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Richard Hell and the Voidoids: Blank Generation

There's something about Richard Hell that makes me get all weak in the knees and giddy inside. I don't find him attractive by any means, but there's a quality to his music that is physical and passionate and just so... electric. Sure, it's loud, it's sloppy, and his voice reminds me of a 13-year old boy, but I can't resist. How can you not dig the guy whose clothes inspired the punk scene that Malcom McLaren made millions off of? The Voidoids were the final foray into Richard's band adventures- the Neon Boys, Television, and Heartbreakers all preceded- and Blank Generation their first (and best) album. Full of 12 punk-rock-and-roll-with-just-the-right-pinch- of-artiness-thrown-in tunes designed to ride like a rollercoaster, the album opens with one of my favorite break-up songs, Love Comes In Spurts. Delightfully catchy and singable, the song is an accessible easy tune even the squares can enjoy. Following in this vein are Down at the Rock and Roll Club and the ubiquitous yet thrilling title track Blank Generation. ...RnR Club has the perfect warbly vocals and flippant attitude that make Hell Hell, while Blank Generation is THE song that packaged the NY scene and its followers into a concise 2:45 song. If the Stray Cats didn't steal from this song to write Stray Cat Strut... Liars Beware incorporates a bit more of a frantic oi punk sound into it, with intelligible lyrics and biting guitar that are the instrumental compliment to Hell's vocals. Who Says is similar in punchiness factor, but it's much more of a reflection of the guitar than the vocals. A solid song either way. New Pleasure, I'm Your Man and The Plan have much more of an arty new-wave feel to them, with delicate vocals and just the right amount of punch. In my opinion, they are the perfect precursor to the movement that would follow. Betrayl Takes Two and Another World could be pairs, and should've been left off. They weren't and they're not my favorites, but far be it from me to deny anyone else of mellow mellow Hell that's too sappy for my tastes... Walking on Water and All the Way are the cover tracks on the album, with All the Way being the better of the two. The song has a smooth doo-wop jazz feel to it made to a T with Elvis/Sinatra crooning, swanky guitar from Robert Quine and minimal drums from Marky. Kitschy cute closer that makes you want to come back for again and again for the full ride.