‘Unsound’ is Mission of Burma’s fifth studio album, continuing their remarkable legacy. It seems redundant now to even call it a comeback because they’re a dynamic, current band. Originally together just four years, from 1979-83, Mission of Burma reformed in 2002 for a handful of shows.which let t. Is the debut studio album by American post-punk band Mission of Burma, following their 1981 EP, Signals, Calls, and Marches.It was released in October 1982 by record label Ace of Hearts.It is the only full-length studio album the band released during the 1980s – and until 2004, as soon afterward they disbanded due to guitarist Roger Miller's worsening tinnitus.
In July 2015 Fire Records ressued Mission Of Burma debuts ‘Vs’ (LP) and ‘Signals, Calls and Marches’ (EP) as part of the Fire Archive reissue series.
Originally released in 1981 ‘Signals, Calls and Marches’ is an explosive and hard hitting EP with post-punk, hard core and leftfield sensibilities. The accomplished debut offers up instant classics, ‘That’s When I Reach For My Revolver’ and ‘Academy Fight Song’ which had a raw immediacy that resonated with their fans and the punk movement. Their anthemic rock, complex arrangements and intelligent lyricism stood them apart and proved them to be a powerful force from the offset.
Their subsequent album ‘Vs’, released in 1982, was to be Mission Of Burma’s only full length studio album with the original line up before disbanding. Noise driven and melodic throughout, they kick off proceedings with ‘Secrets’ where Clint Conley’s vocals contrast Roger Miller’s unrestrained outbursts. ‘New Nails’ fiercely attacks religion where Miller’s repetitive cries of ‘don’t make an idol of me’ leave a lasting impression before tackling mental decline on ‘Mica’. Unyielding with acerbic energy, ‘Vs’ angular and abrasive post punk combines raucous power chords and Peter Prescott’s dynamic drumming with heavy bass lines, all of it bound by Martin Swope’s subtle tape manipulations which seep into the subconscious. The album was produced by Rick Harte founder of the Ace Of Hearts record label, who had also produced their debut single and EP. The acclaimed LP also featured in Pitchfork’s ‘Top 100 albums of the 1980s’ with them hailing it as “a massive legacy”.
“Mission of Burma’s music has held firm, unaffected by fashion, unsullied by imitation, and undiminished by the passage of time” Pitchfork
PRESS CLIPPINGS
PHOTOS
Mission Of Burma – Signals, Calls and Marches – CD
£12.00Mission Of Burma – Unsound – CD
£10.00Mission Of Burma – Vs. – CD
£12.00Mission Of Burma – What They Tell Me / Boom (Wild Flag Split 7 inch) – 7″
£1.66
| Vs. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 11, 1982 | |||
| Recorded | January–April 1982 | |||
| Studio | Normandy Sound, Rhode Island, United States | |||
| Genre |
| |||
| Length | 41:30 | |||
| Label | Ace of Hearts | |||
| Producer | Richard W. Harte | |||
| Mission of Burma chronology | ||||
| ||||
Vs. is the debut studio album by American post-punk band Mission of Burma, following their 1981 EP, Signals, Calls, and Marches. It was released in October 1982 by record label Ace of Hearts. It is the only full-length studio album the band released during the 1980s – and until 2004, as soon afterward they disbanded due to guitarist Roger Miller's worsening tinnitus.[2]
Recording and content[edit]
Whereas 1981's Signals, Calls, and Marches was notable for its accessible and organized qualities, Vs. saw Mission of Burma make a deliberate effort to record the chaos and noise that characterized their live performances.[3] To help capture their live sound, the album was recorded in a large room at Normandy Sound studios in Rhode Island.
The songs on the album feature a greater presence of band member Martin Swope's electronic and tape sound effects than with the band's previous recordings.
Mission of Burma guitarist Roger Miller considered Vs. to be the band's best recording, and among the greatest rock and roll albums ever made.
Critical reception[edit]
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [1] |
| The Austin Chronicle | [4] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A+[5] |
| Pitchfork | 9.5/10[6] |
| PopMatters | 9/10[7] |
| Q | [8] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [9] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 8/10[10] |
| The Village Voice | B+[11] |
Vs. has been well received by critics, immediately getting positive reviews from publications like The New York Times. But despite strong reviews, the noisier sound caused the album to be considered less appropriate for radio airplay than previous Mission of Burma recordings.[3]Robert Christgau, who originally gave it a 'B+' in The Village Voice, later said he should have graded it an 'A−'.[12]
Mission Of Burma Wikipedia
Waldorf blofeld tutorial. In his retrospective review, Mark Deming of AllMusic opined that Vs. saw Mission of Burma '[mature] into a band whose sound was as distinctive as anyone of its generation. [..] It's daunting to imagine just how far Mission of Burma could have taken its music had Roger Miller's hearing problems not caused the band to break up the following year, but regardless of lost potential, very few American bands from the 1980s released an album as ambitious or as powerful as Vs.'[1]
Mission Zip Code
Legacy[edit]
The album ranked at number 49 on Pitchfork's 'Top 100 Albums of the 1980s' list.[13] In 2016, Rolling Stone magazine ranked the album number 25 on their list of the 40 Greatest Punk Albums.
Track listing[edit]
All tracks written by Roger Miller, except where noted.
| Side A | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | 'Secrets' | 3:22 | |
| 2. | 'Train' | Clint Conley | 3:31 |
| 3. | 'Trem Two' | 4:10 | |
| 4. | 'New Nails' | 3:00 | |
| 5. | 'Dead Pool' | Conley | 4:05 |
| 6. | 'Learn How' | Peter Prescott | 3:56 |
| Side B | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | 'Mica' | Conley, Holly Anderson | 3:34 |
| 2. | 'Weatherbox' | 3:29 | |
| 3. | 'The Ballad of Johnny Burma' | 2:00 | |
| 4. | 'Einstein's Day' | 4:34 | |
| 5. | 'Fun World' | 3:40 | |
| 6. | 'That's How I Escaped My Certain Fate' | Conley | 2:04 |
| CD reissue bonus tracks | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 13. | 'Forget' | 2:59 | |
| 14. | 'OK/No Way' | Conley | 1:58 |
| 15. | 'Laugh the World Away' | 3:54 | |
| 16. | 'Progress' | Conley | 3:06 |
Note
- The Matador Definitive Edition CD has the same bonus tracks, but they are in a different order: 'Laugh the World Away', 'Forget', Progress', 'OK/No Way'.
Personnel[edit]
Mission of Burma
- Martin Swope – tape operation, percussion, cover and sleeve design
- Clint Conley – bass guitar, vocals, percussion, cover and sleeve design
- Roger Miller – guitar, vocals, piano, trumpet, percussion, cover and sleeve design
- Peter Prescott – drums, vocals, percussion, cover and sleeve design
Technical
- Richard W. Harte – production
- John Kiehl – engineering
- Holly Anderson – cover and sleeve design
- Diane Bergamasco – sleeve photography
References[edit]
- ^ abcDeming, Mark. 'Vs. – Mission of Burma'. AllMusic. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
- ^'Interview With Roger Miller From Mission Of Burma: Psychedelic Sorties'. The Aquarian. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- ^ abMichael, Azerrad,. Our band could be your life : scenes from the American indie underground 1981-1991 (First Back Bay paperback ed.). Boston. ISBN9780316787536. OCLC50483014.
- ^Schroeder, Audra (May 2, 2008). 'Mission of Burma: Signals, Calls, and Marches, Vs., The Horrible Truth About Burma'. The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
- ^Mirkin, Steven (August 1, 1997). 'Mission of Burma reissues'. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 23, 2017.
- ^Masters, Marc (March 24, 2008). 'Mission of Burma: Signals, Calls, and Marches / Vs. / The Horrible Truth About Burma'. Pitchfork. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
- ^Gatian, Natasha (July 30, 2015). 'Mission of Burma: Signals, Calls, and Marches / Vs.'. PopMatters. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
- ^'Mission of Burma: Vs.'. Q (190): 132. May 2002.
- ^Randall, Mac (2004). 'Mission of Burma'. In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 546–47. ISBN0-7432-0169-8.
- ^Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig, eds. (1995). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. ISBN0-679-75574-8.
- ^Christgau, Robert (March 29, 1983). 'Christgau's Consumer Guide'. The Village Voice. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
- ^Anon. (April 25, 2002). 'Nitpicking Issues With the Lists'. robertchristgau.com. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^Dahlen, Chris (November 20, 2002). 'Staff Lists: Top 100 Albums of the 1980s Features Pitchfork'. Pitchfork. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
External links[edit]
- Vs. at Discogs (list of releases)