Datapanik in the Year Zero is a compilation by Pere Ubu that collects their early singles, first 5 studio albums, as well as 'Cleveland Rarities' (a disc full of music by their Cleveland contemporaries).
The first three albums - The Modern Dance, Dub Housing, and New Picnic Time - are all fantastic. The fourth, The Art of Walking, and fifth Song of the Bailing Man sees the band change a guitarist and drummer, and though the replacements both have plenty of credibility (being members of the brilliant Red Krayola and The Feelies respectively) there is something that seems to be a little lacking. Song of the Bailing Man suffers most, mainly because Anton Fier doesn't really live up to his past work, and in my opinion seems to take away from the (now more arty) songs on occasion. It's not surprising it was his only album with the band. The thing is though... This is still Pere Ubu, and it seems like everything they do is worth a listen. Which is why Datapanik in the Year Zero has been on fairly constant rotation for about the last 3 weeks in my house, car, and wherever else I can convince people to give me control of speakers.
Here is the second ever single by the band, released in 1976:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VelS-YCtHV4
Posted by Steve
I saw Pere Ubu on Rage a week or two ago. The guest programmer was Yeasayer. They played a number of good videos such as Death Disco by PIL, Jocko Homo by Devo, and Genius of Love by Tom Tom Club. However the Pere Ubu clip they played was their 1989 single Love Love Love from the Cloudland album. It was allright, but really it was just an inconsequential pop song. Nothing like their early stuff. Sadly. Yeasayer also played heaps of Hip Hop and rap videos. I taped it so at least I was able to fast forward.
ReplyDeleteAnd last weekend Old Man River guest programmed and he played The Model by Kraftwerk. You actually get to see them move!
Comment posted by Sam