Tonio K. "Life In the Foodchain" 1978

70's punk for the literateTonio K., aka Steve Krikorian had been kicking around LA, playing with what was left of the Crickets(of Buddy Holly fame) for years when his angry take on the world suddenly fit with the punk movement of the late seventies. This is not teen angst, it's a 30-year-old's angst. He backs up the anger of the era with literacy rare for what was then a punk album. Taking his name from a Thomas Mann story (Tonio Kroger), K. would play off the Dadaists for the next few years, until he was struck down on the road to Damascus.
H-a-t-r-e-d is one of those perfect songs, quotable to a fault, that, once heard, will always be remembered. "How come I can't see you in my mirror?" is the weakest--a love affair with a vampire (pre-Anne Rice, of course), and little more than a gimmick song. In between they are all gems, including a special guest appearance by Joan of Arc.
These songs are all angry, but there is a humane and sad quality also. There are smacks of his later ! conversion here, but he is far too smart to be preachy.If you've not heard of this record, once you play it, you'll always wonder why not.
Amerika, the next LP, is almost its equal. The later albums lack the wit and the anger(they often go hand in hand.) They are not bad, though, with Ole being the best. - By Daren Wang(Dwang@verb.org) (Atlanta GA)

trax:
01 Life in the Foodchain 02 The Funky Western Civilization 03 Willie and the Pigman 04 Ballad of the Night the Clocks All Quit (And the Government Failed) 05 American Love Affair 06 How Come I Can't See You in My Mirror? 07 Better Late Than Never 08 A Lover's Plea 09 H-A-T-R-E-D
...served by Don K...