"Recombo DNA" - Devo
The role that a bleak, industrial Mid-West existence and the fumes from tire factories in their native Akron had on Devo's music is probably best left up to scientists and geneticists. As if their officially released material wasn't baffling enough, especially "Q: Are We Not Men A: We Are Devo" and "Duty Now For The Future," this double-disc compendium of rough mixes, alternate versions, demos, and previously unreleased songs provides yet another glimpse of the band's alternate reality as they spin their tales of life in a nuclear age and science gone too far.
Mistakenly written off as an 80's novelty band, these self-proclaimed spud boys' twisted genius, disjointed rhythms, and avant-garde robot funk trailblazed and provided the template for many to follow.
"I Didn't See It Coming" - The Professionals
Lost in the shuffle amidst all of the hoopla surrounding the meltdown of The Sex Pistols, the death of Sid Vicious, and John Lydon's dreadful Public Image Ltd. is this terrific effort by ex-Pistols Steve Jones and Paul Cook. It's obvious that despite all of the distractions that came with being a member of that band, Jones and Cook never stopped plying their craft and the result is a near-perfect collision of Jones' patented wall-of-noise guitar racket, Cook's punishing drums, and big, beautiful soccer terrace sing-along choruses.
Through the magic of digital technology, this reissue also includes several non-LP singles and B-sides which could just as easily have made the original cut.
"Punk: The Definitive Record Of A Revolution" by Stephen Colegrave & Chris Sullivan
Most of us whose salvation and saving grace in the late 1970's came in the form of punk rock never thought it would come to this: a coffee table-style book on the genre so large it almost requires a truss to pick up and read. Exploding with stark black-and-white photos, the authors rightfully trace punk's origins back to the Stooges/MC5/Velvet Underground unholy triumvirate and primarily use quotes from musicians, hangers-on, and the fans to tell the story of the music so many thought would change if not the world, then at least the industry.
Although an integral part of the whole sordid saga, it would have been nice if the authors had sacrificed some of the space devoted to The Sex Pistols and the Sodom and Gomorrah of punk (New York and London) and examined the scenes in Australia and elsewhere. Nonetheless, despite the small quibble, this is a glorious addition to the library of any music lover, punk or otherwise, and another testimonial to why music in the 70's casts such a huge shadow over everything that's come along since.
