The 1981 Listening Post - Schleimer K - Schleimer K

 Reviewed by Jim Coursey

Released: 1981 Schleimer K Schleimer K Genre: Electro Minimalist Goth Rating: 3 out of 5 Highlights: Cold Sounds On The Road Again Women Hang-Ups Music made by art school vampires with synthesizers. Potentially a secret incarnation of Bauhaus in which they have given up their rock instrumentation and any hint of surrealist humor. David J walked out of the room when Peter Murphy sprung the concept on him and subsequently was allowed to bring his bass, as was Daniel Ash his saxophone. When tracking was done, they decided something was missing and called Kevin Haskins back from his beach vacation under a black leather umbrella in Odessa to overdub some hi-hats and snares. Smiling is frowned upon with this crew, but every once in a while the band pulls out a synthesizer polka and wink at each other, hoping that Pete doesn't turn around and call them out on it. Gone is the ghoulish glam and the raucous post-Stooges mayhem. Music is to be taken seriously or not heard at all. It didn't have to be like this. A four track EP would have suited them well: – Opener “Cold Sounds” is truly great, easing into the album with a funky little beatbox, a windy bass line, and neatly interlocking harmony parts. I would be all in for an album of this. The Peter Murphy-ism is there but it's not beating me over the head. – Their home organ-fueled cover of Canned Heat’s “On The Road Again” is not as good as the original or even the Rockets cover, but it's a strangely fun take on the song. – “Women” is inscrutably titled because thankfully Peter Murphy has taken a vow of silence for this one, but this instrumental is as sprightly and engaging as this album gets. – Arguably the most inventive band work on the album comes on the penultimate track “Hang-Ups”, and for three minutes or so I can even overlook the overwrought vocals and dime store Freudianism as Pete bellows “Draw back the curtain, the future’s uncertain, reveal your mother, yet another lover, yet another lover!” Barring a four song EP, this could be a fine instrumental album because in truth I think they have some cool musical ideas thrown around here that get lost once the overbearing vocals come in. But as it stands, they are like a synth-driven Bauhaus at their most indulgent, almost like a dry run for the silly trilogy on the second side of “The Sky's Gone Out,” but even that is better than their worst here. The Players: Michael Wolfen as Peter Murphy Billy Duncan as Daniel Ash Kevin Allison as David J Dave McIntyre as Kevin Haskins Dominique Brethes as himself