VINYL | OBSCURITY – Obscure Alternatives 2

We end the month of April with a second rendition of the various artist compilation series Obscure Alternatives. This time around I’ve included a couple of videos from Anne Waldman and Male Model, both of which have these songs on the comp. As with the first edition, OA2 will continue the theme of an eclectic array of new wave alternative styles…some you may have, some you may not…

MALE MODEL – Model Noise – Music Video

ANNE WALDMAN – Uh-Oh Plutonium – Music Video Segments
A video spot of this poet turned new wave music diva for a short bit….She employs the Anne Clark school of music delivery with gloom and doom poetic waveness…


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DORIAN GRAE –Self Titled EP (1987)

Here’s a stunning synth pop rarity from a trio who could have given OMD and many others a run for their money back in the mid to late 80’s synth pop scene. The sound is infectious, charming and emotional. I can go on and on with more accolades, but why waste the time when you can hear for yourself below…This is just plain great new wave synth pop…. Their self titled EP is out of print and comes on the market every now and then…I would highly recommend acquiring it when it does show up… Enjoy this rarity!

Side A
melt the loneliness
how I wish

Side B
talking with grace
hard too hard

I’ve included a bonus track – “In A Dark Place” - which is a synth pop gem….

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WEBER AND THE BUZZTONES –Self Titled EP (1984)

Although this has been previously posted on the web, it typically stays within the confines of the Christian music community and even there it's an obscurity. There are actually quite a few rare Christian non preachy new wave obscurities out there that I would recommend. There’s info to be gleaned on the web for this one, so I won’t inundate. It’s an album I acquired many many years ago and one I hadn’t listened to in a very long time…So, I thought it appropriate to post it here since many may not be aware of it. Its CARS sounding new wave synth with suppressed religious overtones…If you haven’t been to church in a while, give this one a quick listen and your good to go and in new wave synth style to boot!!

Side A & B have the same songs -

lamb chops
o.k.
run away
walk away

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THE BODY ELECTRIC – Pulsing EP (1982)

This is the 2nd post for today so I can get some catch up in…We travel to New Zealand’s early 80’s synth culture for this little gem. The Body Electric was just that, a body of four musicians that put forth an electronic onslaught that can be wildly intense and should be enjoyed by the electronica new wave synth club heads out there. Side A’s title song is the standout with its piercing synth line…Both versions of the song get meshed together into one 6.30 minute tune, so it’s basically one song….but worth it…Enjoy this one….

Side A
pulsing
pulsing dance mix

Side B
dash 1721
who takes the rap

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PROPHECY – Mechanical Minds 7” (198?)

Here’s an interesting little slab of wax that sounds like early 80’s and has similar styles to Taco Ockerse at times with a novelty vocal delivery in parts. It’s got electronic beats with minimal synth components and I don’t know anything else about it...If anyone has info, please contact..thanks.

Side A
mechanical minds

Side B
the hands of time

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80:88 – Stay Tuned EP (1985)

I’m posting this one based on obscurity and scarcity values alone. As for the content, well…it’s average new wave oriented synth pop stuff or shall I say fluff…I hadn’t listened to this one in many years and now I know why, it’s a bit sappy for my tastes …who knows, there may be some fans out there, so why not….80:88 was a Southern, California duo who leaned hard on their Linn drum programming and synthesizer skills…below average in my book…but it’s obscure and that’s what this blog is all about!

Side One
takin’ chances
stick man
you can say no

Side Two
see what you see
you can’t hold me down
your eyes

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OPERATOR – Self Titled EP (1981)

Operator was an Atlanta, GA based indie band that mixed intelligent new wave and power pop elements in their melodic injected pop rock. This lone extended player was distributed via independent record label Landslide Records. Landslide was a label that focused on more Jazz oriented artists in their day, but you won’t find that on this one…Another one of the many underground Atlanta indie bands recalled…If anyone has more information on this band, please contact…thanks..

Side A
yield to the right
one night stand

Side B
little timmy
call me tomorrow

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CLOOZ – Look For Them 7” (198?)

We’re going north of the border for this little obscurity… A slick looking new wave foursome that was from Hamilton, Ontario and looked to fit right in with the early 80’s MTV fashion scene. I hadn’t listened to this for years so I was eager to hear it and subsequently post it once I heard the synths and the catchy early 80’s vocals. Their two songs remind me a bit of another Canadian band, Platinum Blonde. This would be their early Standing In The Dark LP sound , which had a more new wave influence. You get two consistently upbeat tunes with new wave flair from this seemingly unknown band…

This Side
leave me alone

That Side
you can do

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MIDNITE LUNCH – self titled EP (1983)

For the first post of April, I present an interesting female fronted sextet that has a variety of sounds on display throughout this self produced four song affair. It starts with the driving new wave synth action of “After All”, which sounds like a very early “Information LP” era Berlin song and is the standout here. The ensuing songs dabble and veer in punk and garage rock territories, but keep it stripped down to the basics and then it ends with something more like how it started ….Obscure, Rare, Out of Print and it does come in a variety of record sleeve colors….Enjoy below::::

Side A
after all
love on the run

Side B
working girl
next

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