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Trade Test Transmissions

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This article is about the Buzzcocks album. For the test transmissions by the BBC, see Trade test colour films.

Trade Test Transmissions
Studio album by
Buzzcocks
Released2 June 1993 (1993-06-02)
RecordedMarch–April 1993[1]
StudioEastcote Studios, London
GenrePop punk[2][3]
Length47:58
LabelEssential (UK), Caroline (USA)
ProducerRalph P. Ruppert
Buzzcocks chronology
Operator's Manual: Buzzcocks Best
(1991) 		Trade Test Transmissions
(1993) 		All Set
(1996)
Singles from Trade Test Transmissions
  1. "Innocent"
    Released: May 1993
  2. "Do It"
    Released: August 1993
  3. "Isolation"
    Released: 1995[4]

Trade Test Transmissions is the fourth studio album by English pop punk band Buzzcocks. It was released on 2 June 1993 by record label Castle Communications[5] on their sub-label Essential Records[6] and was the band's first release in fourteen years, following up 1979's A Different Kind of Tension. The music was quite different from their earlier material with nods to the power pop scene popular at the time.

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Chicago Tribune[8]
Robert Christgau(choice cut)[2]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[3]
Pitchfork6.9/10[9]
PopMatters6/10[10]

Trade Test Transmissions has been generally well received by critics.

Jason Crock of Pitchfork was generally favourable, though writing "the album remains a strictly diehards-only affair."[9] CMJ later qualified it as "a superb record which oddly got lost in the shuffle".[11]

Track listing

[edit]

All songs written and composed by Pete Shelley, except as noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Do It" 3:23
2."Innocent" 3:34
3."TTT" 3:18
4."Isolation"Steve Diggle3:58
5."Smile" 2:47
6."Last to Know" 2:52
7."When Love Turns Around"Diggle2:25
8."Never Gonna Give It Up" 2:47
9."Energy"Diggle3:35
10."Palm of Your Hand" 3:22
11."Alive Tonight"Diggle3:48
12."Who'll Help Me to Forget?" 2:57
13."Unthinkable"Diggle2:52
14."Crystal Night" 3:18
15."369" 3:02
2004 reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
16."Inside" (B-side of "Innocent") 2:32
17."Do It" (single version) 2:57
18."Trash Away" (live; B-side of "Do It")Diggle4:44
19."All Over You" (live; B-side of "Do It") 3:25
20."Libertine Angel" (non-album single, 1994) 2:57
21."Roll It Over" (B-side of "Libertine Angel")Diggle6:07
22."Excerpt from 'Prison Riot Hostage'" (B-side of "Libertine Angel") 1:59

Personnel

[edit]

Adapted from the album liner notes.[12]

Buzzcocks
Technical
  • Ralph P. Ruppert – production
  • Ingo Vauk, Philip Bagenal – mixing engineers
  • Graeme Durham – mastering
  • Malcolm Garrett – album design
  • Pete Towndrow – photography

References

[edit]
  1. ^ McGartland 2017, p. 196.
  2. ^ a b Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Buzzcocks". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  3. ^ a b Brod, Doug (19 November 1993). "[Trade Test Transmissions review]". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  4. ^ McGartland 2017, p. 307.
  5. ^ Kot, Greg (19 November 1993). "Buzzcocks: Noisy Music To Hum". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  6. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). Encyclopedia of Popular Music: Concise (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857125958.
  7. ^ Raggett, Ned. "Trade Test Transmissions – Buzzcocks | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  8. ^ Kot, Greg (14 November 1993). "Joyful Noises". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  9. ^ a b Crock, Jason (17 April 2005). "Buzzcocks: Trade Test Transmissions | Album Reviews | Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  10. ^ Soulsby, Nick (27 May 2020). "Buzzcocks' 1993 Comeback 'Trade Test Transmissions' Showed Punk's Great Survivors' Consistency". PopMatters. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  11. ^ Stegall, Tim (March 1996). "Reviews". CMJ New Music Monthly: 34. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  12. ^ Buzzcocks (1993). Trade Test Transmissions (Album liner notes). Essential Records. ESSCD 195.

Sources

[edit]
  • McGartland, Tony (2017). Buzzcocks: The Complete History. London: Music Press. ISBN 978-1786062741.
[edit]


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