[markl]

Legendary, influential 1977 album from New York CBGB's band (not really punk, more like post-punk already), finally re-issued and expanded and remastered. This is really ground zero for the whole indie-rock thing except these guys can play.

Very angular, somewhat abstract dueling guitars (Verlaine and Quine), with poetic abstract lyrics. Tom Verlaine sounds a lot like Patty Smith, which makes me wonder who influenced who's singing style?

I had never owned this til now, but I've read about it many times, I've been waiting for a re-issue, finally it's here. This really knocked me out, it's as good as its reputation, and that's rare for me. If you like adventurous non-commercial rock, kinda arty with lots of complex shifting musical passages that takes several listens to fully digest, check this one out!

On the audio side, the booklet is very interesting and focuses a lot on what Verlaine wanted to accomplish sonically in the studio. They used the only remaining studio with all tubed desk, no EQ and no compression. They hired the engineer for Led Zeppelin, and after they heard what he did with the drums (gave them his trademark Bonham cavernous thump) they politely told him that was not what they wanted. No reverb, no compression, they wanted to record like jazz musicians live in the studio. After that, the producer left them to work with his assistant.

So anyway, it's a sort of "purist" recording (only a few overdubs), and as such, sounds a little different from most rock records. Very stark and direct, which really suits the material. Good stuff!

if you've been on the fence about this, give it a shot!

Mark

 

[XXhalberstramXX]

an amazing album, i'll probably buy the remaster at some point in time, along with the "Adventure" remaster.

I personally think "Adventure" is just as great of an album as "Marquee Moon". it has a more tired feel to it, as if the musicians are just as accomplished and talented as ever, but just exhausted with what they had been doing in Marquee Moon. Adventure is fantastic, however, with a set of songs to rival the earlier album. the sound is perhaps a bit worse, however.

 

[elrod-tom]

My brother is really into these guys...I'm going to have to bug him to loan me the CD so that I can judge for myself. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[VicAjax]

oh wow! thanks for the tip, markl.

i consider this to be a near perfect album. it's like riding in the passenger seat with an expert driver at the wheel, cruising along a tightly twisting mountain road. you can never tell which direction you're about to go in, but you have ultimate confidence in the driver as you loop around one unexpected hairpin turn after another.

does that make sense to anyone besides me?