Superior Viaduct US レコード& CD

Review: Coming to a 'lounge-smoke' coloured vinyl edition, now you truly can 'Buy' The Contortions' breakout LP once more. Released over 35 years ago, this is a unique classic album in the microgenre that was no wave, which took New York by storm in a strange coalescent fog of art punk, new wave and cold noise. Legend has it that either this album or the man who created it - James Chance, our main Contortionist (by trade a saxophonist) - was one of the core inspirations behind Brian Eno's coinage of the genre name 'no wave', after the latter witnessed a live performance of said bittersweetly vapid music. As plastic avant-garde beats melt into liquid skies, this one isn't to be missed.

Review: The seminal Austin Texas punk band Dicks' Kill From The Heart album gets a full and proper reissue. Formed in 1980, Dicks original lineup included Gary Floyd (vocals), Glen Taylor (guitar), Buxf Parrot (bass), and Pat Deason (drums). The influence of this album spread far across other key bands after Dicks breakup in 1986. Mudhoney, Butthole Surfers and The Jesus Lizard all regularly played covers of Dicks' songs. The band reunited a handful of years ago to wide spread appeal. San Francisco's Superior Viaduct records should be applauded for putting out this genuine slice of life.