Sunday, March 3, 2019

The 1984 Listening Post - The Three Johns - Atom Drum Bop

The Three Johns - Atom Drum Bop


#242
September 21 1984
The Three Johns
Atom Drum Bop
4 out of 5

Highlights:
Sun of Mud
Devil’s Music


I’ll be honest, every time I’ve tried to listen to The Mekons I’ve wished they sounded more like this. A band made up by one of the Mekons. And, maybe Mekons music sounds like this and I just happened to miss the songs that do. But I really enjoyed this punky snot, despite (or maybe because of) the drum machine. 
Right around “Firepits” I started to wonder if it was going to hold my interest beyond as a yoko ono-ing curio. And it sure does. “Sun of Mud” reminded me so much of Gang of Four and also Bauhaus. That’s what this record is: the unasked for but greatly appreciated hybrid of those two bands. I don’t know if I’ll ever return to it, but I like it indeed.
If Frank Zappa didn’t take himself so seriously and think he was the funniest thing ever (which he was most definitely not) he might’ve come up with something like “Devil’s Music”. 


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