New Math Die Trying & Other Hot Sounds 1979-1983

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 amphetamine-fueled 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 re-released 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.