Buzzcocks 3 Optimism and Hope 0 (A Different Kind Of Tension - Buzzcocks)

Member Name: otalgia

Product:	A Different Kind Of Tension - Buzzcocks
Date:	20/05/08 (89 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good third album and variety of songs

Disadvantages: A bit too clever

A different kind of Tension is the third album from Manchester punk icons The Buzzcocks.

About the album
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The album, released originally in 1979 on United Artists followed the same formula production and packaging formula as its two predecessors. The covert art was a bright, modern, angular and somewhat new-age design by Malcolm Garrett. The production was handled by Martin Rushent a producer well renowned for his production work with lable mates The Stranglers. The band line up remained unchanged too being -

Peter Shelley - Vocals, Guitar
Steve Diggle - Vocals, Guitar
John Maher - Drums
Steve Garvey - Bass Guitar

It is there that the comparisons end. A different kind of tension has a different kind of tension to it than the previous albums.

The first noticeable difference is that guitarist Steve Diggle is performing lead vocal on much more songs and a punkier, less pop music, influence is present. The tension, difference in song writing style and vocal between long-time singer and songwriter Pete Shelley makes this album a more varied affair.

The second difference is the bands using of effects and stereo imaging to create a more spacious, yet challenging, sound. Some songs sound space-like, though not in a progressive rock style and a million miles away from the bands first single Spiral Scratch released two years earlier.


The songs
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The 12 songs on the album (or 11 if you discount the last track) don't appear to follow any particular concept though as on the previous albums there is a love theme apparent throughout. The harsher vocal style of Diggle may contrast and grate against the almost operatic pitch of Shelley's however the theme remains the same.

The songs are as follows-

Paradise-
A straight forward, mid tempo, power chord Pete Shelley song opens the album. A first listen would lead you to believe it's a happy song about paradise being a place on earth. Its only when the lyrics - "So don't tell me what's wrong and what's right, 'Cos a knife fight on Saturday night, Is the only kind of justice not nice, But it's the only kind that's given here in Paradise" hammer home the true subject of the song - delusion.

Sitting Around at Home-
A stop start song, written and sung by Steve Diggle addresses the subject of distraction. By becoming a couch potato and watching televised serials, news broadcasts or whatever else is showing to take his mind off the reality of what's going on in his own life. Musically the song plods along slowly, with Diggles' voice flanged (an almost dalek like studio effect) throughout. When the lyrics stop the guitars and drums quickly burst out an up-tempo riff and then return back to the original tempo as the next burst of lyrics start. This is possibly a musical concept, maybe by accident, of the slowing down of reality by distraction whilst outside the speed of city life races.

You Say You Don't Love Me-
Released as a single from the album, this is the most sweet, almost sickly, love pop song on the album. Shelley sings about refusing to accept that he has been dumped by his partner. The song embraces a clinging on in hope topic that is represented perfectly by Shelley's high vocal warbles and a medium tempo punk pop ballad. This was an obvious choice of single as it is more commercially acceptable (Chart wise) than any other song on the album.


You Know You Can't Help It-
Sung by Steve Diggle this is a bar chord power pop song singing about the week willed amongst us and our inability to resist against lust. The song is more lyrically expansive and expressive than its topical cousin "Just Lust" from the previous album Love Bites. This song features Steve Diggles' vocal style that was to continue in his spin off band Flag of Convenience.

Mad Mad Judy-
A fierce, up-tempo punk song snarled by Steve Diggle. It is almost un-Buzzcocks like in both its tempo and style, more aggressive than songs heard before. This is due to the vocals more than the music, it's hard to put a finger on why, but it IS different.

Raison d'etre-
Roughly translated 'Reason to exist/be' A fast yet beautifully written jaunty pop punk love song sung by Pete Shelley. The song is an optimistic jaunty summer- filled piece and probably the happiest sounding song on the album. A simplistic not overly complicated reverb swamped guitar solo leads this song to its natural conclusion.

I Don't Know What to Do With My Life-
Just when you think poor Pete has finally cheered up he sings this tale of woe about being at odds with all aspects of his life. He reflects - "I can't wake up in the morning, And I can't get to sleep at night, I'm not expecting things to be perfect, But a high success rate would be nice". Poor chap.
Musically is a straight forward up-tempo 4 bar song, with traditional arrangement of verse chorus and guitar solo.

Money-
In this song, Pete is getting even more disillusioned with the world and indeed himself. The feeling that life has imprisoned him and that life is fact a zoo makes a bleak subject. The music reinforces this mode with a slow sweeping phase of guitars. Just when the tune starts to gnaw into your sub consciousness the next track cuts in... being...

Hollow Inside-
A very slow bass line, followed by a repetitive sparse but spacey riff forms the basis of this song. The key here is musical repetition. Shelley sings over and over again about feeling hollow inside but not knowing the reason why. The spatial gap of the mix and the repetitive lyrics reinforce the feeling of emptiness and isolation.

A Different Kind of Tension-
This song, sharing the same name as the album, uses stereo and effects to their full effect. The music is a mid tempo affair with swirling guitars and thumping bass line through out. It's a song of opposites and this is where the stereo separation is applied heavily. In the right speaker Shelly shouts "Obey the law" whilst at the same time sings "Break the Law" in the left speaker. A combination of these opposite phrases and vocal affects take main stage in the song, which is experimental punk rock. Possibly a song, post Breakdown, of Paranoia.

I Believe-
Possibly the second best love song written by the Buzzcocks. Here we find a mid tempo, fuzzed guitar affair with Pete singing almost innocently about hope and optimism. The chord changes are subtle and not as quirky as some of the earlier titles. However, as the song progressives the mood changes and finally reality kicks in and Shelley repeatedly screams "There is no love in this world anymore" as the song slowly fades away. Personally I think this should have been the LP closer which leads me to...

Radio Nine-
This was not a song has such. It was the sound of a radio being tuned in to weak reception radio stations when finally a quick blast of the Buzzcocks singe 'Everybody's Happy Nowadays' is tuned in, then its all over. This was a peculiar ending to a Buzzcocks album, considering the epics that ended the two earlier albums.


Conclusion
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Following the success of the previous two albums, and their success of the single "Ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn't have fallen in love with" (which title alone is nearly worth 500 dooyoo miles!) was going to be difficult.

This album is a difficult listen and not as instantly accessible as its predecessors.
It is musically and lyrically clever, well produced and varied.

Despite this I found after repeated listening this album has become a real grower. I wouldn't recommend buying the album without hearing the first two albums first. One thing that I have omitted and failed to mention about this album is the excellent drum playing of Maher and Bass playing of Garvey that provide a solid and unbelievably tight foundation beneath the guitars of Diggle and Shelley.

I would suggest purchasing the 'Product' box set which has all three albums, single tracks and a live show.

© Otalgia (M Jones)

Summary: Challenging and entertaining third album by The Buzzcocks