Young Marble Giants

These three kept it quiet -- Young Marble Giants were an underground band in the strict
sense that they sounded like they were under the floorboards, sending the most
stripped-down keyboard bleeps and vocals through the cracks. Their one album, Colossal
Youth, was a hit in the U.K. postpunk scene of 1980, but its cult has just kept growing over
the years. Alison Statton's vocals are muted and enigmatic, suggesting assignatio... More >

What a modern romance--two brothers, a girl, and a rhythm machine. I'd call it cult music of the year, only cults inspire evangelical enthusiasm, and what their fans like is not getting excited about something--finally, after too much noise and three-chord thrash. With Alison Statton's fragile leads unthreatened by guitar, bass, organ, or rhythm machine, and Stuart Moxham's lyrics your basic Mensa applications, they're nothing more and nothing less than robot folkies. So call it cult muzak of the year--quiet, tuneful, passing weird. (Grade - B)