Grapthar's Song of the Day: Buzzcocks 'E.S.P.'

grapthar (74)in #music • 6 years ago

Buzzcocks - E.S.P.

Buzzcocks are another legendary

band in the initial British Punk scene. Formed in 1976 by Pete Shelly and Howard Devoto, they wrote songs that embraced the intensity of punk rock, but also the complex songwriting of '60s rock and roll, to create a sound that would garner them a reasonable level of mainstream success, and establish them as one of the most influential bands of the era. They avoided a lot of the cliches that became typical amongst British punk, always striving for something more artistic and original.

Listen to E.S.P. by Buzzcocks here.

This song appeared on their 1978

album Love Bites, which is probably my favorite album of theirs. It has some of their catchiest, most interesting tunes, including Love is Lies and Sixteen Again, however, this one rises to the top for me. I love the opening guitar riff, and how they alter the harmonies beneath it throughout the song, to maintain some continuity but also keep things interesting. On the original release, it was the 2nd to last song, giving really great closure to the album.