Remnant Three - A Gentle Collapsing

Release date: September 13, 2024

Signposts: The Cure, Joy Division, Factory Records. Recorded over three decades ago but unreleased until now, A Gentle Collapsing is the definitive recording of the post-punk trio Remnant Three. Named from lyrics to “The Overload” by Talking Heads – the dark album closer to 1980’s Remain In Light – A Gentle Collapsing works in and out of the shadowy lines of 1980s post-punk, with a greater emphasis on fashioning a distinctive atmosphere and architecture for its songs of prolonged detachment and ephemeral joy.

Words On Music first heard Remnant Three’s unreleased songs via cassettes exchanged more than 30 years ago. During the interim, the Minneapolis-based label released multiple seminal 1980s post-punk albums from London’s The Lucy Show and Nebraska's For Against. At the turn of the century, the neophyte label approached the long-defunct group to issue their fascinating album. Remnant Three agreed provided the Fostex 8-track reel-to-reel source tapes could be properly restored to present the songs in their originally intended form.

Self-taught on their instruments for only two years before initiating these recordings, Remnant Three were nonetheless perfectionists. The craftsmanship found on these original recordings reflects the darker side of the post-punk sound of the late 70s early 80s.

“The Gilded Infancy” launches the record with sporadic industrial noises coating dual basslines through the song’s four verses, diagramming a lineage to The Cure’s 17 Seconds.

Remnant Three’s deceptively intricate songwriting methods are effortlessly displayed on “Permanent.” Tom-tom drumming recalling Joy Division’s Stephen Morris serves as a nonlinear counterpoint to the angular bass, with each instrument gradually delving into more complex circular loops.

“The Predicant” occupies some of the territory explored by Spacemen 3 as Remnant Three experiments with backwards vocal tape echo while pairing hypnotic drumming with thunderous piano strikes.

Remnant Three saves its sonically darkest moments for the end – the epic ‘M.L.’ The opening five-plus minutes fits quite snugly with turn-of-the-decade Factory Records – steeped in atmosphere from the opening analog-delayed ambient guitar notes, punctuated yet brooding bass, rumbling drums, and an austere lyrical palette.

Archly principled to this day, Remnant Three – now well into their 50s – remains doctrinaire that of paramount importance for art is the what – the finished project – not the who and the where. The music and the songs are indeed beautiful, haunting remnants of a scene collectively captured by young musicians decades ago that transcend their individual biographies. Remnant Three believes attaching names and geography is limiting and that their story is best told through their words and music.

Track List:

1. The Gilded Infancy
2. Permanent
3. Anomie
4. The Predicant
5. Words Are Fading
6. Uncertain of Fire
7. A Cold Removal
8. ‘M.L.’