Trans:Com has re-released one of its most treasured things; the long deleted, only ever previously released on cassette, and debut (and in the end final) album from Brisbane’s BLOOD PARTY – “Rock n Roll Psychology” – with bonus tracks from Trans:Com compilations and promos, and even some very early but very wonderful demos.
Who were the Blood Party, and why are they such a critical stitch in the fabric of Brisbane electronic/alternative music? Allow us to paraphrase another of our excellent peers; Ostia’s own Amps…
“The impact, diversity and importance of the alternative music movement that simmered in Queensland’s capital from the late 80’s to the mid-90’s cannot be under-estimated. I was captivated by The Blood Party’s live performance; and particularly by their enigmatic singer, Julie Kavanagh. Julie delivered an intense performance, whilst the band pumped out an exhilarating mix of pop hooks and danceable beats that set them light-years apart from the guitar-based bands that, whilst often brilliant, dominated the scene at the time. But… The Blood Party had us all fooled…

The elegant synths, memorable melodies and effervescent beats belied something darker and more visceral. Julie’s lyrical exertions were often akin to catharsis; an exorcism of discomfort and assorted hurts, and whilst her fraught and fractured lyrics took a backseat in the band’s more instrumental works (try “Mud Pool Goddess” for starters), beneath the upbeat lustre of the melodies, there still lurked something more primal… a clarion call to stifled feminism, freedom and liberty.”
Beautifully remastered by Andy Bagley from the original recordings by James Clark, the new digital rerelease features the original 7-track album, 3 rare compilation tracks, and 4 of the band’s original pre-Evidence demo recordings.
An exclusive numbered run of 100 deluxe CD editions is available; specially packaged (you an choose a pink or purple case) with a 20-page booklet featuring photography by Kylie Crane. The first 25 CDs sold will also include a highly-collectable copy of the original tape. This special edition pays homage to the original ultra-rare ‘Partypack’.
This re-release is a joy for us, and its been too long in coming. The 90’s was a time of great origination in Brisbane, when our electronic music culture grew from nothing, and these recordings from Blood Party are an absolutely essential part of that story.
Trans:Com 