FogBlueInSanFran
Well-Known Member
That’s because Smash doesn’t sound much like the rest of the record :) It’s probably my least favo(u)rite thing here and it was the lead single before WBY came out (which is the first song I heard by them).
The Album Review Club - End of Round #9 Break (page 1904)
- Thread starter RobMCFC
- Start date
Sorry Fog, but my first thought on listening to a couple of tracks in the car was....BAD. I think it is all down to the voice, which I think is also where the Clash comparisons come in.
On first listen in the car my sons response was that he preferred The Adverts!
Def going to need a few more listens.
On first listen in the car my sons response was that he preferred The Adverts!
Def going to need a few more listens.
mancity111
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You bluddy ripper Fog , Captain Beefheart and The Cramps all rolled into one.The Album Review Club – Week #114
The Screaming Blue Messiahs -- Gun-Shy (1986)
Selected by FogBlueInSanFran
My record is The Screaming Blue Messiahs’ debut “Gun-Shy”, released in 1986. David Bowie once called them his favo(u)rite band of the moment and “my pet project”, though he said shit like that about a ton of bands. But nearly every person who hasn’t heard this record before when I played it for them has been impressed, if not wowed. Many – including my future wife and future sister-in-law and a few dozen friends – subsequently bought it, despite not necessarily cottoning to other records in a similar vein.
They were the loudest and most exciting band I ever saw live. Sadly, after an all-too-short three-LP career, the members basically disappeared into day jobs.
Their second record (“Bikini Red” in 1987 -- also great, by the way) had “I Want To Be A Flintstone” on it. This became a hit, complete with exactly the video you’d expect a song like this to have. But it was the worst thing that could have happened, because it basically (and bizarrely) pegged them as a novelty act, which couldn’t be farther from what they were – a hyper-energetic punk blues outfit who could play at pace and howl at sacred cows with the best of their peers.
The SBMs were from London, and there’s a lot of Clash in here, no doubt, and a very heavy, schlocky dose of Americana. It’s definitely post-punk genre-wise, but there’s plenty of rockabilly too, and even country (they cover Hank Williams’ “You’re Gonna Change” on this album). Bill Carter is a unique guitarist – he played hard, with blood spattered on his instrument, and in this strange staccato fashion with these unique effects that made him sound unlike anyone else I’ve heard.
I should note that I picked this 1) because I thought Rob would like it and 2) because there’s a lot of consistency song-to-song, as @OB1 pointed out about Aerosmith’s “Rocks”.
I don’t think there’s a single weak tune here. Picking my favo(u)rite is hard; the opener “Wild Blue Yonder” is probably the best known, but I dearly love “Holiday Head”, “Talking Doll”, “Just For Fun” and “Clear View” among others because they’re fast. I think the stroke of genius is “Let’s Go Down To The Woods”, which even borders on pop. Most of the way through, the drums are the freight train carrying things along with the bass, but the odd combination of jangle, feedback and crunch in the guitar and Bill Carter’s yowling, snarling vocals (with their often sardonic and sometimes tongue-in-cheek lyrics) are the statue on top of the rhythm pedestal.
This record reminds me of a big tree in a hurricane – getting blown around furiously, but always remaining solidly grounded because its roots run so deep. The respect they show to their punk, rock, blues and country forebears that brought them to this point is evident throughout, at least to me. I wish they’d hung around – I bet they had a lot more great music in them.
Happy listening!
I digress as always but The Cramps are one if not my favourite garage punk band depending on my mood at the time and I am sure this band toured with them quite extensively in their prime.
I saw this band at The Venue in 1986 with The Angels which if nobody has listened to before you should check out.
I never got to buy any of their albums but they put on a great show.
This will bring back some great memories as its been many years since I listened to any of their stuff outside their hit single.
An old mate of mine Richard Holt was a huge fan of them.
Bowie was quoted as saying this band was his favourite at the time.
It won't score as well as The Replacements for me but it won't be far behind.
RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
Exactly what I thought on first listen. Not a bad song, just that it sounds out of place against the others.
journolud
Well-Known Member
I've listened to this band before and it's bugging me to know how or why. It certainly wasn't at the time they were current, I don't think it's from a recommendaton in one of the various music threads on the forum or from a random spotify playlist so must be from reading about them in a magazine article. Doesn't really matter anyway but I'll probably be going through my back issues of Uncut to see where they were mentioned.
My vague memory is that it was a brief exploration. Obviously a more in depth one now to follow.
My vague memory is that it was a brief exploration. Obviously a more in depth one now to follow.
FogBlueInSanFran
Well-Known Member
Yep, Bimbo’s right, they sound just like Big Audio Dyn . . . errrr, never mind. :)
They were absolute straight fire live when I saw them.
The difference between live and somethign on vinyl or streamed is huge. From first listen in the cxar last night i wasnt overly into this, but I really liked that live clip.
Certainly more listens required
Mancitydoogle
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Not sure about the BAD comparisons, but is Bill Carter Joe Strummer’s younger brother? very similar voice and phrasing, I’m getting more of a JS and The Latino Rocka Billy War and perhaps JS and The Mescaleros vibe more than The Clash.
Enjoying it though.
Enjoying it though.