In the spirit of the DIY Manchester scene that Jason Boardman has been part of for decades, the compilation No-Ones Listening Anyway showcases overlooked post-punk records from the early 1980s that never quite made it into the mainstream.
Boardman, known for running the Aficionado label alongside Moonboots as well as his own recently established Before I Die label, demonstrates his skill in curating sub-themes reminiscent of his DJ sets. No-Ones Listening Anyway features elements of funk, sharp bass lines, and ventures into brass-driven territories—adding new textures that pushed the boundaries of what post-punk became by the mid-’80s.
There are subtle 2 Tone influences on Coventry band Skeet’s opener »Avril In The Alps«, and ska reappears with full force on the saxophone-led track by Club Of Rome. Saxophone riffs intensify the feverish toms on »Inanimate Objects«, while the trumpet solo in »Arty Fact« rips through with raw energy.
Meanwhile, the horn stabs in »Call Me Honey« could easily be mistaken for samples lifted straight from a disco track of the time. Written by Swamp Children—featuring three members of A Certain Ratio—the first fifty seconds borrow heavily from Brazilian jazz-funk trio Azymuth’s »Partido Alto«, before giving way to disco rhythms and wailing vocals that shift the vibe entirely.
Sheffield’s Cabaret Voltaire engineered the abstract »Train Dub« by Surface Mutants. Other highlights include the punk-funk pulse of »Psalm Fifty Seven« and Cathy La Crème’s ode to John Cooper Clarke.
The final tracks—APB’s anthemic »Help Yourself« and the snarling »Cruise Missile Blues«—round off this deep dive into post-punk gems that truly deserve a place in your record collection.
