Voight/465 – Slights Still Unspoken

A gem from the bowels of Australia’s post-punk scene, Voight/465 broke out with a hellbent single, “State”/”A Secret West”. The single gained airplay at home and abroad, on John Peel’s show, solidifying some interest in the band. They’d fracture before they even entertained longevity, though, with bassist Lindsay O’Meara making moves to leave for Crime & The City Solution, which featured members from a disbanded Birthday Party. Before they split, they decided to lay down an album that would stand as a document of their time together. The LP, Slights Unspoken was released in limited edition on the small label Unanimous Weld Enunciations.

The band’s sound admittedly owes a debt to several sets of influences. While it’s decidedly in the post-punk spectrum, the band picks at the carcass of Krautrock, toys with glam, and in their debut single finds their way into some psych touches. They find themselves in league with Pere Ubu and have an admitted love for Roxy Music, but there feels like more than a little similarity to Sparks on standout track, “Voices A Drama.” The album is an acerbic mix, and it’s easy to see why fans have long held an affinity for the short-lived band’s works.

Guersson wraps up the band’s debut single, plus their swan song album alongside studio and live bonus cuts, making this probably the most definitive view of the band’s rather short career. This isn’t one that’s going to land on the most essential issues of all time, but its a great romp for those who are interested in the crushed aluminum side of punk’s history or Australia’s backwaters of punk rock. Lots to explore here from a band who were lost without reason, given the amount of talent coursing through their ranks.

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