The Government “33 1/3 E.P.” (1979)

[gordonzola]

Canadian new wave! I will admit I forgot all about this record. I had to clean the needle three times there was so much dust on it. And there are only 4 songs!

I was going to just dismiss this as generic, overly enunciated new wave. But after the second listen it really started growing on me. It is New Wave with capital NW. Everything takes Eff-ort! and clever E-NUN-c-ation!

OMG there’s a vid for “Flat Tire”!

Smash that radio! Shoot out that tire! Burn that gas station!

Heck, this 7” is even kinda catchy. You could have danced to it with stripes and a skinny tie back in the day. “I’m a SPONGE! I SOAK up every-THING!” C’mon it was 1979. Things were out-of-sorts back then and the future looked bleak. Slightly detached, almost ironic dance music was what folks needed to feel better.

Rating: An ear fungus that grows a little with every listen

(It's been awhile so I will remind you all, dear readers, that this is part of a series. You can click the tag below to read them all)

Comments

[dcart.livejournal.com]

I appreciate that they have nothing against me either personally or professionally. They seem like a nice bunch of kids.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

oh, but you see what they did? The took a phrase you use every day and just twisted it a little to make you THINK!

[dcart.livejournal.com]

Damn. They subverted my paradigm!

[villagecharm.livejournal.com]

Excellent use of footage from "Christine" in the video. For some reason, this reminds me of that other great Canadian new wave band, Rod Torfulson's Armada featuring Herman Menderchuck:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zruX5WNtWjk&feature=related