Day 0449 - Metal Box

Public Image Ltd "Metal Box" (1979)

Where the first PIL album had been all over the place, with some noisy drone pieces, and some remnants of John Lydon's punk stylings; Metal Box is much more cohesive, and more 'its own thing'.

The title and album cover really spell out the feel of the music: cold, bleak, and nihilistic. Blasts of bass-heavy post-punk that preceded many other such grinding, industrial bands. Bringing in influences seemingly as diverse as dub, and krautrock into the mix.

The album finishes with the somewhat out of place melodic, almost classical (but still cold and a little harsh somehow) piece "Radio 4".

Day 0432 - Movies

Holger Czukay "Movies" (1979)

I love the genesis of this album: Following the breakup of Can, Czukay would sit at home with his bass and play along to TV shows, ads, and films on his TV, which inspired him to produce this rather soundtrack-esque album.

Czukay had studied under modern composer Karlheinz Stockhausen and followed his lead with various tape loops and musique concrete ideas, including sampling an Iranian singer (who he heard on the radio by chance) and using it in his track "Persian Love".

Day 0384 - Heroes

David Bowie ""Heroes"" (1977)

A continuation of Bowie's 'Berlin Trilogy' (started with "Low") and another mix of avant-pop and atmospheric instrumentals.  While the songs on the first half are musically busy, vocally Bowie engages in some melodic minimalism.  I mean the title track vocal melody largely sits between two notes while the music gives it mood and context. "Sons of the silent age" is a bit more exploratory.

The instrumental tracks move even further into Eno/Krautrock territory and away from Bowie-the-popstar, with no obvious vocal tracks (lyrical or otherwise) featured.