Certain General, one of the most startling but under-rated groups to emerge from post-punk New York City, are to release a 2-CD career retrospective on Easy Action called 'Invisible New York'. The group formed in 1980 and built a fearsome underground reputation seducing the city's major clubs, including CBGB's, the Mudd and Danceteria, with their intoxicating blend of spikey rhythms, surreal lyrical flights and psychedelic surf guitar onslaughts which drew comparisons with everyone from the Velvet Underground and Doors to the Birthday Party. Certain General carried on releasing records until the 21st century in different incarnations but, although being hailed as 'the best independent rock band in the United States' during the 80s, never received the attention afforded on other names from that time. Bad luck, trouble and an admitted tendency to 'shoot ourselves in the foot', left the group with a wealth of brutally beautiful musical diamonds in their vaults but no place in the history books. 'We're like the invisible band,' says leader, songwriter and singer Parker DuLany, the only constant member since the band's formation. Hence the title. The compilation draws from past releases such as 'Holiday Of Love', 'November's Heat', 'These Are The Days', 'Introduction To War' and 'Cabin Fever', as well as live recordings from CBGB's and NY's Public Theatre in 2001, radio broadcasts and a previously-unreleased session with Lenny Kaye and Julee Cruise recorded in the wake of 9/11. It's a sumptuous journey which will not only touch aficionados of the post-punk New York sound but classic Americana and beyond.
Disc -1 1.Maximum G 2.Leader Out. 3.Touch.4.Keys in the Carpet 5.Jack in the Heart 6.Uptight 7.Will You 8.Young for the sun 9.Voodoo Taxi 10.Nowhere 11.Bad Way 12.Lose Myself 13.Baby are you Rich 14. Closer to the Sun 15.Hello My God 16.Killer in Our House 17.Johnny 18.Desperate Hour
Disc-2 1.Hiding Place 2.Red Ledge 3.Back Downtown 4.I want to live Alone 5.That’s where I hang 6.Water 7.Only a Dream 8.Certain Theme 9.I felt So 10.Kill & Take 11.Black Eyes 12.Gang in the Woods 13.Gunflower 14.Mother Computer 15.Holy Failure 16.Desert 17.La Decadanse 18.Poison in the Pond 19.Bedpan 20.Sell Out 21.Fantaisie Militaire 22.Mr. Vinegar 23.Lovelife 24.NewYork New York
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