Mask & Marquee

Description

Mask & Marquee is a six-track EP by the American alternative rock band Blue Trapeze, independently released on Fullspeak Records ‎in 1986. Tracks A1, A2, A3, and B1 were recorded at Radio Tokyo, while tracks B2 and B3 were recorded at Max Sound. Recorded 7/8 1986.

Of all the artists covered in this month’s column, Blue Trapeze is the most daringly innovative. Essentially true to the R.E.M./10,000 Maniacs school of folk-influenced new music, free floating harmonies, and bare bones guitar-and-drums rock. Blue Trapeze relies on eccentric timings and stark arrangements to create dynamics and depth. Lyrically, this is intelligent, street-smart poetry relevant to the most progressive audiences. No cliches, in the music or message. Look for it. [Brian Quincy Newcomb, CCM, April 1987]

Blue Trapeze was kind of a fixture and/or central band in the Christian alternative rock/modern rock underground. They released at least 4 albums that are still spoken of in high regard by those in the know today. This album is probably the band’s most well-known (well, either this one or 1990’s The World Won’t Fit My Skull). Before this was 1985’s Sanctuary and 1984’s Who Were You Then? I have all of their releases – the first three on vinyl even – as well as a 2001 compilation called Stillborn Dreams with a bunch of unreleased songs that I can find no explanation about online. Anyways, it was good to hear the tape version as my vinyl version is a bit scratchy. The sound here is a good mixture of all the big mid-80s alternative crowd, but in a way that sound unique to them. [Christian Tape Underground, March 24, 2020]

EP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Mask & Marquee” – 2:58
A2. “Afraid Of Real” – 2:57
A3. “A Reason” – 3:35

Side Two
B1. “See Them Turn” – 2:55
B2. “The Old Home” – 3:34
B3. “Midnight Sun” – 2:41

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl EP by Fullspeak Records.