If I Could Write Poetry
A Tribute to Television Personalities
Beautiful Music
With the ubiquity of all forms of culture these days, it shouldn’t really be all that surprising that something with seemingly little audience can resonate on a global level, but it still is. Television Personalities – an on again/off again indie pop band with a troubled front man that was founded in the late ’70s – is in some circles credited with kick-starting the shambling, lo-fi and lovesick strains of post-punk that ran through the ’80s British underground. Apparently their influence didn’t stop there as If I Could Write Poetry contains 20 contemporary international bands covering TP’s rich catalog.
If there’s one commonality linking these disparate groups together it’s a staunch adherence to DIY recording ethic. There’s no Pro-Tools sheen or clean mixes, but the roughed-up tape-wrought sounds of a bedroom session. It works beautifully throughout, from Nikki Sudden’s skronky version of the title track, to The Higher Elevators’ loping, heart-wrenching take on “The Engine Driver Song”, to Nick Danger and the DCR’s minimalist Velvets-esque treatment of “Diary of a Young Man.” Nearly every band on here breathes new life into the desperation and frustration of these tracks, providing both a worthy tribute to Dan Treacy’s outfit and a calling card to check out their outstanding original work as well.
The Beautiful Music: http://www.thebeautifulmusic.com
