LogFAQs > #956353916

99. Pigbag Papas Got a Brand New Pigbag (1981)
non-album single

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omYKI8RJaIg

Dance-punk is an odd genre to discuss. The names that usually come to mind, such as LCD Soundsystem or The Rapture, would perhaps be better labelled as dance-punk revivalists. At the same time, the name might as well be a retronym. The stray tracks that make up the early hits in the genre feel more like one-offs than a unified sound prominent post-punk bands like Gang of Four and The Clash simply strayed close to dance music occasionally, while bands more explicitly committed to the style like ESG and Liquid Liquid never had more than a few hits. As such, a song like Papas Got a Brand New Pigbag gained new meaning over time. Like Bellbottoms, it merges half a dozen stray sonic elements. However, you can see connective tissue stretching between Pigbag and so many odd future acts.

Papas Got a Brand New Pigbag is far more than just dance and punk. This is a track dominated by conga drums and ska-style horns. Though it frequently returns to the same definitive riff, there are also several breakdowns and unpredictable turns. The sax and horns occasionally skitter around each other, creating a riotous discord. Linking this all together is one of the grooviest basslines in rock. In fact, its link to punk might be the most tenuous element of its existence. But even as a pure instrumental, this rocks the DIY aesthetic, its chaotic patterns suggesting a group who simply picked up a bunch of instruments without too much practice and went all out.

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My top 100 games (with write-ups): https://foolfantastic.com/top-100-video-games-project/