SUICIDE – SUICIDE (RED
STAR RECORDS/BLAST FIRST)
This is an exercise into
belligerence, into making the listener invest contempt into the art it is
purchasing. This is the kind of music
you put on to torture friends with, to clear the room at a party or to have
rough sex to.
Recorded and released
in 1977 Suicide were painfully ahead of their time, bucking the trends of the
moment as their sonic onslaught felt a violent betrayal to the audience of
punks that stood and gawped at them spewing aggression from the stage. This is some kind of journey into hell where
the intensity is such that you can only crack and laugh in order to make it
through the entire record.
When reviewing the
history of music there are few duos as punchy and accomplished as Alan Vega and
Martin Rev. There’s was the kind of
connection an artist can only dream of finding in a partnership. The trust and respect between them is
obvious. They were both taking risks in
full knowledge they had each other’s back.
The album begins with
“Ghost Rider” and a suffering onslaught addressing what is going on in their
home nation. This was music born of the
grittiest times in modern America and in specific New York where freedom was
long an illusion and suffocation be king.
There is plenty to take
from this record. The vocal style of
Vega alone is incredibly unique as it fluctuates from whisper to menacing at
the turn of a hat. Then complimenting
his work is Rev powering up a soup of stark repetition with his startling
synth. This is the noise created by the
worst production line.
“Cheree” sounds almost
church like in its delivery, like the worst kind of practitioner and
minister. Religion is dumb and evil,
especially when it comes with such intent and menace. As Rev twinkles like the Silver Apples, Vega sounds desperate in
the most demented manner. You don’t
want to be “Cheree”.
The creepiness
continues with “Girl” has more advances made towards some unlucky lady as
another sticky scenario is played out.
Not recommended as make out music to play in the background.
The centre piece of
the record is the ten minutes plus of “Frankie Teardrop” which offers a clear
narrative and tale of a struggling soul becoming a disturbed soul. As harsh as it tastes it is a very tragic
song that in some ways actually makes me think of “Frank’s Wild Years” by Tom
Waits. As the electronic pulse refuses
to relent it induces something of a migraine in the listener as Teardrop
through Vega sets about exterminating his world and eventually life. This is where the blood on the cover comes
from. The screams are so audible in
this hell that it asks a lot of the listener to actually remain with the song
until the end, the bitter end. And that
in itself is always an accomplishment.
Not long after this
“Cheree” returns for a second time and now it feels slightly more upbeat even
if remaining desperate and dirty. This
is the sound of persistent and blind optimism.
These are sentiments I’m not convinced are going to be reciprocated.
After a difficult and
miserable time (experience), the album ends on a relatively upbeat manner with
“Keep Your Dreams”. Suddenly the words
are light and positive and so is Rev’s backing that now comes with a pleasant
piano line and less oppressive beats.
What suddenly went so well for them at the eleventh hour? Regardless, salute the happy ending.
My old work colleague
Stevo used to think Suicide was the band that got onstage and committed
suicide. Now where would be the career
in that? After years of working their
way up, that would be the climax? They
would not be around to sample the fruits of their labour. And certainly no one would ever book them
again.
At the end of the day
an act carrying the name Suicide is/was never going to be a barrel of laughs
and to be honest what you get is what you deserve with this record. As a gesture of attrition it wins on so many
levels. As a pleasant experience it
resounding fails. As a source of
entertainment also it fails. As a
record to torment your friends and enemies with it works.
Approach with caution.
Thesaurus moment:
deleterious.
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