Archives for March 1985

Hüsker Dü – New Day Rising

March 31, 1985 by Jim Connelly

(SST)

Though side two sorta trails off into the mush, this is the pop album we were expecting. “Pop,” of course, is used very loosely when taken in the context of the sound that the Hüskers produce. Kudos to Bob Mould’s psychedelic shred guitar for taking this band into the stratosphere. But its the real melody strewn out everywhere and the intelligent lyrics that make the trip worthwhile. And while “Books About UFOs” is my fave, I love the message (and out-and-out thrash) of the title track.

. . .

As Published in the Dead Air Diary March 1985

The Velvet Underground – V.U.

March 26, 1985 by Jim Connelly

(Verve)

The 1985 version of The Basement Tapes, where the early work of a great artist finally surfaces and proves, once and for all, how vital that artist was. Instead of Bob Dylan, we have Lou Reed, and instead of The Band, we have the Velvet Underground. Those who loved the Velvets primarily because of the white-noise experimentation and/or the sparse, trance-like ballads will be disappointed. Those of us who love the unique Rock ‘n’ Roll sound that those were extensions of will recognize this record as quite possibly the final proof that The Velvet Underground were America’s all-time greatest band.

As Published in the Dead Air Diary March 1985