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X Ray Spex had a brief reunion in the mid 90's and released an album, Conscious Consumer, which was pretty rubbish in comparison to Germ Free Adolescents. Even so, some of the tracks are amazing, if only for Poly's lyrics comparing eating beef to cannibalism, and abattoirs to Nazi gas chambers. The band's comeback ground to a halt when Poly got run over by a fire engine in central London.
X Ray Spex - Peace Meals
X Ray Spex - Dog in Sweden
This is a very belated RIP for Poly Styrene, who died last month. Most of the obituaries were published alongside photographs of her as a 17 year old and that's most likely the image that will fix in peoples minds, the girl with the braces who screamed oh bondage up yours! But she was such an interesting pop star and there was so much more to her than that. It would be shame to forget about post punk Poly, earth mother Poly, Hare Krishna Poly and Black Christmas Poly.
Her 1980 folk/calypso/reggae tinged album 'Translucence' was an unlikely follow up to the brash punk of 'Germ Free Adolescents'. The songs are a mixture of vitriol and syrup, but the vitriol is mostly in the lyrics. Poly's vocals are the best bit, heartbreakingly beautiful and she doesn't shriek once.
Poly Styrene - Dreaming
Poly Styrene - Toytown
