Welcome to Review Revue, where every Thursday I dig through the KEXP stacks to share DJ reviews and comments written on the covers of LPs (and occasionally CDs) in the ’80s and ’90s, when the station was called KCMU, the DJs were volunteers, and people shared their opinions on little white labels instead of the internet.
Happy October! In a perfect world, I would have a month's worth of creepy albums lined up to tingle your spines every Thursday between now and Halloween, but (in case you hadn't noticed) this is a far from perfect world, so we'll just have to see what the next few weeks offer (and if we make it to Halloween). What I have for you today, however, is an album titled Mask (appropriate title alert!) by the undeniably creepy and Halloween-friendly Bauhaus.
Mask was the band's second album, and, according to an unnamed KCMU DJ circa 1983 (spoiler alert), it was "considered to be [their] finest LP." So there. Why have I never listened to it before just this second? Damn good question. As has been firmly established here over the past decade-plus, I have missed some very important albums over the years. But it's never too late to catch up or to revisit — as evidenced by the DJ comments that continue all the way into 1996. By the way, that last comment is signed "JR." I wonder if that's someone we know . . . ?
Coincidentally, Peter Murphy (and David J) are currently on an epic "Ruby Celebration" tour, celebrating 40 years of Bauhaus. Catch them if you can!
"Considered to be the finest LP by Bauhaus . . . Just remember that this is our SECOND copy, as our first (donated by Faith) was stolen!!"
"1981"
"Yahoo!!!!!!!!"
"May the crabs of ten thousand persons of loose morals and poor personal hygiene infest the grown of the person who stole the first copy of this record from KCMU, and likewise for anyone who would dare commit such a foul act upon any record of KCMU."
"This album almost makes me cry, sometimes."
"It's 1986 and I still love it!"
"It's 1990 + yup - I still get goosebumps when I hear this."
"Excellent!"
"It's now 1996 and I can't listen to 'Mask' without a dark smile."
This week's Review Revue spotlights the album Burning From the Inside by Bauhaus. See what KCMU DJs thought back in the day.
