Killing Joke


I have no time to write today, so it's going to be a short post. The first 2 Killing Joke albums were reissued a couple of weeks ago. Pioneers of post-punk, they're still in action today. Their style is big and loud and agressive, full of tribal rhythms. One of my favorite things about them is that they were unafraid to add synths and dancebeats and be experimental. The reissues feature a few extra cuts, mostly dub versions and alternate takes, several of which are previously unreleased. They both sound amazingly good - 1980's self titled debut in particular has aged very well, and fits in nicely with today's neo post-punk fascinations. Change is one of the bonus tracks. I hear this and think that maybe the DFA or LCD Soundsystem might owe these guys some royalties or something. Second album, 1981's what's THIS for...! hasn't aged as well for some reason - I think it might be the synths and some of the drum machine sounds, but it still moves me deeply to bang my head heavily. Follow The Leaders is the first KJ tune I ever owned on a crackly 7" - and it is still pretty much my fave song of theirs. This remaster really pumps it up - it sounds freakin' huge. A couple of bona fide classics...