Instructions - s/t

Name: Instructions
Album: s/t
Year: 1982
Style: New Wave, Synth
Similar Bands: Devo, Styx, Buggles, Adam Ant, Gary Numan, Mi-Sex, Roxy Music
"One-Word" Review: Future Theatrical Synth-Wave
Based Out Of: Canada
Label: Atlantic, Radio Records, Warner Communications

 Cover, Record

Back, Record

Instructions (1982)

1. Wicked Heart 4:00
2. So You Learn From Computers 4:15
3. Don't Say Love 3:47 (single)
4. Suburban Dream 4:19
5. Ha Ha Ha 4:29 /
6. The Factory 3:40
7. The Extra 3:55
8. Naked Deer 2:49
9. Cleek 2:56
10. O K 3:51

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Owen Smith - Vox, Writer (Vehicle, Maxwell Friday, Old Sailor, Paris Mob, The Immortals)
• Martin Wall - Keys & Textures, Writer (Vehicle, Wenzday)
• Domenic Troiano - Guitar (Guess Who, Black Market, Bush, James Gang, Mandala, Robbie Lane & Disciples, Hawks more)
• Mike Jones - Engineer
• Larry - Backing Vox
• Peter Crolly - Bass, Writer (Frank Soda, Lee Aaron, Robert Connolly)
• Alan Webster - Drums
• Dave Beatty - Guitar (Robert Connolly)
• Regan Myers - Keys, Writer (Cosmic Ray)
• Janet Williamson - Vox
• Kimberly Johnston - Vox
• Phantasmagoria Ltd Toronto - Design
• Greg Lawson - Design
• Hugh Cooper - Asst Engineer
• Jeff Stobs - Asst Engineer
• Mick Walsh - Asst. Engineer
• Robin Brouwers - Asst. Engineer
• Claudette Abrams - Photos
• John Driscoll - Producer
• Gaston Gravell- Producer Asst.

Unknown-ness: I never heard of this band, but it cover makes them look like a dark, pub band with back-alley musical style. The font, however, looks computer-generated, but that might feed into the spy theme with instructions for a secret mission. Still going to assume this is Pub Rock.

Album Review: The music is much more synthetic and new wave, similar to a cold, future concept album like Mr. Roboto, with dark, sanitized synth beats juxtaposed with an emotive singer, sometimes singing with a Devo-like monotone. "Suburban Dream" has a bit of a Police-like reggae melody to it. O K sounds a little like Roxy Music's "The Strand." The synthy part of "Cleek" reminds me of Adam Ant's talk-singing. "The Extra" is fun Power-Pop still keeping a toe in future synth sounds, but "Ha Ha Ha" sounds out of place on the album, like a Supertramp song.

Stand Out Track: Factory

Links:
what Frank is listening to
Willfully obscure
Discogs
owen smith website