Lemon Kittens were a Post-punk band formed in 1977 in Reading, Berkshire, England. The Big Dentist, released in 1982 by then duo Karl Blake and Danielle Dax, is quite the ride of an album. Drawing often from such Post-punk influences as The Pop Group and Chrome, and even citing progressive rock influences such as Faust, Yes, and King Crimson, Lemon Kittens refuses to be confined to a single genre. The album even breaks down many times into a style reminiscent of the No Wave of Glenn Branca or DNA, at one point leaving Blake’s ominous vocals over chiming keyboards and a whining sax.
And “ominous” is the right word to describe the mood of this LP. A dark creeping tension is consistent throughout. The first track, “They Are Both Dirty” is a long, slow building, winder that alone seems to tell its own sort of dark and creepy story. And even the more up-beat tracks such as “The Hospital Hurts the Girl” and “Nudies” are tinged by a dark and even oppressive air.
I personally enjoy every track on this release. And it’s really not a difficult listen for anyone interested in the Post-punk of bands like The Pop Group or Swell Maps, or such No Wave artists as Theoretical Girls or The Contortions, or even simply one with a taste for the Avant-garde.
Get it here.
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