As post-punk emerged out of traditional punk rock, it took on many different influences, sounds, and styles. The genre itself breaks off into many different secondary genres as well, moving further away from their punk roots. But in 1979, post-punk was still relatively tethered to the familiar fast and loud punk sound. These three albums highlight the genre’s earliest days.
‘Half Machine Lip Moves’ by Chrome
Chrome’s 1979 album, Half Machine Lip Moves, marked their third release and a departure from their first two albums. This early post-punk offering wasn’t as far removed from punk rock as post-punk of the 80s, so Chrome still works with a noisy guitar-based sound. However, it’s more technically elaborate and artistically diverse than much of early punk.
Half Machine Lip Moves dealt more in sampling, sound-collage, and eclectic production techniques. This gave way to an album featuring disconcerting halts and jumps, fragmented vocals, and an overall sense of unease. It’s difficult to discern what Chrome will do next on this album, making it a post-punk masterpiece.
‘Y’ by The Pop Group
The Pop Group released their debut album, Y, in 1979. They began as a funk group with the rabid energy of punk rock, but disliked the traditionalism of punk. With dub musician Dennis Bovell joining them, The Pop Group developed a truly unique style of early post-punk. They had the energy and the radical politics, but Bovell shaped them into a cohesive sound.
Y drew from a plethora of influences that fueled the group. Funk, free jazz, eclectic percussion, punk rock ethos, Jamaican music, and the avant-garde all merged into the album. Initially, Y received mixed reviews from critics, with many feeling that it didn’t quite meet its potential. But years later, it has earned recognition as an underrated gem of post-punk.
‘A Trip to Marineville’ by Swell Maps
Swell Maps debuted in 1979 with the album A Trip to Marineville. This post-punk offering received generally positive reviews when it was released, even from critics who felt it often became incoherent. Swell Maps alternated between fast and loud punk rock, and meandering avant-garde noise rock on this album.
A Trip to Marineville is still a great example of early post-punk, blending the familiar three-chord punk style with emerging experimentation. As post-punk developed and moved further away from traditional punk rock, it branched into many different paths. Goth, new wave, no wave, and so on. Essentially, A Trip to Marineville represents post-punk at its earliest, still tethered to punk rock.
Photo by David Corio/Redferns
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