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Hey there everyone. I hope everyone is doing okay. Enjoying your post-verdict weekend, I hope. I haven’t been around these pages for a couple of weeks for which I apologize. Life has been kicking me in the nuts of late and when the darkness takes over it is very difficult for me to function fully and alas getting a staff pick together before deadline didn’t happen. Without turning this into a Dear Diary entry or a therapy session all I will say is that I lost a very close friend last week and that along with another friend of the local scene here passing and another friend having a health scare had me questioning my own mortality and grieving over the loss. Then if I start looking at the state of the country and the world I really fall into a downward spiral of despair. Tough times for poor, marginalized and sensitive people out there.
Anyway, meanwhile back in the world of music and records here at Sorry State, there is always something cool and fun to take your mind off your troubles. Thank the heavens for music. I don’t know where to begin as so much has come in recently to check out. I’m digging the Neutrals album New Town Dream a lot. If you have been following these guys, you’ll know all about their updated take on UK post-punk and DIY aesthetics but for anyone new to them, this second LP is a great place to jump in.
Not new but newish is the return of Britpop group Kula Shaker with their new album Natural Magick. I always had a soft spot for these guys back in the day and liked their 60s Hammond organ groovy sound and mix of Indian flavors. A little bit hippy perhaps and probably way too poppy for most of you punks, but this new album sees the original lineup back and sounding great with some decent tunes on the record.
Another Britpop era artist that hasn’t stopped making new music is Blur’s Graham Coxon, and last year he made a record with Rose Elinor Dougall who was in girl group The Pipettes, under the name of The Waeve. The sound is a blend of 70s inspired folk and prog with some Krautrock moments in a sort of cinematic pop fashion. I’m still getting caught up on the record as we just got it in, but can recommend you investigate.
Here at Sorry State, we are always working hard to make sure we have one of the best selections of used records for shoppers to browse through at our store. Each week our used new arrivals drop is met with great anticipation by our loyal local friends and those of you out on the socials. One of the ways that we get good records is from you are friends and customers. Y’all have good taste, but sometimes need to downsize or trade in for something new and we always welcome helping in that regard. This past week one of our regulars and longtime supporter of us and the local scene brought in a few records to trade, and I later went through them after Jeff had processed them. There was one by the group Servotron which I had to snag. I’ve had this record in my Discogs cart for a while now, but hadn’t pulled the trigger as the price was a tad high once tax and shipping had been factored in, and I generally always try and see whether I find things in local stores or indeed when they come to us. So, thanks David for saving me a few bucks and getting this record onto my turntable.
Servotron were a band active in the mid to late 90s and were based in Athens, GA. They released a string of singles, an E.P. and two full length albums. Their sound was a science fiction inspired blend of new wave, synth-punk and garage, all based around the concept of them being robots. Each group member assumed the identity of a different robotic lifeform and collectively they used the form of music to disseminate their ideas. Live performances and interviews had them stick rigidly to this mock ideology. They preached robot domination and machines revolting against human oppression and encouraged humans to replace their weak bodily flesh with cybernetic enhancements. They dubbed this ideology the SRA (Servotron Robot Allegiance). Cool. I’ve wanted to replace parts of my broken body with bionic robot parts for years. I mean it worked for Steve Austin.
Servotron weren’t the first band to use this type of schtick as their gimmick. The obvious comparisons are to Devo and Kraftwerk and to the lesser known Zolar X. That last band were a cool L.A. band from the 70s who dressed like aliens and spoke in their own alien language and played a Glam Rock sound. Servotron owe a little to all of these forbearers and to the local scene that they came from. You can hear some B-52’s in their sound. For lovers of quirky pop that’s a good thing, right? Dotted across single B-sides are some choice covers including Genetic Engineering by X-Ray Spex and Electric Avenue by Eddie Grant. I haven’t got any of these 7” s yet, nor the 10” E.P. Spare Parts, but will be keeping a look out.
My introduction was through first album No Room For Humans which came out in 1996 that I picked up last year sometime, and now I have the second album from 1998 titled Entertainment Program For Humans (Second Variety). Having listened to the first album more times it is at the moment my preferred of the two, but I’m sure I’ll be digging the second just as much.
With all the recent talk about AI, now seems a perfect time to get into a band that was all about this type of stuff, albeit from a 90s viewpoint when the internet was still a toddler. Also, as I mentioned the idea of replacing decaying body parts with robot parts doesn’t sound so bad to me. With all due respect to anyone who has lost limbs in accidents or in war. I certainly am not making light of their experience. I’ve just always been a sci-fi guy and did love the Six Million Dollar Man as a kid.
There is a live performance on YouTube which I’ll leave a link to here. Check it out to see the robots in action and to catch some of the banter between them and the crowd. It’s quite funny.
No time for a deeper dive as I have to catch the deadline, not that I know too much more about the band other than two of the members were in Man Or Astro-man?, but that doesn’t really have anything to do with things very much. Also of note is that the band did record a session for John Peel, which was broadcast on the 21st of May 1997, and features a typical great introduction from John. Check it out here.
Okay friends, all the best. We’ll see you back here when Scarecrow return from their European adventure. Godspeed to them and thanks to you all for your support and for loving music as much as we all do.
Cheers- Dom
R.I.P. Kevin and Christopher.