more from
Chapter Music
We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Palimpsest

by Essendon Airport

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $15 AUD  or more

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    2CD compact disc with clear plastic inlay.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Palimpsest via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 5 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      $16 AUD or more 

     

1.
2.
No Quarter 03:17
3.
Re-Funkt 04:15
4.
5.
Jig 04:07
6.
Like Young 04:29
7.
Trad Jazz 01:24
8.
9.
10.
Beguine 04:15
11.
12.
13.
14.
Happy Ending 02:41
15.
16.
B52 02:57
17.
Thirds 03:07
18.
19.
Seven 02:54
20.
21.
22.
Aversion 04:22
23.
Playschool 02:24
24.
Oi 1234 03:54
25.
26.
Martial Art 04:19
27.
28.
Bland 03:48
29.
30.
31.
32.

about

In 2011, Chapter released a 30th anniversary reissue of Palimpsest, the one and only album by Melbourne post-punk icons Essendon Airport. Recorded in December 1981, Palimpsest is reborn as a double disc CD package with a bonus CD of live and unreleased studio recordings spanning 1980-83.

Formed in 1978 as a minimalist duo of guitarist Robert Goodge and keyboardist David Chesworth, Essendon Airport released their landmark 7” EP Sonic Investigations Of the Trivial on Chesworth’s Innocent Records in 1979. Chapter Music reissued Sonic Investigations way back in 2002, as a CD including second single Talking To Cleopatra (with vocalist Anne Cessna) and a raft of bonus tracks.

Originally gentle and inquisitive, with beats supplied by a drum machine built from plans printed in an electronics magazine, Essendon Airport began to expand after Sonic Investigations and explore the possibilities of rhythm. First came classically-untrained drummer Paul Fletcher, and then saxophonist Ian Cox, to form the four piece lineup heard on Palimpsest. With its dryly intoned vocals, flailing polyrhythms and a post-modern fascination with appropriation and quotation, the album is an eccentric post-punk classic. The album title Palimpsest, means “a manuscript page on which faded text has been written over with new texts”, while the original liner notes state “all” “songs” “written” “and” “produced” “by” “Essendon Airport”.

After Palimpsest, Essendon Airport added bassist Barbara Hogarth and grew to become one of inner city Melbourne’s premiere live attractions. Creative differences, however, saw them disband in 1983, with Cox, Goodge and Hogarth forming I’m Talking that same year with singer Kate Ceberano.

The bonus Live+More disc (from track 15 onwards) collates 18 recordings, chronologically, from the duo period, the four-piece Palimpsest period through to the impressively muscular and previously undocumented five-piece lineup. The 5-piece with Hogarth on bass can be heard from Martial Art (track 26) onwards. The last songs were taken from their final live-to-air performance at The Crystal Ballroom broadcast on 3RRR Radio in 1983.

The original 1982 vinyl version of Palimpsest was presented in a screen-printed plastic cover, and this has been faithfully replicated in 2011 as a nifty clear plastic overlay.

credits

released August 27, 2011

Robert Goodge - Guitar
David Chesworth - keyboards, synth bass, vocals
Ian Cox - saxophones
Paul Fletcher - drums
Barbara Hogarth - bass guitar

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

David Chesworth Melbourne, Australia

While I'm not into genres myself, according to others I make experimental, electronic, post-punk, minimal synth-pop, post-classical, field recordings and experimental opera. Some of this may interest you, some may not.

contact / help

Contact David Chesworth

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Palimpsest, you may also like: