Baraka - Baraka 12'' (1986, Self-Released)

Here is the sole release by Baraka, a rare French band crossing coldwave, new wave, touching pop, and synth. I would put them in the same category as bands like Smirnov and Fatidic Seconde. For a private press, quite polished and well-produced... so I would imagine they could have easily been radio pop if in the hands of a major label/producer... though like most bands they never made it to the big league and left us only with this gem. My copy is missing the insert, so I don't have much information... but this one was limited to 1,000 copies. "C'est Pour Ton Bien" is a great coldwave pop track!

To preview some samples:



Baraka - Baraka 12'' (1986, Self-Released)

01. Des Jours Meilleurs
02. C'est Pour Ton Bien
03. Le Chant Des Sirènes
04. Les Enfants Du Paradis


http://netkups.com/?d=8751461850722
pass: kentuckyfriedwave

Idle Lovéll - Surge Et Illuminare MLP (1984, Blonde Vinyl Records)

Idle Lovéll were a gothic / dark wave band from the Los Angeles region that only released this record. They included Michael Knott on vocals, who I had never heard of before, though he has quite a massive discography beginning with the early 80's punk band The Lifesavors... and is apparently a well-known figurehead in alternative Christian music. This is the first and probably last "Christian" record I'll ever post on here... hehe, normally not the stuff I seek out! However, I wouldn't let that discourage anyone from checking it out since it contains many excellent tracks. The better tracks remind me of some songs by bands such as South of No North, Art Boulevard, Necropolis of Love, or tracks such as "Out of The Window" by Aerial FX, etc... "Shallow" and "Only" are very good dark wave tracks, "Drone" is gothy, "I Can't Wait" is dreamy, "One-Sided Love Affair" has a jangle-pop vibe, and "Touch Me In The Wind" is my least favorite since it has a lame "radio-friendly" sing-a-long chorus. Overall, very good stuff if the religious overtones don't pester you.

Idle Lovéll - Surge Et Illuminare MLP (1984, Blonde Vinyl Records)

01. Touch Me In The Wind
02. Shallow
03. I Can't Wait
04. Only
05. One-Sided Love Affair
06. Drone

http://netkups.com/?d=32c17b0bf08f5
pass: kentuckyfriedwave

Crises En Themes - Aquarelle Mission K7 (1990, Self-Released)

This is a tape I took a gamble on several years back since it was fairly cheap, the seller had some other cool items, and in this case I did get lucky (and not fall victim to sales puffery) since it 1) contains some good coldwave songs, 2) never have seen it since (it hasn't been off the radar either), 3) nor heard their name spoken/typed/written from anyone else besides a few personal friends after I have sent tracks to over the years, or the individual I purchased it off. I thought I got lucky once again few years ago when "googling" this band and finding a contact, but after talking to the guy -- turned out that there was another late 80s French band with the exact same name who just happened to be influenced by Xymox, Christian Death, and (I believe he wrote) buddies with a member(s) of Opera Multi Steel... but there was no connection or awareness!

Oh well... this band were a two-piece out of Lyon, who sound like a poor man's Opera Multi Steel with some stronger Cure influences. Super-duper rare French coldwave tape.

Crises En Themes - Aquarelle Mission K7 (1990, Self-Released)

01. Untitled
02. Digital Scream
03. Octobre Rouge
04. Escalier
05. Mery's Hollogram
06. Gothique
07. L'horizon Des Prisons
08. Hot Girl
09. Fenêtre Sur Cour
10. Et Angélique Rêve
11. Dr Muller

http://netkups.com/?d=c95440befd952
pass: kentuckyfriedwave

Shadowplay - Another Autumn Day K7 (1988, Individual Pop)

 
Shadowplay was the solo project of Michael Scholz, nowadays best known as the singer of cult 80s goths Taste of Decay. However, quite a few years before I ever heard or read about Taste of Decay... there was Shadowplay (not to be confused with the US band I posted last week, the Finnish band, or others sharing the name). Naturally there are some very similar Taste of Decay sounds, but perhaps a bit more introspective at times (it is a solo project after all). Michael mentions influences by Joy Division, Bauhaus, Sad Lovers & Giants, and Danse Society... though the Bauhaus influences comes out heavily on the vocals at times, and there is certainly some big-time Cure influences here-and-there. This is nothing groundbreaking, but certainly good quality DIY underground goth music, especially for being a debut cassette-only release. The title track is probably my favorite on here, though know I had this tape for a couple years before the song I ever grabbed my attention, "Come Inside" is a dark analogue synth track, and there are quite a few other decent tunes as well.

Michael also sang for Garden of Pleasures (best known for their track "Pandora's Box" off the New Alternatives LP) from '87-91, and has been involved in a few other bands (even pre-Taste of Decay). For more information on some of his projects, check out his way out-of-date website: http://home.foni.net/~michel/shadowplay.html

Myspace here for some more info and random tracks including a newly recorded version of "Out of Control" off this tape: http://www.myspace.com/shadowplaygermany

Here is the Shadowplay discography (ignoring compilations)

Another Autumn Day K7 (1988, Individual Pop)
An Ideal World K7 (1990, Self-Released)
Tears K7 (1992, Self-Released)
A History of Shadowplay 1988-1992 K7 (1993, Beton Tapes)
A Perfect Frame (A Compilation of Previously Unreleased Songs) K7 (199x, Self-Released) <- Think Promo-only, have only seen it one time


Shadowplay - Another Autumn Day K7 (1988, Individual Pop)

01. Out of Control
02. The Spell
03. Could Be Me
04. Eyes Like Hell
05. Two Sides
06. Another Autumn Day
07. Destiny
08. Come Inside
09. Seduction

http://netkups.com/?d=7314c1f302f59
pass: kentuckyfriedwave

Sheer Thursday - Expecting The Grass LP (1986, Twilgiht Records)

When I have noticed this record up on eBay in the past, sellers often compare them to early R.E.M., which is certainly obvious on some songs and both bands were from Georgia (different cities -- Sheer Thursday were from Atlanta / R.E.M. --> Athens). Besides the R.E.M. influences, they also have some excellent gloomy darkwave tracks like "Gray Day", "A View From The Side VII" (beautiful), and "Distance" that are the standout tracks to me (and anyone with similar tastes). You also have some straight-forward uptempo post-punk tracks ("Moral", "Home Park", and "In View From The Side"). There is another release I've seen that is a '85 7" called "He Leaves" that is probably the same band, but have yet to ever hear it or had anyone else refer to it to me... so can't be 100% sure... if you know for sure, leave a comment. The first four tracks on here were recorded in Nov.-Dec. 1985, and the remainder in May-June '86. This one can often be found quite cheap online too, which is another plus.

Sheer Thursday - Expecting The Grass LP (1986, Twilgiht Records)

01. Dodge
02. Distance
03. Fish Form
04. Gray Day
05. Moral
06. A View From The Side VII
07. Home Park
08. In View From The Side
09. The Dancing Bear


http://netkups.com/?d=8952a6f01ae93
kentuckyfriedwave

Shadowplay - The Camp of The Saints LP (1989, Shadowplay Records)

By glancing at the cover of this record, you might be expecting to hear the ghost of Ian Curtis once again, but not quite. There are some Joy Division influenced tracks ("The City On The Edge of Forever" -- sounds like the JD-influenced Grey March tracks), but overall I am reminded of bands such as New Math, mid 80s Kommunity FK, or even Fourwaycross at times. Mildly gothic, US-style post-punk / dark rock, deathrock-crossover. This Shadowplay (quite a few bands with the same name), were from the small city of Everett, Massachusetts (north of Boston), and consisted of Peter Odd and Robert Belvedere (pen name). Peter (maybe a pen name too?) and Robert started playing together in James Straight & The Bureaucrats in 1979, and apparently played in other Boston-area bands throughout the 80s (Shocks & Struts, Beach Party Syndrome, Kalvin Kooledge, Red Tape, No Smoking, World Citizens and minimal synth legends Doppler Effect) according to one eBay seller who recently posted this one for sale (not sure if they played together or seperate in all of those bands! -- but would imagine not together in all). A quick google search reveals Mr. Belvedere nowadays runs a self-proclaimed right-wing Political blog at http://thecampofthesaints.org ! Nevertheless, some decent tracks... and all songs recorded between July-Aug. 1988.

Shadowplay - The Camp of The Saints LP (1989, Shadowplay Records)

The Struggle Within:

01. Normandy
02. Cannae
03. Days After Daze
04. Who Is John Galt
05. Treason Within
   
Antarctica:

06. Virginia Dare
07. December 19th
08. Bonzo's Buddy Neal
09. The City On The Edge of Forever
10. The Wilderness Campaign

http://netkups.com/?d=2b6c06f10150d
pass: kentuckyfriedwave

One Hundred Names - Inside 12" (1985, Wishbone Records)

Cool German goth band that only put out this 12" on Wishbone Records, best known for releases by Marcie's Still Waiting and No More. Don't know much else... but good stuff.

One Hundred Names - Inside 12" (1985, Wishbone Records)

01. Inside
02. Trust Yourself
03. Stop USA

http://netkups.com/?d=9f25d09738119
pass: kentuckyfriedwave