Search - Mission of Burma :: Signals Calls & Marches

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Justin T. Bankston | Austin, Texas USA | 11/16/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm a big fan of postpunk, and this album is one of the shining gems of the genre. Bands were taking to heart the freedom that punk rock offered and taking the music to a new place. Burma were the voice of America in a postpunk world dominated by Wire, Gang of Four, Joy Division, Bauhaus, Killing Joke, et al. If you like any of these bands, or are interested in this incredibly vital period in rock music, Mission of Burma is necessary to your life. 'That's When I Reach for My Revolver', 'Academy Fight Song', and 'This is not a Photograph' are probably the best three songs to start your Burma fascination, and they're all on this album."

The pinnacle of post-punk

G. Fazio | Tokyo, Japan | 01/14/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first encountered Burma on the radio; "Academy fight Song" and "Revolver" were actually "hits" on a major Boston radio station -- this being waaay back in the day before Clearchannel bought up everything and radio became the same sucky suck on every channel. Good catchy punk songs, they grab you quickly. (Though "Academy" really reveals its multi-tracked mystery in headphones...) It wasn't till some time later, coming down on clear MIT-blotter acid one misty dawn, that I heard "Signals, Calls, and Marches" in full, but when i did, it completely redefined what I thought was possible with a guitar, a bass, and some drums. (And tape loops, aaah, the tape loops...) "Revolver" pulls you in with its angular intensity, shakes you around ("and now the sky is empty, but that is nothing new..."), then leaves you hanging on this melancholy chord, which --before you ever have time to process it-- has Peter Prescott pushing you with his kick drum into "Outlaw", which kicks in with a jagged, ideologically choppy riff. "Fame and Fortune" rolls in on an epic, moody wave, and build in intensity before crashing into this haunting, spacious breakdown that has Roger pulling all sorts of sounds out of his guitar. And for two guys who never really put technique before passion in their vocals, Roger & Clint always come up with these rough harmonies that seem all the more effective for rising out of a sea of noise. (Something Husker Du would later take to the bank...) Side 2 (oops, showing my age) kicks off with "This Is Not A Photograph" which features Dada-esque lyrics, an absolutely PRIMAL riff, and some sicksickSICK slide guitar plunges from Roger. "Red" is a journey through all sorts of terrain; "there's a window in my head", don't you know it. This one starts off thrashing, and dissolves into this abstract chaos, a looping octave-jumping bassline with a completely note-free guitar-solo, and swirling loops of vocal madness that just take this BEYOND. Then it all comes down with the chiming, double-guitar chords of "All World Cowboy Romance", perhaps Burma's most melodic track, and all without a vocal (except for their trademark "oohs" in the background...) Rhytmically, structurally, tonally, lyrically, this band was capable of stuff I haven't heard anyone equal since. (OK, well UZI and early Sonic Youth came close.) But with this band, it all came down to an indefinable mad passion and intensity, and that comes across clearly on this record. I remember deciding to listen to this every day for 100 days straight, and I did, because I wasn't sure I'd ever hear anything as good and I wanted to savor this album, to burn it into my brain so deeply that it would cut the grooves on the grey matter. To this day, I can hear this album note for note in my head, and that's an intimacy I have declined to share with any other record."

Not a single bad song

Fat Brad | West Melbourne, Florida | 06/14/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"okay, I picked this up mainly from hearing that fugazi was influenced by this band and because of the book Our Band Could Be Your Life. I am incredibly pleased that I bought this album. Each song is complex and dense, especially songs like Red and Max Ernst. The guitar, bass, and especially drum playing is really really well done and original. here is a synopsis of each song:Thats When I Reach for my Revolver- awesome song, great lyrics, one of their poppiest tunes, but still rather good. Its just like Roger Miller said, every song Clint writes he has to include a bass solo. one of the funner songs on the albumOutlaw- straight out of the Gang of Four Bag O' Tricks, this song takes a few listens to appreciate. it is sorta danceable (!) and much better than some Franz Ferdinand songs.Fame and Fortune- Roger's attempt of writing a commercial song, but still rather good. a highlight, but sadly I havent listened to this album in awhile, so I cant say too much about it. Pretty catchy and strongThis Is Not A Photograph- great song, the cries of "this is not a photograph" is one of the hooks in this song, and its got a few. I like the guitar work.Red- My favorite lyrics from this EP. great tune...I need to listen to it again.All World's Cowboy Romance (is that the right title?)- Fun instrumental. I like it when it starts to get really noisyAcademy Fight Song- another one of those "hits" that wasnt actually a hit. their catchiest song, with layers upon layers of guitar. How can you not sing along in the chorus?Max Ernst- My favorite song off of this. For me, its like their punk song, but its also got experimental stuff, like the weird timed breakdown and the yells of dada. great tune.I probably should have written this review after listening to this album again, but overall I believe if you know of this album, you are going to buy it. great stuff."