Bauhaus - Go Away White

Label: Bauhaus Music
Year: 2008

Mixed feelings on bands who decided to come out of hibernation for the cash grab and then take it a step further by releasing new material. Like, part of me feels that, "hey, by writing and releasing something new, at least that means the reunion tour wasn't a total cash grab, maybe these dudes felt that they still had something important to say". And the other part of me feels like, "you guys have a pretty untouchable legacy of a back catalog, why risk shitting on that by reforming to try and continue with the music you last left off with in your twenties?". Could go either way.
And here it does.
There are a handful of really good songs on this record, and as you should be well aware, a really good Bauhaus song is really, really good. But there are also a couple clunkers as well. Unfortunately. Which shouldn't come as much of a surprise if you believe what they claim; that the entire record was written and recorded over the course of 18 days. Eighteen days isn't all that long to come up with 10 fully fleshed out songs on the spot, so I commend them for managing that feat in and of itself, plus being able to get 6 or 7 corkers in the batch. Supposedly this was knocked out as a series of first takes, which I'm not sure I totally believe (I'm pretty sure even GG Allin overdubbed and went back to retool songs in the studio [that is, when he wasn't recording via jailhouse telephone]), but it makes for a neat story.
The whole reunion aspect of it aside, it's a really strong record that I slept on, and I think most other folks did as well.
And speaking of the reunion. As I am still a spring chicken, vibrant and full of life, I never had the opportunity to see Bauhaus in their original incarnation. So when they reunited in 1998. my wife and I jumped at the chance to see them in San Diego (where we laid our heads at that point) and I'm glad to say it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. They brought the gloomy goods, and they did it with panache. So, bully for Bauhaus, right?

DL