Demonic Scuzz-Rock

 

The Birthday Party - Junkyard [CAD 3223 UK 2012 24-Bit FLAC]

Originally released in 1982, 4AD chose to use the Henry Rollins remaster for this deluxe vinyl edition of The Birthday Party masterpiece, Junkyard. My copy also includes a repress of the Release The Bats single. 

Fueled by drugs and booze, Junkyard reaches into the darkest wells of the Nick Cave mind, this is an album firmly rooted in his fascination with American gothic. Is this the blues? Is this demonic scuzz-rock? Ed Roth and Dave Christensen's iconic sleeve is as disturbing as the music itself. Tracy Pew got locked up for persistent offending during the sessions,  so Barry Adamson began his lengthy association with Cave by stepping on on bass for Big-Jesus-Trash-Can. The inclusion of Release The Bats as a seven-inch was a great idea, especially for your scribe who would regularly be seen trying to dance to the track at one or two Manchester nightclubs back in the day.

This record needs to be played loud.

A1 She's Hit

A2 Dead Joe

A3 The Dim Locator

A4 Hamlet (Pow, Pow, Pow)

A5 Several Sins

B1 Big-Jesus-Trash-Can

B2 Kiss Me Black

B3 6" Gold Blade

B4 Kewpie Doll

B5 Junkyard

C1 Release The Bats

D1 Blast Off!