Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Marky and the Unexplained Stains - s/t (1989, Carlyle)

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one.  Marky and the Unexplained Stains came to light in 1989, though had this one arrived in 2009 it would still sound just as fresh.  This quartet, who's coordinates were somewhat unknown, at times deliver the kind of art-damaged cacophonies that would do the Swell Maps and Robyn Hitchcock proud, but elsewhere opt for more conventional tactics, momentarily touching on everyone from the Replacements to the Screaming Blue Messiahs, and even John Spencer.  Dissonant, garage-ridden post-punk was the name of their game, and the further you delve into this album the stranger and more idiosyncratic the proceedings get.  It's a wisp of a record too, clocking in at just under 26 minutes.  There's some grainy visual evidence on Marky and the Unexplained Stains floating around on YouTube which you may view at your leisure.

01. Junkie City
02. My Dear
03. Lift the Cup
04. UnsAlvageable
05. Pleasure Island
06. R.A.D. Revolution
07. Brainwash
08. SeeIng You
09. Dunce Cap
10. Keep That Shit Away

Hear

7 comments:

Mike Ouellette said...

Sorry for going off topic, but when do you plan on posting the I-Rails' "Panharmonium"? I know more than a few people (including myself) who'd be interested in hearing it. Thanks!

spavid said...

Mike,

Will try to share it sometime before the month is up. If you come across any of the others please let me know.

Mike Ouellette said...

I definitely will! Thanks so much.

Lucas Gelati said...

Any info about band members or anything really?
Cool stuff here! Thanks for this!

Jaco said...

Just picked this cassette up at Goodwill this afternoon. A gamble that paid off. Your review does justice.

tikkanese said...

Your description of this is quite intriguing. Any chance of a new link?

Wally Bangs said...

They were a Nashville band led by Mark Nevers. He later went on to be a producer in town. I saw them open for the Volcano Suns once.