Pink Military
Do Animals Believe in God?

In the history of rock, the city of Liverpool is immediately associated with the name "Beatles" and that salvific place, almost like a modern Lourdes, which was the Cavern Club.
But roughly fifteen years after the Beatles' heyday, the English city was once again the cradle of a vibrant and, in many ways, seminal scene.
Let’s keep it brief: around a club called "Eric’s", which was located on the same street as the Cavern, numerous bands destined for success formed in a short time between the end of 1977 and 1979, almost always coupled with noteworthy quality (Teardrop Explodes, Echo and the Bunnymen, Wah! Heat, but also Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Dead or Alive). Among these, Big in Japan led by Jayne Casey was a true workshop of talent, although only a handful of songs remain, mostly released posthumously.
After the experience with Big in Japan, Jayne Casey formed Pink Military, debuting in 1980 with this LP released by Eric's Records.

The record comfortably fits into the crowded category of twilight post-punk, but right from the first listens, it is marked by a combination of sounds and atmospheres that range from raw and disorienting tracks to others pleasantly easy (mind you, for ears accustomed to these sounds). The originality of the album makes it difficult to categorize Pink Industry within the commonly defined "dark" genre, much to our relief and, we imagine, to the talented Jayne's as well.
The eleven tracks range from the obsessive electronic new wave of "Degenerated Man" to the ballad "I Cry", from more traditional songs ("Back on the London stage") to atmospheres I would describe as "ethno-synthetic" (the title track, or even "Dreamtime"). The result is an always stimulating listen, which enriches with each repetition and demonstrates how the seeds of numerous genres and trends that emerged in later years were already present in relatively minor groups like these Pink Industry.

After this LP and a handful of singles, Pink Military changed their name to Pink Industry, continuing to produce excellent work, upon which it will be worth spending some words in the future.