EW's GRADE
A-

Details Lead Performance: Rocket From the Tombs; Genre: Rock

This set of demos and live recordings, made in 1975, is pretty much the only document of the band that would mutate into Pere Ubu, and here they sound as raw as the Sex Pistols in a snowdrift. The recording quality is dodgy, but by the time David Thomas' bestial wail morphs into Peter Laughner's steak-knives-through-sheet-metal guitar on ''So Cold,'' you won't care. PUNK EXISTENTIALISM Hearing the late Peter Laughner contemplate suicide in the bleak ''Amphetamine,'' while oblivious bar patrons yak it up. RIP, man.

Originally posted May 17, 2002 Published in issue #654 May 17, 2002 Order article reprints
You Might Also Like

Add your comment

The rules: Keep it clean, and stay on the subject or we might delete your comment. If you see inappropriate language, e-mail us. An asterisk * indicates a required field.

500 characters remaining
Advertisement

Today's Most Popular

  1. The Music Mix Madonna breaks silence on M.I.A.'s middle finger: 'It's such a teenager, irrelevant thing to do'
  2. Photo Gallery: Grammys 2012 Grammys 2012: Who will/should win
  3. Inside TV 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars': Darth Maul is an angry, angry Sith in new pre-'Phantom Menace' teaser -- EXCLUSIVE VIDEO
  4. Inside TV 'NCIS,' 'Once Upon a Time,' 'Fringe,' 'Vampire Diaries': Find out what's next in the Spoiler Room
  5. PopWatch This Week's Cover: 'The Vampire Diaries'stars talk about the red-hot Damon-Elena-Stefan triangle