Violent Femmes [Deluxe Edition] (CD - 1983)

The Violent Femmes: Gordon Gano (vocals, guitar, violin); Brian Ritchie (acoustic & electric basses, xylophone, background vocals); Victor DeLorenzo (drums, tranceaphone, background vocals).

Recorded at Castle Studios, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin in July 1982 and Music Works Studios, London, England on August 31 & September 1, 1983.

The Violent Femmes: Gordan Gano (vocals, guitar, violin); Brian Ritchie (vocals, nose flute, xylophone, acoustic & electric bass); Victor DeLorenzo (vocals, drums, trancephone)

Producers include: Mark Van Hecke, Violent Femmes.

Reissue producers: Victor DeLorenzo, Brian Ritchie

Recorded between 1981 & 1983. Includes liner notes by Michael Azerrad.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Personnel: Gordon Gano (vocals, guitar, violin); Brian Ritchie (vocals, xylophone, acoustic bass, electric bass); Victor de Lorenzo (vocals, drums, bass drum, snare drum); Mark VanHecke (piano).

Audio Remasterers: Dan Hersch; Bill Inglot.

Liner Note Author: Michael Azerrad.

Recording information: Beneath-It-All Cafe, Milwaukee, WI (07/??/1982-09/01/1983); Castle Recording Company, Lake Geneva, WI (07/??/1982-09/01/1983); Folk City, New York, NY (07/??/1982-09/01/1983); Mark Van Hecke's Home Studio, Milwaukee, WI (07/??/1982-09/01/1983); Music Works, London, England (07/??/1982-09/01/1983); The Jazz Gallery, Milwaukee, WI (07/??/1982-09/01/1983).

Photographers: Ron Hugo; George Lange.

An undisputed classic of the American rock underground, the Violent Femmes' 1982 self-titled debut still shines with its original luster. Quirky, catchy, innovative, and explosive, the Femmes made what was probably the first acoustic punk-folk-rockabilly-New Wave document for the dispossessed. The formula is as ingenious as it is simple--a trio playing guitar, bass, and drums runs through songs of adolescent angst, vulnerability, and social/sexual frustration.

In addition to their distinctive, minimal sound--guitarist Gordon Gano's rhythmic chord progressions filled out by Brian Ritchie's fluid bass and Victor De Lorenzo's aggressive brushwork on the drums--it is Gano's singing and superb songwriting that earmarks VIOLENT FEMMES. For the most part, Gano sounds like a psychotic, self-pitying, hormonally crazed teenager as he whines, stutters, and yowls his way through these remarkable songs. This two-disc deluxe edition includes rarities and live tracks, in addition to the paranoid "Kiss Off," the slinky "Gone Daddy Gone," and the lusty "Add It Up." And, of course, anyone who was a teenager in the '80s knows the glorious "Blister in the Sun," a seemingly permanent staple of dance venues across the United States.

An undisputed classic of the American rock underground, the Violent Femmes' 1982 self-titled debut still shines with its original luster. Quirky, catchy, innovative, and explosive, the Femmes made what was probably the first acoustic punk-folk-rockabilly-New Wave document for the dispossessed. The formula is as ingenious as it is simple--a trio playing guitar, bass, and drums runs through songs of adolescent angst, vulnerability, and social/sexual frustration.

In addition to their distinctive, minimal sound--guitarist Gordon Gano's rhythmic chord progressions filled out by Brian Ritchie's fluid bass and Victor De Lorenzo's aggressive brushwork on the drums--it is Gano's singing and superb songwriting that earmarks VIOLENT FEMMES. For the most part, Gano sounds like a psychotic, self-pitying, hormonally crazed teenager as he whines, stutters, and yowls his way through these remarkable songs. The CD includes two tracks not on the original album, in addition to the paranoid "Kiss Off," the slinky "Gone Daddy Gone," and the lusty "Add It Up." And, of course, anyone who was a teenager in the '80s knows the glorious "Blister in the Sun," a seemingly permanent staple of dance venues across the United States.

For their deluxe, two-disc reissue of the Violent Femmes' classic first album, Rhino pulled out all the stops, not only remastering the album and offering extensive liner notes, but adding a full 26 bonus tracks. Of these, 22 are previously unreleased -- the ones that have appeared before are demos and rare U.K. singles, plus a song previously released as a flexidisc in Alternative Press. The rest is a cornucopia of rarities: three songs that never were recorded in the studio ("How Do You Say Goodbye," "In Style," "Her Television"), live cuts from the early '80s (including versions of songs that would pop up on later studio albums), demos, even early interviews. Sure, this is stuff that is primarily of interest to collectors, but the great thing about this release is that this rare material is equally enjoyable for fans who just love the first album, not everything the Femmes did -- it proves that the brilliance of the debut was no fluke, and these songs are as captivating on stage and in demo form as they are on record. One of the best deluxe reissues of 2002, all told. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine minimize