VOLT : “COUPLES” 12”EP….Wide grooved and quite satisfying 45rpm darkwave from LILI Z. & JACK A., famous French garage punk lovebirds & former respective members of the NO-TALENTS and SPLASH FOUR, and their secret weapon “FX” on synthesizer and theremin. This guy’s no “Roland” – you can see his vein-poppin’ hand on the cover next to Jack & Lili’s. The four tracks here would be equally at home in the Paris goth/dance nightclub as in the dank basement punk bar, with a synth-led electric charge that’s as often angry & aggressive as it is whimsical and fun. My favorite’s “86 Friends”, with an initial RED TRANSISTOR-like riff that devolves into Cabaret Voltaire loudly covering the Bauhaus version of “Third Uncle”. And you don’t get 45rpm 12” records too much any more, do you? That was a staple of the mid-80s for just about all overseas goth-influenced post-punk, and the loud attack just screams off of the vinyl. Makes me want to dig out those RED LORRY YELLOW LORRY records & bust a move.

posted by Jay H. at 1:12 PM