Influenza (Relapse)

This will be the last of the singles posts until November. I thought it quite seasonal as this years round of Flu Jabs is currently being rolled out across the UK...Look out for a mega Halloween post curtsey of Timebender to close October.

Originally an instrumental track on the album Promise, Gene Loves Jezebel conjured up some lyrics for Influenza and released one of the more outrageous singles from ’84. There’s nothing in the world that can prepare you for the three tracks contained within. Some say that this single is beautiful, operatic, art and intriguing all rolled into one moment that lasts for around 13 minutes, others wonder WTF is going on here! There’s probably a good reason why there was a further year before T’ Jezebel’s would unleash their mighty second album Immigrant, could it have been to utterly forget the whole idea? Nah, because they re-recorded one of the two B’side tracks for inclusion, and the polished version is one of the standout tracks on Immigrant. Of whom am I speaking? Stephen. The stripped back original version of Stephen is worth the price of admission here, as is the lyrical version of Influenza if I’m being honest today…but back in the Orwellian days of 1984, Influenza (Relapse) was filed in the darkest recess of my insignificant record collection.

Promise

If bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees and Bauhaus can be considered the founders of post-punk glam, laying the foundations of what would turn into goth rock, then Gene Loves Jezebel followed closely in their footsteps with their debut, Promise. Careening, wailing guitar is matched by careening, wailing vocals from the two Aston brothers (Jay and Michael) all while forceful, semi-tribal drumming underlays everything on display. John Brand's production balances out brute force with careful texturing, allowing the group to showcase their power chops as well as their calmer, moodier side. Despite the unstable line-up at the time of recording, everything sounds like the product of a well-seasoned band, no doubt thanks to the Astons' considerable and happily justifiable belief in their own abilities. One of the more common but effective elements on Promise is a sense of quick, dramatic changes. Strong examples include the moody intro into explosive guitar roar on "Upstairs," the building roll of verses into a wordless yell on "Screaming for Emmalene/Scheming," and the sudden drop out of the music towards the end of "Psychological Problems." The Astons' near-interchangeable vocals conjure up images of desolation, highly suspect sex, freakish family scenarios, and insanity; theirs are not the most happy-go-lucky of lyrics, but they deliver them with an invigorating, about-to-crack energy. Songs often crackle with a nervous, giddy fear, while the music at its more restrained feels like an ominous call to doom. "Influenza," a deceptively calm instrumental, relies on wordless vocals from the band to increase the creeping sense of unease. Perhaps the strongest song is the most minimal: "Bread From Heaven," an allegoric, vicious slam on the English government for its treatment of Wales. The Astons' keening vocals sound like burnt calls of vengeance from beyond the grave; an unsettling, effective demonstration of their musical skills. Later pressings of the album include the fairly poppy single "Bruises," which also surfaces on Immigrant.