Phones - Stick Man ep (1986, Pendulum)

This record features a track called "Independence Day," and honest to god I wasn't deliberately waiting to post this record on the day in question.  Happy accident I guess.  Not to be confused with the other Phones (from New York state) which I posted about three years ago, these ringers were a high-strung power pop foursome from Minneapolis, who had two full lengths preceding this 1986 ep of demos and outtakes.  And what solid outtakes they are, especially side one boasting the ringing, post-punky "Take Your Time."  No less thrilling are the even more uptempo "Strangers" and "Everybody's Got a Gun."  Side two is home to a pair of cult-classic rave-ups, The Sonics "Psycho," and Richard Berry's "Have Love Will Travel."  Not bad, but personally, I'll stick with the Phones original compositions.  If you dig Stick Man, please check out the Phones Back in Time anthology CD available from their website, containing cuts from this record in much better fidelity than what I've presented here from this pre-owned wax.

01. Take Your Time
02. Strangers
03. Everybody's Got a Gun
04. Psych
05. Independence Day
06. Have Luv Will Travel

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