Liliput/ Kleenex

Kleenex, Liliput, Kleenex/liliput | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 20, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 2000
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Kill Rock Stars
• ASIN: B000056KY8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #86,173 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #27 in Music > World Music > Europe > Continental Europe > Switzerland

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Nighttoad

2. Madness

3. Krimi

4. 1978

5. Beri-Beri

6. Ain't You

7. Hedi's Head

8. Nice

9. You

10. U

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Do You Mind

2. In a Mess

3. Birdy

4. Feel Like Snakes, Twisting Through the Fog

5. Tschik-Mo

6. Outburst

7. Umamm

8. Might Is Right

9. Like or Lump It

10. Ichor

See all 39 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

You can't dispute Liliput's status as pioneers of feminist art-punk. Along with fellow travelers like the Slits and the Raincoats, this (mostly) female Swiss group took advantage of punk's anything-goes attitude and created jittery, spirited pop that was both in step with the times and completely singular. But even if Liliput hadn't paved the way for other guitar-wielding patriarchy-smashers, The Complete Recordings would still prove one thing: They were totally fun. This double-CD retrospective gathers 46 songs recorded under five different lineups from 1978 to 1983, including their initial tracks under the name Kleenex (a certain global conglomerate demanded the name change). The early material is a riot of exuberant energy, taking stylistic cues from peers like Gang of Four and Wire--propulsive bass, skittering pop rhythms, slashing guitars--and adding distinctive overlapping vocal patterns, which are sung, shrieked, and hiccupped in three languages and made-up dadaistic slang. More than 20 years on, it still sounds fresh. It's edifying to hear a track like "Ü," with its elastic aggression, cheeky, monkeylike squeaks, and punky-tough guitars, and realize it was recorded by four young Swiss women in 1978, not last week by Le Tigre. Liliput's later material is more deliberately artsy, adding "avant-tribal" influences and more expansive instrumental passages, but it's equally intriguing. For art-punk historians and adventurous pop fans, The Complete Recordings is as entertaining as it is essential. --Lisa Gidley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gigantic!, May 4, 2001

By 

daibhidh "daibhidh" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Liliput/ Kleenex (Audio CD)

This is a great two-CD collection of Liliput's various incarnations, covering a period from 1978-83, and remains vibrant and punchy all these years later. There are so many good riffs and licks on these albums, and fantastic rhythms, that would-be punksters would do well to listen to this music and pick up some bits. I enjoy their attitude and spritely shrieking; I find I like the assorted yelps, squeaks, grunts, and growls that are peppered through the songs, because they are so well-placed within them, and become integral parts of the songs.

I favor the 65-minute first CD more than the second; it's more bare-bones low-fi grrlpunk, and has track after listenable track. My favorites include "Nighttoad", "Krimi", and "Eisiger Wind" (a truly awesome musical whirlwind). But I also enjoyed tracks like "Ain't you", "Nice" (VERY catchy Deutschepop), "You", "DC-10" (with a gutsy sax part) -- on and on. Very few tracks on CD1 disappoint. I love Marlene Marder's earthy, husky vocals on the early tracks, just oozing bravado; Chrigle Freund is a bit squeaky, but she grew on me; it's part of her charm.

CD2 is longer (71:56 minutes) more New Wavey, artsy, keyboard-and-sax driven, and even maybe a little punk-jazzy (calls to mind a little of the Minutemen). CD2 reflects changes in the band from their earlier stuff. Astrid Spirit picks up the vocals later in this, with a ghostly, high-pitched voice that is well-suited to the material. "Birdy" has this nifty, percussive scratchy violin bit that frames the song and is picked up by the rhythm section. My favorite tracks on CD2 are "Tschik-mo" (a broody, surreal number), "Might is Right" (a sorta psychedelic nightclub kinda piece with a sinister flute), "Ichor" (menacing, mysterious, with dissonant violin riffs again and woodwinds), and "an iron lock somewhere."

Ounce for ounce, I found more songs on the ballsier CD1 enjoyable, but there's enough good stuff on the broodier CD2 to make the whole package well-worth your time. Also, there is excellent material on the band in the sleeve, with comments, history, and the manifold lineups.

This music has aged wonderfully (it doesn't sound at all dated, and when you think of how long ago they did it, it's even more amazing), and is an inspiration (or should be) for guy and grrl musicians everywhere. An alternative to "Alternative" as is packaged today. Thanks heaps to Kill Rock Stars for putting this one together.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A LONG WAIT - BUT SO WORTH IT!, February 16, 2001

By 

amysamm "amysamm" (SF, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Liliput/ Kleenex (Audio CD)

Most of this material was originally issued on Rough Trade in the 1978-1982 period, and had been out of print previously for years.

A few fast facts: 1. The band is known as both Liliput and Kleenex (they started out as Kleenex, but threats of a legal battle with the manufacturer of the tissue product resulted in the official name change to Liliput). 2. They are from Switzerland and many of the songs are in English or German or a bit of both. 3. The band went through many line up changes, but the music remained consistently great.

The music is not easy to explain. Think post-punk, with vocal effects and interplay (where the language was a barrier) that actually transcends language, almost creating a new instrument in itself! The earlier material is more punk, loud, while the later material is more complex, haunting.

These are my favorite songs in the entire world (sigh). Personal favorite is EISIGER WIND, with it's perfect guitar chords, almost funny chorus of "woo woo" and hand claps, but every song is good (honest).

Fans of the DELTA 5, THE SLITS and THE RAINCOATS will not be disappointed. ALso, fans of SLEATER-KINNEY should check this out as an early influence!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Girl punk at its finest, June 4, 2002

By 

Baby Mullet (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Liliput/ Kleenex (Audio CD)

In some ways it's unfair of me to say that any fan of the Raincoats must have this album, since there are a lot of differences between the two bands. However, it's still tempting to argue that LiLiPUT and the Raincoats had more in common than "just" (as though this were a minor thing) creating a female version of punk aggression. What they also share is a late-70s, raw musical minimalism that grew into early-80s, highly experimental, eclectic, melodic, and almost weirdly psychedelic version of punk. I would say however that while the Raincoats were somewhat more successful writers of punk songs in their early years, the stuff that LiLiPUT accomplished in 1981-83 is in many ways superior to late Raincoats. Therefore, somebody who loves the Raincoats first album, but is left cold by their second and third, will perhaps not like LiLiPUT. But fans of the Raincoats later work will be totally stunned by later LiLiPUT songs like BLUE IS ALL IN A RUSH and ETOILE. Anybody who thinks that piano, sax, bongos, and random warbling noises have no place in punk needs to stay away from this band. For those who appreciate the aesthetic broadness that has defined punk since it supposedly died in 1978, definitely get it.