Trade Test Transmissions is the fourth studio album by English pop punk band Buzzcocks. It was released on 2 June 1993 by record label Castle Communications[5] on their sub-label Essential Records[6] and was the band's first release in fourteen years, following up 1979's A Different Kind of Tension. The music was quite different from their earlier material with nods to the power pop scene popular at the time.
| Trade Test Transmissions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2 June 1993 | |||
| Recorded | March–April 1993[1] | |||
| Studio | Eastcote Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Pop punk[2][3] | |||
| Length | 47:58 | |||
| Label | Essential (UK), Caroline (USA) | |||
| Producer | Ralph P. Ruppert | |||
| Buzzcocks chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Trade Test Transmissions | ||||
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Reception edit
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
| Chicago Tribune |  [8] |
| Robert Christgau |  [2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A−[3] |
| Pitchfork | 6.9/10[9] |
| PopMatters | 6/10[10] |
Trade Test Transmissions has been generally well received by critics.
Jason Crock of Pitchfork was generally favourable, though writing "the album remains a strictly diehards-only affair."[9] CMJ later qualified it as "a superb record which oddly got lost in the shuffle".[11]
Track listing edit
All songs written and composed by Pete Shelley, except as noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Do It" | 3:23 | |
| 2. | "Innocent" | 3:34 | |
| 3. | "TTT" | 3:18 | |
| 4. | "Isolation" | Steve Diggle | 3:58 |
| 5. | "Smile" | 2:47 | |
| 6. | "Last to Know" | 2:52 | |
| 7. | "When Love Turns Around" | Diggle | 2:25 |
| 8. | "Never Gonna Give It Up" | 2:47 | |
| 9. | "Energy" | Diggle | 3:35 |
| 10. | "Palm of Your Hand" | 3:22 | |
| 11. | "Alive Tonight" | Diggle | 3:48 |
| 12. | "Who'll Help Me to Forget?" | 2:57 | |
| 13. | "Unthinkable" | Diggle | 2:52 |
| 14. | "Crystal Night" | 3:18 | |
| 15. | "369" | 3:02 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16. | "Inside" (B-side of "Innocent") | 2:32 | |
| 17. | "Do It" (single version) | 2:57 | |
| 18. | "Trash Away" (live; B-side of "Do It") | Diggle | 4:44 |
| 19. | "All Over You" (live; B-side of "Do It") | 3:25 | |
| 20. | "Libertine Angel" (non-album single, 1994) | 2:57 | |
| 21. | "Roll It Over" (B-side of "Libertine Angel") | Diggle | 6:07 |
| 22. | "Excerpt from 'Prison Riot Hostage'" (B-side of "Libertine Angel") | 1:59 |
Personnel edit
Adapted from the album liner notes.[12]
- Buzzcocks
- Pete Shelley – guitar, vocals
- Steve Diggle – guitar, vocals
- Tony Barber – bass
- Philip Barker – drums
- Technical
- Ralph P. Ruppert – production
- Ingo Vauk, Philip Bagenal – mixing engineers
- Graeme Durham – mastering
- Malcolm Garrett – album design
- Pete Towndrow – photography
References edit
- ^ McGartland 2017, p. 196.
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Buzzcocks". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ^ a b Brod, Doug (19 November 1993). "[Trade Test Transmissions review]". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ^ McGartland 2017, p. 307.
- ^ Kot, Greg (19 November 1993). "Buzzcocks: Noisy Music To Hum". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). Encyclopedia of Popular Music: Concise (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857125958.
- ^ Raggett, Ned. "Trade Test Transmissions – Buzzcocks | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ^ Kot, Greg (14 November 1993). "Joyful Noises". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ a b Crock, Jason (17 April 2005). "Buzzcocks: Trade Test Transmissions | Album Reviews | Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ^ Soulsby, Nick (27 May 2020). "Buzzcocks' 1993 Comeback 'Trade Test Transmissions' Showed Punk's Great Survivors' Consistency". PopMatters. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ Stegall, Tim (March 1996). "Reviews". CMJ New Music Monthly: 34. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ^ Buzzcocks (1993). Trade Test Transmissions (Album liner notes). Essential Records. ESSCD 195.
Sources edit
- McGartland, Tony (2017). Buzzcocks: The Complete History. London: Music Press. ISBN 978-1786062741.
External links edit
- Trade Test Transmissions at Discogs (list of releases)
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