Live Skull - Cloud One

 I know absolutely nothing about Live Skull but my pal Rob turned me on to this 1986 release from this NYC noise band and I'm trying to wrap my head around it in a coherent way. I'm hearing all kinds of influences, from Sonic Youth to early Siouxie to PIL to various 4AD bands and more. There is a bit of melody in the mayhem and they use the basic two guitar/bass/drums line-up in a fairly unique way. Having two singers (male and female) helps to add another dimension of difference to the drone but these aren't particularly memorable "songs" as much as they are angular soundscapes - nothing wrong with that, of course!

Funnily, I read a review saying that this record was more "rock" than their earlier work since I, who is not familiar with said earlier work, had been thinking that this record was particularly dirgey/droney and somewhat lacking in the propulsion that some other noize bands utilize. I can hardly imagine what their previous album was like. Of course, immediately after saying that, "Haircut For Pigs" comes on and it is comparatively up-tempo, although with its own weirdnesses.

I definitely dig the two guitar interaction along with the various vocalizations. The more I listen, the more I think it's a combination of Sonic Youth and first album Siouxie and the Banshees (with maybe a hint of Savage Republic), but with their own twist, naturally. If you're so inclined, this is highly intriguing!