347) Television - Marquee Moon

CBGB’s is just one of those places everyone has heard of, wishes they had seen some of the acts that played there, and those acts say it was a dump. Ramones, Patti Smith, Blondie Talking Heads to name just a few. Another group who had a residency there was Television.

Marquee Moon is just eight songs long but constantly appears in greatest albums lists and is considered one of the most influential albums ever.

This record had a huge influence on the UK punk scene but is nothing like the Pistols, The Clash or The Damned, no angry short sharp songs, Television were skilled musicians. Lead singer and main songwriter Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd both excelled on guitar, and they were ably backed by bassist Fred Smith and drummer Billy Ficca.

Verlaine and Lloyd like a guitar solo but these are not 1,2,3,4 solos this is layered, structured joys that enhance not distract whilst all the time Smith and Ficca keep the songs turning over. Verlaine’s vocal is no aggressive punk shout but flirts in and out as the songs go anywhere these four men want them to.

Are there four more stronger songs than the four that open this record See No Evil, Venus, Friction and Marquee Moon are a dazzling display of musicianship and although each song goes everywhere there is a catchiness and originality that makes you discover something else each time you listen. The title track, a ten-minute song, who wants that? well everyone should, the song is a joy from start to finish and at 4.27 when that singular guitar comes in its almost perfection.

That sounds as if I am downplaying the later four, not true Elevation, Guiding Light and Prove It have plenty to recommend and Torn Curtain is an epic way to finish any record, listen to those drums at the start and the added piano from Verlaine. Epic and sweeping to take us out. Flawless stuff.

 10/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: Marquee Moon