ALRN – Painted Windows [LP] (1981, Rational Records)

Alternate Learning was Scott Miller's first band, his musical occupation while taking his degree, the learning steps leading to Game Theory and finally The Loud Family. So the progression is evident, as this shares the same taste for jittery, keyboard driven new wave as Game Theory's early EPs ("I Wanna Be Hit by a Car", etc.). And while the writing and lyricism aren't as developed and refined as they would become (and some songs border on meandering) it's still terrific to witness his forever adolescent voice while he was actually still an adolescent. "Another Wasted Afternoon" begins with muffled whispers behind a rainy backdrop till the song springs into action and the wiry keyboards fly around, the taste for playing around with sound was already there from the get go. Returning to the colourful keyboards, it's undeniable how hooky some of them are ("Let's not Wait", "Ulysses") and how much they add. 'Painted Windows' is certainly not the best path into Scott Miller's universe, yet fans of his ever so quirky and refreshing compositional style will definitely want to track this down somehow, even if it's only for the impossibly bouncy gem "Beach State Rocking", perhaps one of Miller's catchiest recordings. [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC]

 

 

Label: Rational Records – ATI 002, Rational Records – ATI-002 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album 

Country: US 

Released: 1981 

Style: Power Pop, New wave

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Another Wasted Afternoon 3:59 

A2 Sex War 2:42 

A3 The New You 6:25 

A4 Dark Days 4:34 

A5 Occupation: Unknown 3:22 

B1 Dresden 3:02 

B2 Beach State Rocking 2:50 

B3 Ulysses 1:53 

B4 Painted Windows 5:04 

B5 Let's Not Wait 2:20 

 

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