Moving Away From The Pulsebeat - Post Punk Britain 1978-1981: Clamshell Box

英国にて、1978年から1981年にかけて爆発したポストパンクのはじまりを捉えた大ヴォリューム5枚組ボックス・セット!BUZZCOCKS、ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN、THE FALL、KILLING JOKE、PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED、SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES、TEARDROP EXPLODES、SCRITTI POLITTI、THE CURE、そしてTHROBBING GRISTLEなどから激レア音源まで幅広いセレクトの内容。MARK PAYTRESSによる各バンドごとのバイオグラフィーも収録。

Moving Away from the Pulsebeat: Post Punk Britain 1977-1981 is essentially a companion piece to the magnificent 2017 anthology To the Outside of Everything, featuring different tracks by many of the same bands but also digging deeper and further, uncovering other gems from the era. Inevitably, it also covers similar territory as Cherry Reds many other in-depth post-punk compilations, particularly the ones focusing on specific scenes and cities. Even if theres some overlap, the label always does a thorough job researching and putting the music into context through extensive liner notes, presenting familiar tracks and cult favorites alongside total obscurities, so that plunging into them gives the listener more of a big-picture perspective of what was happening during the time period. The title comes from a Buzzcocks song included in the set, and its more of a drum-heavy, Krautrock-inspired groove than the pop-punk anthems the band is best known for. Likewise, theres the Clashs disco-rap fusion "The Magnificent Seven" and many raw, early tracks by bands that would become much poppier, from XTCs manic, ska-influenced "Crowded Room" to Dead or Alives surprisingly gothy debut single "Im Falling." In a few instances, the compilers went with alternate versions, such as Bow Wow Wows cassette-loving classic "C30 C60 C90 Go!" sung in Spanish, or the live Heathen Earth recording of Throbbing Gristles gloriously icky "Something Came Over Me." A few selections are well-known genre staples like the Cures "A Forest" or Joy Divisions "Disorder," but there are also B-sides like Siouxsie & the Banshees abstract, haunting "Voices" and Swell Maps energetic group chant "Black Velvet." Of the lesser-known highlights, theres the tongue-in-cheek "Everybodys on Revolver Tonight" by O Level (essentially Television Personalities minus Dan Treacy) and the Crazies buzzsaw ripper "Strontium" (recorded in 1978 but unreleased until 2021). Several tracks evocatively express angst and alienation, particularly Art Attacks brash rant "Rat City," while the Falls deceptively jaunty "Fiery Jack," in which Mark E. Smith repeats "eat this grenade," seems like it might comment on war and the political climate, but is actually about alcohol addiction. Like other Cherry Red genre deep dives, Moving Away from the Pulsebeat is a treasure trove. ~ Paul Simpson