Rarely has a new album been so eagerly awaited as Citizen Zombie by The Pop Group. These godfathers of the punk funk enjoyed growing legendary status in the thirty years that they ceased to exist. The Pop Group sprang up from the Bristol punk scene in 1977 but mostly loved punk conventions on three albums offering an almost cacophonic mix of punk, funk, dub, free jazz and chanted left-wing slogans.
In 1981 the group broke up and the members spread into more accessible bands like Rip Rig + Panic, Maximum Joy and Mark Stewart & The Maffia. First reunion gigs date back to 2010. Fan and producer Paul Epworth (Adele, U2, Coldplay) eventually entered the studio with four original members including singer Mark Stewart. The result sounds like The Pop Group of yesteryear, but this time well recorded and somewhat brought in line by Epworth. Stewart screams, crows and scratches his political lyrics as usual, but is assisted in this by a neat ladies' choir. The music is still erratic but the original anarchy has been curbed. (MR)more
