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 BUZZCOCKS
TIME'S UP (REISSUE)
MUTE
Time's Up is a collection of demos the
Buzzcocks recorded in October 1976. The entire session was recorded
in four hours and cost the band 45 pounds (or about $68). There were
no overdubs (there probably wasn't time or money for any), but this factor
gives the music an immediacy and a rawness that would define punk rock.
In many ways, Time's Up is more of a pure punk statement than the
Sex Pistol's God Save the Queen--which sounds like a polished gem
in comparison.
Like many British bands of the period, the Buzzcocks
found inspiration in the Sex Pistols. Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto
formed the Buzzcocks after the duo witnessed two awe-inspiring Sex Pistol
gigs in 1976. Not surprisingly, Time's Up is textbook British
punk. The album is packed with two-minute-three-chord explosions
of distorted guitar, snotty Sid-Vicious-style vocals, and angst-filled
lyrics.
The original version of "Orgasm Addict"--a raucous
ode to masturbation--appears here, as well as other angst-filled treats
like "You Tear Me Up," "Boredom," and "I Love You, You Big Dummy." Time's
Up isn't all abrasive punk rock, though. "Breakdown" and "I Can't
Control Myself" (an Elvis cover) are almost "poppy." These lighter
tunes hint at the Buzzcocks's eventual foray into new wave.
Time's Up began appearing on bootlegs in
1978, but finally received a legitimate release by the Document label in
1991. Mute did a nice job with this latest reissue, which includes
an assortment of photos, press releases, lyric sheets, an interview with
Howard Devoto, and a short essay by Greil Marcus.
It's unfortunate that the Sex Pistols recorded
only one studio album before blowing apart in 1978. Thankfully, the
Buzzcocks left us with their own masterful collection of raw, three-chord
romps.
PIGEONHOLE: Two-minute-three-chord explosions
of distorted guitar, snotty Sid-Vicious-style vocals, and angst-filled
lyrics. This is textbook British punk.
CAVEATS: Devoto's vocals are very British,
which could be a bit of a challenge for some American ears.
Andrew Helminger
listen to samples
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