KILLING JOKE / Laugh? I Nearly Bought One! (1992)

A compilation of Killing Joke songs that I hesitate to call a 'Best of…' because it really isn't; if you want that, then simply go pick up the first two albums. Laugh? is more like a retrospective of their first ten years as a band, cataloguing the ups and downs in quality. It does, however, include a few rarities that I'll mention simply because they never appeared on any of the studio albums. The first is the title track from their début single, Turn to Red, which is pretty damn good - I'll link it below. The second is an alternate mix of Wintergardens from Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (1986) that wasn't on that abomination of an album.

Songs of Note: Turn to Red; Requiem

3½ curtains drawn out of 5

KILLING JOKE / Extremities, Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions (1990)

Drummer extraordinaire Martin Atkins (PiL) joined the existing trio of Jaz Coleman, Geordie Walker and Paul Raven for Killing Joke's ninth album, a release that thankfully washed away the awful memory of Outside the Gate (1988). It was a return to the heavier sound, taking a slightly evolved form of the early riffage and putting more emphasis on the industrial side of things, all the while keeping the melodies and madness that underpinned much of that early work.
Taken on its own merits, it's a decent album from the era that'll please fans but will be unlikely to win KJ many new ones. From the other perspective, judged alongside past albums, it'd fit on the Not-Their-Best-but-Not-Their-Worst shelf.

Songs of Note: Money is Not Our God; Age of Greed

3 painful, painful truths out of 5

KILLING JOKE / The Courtauld Talks (1989)

A recording of a lecture that Jaz Coleman gave two years previous, offering an insight into his motivations for recording the Outside the Gate (1988) album.
It's largely spoken word, but when Geordie Walker starts up with a repetitive acoustic riff, Jaz's delivery begins to resemble a lyric structure.
It would've been a fascinating experience to witness live, but I'm not sure it needed a separate release; a bundled second disc with the OtG album would've been more relevant. It's hard to apply a rating, because enjoyment is solely dependent on your feelings for Jaz and his system of beliefs, but I'll try:

Songs of Note: It's one track lasting 66 mins.

3 Lovecrafts out of 5

KILLING JOKE / Outside the Gate (1988)

Surely Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (1986) was the Joke's nadir, right? Wrong. I'm fucking weeping inside. The only positive thing I can say about OtG is that it wasn't supposed to be a Killing Joke album. It was originally a Jaz Coleman solo album, but got jumped on by a greedy record label with no morals. It's like stamping a Rolling Stones label on a Mick Jagger album. No one wants that shit.
Bass player Paul Raven and drummer Paul Ferguson quit the band to get away from the awfulness. Guitarist Geordie Walker remained but he plays second to some weak synth. Even if they repackaged it with free bank notes in place of liner notes, it wouldn't be worth buying.

Song of Least Fail: Outside the Gate

1 empty, empty place out of 5

KILLING JOKE / Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (1986 / 2007)

I've been reviewing the Killing Joke studio albums in the order they were released, which means it's time for BTaTS. Jebus. Synth pop! Fans can defend it all they like, but it's an ear-turd. It's bad enough that I know it exists, actually putting it into the player is a trial only surpassed by listening to it.
But wait! A reissue (2007) gave us Chris Kimsey's mix. It's much more aggressive than Mendelsohn's piss poor effort. I can hear guitars! I can hear bass! I can hear... I can hear Jaz Coleman being bland. Aw, shit. It still sucks.

Songs of Least Fail: Adorations; Wintergardens

1½ salty tear falling, falling out of 5

KILLING JOKE / Night Time (1985)

Night Time was a brief return to form for the Joke. It's an album that's both upbeat and cynical, as is the English way. Jaz's insanity is still there but it's more focussed; he'd an agenda that he didn't lose sight of, nor did it manifest in every track sounding the same, which was something that the previous album suffered from.
It didn't break new ground musically, but it earned them a lot of new (wave) fans and reminded many long-time fans why they'd been seduced at the beginning.

Songs of Note: Love Like Blood; Eighties

3½ voices calling, calling out of 5

KILLING JOKE / Fire Dances (1983)

When the apocalypse didn't happen, Jaz Coleman came back home and Killing Joke underwent a small but significant change. Raven replaced Youth on bass and somehow managed to fit in beautifully. His bass alongside Big Paul's drums is a marriage made in Harlequin heaven. The tribal percussion that had always been present is pushed right to the front. Unfortunately, because of that, it lacks variety. The songs all sound similar. Forgive it that, however, and it becomes the perfect soundtrack for drunkenly dancing naked around an open fire in a darkened wood.
Note: Seek out the superior remaster, it's less muddy and more balanced.

Songs of Note: Harlequin; Let's All Go (to the Fire Dances)

3 tumble tumble, the sun is shining out of 5

KILLING JOKE / Revelations (1982)

There's a belligerent melancholy infused within much of this lazy sounding release. It holds that feeling close to its chest for the longest time. You keep hoping it'll get better, but by the end you realise that the best was actually in the first half. Lyrically, it's initially cryptically insane, as always. Jaz Coleman fled to the Arctic after its release to await the end of the world, and have himself a nervous breakdown. I'm not even kidding.

Songs of Note: The Hum; Chop, Chop

2½ slowly, slowly, all fall down out of 5

KILLING JOKE / Birds of a Feather (1982)

The Joke's second E.P. of 1982 has three studio tracks (that are also found on the CD reissue of HA!). It marks the beginnings of a slight shift in style for the band, something that would be more evident a year later on the Fire Dances album. It's still primarily percussion driven, but is much softer and safer than what had come before. It confused some fans and intrigued others.

Songs on Note: Sun Goes Down; Birds of a Feather

3 flock, flock, gather, gather out of 5

KILLING JOKE / HA! (1982)

A live E.P. that was originally only available on 10" and Cassette. If you have that 10" I will throw moderate amounts of money at you in exchange for it. There are only 6 tracks (the CD reissue adds an extra 3 tracks, which are really from the Birds of a Feather EP). Killing Joke are a formidable force live; when Jaz Coleman stares into your soul with those eyes of his, you'll never forget it. Obviously, that can't be reproduced on a recording. Nor do you get a sense of the tribal bonding that takes place through the music and its delivery. It's not an essential purchase, because the sound is a bit shit at times, but it has a few good moments.

Songs on Note: Sun Goes Down (Live); Unspeakable (Live)

2½ sussed someones out of 5

KILLING JOKE / What's THIS For...! (1981)

The dynamic second album from Killing Joke set the standard by which their career is judged as a whole. Jaz Coleman is maybe off his rocker in real life, but on record he's a focussed machine gun. Tribal drumming from the legendary Paul Ferguson is the heartbeat. Throw in Youth's bass lines and Geordie Walker's echoing guitars and you have a classic that inspired everyone and everything that followed in the industrial genre. I'm not exaggerating its importance. Listen to Ministry's The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste (1989) after hearing What's THIS For...! and you'll wonder why Jaz didn't call his lawyer.

Songs of Note: The Fall Of Because; Butcher

4½ Killing Joke told me how out of 5

KILLING JOKE / Killing Joke (1980)

The first eponymously titled Killing Joke album (they released another one 23 years later) is by far the better of the two. It's usually lumped into the post-punk section of your local store, but it doesn't really belong there, or any other pigeon hole - it's a musical anomaly for the era, years ahead of its time. It was a huge influence on the industrial and metal genres, though. All those bands that you love now loved the Joke long ago. It was self-produced, so sounds a little flat in places, but with a good amp and some reluctant tinkering it can still kick. Time may have dulled its sheen, and parts of it may sound like a cheap porno soundtrack, but none of that has diluted its importance or its power.

Songs of Note: Requiem; The Wait

4 wall scralls out of 5