Here's an original review back in 1981, for this their second album: 'With animated gestures of disdain Eyeless In Gaza can answer detractors who dismissed their debut LP, Photographs As Memories, as a precious exercise in the art of self-indulgence. Caught In Flux, the band's second offering of the year, is a measure of progress, and though there's still room for growth some mark of maturity has undoubtedly been forged. Caught In Flux a package which includes an additional 'free' 12" Eyeless sampler, The Eyes Of Beautiful Losers is a piercing, poison jab into the blood-stream of rock music's lazy limbs. Radical but clear, Eyeless set the examples for others to follow by eradicating standard rock structures and starting out from now tangents. Accessible experimentalists whose work roughly moulds fresh shapes of things to come, they don't seek to advance or change rock. They seek to destroy it completely. Their alternative is to present frail labyrinth of subtle sound, a strange menagerie of modern mood music that holds melody, has poise and a lot of style. All of which is enhanced by Martyn Bates' distinctive vocals which are as versatile as they are uniquely employed. Whether crooning along to some reflective ballad or spitting out some punchy polemic, Bates' alluring voice is an awesome focus of attention. But Caught In Flux is most specifically an introspective LP, a thoughtful compilation of new songs and sound patterns, skilfully patched together and performed. It's meditative music for active minds, an exciting vision of a brave new whirl. Eyeless... but not blind!' |