The Sound of Young Aztec Camera

I have gone on the record many times that my favorite album out of Scotland is 'High Land, Hard Rain,' but Aztec Camera certainly had some nice moments before that smash. Let's take a listen to the 7" singles Roddy Frame and the lads did for Postcard Recordings Of Scotland back in 1981, as well as the band's inclusion on NME's legendary 'C81' compilation. There is a charming lo-fi roughness to these recordings that all but disappeared by the time of the band's full-length debut. As we all know, by 'Knife' words like "polished" or the not-so-nice adjective "slick" would be used to describe Aztec Camera's sound. It's an old story, really, and I don't mean to make it sound like the aforementioned albums aren't anything but fabulous. I enjoy listening to the evolution. I hope you do, too.

Aztec Camera - We Could Send Letters (mp3) ('NME C81')
Aztec Camera - Just Like Gold (mp3) (Postcard)
Aztec Camera - We Could Send Letters (mp3) (Postcard)
Aztec Camera - Mattress of Wire (mp3) (Postcard)
Aztec Camera - Lost Outside the Tunnel (mp3) (Postcard)