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Rating: A controversial and emblematic figure of the no-wave (that movement from the late 70s to early 80s which was somewhat the extreme of punk, a kind of praise to noise), Lydia Lunch made her solo debut with this "Queen Of Siam", after being part of the historic "Teenage Jesus". Bearer of a latent anguish, a perennial dissatisfaction, but above all more or less explicit sexual messages, Lydia pours all her bratty ego into this music. The album is made in collaboration with Billy Van Der Plank's orchestra and under the supervision of Pat Irwin, who plays all the sax parts. The result is a highly original work, composed of covers and original pieces, without the slightest musical coherence, embracing multiple genres without ever definitively settling into one.
It starts with the bored chant of "Mechanical Flattery", underscored by just a few drum beats and a drowsy piano. Lydia sings indifferently, seemingly forced into place. The next track is the splendid "Gloomy Sunday", arranged with a mournful piano and a very velvety sax. Wonderfully distressing. The catchy "Spooky" shows us a Lunch that seems like a sophisticated and decadent version of Madonna. Then it changes again, with the drunken flamenco of "Los Banditos", and onward to the next, an irresistible disco (!) lullaby "Atomic Bangos", a whirlwind of pounding drums at the edge of paranoia. Another disguise: Lydia becomes a nightclub entertainer in a voluptuous evening gown and sings "Lady Scarface", a smoky blues complete with trumpet and ramshackle piano. And what about "Carnival Fat Man"? Sadistic laughter, out-of-tune instruments, a grotesque and hallucinated nightmare cabaret. A small masterpiece.
As you might have guessed, we are in front of one of those "cult" albums in the history of rock. A special work of great personality, that incorporates more genres, scratches them, debases them, and then throws them away.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Gloomy Sunday (02:59)
Sunday is gloomy
My hours are slumberless
Dearest the shadows
I live with are numberless
Little white flowers
Will never awaken you
Not where the black coach
Of sorrow has taken you
Angels have no thoughts
Of ever returning you
Would they be angry
If I thought of joining you?
Gloomy Sunday
Gloomy is Sunday
With shadows I spend it all
My heart and I
Have decided to end it all
Soon there'll be candles
And prayers that are said I know
But let them not weep
Let them know that I'm glad to go
Death is no dream
For in death I'm caressing you
With the last breath of my soul
I'll be blessing you
Gloomy Sunday
Dreaming, I was only dreaming
I wake and I find you asleep
In the deep of my heart here
Darling I hope
That my dream never haunted you
My heart is telling you
How much I wanted you
Gloomy Sunday
07 Lady Scarface (03:11)
We had a date
12th street at eight
If you're done I'll be there don't be late
Instructed as such
Without a soft touch
If it would've mattered it didn't too much
I waited for you a minute or two
Well just what kind of a girl do you think I am
Fumbing around
A cigarette
Smoked it to the ash and then lit up again
Blowing smoke rings
Blinding the air
If you're comin baby you're just two in a rears
I'm too impatient and you're just too late
My attention span is just not that great
Then this young kinda guy walked right on by me
I couldn't have been more than 16
It's just nothing I can do you gotta understand
You see, he had this walk
I mean, down ??? and
No he wasn't going my direction so I just kinda turned an eye
I had to I was really possessed
I mean, I wasn't myself
I was so close
I crept like a cat
Visions of seduction lurking under my hat
He was so young
Such innocense
If I had control I didn't feel any yet
I couldn't be heard
Not a sound did I make
If this is the real thing there's just no need to fake
So now was the time
The crucial 8th mile
If I had to do it it would be with a smile
A tap on his back
A slip on my belt
He turned around and I knew that the ground would melt
I put on the ice
The smile was gone
Hey baby, and the rest...
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