Naffi - Yum Yum Yum Yum Ya (1982)

Naffi aka Naafi Sandwich, The Naffis, Naffi-Locksman, or Brenda and the Beach Balls.
Music-isms blog has two singles here and here. Plus a lot more info about the band.
This LP takes major turns from experimental dub, to dreamy pop tunes, and wacky Residents sounding bits.
http://www.mediafire.com/?42dv0v7h2ac6uvn

Coolies - Government Time (1980)

Coolies from New York City, were another great post punk band with a synth.
The September side is more herky jerky post punk, reminding me of Come On somewhat. While the February side is more new wave synthy. With my favorite song on here "What You Think". I mean it's catchy plus has crazy synth solos.
What's not to love?
http://www.mediafire.com/?77r0cm8f8n2icoq

The Dark - Darkworld (1982)

Funky new wave from Boston. Most of these songs were produced by Ric Ocasek of the Cars. Not nearly as dark as one might imagine given their repeated usage of the word. Subtitling the record sides as "artsy annoyance", and "boring contrivance" might be a better clue. It's somewhat reminiscent of 9353, the Washington DC band that would record a little later. I have their next record "Don't Feed The Fashion Sharks", but decided not to post it (unless someone's dying to hear it) As it's overproduced and most of the weirdness went away. Drummer Micheal Hausman would go on to play with `Til Tuesday.
The record sleeve is included for download, with lyrics and all.
http://www.mediafire.com/?6j47vvr1q3i8ror

N.O. Experience Necessary (1980)

Here's a compilation from Louisiana's underground punk scene circa 1980. Ostensibly the bands are mostly from New Orleans, judging from the double entendre of the title.
Mechanics are the main attraction. The Consumer is one of the best spastic punk wave synth songs around, and Sad Army is up there too. Driveways are standouts as well. Men in Black put out a pretty good synth punk 7", and although synthesizer is listed, it seems they forgot to plug it in here. Most of this plays like a Louisiana killed by death punk compilation, and Shitdogs have tracks on a few kbd records. Here they do some serious Ramones worship.
http://www.mediafire.com/?hgp2qk8ch3yb9kb


Mechanics - The Consumer

Sacred Cows - Separatist 7" 1984

A great Nebraska post-punk band. Casio, fuzz guitar, competent rhythm section and varied vocal delivery from wistful (on Separatist, a pean to willful self isolation) to humorously arch and angry (on Abandoned by History.)

I think I picked this up at Trade-a-Tape in Lincoln when I was in High School during one of my regular record runs: first Dirt Cheap then Trade-a-Tape looking for used records and then (if there was any money left) through the alley to Pickles for new imports.

Years later I got to know bassist/vocalist David Zikmund's older brother Brian (who I believe played with Sideshow's Paul Tisdale in Sam The Butcher, a long running Lincoln pounding-on-stuff project) When I figured out the connection to Sacred Cows I surprised him with some choice Sacred Cows lyrics randomly dropped into a conversation... he was very surprised as they were pretty well forgotten by 1991. When he got over his surprise he probably went back to asking our mutual friend Craig if he was going to roll a big fatty before the Simpsons started.

I got the idea Sacred Cows were from Kearny... I think L. Kent Wolgamot said so in his actual review of this record in the Lincoln Journal Star (he liked them but panned the Boat People for sounding snotty like Johnny Rotten... or that's how I remember it... why do I still remember this stuff?) Maybe they were actually from Lincoln though. Jim Jones of zero-hour Lincoln punk/wave zine Capitol Punishment says so and he ought to know. Still the mailing address for the Band says Kearny. It's a big mystery! I always liked the idea of the Sacred Cows playing gigs in Kearny, setting up their casio at Cattlemans while families scarfed Prime Rib.

They had a track on one of the Capitol Punishment cassettes too, I'll add that to the 'to blog' list.

[update] David Zikmund informs me that Brian is his older brother, and that there were a couple of other Sacred Cows tracks that did not make the E.P., maybe we can get hold of those and post another update...

Anyway, check out this great little 7" gem here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?1cg2gn184eidwb6