These days, so-called "indie" music's currency has fallen so far it's virtually a spent force. With a few proud exceptions (Domino,Loose,Matador,Glitterhouse and a few more) it's become a backwater for generic guitar slingers rehashing fifth-rate ideas signed to labels who've long since thrown in their lot with the majors.
Back in the dark days of 1980, though, to be "independent" meant just that. In those pre-Alan McGee days, luminaries like Tony Wilson's Factory Records, Bob Last's Fast Products and McGee's prototype, Alan Horne's Edinburgh-based Postcard imprint probably spring to mind.
Before he signed THE STROKES, however, history often reviled Geoff Travis' ROUGH TRADE label for signing names as diverse as THE SMITHS on down to FURIOUS PIG, but if anyone's label is worthy of a place among the stars, it's surely his, as the recent "25 Years Of Rough Trade" impressively displays, with everyone from SUBWAY SECT to LAMBCHOP at some stage passing through his roster. And don't even get me started on the wonders of THE FALL and THE BOO RADLEYS cracking string of pre-Creation singles.
And even if you shun all these, ROUGH TRADE should never be overlooked for one act alone - signing the YOUNG MARBLE GIANTS. Because, though generally neglected by critics' in recent years,their one and only LP,"Colossal Youth" remains one of the most distinctive - and perfect debuts ever.
Hailing from the then culturally-distant Cardiff, YMG were perhaps the UK's greatest exponent of pure pop minimalism: their distinctive three-piece line-up consisting of Stuart Moxham (guitar/organ/songs), brother Philip (bass), vocalist Alison Statton and the merest hint of basic drum machine.
Not exactly rivetting on paper,I grant you, but one spin of "Colossal Youth" (now bolstered by the addition of the "Final Day" single and instrumental "Test Card" EP in its' Crepuscule edition) is enough to convince you of the economic brilliance of this all-too short-lived band.
Indeed, for a drum-free outfit, the first thing that strikes you is the itchy percussivness that forms the basis of the GIANTS' sound; the interplay between Stuart Moxham's scratching, snapping guitar motifs and Philip's clipped, melody-laden counterpoint basslines and, of course, the smooth velvet precision of Alison Statton's vocals.
Aside from Stuart's forays with the trebliest organ this side of THE FALL's "Live At The Witch Trials" on several tracks such as the lovely "N.I.T.A" AND "Colossal Youth" itself, this is basically the blueprint, but boy does the invention within the framework stretch and stretch.
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You want highlights? OK, you gottem in spades. For starters, there's "Include Me Out",YMG veering into surprisingly punky r'n'r territory: a searing Moxham guitar riff, some brash slide squall from guest Dave Dearnaley and a cool Statton vocal concerning newly-independent women confident enough to shrug off the past.
"Brand-New-Life" and, especially,"Music For Evenings" pull off similar successes, the latter finding Statton in fine ultimatum form, hence :- "Say goodbye to your freedom/ Don't come here with your wallet." Although Stuart is the primary lyricist, Alison's voice is the perfect vehicle, whether tackling stark reality ("Searching For Mr.Right") or abstract splashes like "Choci Loni."
Yet perhaps the biggest bouquet should go to the sole Statton/ Phil Moxham contribution,"Eating Noddemix" - undoubtedly the finest account of rail crashes and reporters ever to be allied to the simplest of bleak,metronomic dub figures. The gentlest two minutes of tragic magic imaginable.
"Colossal Youth" initially saw the light of day early in 1980 and, despite praise from SOUNDS and NME there was only the mellifluous instrumental delights of the fine "Test Card"EP before YMG were no more. 1983 saw Stuart Moxham briefly resurface with another low-key treasure , the LP "Embrace The Herd" nder a new moniker THE GIST (it's currently available via Rykodisc). Meanwhile, Alison Statton cut some classy, jazzy pop with WEEKEND. However, these are other wonderful stones to be turned.
For now though, if you need an insight to the UK's fascinating ost-punk independent era (and you should!) revisit "Colossal Youth". Delicious tuneful brevity doesn't come any better than this.
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