The Golden Palominos - A History 1982-1985 - Cassette

Restless Records

Covering the first three years of the Golden Palominos, A HISTORY VOLUME ONE is both more musically jarring and arguably more satisfying than the companion A HISTORY VOLUME TWO. This album anthologizes only two records, 1983's THE GOLDEN PALOMINOS and 1985's VISIONS OF EXCESS, subtracting one song from the first.

The two albums could not sound more different. For their first album, the Palominos made muscular avant funk, jagged, noisy, and uncompromising. Their second is smoky roots-rock, with a heavy guitar jangle and guest stars ranging from John Lydon and Michael Stipe to Richard Thompson and Matthew Sweet. A cover of Moby Grape's "Omaha" and the Stipe-led "Clustering Train" are spectacular highlights, but "Buenos Aires" and "Kind of True," the two songs debuting Syd Straw, who would become the Palominos' official lead singer on the next album, are equally fantastic.

Track Listing
1. Hot Seat
2. Under The Cap
3. Monday Night
4. Cookout
5. I.D.
6. Two Sided Fist
7. Boy (Go)
8. Clustering Train
9. Omaha
10. Animal Speaks, The
11. Silver Bullet
12. True, (Kind Of)
13. Buenos Aires
14. Only One Party