The documentary “The Ballad Of Genesis & Lady Jaye” hits theaters in New York in limited release this weekend. It’s an utterly fascinating and bizarre (sometimes queasy) look at identity and pandrogny (review later this week) that happens to center around seminal experimental music figure Genesis P-Orridge, of atonal, industrial noisemakers Throbbing Gristle, who went on to form the still-experimental, but more palatable Psychic TV.
The soundtrack album from Sweet Nothing Records hits on March 12th. And while this writer can’t claim to be any kind of Psychic TV expert — their discography has more than 33 studio albums ranging as far back as 1982, plus over 40 live albums — one thing this soundtrack album reminds us is that for all their sonic collages, spoken word pieces and multi-media-collective and dada-ist leanings they could bust out a lovely, psychedelic tune in the vein of the Velvet Underground (or more recent example Spaceman 3) if and so they chose, and the latter half of the soundtrack is deep evidence of such.
While deep P-Orridge fans will likely scoff at this sort-of quasi greatest hits, it’s not a bad entry point for the sweeter side of the band. Two Thee Majesty tracks — P-Orridge’s spoken word band — are also included.
01. "Coucou" – Unknown
02. "I Love You I Know" Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Lady J, Bryin Dall, Alice Genese, Psychic TV / PTV3
03. "BB" – Psychic TV / PTV3
04. "I Am Making A Mirror" – Psychic TV / PTV3
05. "Milk Baba" – Psychic TV / PTV3
06. "Maybe It Smells Good or Bad" – Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Bryin Dall
07. "Boys are Girls and Girls are Boys" – Psychic TV / PTV3
08. "The Truth" – Thee Majesty
09. "Wisdom" – Thee Majesty
10. "The Final War (Bleak Box Mix)" – Lady Jaye, Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Bryin Dall, Derek Rush
11. "Soul Searching" – Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Derek Rush
12. "White Nights" – Psychic Tv
13. "Mother Jack (A Children's Story)" – Psychic Tv
14. "New York Story" – Psychic TV / PTV3
15. "Alien Brain (Edit)" – Psychic TV / PTV3
16. "Kiss Me (Maggot Brain) (Edit)" – Psychic TV / PTV3
17. "The Thin Garden" – PsychicTV / PTV3
18. "Demilitarized Ozone (Edit)" – Tony Conrad, Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Edley ODowd
19. "The Orchids" – Psychic TV
