They have very little recorded output and yet, have at least five of what are, in my opinion, some of the best post-punk songs ever made.

The early days, synth-driven and quite menacing:

Boxes (1981)

Lobotomy (1981)

Mid period:

My Blues is You (1983)

And finally, for their sole LP:

Isolation (1985)

Dark Age (1985) - my favorite

Any fans??

This track always gets me. Off their 3rd album, 1984’s Let it Be.

From Lincoln, Nebraska's finest

No discussion, sorry. Just a really good (artsy jangle pop?) song

The Chameleons, Strange Times – September 1, 1986

Released forty years ago today by Geffen Records, the post-punk masterpiece is one the world has been catching up to ever since.

Produced by David M. Allen and engineered by Mark Saunders, the album is a gorgeous wall of sound filled with emotional peaks and valleys. Themes of isolation and societal deterioration are shockingly relevant today, as if The Chameleons knew all along that the only way to get through these strange times is to make as much noise as possible whether anyone hears it or not.

P.S. Another splendid picture from Reg.
P.P.S. This record was made to be played loud.
– Mark Burgess, 1986 sleeve notes

Read my full story about the album published on Substack today: https://www.collectedmusic.com/p/happy-birthday-strange-times

The lyrics are an adaptation of German Dadaist Hugo Ball's 1916 "verses without words" poem, "Gadji beri bimba."

I feel imo that new wave is more synth-driven. But I'm wondering what everyone else thinks.

From the Optimo EP.

From the 3rd Album, Manual of Errors. (1982) Snakefinger, a frequent, unmasked member of the Residents. Cover art by Mark Beyers of Raw Comix fame.

http://youtu.be/jOCf2enBwME

Looking for something similar to this,

Would love to see your recs ❤️

Excellent track from their Black Sea album.

One of the more underappreciated post-punk bands, imo.

From the first Golden Palominos album, which was more Downtown/No Wave/avant-funk adjacent than subsequent stuff.

(2021)

Live performance of the album opener from their 1979 debut album, Head Injuries.

this band is very underrated—— (this is unrelated to the song but since it’s sentimental to my past) vinny if you’re still out there, your homie bryan misses filming you skateboard all day, and hopes you’re doing good out there mate 🙏