Sex Gang Children - Blind download album

This came free with my copy of Cleopatra's Goth's Undead, pretty cool in my opinion

I know little of their music, although I did once see them play live in Brum. Therefore if you are into their music & want a version of this album with 2 extra tracks - "Boss & Beauty" & "Welcome To My World" - then buy this CD & don't bother reading on. The front cover has an Indian religious picture depicting, presumably, KALI having fun with a rather wicked knife.The album opens with one of the new, up-to-date tracks "Welcome To My World (Friendly Fire Re-Mix)" - a busy little thing, very upbeat, bright & full of optimism with it's Punk roots still very much showing. ANDI's voice, child-like, has an atmosphere which somehow reflects the album cover - not overstressed by tablas, sitars & scratching voicem but there all the same. With the upsurge of interest in MARC BOLAN, this could do well - it has that sing-alng feel to it. "Boss & Beauty", the second new piece has violin suggesting Eastern atmosphere within another BOLAN / ANT cross. This is medium paced yet relaxed, an easy, enjoyable piece, again as catchy as hell. With "Dead Metal", we go back seven years to find SEX GANG a darker, more brooding group with one foot in Punk, one in Gothic, and their influences - ADAM & THE ANTS most obviously - are bared for all to see. "Ecstasy & Vendetta" reminds me of THE BUZZCOCKS' "Noise Annoys" slowed down & given an Eastern feel to it, and is equally as catchy. "Ida-Ho" combines both the above mentioned influences, takes them both at their mostquirky & amusing, adds some '70s/'80s acid strength and comes up with something which stands as a peer to both. "Last Chants For The Slow Dance" wears it's dramatic black Goth leathers with pride, having a large, dark feel, the dust motes of depression drifting in sympathy with the slow guitar, bass and drums. "The Quick Gas Gang" is a bit different, a tighter piece, it's fairly straightforward mellow Punk until the break which has that 'old' harmonic feel groups like SLADE, STEVE HARLEY, even early QUEEN had - a sense of dusty time shifting into the past. A nervy quickstep for assassins. "Dying Fall" has an acidic ballad feel to it - a piece which switches from thin guitar & drums piece into a huge, rafter-filling mass of music. There's even a reference to DAVID LYNCH's "Eraserhead" here - a mention of the 'Lady In The Radiator'. "Immigrant" is a little like a filled-out version of the previous track - a very similar structure. ADAM ANT never sounded quite this barracuda-like, not even in the 'old days'. "Oh! Henry" is another tale in similar style about the 'man with the terrible name'. "I've Done It All Before" is a slower, more moody piece - a love song draped in shadows and shades. Yet another memorable track - one that burns it's way into your unconscious from the first play. "Strike Blind" has an urban tribal feel to it - both Eastern & decadent Eastern descendent. It's late night dance and a listenable piece with several subtle moments. "Gas Reprise" is a non-beat version of "The Quick Gas Gang" with strings cycling around while feedback guitar is heard miles away in the background. It fades away, taking the rest of the album with it.I probably didn't come anywhere near the heart of the music, but hopefully this has stirred an interest. It's light & catchy, although not in a totally commercial way. They must have been the ighter side of Gothic - a novel lamp in darkness. Watch out for the forthcoming SEX GANG CD coming out, from which the first two tracks were taken.Originally reviewed for Soft Watch.