Ike Yard - 1980-83 Collected
SKU
05-ACUTE08
Ike Yard were one of a million underground, experimental post-punk bands that released some music in the early 1980s. I remember hearing and liking their early EP over 25 years ago, but I had basically forgotten all about them until this collection of their album and EPs was released. It holds up pretty well too! For fans of Joy Division, Tuxedomoon, etc of the same era! " 1980-82 Collected compiles Ike Yard's entire discography plus some unreleased bonus material. Taken in one sitting, the entire disc proves to be exhausting, but the rewards of repeated listening can't be understated. Night After Night, released in 1981, is a stunning example of a band exploring the possibilities made available by new technology. And it grooves without cribbing punk-funk like so many other post punks of the time. There's a darkness that resembles Joy Division, but none of these songs stay close to structured pop forms; instead they build on modal vamps in the vein of Kraut rockers like Neu! and Can. Keep in mind that these references are merely stylistic; Ike Yard forged a unique sound, building songs out of meticulous sonic experimentation rather than chords and melody. All of the instruments work together creating a sound that anticipates Big Black, all while avoiding the abrasiveness (but not the power) typically associated with industrial music. As for melody, there really isn't much whatsoever, as "singer" Stuart Argabright sticks to faintly rhythmic deadpan monologues. His voice works more like an instrument, adding just another layer to the overall effect. Ike Yard, which came out the following year, digs even deeper into the possibilities awarded by extended sound manipulation, although they do so at the expense of melody and warmth. The rest of 1980-82 Collected offers outtakes and a single live track which all hold up very nicely next to the reissued material, altogether making a strong case for Ike Yard deserving a distinct place in the canon of experimental music."-Junk Media