Personnel: Mark Astronaut (vocals, bk voc), Dave Miller (guitar, bk voc), Alan Cowley (guitar, bk voc), Phil Thornton (keyboards, synth percussion, guitar, flute), Gordon Walker (synth, violin, bk voc), Max (bass), Ian Cowley (drums,synth percussion) Additional Musicians: Bob Green (guitar), Nik Turner (saxophone) The Astronauts, one of the more eclectic bands of the punk/post-puk era, debuted with Peter Pan Hits the Suburbs in 1981.The album's range is gigantic: from dissonant punk a la Fall ("Everything Stops for Baby"), to epic progressive folk ("Protest Song", "Baby Sings Folk Songs"), ditties ("Sod us"), hard-rock ("the Traveller"), pop ("How Green was my Valley"), garage/surf ("Still Talking"), industrial ("How Long is a Piece of String"), and set to arrangements that employ synths, flute, saxophone, and strays into progressive or even free-form/psychedelic sections.
The icing on the cake is the mature statement of the lyrics, a cynical & bitter exploration of the lives of simple men, miles away from the generic horror/punk overtones that permeated most of alternative albums at the time.
"Going to be a happy little person in the new worldhis face is of a warrior you can see it in his cotso darling you go out and try & start the revolutionme I'll just stay back here look after what we've got
His life ain't gonna be a two up two down in Fulhamgotta change things quickly cause our minds are on the skidsso all you fellow rebels you go out and fuck the systemsorry I can't be with you but I've gotta mind the kids."("Everything Stops for Baby")
The 1st LP by one of my top3 early 80s band!Nothing more to say....making anykind of comments will not face the facts!A true masterpiece!Get it as soon as possible!
Note: link removed as this has just been reissued on vinyl. Info can be found Here
Holy hell, this is amazing + 1!
ReplyDeleteThis record is fantastic. I think the Astronauts are my new favorite group of all time. DIY gods!
ReplyDeleteOntos, koryfaio. Poia einai ta alla dyo tou top 3 sou?
ReplyDeleteE de fantazese?DEEP FREEZE MICE, KAI (MALLON ) PSYCHICK TV ...h mhpws THROBBING GRISTLE?....anyway
ReplyDeleteperiergo, perimena na peis Zounds...
ReplyDeletexe xe exeis dikio...alla Zounds einai to noumero 4....exw perissoterh trella me Throbbing Gristle/PTV:)
ReplyDeleteWe have got a chant, ain't got a chorus, ain't even got a name
ReplyDeleteBut it helps us through the night to know we don't share the blame
It's just another protest song ("Oh what a pretty protest song")
With words to try and make you think ("I think I'll go and have a drink") But come the dawn resume your search for your ultimate power
Your missing link.
(needless to comment any further...)
This is outstanding. Thank you!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteUm... holy shit! This platter will accompany me on a desert island, for sure! Right next to Cortex- Spinal Injuries, Guided by Voices- Alien Lanes, Big Star's first three LP's, The Conet Project box set, The Damned- Machine Gun..., etc. Thanks for this post!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant, I've been after this for ages - the tape I had died ages ago :D
ReplyDeleteThanks for your effort, keep up the good work.
Please remove it, this mastercliff has just been reissued.
ReplyDeletehttp://urbanaspirines.blogspot.com/2011/04/astronauts-peter-pan-hits-suburbs-la.html