I
Never outstay your welcome.
Every great pop act that I earnestly keep close to my heart and to my stereo player - from Josef K to Life Without Buildings - seems to have learned this general rule of thumb. After all, who still wants encores?
II
Through this enthusiastic love for the fleeting beauty of pop ephemera, an enthusiasm that certainly seems prevalent in many of Tangents' pages, I became obsessed with The Projects' first seven-inch single for the fine Track and Field Organisation. It began last summer. While listening to Broadcast's most recent radio mix, I came across this song ïEntertainment' and was so struck by it's then unidentifiable quality that I crashed my Real Player a couple of times trying to rewind the streaming. A couple of days and a beige package with royal stamps later, I became addicted and had no plans of coming clean again.
By the way, Broadcast's eclectic radio mixes always make for an interesting listen; sun-soaked light psychedelia, constructive and cubic sounds of library music, unremembered post-punk diamonds in the rough found on the seminal Ze imprint, their acute sense of crate digging and keen ear for rare grooves have convinced me to keep my own ears opened and an opened notepad nearby. Yes, and the volume turned up. In one of their mixes that I learned there is such aural perfection and excitement as listening to sisters Wendy and Bonnie. Or maybe it was in one of Gordon Stanley's articles? Who knows.
Anyway, as I was saying, The Projects' first single imposes itself instantly and in an irresistible manner. Opening with a boisterous guitar assault and with lead singer Lisa's shrill and spasmodic vocal, ïEntertainment' reminds me of how fantastic, honest and intelligent lo-fi pop can get. Definitely rawer than some of the members' previous projects, which range from collaborations with Stereolab to full-time band Miss Mend, the ïEntertainment' 7' spins somewhere in between The Swirlies, Sonic Youth, The Silver Apples, Prolapse and something on the first Nuggets boxset. Red. Anxious. Brisk. Electric. Imaginist. The flip side, ïWhat to Do', is fun and sounds more 'traditionally' vintage, though it clearly isn't as strong as the opener. I hardly ever take the time to flip the vinyl to listen to it. Doesn't really matter.
I don't know much about them besides their first names, printed alphabetically on the back of the sleeve ö la Beat Happening. They are Alex, Graeme, Lisa and Morgane. I want to hear more about them. They've also started to gain a name for themselves after being offered opening slots around England for avant-pop's own Broadcast and Imitation Electric Piano. More Projects developments should come soon; their debut album, nicely titled Playing Strange Games with the Inside of a Tower Block, recorded by the stars of Track and Field Saloon, should come out early this winter. That will be something to hang on to while another biting winter strikes.
III
The single's photo credit goes to esteemed conceptual and video artist Dan Graham, known for some of his works for Arts and Language and still active today. Though Graham says he didn't actually listen to the music prior to sending this picture of a distant and depressionist suburb dominated by a vast grey sky that evokes the dreary landscape of regional England (most vividly described in some of Black Box Recorder's lyrics), this outside view of the city seem to perfectly express The Projects' sweet raucousness. That view just away from the city where you see the suburban lights creep in silently. A view for the kids to enjoy on their riotous nights out on top of the hill.
The Projects take me back to that place and I never get bored of it.
Which is all I can ask for.
© 2004 Nicola Pezolet