A2: ALTERNATIVE TV: Strange Kicks

Release: 1981 (I.R.S. Records)

Acquisition Details: Mid-90s from used record store? Must’ve been bought during attempt to get any possible punk product for cheap. Loved ATV’s weirdo single, “Life,” (“Life’s about as wondaful as a dead tramp lyin’ in the road”) and found “Action Time Vision” fine.

Mystifying Lyric: From “T.V. Operator”:
I’m as dull, dull, dull, dull, dull as a Belgian miner [minor?].

The LP’s jaunty in places, with decent guitars, and I gotta say I like Mark Perry’s vocals a lot, very English. But the most notable moments are the songs with predominant keyboards, including two with Farfisa organs (I think) on side two. The other synthesizer has, I suppose, a proto-techno texture, and it’s the nicest part of the song. So, while the record’s not annoying, it’s not really worth any effort. This is one of many personal lessons in learning that “punk” turned into “new wave” around 1980 or so (convenient, that), and I don’t appreciate the sonic qualities of ‘80s music anywhere near as much.

Mixworthy: n/a

Verdict (Courtesy of the lyrics from“Who Are They”):
They’re headed in a record store/
Surely life must be better than this.

The question is will anyone buy it back?