When I re-launched Life in the Vinyl Lane, I made the conscious decision that I was not going to write about everything I purchased. For much of the blog’s history that’s exactly what I did, and frankly it burned me out. Listening to things became like work, something I felt I needed to do even when I didn’t want to, and I wasn’t giving myself the time to go back to listen to albums multiple times. So now I only blog about things I feel somehow compelled to write about.
With that in mind, I didn’t plan on blogging about Special Treatment – Live At The Cryptic One London 1978. After all, I just posted about a different Throbbing Gristle album a few weeks ago, so it’s not like I have new thoughts on the band or their place in history. But… this record is so damn good that I feel like I’d be remiss if I didn’t at the very least write a brief post about it. Because somewhere out there maybe there’s someone considering buying this album, but they can’t make up their mind. And if I can help with that decision, then my mission is accomplished.
This is probably my favorite Throbbing Gristle record, though it may not be yours. It depends on which Throbbing Gristle you like. Do you enjoy them when they make more song-like compositions, or when they get weird? I lean more in the weird direction, and that’s what we have on Special Treatment – Live At The Cryptic One London 1978 – a live, experimental set, though one that feels more organized than a lot of their other live performances. Plus the recording quality is quite good – maybe even excellent. You don’t feel like the band is somewhere far away, or underwater, nor are there many places where their sound goes into the red. This has the old school industrial vibe – not beat driven, but instead a combination of sounds with a sort of mechanical undercurrent. If that sounds like your jam, then this is the record for you.