I've never figured out whether it was being lumped in with the 'Oi!' bands covered so fervently by Garry Bushell back in "Sounds" heyday or because of hailing from the industrial North East rather than the King's Road that seems to have nixed the ANGELIC UPSTARTS' reputation with the archivists, but whatever the reason, you sure as hell don't read enough about their great earlier records these days.
Both the band's two previous albums "Teenage Warning" and "We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place" were excellent efforts, but their third album from 1981, "2,000,000 Voices" remains their finest hour (well, 45 minutes). The band's first album for EMI offshoot Zonophone and the one that should rate far higher in any self-respecting "Essential Punk Albums", it featured arguably the band's classic line-up of Thomas 'Mensi' Mensforth (vocals), guitarist Mond Cowie, bassist Glyn Warren and drummer Decca Wade, the group's first sticksman who'd just returned to the fold before recording started.
If you've never run across the band before, the cover art - featuring a classic image of the 1930's Depression years - should quickly make you realise that the Upstarts were light years away from the standard London-centric cliches of punk. They really were the true Punk from the streets deal and the "2,000,000 Voices" title refers to the number of people registered as unemployed in the UK when the band started making the album. Before long, you'd be able to add another 500,000 to that figure, but that's another story.
The album kicks up the flames via the fierce, raw-throated terrace chant anthem of the title track and as the record develops reminds you that Mensi and co could write intelligent, powerful anthems up there with the best of 'em. The drum-heavy, Glam-style blitzkreig of "Kids On The Street" and the equally crunching Belfast commentary "Last Night Another Soldier" were both Top 75 successes and, along with "Guns For The Afghan Rebels" are the basis of an Upstarts 'Best Of' on their own.
But the band were keen to push into previously uncharted territories, too. "You're Nicked" continues Mensi's criticism of police procedure begun by "The Murder Of Liddle Towers" and is fast and punchy, but also features Dexy's-style sax, while "Ghost Town" is an impressive, Clash-style outing full of Mensi's gritty social realism and further expressive horns. Meanwhile, apart from sounding remarkably fresh, several of the album's tracks pre-empt bands we rate highly today: the gritty insistence of "Mr.Politician" has a tautness Fugazi would be proud of, while the militant reggae of "I Understand" (about the death of young Rastafarian Richard Campbell at Ashford Remand Centre in mysterious circumstances) sounds like the blueprint for Asian Dub Foundation's "Free Satpal Ram."
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These weren't the only risks taken, though. While the band cook throughout ( if you've any doubts of Mond's pedigree as a guitarist try his heroics on "Jimmy" for size), Mensi also supplies the white-hot spoken-word anger of pre-Miner's Strike rant "Heath's Lament" on his own, while he's joined by the long-lost Honey Bane (where are you now?) for the mournful piano and violin set-piece of the closing "I Wish." They're hardly Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson, but the spirit's there and - like the lyrical content of the whole album - shows the Upstarts had as much in common with their fierce Geordie folk tradition as they did Punk's Year Zero tactics.
There's a couple of iffy moments. You can't question the intention behind the folk ballad/ anthem "England" ( a passionate riposte to the NF/ BNP thugs if ever there was), although it sits a bit uncomfortably, while the silly barn-dance hoedown of "Mensi's Marauders" (complete with wince-worthy chicken scratch violin) is the real nadir. Thankfully it's gone soon enough.
Occasional blushes aside, though, "2,000,000 Voices" is surely the most well-observed, intelligent anti-Thatcher tirade thrown up by Punk's second wave. Almost 25 years on from its' initial release it deserves far more respect for its' passion, heart and powerful execution.
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