The third and final Pink Aftershock cassette was this eight-song collection of cassette recordings. While it offers an interesting batch of sounds, ideas, and a huge color insert that folds out eleven times, the vocals are embarrassingly straining and all around bad. Almost a step down from the Cold cassette released twelve months earlier. You can kind of tell where the words are supposed to be going but they just don’t get there. Also, like Cold, a lot of different styles and instruments are explored. The music in “Over You” is merely pulses and subsonic tones. “Shower Q” is a fast acoustic guitar song with finger snaps and the like as percussion. “The Last Prom,” “Three Days In September,” and “The Final Step” are all pushing or exceeding five minutes as drawn-out build-ups on generally the same theme; “The hardest thing I could ever do is speak a single word to you and if you came back to me now where would I start. Everyday, in every way, the world reminds me of you.” The tape closes with “A Few Minutes” which takes that same idea to a new level by putting it to a rocking beat. Certainly stealing the show, the song is completely sequenced samples of instruments with an overlaid vocal.

The liner notes list not only the titles but also track times, recording dates, printed lyrics, a lengthy explanation of recording methods, and corporate allegiances. The eight songs that make up The Last Prom were taken from a pool of 14, many of which were written while Pink Aftershock was still a functioning band. “K,” for example, predates the band. “Land Escape,” “Paint It Yellow,” and “217” are among the six spare songs not included. Essentially, “Shower Q” was the only new song on this release. Everything else was at least a year old. As anticipated, nobody really bought this one, either. Ouch.

LINER NOTES:

K Scott Ritcher, instruments and vocal

For Sabian and the world and in memory of Evelyn Cecil (1913-1988). Peace and love Dez.

Side one:
The Last Prom (5:10, July 1987)
K. (3:09, Dec. 1985)
Three Days in September (3:41, Oct. 1987)
Over You (5:17, May 1987)

Side two:
The Final Step (4:48, June 1987)
Shower Q (2:07, Sept. 1988)
Freedom Duck (4:36, June 1987)
A Few Minutes (5:50, Sept. 1987)