Vangelis & The New American Orchestra "Blade Runner" 1982**** vs. Vangelis "Blade Runner O.S.T." 1994*****

Citizen Kane my ass! Blade Runner is the best movie ever produced in the history of the medium! It renewed film noir and science fiction and stands as an unsurpassed landmark in both genres. And its influence stretches beyond film to other visual arts, design, advertising and literature: the Cyberpunk movement was SF's reaction to the unprecedented mix of high tech and low life, the twin reality of the gleaming Tyrell Corporation towers and crumbling Los Angeles ghettos. And although it didn't stick very close to Philip K. Dick's original story, its version of the future shared the writer's pessimism: No leisurely living thanks to the machines, at least not for everyone: While the rich enjoy the fruits of android slave labor, the bulk of humanity scrapes a living under the domination of huge corporations and police oppression. Murderous as these replicas are, you can't help but sympathize with them in their quest for...meaning? freedom? revenge? I suppose it's different things for each one. The film's music was no less revolutionary in its mix of jazz noir, electronic and symphonic music. Composer Vangelis Papathanasiou (known outside his native Greece just by his first name) was a veteran of the Greek pop scene, starting with his invention of the popular Yanka dance craze in the early 60's. He shot to international fame after his collaboration with Demis Roussos in the prog-pop Aphrodite's Child and had since become a pioneer of proto-electronic music. His music for the film "Chariots Of Fire" had already won him an Oscar and he deserved another one for "Blade Runner", but fell victim to the Academy's contempt for science fiction. Sounds improbable that an iconic film like Blade Runner would go on to win 0 (zero) Academy Awards, but there you have it. Despite the obvious appeal of the film's music, there was no official soundtrack release until 1994 - which is how this album came to being. Entitled Blade Runner - Orchestral Adaptation Of Music Composed For The Motion Picture Soundtrack, it's a recreation of some of Vangelis' original music from the film. For many years it served as O.S.T. for us fans and I must admit that, although I clearly heard that it wasn't exactly the same as the film, I hadn't realized it was a completely different work until recently. Which doesn't render it useless at all. It still displays that revolutionary mix of jazz and electronic music and it still conjures up scenes from the movie - which is a secondary but important function of film soundtracks. The opening "Love Theme" is an orchestral piece with late-night sax, romantic but thankfully not as corny as would be expected by its title. "Main Title" is another mellow tune featuring an orchestra, synthesizers and subtle acoustic elements like small bells. The next song entitled "One More Kiss, Dear" is the album's only vocal track and sounds like a 30's jazz tune, only it's not an original one. It was composed by Vangelis for the film but you wouldn't be able to tell the difference just by listening to it. "Memories Of Green" is an older Vangelis piece included in his See You Later album, a delicate piano tune with an orchestral backdrop. "End Title" and "End Title (Reprise)" are big electronic synthesizer music. Pretty much of their time, yet classic all the same. "Blade Runner Blues" is a melancholic jazz piece with a lonely sax playing over atmospheric synths and "Farewell" is another mellow orchestral/electronic mix, with a slightly oriental flavor. It may not be the best track in the album, but it always moves me because it reminds me of android Roy Batty's unforgettable farewell speech in the film: "All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die"

***** for Memories Of Green, End Title

**** for Love Theme, Main Title, One More Kiss Dear, Blade Runner Blues, End Title (Reprise)

*** for Farewell

I wrote the above review in 2015. At the time I only had the CD of the NAO version of Vangelis' music for the film. Later, I bought the vinyl reissue of the real 1994 O.S.T. This was originally released in CD only, finally becoming widely available on vinyl in 2015, while there's one more version (the final word?) released as a triple CD under the title Blade Runner Trilogy.

For now, though, we'll focus on the 1994 O.S.T. and its differences with the NAO CD I presented here more than a decade ago. Obviously these are two very different records, the NAO one being a more orchestral work, and the original score a more electronic/synthesizer-based one. Opener "Main Titles" starts with a minute-long intro including spoken word followed by Vangelis' imposing synths, exactly what the opening sequence of the movie demanded with its futuristic cityscape, flames, and first glimpse of the Tyrell Corporation pyramid. Thaks to the absense of electronic instruments, the song "One More Kiss Dear" is the closest match between the two albums, although the OST vocal probably gives off a more vintage feel. "Memories of Green" (originally from 1980's See You Later LP) is a fragile piano-based piece, without the classical dimension of the orchestral version. The romantic "Love Theme" sounds superior here, with the sax providing the necessary smoky noir element to complement the atmospheric synths. "Blade Runner Blues" on the other hand is more ambient, and less jazzy, than the NAO version, and "End Title" (which was previously split in two) is presented in its whole, a majestic classic of early electronica. The NAO LP contained 7 tracks, of which only "Farewell" does not appear here. But, even though there's still a lot of the actual film music missing, we do get 6 tracks absent from the NAO version: "Blush Response" (complete with dialogue from the film) takes us back the first meeting between Deckard and Rachel, "Rachel's Song" features some gorgeous female vocalizing, and "Damask Rose" some cello-like synth emulating what sounds to me like a traditional Greek mountain village melody. "Wait For Me" is another atmospheric electronic piece incorporating film dialogue while "Tales Of The Future" contains a distorted vocal reminiscent of traditional Asian music. Closer "Tears In Rain" features some of the film's best dialogue with a suitably emotive instrumental backing. All in all, although the NAO version still sounds quite good, being orchestral it's curiously more like conventional film music than the actual OST. Vangelis' original music is way more interesting, with its futuristic synths, smoky jazz feel, and dialogue excerpts conveying the right atmosphere for this seminal sci-fi noir cinematic masterpiece. Most of the music could work well as a standalone piece of electronica, but combined with the stunning cinematography of Blade Runner, it makes for one of the greatest soundtracks of all time - in my opinion even better than Vangelis' Oscar-winning Chariots Of Fire.

Unbeatable, really.

***** for Love Theme, Blade Runner Blues, Memories Of Green, Blade Runner (End Titles), Tears In Rain

**** for Main Titles, Blush Response, Wait For Me, Rachel's Song, One More Kiss Dear

*** for Tales Of The Future, Damask Rose

Vince Guaraldi Trio "A Charlie Brown Christmas" 1965 🎄🎄🎄🎄

I was surprised to see this one voted as the all-time best Christmas album in a seasonal feature by Mojo Magazine, while the perennial Phil Spector Christmas Gift LP took only third place. So when I chanced upon a cheap CD copy at my neighborhood record shop, I decided to add it to my collection. I bought it blindly, not knowing if it contained instrumental music or songs, Muppet Show-like. As it turns out, this is a jazz piano album, containing both original compositions and jazz arrangements of traditional Christmas tunes. The music was commissioned for a 1965 Holiday Special based on the Peanuts comic strip. Next to pianist Vince Guaraldi who wrote the original songs and arranged the covers, the trio also consists of bassist Fred Marshall and drummer Jerry Granelli. The opening "O Tannenbaum" is a great slice of cool jazz, playful but relaxed, while "What Child Is This" is completely subdued. "My Little Drum" is a semi-cover of "Little Drummer Boy" with unobtrusive vocals humming the familiar melody. "Linus and Lucy" is a lively tune before the original ballad "Christmas Time Is Here", delivered both in instrumental and in vocal version featuring a children's choir, which also appears on traditional carol "Hark the Herald Angels Sing". The composer used on purpose a slightly off-key take instead of a perfect one, because he wanted the children to sound like kids, rather than professional singers. "Skating" and "Christmas Is Coming" are a couple of cheerful jazz piano pieces, followed by a short detour through Beetoven's "Für Elise" and a slow instrumental version of "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)". This 2012 CD reissue adds 3 tracks featuring Guaraldi fronting a different band augmented with trumpet and trombone: the traditional "Greensleeves" and two originals referencing other holidays: "Great Pumpkin Waltz" and "Thanksgiving Theme". The album exceeded expectations by transcending its creation as TV soundtrack to become both a popular holiday listen and an influential jazz recording thanks to the lively and emotive playing achieved by the piano, bass and drums combination. The general feel of the album is one of laid back contentedness rather than the extreme cheerfulness of most holiday albums. Ideal background music for decorating the tree or stuffing the Christmas turkey, or just to put a smile upon your face.

***** for O Tannenbaum

**** for What Child Is This, My Little Drum, Linus and Lucy,Christmas Time Is Here (Instr.), Christmas Is Coming, Für Elise, Greensleeves

*** for Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal), Skating, Hark The Herald Angels Sing, The Christmas Song, Great Pumpkin Waltz, Thanksgiving Theme

The Backbeat Band "Backbeat-Songs From The O.S.T." 1994****

Now that we're locked down because of the COVID-19 situation it's a good opportunity to watch some of our favorite movies again. Until recently I used to host movie nights at my house, now I'm sort of curating an online rock movies festival, picking music films for the usual crowd to watch - each from their own home. "Backbeat" was among my first choices. I like the way it combines music biopic, romance and buddy movie and, as the film stops just before the band becomes famous, it manages to eschew some of the worst movie biopic cliches.

  

For those who haven't seen the movie, and who don't recognize any famous bands on the cover, this is a movie about the 5 Beatles: John, Paul, George, Pete and Stu. You've probably heard of the Beatles referred to as the fab FOUR, and of someone called Ringo. But there really were 5 of them to start with, and the movie is focused on the 5th Beatle Stuart Sutcliffe, his friendship with Lennon, and the love story between him and German photographer Astrid Kirchherr. I don't want to give away too many details, but I guess I'm not spoiling anything if I tell you that Stu leaves the band to be a painter in Hamburg, Pete is replaced by Ringo Starr, and The Beatles embark on a journey to fame and success. 

When it came to the soundtrack, one has to remember that these are the young Beatles as straight-ahead rock'n'rollers, before they encounter their manager Brian Epstein who re-invented them as a pop band. The music had to convey the excitement of the time as well as to appeal to 90's youths, because this is basically a youth film about love, friendship, and opening up to the whole wide world, not a nostalgia trip for those who had lived through the 60's. So producer Don Was managed to gather an impressive cast of musicians from the 90's alternative music scene: Greg Dulli (The Afghan Whigs) and Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum) on vocals, Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) and Don Fleming (Gumball) on guitar, Mike Mills (R.E.M.) on bass, and Nirvana's Dave Grohl on drums. They play the same rock'n'roll covers the The Beatles did in Liverpool and Hamburg clubs when they started out. The performances are wild, energetic, and authentic if probably a bit louder than The Beatles were at the time. It's fair to say that the musicians involved are much better than The Beatles were at that stage of their career, but they bring more than their professionalism to the project; they bring their sense of fun and excitement, which is what makes this album work as a standalone garage rock'n'roll record regardless of its connection to the film. Highlights include "Money", "Bad Boy", "Twist and Shout", "Please Mr. Postman", "Good Golly Miss Molly" (all lead vocal by Dulli) and "Roadrunner" (by Mike Mills, even if he sounds too American for a Beatle). David Pirner takes the lead vocal on "Long Tall Sally", "C'mon Everybody" and "Twenty Flight Rock". There are no bad or dull moments in this 11-song, 27-minute LP, but of course it's a covers album so there's nothing revolutionary either. Just a short, fun, rock'n'roll record. Isn't that enough?

**** for Money (That's What I Want), Bad Boy, Twist and Shout, Please Mr. Postman, Roadrunner, Good Golly Miss Molly

*** for Long Tall Sally, C'mon Everybody, Rock & Roll Music, Slow Down, Carol, Twenty Flight Rock

Danny Elfman "Nightmare Before Christmas" O.S.T. 1993*****

They say that supply and demand is the most important law of economics, so if there is a bombardment of Christmas movies every year around this season, there must be a demand for them? I'm talking about all the movies about Santa, his reindeers and elves, sappy family movies with uplifting messages, and the odd romantic comedies - because when are you going to find true love if not in Christmas, the "miracle season?" I mean seriously, why are people still making those movies if they're all going to be the same? Then, in 1993, came a Christmas movie that was completely different than any other: funny, weird, bitter-sweet, macabre, and... Halloweeny. Walt Disney Pictures was involved but made sure their name and logo was nowhere to be seen. The idea was conceived by the brain behind the best modern Gothic fairytales: Tim Burton. His aesthetic permeates the whole project even if the actual direction of the painstakingly realized stop-motion animation belongs to Henry Selick. The film became a cult hit whose fame kept growing while, lo and behold, was later proudly re-released by Disney under their own name - as one can also see on the cover of the vinyl soundtrack here.

The music is, of course, written by Burton's permanent collaborator Danny Elfman, who was then still active as a member of pop band Oingo Boingo and not yet a full-time film score composer. Here, he not only writes the melodies but also sings the parts of the main protagonist Jack Skellington and writes the lyrics which are integral to the plot as they either recount was is happening onscreen or propel the story further. So, to make sense of the songs it is necessary to let you in on what is happening in the movie when the songs are playing: the album begins with an orchestral "overture" offering samples of the film's main themes. The narrator (actor Patrick Stewart) then explains the film's basic premise: for every holiday there is a different group of creatures living in the respective city, spending a whole year planning and executing that holiday down its last detail ("Opening"). The action then shifts to Halloweentown and its spooky residents introducing themselves in upbeat musical number "This Is Halloween". After that comes "Jack's Lament" in which the town hero both celebrates his ability to terrify and confides his yearning for something different ...which he finds in Christmastown. "What's This?" is a happy number filled with Jack's excitement and amazement at the strange things happening at Christmas (Presents! Singing! Laughter!). He shares his finding with the other Halloweeners ("Town Meeting Song") and finally hatches the plan to organize Christmas himself ("Jack's Obsession"). Cue the snappy "Kidnap Santa Claus" where the Halloween kids fantasize about the terrible fate that will befall Santa. In the New Orleans blues-like "Oogie Boogie Song" Santa is the prisoner of a deep voiced boogeyman, while "Making Christmas" is sung by the citizens of Halloween town as they are mangling the holiday by giving its familiar trappings their own nightmarish twist. "Sally's Song" is the closest we get to the obligatory love ballad. It gives voice to Sally, a ragdoll who loves Jack and who is imprisoned by her creator/evil scientist. Another Elfman-sung number is "Poor Jack" where Jack realizes his mistake and goes to Santa's rescue, saving Christmas just in the nick of time. "Finale" sees the two communities reconciliate and Halloween citizens watching their first snow falling, the music mixing the themes of both "This is Halloween" and "What's This". The narrator returns on "Closing" and the album ends with "End Title" reprising some of the themes we heard earlier. Like all the instrumental passages, it alternates dark and light, tension and calm. This is one of those cases where film and music complement each other perfectly so that the one makes the other seem even better. But even without watching the film, the music is captivating, and the songs are wondrously quirky but utterly hummable, resulting in one of the greatest musicals since the genre's glory days of the 60's. It's hard to understand why neither film nor musical score won an Oscar, in contrast to other Disney movies. Or maybe it is a testament of Burton's peculiar talent, to make a Christmas movie for kids that nevertheless was too dark for both Disney and the Hollywood Academy. Though not for the public, which embraced the movie, rendering it a classic and justifying a 3D re-release, a rock covers album, and, finally, collectible vinyl releases - the latest being this, in striking "pumpkin orange" vinyl. Beautiful edition, though not one for the hi-fi lovers: the volume is rather low, and my brand new copy played with some pops and clicks - not really bad, but a shame considering it costs more than 30€ in the shops. Worth adding to one's collection anyway.

***** for This Is Halloween, Jack's Lament, What's This?, Kidnap The Sandy Claws, Making Christmas, Oogie Boogie's Song, 

**** for Town Meeting Song, Jack's Obsession, Sally's Song, Poor Jack, Finale/Reprise, End Title

*** for Overture, Opening, Doctor Finkelstein/In The Forest, Jack And Sally Montage, Nabbed, Christmas Eve Montage, To The Rescue, Closing

Leningrad Cowboys "Go Wild" 1988-1997 (2000 comp)***

What do The Rutles, Spinal Tap, Blues Brothers and Leningrad Cowboys have in common? They were all fictional bands created for the needs of a musical comedy film, but they subsequently took on a life of their own, making records, touring the world and massing up TV appearances. Of all those bands, the Leningrad Cowboys carried the joke the furthest: They've recorded 10 albums in the space of 30 years - still going strong, 25 years after the city of Leningrad changed its name back to Saint Petersburg. Of course they never did come from Russia - they came from its icy Western neighbor, Finland. At least both countries make great vodka and, as we all know, vodka -much like rock'n'roll- connects people, enables communication beyond linguistic and political barriers and provides inspiration. Maybe it even inspired Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki to make a movie about a ridiculous-looking bunch of inept Siberian rockers seeking in the U.S. the success that eluded them at home. As stars of his movie, he chose the members of the Finnish rock band Sleepy Sleepers, who inhabited their roles so completely they transmogrified to the band they were supposed to parody. "Go Wild" is a German compilation culled from their first 4 albums, starting with the soundtrack of Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989). A tongue-in-cheek but definitely rocking version of "Born To Be Wild" opens the CD, while we also get some more songs from the film in diverse styles: rockabilly on "That's Alright", salsa on "Desconsolado", Tex-Mex country on "Chasing The Light" and funk on "Rocky VI (Short Film)".

From their second effort We Cum from Brooklyn (1992), we get "Sally Is Something Else", "Fat Bob Dollop" and "I'm Gonna Roll", all decent punk-rockers with ska and soul touches. There are also two songs from Mongolian Barbeque (1997), a parody of the Eurythmics' "There Must Be An Angel" and a remix of their version of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama". Too bad they didn't include the original from 1994's Happy Together album. Recorded together with The Alexandrov Red Army Choir in what proves to be a genius pairing, that album remains their finest hour. The Cowboys never slip into sheer parody, playing solid and enthusiastic garage soul versions of classic rock hits, using the world's most impressive all-male choir as mere back-up singers. This juxtaposition provides all the comedy you'll need, but above all some of the most buoyant feel-good music you're ever going to hear. In the case of the closing "Knockin' On Heaven's Door", even a genuinely emotive, almost transcendental, moment. More songs from this album include ZZTop's "Gimme All Your Lovin'", The Beach Boys' "California Girls", Motown classic "Dancing in the Street" and Wilbert Harrison's "Let's Work Together" as re-imagined by Brian Ferry. The two unlikely partners would reprise their collaboration for live CD's "Nokia Balalaika Show" and "Live In Helsinki". The latter was filmed by Aki Kaurismäki and released on DVD as "Total Balalaika Show". It really is something else, check out the clip below for a sample...

**** for Gimme All Your Lovin', California Girls, Dancing in the Street, Fat Bob Dollop, Happy Together, Let's Work Together, Knockin' On Heaven's Door

*** for Born To Be Wild, Sally Is Something Else, Desconsolado, Chasing The Light, That's Alright, I'm Gonna Roll 

** for There Must Be An Angel, Sweet Home Alabama (Stalker Mix), Rocky VI (Short Film)

Lisa Gerrard "The Best Of" 2007(comp)****

I made my acquaintance with Lisa Gerrard's music as a first year student in '88 - '89. Two fellow students and friends were fans and taped their Dead Can Dance records for me. I spent a lot of time listening to these cassettes -and, later, my own DCD records- especially while studying my textbooks or doing other work that requires concentration. For the most part it's calm and introspective music, good for emptying your mind and refocusing - despite the fact that it didn't help produce any favorable academic results in my case. DCD consisted of singers/ multi-instrumentalists Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard, of whom the latter was to find greater fame as a film music composer. This compilation is divided equally between DCD tunes and her later solo and soundtrack work. As such, it's way too short to provide a decent introduction. On the other hand this compilation (compiled by Gerrard herself) may be a good entry point for new fans who want that elegiac music piece they heard in the movie and are eager to discover more of the same. Or for DCD fans like me, who already have most of that band's output and want a sampler of her soundtrack work. I won't get into the DCD tracks, as we'll get back to that band often, unless to say that the likes of "Yulunga (Spirit Dance)", "Cantara" etc. are a breathtakingly beautiful mix of classical, goth and world music and that there's plenty of that where they came from. You only get the tiniest of glimpses into the world of DCD here. The solo pieces, often produced with the help of fellow Australian musician/producer Pieter Bourke, are not much of a departure from that sound. Possibly downplaying the world music elements in favour of a more neo-classical sound. Gerrard's vocals are still the main attraction: ethereal, mournful and quasi-operatic, with an exotic Arabic flavour. The voice is used as an instrument, singing often wordless or indecipherable lyrics. This CD opens with "Wheat" and "Elysium", two cuts from Gerrard's most successful release, the Soundtrack to the movie Gladiator, co-written with Hans Zimmer. These are atmospheric and classical-sounding, while "Now We Are Free" from the same movie is slightly more rhythmical and even features an African-style chorus. "Sacrifice" comes from the Insider soundtrack and features a majestic vocal performance halfway between opera and Celtic lament. The version of "Sanvean" included here is a live DCD recording rather than the one from her solo debut "Mirror Pool". From that album we get "Swans", a relatively upbeat number reminiscent of Eastern devotional music. The last two songs are more electronic (but no less atmospheric) than the rest of the album. "Go Forward" from Whale Rider is the more experimental of the two, incorporating world music elements in keeping with the movie's maori theme. "See The Sun" from Ali is closer to a pop ballad, as can be probably expected from a big budget Hollywood production. As a compilation, "The Best of Lisa Gerrard" has both strengths and weaknesses: while it offers 75 minutes of heavenly music, as an introduction to the artist it only scratches the surface: it's representative enough, but many of her best songs are left out while others seem to have crawled in by random selection. It'd make much more sense to just compile her best soundtrack/solo moments in one CD. If you want a concise but comprehensive introduction to DCD, I'd suggest double CD "Wake" as the bare minimum. 

***** for Elysium, Sacrifice, Sanvean, The Host Of Seraphim, Cantara, Yulunga (Spirit Dance), Now We Are Free

**** for Ariadne,  The Promised Womb, Indus, Persephone (The Gathering Of Flowers), See The Sun

*** for Swans, Go Forward

Various Artists "URGH! A Music War The Album" 1981****

URGH! A MUSIC WAR is a music documentary, consisting of live performances in various places around 1980. It presented the multi-faceted post-punk musical reality and its soundtrack constantly leaps from one genre to the next. Let's look at the tracks one by one:

1.The Police – "Driven to Tears"*** Proof that, in his pre-millionnaire days, Sting led a tight rock band

2.Wall of Voodoo – "Back in Flesh"*** The Fall meet Captain Beefheart? Or America's answer to John Lydon's P.I.L? In any case, not likely to win many fans. After the song, the singer declares that "Show business is my life". Maybe he should try his hand at prestidigitation.

3.Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – "Enola Gay"***** The opening synths of this song is The Sound of New Wave to me. A perfect single and a great live performance.

4.Oingo Boingo – "Ain't This the Life"*** Danny Elfman's ska/jazz/punk alma matter. Always a weird one, he was bound to end up collaborating with Tim Burton! This one could have been in Corpse Bride, I can't help but picture dancing skeletons when I listen to it...

5.XTC – "Respectable Street"** New Wave with funk overtones. Not impressed with the live performance, though. C'mon XTC, you can do better than that...

6.Go Go's – "We Got the Beat"***. Never mind that popster Belinda Carlisle began her career here. The Go-Gos were a great girl group in the best 60's tradition

7.Klaus Nomi – "Total Eclipse"***** The voice! The wardrobe! The haircut! The make-up! Nomi certainly was one of a kind, with his operatic vocals, Kraftwerk synths and electric guitars. And this song is his zenith, recorded shortly before he regrettably became the first celebrity to die of AIDS...

8.Jools Holland – "Foolish I Know"*** Jazzy piano from former Squeeze pianist, soon to become a successful TV show host. 

9.Steel Pulse – "Ku Klux Klan"**** Top-Class Roots Reggae and antifa message from these Birmingham based Jamaicans

10.Devo – "Uncontrollable Urge"**** Better than expected - an energetic punk rock performance!

11.Echo and the Bunnymen – "The Puppet"**** A rough, full of angst performance by Ian McCullough - different than his usual croon. Interesting!

12.The Cramps – "Tear It Up"**** Inventors of psychobilly in all their psychotic majesty

13.Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – "Bad Reputation"*** Although already a rock veteran with the Runaways, Jett was still young enough to identify with punk's rebellion against the "hippy generation" of rock. This one sounds like a mix of the Beach Boys, Ramones and...Cyndi Lauper.

14.Pere Ubu – "Birdies"** These Art-Punks from Ohio were never big crowd pleasers, yet they receive an enthusiastic reception

15.Gary Numan – "Down in the Park"*** Kraftwerk-like synths and Joy Division detachment from an emblematic figure of New Wave.

16.The Fleshtones – "Shadow Line"*** Garage Soul party rockers, still going strong today.

17.Gang of Four – "He'd Send in the Army"*** Angular guitars, funky bass, socially conscious lyrics - that's what Go4 were always about, that's also what they deliver here.

18.999 – "Homicide"*** By 1980, the music press had officially declared Punk is Dead. 999 sang "I believe in Homicide" and proved it's alive and aggressive as ever. If you see them coming your way, better change sidewalk...

19.X – "Beyond and Back"**** LA's finest punks, whose  records were produced by the most un-punk-like Ray Manzarek. With Siouxsie lookalike Exene Cervenka on vocals and fiery rockabilly guitar licks courtesy of Billy Zoom.

20.Magazine – "Model Worker"** A stellar New Wave band, but I think they underperform here.

21.Skafish – "Sign of the Cross"*** The only band I hadn't heard before. Based on their name I would have guessed they played ska music, but they surprised me with their hardcore punk, almost metal, attack and anti-religious lyrics. They obviously weren't trying to make any friends. Gotta respect them for that!

All in all, URGH! is a perfect snapshot of the scattered musical landscape after the punk attack on the musical industry, catching the fleeting moment of free music expression before the industry took the upper hand again, limiting artistic liberties with "professional" productions, lifeless digital sound and made-for-MTV videos. The film offers more goodies not included in the soundtrack, such as performances by Dead Kennedys, UB40, Surf Punks, Members, Alleycats, Au Pairs etc. Watch it on the big screen or low-resolution VHS, for the full period effect...