The Birthday Party - Junkyard (1982)

Junkyard may have been The Birthday Party‘s final LP (with The Bad Seed and Mutiny! EPs being released in 1983), but at least they managed to go out in a scuzzy blaze of glory. After 1981’s Prayers On Fire, one would think that these Australian lunatics couldn’t get more raucous and out-of-control, yet they somehow managed to boost up the ante of extremity on what in my opinion is probably The Birthday Party's best offering, the ever-so rambunctious Junkyard. The sound that these Aussies achieve here is kind of like a blend between Iggy Pop & The Stooges, Captain Beefheart’s The Magic Band and The Cramps, except in the form of Post-Punk. The Birthday Party surely know how to mix things up though as there are a bunch of different musical styles present on this record including Noise Rock and even a smidgen of Lounge, Blues, Funk and Jazz. Much can be said about the drug-fueled leader of the pack, Nick Cave. Throughout the record, the guy sings with much crazed passion. One moment he might be heard making some goofy voices, and in another he might be wildly screaming his head off like a banshee (all the while spitting and spewing abstract verses of prose and poetry). Violence, murder, tragedy and other nonsensical mayhem all appear to be widespread topics found in this particular set of tracks. As for the tall and thin Rowland S. Howard, he plays a twisted guitar, one that is well out-of-tune and loves to make all sorts of scratches, screeches and scrapes. 

Bass is also an instrument that is very prominent on this album. Like a wolf among a herd of sheep, it just stands out with all that low, distorted rumbling. It is reputed that during the time when Junkyard was being recorded (typically on late nights, if I recall correctly), bassist Tracy Pew had to serve time in jail for driving while intoxicated (allegedly also for other offenses such as theft). Despite this, The Birthday Party still managed to pull through and got this album finished with some outside assistance. Barry Adamson was brought in as a temporary replacement, filling Tracy’s shoes (or should I say, cowboy boots?) as the bass player. While drummer Phill Calvert gave decent output in the past, he was ultimately let go, reportedly as the group just didn’t feel satisfied with his percussion abilities anymore. Multi-instrumentalist Mick Harvey proves to be a significant, versatile member playing additional guitar, bass, drums and even the saxophone. Recorded at Armstrong’s Audio Visual studios in Melbourne, Australia with producer Tony Cohen (“Kiss Me Black” and “Kewpie Doll” were recorded separately at Matrix studios in London wth Richard Mazda), Junkyard has an ultra low-fidelity production which makes it sound as if it was recorded on some hazy night inside some sleazy, broken-down studio located in some rural part of town (while specific reissues have been remastered, that low sound and mucky quality still remain, which isn't necessarily a bad thing in this case. Just make sure to turn that volume knob up!).

The artwork is another thing that deserves special mention here as well. The front cover of Junkyard presents a crazy, witty illustration by Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, who was an artist and automobile designer, probably best known for his affiliation with Hot Rods. Here, one sees a demented humanoid/creature recklessly driving a metallic, trash-can heap of a car. He has one hand on the wheel as he holds a frosty birthday cake with the other (further adding to the humor). His slimy tongue flies out of his stinking mouth and crooked teeth while a thousand warts cover his pale, rotting flesh. His bloodshot eyes indicate that he may be under the influence of some alcoholic beverage or narcotic. Also seen at the tip of the bumper is a pot-bellied, flea-ridden character known as “Rat Fink” (a popular mascot created by Ed). The vermin stands upon the bumper shooting bullets of hot lead at a terrified feline. All this makes for a highly visually-appealing cover. In a 2012 interview, Mick Harvey stated that he has never really liked this eye-grabbing piece of art, and also felt that it did not accurately represent the album’s musical content too well. I can respect that opinion, but I tend disagree with it a little - I personally think that Ed’s artwork tends to go hand-in-hand with The Birthday Party’s musical cacophony. It just feels as if it helps to portray the trashy, wild world of Junkyard (it also lets those unfamiliar with this album know right off the bat that they are in for one hell of an experience if they choose to go along for the ride).

The reissue of Junkyard kicks off with a bang as The Birthday Party anxiously ignite the fuse on the stick of dynamite that is “Blast Off”. This full-throttle rocker was originally recorded in London 1981 with producer Nick Launey. Suffice to say, “Blast Off” packs a feisty punch with its mischievous attitude. “She’s Hit” tells of an unfortunate tragedy where the daughter of an evangelist has been murdered by an anonymous axeman. Tracy Pew‘s corpulent, clunky bass (along with clinking cymbals and clamorous drums which crash and collapse at sporadic times) introduce us to to this rather somber song as it progresses at a snail’s lethargic pace. Roland's Blues-y (almost sitar-like) guitar strings are placed in juxtaposition of Mick's dirty, fuzz guitar while Nick relays to us a sad tale through his peculiar prose and wordplay. At times, "She's Hit" bears a slight resemblance to "Yard" (from Prayers On Fire).

"Now there’s action on the basement stairs

She’s hit ev’ry little bit"

“Dead Joe” is the first of two songs on this record that Nick co-wrote with his girlfriend at the time, Anita Lane. “Dead Joe” (which seems to be about a fatal automobile collision) is loaded with unadulterated aggression and black humor. I especially like how Mick rhythmically pulverizes the drums/skins to a bloody pulp (“PA-PA-PA, PA-PA-PA-PA-PA-PA-PA!!!”). A sizeable portion of the “music” here comes across as discordant and harsh, but some trace of melody can actually found in “The Dim Locator”, a very catchy tune with a Rockabilly/Psychobilly flair to it. While it is uncertain to me whether “Hamlet (Pow, Pow, Pow)” is The Birthday Party’s farfetched take on William Shakespeare‘s classic or not, it definitely happens to be one of the most intense songs here. The wretched screams of Nick give the impression as if he has come under the iron grip of some demonic possession. The abrasive, screeching guitars are tantamount to dozens of nails scratching on an old, cracked-up chalkboard. Although these lads may behave like a bunch of lunatics throughout most of Junkyard, they also have a softer side, and this is properly showcased on “Several Sins”, which is a slow-burning ballad that meshes Gothic Rock, Blues, Lounge and Surf Rock (for some reason, the guitar strings tend to remind me of the soundtrack of a 1960s spy film as well). 

However, the debauchery soon resumes next. “Big-Jesus-Trash-Can” mixes good, old-fashioned Rock ‘N’ Roll with a splash of Jazz. Instead of the calm, crooning of “Several Sins”, Nick’s vocals now turn into a series of annoying, raucous squawks here. “Kiss Me Black”, the second song Nick co-wrote with Anita, is also pretty fun and quirky, but not as spectacular when compared to its predecessors. Barry's bass guitar does have a deep tone though and sounds great. The reverb of the vocals makes one wonder whether Nick recorded himself singing while in some dingy, littered bathroom (or not). Bits and pieces of “6” Gold Blade” tend to remind me of both Captain Beefheart and The Stooges. Here, an unfaithful dame gets murdered for having a sexual affair with another man. That's quite grisly indeed, but "6" Gold Blade" is still a keeper. "Kewpie Doll” isn't too dissimilar from “Kiss Me Black” in its unabashed wackiness. A cool tune as well, although it's probably my second least favorite. When the end comes, these fellows go out the same exact way they came in - By making a grand commotion. On the outlandish “Junkyard“, grinding guitars and plodding beats all gradually build up to a warping, catastrophic climax as Nick completely loses his head (yet again!). I have no idea what this one's about, but it stands out as another highlight.

"One dead marine through the hatch

There’s junk in honey’s sack again"

The reissue aggregates two more extra tracks to Junkyard: These are the 1981 singles of "Release The Bats" and a second, alternate version of “Dead Joe”, which does not really differ much from the first, but there are a couple of minor differences to note. One would be the sound quality. This version sounds like it was recorded during a live performance or something, and sports a lot of reverb (another small difference is the sample of a devastating car wreck that can be heard during the middle). “Release The Bats” is a Gothic Rock staple that The Birthday Party recorded with Nick Launey in April 1981 (along with “Blast Off”). The rumbling drums and bouncy basslines bring to mind Iggy Pop, while the comical lyrics allude to vampires and "sex horror" (allegedly parodying the Goth subculture that was gaining traction around this time in the '80s). In conclusion, Junkyard simply happens to be one of the most outrageous Post-Punk albums ever crafted, and it might just be (no, it IS) the best that The Birthday Party has to offer. To put it bluntly, this is mainly a suitable record for those craving lots of twisted fun and nonsensical noise (those yearning for music of a toned-down, sanitized or more "mature" nature should probably look elsewhere).