![]() Because of this dedication to simplification, the two guitarists never step on each other’s toes, complimenting each other rather than overlapping into bombast. Where most post-Hendrix guitarists went for the big effect, Verlaine and Lloyd, on rockers like “Friction” and “See No Evil”, produce sounds that are precise and razor-sharp, like tiny pins. Rather than burying their songs in effects and distortion, Lloyd and Verlaine strove for a return to the “ringing-a-bell” sound of Chuck Berry. The most notable feature about Television’s sound was how clean and sharp the music sounded. More than any other album associated with the ’70s punk scene, Marquee Moon demands immaculate sound quality. The main selling point of this particular remaster is not the uninspired liner notes or the underwhelming bonus tracks, but rather the updated sound. Rhino’s decision to reissue this landmark album in 2003 is a smart financial decision, but does there need to be a new edition of Marquee Moon? Television, it seems, were pretty much exactly 25 years ahead of their time. The underrated rhythm section of Fred Smith and Billy Ficca played with a precise syncopation that influenced the arrival of countless post-punk and new wave acts. The sparkling clean and precise guitars of Verlaine and Richard Lloyd manage to imbue a simplicity and directness to their multi-part songs and epic solos, allowing the band to preserve their punk spirit while pursuing a thoroughly un-punk muse. A quick look at M2’s Subterranean will show that the rock quasi-underground of today would not exist without Television. The jaded yet somehow impassioned cynicism of Tom Verlaine’s vocals and Romantic poetry inspired lyrics have become the model for a whole army of modern day New York bands. Anyone with a remote interest in punk rock, the modern day garage revival or just straight-ahead no frills rock and roll needs Marquee Moon in their album collection. There is no need to argue the importance of Television’s debut album, Marquee Moon. ![]()
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