Post-Punk for beginners

A couple of bands which come to mind are The Violent Femmes and The Talking Heads.  For the first band, their s/t debut is a must-have.  For the Talking Heads, I would get any one of their first four...but Fear of Music and Remain In Light are their masterpieces. 

Post- Punk eh?  I doubt if it's because you're doing it wrong.  I'm not sure there is a right way to do PP.  Who can define it firstly cos I don't know.  And when did PP start?  Was 'The Scream' by Siouxsie and the Banshees Punk or PP? I would listen to it anyway cos it's brilliant and make up your own mind?  It's also an incredibly diverse 'genre'.  Someone mentioned Talking Heads and Violent Femmes in the same breath now I always thought TH were PP but never thought of the VF, but having a quick look at Wiki there they are!! (I know wiki know nothing).

Edited by akamaisondufromage - January 24 2010 at 07:37

I would second the suggestions of Talking Heads (Remain in Light is a masterpiece, one of those must-hear albums), as well as Siouxsie and the Banshees. The Scream is quite raw, still very much in the punk mould, while the following albums are definitely more polished (and I mean this in a good way). My personal favourite would be Juju, followed by A Kiss in the Dreamhouse. I also believe The Cure would qualify as post-punk, especially their first two albums, Three Imaginary Boys and Seventeen Seconds.

Thanks for all the recommendations! Lots of these albums are available on Spotify, it seems, so I'll check 'em all out in due course.

I'm listening to that Fall album right now, and I think it might be working for me. I've only ever heard The Fall in isolated bursts before - a radio play here, a youtube video there - and I found them jarring. Listening to a bunch of songs in context makes a lot more sense to my ears, it seems.

Killing Joke - s/t album from 1980. and Night Time (this is my favourite dark and gloomy atmosphere, Kings and Queens is a wonderfull song

Some of my favourites:

Echo & The Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here
The Birthday Party - Junkyard
Joy Division - Closer
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Juju
The Smiths - Meat Is Murder
Public Image Ltd. - The Flowers of Romance
Crime and the City Solution - The Adversary: Live
Marc Seberg - 83
Josef K - Entomology

Vompatti wrote: Some of my favourites: Crime and the City Solution - The Adversary: Live

Dean wrote: ^ akahouseofcheese's recommendations are top-notch     I would classify The Scream as being on the cusp between Punk and Post-Punk and would rate Switch as being one of the first post-punk songs.   I'd pick Reproduction over Travelogue for the Human League, or perhaps even The Golden Hour Of The Future, but that may be too "out there" for some but it does give a good account of their more experimental origins.   Anyway,  minor picking.   I'll add a few of my own personal, (but perhaps less well known), faves:   Passage - Pindrop The Sound - Jeopardy The Pop Group - For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate This Mass Murder? The Comsat Angels - Waiting For A Miracle Random Hold - Etceteraville    Somewhat later: Danielle Dax - Pop Eyes   ...and I'd probably throw in Bauhaus - Mask for good measure.     ...I can't recommend a Fall album because I don't really like them much on album, though I do really enjoy seeing them live.

akamaisondufromage wrote: seventhsojourn wrote: akamaisondufromage wrote: Magazine - Real Life       Great to see Magazine getting a mention; Secondhand Daylight is a classic! Pink Flag by Wire is worth checking out too.    Thanks!  I'm always banging on about Magazine hey ho! I think they should be here somewhere!   I almost went for SD I think more people prefer it (But not me) and I concidered The Correct Use of Soap too!    Agree about Pink Flag too!

seventhsojourn wrote: akamaisondufromage wrote: seventhsojourn wrote: akamaisondufromage wrote: Magazine - Real Life       Great to see Magazine getting a mention; Secondhand Daylight is a classic! Pink Flag by Wire is worth checking out too.    Thanks!  I'm always banging on about Magazine hey ho! I think they should be here somewhere!   I almost went for SD I think more people prefer it (But not me) and I concidered The Correct Use of Soap too!    Agree about Pink Flag too!   Absolutely! How about it PA?!

You know, unfortunately anything with a connection to punk is considered highly controversial here, and as such to be handled with extreme care. For instance, I would support the inclusion of Talking Heads, and supported that of The Stranglers as well (they were rejected), but I realize they stand very little chance. People tend to react to additions they don't agree with as if someone had killed their cat (or even a family member), and because of that it is necessary to tread very carefully.