Violent Femmes (Deluxe Edition)

ウィスコンシン州ミルウォーキー出身のアメリカのフォーク・パンク・バンド、ヴァイオレント・ファムズの1981年デビュー・アルバムの40周年記念エディション限定盤。

2CD通常盤。
ティーンエイジャーの怒り、パンクの感性、そしてヴァイオレント・ファムズ特有のジリジリとしたフォーク・ロックが詰まったこのトリオのセルフタイトル・デビュー作は発売当時カルト的な人気を博した。アンセム"Blister in the Sun"、"Please Do Not Go"、"Gone Daddy Gone"、"Add It Up"を収録。この40周年記念拡大版には、未発表デモやライヴ・トラックなどが収録されている。

One of the most distinctive records of the early alternative movement and an enduring cult classic, Violent Femmes weds the geeky, child-man persona of Jonathan Richman and the tense, jittery, hyperactive feel of new wave in an unlikely context: raw, amateurish acoustic folk-rock. The music also owes something to the Modern Lovers minimalism, but powered by Brian Ritchies busy acoustic bass riffing and the urgency and wild abandon of punk rock, the Femmes forged a sound all their own. Still, the main reason Violent Femmes became the preferred soundtrack for the lives of many an angst-ridden teenager is lead singer and songwriter Gordon Gano. Naive and childish one minute, bitterly frustrated and rebellious the next, Ganos vocals perfectly captured the contradictions of adolescence and the difficulties of making the transition to adulthood. Clever lyrical flourishes didnt hurt either; while "Blister In the Sun" has deservedly become a standard, "Kiss Off"s chant-along "count-up" section, "Add It Up"s escalating "Why cant I get just one..." couplets, and "Gimme the Car"s profanity-obscuring guitar bends ensured that Ganos intensely vulnerable confessions of despair and maladjustment came off as catchy and humorous as well. Even if the songwriting slips a bit on occasion, Ganos personality keeps the music engaging and compelling without overindulging in his seemingly willful naivete. For the remainder of their career, the group would only approach this level in isolated moments. ~ Steve Huey