All She Wrote - All She Wrote EP (2004)

 This was a surprising thrift store find. This is a female fronted band from Riverside California who only ever released one album in 2005 called "Coshade".

There is no mention anywhere online about this EP but from what I have heard  from the vocalist's YouTube channel the song "Liar" from this CD is the same song that appeared on the album but I think it's a different mix. At least the tempo is different. 

This is for those 90s punk/post-punk fans who still longed for the female fronted grunge bands like Letters to Cleo. That's not an insult. I love Letters to Cleo and I love this band here. 

Incredible songwriting. Great lyrics. They edge on poppy without going over and I'm surprised they never had commercial success. They had it all figured out and were self sustaining. Any record label who knew of them and didn't sign them were foolish. 

1 Distracted

2 Rescue Me

3 Grass

4 Liar

 

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Ameba - Ameba (2001)

 You know how there's goth music that's like guitar driven and teeters on the edge of punk or metal but then there's also goth music that's more electronic dance-oriented? This band is a bit of both. Not goth in its truest form but too much guitar (even acoustic guitar in one song) to be considered dance music but too much electronic dance beats and synth to be considered rock music. 

This band is from Huntington Beach, California and they put out this one CD in 2001. I don't know if they ever released anything else because they have no online presence. I can't even spell their name properly because I can't find a way of putting a tilde over an E. 

Anyway, there is no track listing anywhere on this CD. Not on the covers nor on the CD itself. There are seven songs and I couldn't tell you the titles of any of them.

If you like electronic dance music/distorted guitars/goth/post-punk/with female vocals you might appreciate this.

 

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Ken-Dang

 Ken-Dang was a new wave/post punk from Bergen, Norway that was formed in the early 1980s by guitarist Odd Harald "Beinet" Hundvin, bassist Ronald Jensen, keyboard player/trombonist Morten Odéen (who had previously played in the group Blåfugl), vocalist Kjersti Bergesen (who had previously played in Ohms March and Parkens Grøde), and drummer Terje H. Hanssen who had previously played
in various swing, jazz, and big bands in the 1970s. The name Ken-Dang comes from the lead drum in Javanese gamelan music.

Ken-Dang made a name for themselves with a distinctive sound which was a combination of exotic Eastern rhythm patterns and British new wave. All songs are sung in English.

The song "Hours And Days" from the 1984 album Monsters & Miracles became a radio hit. 

Kjersti Bergesen left the band in 1985 and was replaced for a short period by Ine Tømmerås until 1986. Bergesen continued her music career in the band Secret Mission and took part in Langsomt Mot Nord's self-titled debut album in 1985, before she became a presenter on TV 2.

Ken-Dang - Ken-Dang 12" EP (1983)

1 War's Hell

2 Born in Borneo

3 Flowers in the Garden

4 Six Years Old

5 Faceless Figures

 

 Ken-Dang - Monsters & Miracles (1984)

1 Hours & Days

2 The Servant

3 She Goes to Few Parties

4 Monsters & Miracles

5 State Mate

6 No Choice

7 Sea of Sand

8 Computer Addicted People

9 My Mind Making

10 Human Factor

 

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Paula Swann - Paula Swann LP (1982)

 Probably too hard rock for new wave/pop fans. Probably too new wave/pop for hard rock fans. Very rare nonetheless. 

Paula Swann was from California and I can't find any information about her. I'm assuming this is her only release.

1 I Want You Back

2 Comin' Down Like Rain

3 Too Rich

4 Traffic Hazard

5 Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend

6 Jade Continental

7 Touch Tone

8 Juvenile Hall Brats

9 Beat Me, Whip Me

10 Love Potion #9

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Moira and the Mice

 Moira and the Mice wasn't really a punk rock band as much as they were a rock band from the punk era who came from Wales and I don't think they ever broke up. They might be playing a show this weekend for all I know. 

They had a lot of original tunes but only recorded a few of them. Six that I know of on these two records.

Here's a great song that they played live but didn't release on a record. 

 

Somebody posted a full show on YouTube (audio only) of a show they did at the Trubadour in Port Talbot in 1981.

Moira and the Mice - Sight and Sound 7" (1980)

A - Sight and Sound 

B - Gimme Pleasure

Moira and the Mice -  Hysterical Outbursts 7" (1981)

A1 - Hysteria

A2 - Heart Like a Whore

B1 - War Games

B2 - Playing for Time

 

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Caught In The Act - Caught In The Act 12" EP (1984)

There are different kinds of 'new wave'. The most popular was the pop-styled keyboard-driven dance type.
This New York band is new wave but it's more of the "female punk vocals, distorted rock guitar, squeaky no-wave saxophone" variety. No keyboards and nothing to dance about. Not great, but really good.

1 Caught in the Act
2 My Imagination
3 Watch Out for that Dike Ike
4 Rat Race
5 Dance with Me
6 Into the Future

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The Naturals

The Naturals were an Australian post-punk/new wave/pop band who had a hit with the song Devil Smile. I'm not sure that they ever released anything aside from these two singles or what the members did outside of this band.

Imagine music inspired by Nick Cave (from that era) with a vocalist inspired by Bjork (from that era).

They made a video for Devil Smile.

The Naturals - Devil Smile 7" (1985)
A - Devil Smile
B - This is the One

The Naturals - On the Alert 7" (1985)
A - On the Alert
B - Flying Mattress

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Ouida and the Numbers - Runaway 7" (1980)

This was produced by Hugh Cornwell of The Stranglers.

A - Runaway
B - Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

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The Pin-Ups - Take One (1981)

1 Write it on the Walls
2 Can't Get Enough
3 Pin-Up
4 Confession
5 Only for Fun
6 Stranglers
7 Lies
8 Anarchy or Cake
9 Not Alone
10 The Candle
11 Snowman
12 Boys Dressed Up as Girls
13 Music for Cure
14 Lies, Too

Listen to "Write it on the Walls"

Listen to "Anarchy or Cake"

Listen to "Music for Cure"


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