Plain Characters - I Am A / Very Peculiar Julia (1977) Man in the Railings / O (1979)

In my opinion this is some of Colin Lloyd Tucker's best work. Here along with fellow Gadget John Hyde on two stellar singles. I Am A / Very Peculiar Julia provides insanely catchy art punk, that's really just a load of mad fun. I've also got to mention the super posh tri-fold cover (the inside art is included with download). Even the single sleeve is made of the finest white patterned paper.

Man in the Railings / O turns to a more electro synth sound closer to The Gadgets stuff.
Their sounds are explored more on an excellent LP. Which I was going to post, but this nice person already put it up.

Colin Lloyd Tucker has conceived many diverse and interesting musical identities. What I've heard from Plain Characters, The Gadgets, Deux Filles, Jeremy's Secret, and his solo outings. Make it clear that there should be much more interest in his eclectic unique music, which seems have eluded too many. 

 http://www.mediafire.com/?tbz09cr1hu0ilct

Arizona Disease (1981)

This comes from the always interesting vaults of Subterranean Records. Jr. Chemists play ultra primitive one string guitar rock. Something like Beat Happening would explore later on. Les Seldoms continue with the primitive motif, while adding the crazy complexities of cords and a bass. With a singer that sounds like a more subdued version of Doc Dart from The Crucifucks.

http://www.mediafire.com/?b215izpit5j77th

James Gray - Gray Matter (1983)

An eclectic set of tunes from Canadian James Gray. The first track has an early Bill Laswell funk feel. Followed by a weird dissonant bass led jam, that wouldn't be out of place on a Mick Karn LP. Next is a strange a capella piece. JTA gives me flashbacks of being at a Crash Worship show. Flip the tape over for my favorite tune, that has a lot in common with Robin Crutchfield's Dark Day. Then we get a great moody post punk song in Afterlife. Lastly a frenetic punk prog wave instrumental a la Bill Nelson's Red Noise meets early Material. This was a recent find, and I've been listening to it a bunch. Maybe you will too.

UPDATE 1-29-12 NEW RIP. The old rip wasn't correct due to bad software. Please delete that and enjoy these proper sounds. 
http://www.mediafire.com/?njld47xf6hvovz1

The Thought (1982)

The first LP from this Dutch post punk band. Finds them mining sounds in the same vein as The Sound, The Comsat Angels, or The Passage. These Days, and There's A Boy are a couple of standout tracks. They released another self titled album a couple of years after this one, to a more pop direction. Insert and lyric sheet included.

http://www.mediafire.com/?2b29bc8ad5ba52p

The Tunes - The Truth, Justice & The Mancunian Way (1979)

Seriously catchy synth/organ driven post punk from the UK. Kinda like a British Los Reactors, if you will. All four of these songs are winners. The lead track Larger Than Life seemed poised to be the hit single. Headlights anticipates the Britpop of the nineties in a synth wave form. My Time, and Last Orders Taken, the two tracks on the flip side. Seal the deal for me. They are just as catchy, but filled with a more angular art throb. That gets my toes to bob, around and more.

http://www.mediafire.com/?hez1zlaj9qagc01

City of Silver (1984)

Listen listen me no lie, this compilation hits 'pie in the sky'. "Features the music of the other Los Angeles" The music here is primarily DIY synth / minimal synth tunes. Also has a couple of atmospheric synth tracks, a death rock tune, a new wave lounge deal, and a noise experiment.

Interesting that this was an early release of Plastic Head Records from the UK, and these bands were in L.A. Not sure how that came about, but it may speak to the lack of support for this kind of music in the US compared to the UK. Or so it seemed to me, of course it could be a matter of the grass being greener.

Psychic Dogs, Pubic Fish, Duck Fella, The Plymouth Fastbucks, Zasu Pitts, and Smokey Joe Popp. Have all won me over big time. Leaving me wanting to hear more. Though it seems only Bamboola released anything else. I included the inserts, which have more info on all of these fine bands.

http://www.mediafire.com/?4bl3n5aempa1sgb

The New Left - (He's More Than Enough) Drivin' / It's Not Political (1983)

From Harrisburg, PA comes an excellent post punk single. Very catchy stuff , bass mixed to one side guitar on the other. Red Cross meets Bpeople is as close as I come to an explanation of their sound, but it's a great sound.

http://www.mediafire.com/?0m5fyq9kwn0x4sg

Venise - The Alien / Cicatrice (1982)

A crazy good dark post punk single, from this French band, released on a Belgian label. The Alien is a manic angst stomp sung in English. The tempo slows on Cicatrice, but still has an aggro goth tone sung in French. Seems someone beat me to the post here. So I post it again. My own rip, replete with the back cover lyrics to The Alien, and a video they did shown on French TV.

http://www.mediafire.com/?3itvh3hesmhrwei

The Entropics - Spagga! (1987)

From Seattle, WA. This two person project was Amy Denio and David Stern. Interesting sounds of a avant-punk / art-rock nature. Kindred to the likes of Fish & Roses, Unrest Work & Play, V-Effect, Etron Fou Leloublan, et cetera. Nary a bad track here, although Fast & Nervous, Total Communication, and FBI. All seem to manifest more memorable momentous meanings, making my mind merge melange momentarily. Yes the lyric sheet is included.

Link removed. This is now available here on Bandcamp.

Seattle Syndrome Volume One (1981)

Here's another killer compilation, this time from Seattle, WA. Almost every track is a standout, so forgive me if I don't mention them all. Body Falling Downstairs do wacky minimal synth like I wish some more would do these days. Blackouts, The Beakers, and Student Nurse all put down their own takes on the angular post-punk. The Macs do some morose psychedelia, reminiscent of This Kind of Punishment. Phillipo Scrooge give you more bizarro psych. Savant and K7SS go experimental dance a la my life in the bush of chris and cosey. X-15 and The Putz step up to the nervy new wave plate.

http://www.4shared.com/rar/Lh7Xz2f2/Seattle_Syndrome_Volume_One.html

The Unwanted - Secret Past (1985)

Some great early UK punk here. This compiles two Unwanted singles on Raw Records plus five demos they did all circa 1977, 1978. 1984 has long been a favorite since I heard it on MMR radio in 1985 (oh no a year to late!) and that song drew me in to buy this a few years later. The End is Nigh is also a highlight, where they are already commenting on the tendency of punk conformity in 1977. Secret Police see's them trying on some dub reggae, which was a common thread for many of the UK bands of the day. Bleak Outlook, I'm Not Me, and Withdrawal are cool punk blasts. Whilst Fraulin appears as their nervy take on a love song. Also you get a punky cover of These Boots Are Made for Walking.

If you read the back cover you will discover that Ollie was later the singer for Specimen, and that some of the others went on to play with The Psychedelic Furs.
new link
http://www.4shared.com/get/WdVXOfRN/The_Unwanted_-_Secret_Past.html

Base Hands - Whiphand / No Pain (1986)

Superb post punk single from Australia. Similar in sound with other Aussie greats The Birthday Party and The Moodists. I included scans of the homemade record labels, as I find them charming.
Not one to be missed!

http://www.mediafire.com/?rlca9g1os3banar

Calling Hearts - Haunted House / Man in a Bowler Hat (1981)

Some minimal synth from the UK. Man in a Bowler Hat has a surreal spy nursery rhyme feel, with plinky plonk Casio type keyboards. Whilst Haunted House sounds like a British B-52's trying to get spooky. In other words tons o' fun, and just in time for Halloween!

http://www.4shared.com/get/egh3XE85/Calling_Hearts.html

The Visible Targets (1982)

The first release, a self titled EP from this Seattle new wave band. Features a couple of very catchy well written punk-wave tunes. A great pop wave song, produced by Steve Fisk. However my pick is the angular art punk number Mechanical Man. Four cool tunes worthy of your ear, check it out.

http://www.mediafire.com/?4369m54q8qbr3he

Phosphenes (1982)

Awesome post punk EP by the Phosphenes from New Jersey. If you like jagged rhythms, with noisy no wave-ish guitar, and warbling sorta off key monotone vocals, all with a dark macabre tone. Hey your in luck, as these folks did it well.

http://www.mediafire.com/?c2zlupfyfmo6txn

Someone & The Somebodies - Bops On The Head (1981) Newvo / Ian (1982)

From Boston, these guys also have a couple of tracks on the Modern Method comps I posted here. There's lots of info on the band here. Seems they were fairly well known in Boston at the time. Winning a battle of the bands type thing called the Rumble, and opening for many of the bigger new wave acts of the day.

The Bops EP I find a more interesting listen. Plenty of oddly amalgamated song constructions, and nice synth noises buzzing around. With a cover of Workin' In a Coal Mine to boot. The single is more pop than Bops. Newvo is catchy jangle wave. Ian is reportedly about Ian Curtis. 

http://www.mediafire.com/?cccw2vbt27b2t88

Talking Reds - The Programme / Stop Wasting Our Time (1980)

Here's an absolutely brilliant single from the UK. Stop Wasting Our Time is an amazing weird minimal synth type song, with odd guitar lines tweaking things out even more. Some parts on The Programme remind me of early Scritti Politti. Ideologically similar too, who doesn't love shouting along with "we gotta get rid of the rich"? Apparently this was a benefit release for a weekly paper called Militant. "all profits to the militant fighting fund" Both songs are credited to Freke. If anyone knows more about Freke, I'm interested.
Insert included! 

http://www.mediafire.com/?s4v21vf1n6jxifi

The Paramedic Squad - E.P. (1981)

The Paramedic Squad were a DIY punk / post-punk band from the UK with loads of monster synth sounds in tow. Movement In Time is the hit with phase guitar, catchy shout along vocals, and killer synth workouts. Thinking Psychedelia and For You are a couple of more synth punk treats.

http://www.mediafire.com/?duu1773mf7cd9dy

Standardeviation (1980)

Great compilation from Atlanta, GA with the new wave punk sound of 1980. KAO4S are my favorite with their synth infected new wave quirk. No Exit do great spooky post punk on Dead Man. The Restraints will please the KBD crowd, snotty vocals and all. The Basics do moody surf punk on Paddle Out. The Swimming Pool Q's and Operator check in with catchy new wave pop.
Insert included : )

http://www.mediafire.com/?115chul9ehzac4j

Bay Of Pigs (1984)

Not to be confused with the earlier Bay of Pigs from San Francisco. This band was from Los Angeles, and while this is not as odd as the preceding band. This still has some alluring post punky charm. The singers colorful spazz vocalizing strategies will amuse and entertain.

http://www.mediafire.com/?mlj2zjw7d1bpk99

The Urbane Gorillas & The Really Schmaltzy Cabaret Boys (1981)

A split record with the DIY post punk of The Urbane Gorillas on one side. I'm really keen on the humorous minimal synth of The Really Schmaltzy Cabaret Boys on the other side. This was the first release by Inane Records. There's a posthumous website detailing it's history here. T-shirt offer insert included.

http://www.mediafire.com/?48o76cz8r51lfo3