Hear Cult Minimal Wavers The Metronomes Interpret CSNY’s Hippie Anthem “Almost Cut My Hair”

New reissue label Nice Noise who are set to release a retrospective from legendary Melbourne minimal wave trio the Metronomes just slipped us an old recording of the band doing a set of covers.

Originally recorded for an EP to be called The Metronomes Play Their Favourites - where they each chose a favourite song for the band to cover - the selections highlight their experimental synth sound and include Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s “Almost Cut My Hair”, “Psychotic Reaction” from 60s Californian garage rockers the Count Five and a very synth take on Larry Williams 1957 single “Bony Maronie”.

Co-founded in 1979 by Al Webb (Streetlife) and Andrew Picouleau (Secret Police, Sacred Cowboys) and including Ash Wednesday (JAB, Models, CRASHLAND!) the Metronomes released a couple of singles and three albums

The Nice Noise reissue, The Metronomes: Time Keeping 1978-1985 will be the label’s debut release.

The label, a sub-imprint for Melbourne label Dual Planet run by James Pianta and also includes It Records’ Kate Reid and NUN’s Jenny Branagan, is devoted to “1980s post-punk electronics and minimal synth from Australia.”

As Reid told us, “The Metronomes are a world-class band but they are better known in Europe than Australia, even in this time when so many people are really interested in minimal wave/ synth and darker 80's electro stuff. A lot of people who I really expected to know them didn't. I have been really surprised. So my hope for this comp is that it exposes them to a whole new audience, an audience that is pretty much waiting to hear them.”

Nice Noise launch the label and "The Metronomes: Time Keeping 1979-1985" in Melbourne at the Tote on Friday November 14 with performances by Nun, Miles Brown, Taipan Tiger Girls and Vacuum.