Description
Mammon is a full-length album by the British indie pop band The Free Zone, independently released in the UK on Cheep Records in 1990, distributed by Probe Plus/APT. The album was recorded by Ken Nelson, David Rose, and Keith Hartley at Amazon Studios and the Sanatorium in Liverpool, England, and was produced by CHEEP corporation. All songs written by Tim Thwaites except tracks A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, and B5 co-written by Thwaites and Pete Scarlett.
The Free Zone is Pete Scarlett (drums) and Tim Thwaites (other instruments and vocals). (Thanks to Simon Grant for feedback guitar.)
Well, I think it’s a masterpiece. Liverpool duo the Free Zone (Pete Scarlett – drums; Tim Thwaites – everything else) have been inflicting their strangely warped vision on the world for some years now, and at last have produced something that lives up their frenzied live performances and great contribution to “Beat Menace” compilation. Don’t try and pigeon hole these boys – one minute it’s drum machines and synthesizers the next Tim Thwaites crashes in with a figure sounding like it was learnt on the Joe Strummer correspondence course for rhythms guitar, and a vocal reminiscent of the tortured larynx of Tom Verlaine. Add waiting harmonicas, crashing real drums and swirling of fairground organ and what have you got? Answer, a strangely addictive collision of styles and a bunch of great songs. First up is the already classic «Let Them Eat Progress» (a great song title if ever there was one.) Starting with a drum machine pattern that has you checking the speed control, it’s a full tilt attack on government’s pouring petro-dollars in the space and weapon research when millions are starving. “And there will be no more hunger/ Let’s speed up the progress” sings Tim in bleak mood. But if you think it’s going to give you a handle on their style, forget it. The second track «Some Of The Things They’re Now Saying» is kick-started by a stuttering rhythm guitar and spits vitriol, while the third track «Ghost Of A Smile» suddenly launches us into another soundscape altogether, an almost calm vocal over a dream-like and childishly simple keyboard pattern. “I’m haunted by a ghost of your smile,” Tim warbles eerily. . . Just when they’re shaping up like a music-teacher’s nightmare it sounds like the piano lessons paid off after all. No space for a blow-by-blow account, merely a heartfelt recommendation. Investigate another winning team from Liverpool. [James Attlee, Cross Rhythms, April 1991]
Mammon (30 Year Expanded Edition), 2021
I bought this one recently and forgot to write about it. I have the original 1990 release on vinyl, but the band put out a newly remastered version on BandCamp so I decided to upgrade my vinyl rip. The new version also has three bonus tracks and a new cover. The sound is a British indie rock / alternative rock sound that was popular in the late 80s / early 90s. As you know by now, I’m a fan of 80s alt rock. The Free Zone brought in a bit of quirky angle. You can check it out on BandCamp, but make sure to click the “info” link that appears next to each song to read about each song. This was at least their fourth album (released after 1987’s Large as Life and Political Asylum), and I believe their last. Will their earlier albums appear on BandCamp? I think I heard that they will not, but I’m still hoping. [Christian Tape Underground, July 24, 2021]
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Let Them Eat Progress” – 4:41
A2. “Some Of The Things They’re Now Saying” – 3:00
A3. “Ghost Of A Smile” – 3:23
A4. “Sweet Liberty” – 5:06
A5. “Sartre In Sunglasses” – 3:22
A6. “He Still Walks” – 4:55
Side Two
B1. “Crocodile Street” – 4:56
B2. “Common Purpose” – 3:45
B3. “Happy Now” – 5:14
B4. “Good Intensions” – 3:23
B5. “Surrender” – 5:26
B6. “And I Have Mine” – 1:36
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Cheep Records. Remastered and digitally re-issued by the band in 2021 as Mammon (30 Year Expanded Edition), featuring three bonus tracks (“The Happening World”, “Antidote”, “Back from the Dead (Piano Version)”) and new cover artwork. Available at Bandcamp: https://thefreezone.bandcamp.com/album/mammon-30-year-expanded-edition
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