This all-girl band of post-punk pioneers briefly enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in the early 1990s, thanks to Kurt Cobain's championing of them on the sleeve-notes of Nevermind, and a subsequent tour with Nirvana. This 1979 album, reissued in 1993, is a timely reminder of their unique sound and influence. A triumph of lo-fi amateurism over musicianship, the Raincoats took as their blueprint sound a harsh blend of clashing guitar, shrill violin and ramshackle drumming; but could still fashion songs of the most heart-breaking beauty out of such crude materials. Like Gang of Four and other proto-political punk bands of the late 1970s, the Raincoats would frequently employ a fierce political agenda, with songs such as "The Professionals", which angrily tells of soldiers raping girls. Elsewhere, "Fairytale In A Supermarket" is extraordinarily emotional; while a cover of The Kink's "Lola" sung by two girls flirts with sexual ambiguity. Their cult status is assured. --Amber Cowan
Review by John Dougan
Picking the "best" Raincoats is more an intellectual exercise than it is a work of thoughtful criticism. So, to make it easy for the benighted, all three studio releases are absolutely essential. Their live cassette is wonderful, but I wouldn't start there. Better yet, start with their debut, a soaring, daring, avant-garde-influenced folk-punk record. Don't let the words "avant-garde" scare you off; the Raincoats are not harsh or unapproachable. In fact, this music, even at its most dissonant, is stunning and captivating. There's a great cover of the Kinks' "Lola" that's so skewed and obtuse, I'm sure Ray Davies never dreamed it could sound this way. Reissued by Geffen on CD with extra tracks in 1995.
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