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Too Many Humans..... is the debut studio album by the American noise rock band No Trend, released through their own No Trend Records in November 1983 on vinyl format. The album is known for its brash, misanthropic lyrics, as evident on tracks such as "Reality Breakdown" and "Mindless Little Insects". It has been described as "nightmarish in all the right ways" and was said to have been influenced by Flipper and Public Image Ltd.[1] The title track would serve as inspiration for Godflesh during the recording of their 1988 album Streetcleaner.[2]
| Too Many Humans..... | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 1983 | |||
| Genre | Noise rock, post-hardcore, no wave, post-punk | |||
| Length | 36:06 | |||
| Label | No Trend Records | |||
| Producer | Don Zientara, No Trend | |||
| No Trend chronology | ||||
| ||||
The album was long thought to never be reissued due to the supposed destruction of the original master tapes.[1] However, on May 29, 2020, Drag City released a box set reissue and remaster of the album, along with both versions of Teen Love.[3]
Music and lyrics
editThe album has been described as violent, misanthropic, noisy, and mean-spirited. Most lyrics mock punk subculture and the social normalities of human life; such as marriage, fashion, and so on. As vocalist Jeff Mentges mentioned in an interview:
...I've always been confused by why what music you listen to would dictate what kind of clothes you wear or what color your hair is. If there's a philosophy in the music you like, you can live by that, but I don't see why you have to be part of a clique, a scene, a movement.[4]
The music heavily centers around Jack Anderson's basslines, while Frank Price's guitar riffs are mostly composed of high pitched guitar feedback. The closer track, "Happiness Is...", features multiple different looped sound samples, layered over a funk-influenced instrumental. The song "For the Fun of It All" would later be rerecorded for the band's follow-up album A Dozen Dead Roses.
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Family Style" | 3:12 |
| 2. | "Blow Dry" | 5:00 |
| 3. | "Reality Breakdown" | 3:58 |
| 4. | "Kiss Ass to Your Peer Group" | 3:46 |
| 5. | "Fashion Tips for the 80's" | 1:36 |
| 6. | "Do as You're Told" | 1:06 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 7. | "Too Many Humans" | 3:53 |
| 8. | "For the Fun of It All" | 2:32 |
| 9. | "Mindless Little Insects" | 4:11 |
| 10. | "Happiness Is..." | 6:58 |
Personnel
edit- Jeff Mentges – Vocals
- Jack Anderson – Bass
- Frank Price – Guitar
- Greg Miller – Drums
References
edit- ^ a b Little, Michael (25 April 2013). "The Vinyl District ((( Ugly Dwarf: The Story of No Trend )))". The Vinyl District. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
- ^ Hobsonpublished, Rich (2022-09-06). "Godflesh's Justin Broadrick: my life in 10 songs". Louder. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ "No Trend – Too Many Humans / Teen Love". Drag City.
- ^ Mamone, Jordan. "No Trend Didn't Just Go Against The Grain, They Shoved It In The Faces Of The Pretentious Hardcore Fans". Straus Media. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
External links
edit- Too Many Humans at Discogs (list of releases)