A Different Kind of Tension (Indie Exclusive)

The Buzzcocks: Pete Shelley (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Steve Diggle (vocals, guitar); Steve Garvey (bass); John Maher (drums). All tracks have been digitally remastered. The Buzzcocks' third record builds on the snappy songcraft, buzzsaw precision, and powerful punk-pop energy of their first two albums. "Paradise," the opening track, shows Pete Shelley hadn't lost any ground in penning memorably hooky gems that have the tunefulness of 1960s pop, the fierce bite of punk, and the nervous, push-pull feel of New Wave all at once. "You Say You Don't Love Me" and "Raison d'Etre" follow suit, while "I Don't Know What to Do with My Life" pursues classic punk themes of alienation and self-doubt. There is plenty of energy here, like the straight-up, pogo-inducing tempo of "Mad Mad Judy," but A DIFFERENT KIND OF TENSION also shows the British band expanding its horizons. The distinctly post-punk-sounding "Hollow Inside," which takes a cue from fellow Manchester pioneers Joy Division, works a haunting, arpeggiated guitar line and an ominous repeated lyric that Shelley sings as a kind of drone. The title track, too, with its disquieting rhythms, phased guitar, and electronically manipulated voice snippets, is one of the group's most progressive statements. Energetic, cleanly executed, and bristling with fresh ideas, TENSION is an important addition to the catalogue of this seminal band.