History in Reverse

Blackouts | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 2, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: K. Records
• ASIN: B00065TZ8M
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #238,047 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The Blackouts were the best Seattle band you never heard of. To those who bought their records and attended their shows, this is no secret. But for the majority who didn’t, this exciting anthology – long overdue – thankfully now exists. Sequenced in reverse-chronological order, it begins with their last recordings, produced by Al Jourgensen and originally released on Wax Trax! (three Blackouts members later worked with Jourgensen in Ministry after the Blackouts demise), and ends with their debut 45 single "The Underpass." Also included on 'History In Reverse' are three previously unreleased songs from the Wax Trax! session.

In 1979, following the breakup of the notorious Telepaths, several members (guitarist Erich Werner, drummer Bill Rieflin, synth/sax player Roland Barker and bassist Mike Davidson, later replaced by Paul "Ion" Barker) re-formed as a new musical alliance – The Blackouts. They had an implosive intensity and were the antithesis of the bar bands that dominated Seattle’s anemic local music scene. Intentional, dynamic songs were the Blackouts’ stock-in-trade. Over the next six years they released four singles and EPs on four different labels: Modern, Engram, Situation Two (a subsidiary of 4AD) and Wax Trax! Few bands from that era can claim as impressive a legacy as History In Reverse.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great collection of a little-known band, November 22, 2004

By 

Craig Clarke "Living After Midnight: Hard and... (New England) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: History in Reverse (Audio CD)

Tracked in reverse chronological order, a new anthology from K Records featuring The Blackouts -- aptly titled History in Reverse -- is an ideal portrait of the career of this 1980s band featuring Erich Werner on vocals and guitar, Roland Barker on synthesizer and saxophone, Bill Rieflin on drums, and Mike Davidson on bass.

Originally based in Seattle, they shared the stage with The Beakers and XTC. One live reviewer even suggested that, had the Beakers evolved into XTC, the Blackouts would have been an intermediate stage. The band itself eventually folded most of itself into industrial rock icons Ministry. That band's leader Al Jourgensen's presence is felt in his production of History in Reverse's opening -- and the band's late-period -- tracks.

Being more drawn to lighter than darker material, I prefer the Blackouts' earlier work (although "Happy Hunting Ground" is nicely reminiscent of Oingo-Boingo and "Idiot" is my favorite song on the album -- in both the regular and "pre-version" forms -- especially the pinging guitar), in particular the cuts from their debut single. In general, the further along in the track listing a song appears, the more I like it.

They have a definite sense of melodic structure, but unfortunately, Werner's sometimes-histrionic vocal style can break the spell ("Being Be" and "Probability"), often ruining the effect of the song, depending on one's mood. The only track on which this is not a likelihood is "Five is 5," a bouncy instrumental. "Chipped Beef" shows an influence on Soundgarder (Kim Thayil even offers a reminiscence in the promotional materials).

If the bass were tuned any lower on "Writhing" (another favorite due to that and the repetition of the title), there wouldn't be enough tension left for it to perform successfully as an instrument and "Young Man" finds saxophonist Barker taking a jazzier approach. "Dead Man's Curve" is not a cover of the famous Jan and Dean death rock song. It's actually one of the more fun tracks, with a near-novelty feel.

It is often more fascinating to program History in Reverse in reverse. When playing the songs in their proper chronological order, the listener gets a sense of the development (rather than devolution) of the Blackouts from a simple art rock band ("The Underpass" and "Make No Mistake" from the aforementioned single) to a band who members would later blend right into the fold of one of the hardest and darkest bands in popular music.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Seattle Band E V E R !!!, May 14, 2006

By 

Seattle Beard (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: History in Reverse (Audio CD)

Everything I read in the other reviews is true. I saw them several times, so I know. This was without a doubt the best live band to come out of Seattle.

This band had the greatest drummer I ever saw, Bill Rieflin, now with R.E.M. The rest of them were amazing too.

I only wish Amazon would give you the chance to listen to samples of this cd. I would have you listen to Erich Werner wail in the song Writhing. You would drop what you are doing and buy this cd. I know it.

A technical note:
This compilation isn't exactly a collection of all The Blackouts recordings. There is a much longer version of Everglades we used to play at KAOS Radio. You can find it on the EP called "Lost Soul's Club" (Wax Trax 006). It's only on vinyl, but if you like the song, you'll want to hear the full 12:25 minute version. I even have a studio tape of out-takes that is brilliant, but alas, that didn't make it on this cd either.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Blackouts, October 3, 2011

By 

Thomas Crull - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: History in Reverse (Audio CD)

I ran across this group from a WaxTrax related Podcast on Sound Opinions. I can't believe I just discovered The Blackouts, love this CD.

They remind me of an obscure band from the early 80's in Mpls. = The Phones and/or Stickman. I know, bad reference, but I can't think of any others.