supersoul

I also agree with imasoulman, whose post I just read now :)

In agreement with Sfascia, they are perhaps much closer to certain aspects of the early Red Hot Chili Peppers up until Sugar. They had on their side a great vocalist in Rudeboy, the granite-like rhythm of Magic Stik (bombastic in "Mr Ezeway"), and above all that electrifying urban Hendrixian blues of the extraordinary guitarist Tres Manos (listen to what he combines in "Comeback"). A great record if it weren't for certain daintiness like "Routine." This is truly crossover; some tracks like "Gates of Big Fruit" even anticipated the Arrested Development-style hip hop. A hard record to take off the turntable, the songs are like cherries, one leads to another.

But let's not forget that it's 1980 and London is truly on fire due to Thatcher's authoritarian politics, and so the poet leaves aside the carnivals and the forces of victory. Dennis Bowell breaks the lock, Linton opens the door, goes down the stairs, and hits the street among the people, bringing into the musical history of the eighties the master Blair Peach, murdered by the police, the protesters of Race Today, and Lorraine under the umbrella. A cult.

Putting aside the review, which is truly awful, this discussion always seems like the same old story to me. When Nevermind came out, we realized (I’m talking about my acquaintances and the entirety of the printed material I read) that we had in our hands a vinyl that had the capacity to overwhelm everything; we’re talking about rock that needs no explanation because it shakes nerves and heart, spine and legs, before the brain even grasps exactly what is happening. Today, it's clear that these grown-up kids who have downloaded all of musical knowledge feel pretty cool thinking they can assert that three honest Turks in 1972 made an album that ridicules this one from the three junkies of Seattle. This is Debaser, eagerly awaiting the new elections of human cases; I’ve had my favorite candidate marked for a long time.

The Hammill album you were referring to is Nadir's Big Chance from 1975. The same Johnny Rotten/Lydon, who left the Sex Pistols, participated in a radio show where he put together a surprising compilation of his favorite records, including two (and he was the only one) tracks from that album. You can see that compilation here Fodderstompf | Press Archives | Johnny Rotten Capital Radio, 1977

how wrong you are, my friend (at least for me, mind you), this is not an album in a constant struggle between old and new; it’s a different album, it's as crazy as the cover. If you pay attention, no track exceeds 4 minutes, and the melody that characterized Hammill's previous albums is fragmented, as if he is adding new patterns to his personal palette, utterly unconcerned with the audience, success, sales, or critics. It’s not a struggle, but a deeply personal condensation. For me, the pivotal track is 'Energy Vampires,' marked by a tension made of synth lamentations, reverbs from acoustic guitars, and him raging against the fan who, possessing the artist's records, believes they also possess the artist himself. Discone, agreed with jargon.

Not by chance, the terrible illustrations of the CD by the terrible Naked City of the terrible John Zorn are precisely by the terrible Suehiro Maruo...

And among the dozens of names, you forgot the Grateful Dead from the country hangover of master Garcia; there are some tracks that remind me of them quite a bit. An extraordinary album for the many verses you mentioned. An album from the same period, similar in concept and story (but a few steps below), is the only one by Bernie Schwartz (extraordinary voice) with a great cover of Sunshine Woman (where if I remember correctly, Wesely Watt plays the fuzzy guitar) and an equally great cover of "Candy Man" by your beloved Fred Neil.

The album is worth the entire ticket price for the long title track, which is perhaps the last psychedelic gasp of a band born at the crossroads of the transition from acid rock to hard, and then this otherworldly artwork that will become the hallmark of future heavy metal. Considering that they were supposed to sign under the name of Come for the Straight of the mustachioed guy is laughable. I agree with the Italian crowd on the garage rockers Zakary Thaks, their "Face to Face" with that Jeff Beck-like feedback is fantastic.