Michael Blair & Joe Bucciero (Bloomsbury)
Included in the latest round of additions to the 33⅓ book series – compact volumes dedicated to albums, be they classic, underappreciated or maligned – is Colossal Youth, the sole studio LP by early-80s postpunk/proto-indie trio Young Marble Giants. It’s relevant to Buzz by virtue of their Cardiff origins (they moved to London in the latter stages of their brief career), which Blair and Bucciero, both Americans, make a game attempt at socially contextualising. Their peers of the time amidst the Rough Trade Records scene are also discussed, and their minimal, ghostly sound viewed through a gender prism. The writers’ tendency towards dry prose, footnotes and wordcount-stretching tangents makes matters feel a bit dissertation-y at times, but fans of this album – and it is a great one – should find something to chew on here.
Price: £8.99. Info: www.333sound.com (NG)