Resting somewhere between classic rock and new wave, Television's 1977 debut Marquee Moon played a crucial part in shaping the sound of the still-nascent post-punk movement. At the time of its release, Joy Division was in the midst of cleaning up their sound somewhere in Manchester, and the convention-challenging act Sex Pistols would not release Never Mind the Bollocks for almost another year. Television was one of the first -- and most important -- punk acts of the 1970s, having formed at the scene's very inception.
Even if Television is widely identified as a punk band, however, they didn't really fit the ethic. In contrast to the dogmatic amateurism of colleagues such as the Ramones or Sex Pistols, Television flaunted their technical chops with virtuoso guitar lines and intricate songwriting. Throughout each of Marquee Moon's eight tracks, frontman Tom Verlaine's guitar sets the song's groundwork with spacey and highly impressionistic guitar work, while his counterpart Richard Lloyd pounds out immaculate, superhumanly precise solos. As a team, these dueling guitarists brought out the best in one another and created music that was revolutionary in its day and still sounds fresh to modern ears.
So forget the historical context of Marquee Moon -- what really makes this album a stone-cold classic is the timeless guitar work. Simply put, Marquee Moon is a collection of the eight greatest Guitar Hero songs that have yet to be licensed by RedOctane (excluding "Stairway to Heaven"). The fantastic interplay between Verlaine and Lloyd simply cannot be understated, nor can the fist-pounding awesomeness of their music. Just listen to full-on rave-ups such as "See No Evil" or "Friction" for evidence -- it's nigh impossible to chart the ebb and flow of the guitar work on these songs. This complexity serves to enhance the songs' driving force rather than obfuscating it.
The effect of these guitars is greatly complemented by the album's production, which is crisp, simple and unfettered. Marquee Moon is an album of economy and precision, bursting with guitar hooks that are complex but rarely indulgent. Bassist Fred Smith and drummer Billy Ficca deserve a lot of credit as well -- while guitar work is clearly the cornerstone of Television's sound, these two musicians provide perfect accents to the guitar lines with simple, effective bass flares and supple drum fills. Verlaine's elliptical songwriting also fits perfectly with Television's intricate guitar work. His impressionistic, pseudo-poetic lyrics and nasally vocals may irritate some listeners, but they are refreshing elements of humanity and imperfection in an album that is otherwise immaculate and precise.
Perhaps Marquee Moon doesn't sound quite as original as it might have in 1977. Up-and-coming post-punk revivalists continue to rip off Television's double-guitar attack, and as a movement, punk has somehow devolved into thinly concealed boy bands like Fall Out Boy and Panic! at the Disco. After a little over 30 years, however, Marquee Moon still sounds bold and fresh. Television wrote music that doesn't need context or history to appreciate. They simply wrote great songs with some of the greatest guitar work of all time to complement it. Or perhaps cultural relevance is important -- all the album needs now is an endorsement in the next Guitar Hero. 3
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