After Cornwalls' king of obscurity, Chorcazade,its only right to stay firmly in the south-west of the uk, and cross the Bristol Channel with another one of those local scene compilations that were definitely 'a la mode' in 1979 on that '...Isle full of Noises'...('The Tempest ActIII, scene II).
'...Be not afeared..."(The Tempest again!....i'm so well read ain't I???)This one is from Cardiff,which is in Wales just over the Severn Bridge from Bristol(where one of the best local comps came from,"Avon Calling").
As with all of these compilations, it is full of plodding student post-punk bands,'missed the bus' punk groups, and various spotty bedroom dwellers.
The lyrics are, naturally,full of sixth form philosophy, and art foundation course politics.The prize goes to The Riotous Brothers with this charming couplet:
"Let's Blow up the Coloureds, let's blow up the Whites,lets blow up the politicians,just like Airey Neave"....I assume it was some crass attempt at being Ironic? The use of the word 'Coloureds' especially,places this firmly in a past where racism was accepted as part of normal life. At least we knew who the racists were back in them days.
Its not all like the Riotous Brothers on this record however.
Reptile Ranch at least show some competence, with an early Fall/Spherical Objects sound;mainly thanks to the cheapo organ which is always a winner.Its mainly the work of 'Spike', future leader of Welsh Indie-café Jazz crossover muzak legends, 'Weekend';with Young Marble Giants'chanteuse Alison Stratton churning out her classically passionless vocals.
But....of course, the main attraction of this collection are 'The Young Marble Giants' themselves. Post-punk deities, and inventors of 'Slo-Core', a decade before 'Low' were even married to each other.
The two YMG tracks are different,rawer, versions to those included on their Rough Trade album, "Colossal Youth".One of the truly great post-punk groups.....enjoy the silence.
Tracklist:
Black & White Side:
1 –Addiction-Violence
2 –Addiction-Stampede
3 –Addiction-Seek & Search
4 –Mad Dog-Killer
5 –Mad Dog-Someone Here Must Like Me
6 –Test To Destruction-Passive
7 –Riotous Brothers-Airey Neave
8 –Riotous Brothers-No Justice
Colour Side:
1 –Reptile Ranch-Waterhole
2 –The New Form On The Edge
3 –The New Form Boy
4 –The New Form Blockhead
5 –Beaver-Mac The Knife
6 –Beaver-Kleptomania
7 –Young Marble Giants-Ode To Booker T
8 –Young Marble Giants-Searching For Mr. Right
DOWNLOAD some wails from wales HERE!