Contortions, Buy Contortions (side A)

Contortions are remembered as having been a radical band, in part because of James Chance's outrageous live performances.  On their 1979 debut Buy Contortions, some of the radicalism comes through, in Chance's jittery saxophone and in the often noisy guitar playing.  Other elements of Buy Contortions are almost excessively clean, and the juxtaposition is certainly interesting.  The recording is consistently sterile, with the saxophone and bass sounding almost weak.  The drums play precise and competent disco beats, and the bass often follows them.  The suggestive cover is certainly extreme, but it does not feel radical by today's standards—the photo and design are (ironically, given the content) quite tasteful.