#44/1211
February 12 1986
Violent Femmes
The Blind Leading the Naked
Genre: Indie
4 out of 5
Highlights:
Old Mother Reagan
No Killing
Faith
Breakin’ Hearts
I Held Her In My Arms
Cold Canyon
“I can't even remember if we were lovers, or if I just wanted to but I held her in my arms but it wasn't you”
I can’t express how excited I was to get this record. To this day I use the title as a reference instead of “blind leading the blind”.
And I was crushingly disappointed. In 1986. And I haven’t listened since.
First off, it starts off with the most blazingly assertive Gano has ever sounded. Indie music as protest that…is over in 30 seconds…what?
Then comes “No Killing” and it’s obvious that this album is supposed to be a statement. The first was an adolescent’s primal scream of frustration and the second was the songwriter working out his classic religious upbringing. This album adds political awareness to the hodgepodge (“Old Mother Reagan”, “Children of the Revolution”). “Faith” could’ve fallen off Hallowed Ground or been a response to the darkness of that record. In any case, it’s a neat little gospel piece that pours the politics into the religiosity(Although I think Gordon would do better with the Mercy Seat later…and Jerry Harrison’s production is flat). And “I Held Her In My Arms” is romantic frustration but with…horns?
And then…
It happens in every band. There’s one primary songwriter…maybe two. And then, the bassist says, “I have a song.” and then the drummer. And then, before you know it, you’re Weezer’s Red Album.
That happens here on 1 track. “Love and Me Make Three” is Richie and DeLorenzo’s contribution and then you learn why they don’t have any other contributions. It seems to have infected Gano, cuz, “Candlelight” is awful. Or maybe they shoved that song there cuz they figured you’re gonna skip the aforementioned, skipping two is not much of a leap. And then you get to flip the record over and get to better shit.
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