We'll never know

The Distractions' final release before the 1982 split was a slightly odd affair. Released with the mysterious 'THAT1' catalogue number and distributed by Rough Trade, the beautifully shot cover photos were by Kevin Cummins. The post-Perrin sound of the band had changed rapidly but remained intruiging, and this review comes from the US and Rarebird9, who's previously written about 'You're Not Going Out Dressed Like That' and 'Nobody's Perfect'.

The Distractions “And Then There’s…” EP (Rough Trade THAT1) 1981

After Nobody’s Perfect proved to be a commercial failure, the Distractions were dropped from Island Records, reportedly in favor of a promising young Irish band called U2. Original guitarist Steve Perrin left the band, and was replaced by ex-Ludus guitarist Arthur Kadmon. The Distractions were on their last legs, but they did record one more EP titled And Then There’s… This 3-song, 7-inch EP was distributed independently by Rough Trade in 1981. 

On this EP, hints of ska and reggae were added to the Distractions’ ‘60’s-influenced pop. The guitar and drums exude island-style rhythms, as do the horns on the Kadmon-penned “Ghost Of A Chance”. Although the songs are still not exactly uplifting, they have a less melancholy tone than the songs on the album, with slightly quicker tempos and less sadness suggested in Mike Finney’s vocals. In fact, it’s hard to tell for sure if “Love Is Not For Me” is meant to be sad or funny, as it takes the point of view of a man afraid to enter a relationship for fear of experiencing real emotions.

“Ghost Of A Chance” describes a fear of rejection without sounding quite as hopeless as its lyrics. And the A-side track, “Twenty Four Hours”, actually sounds quite hopeful, if not necessarily confident, that romance may be in store for its main character. How would a full-length album by this Distractions lineup have turned out? Alas, we’ll never know.

 Track Listing:

a. Twenty Four Hours
b1. Ghost Of A Chance
b2. Love Is Not For Me