The band's second album co-produced with Daniel Lanois in which Stockhausen collides with punk funk in an aural collage of rhythm and found sound-includes three bonus tracks.

12 MP3 Songs
POP: New Wave, ROCK: Adult Alternative Pop/Rock

Details:
Martha and the Muffins emerged from the early punk/new wave/art pop scene in 1977 which was centered around various clubs along Toronto's Queen Street West and the Ontario College of Art, where several members of the band were students. The band was signed by Virgin Records UK and recorded their first album, Metro Music at The Manor near Oxford, England in 1979. After Echo Beach became a top ten single around the world in 1980 MatM toured extensively in Britain, Europe and North America.

Since then, the band has released seven studio albums internationally, three of which were co-produced with Daniel Lanois (U2, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel). In 1983, lead vocalist Martha Johnson and guitarist Mark Gane pared the band down to a duo and briefly changed the name to M+M. Combining sonic textures and art funk in their dance single Black Stations/White Stations, the song reached 2 in Billboard's Dance Chart in 1984.

Martha and Mark spent much of the '90's scoring music for various television and film projects. The birth of their daughter in 1992, inspired Martha to write and record an album of original children's music, Songs From The Tree House which won the 1996 Juno Award for Best Children's Album.

Over the last few years, EMI Canada has reissued several MatM albums on CD, including Metro Music, This Is The Ice Age and the CD compilation Then Again - A Retrospective. In keeping with Martha and Markâs plan to make the remaining original albums available on CD, they have reissued their 1983 album, Danseparc on their own label, Muffin Music, with plans to reissue other albums in the back catalogue in the future.

MatM are nearing the completion of their long-awaited album, Delicate, the first new release in 16 years, scheduled for release in late 2008.

Danseparc

After 25 years since its original release in 1983, the wait for the reissue of Danseparc is over! Stockhausen collides with punk funk in an aural collage of rhythm and found sound as one of the most sought after MatM recordings is reissued on the 25th anniversary of its 1983 debut on vinyl. The second of three albums co-produced with Daniel Lanois with a guest appearance from John Oswald of Plunderphonics fame on alto sax, Danseparc received rave reviews from music critics when it first came out. Includes Obedience, World Without Borders, Walking Into Walls, Danseparc, Sins Of Children, Several Styles Of Blonde Girls Dancing, Boys In The Bushes, What People Do For Fun and Whatever Happened To Radio Valve Road?

3 additional bonus tracks are included - the original extended dance version of Danseparc, These Dangerous Machines and a live version of Sins Of Children from MatMâs performance at Ontario Place in 1983 featuring avant-guitarist Michael Brook. The 16 page booklet includes lyrics, never seen before photos and video stills.


What the critics say about Danseparc...


"Danseparcâ¦is an impressive attempt to put full-fledged philosophical concepts into a popular music form, and a giant step forward for the band that has continually proved itself one of the most forward thinking in Canadian pop music."

- Liam Lacey, GLOBE AND MAIL, February 26, 1983


ââ¦three dimensional, rich, full of wonder."

- Graham Hicks, THE RECORD, Feb. 28, 1983


"â¦the wit of Martha Johnson's lyrics in Obedience and What People Do For Fun and the complex, but irrepressibly rhythmic music make this another step forward for a band unwilling to settle for mediocrity."

- Paul Benedetti, THE SPECTATOR, March 4, 1983


"â¦Danseparcâ¦is simply one of the most satisfying albums of the yearâ¦From the evocative, Vaseline-lens treatment of the title cut to Walking Into Walls' classic '80s dialogue to Johnson's wry commentary on What People Do For Fun, the group addresses rarely-mined contemporary topics with disarming precision and unassailable musicality."

- Alan Kellogg, EDMONTON JOURNAL, April 7, 1983


âThis newfound self-assuredness has given a sensual edge to the bandâs post-punk wittiness."

- John House, VANITY FAIR, May 1983


âEvery once in a while an album is released that is void of pretense, sparked with an effervescent originality, injected with real power, true emotion and sarcastic intelligence, bursting at its seams with thumping atomic energyâ¦Danseparcâ¦is such an album."

- Gorman Belhard, WATERBURY AMERICAN, June 9, 1983


âBut this is still Martha Johnsonâs show, even when the songs are not, and itâs her personality reflected off the others that gives Danseparc the sort of sexual spark the Au Pairs could only theorize."

- J.D. Considine, MUSICIAN MAGAZINE, July 1983


âThe key to Martha and the Muffins still lies in Martha Johnsonâs and Mark Ganeâs ability to pen probing lyrics which sound like Carl Jung applying his thoughtful eyes to the secret emotional life of city dwellers in the western world."

- James Muretich, CALGARY HERALD, July 25, 1983


âDanseparcâ¦manages to handily balance a playful sense of adventure with unforced pop naivete and retain the bandâs unique vitalityâ¦like XTC, these nimble Canadians demonstrate that an irreverent intelligence neednât disqualify one from playing in the major leagues."

- Lou Stathis, MUSIC AND SOUND OUTPUT, Aug. 1983


âPlenty of great noise abounding here, especially on the aptly titled âObedienceâ and the bongo-driven âBoys In The Bushesââ¦âI am using you, am I amusing you?â, coos the cucumberly Ms. Martha while keyboards swirl, guitars scratch and guest saxophones wail all around..."

- CREEM MAGAZINE, Sept. 1983

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