Return of the Beat Menace

Description

Return of the Beat Menace is a multi-artist compilation album featuring various tracks by five British artists, independently released in the UK on Cheep Records in 1989, distributed by Probe Plus/Cartel.

Featuring five artists: Big Sur, Go Go Street, Ben Okafor, The Revolutionary Army Of The Infant Jesus, and The Free Zone.

This compilation is a collection of bands from the United Kingdom that were on Cheep Records, as well as a few others. Big Sur features Andy Thornton formerly of Rattling the Cage. They apparently signed with Chrysalis Records and released a single called «Please Stay» before breaking up in 1989, when Thornton joined the Late Late Service alternative worship movement. They play a sophisticated alternative / new wave sound. Both of these songs were on their 1988 cassette Doing the Rounds. GoGo Street had at least one release on Cheep Records. The three songs here are from their 1988 self-titled Cheep Records full length tape. They also play a sophisticated alternative rock sound, like Big Sur but still distinctly different as well. Ben Okafor is a well known and respected Reggae artist. The first two songs here are from his 1989 album Nkiru, while the third was probably unreleased at the time, but was later released in 1992 on Generation. The Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus is an avant-garde / experimental band. The three songs here were later released by them in 1991 on Mirror. The Free Zone is an alternative electronic new wave band that was basically the main band on Cheep Records. The first song on here also appeared on their 1990 album Mammon, but the other two appear to be only on this compilation. [Christian Tape Underground, December 20, 2020]

Cassette tracklist:

Side One
A1. Big Sur – “Catch Me I’m Falling”
A2. Big Sur – “Caught In The Motion”
A3. Go Go Street – “Uncrossable Miles”
A4. Go Go Street – “Cross My Heart”
A5. Go Go Street – “Dreaming Of A Neverland”
A6. Ben Okafor – “Wake Up”
A7. Ben Okafor – “Oke Na Ngwele”

Side Two
B1. Ben Okafor – “Living In A Suitcase”
B2. The Revolutionary Army Of The Infant Jesus – “Man Of Sorrows”
B3. The Revolutionary Army Of The Infant Jesus – “Shadowlands”
B4. The Revolutionary Army Of The Infant Jesus – “Hymn To Dionysus”
B5. The Free Zone – “Let Them Eat Progress”
B6. The Free Zone – “Antidote”
B7. The Free Zone – “When The Countdown Starts”