5.28.2007

Radio Activity




Silent Partner Radio Activity EP (Silent Partner, 1981)

Here's a little gem of a record. Had I picked this up a decade ago chances are it would still be in a box or sold off, but my ears are much more in tune with this kind of Big Star-ish pop. Laid back but still full of good hooks and nice melodies, Athens, Georgia's Silent Partner seems to have wanted to go commercial, but either didn't figure out quite how or really didn't have it in them. Either way that is fine because it means that this EP edges up to MOR slick but never quite jumps.

On this EP, Silent Partner were two guys, Kemp Jones and Don Porterfield. I read of one prior release, a 1979 LP, which contains a list of other members. From what I could gather, they played a lot in the Athens new wave/alternative scene and picked up a nice following. They seemed to be quite biting toward music trends, especially the commercial success of new wave (listen to the second verse of Radio Activity). I am not sure if this was a reaction to the rise of the B-52s and, perhaps, Pylon, or a jab at others. Maybe a reader with Athens connections can find out.


# posted by Scott Soriano : 20:52
Comments:
Silent Partner do indeed have an LP, though it's from '75, not '79. Called 'Hung By A Thread;' I have a euro bootleg of it from the mid-80's:

http://www.lysergia.com/AcidArchives/lamaArchiveS.htm

Pretty good, but not near the mountain Acid Archives tries to make it out to be. I think some of the dudes who ended up in the Michael Guthrie band played with 'em. Description pretty spot on - like an American Be Bop Deluxe or something.

This 45 is great! New to me!
# posted by Blogger Collin : 20:11
 
The LP is actually from 79, not 75 - I know - I was there - I played the drums. We actually recorded most of it in 1978, and finished up with mixing, etc. in 79. For the Record.

David James
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 20:20
 
Hi David

I heard some of the songs at http://www.thestrangeexperienceofmusic.com/. And i really love them. Do you have a copy of “Hung by a Thread” for sale?

Best

Robert
Switzerland
robert.pally@bluewin.ch
# posted by Anonymous robert pally : 20:35
 
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