V/A - Vertigo - Synth Punk Blasts 1978-1984 [2020]

When I took notice of this record I bought it immediately, on the one hand because the song selection is great, the time of release, the bands (more than 50% unknown) and I love international stuff, and then limited, so damn... why waiting?? Info: Vertigo is a compilation of SynthPunk, mainly from little known bands. This first volume will be available (vinyl only, limited to 300 copies) on December 15th, features American, German, British & Swedish bands. The term SynthPunk has been popularized in recent years, or rather vulgarized, becoming a genre that mostly describes electronic or new wave bands. This compilation highlights anger and nihilism punk with the violent rhythm of a fingering that assails a keyboard. Here, no synth pop, no new wave, no experimental music. This could be the sequel to the Killed By Synth compilation which is also led by raw razor shape synthesizers.

A brilliant review: "Well, first things first: compared to the unrelated but similarly-themed Killed by Synth comp. that preceded it, this new comp at least succeeds in only including bands that actually used keyboards, so no BIG BOYS, OIL TASTERS, or BOB this time around. In true KBD tradition, the focus here is on the the flipped-out and the fucked-up in the words of the compiler(s), “no synth pop, no new wave, no experimental music” and despite (presumably) being named after the SCREAMERS song, Vertigo skips over the usual synth-punk suspects in favor of some deeper and less obvious cuts. Highlights include the Bloodstains-via-Red Snerts snot of “Sophistication” by PLASTIC IDOLS (Houston’s answer to DOW JONES & THE INDUSTRIALS), organ-smeared mutant new wave with wild femme vocals from Santa Cruz’s SCHEMATIX on “Nothing Special,” the dark, frenetic end-times robo-pulse of “Happy Funeral” by Sweden’s KITCHEN & THE PLASTIC SPOONS, the jarring juxtaposition of sparse minimal wave and intense, unhinged vocals in German from DER KÜNFTIGE MUSIKANT’s “Es Ist Kalt”… also, totally bold move with the inclusion of “Food Fight” by the VILLAGE PEOPLE (yes, really) in the post-disco early ’80s, they revamped their image to pass as New Romantics and recorded this one-off, utterly dumb but kind of amazing slice of PLASTIC BERTRAND esque punksploitation with the former “construction worker” channeling his inner Tomata Du Plenty, now officially enshrined as the first dollar bin KBD bonzer. Not a predictable comp by any means, and that’s very much to its credit. (Erika Elizabeth, MRR #454 • March 2021)

This blast works fine and rubs really against my nervous head. Have a relaxed time with this hot fucking stuff and a pleasant time travel!

1.Laundramat Loverboy - ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

2.Making Time - THE STEVES

3.Trust In Technology - ADAPTORS

4.Businessman's Bounce - CRAIG BEVAN & THE TOURISTS

5.Love Me Tonight - THE MD'S

6.Bo Party - THE NAROS

7.Sophistication - PLASTIC IDOLS

8.Idle Worship - G SPOT

9.Food Fight - VILLAGE PEOPLE

10.Nothing Special - SCHEMATIX

11.Computer Love - LORD MANUEL & LA PESTE

12.Happy Funeral - KITCHEN & THE PLASTIC SPOONS

13.Here's What You Find In Any Prison - HIT PARADE

14.Es Ist Kalt - DER KÜNFTIGE MUSIKANT

15.Invisible Man - ANTI-MATTER

16.Stamp Out Mutants - TREATMENT

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V/A - Killed By Death #15½ 1998

I believe it's time for another highlight from the glorious bootlegger front and I quote the lines of the one who compiled this record from the backcover: "Dear collector scum fucker, here is the ultimate Ami punk installment! On some KBD volumes the impotent geeks focused their interest only on top rarities, not on the fucking music!!!". Here you'll find the top of the uncompiled U.S. punk songs 1978-1981. Regular geeks can be satisfied. Your fave KBD comp. is in your hands, so if you're still thinking about it, pick it up stupid asshole! If you have punk balls, your cock will be satisfied. Shame on you if you are one of the losers buyin' now rare punk records at fuckin' crazy prices... we have them all since the day they came out at two dollars each!!! A limited number were released on yellow vinyl, for the rest of us, it is on black vinyl with plain white labels." I think 15½ has appeared in a small edition, was hard to get a copy and was not cheap you know but I love this serie and vinyl is still the best... other opinions?

1.The Loser - VAINS

2.Intellectual Morons - CRAP DETECTORS

3.Sophistication - PLASTIC IDOLS

4.Let Go - PLUGZ

5.Rag - MATT GIMMICK

6.Calling Dr. Modo - SHITDOGS

7.Drugs Are For Thugs - THE PANICS

8.Execution Time - SHELL SHOCK

9.Meat Is Rotten - STYPHNOIDS

10.Do The Uganda - CONTROLLERS

11.Do You Wanna - WAYWARD YOUTH

12.Can't Control Myself - SUBVERTS

13.I Want Her So Bad - PSYCOTIC PINEAPPLE

14.High Hopes - SNUKY TATE

15.Don't Tell Me Why - BRAINIACS

16.Cops - THE LEPERS

17.Johnny Paranoid - SADO-NATION

18.Ladies With Appliances - DOW JONES & THE INDUSTRIALS

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V/A - Are We Too Late For The Trend... 1979

And the answer of course is: YES! This record was a long fuckin' time on my Wantedlist and I thought to buy the platte but the horror prices which a few require are outrageous. I like to spend some money for music but I have limits you know. I guess you go there as well. - This rare compilation on ESR Records features Texas bands and is a fine collection of varied styles and gives a shiny impression what's going on in this era. Are some sagging tunes there but all in all a good record. So folks, that was a long fuckin' day and now I turn into a broccoli and lay myself down and look forward to the extra long weekend.

1.My Face Is On Your Lunch Box - VOMIT PIGS

2.Siamese Love - PLASTIC IDOLS

3.Solid Ground - THE TELEFONES

4.Giant Girl In The 5th Grade - THE INFANTS

5.So Sorry - BARRY KOODA

6.We're Not Here - BLINDATE

7.Rocket, Rocket - E=MC²

8.Dead Dogs - THE SKUDS

9.Nightmare In My Closet - CONTROL

10.Whips & Midgets - SMEGMA

11.Lois, Lois - SUPERMAN'S GIRLFRIEND

12.I Love Your Neurosis - NERVEBREAKERS

13.Karen Ann - SNAKES

- Big Thx to François -

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V/A - Spit On Your Grave! Vol.1 2004

Looking pretty professional at first glance, but Buried Alive Recordings is the name of a bootleg label from Spain and they have released two CD's with rare American KBD stuff from 7Inches 1978-1983, included some rare tracks and others which always used for such Compilations. Sparsely held to infos, only the most necessary, release year, covers and nothing more (b.t.w. dizzy cover 😵). All in all, I think it's a successful selection and absolutely worth listening to, and it's not expensive to buy either. With that, another chapter weekend is heralded and volume 2 follows if you live well-behaved and uninhibited. So come on, you Maniacs!

1.Fun, Fun, Fun - BIG BOYS

2.Haunted Town - THE EFFIGIES

3.Tomahawks - KILLER PUSSY

4.I Wanna Die Young - TERMINAL MIND

5.Nixon More Now Than Ever - ISM

6.You - THE COLD

7.Twist The Blade - NON COMPOS MENTIS

8.Laundramat Loverboy - ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

9.Together - TESTORS

10.Siamese Lust - PLASTIC IDOLS

11.Avon Lady - THE FEEDERZ

12.The Money Will Roll Right In - FANG

13.No Such Thing - THE CLITBOYS

14.Ride The Wild - DESCENDENTS

15.Overkill - FALSE PROPHETS

16.Masochist Ice Cream Men On Drugs - BOBBY SOXX & THE TEENAGE QUEERS

17.Nip Drivers - NIP DRIVERS

18.Teen Love - NO TREND

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