The Jitters (1979) S/T (LP)

The Jitters

The Jitters

Nervine Music

recorded October 15 – 25, 1979. Released circa 1980.

*** noteworthy

Sole album by the Jitters (not to be confused with other bands with the same name), lead by P.K. Dwyer and sounding like a Northwest backyard band influenced by hillbilly and perhaps Velvet Underground, old-time rock ‘n roll and Jonathan Richman, Neil Young and Los Angeles, old-time music and Ray Davies, NRBQ and all the obscure mid-70s bands that centered around CBGBs.

While most Seattle outfits from this era seemed attached to hard rock or new wave, these folks seem to be having fun and doing their own thing.

With the hillbilly and quirky elements, it’s easy to hear how this band foreshadowed all the alt-country and cowpunk that surfaced in the wake of this album.

This ain’t an essential outing, but it’s fairly enjoyable from go to whoa, and it certainly offers some pretty great moments.  It’s certainly a worthwhile listen for fans of songwriter P.K. Dwyer or for fans of obscure Northwest bands.

— winch (author of )

 

LINKS TO SELLERS:

The Wedding Present (1989) Bizarro (LP) RCA 2173-1-R

The Wedding Present

Bizarro 

1989

RCA 2173-1-R

**** recommended

For this second set, guitarist/ vocalist David Gedge and his ever-changing line up go with a major label but continue with the three-chord rhythm-guitar rock, fast without losing the underground pop-rock rhythm, moving along like a commuter train, ringing like a warning bell by the tracks, looking back to England glory days of a decade earlier when some of the punks kept the energy while losing some (but not all) of the anger.

The set moves along like a roller coaster, mixing romance with bitterness, the safe with hints of scary, focusing on the fast but slowing down to pull you in, mostly fun but hints of menace to keep it interesting.  While it’s easy to hear influences, it’s even easier to hear how this likely influenced bands in the decades that followed.

— winch

LINK TO SELLERS:

Fuck Geez (1983 – 1992) Once Upon a Time There Was Fuck Geez (LP) Social Napalm Records

Fuck Geez

(1983 – 1992)

Once Upon a Time There Was Fuck Geez

Social Napalm Records

Anthology housing tons of essential cuts from this Japanese punk band…showing how a band can progress (not always a good thing with a punk band) over a decade without losing their punch…obviously influenced by 70s UK and USA punk and 80s USA HC but in traditional Japanese punk-style leaving most of the Caucasian competition in the dust as they take off from the get go, race down the blacktop and blast off to outer space.

Nonstop fun for any fan of loud fast punk rock…whether your bag is the Bad Brains, the Dictators or the raw and rockin version early U.K. Punk…or of course Japanese punk…you’re bound to get a big kick in pants from this collection.

— winch (author of