The Teardrops - Final Vinyl (1980)

The Teardrops were a very short lived New Wave band that formed in Manchester, England in 1978. The band was assembled by Steve Garvey, who was at the time playing bass in another Manchester based band Buzzcocks. The band initially consisted of Steve Garvey (bass/vocals), Trevor Wain (guitar/vocals), John Key (guitar/vocals), Dave Brisbane (guitar), and John Donelly on drums. With this line up, a four song EP was recorded and released in 1978 by Bent Records entitled In and Out of Fashion. Shortly after the release of this EP, the line up of the band changed to include Tony Friel and Karl Burns, both were previously in the band The Fall. Another EP was released in the same year titled Leave Me No Choice that had the exact same tracklisting as the In and Out of Fashion EP. It seems that the EP was re-recorded with the new band members.

In 1979, a single was released titled Seeing Double. This 7 inch single may or may not have Steve Garvey on it. According to the Buzzcocks discography he does play on it, but it is believed that he did not participate on this single. By 1980, the band had almost run its course. With a few new members (Helen Barbrook, Trev Wain, and Dave Price) the band recorded and released its only full length album that was titled Final Vinyl. Released in January of 1980, the album featured some re-recordings of previous Teardrops songs "Teardrops and Heartaches", was now known as "Everything's O.K" it was originally a B-side on the Seeing Double single. "Teenage Vice" was also on this album, it was previously on the In and Out of Fashion EP and the Leave No Choice EP. The music on this album is for the most part experimental. There are elements of 70s Punk and New Wave on Final Vinyl, at times sounding like a mix between Buzzcocks and The Fall. The band essentially dissolved by 1981. In 1980 a compilation featuring Manchester bands called Identity Parade was released, it featured a song by The Teardrops called "Colours". A very short lived band emerged following The Teardrops called Bok Bok. They released one single in 1980 called Come Back To Me.

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D.O.A. - Fight Back (2018)

New album!

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Friction ‎– 軋轢 [Friction] (1980)

Debut LP from one of the first Japanese punk bands, formed by Reck, Chiko Hige and Lapis in Tokyo in March 1978. Reck and Hige had previously been members of a group called 3/3.

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Swingers - Counting the Beat (1982)

New Wave/ Rock band from New Zealand

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Spare Change - Lonely Suits (1979)

Spare Change allegedly formed, at least in concept, among Adelaide ex-pats in Amsterdam. Back in Adelaide, the band coalesced in 1973 as a pre-punk powerpop unit, as much in thrall to the MC5 and the Flamin' Groovies as the art rock of Sparks, songs by all of which featured in the band's early repertoire. The initial line-up included John Dowler (vocals), Chris Langman (guitar), Bob Kretschmer (guitar), Tony Murray (keyboards), and John Wilkenson (drums). Wilkenson was soon replaced by Graeme Perry, and this would remain the definitive Spare Change line-up. After a solid couple of years playing Adelaide pubs, Spare Change relocated to Melbourne in early 1975, becoming a fixture of the Carlton scene. There, the band recorded The Big Beat, penned by Murray, which was issued as a single at the tail end of 1976 (b/w Classified Ad, Champagne CHS 601). Aided and abetted by Henry Vyhnal, the band continued recording until March 1977 with the intention of an LP release, but broke up before that eventuated. The posthumous Lonely Suits LP (Cleopatra CLP 202) was eventually released in late 1979, and included both sides of the earlier 45.

In its first incarnation, The Big Beat presents as infectious, melody-laden pre-punk powerpop, but compared with Spare Change's influences it sure does sound like it has a stick up its arse. Dave Laing described the overall effect as "pretentious and stilted"; we hear a catchy and relatively simple song cluttered by compositional tricks, highlighted by the series of brazen truck driver's gear changes which bookend each chorus. Purists may say that semitone modulation around the chorus isn't a true gearstick workout, but they probably haven't heard The Big Beat's gears crunch as its key pivots from A to B-flat and back again. Add to the equation some very literal drumming which only picks up when the chorus kicks in ("The Big Beat comes on loud and strong..."), and someone is guilty of over-thinking things a touch. Usually that someone is us, but here the evidence points closer to home.

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Alternate Learning - ALRN (7''EP, 1979) + Painted Windows (LP, 1981)

I had a request for these two records that was simply too good to refuse, even if I don't possess physical copies of either.  If you have any awareness whatsoever as to what Alternate Learning (ALRN for short) were about, you likely know they were the predecessor to the late Scott Miller's more renown mid-80s combo, Game Theory.  I'm not privy to the impetus of the band's moniker, but it's safe to say that if you wish to have "alternate facts" it's only logical that "alternate learning" has to come first, no?  And speaking of all things logical, their 1981 full length Painted Windows was a fittingly stylistic precursor to the first GT wax, Blaze of Glory.  Stunning, inspired slices of vaguely skewed collegiate juvenilia entailing the likes of "The New You" and "Beach State Rocking" make Painted... almost as rewarding an any given Theory offering.  You'll no doubt suss out a more pronounced emphasis on synthesizers cropping up on ALRN tunes stacked up to GT, but in terms of song arrangements, Miller's formula was baked into the cake when this dandy little LP was gestated way back when. 

The four song ALRN ep was dropped two years prior to Painted Windows, wielding a considerably more nascent, not to mention lo-fi approach.  An adolescent surge of punky guitars propels "What's the Matter" in a manner that Miller never pursued in Game Theory, but even this early in the game (pun partially intended) "When She's Alone" foreshadows his burgeoning pop acumen, and is in all ways a keeper.  Certain copies of this 7" ep were accompanied with a spate of colorful inserts.

Special thanks to whomever ripped these scarce slabs of wax and provided the artwork. The 2014 reissue of the aforementioned debut Game Theory LP, Blaze of Glory includes a total of four songs from both ALRN records as bonus material in sterling CD quality.  Don't cheat yourself, treat yourself here.

ALRN ep
01. Green Card
02. What's the Matter
03. Gumby's in a Coma
04. When She's Alone

Painted Windows
01. Another Wasted Afternoon
02. Sex War
03. The New You
04. Dark Days
05. Occupation Unknown
06. Dresden
07. Beach State Rocking
08. Ulysses
09. Painted Windows
10. Let's Not Wait

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Samurai - Select (compilation, 2004)

Compilation album from japan punk band Samurai

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