The Voice of America (album)
1980 studio album by Cabaret Voltaire
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The Voice of America is the third studio album by English band Cabaret Voltaire.[2] It was released in July 1980, through record label Rough Trade.
| The Voice of America | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 1980 | |||
| Recorded | March–April 1980 | |||
| Studio | Western Works, Sheffield, England | |||
| Genre | Industrial, experimental, post-punk | |||
| Label | Rough Trade[1] | |||
| Producer | Cabaret Voltaire | |||
| Cabaret Voltaire chronology | ||||
| ||||
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [4] |
| Muzik | [5] |
| New Musical Express | 6/10[6] |
| Record Mirror |  [7] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [8] |
| Select | 2/5[9] |
| Sounds | [10] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 8/10[11] |
| Uncut | [12] |
Trouser Press wrote that "the new material shows much greater focus and cleaner production than the older, with the mantra technique rising in place of the former chaotic electro-noise."[13] AllMusic called it "not as spectacular as what would follow, but not without its own set of thrills."[3]
SF Weekly wrote that "the music keeps moving outward, emitting boomerang-like signals that are only coming back to us today: The Moog-y skronk of 'Partially Submerged', part Krautrock and part free-jazz, anticipates Cologne's unfettered improv glitches, Radiohead's sprawling rock, and Aphex Twin's Dramamine ambiance."[14]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Richard H. Kirk, Stephen Mallinder, Chris Watson.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Voice of America/Damage Is Done" | 6:16 |
| 2. | "Partially Submerged" | 3:45 |
| 3. | "Kneel to the Boss" | 3:52 |
| 4. | "Premonition" | 5:03 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "This Is Entertainment" | 5:51 |
| 2. | "If the Shadows Could March? (1974)" | 0:55 |
| 3. | "Stay Out of It" | 2:38 |
| 4. | "Obsession" | 5:06 |
| 5. | "News from Nowhere" | 2:21 |
| 6. | "Messages Received" | 3:16 |
Samples
"Stay Out Of It" samples three phrases from the Outer Limits episode "Demon with a Glass Hand": "the third part of your brain... you know where it is?", "don't kill me, please... please..." and "the hand... tell me what to do".[citation needed]
The opening of the album is taken from newsreel footage of policemen being given instructions how to cope with Beatles fans before a Beatles concert in 1966.[citation needed]
Personnel
- Cabaret Voltaire
- Richard H. Kirk – guitar, wind instruments
- Stephen Mallinder – vocals, bass guitar, electronic percussion
- Chris Watson – synthesizers, tapes
- Haydn Boyes Weston – drums
- Technical
- Cabaret Voltaire – recording, production
- Porky – mastering
Trivia
The run-out area etchings on side one include the question "WHERE IS THE THIRD MANTRA?" which is a reference to their earlier release Three Mantras.