Say hello to one of the best reissues/retrospectives of 2006. Originally formed by members of the Mekons and Gang of Four, Delta 5 belongs to the avant garde club of late 1970s British punk bands that single-handedly created a new genre that now is so generically lumped under post-punk. A revolutionary mix of deliciously dance-y funk/dub beats mixed with lots of punk edge, repetitive angular guitar riffs/noise, and no wave-ish lyricism and vocal approach. Think Gang of Four resonating with much of the female energy of the Slits and the Raincoats, and the explosiveness of X-Ray Spex. Sexy and edgy. Play this to number 1 of KZSU charts. Absolutely superb!!!
Play (all are excellent): 8, 15, 7, 3, 5, 4
1. Infectious funky bass lines and uber dance-y beats. Awesome vocals/lyrics about the distance between people.
2. Lazy/down-tempo beats breaking into more agit-punk
3. Dancy/swinging rhythm. Angular guitar strumming. “Anticipation is so much better”
4. Gang of Four-ish. Guitar driven. Explosive and innovative vocals!!!
5. Funky. The Slits. Nuff said.
6. Blissfully dance-y. Angular guitars, no-wave sax and funky trumpet breaks. Awesome bass lines.
7. Straight-up punky with Sonic Youth-ish guitar frenzy. Mysterious, reverby and echoy vocals. Great!
8. Fuck yeah! Aggressive and militant punk. Interchanges with sparser phrases and vocal narrative.
9. Funky guitar lines and dominant bass line. Highly rhythmic vocals.
10. Funky and dubby drum/bass. Frenetic guitar noise.
11. Dark. Spacey and punky! Edgy.
12. Catchy bass lines and frenetic drum work. Nice guit distortions.
13. Blissful vocals (think Stereolab). Beautiful guitar melodies and aggressive bass lines. Catchy and pretty.
--- Live at Berkeley Square:
14. No wave angularity. Sparse guitars and drum breaks.
15. Fuck Yeah! Gang of Four-ish. Rocks out. Volatile vocals (X-ray Spex).
16. Slow, groovy, ethereal drum/bass line and a dirty garagy guitar puking angularity and feedback distortion all over it. Beautiful!