Protomartyr "No Passion All Technique" (2012)

No Passion All Technique [debut]

release date: Oct. 8, 2012

format: cd (2019 reissue)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]

producer: non-produced

label: Domino - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "In My Sphere" - 4. "3 Swallows" - 6. "Jumbo's" - 10. "How He Lived After He Died" - 11. "Feral Cats"

Studio album debut by Detroit-based post-punk revivalist quartet Protomartyr consisting of vocalist Joe Casey, guitarist Greg Ahee, bassist Scott Davidson, and drummer Alex Leonard. The album was originally released on independent label Urinal Cake Records, and after releasing the critically acclaimed The Agent Intellect (Oct. 2015) the band signed with Domino.

This their first album out doesn't mention producer credits apparently because it was recorded as is by recording engineer Chris Koltay. Stylewise, it sounds much like proto-punk as played by MC5 and The Stooges with some tracks pointing more at the early British punk rock scene with especially The Fall as an obvious influence. Although, it's garage rock-styled in sound and probably hasn't been submitted to any post-production techniques, the sound is still better than what it's inspired by. Drums, bass, guitar, and vocal all have a certain crispiness that makes one aware that it wasn't recorded several decades ago when musical equipment just didn't always suffice to transport the actual energy back on vinyl or to a tape.

No Passion All Technique is hard proto-punk, which doesn't aim to satisfy anyone's request for traditional harmony-driven melodies. Protomartyr are in that regard strongly inspired by other ways of musical expression, and without it being tribute material, it does echo strong references to MC5, The Stooges, Pere Ubu, and The Fall. The album stands as the band's most simplistic and also only actual garage-rock album as all preceeding releases contain more complex compositions. The front cover feature a photograph of Julius Robert Oppenheimer.

To me, this is a fine debut, but also one that sits somewhat on its own as living its own life as a release that could nearly fill in a spot in musical history together with some of the band's influences.

Not recommended.

Patti Smith "Radio Ethiopia" (1976)

Radio Ethiopia (1976)

"Pissing in a River"

Best of 1967:The Velvet Underground and Nico "The Velvet Underground & Nico" (1967)

The Velvet Underground & Nico [debut]
release date: Mar. 12, 1967
format: vinyl (reissue) / cd (2012, 45th Anniversary Edition)
[album rate: 5 / 5] [4,88]
producer: Andy Warhol
label: Polydor Records - nationality: USA

Tracklist: A) 1. "Sunday Morning" - 2. "I'm Waiting for the Man" - 3. "Femme Fatale" (5 / 5) - 4. "Venus in Furs" (5 / 5) - 5. "Run Run Run" - 6. "All Tomorrow's Parties" (5 / 5) - - B) 1. "Heroin" - 2. "There She Goes Again" (5 / 5) - 3. "I'll Be Your Mirror" - 4. "The Black Angel's Death Song" - 5. "European Son"
[ full album ]

Studio album debut by The Velvet Underground originally released on Verve Records and, according to the album credits, produced by Andy Warhol, which does sound unlikely as Warhol didn't have any recording experiences - however, he did pay for the studio sessions. Allegedly, his producing method was to direct the band that they should go ahead and do whatever they felt like. Actual technical producer is most likely Tom Wilson. The Velvet Underground is in its classic line-up with Lou Reed on lead vocals & lead guitar, John Cale on electric viola, piano & bass guitar, Sterling Morrison on guitar, bass guitar & backing vocals, and with Maureen Tucker on drums & percussion. Nico was never part of the band but she often participated when playing live, and she is here credited as lead vocalist on tracks #3, #6 and #9 and doing backing vocals on track #1. And although, Warhol may have suggested to include Nico in the band - as he liked the idea of having a woman in front of this masculine project, but both Cale and Reed was against his idea, and then again Warhol's untrained musical background didn't help him to pursuade Reed nor Cale. Instead, Nico participates as featuring solo artist, and she already released her solo album debut Chelsea Girl in October that same year. Lou Reed is songwriter and composer of all songs - only tracks #A1 and #B4 are co-written with Cale and #B5 is credited the whole band.
The album is one of the most iconic and legendary albums in rock history. Although, the initial reception wasn't just positive, its status has put it among the utmost influential albums ever released. The cover has its own story, and the tracks, dealing with all kinds of touchy subjects, have their particular background stories. Soundwise and in terms of style, there's a lot to be said about the album - for one thing, the band was from New York, which was a place that didn't play the same strong role back then when San Francisco and Los Angeles were where most contemporary new music came from. This fact alone explains a little about the stylistic differencies from bands like Jefferson Airplane, The Doors, Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds etc., who all made remarkable albums in '67, but this very album was something out of the blue highly original, and then they didn't exactly do much good for a potential career by choosing to sing about drugs and sex. Anyway, the band stood on its own values and most certainly didn't give a hoot about anyone's opinion. Nowadays, it's dificult to point to a rock album of greater influence than this one.
I don't remember exactly the first time, I listened to this album but in the late 1970s my older brother introduced it to me, and I do remember that I liked it from the first minut on, and I have loved it ever since. Every now and then, I put it on, and I'm always amazed of how fine and fresh it still sounds production-wise, as well as the immediate and direct appeal every single track conveys.
Naturally, this is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
This very album is a strong contender to the best and the most important rock-album ever released.
Highly recommended.

1967 Favourite releases: 1. The Velvet Underground and Nico The Velvet Underground & Nico - 2. Jimi Hendrix Are You Experienced? - 3. The Doors The Doors

org. cover

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This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.