Electronic - Electronic - CD (1991), U.K.

Happy Holidays! It's just hours before the end of the year and what better way to celebrate the end by listening to some twitch inducing music? Electronic, formed in 1988, was a joint effort between ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr and singer/guitarist Bernard "Barney" Sumner from New Order. Guest musicians were also involved such as Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe from The Pet Shop Boys and Karl Bartos from German synth pioneers Kraftwerk. Electronic existed after the demise of The Smiths (Marr) and in between and during an extended absence from New Order (Sumner).
During that time, they released 13 singles, 3 full-length albums, and a compilation "best of" album (released in 2006). Electronic's sound represents only a fraction of the vast and creative nature of the Madchester scene going on in the U.K. at the time. Using a mix of analogue synths and guitars, they set out to make an impact with some successful singles such as Getting Away With It, Get The Message, and Second Nature.
For today's post, I'm introducing their self-titled debut album released by Factory Records. It's very obvious Electronic sounds very much like how New Order would sound if Peter Hook took a break from playing bass, but with Johnny Marr on guitar and helping out with writing some of the songs, the similarities become less obvious. Some notable tracks in this album include Tighten Up, Gangster, and Try All You Want. With the exception of Tighten Up, I was surprised that Gangster and Try All You Want weren't released as singles! I wasn't very fond of Getting Away With It, although it has a catchy chorus, it's a very cheesy song with somewhat awkward and simplistic lyrics. Well now, it looks like I've ran out of words,  excuse me while I'm off celebrating and anticipating the beginning of the new year!

Details:

Electronic - Electronic - CD (1991), U.K.

1. Idiot Country
2. Reality
3. Tighten Up
4. The Patience Of A Saint
5. Getting Away With It
6. Gangster
7. Soviet
8. Get The Message
9. Try All You Want
10. Some Distant Memory
11. Feel Every Beat

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The High - The Best Of The High - Compilation - CD (1997), U.K.

Another month comes and goes, but not without an update! Now that the weather is starting to cool off a bit in September, I have another band to share!

Sometime around the late 80's, Steve Diggle from Buzzcocks F.O.C. (Flag Of Convenience) decided to go back and reform the venerable pop-punk group Buzzcocks with Pete Shelly. The remaining members of F.O.C. which included Andy Couzens (guitar), Simon Davies (bass) and Chris Goodwin (drums) decided to reform a new group, but before doing so they had to recruit a vocalist. After a round of rehearsals for a lead singer, the group settled on John Matthews (formerly of Turning Blue) and christened themselves as The High.

In less than five years, the band signed on to a record label (London Records), released a few singles and two LPs (Somewhere Soon in 1990 and Hype in 1992) before calling it quits in 1993. Although their time together was short-lived, their music remains under appreciated to this day. Perhaps their trouble with success had something to do with the unfair comparison of The Stone Roses, the media quickly losing interest in the Madchester scene or people finally started sobering up on ecstasy. Whichever the case may be, The High deserve more recognition. The most notable aspect in The High's history, is they were one of the last bands who collaborated with renowned producer Martin Hannett before his death in 1991.

I'll admit The High do sound a bit like The Stone Roses, but the differences end there. They have an infectious jangly guitar sound I'm very fond of along with atmospherics and a bit of melancholy to round out their sound.

Here's their best of released in 1997, which for some odd reason is not really considered a cumulation of all their best work. Someone at their record label lazily put together their first LP with a single and called it "Best of", while ignoring their other releases and Hannett produced work (they even used the cover from the second LP!). For first time listeners this will have to suffice, but it's not a bad introduction to the band!

Details:

The High - The Best Of The High - Compilation - CD (1997), U.K.

1. Box Set Go

2. Take Your Time

3. This Is My World

4. Rather Be Marsanne

5. So I Can See

6. A Minor Turn

7. Dreams Of Dinesh

8. Up & Down

9. P.W.A.

10. Somewhere Soon

11. More

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