Systems of Romance Blog
Systems of Romance
Crashing Plastic – Gretchen 12"
by Frankie Teardrop
Thanks to Goutroy as always for turning me on to this one and making the original rip. A Viable Romance! Here we have three icy guitar-wave tracks from Crashing Plastic, self-released in 1989. There's a touch of deathrock/synthpunk flavor in both Gwen Alyson's vocals and synth melodies and Chris Daya's musicianship, with razor-sharp guitars, punchy drum programming, and synths galore to round out their sound. I'm reminded of the early Pretty Poison releases, before they went freestyle. This tracks in a sense, as this duo also appears to be from Philadelphia, PA. As always, if anyone has anythi ..read more
Anodyne- Anacelica 7"
Second post for today, ladies and gents. This one in particular may look unassuming from its white label, cover-less presentation, but contained within are two of the best DIY post-punk tracks I've heard in a second. This particular band hails from Alabama, and they appear to have only self-released this one single in 1985. Copies of this one can prove to be quite scarce, though maybe this post will help shed some light on this otherwise mysteriously obscure band who take their name from either a 19th century term for a painkilling breed of medicinal drugs or a term for something "inoffensive ..read more
Again & Again & Again – Dreams Are Never Enough / Forever 7"s
I'm going to attempt a DOUBLE post today, so bear with me, folks. Here we have two obscure 7"s from New Jersey-based post-punk band Again & Again & Again. Just you try and Google that name, I triple dog dare you… This four piece released these two singles in 1982 and 1983 respectively. The first single has a bit of a power pop vibe for the first track, which may be appealing to some of y'all. I vastly prefer the b-side of this one overall, though your mileage may vary. The second single is my preferred offering from this band, as both tracks have that early, rickety post-punk sound I t ..read more
Selena Moor- Medio Eva LP
A few posts back, I alluded to this stunning LP on Angel Records, the Italian label owned and operated by Fotoscura. This lone LP by Selena Moor was released in 1988 on the label, and is truly gorgeous in every which way. Despite the name on the sleeve, this is not a solo artist, but instead a four piece band that formed in the wake of Still Life, a more proper post-punk project with some crossover sounds. This LP continues in their footsteps, but adds a heavy ethereal atmosphere that should be perfect for those ready to slip into Autumn. Obvious touchstones here include Dead Can Dance, mid-pe ..read more
Zon 6- Som En Tiger 7"
I've been obsessed with the title track from this 7" for many years now, and just last year decided to pick up a copy and make a fresh rip of it. Too weird to be a hit, too good to be an obscurity, this is the only single from this Swedish five piece, released in 1983 on MNW. The project is an offshoot of Elegi who released a similarly jazzy but more upbeat post-punk record in 1981. The a-side here gives me chills, though the b-side is still quite a good listen. The a-side truly ticks all the right boxes for me: female vocals, spastic NDW-esque rhythms, bubbling percussive synths, bleating sax ..read more
Fotoscura- Fotoscura LP
I've always enjoyed this dreamy Italian post-punk record from 1988, and I thought y'all might, too. This is the lone LP from Fotoscura, a five-piece who were from Rome. The sounds are a mix of ethereal, melodic passages and melancholy post-punk, definitely recommended for fans of The Cure, The Essence, Lowlife and so on. I love every track on this record, some of my favorite kinds of sounds this side of the spectrum. Angel Records, the band's label, also released a handful of neoclassical recordings as well as some Edge of the Water material. I'm also quite fond of the Selena Moor record, but ..read more
Beatrain- Change the World 7"
Here's a French single from 1984 by Beatrain, who previously went under the name The Grave. Both tracks are sung in English, presumably to catch the ears and eyes of the UK scene. This is their only release, though the single caused enough of a splash to secure the band a spot on French 3 program "Avenue Du Rock." As for the sounds, both tracks are stellar bouncy post-punk tracks with a slightly rickety post-punk or early indie rock edge, a sweet spot for me that I think you will all enjoy as well. The A-side is strictly female vox, but there is some vocal interplay on the equally excellent B ..read more
Nu-Este- From This Side of the Window 7"
Here's a rather excellent, if but unassuming 7" from a US-based trio called Nu-Este. I was originally turned on to this single by way of my Harrow bandmate Greg, who sold me on it as a guitar-band who sounds quite a bit like For Against, which I'm inclined to agree… Also has a bit of that early R.E.M./jangle feel, just in time for summer. I dig both tracks, but the b-side is a little more my speed overall! This is the band's lone single, released in 1982 on Intense Intents records, which was based in Philly. Not sure if the band was from there as well, but my guess is they're from the area, as ..read more
The Telling- The Telling 12"
It's no small secret that I tend to go wild for things on the more ethereal/dream pop side of the spectrum, especially now more than ever before. With that in mind, today's post was originally recommended by Goutroy and has become a fast favorite these last few weeks. Here we have the first 12" by The Telling a band from California. The band, consisting primarily of Don and Sheri Swanson, released this debut single in 1986 and followed it up with two albums in 1990 and 1998, respectively. I've heard a bit of the first record, which mixes in some more folk influences, via YouTube and immediatel ..read more
A Deux Voix- Reaction 12"
Spring is here in NYC. Brighter skies, more hope on the horizon, and much more in the coming weeks, I hope. With that in mind, here's a quick post to keep things moving along here. This particular 12" is by a Dallas, TX-based synth pop project called A Deux Voix. Released in 1989, this single is the only release by the band, which is a two piece, judging from the back cover details. Obvious touchstones here are Celebrate the Nun, Red Flag, and the slew of Depeche Mode-esque synth pop bands that were pretty common at the time. Even though the sound is a familiar one, the songs are stellar slabs ..read more
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