Pete Shelley- XL1 (1983) / Heaven & the Sea (1986) MP3 & FLAC -For Andie James-

"You and I will never change. Though we're different, we'll remain the same. 
Love's devoid of reason anyway."

On his unexpected solo debut, Homosapien, Pete Shelley largely abandoned any trace of the guitar-heavy punk-pop of his previous band, the Buzzcocks, instead building the album's sound out of a unique combination of electronic instruments and acoustic 12-string guitar. While this stemmed partly from his desire to break all ties with his former band, it was also a re-visitation of his original interest in Electronic music. However, on his second LP, XL1, Shelley decided to re-introduce electric guitar into the mix, and the result is a wonderfully edgy and claustrophobic electronic-rock hybrid that manages to build on the strengths of its predecessor while moving into even darker emotional territory. From the beginning of his career as a songwriter, Shelley had nurtured a lyrical preoccupation with the idea of unbridgeable emotional isolation, such as his classic Buzzcocks composition, "Ever Fallen in Love": "You spurn my natural emotions / You make me feel like dirt / And I'm hurt / And if I start a commotion / I run the risk of losing you / And that's worse." While there is still a glimmer of faith (albeit a masochistic one) in the possibility of love in the preceding lyrics, on XL1, the emotional climate is one of cold pessimism. For example, on the infectiously dark "Telephone Operator," perhaps the pinnacle of Shelley's solo career, Shelley introduces heavily distorted guitar bursts into an arrangement that borrows heavily from Kraut-Rockers such as Kraftwerk; lyrically, the song sets the stage for the entire album, as it establishes the theme of isolation on several levels in the form of a lonely drunk trying to seduce a disembodied (and emotionally disconnected) voice on the phone. Shelley also explores the sense of isolation within relationships as on "You Know Better Than This," which contrasts his ironic, almost tongue-in-cheek vocals and faceless synth-dominated arrangement with lyrics alternating between professions of devotion and bitter musings about the inevitability of emotional stagnation. It would be three years before Shelley would issue his third (and final) solo album, Heaven & the Sea, which dials down the dance rhythms significantly and suffers greatly for it. It seems Shelley is going for something more reflective on this album, and while songs such as "On Your Own" and "Life Without Reason" have their charms, overall, the album ends up sounding a little too glossy (thanks to Stephen Hague's production). As a result, Heaven & the Sea has not aged nearly as well as Shelley's earlier solo albums.

Pete Shelley- "Telephone Operator" Video (1983)

Some dark and edgy synth-pop that somehow hasn't dated a bit...

Pete Shelley- Homosapien (1981) MP3 & FLAC

"And the worlds built of age are a stage where we act out our lives."

In hindsight, Pete Shelley's unanticipated exit from the legendary punk-pop band The Buzzcocks and his incipient career as an artsy New Wave solo artist is not as shocking as it must have appeared to his fans in the early eighties. Shelley had actually recorded an album's worth of Kraut-Rock-influenced Electronic music before forming The Buzzcocks (released in 1979 as Sky Yen). As such, the shift in focus from guitar-based arrangements to the overriding emphasis on synth-based textures and electronic percussion that is evident on his solo-debut, Homosapien, did have some aesthetic precedence for Shelley. The songs comprising the album were actually intended for a fourth Buzzcocks album; however, Shelley decided to record the demos solo primarily using synths, acoustic 12-string guitar, and drum machines, and he was reportedly so impressed with the results that he ended up unceremoniously disbanding one of the greatest bands of the Punk-era. While the musical context is radically changed, Shelley's lyrics and vocals retain much of the gritty pop spirit that characterized his work with his previous band. The classic title track, which clearly provided the blueprint for Pulp's alluring electro-pop of the mid-nineties, blends Bowie-esque vocals and some wonderfully cheesy electronic beats and hand-claps to create one of the true highlights of the New Wave genre. On "I Generate a Feeling," Shelley borrows heavily from Synth-pop pioneers Kraftwerk to create a sound-scape that would be indistinguishable from any number of the faceless synth-bands of the time if it weren't for the brooding lyrics, which effectively establish a thematic tension in relation to the music that is characteristic of the entire album; in doing so, Shelley creates a very similar effect, though in a vastly different arena, to the Buzzcock's unique brand of Punk.

Pete Shelley- "Homosapien" Video (1981)

"New Wave" just didn't get any better than this:

Buzzcocks- Love Bites (1978) Special Edition (Bonus Disc) MP3 & FLAC

"Operator's manual tells me what to find, and how to make adjustments when you tamper with my mind."

Buzzcocks are a powerful reminder that the British Punk movement of the late-seventies was so much more than the three chord thrash template copped from The Ramones and used to great effect by The Sex Pistols. The Buzzcocks' debut, Another Music in a Different Kitchen, while a Punk album through and through, stood apart from the sound of other Punk bands of the period by integrating a strong Kraut-Rock influence. With their second album, Buzzcocks, who by this point had lost their lead singer Howard Devoto, began to push into new musical territory, and while still a Punk album in many ways, Love Bites is also a first rate pop album with a very pop-oriented obsession: love gone bad (which is probably why it bites). "Ever Fallen in Love" is perhaps the most well-known song on the album, and the distinction is well-deserved, as it's quirky melodic quality and emotionally perfect vocals by Pete Shelley ensure that this song will never age a day. Another track that deserves special mention is the instrumental, "Late for the Train," which stands as a Punk vis-a-vis Kraut-Rock tour-de-force. Love Bites is a sprawling, emotionally direct album that is just as good if not better than anything recorded by The Buzzcock's contemporaries in the Punk movement, and as such, is not to be missed.

Buzzcocks- "Ever Fallen in Love?" (1978) Live, The Lesser Free Trade Hall

Punk-pop the way it should be heard. Get a buzz, cock!