Description

Teeming with the energy and grit of pre-Giuliani Manhattan, Blonde Redheads long out-of-print early recordings have finally crawled their way out of the 90s basement thanks to Numero Group who will issue the set on Sept. 30. Weighing in at 37 tracks, Masculin Féminin compiles the bands first two albums for Steve Shelleys Smells Like Records (self-titled and La Mia Via Violenta), their period singles, extant demos, and radio performances across four LPs or two CDs. Dozens of previously unpublished photographs illustrate two lengthy essays on this essential New York bands formative years.

This is the latest installment in Numero Groups 200 Line series which has also included releases from Unwound, Bedhead, Codeine, White Zombie and The Scientists. These songs combine a raw need, a ready access to neediness, with seemingly incongruous cinematic changes reminiscent of 60s Italian pop music and movie scores. They switch between emotional grandeur and eye scratching immediacy.-Arto Lindsay