Tuesday, November 22, 2011

The Enigmas: Strangely Wild (1985)

 

The Enigmas were a post-punk garage-rock band that puzzled Vancouver throughout much of the eighties.





Led by a saxophone-wielding Iggy-worshiper named Paul McKenzie (Future leader of Fat Wreck-Chords folk-punk band, The Real McKenzies), The Enigmas pushed an idiosyncratic retro-punk sound that would carry throughout Canada and help, in its own way, expand the Og Records empire.




The band unleashed their Seeds-Iggy-Bowie-Damned Frankensound Monster on the world via two 12" EP"S and a slew of compilation appearances including It Came From the Pit and the aforementioned Og Records', It Came From Canada Volume One.





Owing possibly to it being my introduction to the band, I'd argue that Strangely Wild is the band's best work. With ripping tracks like the Nuggets-y "A Bit Too Far", the snarlin' but folk-rockin'  "The Flying Dutchmen" and the Cramps-ish "Monster's in the Basement", the band's failure to find a wild cult following remains a riddle, wrapped in a mystery...




A1
Flying Dutchman

A2
Windshield Wiper

A3
Monsters In The Basement

B1
A Bit Too Far

B2
Strangely Wild

B3
Rush Hour In Russia





So give us you take on the Enigmas in the COMMENTS section (which is where you'll find  the Strangely Wild link).


10 comments:

  1. T
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    http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?whjt73yk9888r13

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  2. you aren't kidding about the Iggy wroship. Check out their 2010 cover of "i got a right". All the Iggy moves and wardrobe (or lack there of)

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  3. awesome, thank you! between this and Oversoul Seven (courtesy of Wilfully Obscure) i've been feeling all highschoolish again. Loved the Enigmas. Upbeat, but a hint of menace. Surfing the shadows, y'know?

    -m

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  4. Hey Jeffen

    I have the vinyl.Thanks for a digital version.

    Doug

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  5. As much as I like their recorded output, their live show was really something else. I never missed a show when they came through Calgary, it was always a great time . Same goes for Jerry Jerry, another western Canadian band whose records were good, but their live show was an experience.

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  6. Very good. Thank you very much.

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  7. Excellent band, excellent record. I traded my rip of Slow's recorded output with a fellow in the US for this a few months ago. Good to see it readily available for all to enjoy. I just wish the Teenage Barnacle EP wasn't so hard to find.

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  8. no mystery here . . . thanks

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  9. Love the garage rockin' but that sax sound...let's just say the 80's did a number on me as far as being able to keep myself from cringing when I hear a certain kinda horn playing.

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  10. Rinjo
    And he ended up in a celtic-punk band. Odd, yes?

    Doug
    Enjoy the digits

    Anon
    Yeah with the limitations on budgets so many great Canadian punk/alternative bands ended up with records that did not do their stage show justice.

    Woody
    Goody!

    DG
    Hope you enjoyed The TB rip!

    Ano
    Amen

    CPJ
    *sigh*

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