Monitor
(Superior Viaduct) Used LP $10.00 (Out-of-stock)
2013 reissue of 1981 LP by four young artists grappling with their terror and amazement in the convergence of the late 1970s punk scene and Southern California’s consumerist decadence. As with the collective’s visual artwork and events, Monitor blends archaic influences with modern technology into one of the era’s most curious albums. Eerie synthesizer, menacing guitar leads and morose vocal chants make “In Terrae Interium” an evocative ballad of paranoia. “I Saw Dead Jim’s Shade” showcases Monitor’s idiosyncratic vocal interplay in a sinister tale of a stolen hand. When “Hair” required a tempo beyond their instrumental chops, the band appropriated The Meat Puppets to record the track for them. Devo associate Ed Barger meticulously recorded the album, burying shrieking cats, closing doors and tape loops deep in the mix. Includes download card. Sealed