Lifeboat - s/t

Name: Lifeboat
Album: s/t
Year: 1985
Style: Janglepop, college radio
Similar Bands: REM, Thomas Dolby, Talking Heads, Let's Active!, Pixies, Gang of Four, Jonathan Richman,
"One-Word" Review: Smart-poppy-jangly-post-punk
Based Out Of: Boston, MA
Label: Dolphin Records

 Cover & Record

Record & Back

Lifeboat (1985)

1. Bully Up 3:13
2. Family Town 3:17 /
3. Queen For A Day 4:04
4. Ruling Class Kids 2:31
5. Twelve Hour Drive 2:59
6. Let's Get Excited! 3:27

Album Rating (1-10): 9.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Paul Gibson - Drums (Do It Now Foundation, Saracen)
• Bob Kendall - Bass, Vox (Tackle Box, Blood Oranges, Brothers Kendall, Tanya Donelly)
• Greg Kendall - Guitar, Keys, Vox (Tackle Box, Jonathan Richman, Mission of Burma, Human Sexual Response, Neighborhoods, Bob Lawton's Boots, Arms Akimbo, Tuffskins, Brothers Kendall)
• Gary Smith Guitar, Keys Vox, Cover  (Phoenix TV Trio, John Clay, Connells, Kenny Blue Ray, Throwing Muses, Walkabouts, Billy Bragg, Juliana Hatfield, Chris Harford, Ringo, Tackle Box, Natalie Merchant, Bulls Gap)
• Steve Gronback - Producer, Engineer
• Bob Pfeifer - Producer
• Jim Toth - Engineer
• Gordon Hookailo - Remixing
• Greg Calbi - Mastering
• Paul Robicheau - Back Photo
• Bob Lawton - Mgmt

Unknown-ness: Never heard of lifeboat, and there is not much to go on by the dark artwork with yellow lettering. The front is Noah's Ark (thus, lifeboat), and the back is a band photo, barely visable. The album reminds me a little of Die Kreuzen, and it's emptiness could mean that is is harder than most Jangle pop that was coming out of Boston (mgmt) or Chapel Hill (label). I'm still going to lean toward Jangle pop for my guess.

Album Review: There are hints of Talking Heads, Pixies, and REM on this mini-LP. It is college radio jangly, but it is clean in production, and doesn't rely on tedious repetitive hooks that define the bottom rungs of college radio popularity. Then there are definite British new wave characteristics, with snotty nasally vocals surrounded by synths, reminding me of Thomas Dolby or Flock of Seagulls (on "Ruling Class Kids"). "Twelve Hour Drive" features chants and angular music similar to Gang Of Four, until the Farfisa keys come in, making it a less abrasive track. Apparently brothers Bob & Greg have had success in scoring films as well. Gary Smith owns Fort Apache Studios.

Stand Out Track: Bully Up, Ruling Class Kids, Twelve Hour Drive

Links:
Willfully Obscure
Blurt Schoolkids Records Greg Kendall
Dagger Zine Greg Kendall (same interview as above)
Bobkendall.com
Discogs
Full Album Youtube