Pete Shelley
Arista AL 6602
1981
Here is my belated tribute to Pete Shelley who passed away in late 2018. His band the Buzzcocks were easily my favorite of the first wave of British punk bands after the Clash largely because they were just as much power-pop as they were punk and looked more like new wavers than punks not unlike the Jam (another big favorite of mine back then.) I bought this album after hearing the title track on the radio. I was surprised when I first played it because it sounded so unlike the Buzzcocks aside from Shelley's distinctive vocals. It is basically dance-friendly synth-pop with a slight edge. It lacks the intensity and energy of the classic Buzzcocks songs but after a few spins it grew on me and I like it even better now since I have developed an appetite for synth-pop that I totally lacked in my youth. The record opens with "Homosapien" which is an extremely catchy ode to homosexual seduction. It was provocative back in 1981 but seems tame to me today although the line "homo superior in my interior" is fabulous. Shelley always had a gift for hooks and whenever I play this album this song is stuck in my head for days. In "Yesterday's Not Here" Shelley looks back at the past with disdain and unhappiness. The music throbs with a sensuous groove that I find enticing. "Love in Vain" was not on the U.K. version of the album, it was the B-side on the "Homosapien" single. In the song Shelley worries that his love is unrequited. It has a soulful sound to it. "Just One of Those Affairs" as you might guess is about sex - lots of it. It sounds very poppy with a very pronounced beat and an enthusiastic vocal from Shelley that reminds me of Graham Parker. Side one concludes with "Qu'est-ce que c'est que ça," which despite the title is mostly in English, in which Shelley wonders vaguely about life and relationships. It is a highly propulsive track with a wall of synthesizer sound that gets me bopping. It is one of my favorite cuts. Side two opens with "I Don't Know What It Is" which is a banal song about how one experiences love. The lyrics may be bland, but the music is exciting driven by an insistent staccato riff with waves of sound layered over it and a charged vocal from Shelley. It reminds me of Berlin trilogy Bowie. It is another one of my favorite tracks. "Witness the Change" is another B-side that was not on the U.K. edition of the record. It features a compelling melody driven by funky percussion and a powerful vocal from Shelley. In the song Shelley expresses optimism about the potential of love despite bad experiences in the past. "Guess I Must Have Been In Love With Myself" is a charming love song in which a self-centered guy changes when he finds love. Unlike his punk peers Shelley was not bashful about being a romantic. In keeping with the lyrics the music is highly melodic with a soaring chorus. It is easily the prettiest song on the record. In "I Generate a Feeling" Shelley uses his feelings of love to escape and find bliss. The music is jerky with a taste of funk to it and Shelley's vocal has a drone like quality. The album concludes with "In Love With Somebody Else" which was a single that was not on the British pressing of the album. The song examines the duality between the ideals and realities of love. It has a poppy ebullient melody that gives the album a joyful finish. Unlike many records from this period, this album has aged extremely well. It would probably make for a delightful party soundtrack with its relentlessly upbeat sound and insistent beat but I find it strong enough for concentrated listening as well. It stands out with its intelligence and sweeping musical density. Shelley was a very talented guy whose music has given me much pleasure through the years. I am going to miss him. Recommended to romantic Talking Heads fans.
