I began listening to the Buzzcocks in February 2023.
Spiral Scratch (1977): B+
Another Music in a Different Kitchen (1978): A-
Love Bites (1978): A-
Singles Going Steady (1979): A
A Different Kind of Tension (1979): B+
Spiral Scratch (1977):
I regret not reviewing Joy Division's debut EP An Ideal for Living so I made sure to jot a few notes about the Buzzcocks's introductory ten minute assault. Without a label, the band self-funded its recording and released it themselves. Selling over 16,000 copies, this proved to be a major success but it was the only studio release with the band's founding singer Howard Devoto, who quickly became dissatisfied with the direction of England's punk scene and left the group. The energetic backing is held down by Pete Shelley's Kinks-style distorted guitar and the speedy drumming of John Maher. Of course, that wouldn't amount to much without Devoto's whiny and wiry vocal, which is just as convincing as Johnny Rotten's though Devoto isn't nearly as irreverent. I'll be sad to see him go. B+
Another Music in a Different Kitchen (1978):
I wish Devoto had stuck around but Shelley's high-pitched squeal is powerful in its own right and I'm happy to discover the band already had another competent singer and songwriter in their lineup. Although they often rely on the fast pace and downstrokes that the Ramones patented, the Buzzcocks aren't so stiff and they aren't as averse to melody either. Indeed, they have found a funny cross of pop and punk that comes off as unexpectedly natural. Their debut EP was pure power--mostly because that's what was easiest to record at a slim expense--but now that they enter a real studio, they aren't afraid to noodle. Labeling them as merely a singles band is highly erroneous: the rest of their material isn't worth skipping. A-
Love Bites (1978):
Long gone is Devoto's influence and I'm glad. Although the old front man's songs with the band still stand up, Shelley's twisted pop is entirely different and couldn't be completely realized until they moved on. Now that they have, they continue their hot streak with increasing confidence, with "Ever Fallen in Love" being one of the best punk singles of all time. If more punk bands hit a stride like this, the genre wouldn't have burned out so quickly. A-
Singles Going Steady (1979):
In the US, this was the first album of the Buzzcocks to be released and was packed accordingly with all their hits up to that point. Later in 1981 after they had broken up, it was released as a greatest hits comp in the UK. Despite its simple packaging of the group's hits, this has more utility than most greatest hits. Many of the tracks compiled are non-album singles, which are just as essential as the rest of their material, and many of their best album tracks also see a return. Though I still believe it is an injustice to call them a singles band, I suspect this will be my most played Buzzcock album anyway. A
A Different Kind of Tension (1979):
Diggle's three contributions are non-factors but Shelley delivers like he always does, even pushing the band towards synthesizers and experimentation without a loss of power or appeal. B+
