TAPETE RECORDS - Forced Exposure

$17.50 IN STOCK

The author Max Goldt is well known to the general public. Not so the musician Max Goldt, who came across the guitarist and songwriter Gerd Pasemann through a classified ad in 1978. Their joint collaboration in the 1980s resulted in the musically contrasting project Foyer des Arts: "Melancholic, sometimes resigned tracks alternated as a matter of course with comic and surreal ones," wrote Max Goldt in the booklet to his CD box set Draußen die herrliche Sonne. In 1986, after a two-year delay, Foyer des Arts released their sophomore album Die Unfähigkeit zu Frühstücken. BBC Radio DJ John Peel liked Foyer des Arts so much that he not only played all the songs from the album Die Unfähigkeit zu Frühstücken several times on his show. Gerd Pasemann and Max Goldt were ultimately invited to record a (John) Peel Session, a rare and distinguished honor for a German-speaking band. The Berlin duo made their way to London in October 1986, where they were joined by three members of The Higsons, an energetic combo with plenty of experience as session musicians. Indeed, they only needed one rehearsal to learn the four songs that Foyer des Arts brought with them, two from the aforementioned album and two brand new tunes: "Könnten Bienen Fliegen" and "Frauen In Frieden Und Freiheit". Recording took place the following afternoon in the legendary Maida Vale Studio 4, the regular home for the Peel Sessions. "The musicians were excellent and the atmosphere was really relaxed," Max Goldt recalls, "and afterwards we met John Peel in his favorite pub, The Vine Bar." In the year 2000 Goldt asked the BBC what had happened to the session tapes, only to learn that they had probably been wiped. This was not a huge surprise, as the BBC archives were notoriously unreliable. Entire Dusty Springfield shows disappeared, apparently deleted. Twenty years later, the Cologne-based sound engineer Tom Morgenstern, with the help of a colleague from the BBC, managed to unearth the lost tapes. And here they are, 35 years on, as fresh as the day they were made.

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Tapete Records present a reissue of Andreas Dorau's Ich bin der Eine von uns Beiden, originally released in 2005 on Mute. Includes such classics as "Kein Liebeslied", "40 Frauen", and "Im September". "Ihr brüllt von Liebe in engen Gewändern / Doch einer wie ich will die Welt noch verändern", sings Andreas Dorau on "Kein Liebeslied", written with Sven Regener. Love was not his chosen subject, he wanted to sing of other things -- wild boar ("Schwarze Furchen"), processions ("40 Frauen"), and the back house where the people come out the front ("Hinterhaus"). It was ever so. The maestro spent eight long years working on his so-called "wild boar record", a disc which featured Wolfgang Müller, Justus Köhncke, Carsten "Erobique" Meyer, and Paul Kominek, along with Andreas and Dorau. The concept of the album revolved around the separation of these last two participants. An interesting idea on paper --tender songs written by Andreas the artist, heavy bass drummed out by Dorau the party animal. "IbdEvuB" was conceived as an extraordinary album of severance. Fine on paper, yes, but in practice? ... Well, it took eight years, didn't it? Eight years of nerve-shredding fiddling around, but ultimately well worth the effort. House, soft rock, disco, glam pop, blended into a dazzling whole of Andreas and Dorau. Some of it recorded and produced in the garage, the rest in the legendary Can Studio in Weilerswist. Did Andreas and Dorau change the world with Ich bin der Eine von uns Beiden? Probably not, but they did manage to create a magnificent, timeless, electronic pop album which merits rediscovery. That's something! Remastered.

$26.00 IN STOCK

LP version. Tapete Records present a reissue of Andreas Dorau's Ich bin der Eine von uns Beiden, originally released in 2005 on Mute. Includes such classics as "Kein Liebeslied", "40 Frauen", and "Im September". "Ihr brüllt von Liebe in engen Gewändern / Doch einer wie ich will die Welt noch verändern", sings Andreas Dorau on "Kein Liebeslied", written with Sven Regener. Love was not his chosen subject, he wanted to sing of other things -- wild boar ("Schwarze Furchen"), processions ("40 Frauen"), and the back house where the people come out the front ("Hinterhaus"). It was ever so. The maestro spent eight long years working on his so-called "wild boar record", a disc which featured Wolfgang Müller, Justus Köhncke, Carsten "Erobique" Meyer, and Paul Kominek, along with Andreas and Dorau. The concept of the album revolved around the separation of these last two participants. An interesting idea on paper --tender songs written by Andreas the artist, heavy bass drummed out by Dorau the party animal. "IbdEvuB" was conceived as an extraordinary album of severance. Fine on paper, yes, but in practice? ... Well, it took eight years, didn't it? Eight years of nerve-shredding fiddling around, but ultimately well worth the effort. House, soft rock, disco, glam pop, blended into a dazzling whole of Andreas and Dorau. Some of it recorded and produced in the garage, the rest in the legendary Can Studio in Weilerswist. Did Andreas and Dorau change the world with Ich bin der Eine von uns Beiden? Probably not, but they did manage to create a magnificent, timeless, electronic pop album which merits rediscovery. That's something! Remastered.

$16.50 IN STOCK

Following on from his 2018 album Sincerely, S. Love x (TR 406CD/LP), Tapete Records present Simon Love's new record Love, Sex And Death Etc. The 12 songs, written between 2017 and 2019 mostly, were recorded in two batches in July and November 2020 after being rehearsed for six months with the initial plan of recording them as live as possible all together in one room. Simon says, "Apart from COVID-19 and all the death and hand-washing, it was surprisingly the easiest album I think I've ever made! We were laser focused when it came to do these songs and it shows." Swinging from love songs ("Me And You" and "I Will Always Love You Anyway") to hate songs ("The Fuck-Up" and "I Love Everybody In The Whole Wide World (Except You)") through all points in-between, the centerpiece of the album is the nigh on seven-minute long pop epic "L-O-T-H-A-R-I-O". "That song started early one morning when a photo popped up on Facebook. I couldn't sleep and seeing it reminded me that it was taken the evening I almost had a one-night stand. I then wrote out a series of tweets about what happened (a lot happened) and originally, I thought it could be a poem to put on an album sleeve Bob Dylan style, but somebody replied saying, 'It sounds like a Leonard Cohen song' so instead it became a tune. I played it solo for the first time when we toured Europe in the autumn of 2018. It gave the band a much-needed toilet/drink/fag break in the set." The non-musical influences for this record include his wife, his son ("Au Revoir My Dude" written as a guide to life of sorts), the venal Conservative government ("I Will Dance" and "You're On Your Own"), ex-girlfriends ("North Road") and his inability to pick up on signals ("Yvonne") whereas musically Simon was aiming for (but not always hitting directly) Nick Lowe, Kevin Ayers, Silver Jews, Ween, and all the Kinks between 1971 and 1975. The title Love, Sex And Death Etc comes from the fact that every song mentions or references love, sex and/or death in the lyrics. That fact makes this a concept album but even though it's a concept album, there's no through line no direct narrative, so you can listen to it however you want.

$26.00 IN STOCK

LP version. Following on from his 2018 album Sincerely, S. Love x (TR 406CD/LP), Tapete Records present Simon Love's new record Love, Sex And Death Etc. The 12 songs, written between 2017 and 2019 mostly, were recorded in two batches in July and November 2020 after being rehearsed for six months with the initial plan of recording them as live as possible all together in one room. Simon says, "Apart from COVID-19 and all the death and hand-washing, it was surprisingly the easiest album I think I've ever made! We were laser focused when it came to do these songs and it shows." Swinging from love songs ("Me And You" and "I Will Always Love You Anyway") to hate songs ("The Fuck-Up" and "I Love Everybody In The Whole Wide World (Except You)") through all points in-between, the centerpiece of the album is the nigh on seven-minute long pop epic "L-O-T-H-A-R-I-O". "That song started early one morning when a photo popped up on Facebook. I couldn't sleep and seeing it reminded me that it was taken the evening I almost had a one-night stand. I then wrote out a series of tweets about what happened (a lot happened) and originally, I thought it could be a poem to put on an album sleeve Bob Dylan style, but somebody replied saying, 'It sounds like a Leonard Cohen song' so instead it became a tune. I played it solo for the first time when we toured Europe in the autumn of 2018. It gave the band a much-needed toilet/drink/fag break in the set." The non-musical influences for this record include his wife, his son ("Au Revoir My Dude" written as a guide to life of sorts), the venal Conservative government ("I Will Dance" and "You're On Your Own"), ex-girlfriends ("North Road") and his inability to pick up on signals ("Yvonne") whereas musically Simon was aiming for (but not always hitting directly) Nick Lowe, Kevin Ayers, Silver Jews, Ween, and all the Kinks between 1971 and 1975. The title Love, Sex And Death Etc comes from the fact that every song mentions or references love, sex and/or death in the lyrics. That fact makes this a concept album but even though it's a concept album, there's no through line no direct narrative, so you can listen to it however you want.

$16.50 IN STOCK

Bart Davenport might be a multitude of things, depending on whom you ask. He's been a mod, a blues singer, and a soft rock troubadour. He's an eclectic singer songwriter with the timeless voice of a real crooner. He lives and creates music in Los Angeles. Smooth and yet curiously pointed, his work transports you to an imagined past or present filled with romantic odes and enigmatic characters. Davenport's stories are often a reflection of now, taking place in a fantasy world but conveying personal and universal truths. Returning to acoustic guitars and '60s baroque pop tones, Davenport recently tracked twelve new songs in his home studio in Los Angeles. He takes us on an exclusive tour of colorful stories, both comic and tragic. The resulting Episodes marks his eighth proper album and is scheduled for release on Tapete Records. Davenport's evocative, new material provides both an escape from and an unusual commentary on turbulent times. From digital antagonists in "Holograms" to waltzing oligarchs in "Billionaires" to an enigmatic nudist in "Naked Man", many offbeat characters populate the funny little world within Davenport's verses. His vocals are distinctively smooth at times, while at others, a slightly cheeky, more dramatic baritone takes over. His patented happy/sad sensibility remains along with the occasional jazz chord. While Episodes features Davenport on multiple instruments, he did not go it alone. Several guest musicians were crucial to the production. Drummer Graeme Gibson's casual feel graces several tracks, notably the Kinksy "It's You". The samba-tinged "Easy Listeners" has that tropical flavor Davenport's been known to dabble in, this time aided by impeccable percussionist Andres Renteria (Jose Gonzales, Rodrigo Amarante). Meanwhile, the Turkish psych-inspired "Strange Animal" showcases futuristic organ riffing by Aaron M. Olson (L.A. Takedown), who produced Davenport's previous album (Blue Motel by Bart & The Bedazzled). Other longtime bandmates, Jessica Espeleta (bass) and Wayne Faler (lead guitar), both make appearances. Perhaps the standout track of the album is its quietest; the Brit-folk-styled "Alice Arrives". Davenport's autumnal vocal and guitar are adeptly accompanied by Dina Maccabee's original string arrangement, which morphs from earnest baroque to playful modern and back again. This along with the heavier, orchestral sound of "Billionaires" adds a touch of hi-fi to an otherwise homemade album.

$26.00 IN STOCK

LP version. Bart Davenport might be a multitude of things, depending on whom you ask. He's been a mod, a blues singer, and a soft rock troubadour. He's an eclectic singer songwriter with the timeless voice of a real crooner. He lives and creates music in Los Angeles. Smooth and yet curiously pointed, his work transports you to an imagined past or present filled with romantic odes and enigmatic characters. Davenport's stories are often a reflection of now, taking place in a fantasy world but conveying personal and universal truths. Returning to acoustic guitars and '60s baroque pop tones, Davenport recently tracked twelve new songs in his home studio in Los Angeles. He takes us on an exclusive tour of colorful stories, both comic and tragic. The resulting Episodes marks his eighth proper album and is scheduled for release on Tapete Records. Davenport's evocative, new material provides both an escape from and an unusual commentary on turbulent times. From digital antagonists in "Holograms" to waltzing oligarchs in "Billionaires" to an enigmatic nudist in "Naked Man", many offbeat characters populate the funny little world within Davenport's verses. His vocals are distinctively smooth at times, while at others, a slightly cheeky, more dramatic baritone takes over. His patented happy/sad sensibility remains along with the occasional jazz chord. While Episodes features Davenport on multiple instruments, he did not go it alone. Several guest musicians were crucial to the production. Drummer Graeme Gibson's casual feel graces several tracks, notably the Kinksy "It's You". The samba-tinged "Easy Listeners" has that tropical flavor Davenport's been known to dabble in, this time aided by impeccable percussionist Andres Renteria (Jose Gonzales, Rodrigo Amarante). Meanwhile, the Turkish psych-inspired "Strange Animal" showcases futuristic organ riffing by Aaron M. Olson (L.A. Takedown), who produced Davenport's previous album (Blue Motel by Bart & The Bedazzled). Other longtime bandmates, Jessica Espeleta (bass) and Wayne Faler (lead guitar), both make appearances. Perhaps the standout track of the album is its quietest; the Brit-folk-styled "Alice Arrives". Davenport's autumnal vocal and guitar are adeptly accompanied by Dina Maccabee's original string arrangement, which morphs from earnest baroque to playful modern and back again. This along with the heavier, orchestral sound of "Billionaires" adds a touch of hi-fi to an otherwise homemade album.

$26.00 IN STOCK

LP version. JAGUWAR announce their second album -- GOLD -- playful noise meets empowering future pop. Berlin and Dresden trio JAGUWAR played their way into the hearts of noise romantics with the sprawling sonic landscapes which characterized the trio's 2018 debut album Ringthing. Oyèmi, Lemmy and Chris subsequently embarked on a phase of intense touring before returning to the studio to create their sophomore album GOLD. GOLD is a supercharged blast of future pop, transcending borders and defying pigeonholes, an album arising from the band's predisposition to experiment. GOLD is not only danceable, poppy and endearingly intricate, it also flies in the face of the status quo, ask questions of the current state of affairs and the oppressive mechanisms in our society. GOLD is no blunt denunciation, however, but a soundtrack to accompany the realization that there is strength in individuality, thereby unlocking a new level of productiveness. Diverting melodies coalesce with a familiarly vociferous wall of sound to create an atmosphere which galvanizes the band's pursuit of freedom. Thanks to a seemingly limitless arsenal of effect devices and a sizeable stack of amplifiers, JAGUWAR create a wealth of elegant soundscapes. Shimmering tonal fragments infiltrate layer upon layer of aural strata, leading into catchy indie pop hooks which prelude an epic storm of thunderous guitars. Oyèmi and Lemmy alternating vocals are the missing links in a world of stark contrasts. The band's gaze is clearly fixed on the future. GOLD is more than a symbiosis of intricate playfulness and the empowering strength of innermost desires. GOLD is a call for justice.

$26.00 IN STOCK

LP version. Compilation with all singles, sampler contributions and rarities of the Limburg post-punk/neue welle/electro/leftfield pioneers The Wirtschaftswunder. Including the songs from the first EP Allein released in 1980 on Warning/Ata Tak and the songs from the uber-single Television/Kommissar (ZickZack, 1980). Essential compilation of one of the most important German bands of the '80s. "Anruf Schallplattenfirma" (Record company phone call): A little bit of fun. The first recording ... before Angelo. On the first demo tape, 1979. 1980: A year on the road as The Wirtschaftswunder for Tom, Jürgen and Mark... They still need a frontman. Mark finds Angelo in Zoom, a popular punk/new wave discotheque. It's the place to be, attracting punters from everywhere, the entire Rhine Main region. Hippies are the dominant force in Frankfurt at this time. Angelo auditions at one of our rehearsals. Tom and Mark had shared singing duties until then but without any great conviction. Angelo's bizarre, charming vocals are just what the group need. The band is complete. "Ratinger Hof": On stage at Ratinger Hof, Dusseldorf, three months later. With Fehlfarben and Östro 430. The stuff of legends. Clubs and labels from all over Germany have us in their sights. "Ata Tak": The height of summer. One Sunday, Frank Fenstermacher and Moritz R, Ata Tak label impresarios and members of Der Plan, arrive in Limburg. Their sports aeroplane touches down at the airfield in Elz. The Wirtschaftswunder sign their first record deal and deliver one EP: "Allein", "So ist es", "Politsong (don't listen)" and "Metall". "Der Kommissar and Television": We switch to ZickZack, a Hamburg label. Der Kommissar track is an adaption of the theme tune to a 1960s TV police drama series of the same name. Interrogation scenes are spliced together on a tape recorder. Sampling before there was such a thing. Angelo voices the murderer. The confession. "She was only a hippie girl." B-side: "Television". "Ich stehʼ auf Hagen" (I'm into Hagen): A gig at Neue Heimat in Hagen. At breakfast the following morning at the promoter's shared apartment, Wolfgang Luthe hands the group a cassette of his totally distorted screeching vocals. "Can you do anything with this?" Time for the cassette recorder again. Everyday noises and recordings in the finest musique concrete tradition. "Träum Was Schönes" (sweet dreams): Final track. Exit stage left. How we ended every concert. Auf Wiedersehen.

$16.50 IN STOCK

JAGUWAR announce their second album -- GOLD -- playful noise meets empowering future pop. Berlin and Dresden trio JAGUWAR played their way into the hearts of noise romantics with the sprawling sonic landscapes which characterized the trio's 2018 debut album Ringthing. Oyèmi, Lemmy and Chris subsequently embarked on a phase of intense touring before returning to the studio to create their sophomore album GOLD. GOLD is a supercharged blast of future pop, transcending borders and defying pigeonholes, an album arising from the band's predisposition to experiment. GOLD is not only danceable, poppy and endearingly intricate, it also flies in the face of the status quo, ask questions of the current state of affairs and the oppressive mechanisms in our society. GOLD is no blunt denunciation, however, but a soundtrack to accompany the realization that there is strength in individuality, thereby unlocking a new level of productiveness. Diverting melodies coalesce with a familiarly vociferous wall of sound to create an atmosphere which galvanizes the band's pursuit of freedom. Thanks to a seemingly limitless arsenal of effect devices and a sizeable stack of amplifiers, JAGUWAR create a wealth of elegant soundscapes. Shimmering tonal fragments infiltrate layer upon layer of aural strata, leading into catchy indie pop hooks which prelude an epic storm of thunderous guitars. Oyèmi and Lemmy alternating vocals are the missing links in a world of stark contrasts. The band's gaze is clearly fixed on the future. GOLD is more than a symbiosis of intricate playfulness and the empowering strength of innermost desires. GOLD is a call for justice.

$16.50 IN STOCK

Reissue of this milestone in European post-punk history, originally released in 1980. Formed in Limburg in 1980, multinational band The Wirtschaftswunder consisted of Czech-born guitarist Tom Dokoupil, Canadian keyboardist Mark Pfurtscheller, German drummer Jürgen Beuth (Die Radierer) and Italian singer Angelo Galizia. The Wirtschaftswunder sounded and still sound like no other band: danceable yet disturbing pop that 40 years on is still modern.

"It was June 1980, a punk festival at an independent youth center, hidden away in a Munich backyard. Three days solid, nothing but hard-edged punk. Early on the Sunday afternoon, shortly after dumplings so to speak, a few characters in pale suits and hats appeared, looking like a cross between Madness and the East German politburo. Word got around that they came from out in the sticks, the countryside, and all they wanted to do was play. The Wirtschaftswunder had, in all seriousness, driven five hundred kilometers to Munich . . . Once there, they sliced their way through the audience with their sheer presence, exuding self-confidence that was neither innate nor divine, but the pay-off for a clear-cut concept . . . The Wirtschaftswunder were never interested in conventional concerts or specific sounds, they were constantly engaged with the presence of genuinely diverse characters. Take Angelo's confused aura of a gastarbeiter (migrant worker) -- which was absolutely authentic. He came from Sicily and somehow ended up in a metal goods factory in Limburg. When he sang: 'Ich bin ein Analphabet' ('I am analphabetic', I couldn't help hearing: 'I'm an alphabet'), he really meant it. There was somebody who struggled with this strange German techno world, who didn't know: 'what does it all mean?'. Tom arrived with his family from Czechoslovakia in 1968 and Mark landed in the German provinces all the way from Toronto. Together, they were a fulcrum for the 'theatrical process' as Tom called it, their artistic principle released in performance: Thunderer whistles, salutes, axe battles, taking angle grinders to metal, generally unsettling people. Tom's brother, the 'new wild' painter Jiri Georg Dokoupil, came up with much of the conceptual ammunition. None of which was the slightest bit hackneyed ? indeed, nothing like this had ever been seen before in a musical context . . . The interplay of characters becomes transparently clear on the first LP (1981). Not least in terms of the production, which is brilliant in its simplicity. Tom had a small 4-track studio in a cellar, but he performed wonders with it! Absolute state of the art; without compare, unless you were happy with throwing yourself into the jaws of the record industry. And this is why The Wirtschaftswunder are such a fantastically important band..." --Jürgen Teipel

$26.00 IN STOCK

LP version. Reissue of this milestone in European post-punk history, originally released in 1980. Formed in Limburg in 1980, multinational band The Wirtschaftswunder consisted of Czech-born guitarist Tom Dokoupil, Canadian keyboardist Mark Pfurtscheller, German drummer Jürgen Beuth (Die Radierer) and Italian singer Angelo Galizia. The Wirtschaftswunder sounded and still sound like no other band: danceable yet disturbing pop that 40 years on is still modern.

"It was June 1980, a punk festival at an independent youth center, hidden away in a Munich backyard. Three days solid, nothing but hard-edged punk. Early on the Sunday afternoon, shortly after dumplings so to speak, a few characters in pale suits and hats appeared, looking like a cross between Madness and the East German politburo. Word got around that they came from out in the sticks, the countryside, and all they wanted to do was play. The Wirtschaftswunder had, in all seriousness, driven five hundred kilometers to Munich . . . Once there, they sliced their way through the audience with their sheer presence, exuding self-confidence that was neither innate nor divine, but the pay-off for a clear-cut concept . . . The Wirtschaftswunder were never interested in conventional concerts or specific sounds, they were constantly engaged with the presence of genuinely diverse characters. Take Angelo's confused aura of a gastarbeiter (migrant worker) -- which was absolutely authentic. He came from Sicily and somehow ended up in a metal goods factory in Limburg. When he sang: 'Ich bin ein Analphabet' ('I am analphabetic', I couldn't help hearing: 'I'm an alphabet'), he really meant it. There was somebody who struggled with this strange German techno world, who didn't know: 'what does it all mean?'. Tom arrived with his family from Czechoslovakia in 1968 and Mark landed in the German provinces all the way from Toronto. Together, they were a fulcrum for the 'theatrical process' as Tom called it, their artistic principle released in performance: Thunderer whistles, salutes, axe battles, taking angle grinders to metal, generally unsettling people. Tom's brother, the 'new wild' painter Jiri Georg Dokoupil, came up with much of the conceptual ammunition. None of which was the slightest bit hackneyed ? indeed, nothing like this had ever been seen before in a musical context . . . The interplay of characters becomes transparently clear on the first LP (1981). Not least in terms of the production, which is brilliant in its simplicity. Tom had a small 4-track studio in a cellar, but he performed wonders with it! Absolute state of the art; without compare, unless you were happy with throwing yourself into the jaws of the record industry. And this is why The Wirtschaftswunder are such a fantastically important band..." --Jürgen Teipel

$26.00 LOW STOCK LEVEL

LP version. Carambolage never set out to be a "girl band" but they were one of the first German new wave bands whose members were all female. The punk alliance comprising Britta Neander, Elfie-Esther Steitz and Angie Olbrich emerged organically from the environs of Ton Steine Scherben, friends united by a common interest in musical experimentation.

The Bon Voyage recordings sound far more mature than the band's earlier music, whilst losing some of the playful insouciance that ran through the first two albums. Strains of ska and chanson complement the latter-day NDW (German new wave) flavored power pop. After four successful years of extensive touring, new perspectives presented themselves to Carambolage. Having outgrown the somewhat languid Scherben scene and label life at David Volksmund Produktion, the trio upped sticks and headed for Berlin, curious to see what the big city had to offer, namely a close-up view of the pop business. Manne Praeker, former Spliff bass player and Nina Hagen's producer, offered to produce their third record, anticipating a shot at success with a major label. Bon Voyage was recorded in 1984 in Praeker's Mad-Mix studio in Berlin with various guest musicians. Even the pop mag Bravo took note, featuring the punkish North Frisians in a home story. Alas, any aspirations of becoming stars quickly dissipated during the recording process as aesthetic differences came to the fore. In one corner, Britta and Angie were determined to follow the DIY principles of the two preceding albums. In the opposite corner, Manne Praeker and Elfie felt compelled to introduce a stronger element of professionalism and Praeker increasingly weighed into the creative process. "You might say our story practically came to an end with a collision, just to match our name," Britta Neander recalled in an interview with Tine Plesch. The girls have since renewed their friendship. Bon Voyage spent 34 years under lock and key before the Fuego label released a digital version in the year 2019.

$26.00 LOW STOCK LEVEL

Restocked on vinyl/; LP version, Carambolage never set out to be a "girl band" but they were one of the first German new wave bands whose members were all female. The punk alliance comprising Britta Neander, Elfie-Esther Steitz and Angie Olbrich emerged organically from the environs of Ton Steine Scherben, friends united by a common interest in musical experimentation. Britta's passion for the drums ignited in 1974 in Fresenhagen, North Frisia, where she played percussion for Ton Steine Scherben. R.P.S. Lanrue's little sister Elfie-Esther was an obvious candidate. Angie, a child from the streets who joined the commune in 1972, completed the line-up. Carambolage surfed on their very own "North Frisian Wave" -- an epithet dreamed up for their distinctive sound. Shortly before her death in 2004, Britta was interviewed by music journalist Tine Plesch and described how the "girls gang" gave them the freedom to experiment and come up with "these really funny, filthy lyrics". There is a childish, subversive charm to the songs, emboldened by the realization that "we could fool around as much as we wanted." Their sound was not the only aspect of the group which resulted from experimental tinkering. Keen to have their own space, away from a male-dominated environment, they used cardboard and carpets to build their own practice room inside an old grain silo.

With the first demo tapes in circulation, Burkhardt "Zensor" Seiler organized a gig for Carambolage in the hip Kreuzberg club SO36. At a time when anything that could be labelled "Neuen Deutschen Welle" (German New Wave) was stamped accordingly, the trio played by their own rules. The eponymous debut album Carambolage, produced by Rio Reiser and R.P.S. Lanrue in the summer of 1980 and released on the Scherben label David Volksmund Produktion, could not be constrained by NDW marketing concepts. Instead, the disc was defined by its "colossal, inventive sound" which fed on Elfie's curiously autodidactic "Fantasiegriffen" guitar style and her "Fresenhagen sparrow" voice, counter-balanced by Angie's organ and inimitable basslines and energized by Britta's relentless drumming. Backed by quirky organ and ragged drums, Elfie spits her lyrics with emphatic simplicity. Once her words are in your head, they stay there. Tracks like "Die Farbe war Mord" hint at a sense of feminist awareness. Carambolage may not have coined the phrase, but "lipstick feminism" became a thing, consciously playing with feminine clichés and hammering them home in performative fashion, rather than boxing them off. Towards the end of the record, vocals and sound are transcended in the monotone shimmer of "22 rue Chenoise".

$16.50 IN STOCK

After 29 years with British indie/garage/beat/punk/psych-pop collective Comet Gain, singer/mastermind and main fireraiser David Christian thought, "Why not do a solo album?" After all, some of his favorite records are also solo records by people from bands; John Cale, Gene Clark, Julian Cope, Stephen Duffy, Mike Nesmith, Curtis Mayfield, Neil Young... under the sun of his new home in the South of France, exchanged for Brexit London, a timeless folk rock album was created with the kind help of numerous friends on numerous instruments. The verve and snottiness of the Comet Gain sound can also be found here, but For Those We Met On The Way sounds more dandy, somehow more southern French. If you like listening to Robespierre's Velvet Basement by the Jacobites and the electric songs of Bob Dylan's Bringing it All Back Home and Comet Gain... then For Those We Met On The Way is perfect for you.

Fleeing screaming from the group gulag after 29 years of maintaining sweet failure at all costs with his group Comet Gain songwriter and singer and oldest bastard in the gang David Christian (sometimes known as Feck) escaped to the French woods by the ocean when Boris and his rabid disgusting crew weren't looking. The LP was made in the middle of the French countryside in a barn/farm owned by Mike and Allison Targett of Heist fame where along with old comrade and wonderful drummer Cosmic Neman (Zombie/Zombie, Herman Dune) they cut the record while cows grazed with Mike producing and both Targetts adding vocals, pianos etc. Then later, the group of friends known as The Pinecone Orchestra; James Horsey and Alasdair MacLean (The Clientele), Ben Phillipson (18th Day Of May, Trimdon Grange Explosion, Comet Gain), Gerry Love (Teenage Fan Club, Lightships), Anne-Laure Guillain (Comet Gain, Cinema Red And Blue) and Joe-Harvey Whyte (Hanging Stars) colored everything in with guitars, vocals, bass, pedal steel etc. Part of the weird process of looking back or trying to diary a life full of holes is that it's best managed through friends, places, records. But mainly the people you knew -- good or bad -- those fleeting best friends forevers whose faces you now struggle to recall, the crushes that crushed you until you wonder "well i wonder how their life turned out." Acoustic guitars, pianos, pedal steels, harmonies, wonderful drumming... There are alcoholic skinheads, forest hermits, Californian dudes, Holloway sweethearts, bruised mods in the upstairs room, strange boys being hit by a car, painters who can't paint no more, friends and ghosts and lovers and losers.

$16.50 LOW STOCK LEVEL

It's not often that an artist gets to do a Bowie by consciously carving their personal epitaph into the grooves of their final LP. The Highest In The Land is that rarity of an album, and it could not have been made by a more brilliantly poetic and fearlessly sarcastic writer than Pat Fish, also known as The Jazz Butcher. There are many existentially charged moments on a record whose songs were written throughout the last seven years of Fish's life before his untimely passing in October 2021, aged only 63. Founded in Oxford in 1982 by Pat Fish and prodigious guitarist Max Eider, the band that would become synonymous with its leader embodied an anti-rockist, semi-ironically jazz-conscious indie aesthetic before the word had even been invented. In a world of po-faced poseurs this "Southern Mark Smith" proved that it was possible to be both smart and funny, erudite and unpretentious, the latter sadly to the detriment of his fame. But, as so often the case, his underratedness only seemed to fuel his sharpness as a writer throughout his later years. It was not for want of material that he allowed a nine-year-gap to open after the penultimate Jazz Butcher album Last of the Gentlemen Adventurers appeared in 2012. Between moving personal songs like "Never Give Up" or "Goodbye Sweetheart" and more opaque ones such as the title track (the mysterious "Black Raoul", by the way, is Pat and Dhiren's cat), much of this album is imbued with righteous ire at the isolationist path taken by the UK in recent times. "Running On Fumes" and "Sebastian's Medication" may be the sharpest analyses of the state of Brexit Britain yet committed to song. Meanwhile, the former stands as an angry state-of-the-nation address, drawing parallels to the Weimar Republic by evoking Hermann Hesse and Mackie Messer, musically cloaked in a Dylan reference suggesting there is indeed blood on the tracks. By contrast, "Sea Madness" tells the heart-warming tale of an immigrant in tribute to Turkish George, a legendary presence on the Northampton music scene. It is not without irony that a career that began in witty defiance of the Thatcher years should end under the shadow of the Johnson era. Certainly, The Highest In The Land sounds as relevant to today as A Scandal In Bohemia did to 1984. Likewise, in musical terms, it feels like the closing of a circle, based around live recordings by a core band of Fish, Dave Morgan on drums and Tim Harries on bass, augmented by an array of musicians including founder member Max Eider.

$16.50 IN STOCK

Carambolage never set out to be a "girl band" but they were one of the first German new wave bands whose members were all female. The punk alliance comprising Britta Neander, Elfie-Esther Steitz and Angie Olbrich emerged organically from the environs of Ton Steine Scherben, friends united by a common interest in musical experimentation. Britta's passion for the drums ignited in 1974 in Fresenhagen, North Frisia, where she played percussion for Ton Steine Scherben. R.P.S. Lanrue's little sister Elfie-Esther was an obvious candidate. Angie, a child from the streets who joined the commune in 1972, completed the line-up. Carambolage surfed on their very own "North Frisian Wave" -- an epithet dreamed up for their distinctive sound. Shortly before her death in 2004, Britta was interviewed by music journalist Tine Plesch and described how the "girls gang" gave them the freedom to experiment and come up with "these really funny, filthy lyrics". There is a childish, subversive charm to the songs, emboldened by the realization that "we could fool around as much as we wanted." Their sound was not the only aspect of the group which resulted from experimental tinkering. Keen to have their own space, away from a male-dominated environment, they used cardboard and carpets to build their own practice room inside an old grain silo.

With the first demo tapes in circulation, Burkhardt "Zensor" Seiler organized a gig for Carambolage in the hip Kreuzberg club SO36. At a time when anything that could be labelled "Neuen Deutschen Welle" (German New Wave) was stamped accordingly, the trio played by their own rules. The eponymous debut album Carambolage, produced by Rio Reiser and R.P.S. Lanrue in the summer of 1980 and released on the Scherben label David Volksmund Produktion, could not be constrained by NDW marketing concepts. Instead, the disc was defined by its "colossal, inventive sound" which fed on Elfie's curiously autodidactic "Fantasiegriffen" guitar style and her "Fresenhagen sparrow" voice, counter-balanced by Angie's organ and inimitable basslines and energized by Britta's relentless drumming. Backed by quirky organ and ragged drums, Elfie spits her lyrics with emphatic simplicity. Once her words are in your head, they stay there. Tracks like "Die Farbe war Mord" hint at a sense of feminist awareness. Carambolage may not have coined the phrase, but "lipstick feminism" became a thing, consciously playing with feminine clichés and hammering them home in performative fashion, rather than boxing them off. Towards the end of the record, vocals and sound are transcended in the monotone shimmer of "22 rue Chenoise".

$26.00 IN STOCK

LP version. It's not often that an artist gets to do a Bowie by consciously carving their personal epitaph into the grooves of their final LP. The Highest In The Land is that rarity of an album, and it could not have been made by a more brilliantly poetic and fearlessly sarcastic writer than Pat Fish, also known as The Jazz Butcher. There are many existentially charged moments on a record whose songs were written throughout the last seven years of Fish's life before his untimely passing in October 2021, aged only 63. Founded in Oxford in 1982 by Pat Fish and prodigious guitarist Max Eider, the band that would become synonymous with its leader embodied an anti-rockist, semi-ironically jazz-conscious indie aesthetic before the word had even been invented. In a world of po-faced poseurs this "Southern Mark Smith" proved that it was possible to be both smart and funny, erudite and unpretentious, the latter sadly to the detriment of his fame. But, as so often the case, his underratedness only seemed to fuel his sharpness as a writer throughout his later years. It was not for want of material that he allowed a nine-year-gap to open after the penultimate Jazz Butcher album Last of the Gentlemen Adventurers appeared in 2012. Between moving personal songs like "Never Give Up" or "Goodbye Sweetheart" and more opaque ones such as the title track (the mysterious "Black Raoul", by the way, is Pat and Dhiren's cat), much of this album is imbued with righteous ire at the isolationist path taken by the UK in recent times. "Running On Fumes" and "Sebastian's Medication" may be the sharpest analyses of the state of Brexit Britain yet committed to song. Meanwhile, the former stands as an angry state-of-the-nation address, drawing parallels to the Weimar Republic by evoking Hermann Hesse and Mackie Messer, musically cloaked in a Dylan reference suggesting there is indeed blood on the tracks. By contrast, "Sea Madness" tells the heart-warming tale of an immigrant in tribute to Turkish George, a legendary presence on the Northampton music scene. It is not without irony that a career that began in witty defiance of the Thatcher years should end under the shadow of the Johnson era. Certainly, The Highest In The Land sounds as relevant to today as A Scandal In Bohemia did to 1984. Likewise, in musical terms, it feels like the closing of a circle, based around live recordings by a core band of Fish, Dave Morgan on drums and Tim Harries on bass, augmented by an array of musicians including founder member Max Eider.

$16.50 IN STOCK

Having amassed a formidable catalogue of releases on a number of key labels over five decades, including Rough Trade, Dindisc, and Cherry Red, The Monochrome Set release their new studio album on Tapete Records -- the bands home for the last eight years and five albums. The indie pop veterans have been hard to pin down over this time. Their instantly recognizable sound and darkly hilarious lyrics have always set them apart. Bid's cerebral Brit wit spikiness and debonair tones melded to infectious melodies and deft songcraft of a cinematic and literary quality has been quietly influential over a diverse set of artists since their inception and throughout different stages of their career so they can count the likes of Graham Coxon, Iggy Pop, Alex Kapranos, Neil Hannon, Johnny Marr, and Jarvis Cocker as fans. Bid is joined in The Monochrome Set by fellow original Andy Warren on bass, Mike Urban on drums and newest recruit Athen Ayren on keyboards. For the album recording Alice Healey provides backing vocals with Karen Yarnell on percussion and Jon Clayton, additional instrumentation. The album was recorded at One Cat Studio in London, engineered by Jon Clayton and produced by Jon Clayton and Bid.

"After an aeon spent in infinitely old cities of the body and mind, a magical creature glides back into its bedroom. It has been changed forever -- what once was human is now a higher being, an unnatural force, the new perfect. It can still feel the exulting gaze of The Eye upon its back -- thousands of years of brooding, planning, in deep, dark, secret places, waiting for the stars to align, the ideal body to infuse. The air around it spits ferociously; the whines of the weak still sing in its ears, like the pathetic squeaks of old curtains as they are closed forever. It stands before the full length mirror, its reflection now clouded with dust. A lifetime of waiting; my poor mirror, here I am, I will clean you! It picks up a cloth and wipes across the glass triumphantly! Strange. It looks the same as before it left, all that time ago. A naked old man... and from a hidden door comes the strains of The Monochrome Set's 16th and latest album, Allhallowtide, with its elegantly crafted pop songs, ornate melodies, sumptuous lyrics, all performed superbly by a rare and legendary band."

$16.50 IN STOCK

Carambolage never set out to be a "girl band" but they were one of the first German new wave bands whose members were all female. The punk alliance comprising Britta Neander, Elfie-Esther Steitz and Angie Olbrich emerged organically from the environs of Ton Steine Scherben, friends united by a common interest in musical experimentation. Britta's passion for the drums ignited in 1974 in Fresenhagen, North Frisia, where she played percussion for Ton Steine Scherben. R.P.S. Lanrue's little sister Elfie-Esther was an obvious candidate. Angie, a child from the streets who joined the commune in 1972, completed the line-up. Carambolage surfed on their very own "North Frisian Wave" -- an epithet dreamed up for their distinctive sound. Shortly before her death in 2004, Britta was interviewed by music journalist Tine Plesch and described how the "girls gang" gave them the freedom to experiment and come up with "these really funny, filthy lyrics". There is a childish, subversive charm to the songs, emboldened by the realization that "we could fool around as much as we wanted." Their sound was not the only aspect of the group which resulted from experimental tinkering. Keen to have their own space, away from a male-dominated environment, they used cardboard and carpets to build their own practice room inside an old grain silo.

On their sophomore album Eilzustellung-Exprès (express delivery), Carambolage's ranks were bolstered by the arrival of Janett Lemmen, who had deputized for the pregnant Angie on a recent tour. The record was produced in Fresenhagen by R.P.S. Lanrue and released on the Scherben label David Volksmund Produktion. Like a whirlwind girl gang on the road, the album revs up with dynamic guitar riffs, indulging their "turned on to the max" sexual desires, before the mood shifts to the deeper realms of life on the Eilzustellung-Exprès: melancholy musings on dismaying love affairs, a song about contradictory feelings experienced in childbirth, culminating in a declaration of love for Angie's new daughter Lisa. The baby was always on board when Carambolage went on tour. The idea of her father Kai Sichtermann (Scherben bass player) taking her on tour would have been too much even for the left-leaning alternative Ton Steine Scherben. Making a mockery of male privilege, Carambolage delivered an album orbiting punk and pop in a classic line-up: Britta on drums, Elfie's snotty vocals and effects-drenched guitar and keyboards, Angie on bass. The trio is augmented by Janett's screeching saxophone on the instrumental track "Maschine" and a squeaky baby sample (Lisa?).

$26.00 IN STOCK

Repressed; LP version. Carambolage never set out to be a "girl band" but they were one of the first German new wave bands whose members were all female. The punk alliance comprising Britta Neander, Elfie-Esther Steitz and Angie Olbrich emerged organically from the environs of Ton Steine Scherben, friends united by a common interest in musical experimentation. Britta's passion for the drums ignited in 1974 in Fresenhagen, North Frisia, where she played percussion for Ton Steine Scherben. R.P.S. Lanrue's little sister Elfie-Esther was an obvious candidate. Angie, a child from the streets who joined the commune in 1972, completed the line-up. Carambolage surfed on their very own "North Frisian Wave" -- an epithet dreamed up for their distinctive sound. Shortly before her death in 2004, Britta was interviewed by music journalist Tine Plesch and described how the "girls gang" gave them the freedom to experiment and come up with "these really funny, filthy lyrics". There is a childish, subversive charm to the songs, emboldened by the realization that "we could fool around as much as we wanted." Their sound was not the only aspect of the group which resulted from experimental tinkering. Keen to have their own space, away from a male-dominated environment, they used cardboard and carpets to build their own practice room inside an old grain silo.

On their sophomore album Eilzustellung-Exprès (express delivery), Carambolage's ranks were bolstered by the arrival of Janett Lemmen, who had deputized for the pregnant Angie on a recent tour. The record was produced in Fresenhagen by R.P.S. Lanrue and released on the Scherben label David Volksmund Produktion. Like a whirlwind girl gang on the road, the album revs up with dynamic guitar riffs, indulging their "turned on to the max" sexual desires, before the mood shifts to the deeper realms of life on the Eilzustellung-Exprès: melancholy musings on dismaying love affairs, a song about contradictory feelings experienced in childbirth, culminating in a declaration of love for Angie's new daughter Lisa. The baby was always on board when Carambolage went on tour. The idea of her father Kai Sichtermann (Scherben bass player) taking her on tour would have been too much even for the left-leaning alternative Ton Steine Scherben. Making a mockery of male privilege, Carambolage delivered an album orbiting punk and pop in a classic line-up: Britta on drums, Elfie's snotty vocals and effects-drenched guitar and keyboards, Angie on bass. The trio is augmented by Janett's screeching saxophone on the instrumental track "Maschine" and a squeaky baby sample (Lisa?).

$26.00 IN STOCK

LP version. Having amassed a formidable catalogue of releases on a number of key labels over five decades, including Rough Trade, Dindisc, and Cherry Red, The Monochrome Set release their new studio album on Tapete Records -- the bands home for the last eight years and five albums. The indie pop veterans have been hard to pin down over this time. Their instantly recognizable sound and darkly hilarious lyrics have always set them apart. Bid's cerebral Brit wit spikiness and debonair tones melded to infectious melodies and deft songcraft of a cinematic and literary quality has been quietly influential over a diverse set of artists since their inception and throughout different stages of their career so they can count the likes of Graham Coxon, Iggy Pop, Alex Kapranos, Neil Hannon, Johnny Marr, and Jarvis Cocker as fans. Bid is joined in The Monochrome Set by fellow original Andy Warren on bass, Mike Urban on drums and newest recruit Athen Ayren on keyboards. For the album recording Alice Healey provides backing vocals with Karen Yarnell on percussion and Jon Clayton, additional instrumentation. The album was recorded at One Cat Studio in London, engineered by Jon Clayton and produced by Jon Clayton and Bid.

"After an aeon spent in infinitely old cities of the body and mind, a magical creature glides back into its bedroom. It has been changed forever -- what once was human is now a higher being, an unnatural force, the new perfect. It can still feel the exulting gaze of The Eye upon its back -- thousands of years of brooding, planning, in deep, dark, secret places, waiting for the stars to align, the ideal body to infuse. The air around it spits ferociously; the whines of the weak still sing in its ears, like the pathetic squeaks of old curtains as they are closed forever. It stands before the full length mirror, its reflection now clouded with dust. A lifetime of waiting; my poor mirror, here I am, I will clean you! It picks up a cloth and wipes across the glass triumphantly! Strange. It looks the same as before it left, all that time ago. A naked old man... and from a hidden door comes the strains of The Monochrome Set's 16th and latest album, Allhallowtide, with its elegantly crafted pop songs, ornate melodies, sumptuous lyrics, all performed superbly by a rare and legendary band."

$16.50 IN STOCK

Carambolage never set out to be a "girl band" but they were one of the first German new wave bands whose members were all female. The punk alliance comprising Britta Neander, Elfie-Esther Steitz and Angie Olbrich emerged organically from the environs of Ton Steine Scherben, friends united by a common interest in musical experimentation.

The Bon Voyage recordings sound far more mature than the band's earlier music, whilst losing some of the playful insouciance that ran through the first two albums. Strains of ska and chanson complement the latter-day NDW (German new wave) flavored power pop. After four successful years of extensive touring, new perspectives presented themselves to Carambolage. Having outgrown the somewhat languid Scherben scene and label life at David Volksmund Produktion, the trio upped sticks and headed for Berlin, curious to see what the big city had to offer, namely a close-up view of the pop business. Manne Praeker, former Spliff bass player and Nina Hagen's producer, offered to produce their third record, anticipating a shot at success with a major label. Bon Voyage was recorded in 1984 in Praeker's Mad-Mix studio in Berlin with various guest musicians. Even the pop mag Bravo took note, featuring the punkish North Frisians in a home story. Alas, any aspirations of becoming stars quickly dissipated during the recording process as aesthetic differences came to the fore. In one corner, Britta and Angie were determined to follow the DIY principles of the two preceding albums. In the opposite corner, Manne Praeker and Elfie felt compelled to introduce a stronger element of professionalism and Praeker increasingly weighed into the creative process. "You might say our story practically came to an end with a collision, just to match our name," Britta Neander recalled in an interview with Tine Plesch. The girls have since renewed their friendship. Bon Voyage spent 34 years under lock and key before the Fuego label released a digital version in the year 2019.

$16.50 IN STOCK

Tapete Records present a reissue of Sophisticated Boom Boom's self-titled album originally released in 1982. When a band names itself after one of the best songs of one of the best bands of all time, namely "Sophisticated Boom Boom" by the Shangri-Las, that's quite a statement. Or rather a promise. And Sophisticated Boom Boom keep this promise on their singular self-titled album from 1982 originally released on Off Course Records, the label run by Swiss new wave royalty Grauzone and Stefan Eicher. Sophisticated Boom Boom transported the Brill Building/red bird/girl group sound from the sixties into the new wave year of 1982. These 14 original compositions did not lack in punk esprit and the band fell gloriously out of time in the jagged, slightly gloomy early eighties. Their sound was probably too cheerful, too bubblegum and too life-affirming, and that's probably why they stopped after just one album. After the end of Sophisticated Boom Boom, the no less great C86/power pop band Chin Chin emerged from the ashes and released a compilation on Stephen Pastel's 53rd & 3rd label If you google Sophisticated Boom Boom today, you'll find a lot about Dead or Alive's debut album or about a Scottish band of the same name, but little about this Swiss band. What a pity, this needs to change! Songs like "Frustration", "Jimmy Jimmy", "Trocadero" or "Train to Boyscamp" are great, timeless pop hits, danceable and full of teenage exuberance. A nugget of the continental neo-60s scene.

"The first thing I heard of Sophisticated Boom Boom was a demo tape, just before Christmas 1981. They impressed me immediately with their fresh, unconsumed ideas and their incredible talents as songwriters. I called them immediately to sign them. Three months later, Sophisticated Boom Boom finished recording their first Off Course production. And this album you are now holding in your hand will no doubt be a huge hit by the time you read these lines. 14 hit songs, fresh and unconcernedly performed by Monique, Marianne, and Esther. Compositions sparkling with ideas, wit and lust for life by (mainly) Netz, who, together with his younger brother Buzz and Pasquale, is also responsible for the musical backings. Their uncomplicated, life-affirming songs, which, however, never slip into the embarrassingly banal, like so much else these days, but on the contrary have an astonishingly high standard and are all able to grab you spontaneously, stand in stark contrast to all the fashionably depressive sounds. But beware: they are by no means deluded or even naive. Sophisticated Boom Boom are six young people of today, with both feet on the ground, ...but always 'Ready To Dance'." --Urs Steiger, Off Course Records, 1982

$26.00 LOW STOCK LEVEL

LP version. Tapete Records present a reissue of Sophisticated Boom Boom's self-titled album originally released in 1982. When a band names itself after one of the best songs of one of the best bands of all time, namely "Sophisticated Boom Boom" by the Shangri-Las, that's quite a statement. Or rather a promise. And Sophisticated Boom Boom keep this promise on their singular self-titled album from 1982 originally released on Off Course Records, the label run by Swiss new wave royalty Grauzone and Stefan Eicher. Sophisticated Boom Boom transported the Brill Building/red bird/girl group sound from the sixties into the new wave year of 1982. These 14 original compositions did not lack in punk esprit and the band fell gloriously out of time in the jagged, slightly gloomy early eighties. Their sound was probably too cheerful, too bubblegum and too life-affirming, and that's probably why they stopped after just one album. After the end of Sophisticated Boom Boom, the no less great C86/power pop band Chin Chin emerged from the ashes and released a compilation on Stephen Pastel's 53rd & 3rd label If you google Sophisticated Boom Boom today, you'll find a lot about Dead or Alive's debut album or about a Scottish band of the same name, but little about this Swiss band. What a pity, this needs to change! Songs like "Frustration", "Jimmy Jimmy", "Trocadero" or "Train to Boyscamp" are great, timeless pop hits, danceable and full of teenage exuberance. A nugget of the continental neo-60s scene.

"The first thing I heard of Sophisticated Boom Boom was a demo tape, just before Christmas 1981. They impressed me immediately with their fresh, unconsumed ideas and their incredible talents as songwriters. I called them immediately to sign them. Three months later, Sophisticated Boom Boom finished recording their first Off Course production. And this album you are now holding in your hand will no doubt be a huge hit by the time you read these lines. 14 hit songs, fresh and unconcernedly performed by Monique, Marianne, and Esther. Compositions sparkling with ideas, wit and lust for life by (mainly) Netz, who, together with his younger brother Buzz and Pasquale, is also responsible for the musical backings. Their uncomplicated, life-affirming songs, which, however, never slip into the embarrassingly banal, like so much else these days, but on the contrary have an astonishingly high standard and are all able to grab you spontaneously, stand in stark contrast to all the fashionably depressive sounds. But beware: they are by no means deluded or even naive. Sophisticated Boom Boom are six young people of today, with both feet on the ground, ...but always 'Ready To Dance'." --Urs Steiger, Off Course Records, 1982