Search - Various Artists :: Making Losers Happy

Fantastic sampler of 1981-84 NZ abrasive pop

John L Murphy | Los Angeles | 09/29/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Yes, pop, for underneath the surface scraping and hawing, there's some beautifully composed melodies fighting for air. Folkish guitars and drones compliment the post-punk aggression that tears up the delivery, of such as the old tune "The Grey Funnel Line," or a Dead C tune sounding like The Fall's Mark E. Smith meets Richard Thompson like the three gathered here from the NZ trio's first ep. All of the songs here appeared in issues on limited edition vinyl of a few hundred copies, so their compilation here is welcome. Highly recommended as a bridge between the more composed tunes of the Flying Nun contigent and the grating noise of the Xpressway disciples. This is an Xpressway assortment, but may also appeal to braver souls who need to venture out of more comforting pop into sonic storms."