#308
NOMEANSNO - Wrong (1989 Alternative Tentacles)
post-hardcore \ art punk \ math rock
"Canadian brothers Rob and John Wright formed NoMeansNo, maybe one of the most listenable and musical (and enigmatic) vehicles of hatred toward society’s woes and generally less intelligent human beings (i.e., the rest of the world) to come out of the fruitful ’80s hardcore/post-hardcore/punk-rock underground. NoMeansNo released a debut 7-inch in 1981. Three albums and at least as many EPs followed. Quirkiness, poor production values, and a great big Devo/goofball crutch edges that stuff out of this survey, but whatever happened in the year separating 1988’s Small Parts Isolated and Destroyed and 1989’s Wrong was a case of artistic transformation in the right direction. At first a bass/drums/vocals duo, the Wright brothers rounded out as a trio in 1986, adding guitarist Andy Kerr, who liked to be pseudonymously credited with names like “Buttercup” and “None of Your Fucking Business.” (That contributed to some fan confusion about whether or not it was actually Rob Wright performing Kerr’s instrumental and songwriting duties.) Wrong is where listeners got smacked by the full force of NoMeansNo’s years-in-the-prepping perfection of King Crimson by way of hardcore by way of-your guess is as good as mine. The album is heady and intensely angry, yet it packs a mighty dose of charm and magnetism. It’s heavy (the pre-AmRep aggro bass of Rob Wright is punishing medicine), hooky, and tied to no single tempo. (There’s quite the hint of prog-rock here.) Jello Biafra’s Alternative Tentacles had the good sense to recognize the band’s potential early on, as the label did with many other prescient wunderkinds of post hardcore." - Gimme Indie Rock
#fckem_500indie #fckem_artpunk #fckem_posthardcore #fckem_mathrock
