

Inox- Segni Dal Fiume 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1985, inox, italian, new wave, post-punk on August 12, 2014 by Frankie Teardrop

I feel like I’ve had this 12” on my hard drive for ages, but for some reason it never really clicked with me until today.  A shame, as it’s an excellent, catchy piece of Italian new wave that’s well worth hearing.   The opening notes of “Waiting For You” immediately set the tone for a great listen, chock full of heavy drum pads, big guitars, sparkling synth arpeggios, female vocal melodies with just the right blend of joy and sadness, and even a little saxophone to drive the wave home.  They almost come across like Italy’s answer to The Passions, Missing Persons, and Berlin, mixing both post-punk and wave influences seamlessly.

The band hailed from Turin, Italy and self-released this 12” in 1985, following it up with a full length LP in 1986 before disappearing into the ether.  I’d love to hear that one if anyone happens to have a copy…  Otherwise, hope you all enjoy this nice little slice of Italian new wave!

Inox- Segni Dal Fiume 12”
1. Waiting For You
2. Chance
3. Shanghai
4. Energia In Bianco
5. Sexy Play
6. Shanghai Reprise

*download it here*

11 Comments »

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