Showing posts with label 2025. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2025. Show all posts

Friday, 21 August 2026

Jandek – "Mankato Saturday" (Corwood Industries – CORWOOD 0873) 2025


Jandek has a female family member? A sister? Does she denies knowing of his existence?Anyway......
Recorded at The Elias J. Halling Recital Hall, Minnesota, way back when on October 20th, 2012.Where we find ourselves trapped inside a seething throng of the unwashed Proletariat (aww Bless 'em).Confused stares abound, this sounds like the kind of sophisticated improvised Art that those outside the intelligentsia elite can only dream of understanding. OMG! They're making this up as they go along one thinks privately to one's self,without letting on that one has no explanation as to what the flying fuck is actually going on here!?
Don't worry, neither does Jandek, and nor do the dozens of chin stroking art lecturers who can be heard applauding the Corwood rep during the parts that stop before they start again, espousing something very similar when the applause stops.
It does however have its charm.Mainly through the Knowledge that Sterling Richard Smith hasn't a clue what he's doing. He has his defenders of course,who have even threatened your trusty scribe with keyboard warrior violence to avoid looking like the pretentious Twats they undoubtedly are. Rarely do I ever quote Cobain,Kurt,but here goes, and don't judge me on that,well you can if you want to...., "Jandek isn't Pretentious,but his followers are"...Tah Daaa who's a clever boy then? As awful as Nirvana were,their leader was never adversed to a bit of an outsider Vibe,even if it often revealed a bunch of Insider Art Students were behind it all, like The Raincoats for example.
Instead of martyring himself on the altar of Corporate Rock, he could have replaced his backing band with Jandek and a couple of Raincoats.Then we could have seen if he meant it or not.

Track Listing:

1-1 Preface 8:54
1-2 One 13:12
1-3 Two 11:13
1-4 Three 15:32
2-1 Four 15:03
2-2 Five 12:25
2-3 Six 10:33
2-4 Seven 13:55


Thursday, 8 May 2025

Public Image Limited – "Public Image (First Issue)" Record Store Day/Lost US Mix - Warners-2025/1979



We interrupt the fascinating run-through of a few of the Local Band compilations as of yet not not given the Die Or DIY? treatment. To make available ,thanks to Record Store Day 2025, from alternative history's what might have been section,if those awful Americano's had got their way with Thee Greatest Bad Attitude album ever made. An attitude that made Lou Reed look like lil' Jimmy Osmond.
Don't make me say it!...i'm warning you.....oh okay, it's PiL's 'First Issue'.,..The long lost USA Remix!?.....how anyone could remix perfection I can only gasp in disbelief. So,I'll have a go at re-imaging the Sistene Chapel after lunch....a liquid one of course.
Nothing....NOTHING sounded like this,or sounds like this,or will ever sound like this. We are just worthy enough to look at it,never mind hear it or even touch it.
But,apparently, according to PiL's american label,Warner Brothers, this record was just unlistenable by American ear-holes, and may damage their delicate brains enough that they could turn to Communism!
As a result this masterpiece,the UK Version as is, was never released on the other side of that great big beautiful pond,until 2013!?
It did manage to be banned in Malta however, because the lyrics of "Religion" offended public morals and decency.....er......good?
Some prat in Sounds reviewed it to be worth 2 stars our of 5?.....but fear not, it got to number 18 in New Zealand.....which may explain something about the future New Zealand scene of the 90's.
As for the 're-mix' itself,done half-arsed style, by John Leckie for £250 quid, it seems based entirely on press reports that Lydon may have been a 'Dub Reggae' fan. So out came the Space Echo, and a hefty amount of spring reverb was channeled to one of the effects knob's,and applied to Jim Donut Walkers' snare,then pushed to the back of the mix,alongside Levene's guitar, too discordant maybe(?). Worst is Lydon's front of mix vocals get the panning treatment with lashings of space echo.
The exclusion of the UK version's most attitudenus track, Fodderstompf, is at best inexplicable? Removed,as was its most controversial moment "Religion",and they don't seem to have been replaced!?
"Death Disco" from future albums sticks out as a possible single,and sounds rather over-produced in the process,when compared to the rest of the numbers.
Running time is made up by adding 4 minutes to "Annalisa" of one of the fab four tinkling on the ivories while the other three howl like pub singers in an echo chamber lock-in.
Wobble's Bass in the iconic,or is that Ironic, "Theme", has clearly had a touch of treble added.....which i ashamedly find to be an improvement...NOT that i would do that if i remixed the fucker I'll have you know. The best way to re-mix this, let's face it, Work Of Art, is to leave it alone as originally conceived,wading upstream in the psychological chaos that shat this unpolished turd on an ungrateful public...especially the Punx. Another invaluable lesson in how to alienate your audience and survive....."I will Survive,I wish I could Diiiiie"
Oh Yeah,2* out of 5 DON'T BUY IT!.....get the other re-issue,OR.......

......DOWNLOAD IT HERE!


Tracklist:

A1 Theme 8:59
A2 Annalisa 10:00
B1 Public Image 3:01
B2 Low Life 3:51
B3 Attack 2:45
B4 Swan Lake 6:44