Consumer Guide Album

Mission of Burma: Mission of Burma [Rykodisc, 1988]
More even than most postpunk they were also prenoise, harbingers of a rock and roll (or rock) far more traditional than no wave both formally and sonically except that it eschewed (or failed to achieve) melody (or tune). Not indefensible, but less sonically compelling than the defense would have you believe--or so it seems from my generational vantage. Comprising all of Signals, Calls and Marches and Vs. plus the great "Academy Fight Song" and lesser arcana, this compilation boasts a new world-record CD length of 80 minutes, which under the sonic-melodic circumstances isn't something to boast about--it goes on for fucking ever. Adepts of the select button need own nothing else. Everybody else should go for what they know. B