I, Braineater – Artist Poet Thief [LP] (1985, More)

 

I, Braineater is basically the creative universe of Jim Cummins, a Vancouver artist who never really separated music from painting, comics, performance, or general chaos. The project started in the late ’70s, originally under the name Braineater, and it slowly evolved into the more personal “I, Braineater” identity as Cummins’s whole artistic persona took center stage. Over the years the sound shifted a lot -early stuff leaned into raw punk, but by the mid-’80s the music had morphed into an odd blend of new wave, art-rock, electronics, and post-punk attitudes. Nothing about the project was ever straightforward; it was as much about the overall aesthetic as it was about the songs. 

 
The album 'Artist, Poet, Thief' came out in 1985, pressed privately as an LP. Compared to the earlier, scrappier records, this one feels more like a “band” album -tighter rhythms, more structured songs, and a clearer sense of direction. Even so, it still sounds like an art project that just happens to be a rock record. The music pulls from a bunch of places: post-punk moods, a bit of gothic atmosphere, flashes of punk energy, occasional psychedelic touches, and some catchy new-wave-style hooks. Side one leans into the more melodic material, while side two gets a bit rougher and more energetic. 

 
The record’s tracklist includes songs like “Edge,” “Canada,” “Wrong World,” and “1980 More” on the first side, and “Funtime,” “Comeon,” “Sacred Cow,” “I Am,” and “7Teen” on the second. It’s the kind of album where each track feels like it was created inside its own peculiar headspace, but the whole thing hangs together because of Cummins’s distinct voice and art-punk instincts. 

 
Culturally, 'Artist, Poet, Thief' sits in a really interesting spot. Vancouver’s underground scene in the early and mid ’80s was full of crossover between punk bands, artists, weirdos, filmmakers, and people who didn’t fit neatly anywhere, and I, Braineater embodied that mix perfectly. This record captures the moment when the project was moving beyond pure punk but still holding onto its DIY strangeness. Because of that -and because the releases were small and the band never aimed for mainstream exposure-the album ended up becoming a cult collectible over the years. 

 
It’s one of those records that feels like a snapshot of a particular corner of the underground: experimental, theatrical, messy, charming, and totally unconcerned with commercial expectations. If you’re into oddball art-rock or punk-adjacent music that lives in its own world, it’s a fascinating listen.

 

 

Label: More – none 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album 

Country: Canada 

Released: 1985 

Style: New Wave, Abstract, Industrial, Experimental 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Edge 1:29 

A2 Canada 2:21 

A3 Wrong World 3:44 

A4 1980 More 3:54 

B1 Funtime 1:24 

B2 Comeon 1:43 

B3 Sacred Cow 3:02 

B4 I Am 3:06 

B5 7teen 2:34 

 

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