Top 10 No Wave Albums

“It was expressionistic and it was also nihilistic. Punk rock was tongue-in-cheek, saying, ‘Yeah, we’re destroying rock.’ No-wave music is more like, ‘NO, we’re really destroying rock.’”- Kim Gordon

At the end of this post, you’ll find a playlist with two of my favourite songs from each album

No Wave was an art scene that began in New York in the late 1970s and lasted until the mid 1980s. The scene represented the complete rejection of the contemprorary new wave genre. No Wave artists set aside the traditional verse-chorus-verse-chorus- bridge-verse-chorus song structure and instead favoured abrasive atonal sounds, repetitive driving rhythms, and a tendency to emphasize musical texture over melody, as well as perfecting the production technique known as “wall of sound”. No Wave artists often drew influence from various styles of music such  as funk, jazz, blues, punk rock and avant garde, while their new wave counterparts made use of Chuck Berry riffs and pop sensibilities.

Here’s a great article if you’re interested in the history of the genre

Here’s a list of some of my favourite No Wave albums. It should be noted that there may be dispute whether all of these artists are actually considered No Wave- while they certainly have the sound, not all of the artists actively took part in the New York No Wave scene. There is also debate on whether the likes of Sonic Youth and Swans can actually be considered No Wave, however, I follow the line of thinking that there was a second wave of the No Wave scene in the mid-1980s, marking the beginning of American alternative rock.

1. “Suicide” – Suicide (1977)

When this album was released, Rolling Stone described it as “puerile” and “nothing but arrogance and wholesale insensibility,” and that’s exactly why it’s so brilliant. It’s easy to see why this album would have confused Rolling Stone journalists- it has the raw, driving angst of punk and yet there is not a single guitar to be heard. The album is entirely electronic and was instrumental in the development of genres such as noise rock, industrial, synthpop and post-punk.

2. “Press Color”- Lizzy Mercier Descloux (1979)

The underrated French musician brings us avant garde pop, odd time signitures, angular guitars and funky basslines in her 1979 debut. Unlike other No Wave albums, “Press Color” is never agressive or dark, instead it remains quirky and charming throughout. Prior to releasing this album, Descloux and her roommate, DJ Barnes, released a 6 song EP, self titled under the name of “Rosa Yemen.” It’s a lot more raw and somehow even more free-form than “Press Color”, so be sure to check that out too (extended editions of “Press Color” include the 6 Rosa Yemen Songs).

3. “Liquid Liquid” – Liquid Liquid (1997)

This is actually a compilation of 18 tracks recorded by Liquid Liquid from 1981 to 1983 (The band only released EPs during this period). Like Lizzy Mercier Descloux, Liquid Liquid were a funkier alternative to the harsher, noisier No Wave artists.  Check out the 2nd track of this compilation, “Cavern”. Sound familar? The bassline was of course covered in the 1983 rap classic, “White Lines” by Grandmaster Flash. Despite the r’n’b-esque funky and fluid basslines, Liquid Liquid still maintain the uncomfortable experimentalism of No Wave, emphasised by vocalist Salvatore Principato’s yelps and howls. Post-rock bands Tortoise and Ui have both cited Liquid Liquid as a heavy influence.

4. “Jane From Occupied Europe” – Swell Maps (1980)

This is one of the bands who were not actively part of the New York No Wave scene, but very much had the sound and characteristics of it. “Jane From Occupied Europe” is the second album from British band Swell Maps. Unlike the previous two entries in this list, Swell Maps followed Pere Ubu and Mars’ take on the No Wave sound- visceral, manic and cacophonous.

5. “Dub Housing” – Pere Ubu (1978)

The band have aptly described their sound as “avant-garage”- think Captain Beefheart meets Television. Pere Ubu combines experimental music, especially musique concrète, and raw, direct blues-influenced garage rock to create a strange wall of sound. Pere Ubu’s music always has a bizarre, ominous tone throughout, with sounds of mundane conversation, ringing telephones or steam whistles tape-looped in their songs. Special credit should go to the EML synthesiser effects courtesy of keyboardist Allen Ravenstine.  “Dub Housing” is especially bizarre as the band also incorporates elements of dub and reggae music, making the album unsettlingly catchy.

6. “Queen of Siam” – Lydia Lunch (1980)

Lydia Lunch was one of the key figures of the New York No Wave scene. Unlike like the full-on ear assault that came with her previous band, Teenage Jesus & The Jerks, Lunch’s first solo effort, “Queen of Siam,” is slower, more feminine, noisier and weirder, with its unique blend of punk and jazz.

7. “Sister” – Sonic Youth (1987)

According to Slant Magazine, this album was “the last great punk album of the Reagan era, and the first great pop album to emerge from the American underground.” In other words, this album was one of the crucial links between No Wave and alternative rock. In my opinion, this is the most interesting Sonic Youth album- the band makes use of acoustic guitar for melodic purposes, as well as using Moog synthesiser for the first time. Fear not, though- the electric guitars are as cathartic and noisy as ever. Steve Shelley’s work on this album is especially noteworthy, after all, his drumming in the into to “Schizophrenia” is iconic at this point.

8. “The Ascension” – Glenn Branca (1981)

This is the second solo album from former Theoretical Girls (make sure you check them out too!) member, Glenn Branca. Combining punk aesthetics with the composition of classical music and totalism, this is the ultimate droning wall of sound album. This album, as well as Branca’s debut solo album, “Lesson No 1”, with its literal orchestra of guitars, was highly seminal and its influence can be felt in the work of many recent noise rock/post rock bands, such as the minimalist repetition of Oneida, the crescendos of Godspeed! You Black Emperor and the spacey distortion of My Bloody Valentine.

9. “Holy Money” – Swans (1986)

While this album is just as earth-shatteringly loud and overpowering as any Swans album, it is not the haunting atmospheric drone of their most recent efforts. Instead, it is dark, vicious and brutal (although to a slightly lesser extent than their previous two albums, “Filth” and “Cop”). The descending chord progressions and repetitive notes, as well as the forceful rhythm section, create an unearthly, aggressive tone. Michael Gira’s snarling, growling vocals are also a far cry from the Ian Curtis-esque croon we’re used to in the band’s later, more post-punk work.

10. “Mars LP” – Mars

This is a compilation of tracks recorded in 1977 and 1978. The band played a mixture of angular compositions and free-form ambient noise music jams, featuring surrealist lyrics and non-standard drumming. All members of Mars are self taught, with two picking up an instrument for the first time specifically just to play in the band. This raises some questions regarding the album- Is it art? Is it accidental? Who cares. It manages to simultaneously be rock and roll as well as the complete and utter death of rock and roll itself.

Thanks for reading! Why not leave a comment to let me know what you thought?

Here’s a spotify playlist I put together with 2 songs from each album:

NEXT WEEK: Top 10 Psychedelic Albums