The cover of Danseparc is a photo of a park setting, all tiny trees and grass. While it looks like an aerial shot of a real park at first glance, it is actually a photo of a miniature park model once owned by Gane and Johnson. The park as a social setting provides subject matter and imagery for much of the album.
“Boys in the Bushes” was inspired (not surprisingly) by a trip to San Francisco and the extracurricular activities of its gay male residents. The dizzying tone of “Several Styles of Blonde Girls Dancing” marks its territory with jaunty percussion and Gane’s deadpan vocals, which disintegrate into growls at certain points. Here, the wordplay (and the park theme) continues with lyrics like, “A verdant park of small proportions underneath the sky/ The turtles' eggs, the dancing suns/ The things I can’t explain.” Each song on Danseparc unravels like a stream of consciousness dialogue, describing everyday emotions set to a background of horns, hand claps and/or percussion.
The bonus tracks include a live performance of “Sins of the Children” and the dark dance synth of “These Dangerous Machines”, an eerie bit of rock disco that is best played with the lights off.
For those who like discovering (or rediscovering) brilliant but often under-publicized recordings of ‘80s post-punk and new wave, this remastered edition of Danseparc is one of the “lost” gems of that era.
Article comments
1 - Kit O'Toole
Wow, Martha and the Muffins! That sure takes me back. I remember their single "Black Stations/White Stations," which was pretty controversial in 1984. As I recall, Martha Ladley wrote the song in reaction to an INXS tune ("Original Sin," maybe?) being banned from some stations because the lyrics mentioned an interracial romance. Anyway, it's great to see this ahead-of-their-time band get some recognition! Nice review.
2 - sourdust
Wrong Nick Kent, love. Otherwise, thanks for identifying long lost but terrific LP/CD.