Formed in Rochester, NY in 1976, New Math opened for the likes of the
Ramones, Pretenders, The Cramps, The Psychedelic Furs, The Damned,
and The Gun Club at now-extinct local clubs - Offering up an endless
supply of ascending guitar lines and catchy hooks of amphetaminefueled power pop
With ease, the band produced charming, should've- been hits like the adrenaline
rush of "The Restless Kind," the two- tone English Beat- inspired "Older Women,"
and of course the hyper-melodic anthem "Die Trying." The latter was produced by
Howard Thompson, who was known for working with John Cale and the
Psychedelic Furs. It was first released on Reliable Records in 1979 and then rereleased on CBS in England with the same B- side "Angela," a take on '60s girl
groups that juxtaposed its innocent pop leaning with a tragic story. "Die Trying"
did receive some airplay on John Peel's radio show and landed somewhere near
the bottom of the British Charts.
With a 7" on CBS in the UK (which now goes for a strong price on Discogs) and a
debut EP on US indie label 415 Records, the band rode the new wave. This
collection of out- of- print early singles and unreleased demos showcases why
they made fans both in the US and UK.