release date: Mar. 1984
format: vinyl (KAZ LP 1) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Shriekback
label: Kaz Records - nationality: England, UK
Tracklist: A side) 1. "Lined Up" - 2. "Clear Trails" - 3. "Accretions" - 4. "Sway" - 5. "Madness Into Method" - - B side) 1. "My Spine (Is the Bass Line)" - 2. "Mothloop" - 3. "Sexthinkone" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Evaporation" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "A Kind of Fascination" - 6. "Working on the Ground"
A compilation album by Shriekback released on Kaz Records. This was the first album I came across with the band back in '84 or '85. I believe, I first found it at the library where I used to go at least once a week to find new music. Although, I was more into more direct punk rock, melodic new wave, and gloomy dark gothic rock, I found this more than just fine. I loved the disturbing tension of the arrangements, which made it cool, fascinating and rather alternative new wave post-punk in a sort of avantgardist kind of way. I didn't know anything of the band, and only discovered some 10 years later that this is actually a compilation album comprising singles and early releases. In fact, I tried hard to find other albums by the band but it was simply impossible at the time, as their albums weren't distributed in my country. A few years later, I found the compilation album Evolution (1988), also at the library, but it didn't attract me like this one. The band never experienced any great success while releasing albums in the 80s but they have later on been praised for their early industrial sound, which has been an influence for electronic and industrial rock bands in the 1990s. The band continued to make albums throughout the '80s, '90s, and early 2000s (and may likely still perform) with an ever changing line-up. The core of the band was always former XTC keyboardist Barry Andrews, and former Gang of Four bassist Dave Allen, who got together with guitarist Dave Marsh and drummer Martyn Barker to form the initial and most persistent backbone of the band. Their commercial highs came with the more dance rock and funk rock-oriented albums Big Night Music (1986) and Go Bang! (1988) - albums I never found that enjoyable but that was the style they stuck with after leaving a distinct experimental expression.
This very album, however, is one that I have returned to many times since the 1980s. Far from all music of the '80s endure this long, and for me it holds a special position, like a hidden gem, and I think that the music still sounds fresh and fascinating. Especially tracks like "Sexthinkone" and "Evaporation" are in my mind true masterpieces with unique and extraordinary bass and drum-lines.
