Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain found The Raincoats’ can-do, English art school playfulness as invigorating as Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon did their dismissal of gender stereotypes. Nominally still under punk’s umbrella, The Raincoats’ second album, from 1980, featured then forbidden art rock drummers Robert Wyatt and This Heat’s Charles Hayward, betraying wider influences.
Tempos and moods mutate mid-stream. Instruments shift from rhythm to lead at will. Barrier breaking Seventies feminist theory is made flesh. Songs stretch and compress in breathless conversational patterns, like someone’s thrilling undergrad big sister in punk trousers, back briefly from London, and telling you all about the world.
A classic.
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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John Robins, Comedian
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Stuart, Chortle
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Brighton Argus
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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World Without End, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter