The Sex Pistols
Live in the USA 1978  
(Universal Music)
★★★★★

MALCOLM MCLAREN’s vision of creating a new band in the mid-1970s was partly inspired by his admiration of The Situationist International art movement in Europe during the late 1950s. They debated, putting on “happenings” and live events. McLaren took those ideas to help forge a new kind of anger, anti-Establishment, anti-career, anti-music. The result: the anti-group of all time The Sex Pistols.

This newly released live album covers the USA 1978 tour, featuring recordings from three concerts. The band play with a full on rock sensibility and a vocal delivery rarely explored before. From Anarchy in the UK to God Save the Queen the bands raw sound is captured.

Their last gig in San Francisco, ended with Rotten exclaiming: “Ever had the feeling you’ve been cheated.” Full of bitter irony but an honest assessment of the position the band were in. McLaren’s vision had won out but the legacy of the music lives on in this official bootleg.

A Certain Ratio
Live in America 
(Mute)
★★★★★ 

SIGNED to Tony Wilson’s Factory Records label in 1979, A Certain Ratio emerged as a leading light, combining a new electronic funk aesthetic with the vision of the emerging Manchester sound overseen by producer Martin Hannett.

In the summer of 1985 the band embarked on a tour of the United States supporting fellow label-mates New Order, with recordings from that tour featured on this album. The then line-up consisted of Andrew Connell, keyboards; Donald Johnson, drums and vocals; Jez Kerr, bass and vocals; Martin Moscrop, guitar and trumpet; and Anthony Quigley, sax. That same line-up went on to release Force the following year, shortly before Connell left to concentrate on Swing Out Sister.

The band’s sheer joy in their performance is evidenced across the album, with highlights including Shack Up, The Fox and Knife Slits Water. Pioneering textures, dark vocals, Miles Davis influences, and an eclectic groove ideal are always to the fore.

The Fall  
Singles Live Volume One 1978 to 1981                           
(Popstock Records)
★★★★★                                   

THE Fall were John Peel’s all-time favourite band. “Always different, always the same,” he said. This live singles album recorded at venues in Oldham, London and San Francisco would surely have pleased the great broadcaster, demonstrating The Fall’s masterful collective art at the height of their formative years.

It’s The New Thing opens, with psychedelic chainsaw guitars from Craig Scanlon winding around Mark E Smith’s unique Mancunian drawl. Next up, Various Times, slows the tempo turning around childlike toy guitar lines and thumping off-kilter drum sounds from Karl Burns.

Rowche Rumble, focusses on tribal snare and toms, propelling Smith into a trance like state. In My Area moves into a strange off-centre suburban mood. “I have seen the madness in my area,” sings Smith.

Fiery Jack ups the tempo into Hillbilly-influenced English drama, a mixture of confused anger, humour and political rants. How I Wrote Elastic Man broods and prods into dark exotic tones, with melody to the fore. Classic.