The Voice of America
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 1980
RecordedMarch–April 1980
StudioWestern Works, Sheffield, England
GenreIndustrial, experimental, post-punk
LabelRough Trade[1]
ProducerCabaret Voltaire
Cabaret Voltaire chronology
Three Mantras
(1980)
The Voice of America
(1980)
Red Mecca
(1981)

The Voice of America is the second studio album by English band Cabaret Voltaire.[2] It was released in July 1980, through record label Rough Trade.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[4]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[6]
Select2/5[7]
Spin Alternative Record Guide8/10[8]

Trouser Press wrote that "the new material shows much greater focus and cleaner production than the older, with the mantra technique rising in place of the former chaotic electro-noise."[9] AllMusic called it "not as spectacular as what would follow, but not without its own set of thrills."[3]

SF Weekly wrote that "the music keeps moving outward, emitting boomerang-like signals that are only coming back to us today: The Moog-y skronk of 'Partially Submerged', part Krautrock and part free-jazz, anticipates Cologne's unfettered improv glitches, Radiohead's sprawling rock, and Aphex Twin's Dramamine ambiance."[10]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Richard H. Kirk, Stephen Mallinder, Chris Watson

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."The Voice of America/Damage Is Done"6:16
2."Partially Submerged"3:45
3."Kneel to the Boss"3:52
4."Premonition"5:03
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."This Is Entertainment"5:51
2."If the Shadows Could March? (1974)"0:55
3."Stay Out of It"2:38
4."Obsession"5:06
5."News From Nowhere"2:21
6."Messages Received"3:16

Samples

"Stay Out Of It" samples three phrases from the Outer Limits episode "Demon with a Glass Hand": "the third part of your brain... you know where it is?", "don't kill me, please... please..." and "the hand... tell me what to do".

The opening of the album is taken from newsreel footage of policemen being given instructions how to cope with Beatles fans before a Beatles concert in 1966.

Personnel

Cabaret Voltaire
Technical

Trivia

The run-out area etchings on side one include the question "WHERE IS THE THIRD MANTRA?" which is a reference to their earlier release Three Mantras.

References

  1. Young, Rob (19 March 2006). Rough Trade. Black Dog Publishing. ISBN 9781904772477 via Google Books.
  2. "Cabaret Voltaire | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  3. 1 2 Kellman, Andy. "The Voice of America – Cabaret Voltaire : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  4. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 2. MUZE. p. 115.
  5. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 187.
  6. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 104.
  7. Finlay, Leo (July 1990). "Praying To Mecca". Select. p. 122.
  8. Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 67.
  9. Grant, Stephen; Sheridan, David. "trouserpress.com :: Cabaret Voltaire". trouserpress.com. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  10. "Cabaret Voltaire". SF Weekly. 27 March 2002.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.