Post-Punk at its Best
Ted Saad | Boston, MA | 11/22/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you're a fan of today's indie music scene, somewhere along the line you have to give kudos to a band like Josef K. I'll admit that I knew little about them until I read Simon Reynold's "Rip it Up and Start Again" (fantastic read on its own part). All in all, Josef K, along with label mates, Orange Juice, were some of the first post punk bands to influence the scene from their native Scotland. On top of it, they were idealists - so much so they sabotaged their careers by releasing a less "poppy" sounding record as they were building momentum. This CD represents their short, yet influencial career well. "Sorry for Laughing" and "Chance Meeting" are outstanding tracks, displaying their knack for clever lyrics and jangley rhythms. I'm glad to see a respectful release has been given to the US, since their records have always been difficult to find. These guys were smart, talented, and so ahead of their time, yet they remain relatively obscure despite the mark they left on a music genre."