Trade Test Transmissions

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

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

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

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

  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

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


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