Gyrate (album)

Gyrate is the debut studio album by American rock band Pylon, released in 1980 by record label DB.

Gyrate
Studio album by Pylon
Released	1980
Genre	New wave post-punk^[1]
Label	DB
Producer	Bruce Baxter Kevin Dunn Pylon
Pylon chronology
Gyrate (1980) Chomp (1983)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
Pitchfork	8.8/10^[3]
Rolling Stone	^[4]
Tiny Mix Tapes	^[5]

In a 1981 Trouser Press Review of Gyrate, Jon Young noted the album had "forceful rhythms and a kooky aura...jagged broken-glass textures and earnestly overbearing lyrics." He said the band has a "nervous, paranoid vibe," similar to the early Talking Heads. Young concludes, "Pylon prods and prods and prods."^[6]

Track listing

• All songs written and arranged by Pylon, except where noted (Current Copyright: Pylon Music Two / Administered by BMG Bumblebee (BMI)^[7]

Side A

1. "Volume" – 4:10
2. "Feast on My Heart" – 3:28 (Pylon, with additional lyrics by Craig Woodall)
3. "Precaution" – 2:45
4. "Weather Radio" – 2:08
5. "The Human Body" – 3:00
6. "Read a Book" – 1:55

Side B

1. "Driving School" – 3:47†
2. "Gravity" – 2:31
3. "Danger" – 5:32
4. "Working Is No Problem" – 3:24
5. "Stop It" – 2:59

† The original DB Records pressing of the LP in 1980 opened with the tune "Driving School" on Side B; The 1988 DB Records reissue removed the song, replacing it with "Recent Title". Later reissue versions, such as the CD below, featured both tunes.

Gyrate Plus – 2007 reissue

1. "Cool" – 3:21
2. "Dub" – 4:42
3. "Volume" – 4:17
4. "Feast on My Heart" – 3:34
5. "Precaution" – 2:52
6. "Weather Radio" – 2:15
7. "Human Body" – 3:07
8. "Read a Book" – 2:00
9. "Driving School" – 3:54
10. "Recent Title" – 2:27
11. "Gravity" – 2:39
12. "Danger" – 5:39
13. "Working Is No Problem" – 3:32
14. "Stop It" – 3:05
15. "Danger!!" – 5:40
16. "Functionality" – 4:29

• Tracks 1 and 2 are from the "Cool"/"Dub" single released in 1979; tracks 3 to 14 from Gyrate; track 15 from 10-inch 45 RPM released in UK and as a 12-inch EP in the US and Italy in 1980; track 16 is a studio demo previously unreleased.

Gyrate (Remastered) – 2020 reissue
Side A

1. ”Volume” - 4:10
2. ”Feast” - On My Heart 3:28
3. ”Precaution” - 2:45
4. ”Weather Radio” - 2:08
5. ”The Human Body” - 3:00
6. ”Read A Book” - 1:55

Side B

1. ”Driving School” - 3:47
2. ”Gravity” - 2:31
3. ”Danger” - 5:32
4. ”Working Is No Problem” - 3:24
5. ”Stop It” - 2:59

• Remastered from the original tapes and reissued by New West Records in 2020 on vinyl, CD and digital. Also, part of ‘Box’— a definitive Boxset of Pylon’s early output. ^[8]

Personnel

• Vanessa Ellison – vocals
• Randy Bewley – guitar
• Michael Lachowski – bass
• Curtis Crowe – drums

References

1. "The 50 Best New Wave Albums". Paste. 30 August 2016.
2. Mason, Stewart. "Gyrate – Pylon | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
3. Bowers, William (November 28, 2007). "Pylon: Gyrate Plus Album Review | Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
4. Christgau, Robert (December 13, 2007). "Debut from Eighties Dance-Rock Band Who Taught R.E.M. a Thing or Two". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
5. "Pylon – Pylon | Music Review". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
6. Young, Jon (April 1981). "Hit and Run". Trouser Press. Vol. 8, no. 2. New York. p. 51. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
7. https://www.discogs.com/release/21465673-Pylon-Gyrate
8. https://www.discogs.com/release/21465673-Pylon-Gyrate

External links

• Gyrate at Discogs (list of releases)