Reviewed by Allen Lulu / Tom Mott & Jim Coursey
Released: 1982 Middle Class Homeland Allen's Genre: Post Rock Tom's Genre: Gothy Post-Punk Jim's Genre: Post-Punk Allen's Rating: 4 out of 5 Tom's Rating: 4.2 out of 5 Jim’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Allen's Highlights: A Skeleton At The Feast Listen Tom & Jim's Highlights: The Call Listen Mosque (minus the lyrics) ********** (Ed. Note: Tom & Jim reviewed this album after Allen had already reviewed it. Shit happens. All reviews are included) ********** Allen's Review: Sometimes, when it comes to the “Housekeeping” albums (the one for which we have no dates, so I do them at my leisure … and your annoyance) I push one down the list because, man I’m just not in the mood for … say … post-rock. Or any genre that isn’t hitting me that day. So, when I saw this categorized as “punk” I just wasn’t up for it. Instead I went into the booth and plugged in and played some really shitty distorted mess of a guitar to a bunch of … punk songs. Partially because I’m trying to write a song and I’m at the chorus and my brain doesn’t want to work and also, to get me in the mood to listen to punk. Then, I relaxed, chewed the callouses off my fret fingers and fired up Middle Class. What? You call this punk? This is only punk in the sense that a band from California that listened to everything The Cure recorded and then went into the studio would be punk. Maybe they had spikey hair? In any case, if you like that throbbing bass and high string guitars with a wailing goth vocal then this is for you. Taking the best of that sensibility and merging with the skittish New Wave of Romeo Void and you’ve got quite a cocktail for this sound. I get a little weary of the same lyrical pattern but the adrenaline makes up for it. I’m gonna shave off a little because a few of these tunes could just be one long track. But I’ll get over it. ************ Tom & Jim's Review: NOTE: We reviewed separately, then swapped, thinking we'd write rebuttals or counterpoints afterwards. Turned out we didn't need to. TOM: Most first wave LA punk bands evolved towards roots, cowpunk, funk, or a mixture of those (ref: Minutemen, Meat Puppets). The MIDDLE CLASS first went louder and faster -- inventing hardcore with their 1979 1-min single "Out of Vogue" -- and then took a hard turn into goth. JIM: Orange County’s Middle Class may or may not have invented hardcore (this is apparently up for debate), but “Homeland” finds them following in the footsteps of various post-punk bands here. Their frequent use of bass as a lead instrument is reminiscent of either Joy Division (on the more plodding, pounding numbers) or The Minutemen (on the more spasmodically peppy funk). TOM: Tight fast drumming, muscular bass lines, and jangly tight rhythm guitar somehow manages to be Joy Division-adjacent and Minutemen-adjacent at the same time. JIM: Meanwhile another set of songs sounds more like Gang of Four, albeit a tad gothier due to the slower tempos and droning vocals. The band is good, so tightly would they keep things moving even in the more dirge-like numbers. TOM: On first listen, I thought I had unearthed a lost goth classic. On subsequent listens, the monotony of the vocals took some of the shine off. JIM: The vocals are the weak link, fine enough for a track or two but the dreary monotone turns tedious pretty quick. Opener “The Call” is the clear highlight for me, with enough changes through the song to keep things fresh. Like other tracks on the album, the downcast vibe of “The Call” is lightened a tad through tasteful use of acoustic guitar and synth. TOM: Still, it's a strong album, and if you like Joy Division, Gang of Four, Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Bauhaus, or Electric Peace, give it a listen. Produced by Paul B. Cutler (of 45 Grave, Bpeople, The Dream Syndicate). (After reading each other's reviews) TOM: Jim and I picked the same three highlights! The real discovery for me is their 1979 single "Out of Vogue." JIM: Whoa. Aside from the ratings, almost dead on! What Tom said, though I'll stick with my score of something lower than 4.2.
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