VIVA! – A Rainbow At The Edge Of The Shadow LP (1987)

Here’s the fourth and final LP installment by VIVA!....Formed in Sweden, Viva were known for their moody new wave sound with post punk leanings. On this last effort, the band creates a more gloomy darkwave inspired atmosphere around eight diverse songs. From high gear momentum driven melodies in “Remain (In Real Life)” and “Exception” to the creeping solitude of “This Story” and “Sweet Silence”, VIVA! keeps the listener engaged and wanting more. Every song stands on its own.

You can find their first two LPs, which are in their native language at denkonkretakniven blogspot. The third and highly recommended album “Dreams Be Quiet!” can be found over at one of the best post punk blogs on the web - PhoenixHairpins. If you’re a fan of post punk, darkwave and the like, this 4th album is worth the effort and time to track down… Out of print private pressing via Art-For-Art Records.

A1 Where Do We Go From Here?
A2 Remain (In Real Life)
A3 Today
A4 This Story
B1 Exception
B2 The Turning Point
B3 Phantom Ship
B4 Sweet Silence

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CCM – Self Titled EP (1982)

Here’s an interesting little oddity that peaked my interest when I saw the minimalistic front cover, so I took a chance without knowing a lick about it. The only info that I can be fairly confident of is that CCM came from France. As with the front side of the jacket, the back side of the jacket is even more sparse with virtually no information on what sounds like an early 80’s record...Experimental avant garde synth permutations fill the speakers on these four distinct songs…At times they sound spastic with both male and female vocals, but entertaining none the less...For the adventurous…The song “Alice In Wonderland” is my favorite …Out of print private pressing…

SIDE A
siberian nights
conurbation scratch

SIDE B
alice in wonderland
chants conaptiques & metropolitains

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THE WAGES – Self Titled LP (1985)

The Wages were an alternative indie band hailing out Boston’s fledgling independent music scene back in the mid 80’s. This foursome combines competent guitars and vocal melodies to produce a solid little alternative guitar pop wave obscurity. The Wages produce a very consistent exuberant 7 song effort here, but the standout track is the radio ready and quite catchy “She Keeps It To Herself”…Yet another talented band that couldn’t break through to mainstream success…Out of print private self released pressing.

SIDE ONE
she keeps it to herself
tunnel vision
living on the fault line
she’s leaving you

SIDE TWO
it’s true
running around in circles
she had blue eyes

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GAMES – Dance This Way 7” (1982)

Here’s the second and final release from the United Kingdom’s GAMES, a new wave synth foursome who didn’t seem to stick around that long…The B side song “Love Canal” is quite an up-tempo melancholic dance feast and is the standout. Side A “Dance This Way” brings it down a couple of BPMs, but has many of the same attributes with plenty of synth and electronic melodies sprinkled throughout. Anybody have their first release from 1980? …Out of print private pressing via Open Eye Records…

SIDE A
dance this way

SIDE B
love canal

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KONRAD – Evil LP (1982)

After years of indecision and searching for a very clean copy of this scarcity, I finally pulled the trigger…Although this has been blogged about in the past, it was way back in 2007, so I believe it’s high time to check in on this rare obscurity once again…The initial front cover glance of Konrad pointing at you in an ominous way, spools thoughts that this is some throwaway urban bargain bin oddity, but…, looks can be quite deceiving.

Upon dropping the needle down on first track “It’s Only A Matrix” and right out of the gate, there is a DIY electronica soundscape that starts to unfold over 13 extraordinary songs. Side A’s first three songs are stellar minimal synth arrangements, complete with stripped down quirked out lyrical content, sound effects and peculiar twists and turns abound. The rest of Side A continues to entertain, even with the last song “Keep On Playin That Jazz”, which is a creative minimalist take on a jazz themed song…

The second side commences with the sound effect ladened “My Girl Likes To Buy” and then launches into the synth intensified “The Man Of Mystery”, one of the standout tracks on the album. There’s a very short acoustic instrumental interlude with “Blue Sunrise” and then back to more DIY synth madness for the next two songs. Onto another condensed instrumental with “Dmz Bolero” and the album ends with the odd short lived “People”…

Konrad was an American dude and created all these arrangements by his lonesome self. This was the only full length album released by this DIY master and what an effort it was. Although this vinyl can be a challenge to find in top condition, it does surface from time to time and I would highly recommend acquiring it for any self respecting minimal synth fan who appreciates the sounds of electronica spewing from vinyl format…Out of print private pressing via Ethereal Sequence Records, New York.

SIDE A
It's Only A Matrix
Music Scientist
Don't Want No Police
Alien
Working Man
Keep On Playin' That Jazz

SIDE B
My Girl Likes To Buy
The Man Of Mystery
Blue Sunrise
One Way Motorcycle Ride
Seems Like One Of Those Days
DMZ Bolero
People

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THE OCTOBER GROUP – (First) EP (1987)

Here’s an extended player that has stumped the information gathering process that I attempted to undertake…There is no information to be excavated about this obscurity…Even the band member names are all first names only. I would venture to say it’s an American based group...Anyway, on to the music that resides on this EP…The first thing that stood out is the vocalist, who has a deep delivery….There’s only four songs here, but they are all consistently solid and diverse with somber darkwave melodies in the stellar “Persuasion” and “The Quiet Beach” to a more indie new wave beat in “Sweet Hedda’s Grave”. A pleasant surprise… Out of print private pressing via Xcentric Records.

SIDE 1
colours
the quiet beach

SIDE 2
persuasion
sweet hedda’s grave

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