Extraordinarily unclassifiable, the music of Tuxedomoon stands nearly in its own genre. The group's second record, Desire, was originally on Ralph Records, The Residents' label, and it has now been reissued for its 45th anniversary on Crammed Discs. Still wonderfully obtuse, the tunes here charm any listener with a yearning for something beyond the obvious.
"Victims of the Dance" is one of a few tracks which is fairly accessible here. The bass from Peter Principle may sound like that of Mick Karn on this one, and Steven Brown's vocals are suitably dramatic. The track is a sort of New Wave cabaret, akin to that of peers' work like records from Marc Almond. "Incubus (Blue Suit)" is more conventionally art rock in its leaning. Superbly unsettling synth washes from Blaine Reininger propel this one into a very Bowie Station to Station-y space. The stunning "Again" adds Brown's sax to Reininger's keyboards and noises for a piece of music that is bracingly dissolute. Brown's vocal performance sounds like the world is ending, and a listener is sort of enraptured. Similarly, "In the Name of Talent (Italtian Western Two)" finds Reininger's synth and production enveloping things in the haze of disco elements leading one to wonder if Tuxedomoon ever met Patrick Cowley while in San Francisco.
This version of Desire sounds spectacular. Each track here is still as spacious and full of surprises as you probably remember. And the remastering has only strengthened the charms of this LP. A raft of bonus cuts only sweetens that vibe. Of these, "Beauty Killer" is a wicked art rocker, a slow-burn with bad intentions, while the moody "Ice Benign" is even more of a dark romp. These numbers all owe so much to the arrangements and keyboards of Blaine L. Reininger. Even 45 years later, this music still sounds utterly unique, blending elements of a half-dozen styles into something that even in 1980 was pretty far left-field. And it still impresses enormously.
Desire (45th Anniversary Reissue) by Tuxedomoon is out via Crammed Discs, with details via Bandcamp below as well.
[Photo: Uncredited press photo]