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Okay, like Bostonist, you’ve seen a few of the recent Boston performances by Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, Radio 4, and/or !!!/Out Hud, and love most of the post-punk revival bands, right? (If not, we’ll forgive you for skipping over this post).
And as for the early ‘80s groups whose angular, dance rock sound today’s bands are reviving (or sometimes merely deriving), well, damn, you can name check with the best of ‘em. Gang of Four, check. PiL, check. Slits, check. You may even know that, along with GoF, the Mekons and Au Pairs were part of the highly politicized, punk funk vanguard straight outta Leeds (if so, Bostonist is really impressed).
But you probably weren’t aware that, in certain learned UK and US circles, yesterday was a day of celebration. Why? No, not because the phenomenal Artic Monkeys album was released in the UK, or Chan Marshall’s (Cat Power) The Greatest finally hit the street (although those are both reasons to rejoice). But because Kill Rock Stars released long unavailable tracks from the seminal, yet relatively obscure, Leeds punk-funk band Delta 5.
And these aren't out takes and rarities. With the exception of a couple tracks included in import compilation albums, NO music by Delta 5 has been commercially available since, well, since just a few years after it was recorded.
Until yesterday, that is, when Bostonist slogged through the slush over the lunch hour to pick up a copy of Delta 5: Singles & Sessions, 1979-1981 from our quaint and beloved local record shoppe, the (Government Center) Newbury Comics (quaint?” you ask, bemused, to which we reply “Bostonist thinks all bricks and mortar record stores are a bit quaint these days”). So, to help you name drop at your next party, Bostonist steps right up and drops some punk funk mad science on y’all.
Although Delta 5 had a sound very similar to the Gang of Four, they were different. Different because they consisted of three women and two men and their music was more overtly feminist in perspective. Different because they employed two bass players and their drummer often pounded out driving, dance floor beats long before GoF’s Songs of the Free and Hard electro funk period. And different because, although leftist and political, their songs about love and romance were not GoF style theoretical polemics, but dialogues about everyday tribulations and grievances. (“Who forgot to phone last Tuesday? You. Who Likes sex only on Sundays? You. Who keeps me out when I want to go home? You. You. You.”)
Listen to the clips, below. “Mind Your Own Business,” the band’s best known song, features overlapping female vocals devoid of emotion, melody or harmony taunting a lover (or would-be lover). The cold lyrics are spoken/sung atop a melodic, driving, but slightly wobbly, funk bassline that is interrupted with a flurry of Andy Gill style, washboard scraping guitar shards. “Singing the Praises,” on the other hand, sounds more like Bloc Party dance rock (feel free to nod your head and move your body, even if its just a stint of subtle office chair dancing).
This long overdue compilation includes both A & B sides of the group’s three singles (on London’s legendary indie label Rough Trade), as well as “Peel Session” studio tracks recorded for BBC Radio One’s legendary John Peel. And just to work “legendary” into a third straight sentence, the compilation is rounded out with live tracks from a not exactly legendary 1980 performance in Berkeley from Delta 5’s only US tour that are packed with raw, tight energy.
“it's nice to have proof this group did, in fact, exist.”
-- Ben Ratliff in yesterday’s New York Times.
Its too bad Delta 5 fell apart shortly after their US tour. They did record one album that is still unavailable. And may stay that way since, by most accounts, it was an overproduced, disappointing move toward the new wave mainstream (Bostonist has never heard the album, so we really can’t say). But it sure is great to have this collection of Delta 5 tracks back on the rack at you favorite record shoppe or online outlet.
Listen to Mind Your Own Business and Singing the Praises (clips)
Contributed by Matt Durutti
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Oh yeah. Speaking of the early 80's funk punk how 'bout Urgh! A Music War. That video rocks and to my knowledge has one of the only Au Pairs live appearances. Other name dropping from the era: Magazine, The Alleycats, and The Fleshtones. Chew on those for awhile.
Very exciting. Though I always liked Delta 5 more in theory than in practice, I look forward to hearing more of their stuff.
Also it has to be a good omen for other releases... why the Mekons are so thoroughly unavailable is a mystery to me. And Pylon's Gyrate deserves a reissue.
Hey Chris: as you know, Pylon told us a Gyrate reissue was in the works, but the album was promised last Fall, so, we'll see. . .
Wallace: I'm ashamed to admit I've never seen Urgh!, but will rent it soon. Oh, and nice name dropping. The Fleshtones' Roman Gods ranks among my all-time favorite albums. Of course the 'tones were precursors to the current garage revival, rather than punk funk. Flestones are also amazing live.