I only have very,very vague memories of the band Half Japanese- and these where neither negative, or positive really. What pulled me into this release was reading the product description on Klanggalerie webpage, and playing the samples there.  And I must say it really topped my expectations- this is classic wonky & unwell songwriting of the classic kind- mixing together often amusing & embittered with life lyrics- with off-kilter, just off-key, and un-harmonically bent music backing- all topped off with an often very British feel & sentiment.

Seemingly Officer! existented on & off from the early 1980s to the early 1990’s- with Mick Hobbs the only constant, he was joined by a revolving line-up that took in the likes of Antoine Gindt, Bill Gilonis(The Work), Daniel Koskowitz(Hellebore), & Patrick Q-Wright. The material on this CD, as its title suggests, is from early on in the band's career. Taking in two releases- 1983’s 8 New Songs & 1985’s Rough. With the twenty tracks each running between a minute & five-minute mark- with a total CD runtime of fifty-nine minutes.

Proceedings open in fine wonky 'n' manic form with the just under a minute of “Join The AA”- which sees clip, clop & bash blend percussion & roughly twanging guitar, all topped with Hobbs vocals which sounds like a speeding Syd Barret. As we move through the disc we come to “Way” with its Off-colour blend of horn & piano fairground pomp, topped with wailing/ pained sing song joint male vocals. Then there’s roughly jigging & earthy folk of “Kalenda Maya”- with droning strings, jointing penny whistle & waving female chanted vocals. Or much latter the snapping percussion, haphazard piano jiving, & wondering male vocals of “Boxers Vs Wrestler”- which from time to time stops for weird spoken word punch-lines.  Really it’s a release that wonders all over the musical map in such haphazard  & wonderful glee.

I must say I was very much taken by Earlier Music, and I think if you enjoy odd & wonky song-writing that liberally darts all over the music map, the you will too. Let's hope Klanggalerie reissue some more of Officer!’s back-catalogue down the line.