Buzzcocks “Singles Going Steady”

Very symmetrical, the first side with eight A-side singles, and the second side with the corresponding B-sides. For listening, it might have made more sense to put the A and B-sides together, and go in straight chronological order. But the symmetry is nice. The inside sleeve also has the pictures of the single covers. They all came out from 1977 to 1979, the older songs all under three minutes, but then getting longer, into ’79, and less good. This album makes me think it would have been nice to buy the singles. It’s kind of a testimony of a quick downhill slide. Also, Howard Devoto co-wrote the first song, but then he was gone. I kind of feel like I missed the boat here. Still, there are some nice pop songs, for sure, if you haven’t heard them too many times. I have, and the familiarity, plus all the “jangliness” and “crunchiness” and that thing where the guy makes the guitar sound like a lorry, renders this album something I REALLY have to be in the mood for.