Wednesday, October 29, 2008

This Kind of Punishment - Self-Titled (1983)

This Kind of Punishment's first album opens with the spine-tingling minimalism of "After the Fact," one of my favorites from the Jefferies brothers; the instrumental build-up and cathartic release are nothing short of revelatory to these ears. That's one of the more accessible numbers from This Kind of Punishment, but the songs on their debut offer a wide range of stylistic arrays; from the desperately frantic piano on "Two Minutes Drowning" to the gentle folk harmonies of "An Axe is an Arm," every song was recorded on Chris Knox's four-track to brilliant effect. There's a sense of mystery to Graeme and Peter's work in This Kind of Punishment, and this album is no exception; a quiet unease is present throughout, unsettling and transfixing the listener in its hypnotic darkness. Look out for 'A Beard of Bees' and 'In the Same Room' soon. - Ariel

6 comments:

Paul Capewell said...

Thanks a lot for this. This is a perfect example of a band I've heard and read a fair bit about, but would never have the chance to hear otherwise.

So thank you. The opening chords sound chilling and intriguing...

Anonymous said...

Timeless stuff. IBx

Bill said...

If you really like this, please be aware that Roof Bolt Records put it out on CD and that it is still available. I think Fusetron has it in stock, but I know for a fact that I have some on a shelf. Drop me a line at wmeyer2@comcast.net

Cheers,

Bill Meyer

Adam Farr said...

Peter (Lead singer, instruments) let me burn this album from him, I always listen to it. He is still co-writing and recording songs for students in high schools around New Plymouth. I run a school studio with Peter and he sings and plays guitar and drums to about half of all students. He is being recorded at least once a week. He's told me the meaning of every song on this album. Just to let you know, his favouite band of all time is the velvet underground / Lou Reed.

If you have any questions about song meanings or anything, email me at satansodyssey@hotmail.com
or ask on www.satansodyssey.com

sexshop espana said...

Well, I do not actually imagine it is likely to have effect.

Bill said...

Still have a few CDs if you want one drop me a line at wmeyer2@comcast.net