STACK NZ Mar #71

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By Graham Reid

VIOLENT FEMMES

Various Artists Still in a Dream; A Story of Shoegaze 1988 – 1995 This beautifully packaged, intelligently essayed and annotated, handsomely illustrated and very comprehensive box set (71 mostly UK bands across four CDs, 16 mostly internationals on another) should thrill fans of this genre, where often introspective songs were painted on the big screen in wide swathes of fuzzed-out guitar.

Two-thirds of the original band are touring – where to start with these post-punk folk-busking rockers?

Most of the big names are here with a track apiece (Jesus and Mary Chain, Curve, Galaxie 500, Ride, Lush [pictured above], Cranes etc; no My Bloody Valentine but Bailter Space's Shine ) and other familiar bands not normally associated with the style. But it will be the less familiar (and that's probably about 75 bands at a guess) which add the breadth, texture and surprises.This wide-angled selection is the best looking box set in years, and is a repeat-play treasure chest of dreamy and daring British indie-rock... which ran headlong into American grunge. Essential, if six-string psychedelic shoegaze ever meant anything to you.

Violent Femmes (1983) The impressive debut of a trio – singer/guitarist/ songwriter Gordon Gano, bassist/singer Brian Ritchie and drummer Victor DeLorenz – which had started life busking in Milwaukee. Their amped up songs captured teenage and post-adolescent discomforts and delivered them in short, snappy pop songs. Includes Blister in the Sun , Add It Up , Prove My Love and Gone Daddy Gone . A kind of greatest hits debut. Hallowed Ground (1984) The debut part two in many ways, because most of the songs were written before the first album. But now with clout (and guests like avant-saxist John Zorn and Tony Trischka on banjo), the music stretched more – Never Tell is over seven minutes – and into more jazz and dark country. And Gano's Christian faith. A fine album which hardly sold (other than in New Zealand) and includes Gano's harrowing murder ballad Country Death Song . The Blind Leading The Naked (1986) Produced by fan Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads) who had an ear for what might appeal on radio, this third album was their most successful in the States and although the band were at the point of splitting up (which they did shortly after, to re-form without DeLorenzo later) this is a strong outing, notable for their cover of T. Rex's Children of the Revolutio n. Guests include guitarists Fred Frith and Leo Kottke as well as Harrison and one-time Stooges saxophonist Steve Mackay. Viva Wisconsin (1999) A band that delivered their best when frenetically live, they captured that energy on this 70-plus minute collection pulled from shows in their homestate in '98 (with drummer Guy Hoffman replacing DeLorenzo). All the 'hits' and more, guest players on horns and piano, and with their teen angst and the political anger of the era all wrapped up.

MUSIC

Slade The Slade Box

Michael Jackson Off the Wall Thriller was bigger and better, but Jackson's 1979 Off the Wall is more important because it was such a pop/R'n'B/disco-cum-funk game-changer. He put his youth behind him and stepped out (with producer Quincy Jones) to become the self-styled King of Pop in original songs ( Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough ) and material by Britain's Rod Temperton ( Rock With You , the title track), McCartney ( Girlfriend ) and Stevie Wonder ( I Can't Help It ). An extraordinary album of enjoyable pop now given reissue treatment with a DVD doco by Spike Lee – using rare archival footage – tracing Jackson's path from Motown boy-band Jackson Five to a singular solo artist. The rise and coronation of a pop genius.

When Slade released Whatever Happened to Slade in 1977 it was a fair question. Their glam- rock and dirty pop was being battered by punk, and their clothes (top hats, braces), singer Noddy Holder's mutton-chop sideboards and dumb'n'dumber song titles ( Mama Weer All Crazee Now , Look Wot You Done ) seemed yesteryear. However they were punk-tough, working class rock'n'rollers. The evidence is on this well essayed, four CD/84 songs box set (some previously unreleased). It goes too far into their post-punk decline and brief revival, but in the early '70s they applied a blowtorch to songs guaranteed to get your platform soles stomping.

For more from Graham Reid visit www.elsewhere.co.nz

MARCH 2016

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