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From: barth@tellab1.UUCP (Barth Richards)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Re: SHRIEKBACK
Message-ID: <649@tellab1.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 17-Oct-85 14:17:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: tellab1.649
Posted: Thu Oct 17 14:17:17 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 19-Oct-85 06:00:52 EDT
References: <10658@ucbvax.ARPA>
Reply-To: barth@tellab1.UUCP (Barth Richards)
Followup-To: net
Distribution: net
Organization: Tellabs, Inc., Lisle, IL
Lines: 42
Keywords: Shriekback, XTC, Gang of Four

In article <10658@ucbvax.ARPA> rosen@ucbvax.ARPA (Rob Rosen) writes:

>    I'm sure that some of you enlightened musical gurus out there have
>heard of these guys.  Any comments on their music?  Are they compatable
>with, for example, Simple Minds?  The reason I ask is that they seem to
>be opening for Simple Minds' November 23rd show in Oakland, and if they're
>any good, I'd like to be familiar with their music before I attend the
>show.  Any feedback, both positive and negative, would be appreciated.

Indeed we have. (Well, I have anyway.) They started as a trio made up of
Barry Andrews (formerly of XTC), David Allen (formerly of Gang of Four),
and Carl Marsh (formerly the drummer of Out On Blue Six.) (Has anyone out there
heard any Out On Blue Six? Or, in fact, even heard OF them?) Anyway, they
have recently added another member. (I don't remember his name at the moment).

Shriekback mostly does a new wave/funk fusion type of music (for lack of a
better description). Their first album, CARE, had an FM hit off it called
"Lined Up." The CARE album is generally good, with most of side one being
mostly great funkish dance music. The second side seemed to me to drag
a bit, being mostly slow songs that, though good, weren't great.

Their second album, JAM SCIENCE, is available as an import only. It's not bad,
but not quite as good as CARE. JAM SCIENCE is almost entirely discoish dance
tunes that make heavy use of drum machines (almost every song). Good beat,
but not terribly inventive. Still, a good album.

Shriekback's third album, OIL AND GOLD, is their best. They go back to using
the talents of a real drummer, for one thing, and make use of a more complex
base of rythmic intensity. The funk tunes have truely inspired energy, and
the slower tracks are addictively eerie ("The Only Thing That Shines"
especially). Definately a great album.


				  Barth Richards
				  Tellabs, Inc.
				  Lisle, IL

				  "Our time has come, age of the hammerheads
				   This is our mission, to be the DALEKS
				   of God"
                                  -Shriekback, "Hammerheads"
                                   from the album OIL AND GOLD