Oh Canadu. Joining Minutemen(USA) and Seems Twice(Australia) The Presence blows off some arty punk steam in the same vein. A couple of fillers but enough great tracks to make it worth a post. I wish I knew something about these comrades but as google gives me near to nothing I place my hope in you the readers/downloaders. Packed in a nice envelope sleeve(just as another Canadian band The Braineaters posted awhile ago) but is hellish to store.

Country: Canada
Year: 1981
Label: Self Released
Format: 7″
Songs:
Concrete/Metal.mp3
Struck By A Disquieting Muse.mp3
Disease.mp3
Seduced By The System.mp3
Getting Twisted.mp3

Maybe my too long absence from posting can be compensated by this total killer? Several different pressings shows up but this is the first press with the sticker still intact. The later pressings has a much nice sleeve though. If they sound different I don’t know but what you hear here is pure productions magic. So crisp and fluffy it’s ridiculous. Love it when you hear the screeching from the bas drum pedal in the beginning on Cover Band. The bass is high in the mix accompanied with a thin distorted guitar without any punch at all. I would say that’s a patented concept of early US punk/hc and it always works damned well. And unlike their debut Born Innocent LP(1982) this hasn’t one filler. Download and be amazed what these kids did in 1980. And oh yeah Red Kross(you know the real Red Cross forced them to exchange the C to a K?) have done some amazing pop songs in the 90’s like “Lady in the Front Row” so later stuff is definitely worth checking into if your into well crafted Power Pop.

Country: USA
Year: 1980
Label: Posh Boy
Format: 12″
Songs:
Cover Band.mp3
Annette’s Got The Hits.mp3
I Hate My School.mp3
Clorox Girls.mp3
S&M.mp3
Standing In Front Of Poseur.mp3

What kind of mood are you in today? Feelin’ a bit arty and new wavey? If so, spin the A-side of these Texans debut EP. It gets me in a B 52’s mood and makes me wanna post their amazing first 7″. Cool organ sound and a super simple and monotone surf influenced guitar line

If you’re more in a punk mood, then dig the two smashers on the B-side instead. I have a hard time to pick a winner from them as I’m a huge sucker for farfisas, female vocalists and thin production, but Do you have a job for a girl like me? might be a bit stronger.

Later on the band released an LP together with Lester Bangs and became the forerunners of the alternative country scene, but as I haven’t heard that album, or paid too much attention to that genre what so ever, I leave that to others to find out. Of course there’s a myspace site for the band, and a bunch of videos from the bands reunion, that ain’t too bad actually.

Country: USA
Year: 1979
Label: Live Wire
Format: 7″
Songs:
Alien beach party.mp3
Do you have a job for a girl like me?.mp3
Motivation complex.mp3

Don’t let the name and INCREDIBLE ugly cover scare you away. It would lead you to believe it’s another mediocre mid 80’s Euro HC or d-clone band but it’s not. What immediately comes to mind is a mix of Void, United Mutation and early Husker Du. Yeah it’s that good! Still, as with 90% of the early 80’s USHC/punk bands, they have a sound of their own(how many times have I used this exact sentence?). And talking about Husker Du it’s produced by no other then the living God Bob Mould. So do anybody know if they released anything else or what happened to ‘em? Fuck powerpop, Fuck New Wave, This is Hardcore. You’re a slave.

Country: USA
Year: 1983
Label: Reflex
Format: 7″
Songs:
In The Family.mp3
Lines Have Faded.mp3
Your.mp3
Self Defeated.mp3