Ah! Mission of Burma! The oldest band I saw last Saturday. It seems like what brings all three bands together is that all reached their prime way past when they should have. The Lips formed in 1983- taking them 16 years to record their masterpiece. Yo La Tengo formed a year later, recording their best album 13 years in the business. It's a little different with Mission of Burma. They were initially around from 1979 - 1983, in that time releasing only 1 album and an EP. However they reunited in 2002, and since have recorded two new albums, both of which are surprisingly as good as their initial material.
My introduction to this band was an opening slot for the Pixies during one of their 2004 reunion shows. I was just getting into post-punk during that period, so I instantly loved the band. One of the live highlights, "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" comes from their first EP Signals, Calls, and Marches. Though brief, it's one of my favorite post-punk records. The Burmanites in the crowd went crazy for this track, with a circle pit and fist pumping to the extent where it may just as well have been 1981. It felt as everyone was chanting along to the chorus...even those who were hearing the song for the first time.
Mission of Burma - That's When I Reach for My Revolver
"Once I had my heroes
Once I had my dream
But all of that is changed now
They've turned things inside out
The truth is not that comfortable, no
And mother taught us patience
The virtues of restraint
And father taught us boundaries
Beyond which we must go
To find the secrets promised us, yeah
That's when I reach for my revolver
That's when it all gets blown away
That's when I reach for my revolver
The spirit fights to find its way
A friend of mine once told me
His one and only aim
To build a giant castle
And live inside his name
Cry and whispers sing in muted pain
That's when I reach for my revolver
That's when it all gets blown away
That's when I reach for my revolver
The spirit fights to find its way
Tonight the sky is empty
But that is nothing new
Its dead eyes look upon us
And they tell me
We're nothing
But slaves (That's when I reach for my revolver)
Just slaves (That's when I reach for my revolver)"
(unfortunately my pictures of the drummer sucked)
A Live Performance:
Mission of Burma - Signals, Calls, and Marches @ Amazon.com
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