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Social Climbers
2,495 plays (432 listeners)
Personnel:
Jean Seton Shaw (bass, vocals),
A. Leroy (farfisa organ, korg machine),
Mark Bingham (guitar, vocals)
Mark Bingham flirted with a number of projects prior to compiling the works of Social Climbers, including production work for MX-80 Sound and collaborations with New York’s Glenn Branca. A. Leroy also worked with Charles Moulton, a choreographer, creating the music for his “Precision Ball Passing” pieces in the early 80s. Social Climbers’ only album was indeed a compilation of three excellent, but poorly pressed 7” flexis put out by the band. Armed with just a couple of guitars, a rhythm box and an organ, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this album may not offer anything special, or that Social Climbers would simply mirror the b-movie aspirations of their New York peers, Comateens (which they do here there, particularly on ‘Western World’). however, Bingham & Co. conjure up a highly original mix of quietly neurotic post-punk restraint. both the organ and rhythm boxes are used highly effectively, thanks to subtle production trickery and clever programming, neatly offset by the geeky garage-band vocals. tracks like ‘Chicken 80’, ‘Chris & Debbie’ and ‘That’s Why’ are shining examples of the very best of post-punk DIY, thanks to both memorable tunes and a cool, if insular, atmosphere of moderate despair. as the album wanders comfortably over the stylistic map, each track in some way hits the spot, and most hit more than one. Every lo-fi collector should get to hear this. and what a tragedy that it was never followed up.
Jean Seton Shaw (bass, vocals),
A. Leroy (farfisa organ, korg machine),
Mark Bingham (guitar, vocals)
Mark Bingham flirted with a number of projects prior to compiling the works of Social Climbers, including production work for MX-80 Sound and collaborations with New York’s Glenn Branca. A. Leroy also worked with Charles Moulton, a choreographer, creating the music for his “Precision Ball Passing” pieces in the early 80s. Social Climbers’ only album was indeed a compilation of three excellent, but poorly pressed 7” flexis put out by the band. Armed with just a couple of guitars, a rhythm box and an organ, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this album may not offer anything special, or that Social Climbers would simply mirror the b-movie aspirations of their New York peers, Comateens (which they do here there, particularly on ‘Western World’). however, Bingham & Co. conjure up a highly original mix of quietly neurotic post-punk restraint. both the organ and rhythm boxes are used highly effectively, thanks to subtle production trickery and clever programming, neatly offset by the geeky garage-band vocals. tracks like ‘Chicken 80’, ‘Chris & Debbie’ and ‘That’s Why’ are shining examples of the very best of post-punk DIY, thanks to both memorable tunes and a cool, if insular, atmosphere of moderate despair. as the album wanders comfortably over the stylistic map, each track in some way hits the spot, and most hit more than one. Every lo-fi collector should get to hear this. and what a tragedy that it was never followed up.
Shoutbox
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the_bilbo wrote:
Woah. I just got one song of these. Must hunt more.
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Aurist- wrote:
the more i listen to this the more i love it
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DJ_Illinois wrote:
"Hello Texas, hello texas, hello where you been?"
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DJ_Illinois wrote:
Very interesting song, have no idea what the lyrics mean, What does he sing after, Hello TEXAS!!!... hello ____? If anyone wants to read this, here's some of what I think is some lyrics in the song, There musta' been a man waiting in the car, they showed new everything by play?? How could I haven known what they had in mind, we exchanged pictures of our kids A hot bl
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Recent Activity
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Kirben_Hanlow and wattyclarke added Social Climbers to their libraries. yesterday afternoon
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timu_desu tagged Social Climbers with ‘party on the roof’. August 2009
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Ramcat shared Social Climbers with ShutUpBirdie. March 2009
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Ramcat added Social Climbers to Ramcat’s library. March 2009
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A deleted user uploaded social climbers cbgb's to Social Climbers’s images. March 2009
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A deleted user uploaded social climbers 1981 to Social Climbers’s images. March 2009
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A deleted user uploaded social climbers to Social Climbers’s images. March 2009
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A deleted user uploaded social climbers nyc to Social Climbers’s images. March 2009
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A deleted user created the wiki page for Social Climbers. March 2009
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A deleted user added Social Climbers to their library. March 2009
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