Reviewed by Jim Coursey
Released: 1980 Bron Area One Year Genre: Me and My Mate and the Casiotone in a Bedroom Rating: 3 out of 5 Highlights: You'd Be Amazed Unknown Friends / 1977 Yes She Knows 1945 I first heard of Nuneaton UK’s Bron Area while writing a review of In Embrace, in which included a quote saying they were “inspired by the likes of Eyeless in Gaza, Bron Area, Durutti Column and Young Marble Giants.” Some fine company in my book, and indeed, they were promising from the get go – I have a soft spot for early 80s British cassette culture after all. They only put out two albums – one this humble cassette on Eyeless in Gaza’s label, and 1983’s more polished dream pop gem "The Trees and The Villages.” “One Year” compiles various early material into an album – a smattering of “studio” (ahem) recordings, and a couple live gigs. Some songs are based around a Casiotone or similar, while others use guitar. It’s a very mixed bag, but the best fare sounds like they are putting together a songwriting demo. (You can almost imagine them yelling “and 1 2 3 chorus!” at the bewildered client as they go.) Listening back now, this music feels almost nostalgic, home recordings from a distant time (which it literally is), so much so that during the twee and wistful “Unknown Friends / 1977” it’s hard to remember that they were singing about a recent past and not my 6th year. But I love it, just as I love the clumsily overweening vocals of sweet opener “You’d Be Amazed.” The doubletime canned rhythms add an unnerving quality to the dramatic “Yes She Knows.” “Sunday Morning” appears to be a half-hearted attempt at the Velvet Underground tune. And “1945” is a bit darker, but was my favorite of the live tracks. While this album isn’t the best of its genre (I prefer Space Museum’s 1982 album for one), it has some wonderful moments. But Bron Area will be back in better form in 1983.
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