The Tunes - She's My Girl / Something Strange (1980)

A follow up to The Tunes E.P. I put up here. The a-side finds them trying to write a hit song (or so it seems). The b-side sounds closer to the E.P. They still have the same catchy synth/organ fronted wave sound here, but I think the E.P. has better songs. As far as I know the singer and songwriter Colin Thorpe hasn't put out anything else. Which is a bummer, as I want more of The Tunes tunes.

http://www.mediafire.com/?rlf7xkcw3leoqkw

Unknown Gender - Exposé (1982)

Outstanding post punk from NYC. This was also released as Girls Have Rhythm later. Which is more of a clue in. It's something like Lizzy Mercier Descloux meets Au Pairs or Gang of Four.
They've got it working on all cylinders. Bass work reminiscent of Dave Allen, creative drumming, unique guitar lines, treated sax sounds, and great vocals. I put up an early live tape and single here.

http://www.mediafire.com/?fdr120xx50f0mjl

Goat - Cu (1982)

Goat were Phil Pickering and Sean Purcell (Cuddly Toys) from the UK. Starts off with perfection. Similie has everything going for it, like a Ross Middleton era Positive Noise meets early Associates. Totally killer. Zennor is a top shelf minimal synth track! Lucy, Lucy has a Dome / P'o type feel. Scapegoat is post punky in a kinda Virgin Prunes way. The other two pieces are short interludes, that bleed the songs together. Which is why I had to put each side on one track.
http://www.mediafire.com/?pbzdnppqkqrrjys

Enstruction - Keep Out of My Body Bag / Signal to Noise / Is There a Dog? (1982)

 Synth abuse and drum machines are the musical backdrop for the vocalists perspectives from the anti pop culture. Early industrial no-wave-muzak, from these experimental art terrorists in the Seattle area. My kinda people.

The band history and lots of music can be found at their website.
Booklet with lyrics and many enstructions included.
http://www.mediafire.com/?y0px70222mgcrfi

Testament (1988)

Great international compilation of experimental electroacoustic music. Released on five 7"s in a box.
Voice Crack really scratch the itch with an early SPK vibe. Agog gives a seven minute long tour de force of  sonic manipulation. Appi distorts rhythm and voice. Phauss search for gold through a myriad of effects. Gum take you to a strange electro swamp. The Nachtluft track is much less jarring than anything else I've heard by them. The booklet is also included.

 http://www.mediafire.com/?lby0qmruwtubryt

Skafish - Obsessions of You / Sink or Swim (1980)

Because Sink or Swim is such a great weird art-punk tune, I felt compelled to post this single. Obsessions of You is a lot of fun as well, and was also on their first LP.

Lead by the original idiosyncratic stylings of Jim Skafish. Skafish began infecting the Chicago area with strange punk new wave sounds in February of 1976. Their early recordings were complied on What's This 1976 - 1979

The second Skafish LP seemed tame, and disappointingly normal. So it was interesting find out that, the songs they first recorded for it were rejected. Being deemed to weird to be released by the record label. Hopefully those recordings will come out soon. Read the whole story at the Skafish website

Link removed. Re-release in the works. You can still hear Sink or Swim and others at Skafish audio.

Plain Characters - I Am A / Very Peculiar Julia (1977) Man in the Railings / O (1979)

In my opinion this is some of Colin Lloyd Tucker's best work. Here along with fellow Gadget John Hyde on two stellar singles. I Am A / Very Peculiar Julia provides insanely catchy art punk, that's really just a load of mad fun. I've also got to mention the super posh tri-fold cover (the inside art is included with download). Even the single sleeve is made of the finest white patterned paper.

Man in the Railings / O turns to a more electro synth sound closer to The Gadgets stuff.
Their sounds are explored more on an excellent LP. Which I was going to post, but this nice person already put it up.

Colin Lloyd Tucker has conceived many diverse and interesting musical identities. What I've heard from Plain Characters, The Gadgets, Deux Filles, Jeremy's Secret, and his solo outings. Make it clear that there should be much more interest in his eclectic unique music, which seems have eluded too many. 

 http://www.mediafire.com/?tbz09cr1hu0ilct

Arizona Disease (1981)

This comes from the always interesting vaults of Subterranean Records. Jr. Chemists play ultra primitive one string guitar rock. Something like Beat Happening would explore later on. Les Seldoms continue with the primitive motif, while adding the crazy complexities of cords and a bass. With a singer that sounds like a more subdued version of Doc Dart from The Crucifucks.

http://www.mediafire.com/?b215izpit5j77th

James Gray - Gray Matter (1983)

An eclectic set of tunes from Canadian James Gray. The first track has an early Bill Laswell funk feel. Followed by a weird dissonant bass led jam, that wouldn't be out of place on a Mick Karn LP. Next is a strange a capella piece. JTA gives me flashbacks of being at a Crash Worship show. Flip the tape over for my favorite tune, that has a lot in common with Robin Crutchfield's Dark Day. Then we get a great moody post punk song in Afterlife. Lastly a frenetic punk prog wave instrumental a la Bill Nelson's Red Noise meets early Material. This was a recent find, and I've been listening to it a bunch. Maybe you will too.

UPDATE 1-29-12 NEW RIP. The old rip wasn't correct due to bad software. Please delete that and enjoy these proper sounds. 
http://www.mediafire.com/?njld47xf6hvovz1

The Thought (1982)

The first LP from this Dutch post punk band. Finds them mining sounds in the same vein as The Sound, The Comsat Angels, or The Passage. These Days, and There's A Boy are a couple of standout tracks. They released another self titled album a couple of years after this one, to a more pop direction. Insert and lyric sheet included.

http://www.mediafire.com/?2b29bc8ad5ba52p

The Tunes - The Truth, Justice & The Mancunian Way (1979)

Seriously catchy synth/organ driven post punk from the UK. Kinda like a British Los Reactors, if you will. All four of these songs are winners. The lead track Larger Than Life seemed poised to be the hit single. Headlights anticipates the Britpop of the nineties in a synth wave form. My Time, and Last Orders Taken, the two tracks on the flip side. Seal the deal for me. They are just as catchy, but filled with a more angular art throb. That gets my toes to bob, around and more.

http://www.mediafire.com/?hez1zlaj9qagc01