The New Trouser Press Record Guide

Provides brief reviews of hundreds of albums by new wave bands from Adam Ant to the Zantees

Based on reviews in Trouser Press , which regularly covered such groups as the Sex Pistols, Clash, Ramones, Television, and Blondie, the first edition of this book ( LJ 9/15/83) assessed 1000 of the most significant recordings of New Wave music. Evident in this new edition is how New Wave has been cross-fertilized by reggae, rap, hardcore, and other nonmainstream styles. The third edition reviews 3000 albums of innovative, political, witty, and often offensive music--music like that of the group Polkacide, described as "accordians, horns, yelps, and general lunacy." The reviews are refreshingly blunt and insightful, without claiming more for the music than it merits, and the simple alphabetical arrangement and cross-referencing works well. The one drawback is that the book no longer includes both the U.S. and U.K. labels when both exist, but it may list a U.S. label with a U.K. release date. An authoritative survey of a largely ignored segment of the music world.
- Daniel J. Lombardo, Jones Lib., Inc., Amherst, Mass.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.