CD: WM14
RELEASED: 2004
LABEL: Words On Music

Tracks:
01. Shine
02. Daylight
03. Get On With It
04. Echelons
05. It's A Lie
06. Autocrat
07. Forget Who You Are
08. Loud And Clear
09. Broke My Back

Digitally remastered in 2004 with art design by Bruce Licher this album is available for the first time on CD. Although their current status is sort of unkown, For Against released their latest album (Coalesced) last year and have soldiered on for nearly 20 years now. In that time, they've released a total of 6 full-length albums and have slowly built a small but devoted fanbase. Although they did brighten up their overall output over the years and slightly evolve in sound, there's a subtle progression in their releases that feels natural and comfortable. Echelons is the first effort from the group and when it originally came out in 1987, it was released as LP only. Musically, the album recalls early Factory Records with chiming guitars that mix with vibrant basslines and economical percussion. Although there are obvious references to similar bands of the era, the group tries a lot of different things with their sound and most of them work quite well. "Shine" opens the disc with a burst of propulsive energy as high-hats skitter over rubbery basslines and guitar atmospherics blend with the soaring vocals of Runnings. "Get On With It" takes some of the same elements and reworks them into something even more hook-laden while the album-titled "Echelons" starts things out dark, pushing the vocals to the background behind keyboards and a sparse rhythm section before building into a primal track that recalls Joy Division. While the group may wear their influences on their sleeves, it's still a pretty remarkable little album considering it was released 17 years ago and from the dead-center of the country. In other words, it's a kind of an anomaly, but this remastered, repackaged disc is a little gem that fans of the aforementioned will no doubt love.

Influences / Similar Artists:
Joy Division, The Chameleons, Sad Lovers & Giants, Kitchens Of Distinction