No Wave – Compilation (A&M Records, 1978)
by Dave Sharp on Sep 27th, 2010
No Wave (Compilation)
A&M Records
1978
Track Listing
Side A
U.K. Squeeze – Take Me I’m Yours
The Police – Roxanne
Joe Jackson – Got the Time
Klark Kent – Don’t Care
The Secret -
The Stranglers – Bring on the Nubiles
Side B
U.K. Squeeze – Strong in Reason
Joe Jackson – Sunday Papers
The Dickies – Give it Back
The Police – Next to You
The Stranglers – Nice ‘n’ Sleazy
The Dickies – You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla)
Reviewer: Dave Sharp
No Wave is somewhat indicative of the mid-70s “No Wave” movements that embodied anti-establishment ideas and spawned versions of punk, hardcore and emblazoned rock we see today. However, it also polarizes itself as a major label attempt to capitalize on an underground movement.
Some of the sounds (The Dickies, The Stranglers) are similar to the sounds that New York No Wave bands like Teenage Jesus and the Jerks and DNA were creating. But, others like The Police and Joe Jackson, whom I’ve always viewed as pop artists, hang on the other end of the spectrum.
The most interesting fact about this record, especially in terms of the “No Wave” movement, is that all but one artist featured (The Dickies) are from the UK. Maybe the label was chasing down the British equivalent of the New York groups, but considering the musical atmosphere at the time, that’s only partially likely. There was a wealth of bands, many of whom could be labeled any type of “anti-“ that were practically oozing out of New York and London. The Dickies truly were the odd men out, but were the beginning of the So-Cal creative front that ran rampant in the 1980s
There’s debate on where the term “No Wave” originated and it likely started as a marketing coin for albums like this, but it grew a personality under the wings of undergrounders everywhere. Nonetheless, this album harbors a great mix of quality tunes, including no-misses like “You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla) by The Dickies and “Nice ‘n’ Sleazy” by The Stranglers.
The UK Squeeze songs represent the cusp of electronic punk and precursors the likes of Daft Punk and MGMT with their simplistic, rhythmic, oft-synth sounding guitar solos. The record’s insert calls it inventive and in 1978’s terms this was undoubtedly certain, but even by today’s standards, the new age mechanics and classical Middle Eastern sounds remain authentic.
There’s no musical epiphany here when it comes to The Police. I will, however, take this opportunity to praise something I’ve always admired: the effective simplicity of the rhythm on “Roxanne” and Sting’s professional voice really make it a smart, everlasting song.
By name and sounds, Klark Kent certainly prologues geek rock phenoms; it sounds a lot like the college punk that rode through the 80s and offers direction to the skate-pop-punkers of the mid-90s. “Don’t Care” is fun, danceable, sing-able and a highlight of the compilation.
The Stranglers are raw and aggressive in a mysteriously easy-listening way. The songs are true “No Wave”, destined to remain clandestine – a far cry from the massively attractive “Golden Brown”.
My recommendations from listening to the No Wave compilation: explore Stranglers tunes from the late 70’s, grab a couple of Joe Jackson alums on vinyl and make The Incredible Shrinking Dickies a priority find.
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