Excellent track from their Black Sea album.

The Chameleons, Strange Times – September 1, 1986

Released forty years ago today by Geffen Records, the post-punk masterpiece is one the world has been catching up to ever since.

Produced by David M. Allen and engineered by Mark Saunders, the album is a gorgeous wall of sound filled with emotional peaks and valleys. Themes of isolation and societal deterioration are shockingly relevant today, as if The Chameleons knew all along that the only way to get through these strange times is to make as much noise as possible whether anyone hears it or not.

P.S. Another splendid picture from Reg.
P.P.S. This record was made to be played loud.
– Mark Burgess, 1986 sleeve notes

Read my full story about the album published on Substack today: https://www.collectedmusic.com/p/happy-birthday-strange-times

The lyrics are an adaptation of German Dadaist Hugo Ball's 1916 "verses without words" poem, "Gadji beri bimba."

Live performance of the album opener from their 1979 debut album, Head Injuries.

From the Optimo EP.

From the 3rd Album, Manual of Errors. (1982) Snakefinger, a frequent, unmasked member of the Residents. Cover art by Mark Beyers of Raw Comix fame.

Quintessential U2. This EP is one of their very best releases.

this band is very underrated—— (this is unrelated to the song but since it’s sentimental to my past) vinny if you’re still out there, your homie bryan misses filming you skateboard all day, and hopes you’re doing good out there mate 🙏

One of the more underappreciated post-punk bands, imo.

From the first Golden Palominos album, which was more Downtown/No Wave/avant-funk adjacent than subsequent stuff.

(2021)

Disintegration by The Cure and Quadeca's Vanisher, Horizon Scraper are similar albums in many different ways.

Tell me in the comment if you agree with me, and tell me what you think of these albums : )