Translator - Heartbeats and Triggers

Name: Translator
Album: Heartbeats & Triggers
Year: 1982
Style: Post Punk, New Wave
Similar Bands: Alarm, Jonathan Richman, Clash, Jam, Rifles, The dB's, Wire Train
"One-Word" Review: Solid Punky Art Rock
Based Out Of: San Francisco, Los Angeles
Label: 415 Records, Columbia, CBS

Cover, Record

Record, Back

Heartbeats and Triggers (1982)

1. Everywhere That I'm Not 4:03 (single)
2. Necessary Spinning 3:41
3. Everything You See 3:35
4. When I Am With You 3:06 (single b-side)
5. Nothing is Saving Me 5:16 /
6. Sleeping Snakes 3:37
7. Favorite Drug 3:32
8. Everywhere 3:19
9. Dark Region 2:31
10. My Heart, Your Hear 3:43

Album Rating (1-10): 10.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Steve Barton - Guitar, Vox (The Oblivion Click, Present Tense, Blow Up, Waking Bartonomous)
• Robert Darlington - Guitar, Vox (The Lies)
• David Scheff - Drums (Teatro ZinZanni, Dead Kennedys, Bang Bang Men, Half True, Winter Hours, Wilma, Bounty, Slow Children, American Music Club, Sachiko, Ramona The Pest, Flying Color, Billy & Dolly)
• Larry Dekker - Bass (Bang Bang Men, Map of Wyoming, Sachiko)
• David Kahne - Producer, Engineer
• Philip De Lancie - Remote Assistant
• Paul Stubblebine - Mastering
• Robin A. Spear - Cover Concept & Design
• Trudy Fisher - Photos

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. While the date is 1982, the cover looks like a millennial angular pop-punk offering. The bleak two tone color scheme give them a darkness to the music, potentially. But i really don't know what's going to be on here...based on their pics, they look like a new wave band, so let's go with that.

Album Review: This record is really great. Two vocal styles from two vocalists round out the good with a Jonathan Richmond style voice, and a Peter Weller style vocal, with music to complement both styles. The songs can be a little jangly like the Alarm, but a good recent comparison would be to the UK band, the Rifles. It feels like the third or fourth catalogue offering of a previously raucous punk band who has aged well and lost a bit of their driving, angsty edge, yet this is their debut.

This record received substantial airplay for college and underground radio stations via the record label's connection to CBS/Columbia, particularly their anthem "Everywhere That I'm Not." They release 4 albums in the 80's then quit, and reformed 26 years later to release another album, two best-ofs and a handful of new singles. One of their biggest inspirations was the Beatles, and they sounded so much like them, that many Beatles fan thought their 1983 cover of "Cry for a Shadow" was a new recording by the living members in time for the Beatles Anthology release in 1995.

Stand Out Track: Everywhere That I'm Not, Necessary Spinning, Everywhere

Links:
Wiki
Discogs
Allmusic
Steve Barton Music
Music Alternatives
Facebook Friends & Fans
Furious: Darlington Interview
Washington Times
Unrated Magazine 2018 Barton's solo albums interview
Cryptic Rock Barton Interview 2018
Alchetron
Stereo Embers Barton's 2018 release review/stream
Songfacts 2012 Barton Interview

Green on Red - Gravity Talks

Name: Green on Red
Album: Gravity Talks
Year: 1983
Style: Psychedelic, Garage
Similar Bands: Bob Dylan, Jonathan Richman, Dead Milkmen, Inspiral Carpets, Electric Prunes, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Three O'Clock, REM, Dream Syndicate
"One-Word" Review: Jangle-Psych-Pop Dylan-meets-Jagger
Based Out Of: Tuscon AZ & LA, CA
Label: Slash, Warner Brothers

Cover, Record

Record, Back

Gravity Talks (1983)

1. Gravity Talks 2:33
2. Old Chief 3:26
3. Easy Pieces 2:19
4. Deliverance 5:44
5. Over My Head 3:00
6. Snake Bit 4:24 / 
7. Blue Parade 4:30
8. That's What You're Here For 2:03
9. Brave Generation 4:12
10. Abigail's Ghost 2:38
11. Cheap Wine 4:09
12. Narcolepsy 5:34

Album Rating (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Chris D - Producer (Fleasheaters)
• Dan Stuart - Vox, Guitar (Danny & Dusty, Serfers, The Slummers, Beat Farmers, Alpha Blue )
• Chris Cacavas - Keys, Guitar, Vox (Serfers, Alpha Nord, Edward Abbiati, Junkyard Love, Slivers of Hope, Dragon Bridge Orch. Dream Syndicate, Pedestrians, True West, Giant Sand, Steve Wynn & the Miracle 3, Viva Saturn, John Wesley Harding, Russ Tolman, Tom Stevens, Pat Thomas, Rich Hopkins & The Luminarios, Watercolors, Danny & Dusty, Plastic Pals, Lowlands and Friends, Blue Rose Rockestra, Leaving Trains, Naked Prey, Divine Horsemen, Dancing Hoods, Zebra Stripes, Droogs, Sonya Hunter, River Roses, Chris Burroughs, Wellsprings of Hope, Vva Saturn, Ghosthouse, Flowerporneos, Jon Wajl & the Amadans, Crashing Dreams, Band of Blacky Ranchette)
• Jack Waterson - Bass, Vox (Serfers, Black Dynamite Sound Orch, Venice Dawn, Two Lane Blacktop, Pat Thomas, Tom Stevens, Viva Saturn, Adrian Younge, Bilal, DJ Shadow, Hellenes, Midnight Hour, Ghostface Killah)
• Alex Mac Nicol - Drums (Lydia Lunch, Deep Six, )
• Matthew Piucci - Guitar, Consultant (Rain Parade, Boat Club, Crazy Horse, Rainy Day, Hellenes, Viva Saturn, True West, Fool Killers, Billy Talbot Band, FIR, Windbreakers, Cat Heads, Steven Roback, Doc Vox, Donovon's Brain)
• Steve Wynn - Long Distance Sage (Dream Syndicate, Danny & Dusty)
• Pat Burnette - Engineer
• Jane O'Neil - Photography
• Jeff Price - Art Direction

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, and they look like a typical, quirky jangle-pop college radio band. I mean, a stuffed armadillo by a campfire in the back photo?

Album Review: The album starts off with a bouncy, catchy garage-psych keyboard with a vocal cadence of Dylan. Also hints of Half Japanese and Dead Milkmen for their rough production values. While this meandering psych album all but embraces the "Paisley Underground" & "New Sincerity" tags, the apparently went on to become part of the cowpunk/roots scene in LA, paving the way for acts like Son Volt & Wilco.

Stand Out Track: Gravity Talks, Easy Pieces

Links:
Wiki
Discogs
website
Schoolkids Records
allmusic
trouser press
rate your music
Robert Christgau
sa-wa-ro
it starts with a birthstone
sputnik Music

Dr. Strut - s/t

Name: Dr. Strut
Album: s/t
Year: 1979
Style: Smoooooth Jazzzzzz
Similar Bands: Brand X, Spaces, Roger Voudouris, Steely Dan
"One-Word" Review: your favorite 80's tv theme
Based Out Of: LA, CA
Label: Motown

 Cover & Record

Back & Record

Dr. Strut (1979)

1. Granite Palace 3:38
2. The Look in Your Eyes 4:36
3. Canadian Star 4:23 (Steely Dan cover)
4. More Stuff 4:57 / 
5. Blowtop 3:15
6. Soul Sermonette 4:30
7. Chicken Strut 3:22
8. Eddieisms 3:09
9. Who Cares 3:00
10. No! You Came Here For an Argument :57

Album Rating (1-10): 3.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Lee Young Sr -  Producer
• David Woodford - Sax, Flutes (Legendary Groovadelics, Swallow, Supertramp, Livingston Taylor, Michael Kamen, Aerosmith, John Cougar, Eric Carmen, Richie Havens, Sneaker, Bonnie Raitt, Sheena Easton, Robert Hazard, Jimmy Buffett, Juice Newton, Supertramp, Roy Orbison,Rod Stewart, California Raisins, Eddie Money, Natalie Cole, Ringo Starr, Alyssa Milano, Dan Hill, Johnny Mathis, Little Feat, Kenny Loggins, Michael Hutchence  )
• Kevin Bassinson - Keys (Legendary Groovadelics, Victor Feldman, Jackie DeShannon, High Energy, Peter McCann, Giants, Jermaine Jackson, Ollie Mitchell's Sunday Best, Jean-Francois Roulot, Pascal Bacoux, Miki Matsubara, Olivia Newton-John, Lynn Carey, Charlene, Barry Manilow, Jane Fonda, Mark Winkler)
• Tim Weston - Guitar (Legendary Groovadelics, Wishful Thinking, Cheech & Chong, Kerry Chater, Jackie DeShannon, Celebration, Tonio K, Peter McCann, Ollie Mitchell's Sunday Best, Bobby King, Robbie Patton, Jean-Francois Roulot, Miki Matsubara, Lynn Carey, Matthew Wilder, Victor Feldman's Generation Band, Daved Discos Dance Orch, Wishful Thinking, China Crisis, Fra Lippo Lippi)
• Peter Freiberger - Bass (Legendary Groovadelics, Wha-Koo, Batteauz, Kerry Chater, Tonio K. Peter C Johnson, Jackie DeShannon, Peter McCann, Danny Douma, Ollie Mitchell's Sunday Best, Jean-Francois Roulot, Miki Matsubara, Lynn Carey, Walter Murphy, Parachute Express, Mister Paradise, Dawn & Dupree, Hans Zimmer)
• Claude Pepper - Drums (Legendary Groovadelics, Silver Condor, Wha Koo, Tonio K, Bill Bergman, Earl Slick Band, Peter McCann, Ollie Mitchell's Sunday Best, Jean-Francois Roulot, Miki Matsubara, Walter Murphy, Josh Leo, Willie Dee, Dean Ray, Fra Lippo Lippi)
• Everett Bryson - Percussion (Home Boy and the COL, Danniebelle, Jessy Dixon, Rufus, Chaka Khan, Alpha Band, Teddy & Nanci, Bili Thedford, Ozone, Cecil Lyde, Dan Hill, Teena Marie, Cook Country, Miki Matsubara, Jim Mandell, Charlene, Chris Montan)
• Barney Perkins - Recording Engineer
• Caryl Woodford - Recording Engineer
• Roger Nichols - Mixing Engineer
• Bernie Grundman - Mastering
• John Banuelos - Asst Engineer
• Gary Goodman - Asst. Engineer
• Bill Glasser - Asst. Engineer
• Ron Wakefield - Product Coordinator
• Brenda M. Boyce - Product Manager
• Tim Bryant - Cover Concept, Album Designer
• Irma Newton - Cover Concept
• Ron Slenzak - Photographer

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band...not sure what to make of the levitating instruments that we're sneaking a peak at with the slightly open door...are we catching the instruments in a compromising position? Is the idea that the instruments are a live while no one is watching (ala Toy Story). Moreover, what does that mean the music will be? I like the stretching of the joke to the back, where the song titles are on an Rx pad, like they are the medicine Dr Strut can dole out. My guess is that this is pub rock with a heavy inclusion of sax.

Album Review: Rather than pub rock- or any kind of rock for that matter- what is contained on this album is smooth jazz. These tracks come across as some sort of resume of 80's tv show themes (Cagney & Lacey, Knots Landing, LA Law, My Two Dads) that knew their moment of popularity was but a brief fleeting couple of years. The smooth loungy aspect of the songs makes them less appealing than say Brand X, or other jazz fusion bands, and overall, its not my thing. They were the flagship band for Motown's newly formed Jazz division & put out two records. Their third record was set to begin production right before Motown's Jazz division shut down. It was still recorded & released in Japan.

Stand Out Track: No! You Came Here For An Argument

Links:
Spotify
youtube full album
Discogs
ProgGnosis
rate your music
band to band
Canadian Star thread

All People - s/t

Name: All People
Album: s/t
Year: 2016
Style: Math Rock, Indie Alternative,
Similar Bands: Walkmen, Dismemberment Plan
"One-Word" Review: Diverging Soundscapes
Based Out Of: New Orleans
Label: Community Records

 Cover, Record, Lyrics/Notes

Record, Back

All People (2016)

1. Slow 3:40
2. Plain Essential Language 2:20
3. Naught 3:29 (single)
4. Fearful / Sick 2:19
5. Moonsteps 3:12 / 
6. Start Again 2:03
7. Balloon 3:06
8. New Rain 3:18
9. Of You 3:34

Album Rating (1-10):6.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Ross Farbe - Recording
• Chris George - Recording
• Carl Saff - Mastering
•  Josh Campbell - Guitar (New Lands)
• Robert Landry - Drums (New Lands, Rooks, Static Masks, Keeping)
• Daniel Ray - Vox, Keys, Trombone (Fatter Than Albert, Flaming Tsunamis, Vox & the Hound, Thou, Rooks, We Are the Union)
• Greg Rodrigue - Vox, Bass, Synth, Album Layout (Fatter Than Albert, The Rooks, Keeping)
• Dorka Hegedus-Lum - Photos

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. The mesh hanging in the winter treetops looks like blood diluting in water. I anticipate the music to resemble a cold, songscape of sound, the kind that tells a story while simulating a vast open tundra

Album Review: Rodrigue and Ray founded the Community Records label this album was put out on. This is their third album as All People and release #65 for the label. The songs do wander around, exploring their heavy elements and light synth in conjunction. The result is a bit of a schizophrenic sound: tugging the listener in multiple directions, even throwing in some brass to give it a distinct New Orleans flair. The vocals are not the center of attention, but seem to be sung because someone else determined songs need vocals.

Stand Out Track: Balloon

Links:
Community Records
New Noise
NOLA article
Ghost Cult
Impose
Post trash
WKDU - review
discogs