Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 24, 2026

Half-Mute

Half-Mute is the debut studio album by American post-punk band Tuxedomoon, released on March 15, 1980, by Ralph Records. It was their first long-form record, after two EPs, 1978's No Tears and 1979's Scream with a View. Half-Mute was reissued on CD in 1985 by Cramboy, bundled together with Scream with a View. The album's cover art is by Patrick Roques.

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Jul 24, 2026
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Half-Mute
Studio album by
Tuxedomoon
ReleasedMarch 15, 1980 (1980-03-15)
RecordedDecember 1979
StudioAudios Amigos (San Francisco, California)
GenrePost-punk, experimental rock
Length40:04
LabelRalph
ProducerTuxedomoon
Tuxedomoon chronology
Scream with a View
(1979) 		Half-Mute
(1980) 		Desire
(1981)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarHalf star1
Record CollectorStarStarStarStar2
The Rolling Stone Album GuideStarStarStarStar3

Half-Mute is the debut studio album by American post-punk band Tuxedomoon, released on March 15, 1980, by Ralph Records.4 It was their first long-form record, after two EPs, 1978's No Tears and 1979's Scream with a View.5 Half-Mute was reissued on CD in 1985 by Cramboy, bundled together with Scream with a View. The album's cover art is by Patrick Roques.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Steven Brown, Peter Dachert and Blaine L. Reininger.

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Nazca"3:07
2."59 to 1"3:58
3."Fifth Column"2:55
4."Tritone (Musica Diablo)"2:50
5."Loneliness"2:56
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."James Whale"2:42
2."What Use?"4:01
3."Volo Vivace"2:48
4."7 Years"3:08
5."KM/Seeding the Clouds"11:39
1985 CD issue bonus tracks
No.TitleMusicLyrics/VocalsLength
11."Nervous Guy" (from Scream with a View)ReiningerReininger5:11
12."Where Interests Lie" (from Scream with a View)DachertBrown4:07
13."(Special Treatment for the) Family Man" (from Scream with a View)BrownBrown5:10
14."Midnite Stroll" (from Scream with a View)Michael BelferBelfer3:21

Personnel

Adapted from the Half-Mute liner notes.6

Tuxedomoon

Production and additional personnel

Charts

Chart (1980) Peak
position
UK Independent Albums (Record Business)7 10
Chart (2016) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)8 198
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)9 135

Release history

Region Date Label Format Catalog
United States 1980 Ralph LP TX8004
France Celluloid 529806
Belgium 1985 Cramboy CBoy 1010
CD CBoy 1040
United States 1988 Ralph 80042
Belgium 2016 Cramboy CBoy 1011
References

References

  1. Mills, Ted. "Half-Mute – Tuxedomoon". AllMusic. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  2. Shirley, Ian (June 2016). "Tuxedomoon – Half-Mute/Give Me New Noise". Record Collector. No. 454. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
  3. Lowy, Kenn (1983). "Tuxedomoon". In Marsh, Dave; Swenson, John (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Record Guide (2nd ed.). Random House/Rolling Stone Press. p. 520. ISBN 0-394-72107-1.
  4. Gimarc, George (2005). Punk Diary: The Ultimate Trainspotter's Guide to Underground Rock, 1970–1982. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 306. ISBN 9780879308483. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  5. Payes, Robert; Sheridan, David. "Tuxedomoon". Trouser Press. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  6. Half-Mute (sleeve). Tuxedomoon. San Francisco, California: Ralph Records. 1980.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. Lazell, Barry (1997). "Tuxedomoon". Indie Hits 1980–1989: The Complete U.K. Independent Charts (Singles & Albums). Cherry Red Books. ISBN 0-95172-069-4. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  8. "Ultratop.be – Tuxedomoon – Half-Mute / Give Me New Noise: Half-Mute Reflected" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  9. "Ultratop.be – Tuxedomoon – Half-Mute / Give Me New Noise: Half-Mute Reflected" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
External links