|
Post by Terrapin Station on Feb 21, 2018 23:26:20 GMT
O'Hooley & Tidow - Silent June
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Feb 22, 2018 13:08:17 GMT
Artist: UltravoxAlbum: QuartetGenre: Synth-pop and New WaveYear: 1982Standout tracks: Reap The Wild Wind, Hymn and The Song (We Go)I have not been very impressed by the 80s Ultravox line-up and their releases. Sure they did deliver some very good singles, yes, but as an album band they have been mostly a huge disappointment and while they might have sounded "edgy" and "new" on Vienna (1980), that sound still owed a whole lot to their earlier work such as on Systems of Romance (1978) and while Midge Ure brought along a far more accessible pop sound to help guide the band into becoming a more sellable "product", it sadly ended their period as an interesting and experimating unit, almost over the night. Where Rage in Eden (1981) was a well produced record, it did however have one huge flaw and that was (at least for my part) that there were absolute no trace of any real stand out cuts, and it all sounded like a maybe a little too rushed out album, released only to try and cash in on the success of the former hit album a year earlier. On the third Midge Ure release, Quartet brings along with it a far more lighter and "poppier" sound and where the catchy and at times beautiful opener Reap The Wild Wind is a breath of fresh air, but sadly it also do contains some absolute terrible 80s production, which almost spoils the fun. But it just couldn't last, could it. Up next is the god awful number Serenade, and to make things even worse it is soon followed by an almost as horrible number in Mine For Life. Damn, this is almost unbearable. I already have heard Hymn before, but still it is a song I am more than well acquainted with through a mid 90s eurodance cover which was included on an old childhood favorite of mine in Yabba-Dabba-Dance Volume 3 (1995) and done by the dance project known as Caballero. I might get a bit slack here, but I actually liked this updated 90s version, specially the female vocals which I think suited or worked better than the "over-dramatic" singining by Midge Ure, still the original is a truly great song, no question about that. Fifth track is the quiet and moody Visions In Blue which goes on for about 2 minutes before it breaks into a sound that sounds a bit too familiar to the Queen hit Radio Gaga (Yeah, I know, that one came out 2 years later, but still it is one that is not something in which I think too fondly of, so that kind of ruins it for me at least). All in all, a rather forgettable music number. I guess it is easy to ridicule some of the over-dramatic and silly lyrics/song titles on this record, as the next up is When the Scream Subsides followed by We Came To Dance. Now if only those were as fun to listen to as they read out, sadly they end up failing on all acounts, well beside some rather short and lush synth-sounds that is stuffed in here and there midway through, as it actually sounds pretty damn good for a few 10-15 seconds, but then it is back to below mediocrity with another terrible Billy Currie synth-solo which goes absolute nowhere. We Came To Dance is another god awful and over-produced 80s number in which I just cannot wait for until to be over and then next is the "dramatic" Cut and Run which is yet another turd, and then FINALLY we have the album closer which to my surprise is not that horrible, in fact compared to the utter crap that has been the last 3 cuts, The Song (We Go) is not that bad, actually it almost to the point of where I might re-consider to include it along with Reap The Wild Wind and Hymn as the best cuts of this album. It is a catchy and rahter upbeat album closer, not great but almost works out as a breathe of fresh air which again is kind of sad because this song would probably stand out, and not in a good way on albums such as Vienna or even on Rage in Eden, but here, well it is among the top of the notch which showcases how far these guys had fallen within less than a year. All in all, this is a bad album, no question about that. It is too over-produced and includes far too many terrible numbers on it. If I had been a die hard 80s Ultravox fan, I might have given it a more "kinder" rating, but even then I would probably have big problems finding much positive things to say about it. As of now, the worst Ultravox album I have heard, and one I doubt I will ever listen to again (enough with 3-5 times in less than two days) but I tried and I think the best I can end up with is a: 3/10
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Feb 22, 2018 15:32:48 GMT
Artist: UltravoxAlbum: LamentGenre: New Wave and Pop rockYear: 1984Standout tracks: One Small Day and Dancing With Tears in My EyesI guess the change in musical style was not something only Ultravox were doing at the time, as other british synth-pop acts such as The Human League also seemed to move away of their earlier and colder material in favor of a far more guitar-oriented pop-rock sound and for Ultravox it was to be very obivous that the more pop-friendly and upbeat music on Quartet (1982) was now pretty much gone, in fact the album cover of Lament should be a hint of things to come. However, as witnessed by the New Order influenced opening track White China, the band had not let completely go of their synth-pop roots, sadly the song is not a very good way of starting off an album with, as it is a bit too uneven and lacks the extra punch to really get things going. But with the second track, One Small Day you can sense where the band wanted to go, as it is a much more solid and bigger sounding piece and also a whole lot catchier. Again, I keep coming back to thinking it sure do remind me of another big 80s song and this time I kind of think I know of whom, as I think The Police and their 1983 hit record Synchronicity had to be a big influence on this tune, but one can also hear traces of what other big stadium acts such as Simple Minds and U2 were making at the same time. I really like this tune, One Small Day is a nice surprise and I also think Midge sings it very well, not too over-dramatic but just enough to get it done and in a very good way. Should have been a bigger hit for them, or at least that is my opinion. Speaking of big hits, the next one up is the only one from this record I had heard before, and while Dancing with Tears in My Eyes is not a big favorite of mine, I have no problems admitting it is an straight up 80s classic. Next up is Lament which feels like the final part of an "trilogy" of calm, moody pieces which resembles very much Depeche Mode around 1986-87 era, which is not bad but as with The Thin Line and Visions In Blue, it is one of those tracks that have a nice feel to it but just end up doing very little for me. Man of Two Worlds continues the calm moody sounds of Lament, and features the lovely voice of Mae McKenna. Sadly, it is once more, another forgettable song. I was thinking it was gonna be a little "upgrade" compared to Quartet, however as side 2 begins to fade out I realize that it really is not that far away of being yet another bad album. Heart of the Country and When the Time Comes is just as boring and dull as Lament and Man of Two Worlds and again, they just keep on lasting 2-3 minutes far too long and when the album "finally" tries to boost things up a bit with the more upbeat closing number in A Friend I Call Desire, it is just too damn late. Another very poorly made album, that is just slightly "better" than its former release and I will for now leave the 80s Ultravox for a while, probably never to bother with their later releases but I might pick up again on Vienna and Rage in Eden, while the two which came afterwards I might also, but only for a few solid stand out tracks. 3,5/10
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Feb 24, 2018 10:14:10 GMT
Artist: Yellow Magic OrchestraAlbum: Yellow Magic OrchestraGenre: SynthpopYear: 1978Standout tracks: La femme chinoise, Cosmic Surfin', Firecracker and Yellow Magic (Tong Poo)I continue on with my little synthpop journey, with two albums from an act which I only knew through some few short lines in a music magazine, some 10-11 years ago, that and "stumbling" over the amazing track that was to be Rydeen, when one day just browsing through the usual Youtube videos and after a whole lot of misses and no hits, I finally struck gold with these fantastic musicians known as YMO or Yellow Magic Orchestra. Went out and got a hold of their first release, or at least what I think was the "official" debut, not really sure as some sites have another album as their first one, but still their self titled 1978 record do look and sound very much like a debut release. Somehow I ended up with two albums in one, where as disc 1 was titled "YMO - USA" and disc 2 seemed to be consisting of mostly the same tracks, only that it went on for about a 1 minute more than the USA version, that and it came with a very short piece called Acrobat as the tenth number on it. Anyway, I will write a little of the version I have heard the most, which is the "USA" disc 1 and I gotta be honest, I did not hear a whole lot different, and there was not chance I would spend 3-5 times going through one, then the other, then again back and forth to find all kind of unsimilarities, because I do not have neither the interest or time in doing so, and since Disc 1 seemed to be the main feature or at least from the look of how this 2 disc CD was made, I decided to pay that one my most attention. Computer Game (Theme from The Circus) is a very short instrumental which last for less than 2 minutes and that includes lots of quirky and annoying video game sounds along with a drumbeat. The video game sounds then increases, rapidly and the whole thing goes from "fun" to really start irritating the hell out of me. Might have sounded "cute" and funny back in the day but for me, it only is terrible opener which I usually just skip right through. Firecracker blasts right off and sounds like a solid combination of upbeat synthpop, traditional Japanese music and a very funky beat to back it all up with. A tight, melodic and very catchy number. However it do get a bit too overlong with almost five minutes of time. Still, beat the heck out of the terrible video game sound effects. Simoon slows things down with a "quirky" jazzy synth jam along with lyrics from their long time collaborator, the british songwriter Chris Mosdell. While I do not "hate" this song, it kind of gets on my nerves very early on, and it soon wears out its welcome very early on, which means I have to sit through almost 6 minutes and 30 seconds of listening to "elevator" music which really goes nowhere for my part. Not a very strong number to follow up the far more better Firecracker with. Cosmic Surfin' brings back the grooviness and upbeat sounds of Firecracker, but also adds with it some fantastic musical stuff, so it never becomes too repetitive. Best track on the record (no question about that) uptil now. Computer Game (Theme from The Invader) and then we get even more of these insanely annoying video game sound effects, once more. Sure, it only lasts for about 1 minute of time, but still it almost do enough damage to kind of ruin some of the albums pace, which is very frustrating, specially when finally things where about to get cracking with a really solid track in Cosmic Surfin'. Yellow Magic (Tong Poo) starts off in a fantastic way and where one can almost sense that something great is gonna take place just within a few seconds in, and then it gets things done and it do not let you down one bit. This is another quirky but very funky number filled with some great and small musical details and melodies which makes sure to keep the listener on his toes throughout its runtime. Obviously a very disco influenced song but in a good way. I think this one had some changes done to it, as it sounds a little different than the original version on Disc 2, but nothing that really stands out all too much. La femme chinoise continues the fun and opens with what sounds like a woman speaking in french. An imediately catchy and very danceable melody then kicks in and just keeps on building upwards. The best cut on this record, without a doubt. Then follows a middle section which somehow makes me think of british synthpop and new romantic act Visage and their 1980 hit single Fade To Grey. The songs then cuts back to the main melody and adds along some great guitar work along with a male vocalist who sings: "For Suzie Wong and Shanghai dolls Suzie can soothe Away all your blues". Again, the best and most catchy song on the record and my favorite of the bunch. Bridge over Troubled Music is once more a very short and forgettable musical piece which gives me absolute nothing, beside being very annoying as that every time you get a great song coming, the next thing is having some annoying or just bad music appearing right afterwards. This is sadly something which means the chances of a great album rating will probably be not that good. Mad Pierrot is the US version final closing act, and one which kicks things up a bit when it comes to packing a memorable melody to it. Not a bad album finisher but not a great one either, however it is still superior to the Computer Game "trilogy" sound effects and the neverending Simoon. All in all, a good but could have been a much better synthpop release by a talented group which would go on to perfect their quirky but extremely catchy sound on the next release. 6/10
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Feb 24, 2018 13:18:26 GMT
Artist: Yellow Magic OrchestraAlbum: Solid State SurvivorGenre: SynthpopYear: 1979Standout tracks: Behind the Mask, Rydeen, Technopolis, Absolute Ego Dance and CastaliaAfter the promising but sometimes a bit too uneven self titled debut, YMO decided take things up, big time! Solid State Survivor is an album which must have sounded like an out-of-this-world experience when arriving in 1979 and even now, almost 40 years later it is not hard to hear how influential it must have been on both the upcoming british synthpop genre but also on the arising techno/dance scene which would follow a few years later on. Technopolis starts up the show and is just one of many great and well known YMO classics from this record. An instant hit which packs a big futuristic and very catchy sound to it. I urge everybody to check these guys music videoes and live performances, they rock! The perfect way of opening an album with. Absolute Ego Dance is next up and while it did take a few listens before it finally sat home with me, this is another fantastically and irresistible piece of quirky synthpop with a sound that must have been "borrowed" a dozen of times by british synthpop acts and producers during the 80s. Also I love the sweet but very catchy vocal parts by guest singer Sandii. Rydeen was love at first listen for me. A stunning synthpop masterpiece so full of life and again, has that dreamy futuristic feel to it that I have always loved. I have no problems seeing how tracks such as this must have influenced a large portion of video game composers back in the day and I was actually playing some of my favorite Ratchet and Clank games on PS3 when re-visiting Solid State Survivor, it really is a fantastic soundtrack to go with these kind of games. Really gives you the little extra positive "energy" boost needed when you either are stuck or not that motivated when playing video games. Damn how I miss that kind of video game music, now it is just too damn depressing and bleak. I miss the days when I would play the video games mostly because of the music/score, just soaking up the great sounds and atmosphere for hours after hours. Castalia is one of those "hidden" gems which I did not really pay too much attention to the first few times I heard this album, as it kind of got "tied" in between the more accessible and melodic hits. However, this one sticks out and in a fantastic way. Castalia is a dark and mysterious instrumental which takes you places. A very sad but hauntingly beautiful melody which reminds me of some of the stuff the John Foxx Ultravox line-up did during one of their more calmer and moodier moments, but also of what Foxx would do later on as an solo artist. Behind the Mask is probably the biggest and most well known song from the band, or at least of this album. It sounds like a big hit, and should have been one but I guess it just wasn't meant to be, or at least for YMO. It is incredible to think that it was made in 1978 and while not capturing the music buyers at the time, it did however capture some very famous new fans such as Michael Jackson who later on would re-wrote some of the original lyrics by Chris Mosdell and the song was planned to be included on his monster hit album Thriller (1982) but again it wasn't meant to be. Then along came Eric Clapton and Phil Collins and he got a hit single out of it with a more upbeat and radio friendly version. Day Tripper is a quirky but very fun cover of the classic the Beatles song and is not that too unfamiliar to what Devo did a year earlier with their cover of The Rolling Stones (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction. Could have easily stood out as an filler, but I have warmed up to it and while probably the closest to a "weak" number on the album, I still enjoy it and never skips it. Of course it help by lasting less than 3 minutes but, yeah I think it is a rather good/successful cover. Insomnia is a "strange" but still a catchy and somehow dreamy number with lyrics again by Chris Mosdell. While not as melodic or upbeat as most of the other songs it do come with a very "bubbly" sound to it and it does not end up suffering the same fate as Simoon from their former record as yet another a slow-paced "filler". This however is actually quite good and relaxing in a good kind of a way. Solid State Survivor finishes the album off with another catchy and quirky synthpop/new wave number which might not be as strong as some of the other on it, but still a pretty cool song that never lets you off and a good way of ending things. I can surely hear both The Buggles and Thomas Dolby having taking some serious notes from this song as well. Solid State Survivor is a huge upgrade and a far more tighter sounding album than its former release, and while it is surely also a more commercial sounding one, it do find places for the less "radio friendlier" ones, which for me works far better this time than on their self titled debut, where they mostly stood out in a very bad way. A lot of the sounds and brilliant stuff that is taking place on this record still sounds as fresh and groundbreaking as ever and it really is an all time synthpop classic which should come highly recommended to those who love 70s and early 80s synthpop or electronic music and is a must-have in your collection. I was very tempted on giving it an even stronger final rating, but if there is one thing that could be improved is the runtime, as it is all over within about 32 minutes of time, and if it had only included one or two more songs in the same quality, this would easily been a rated even better. 8,5/10
|
|
|
Post by kls on Feb 24, 2018 14:56:20 GMT
The Bangles-All Over The Place.
It was the one made before their first commercially successful one.
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Feb 26, 2018 14:17:57 GMT
Artist: The Human LeagueAlbum: ReproductionGenre: SynthpopYear: 1979Standout tracks: You've Lost That Loving Feeling, Empire State Human, Circus of Death and The Word Before LastWhile I still do find myself "buried" deep within the late 70s synthpop era as of right now, it is not hard to take notice of the huge differences between a lot of the british acts of that time which was still a far distance away of the much more upbeat, positive and melodic electronic sounds, specially to that of other international artists such as the still vibrant and very popular american disco and new wave scene, but also groups like Yellow Magic Orchestra who came along with a sound and image which kind of felt like it was the perfect score to the kind of "possible" future many people had dreamt of. You know, with the flying cars, jetpacks, spaceships, robots being all packed together into these enormous, high-tech cool looking futuristic cities, and if YMO was to be the "soundtrack" to the more lighthearted and adventurous scenery shown in films such as the Star Wars or Star Trek sci-fi universe, then a lot of the english electronic groups seemed to be more fitting with the bleak, depressive and hopeless sci-fi nightmare that was seen in movies such as Blade Runner. Early The Human League is not an "easy" listening. They were still very new and I think they started up as either The Future or The Men around 1977 and changed a lot of band names until they decided to go with The Human League. However, the sound they wanted to make was to remain unclear and also a big reason to why the original lineup broke up, only a few years later. Having heard some of the work they did as The Future (or is it The Men?) I gotta say I was very interested as it sounded much more "industrial" and experimental than anything I had heard of the later albums they did. It was not pretty or catchy but it had a interesting sound which I quite liked, but I guess they were only in the very beginning of things and was trying to come up with their own material and wanted something which no other electronic act at the time was doing. Some of the stuff from The Future/The Men period were really not that far off what Throbbing Gristle did at the time and since the punk movement was still the big thing at the moment, I guess electronic music was either seen as the "enemy" along with the " dinosaurs" of the classic rock and prog rock scene, or even "worse" the disco genre, and beside other elecronic artists such as Kraftwerk, Giorgio Moroder and Jean-Michel Jarre, I guess the music business at the time was just not ready for an british synthpop act to break into the hit lists, especially with such an "uncommercial" sound and image. Anyway, to cut a long story short, The Human League finally arrived on the scene with their debut album Reproduction in 1979, along with a very memorable but for some a chilling or "creepy" album cover which I think caused a bit of "stir" at the time. Sadly, the album itself did not gather much attention towards the music buyers and was seen as a complete failure. Almost Medieval opens the album with what sounds like clock along with the backdrop of "medieval" synths before breaking into a more "upbeat" but not an exactly melodic melody, with Phil Oakey delivering the vocals in a fitting tone. While not a great first track, it does settle in a little later on and includes some neat stuff here and there, however the lyrics is not all impressive and it is to be just one of many early Human League songs where I felt they would have been better off if they were done as an instrumental piece rather than a vocal number. Circus of Death is next up, and this one comes with everything I love about early british synth music. Creepy, strange and somehow very catchy and one which I am pretty sure must have been getting played a lot time in the studio of Depeche Mode, as some of the melodies in here sounds at times very familiar to Stripped. The lyrics is again not all that good, but it do not take away the fact that this is still a great synthpop number and one of the finest this original lineup ever produced. Should have been released as an single, or at least so I think. The Path of Least Resistance starts up in a similar sounding way to the album opener but is not a very good or memorable song and one I have never really liked that much. Again, some neat musical stuff here and there but the lyrics and "melody" goes nowhere and is probably among the weakest cuts on the album. Blind Youth is a much more upbeat number and almost instantly gets things going and sounds like what could have been or should have been another "single". It is catchy. no doubt about that, but the lyrics again, is taking up far much time than I like. Still, the music is very good and yet another fine early synthpop number. The Word Before Last starts things up in a more quiet and calm manner along with a drumbeat and a haunting synth melody. Should have been another instrumental, as this is at times very beautiful. Again, I have nothing against Phil but his vocals along with the uneven lyrics just do not sit too well with me, but once more it is to be another fine little slice of electronic piece by the early Human League. Empire State Human is where the band really tried get things done and to become the first british synthpop act to finally score a big hit single with, and it is the most catchy song off the record. Here both the melody and lyrics fits perfectly together and it is a real shame things did not work out back then, but it would later on be re-released and this time with better results. A truly great early synthpop classic, no question about that. Morale...You've Lost That Loving Feeling, and now we are treated with one of the most majestic electronic pieces of the late 70s. A stunning cover version that is completely different but in a great kind of a way to that of the original 60s classic by the Righteous Brothers. The first few minutes or so it slowly builds upwards and never once gets boring, then around the 3 minute mark, things really starts to settle in. All of a sudden we get these beautiful, minimalistic and icy or spiky synthsounds that is soon to be backed up by the vocals of Phil Oakey, and it sounds damn good. These guys did some truly fantastic cover versions back in the day, and this is one which is among some of the best I have heard. Very creative sound and also love that they completely "broke" down the original version and did something very different but still yet managed to make it sound just as heartfelt and warm, without ever losing the original message in all of the mechanical sounds that is happening. Austerity/Girl One (Medley) is for me a very big letdown after such great stuff as Empire State Human and the incredible Morale...You've Lost That Loving Feeling. This song sounds very poor and almost like it was a "leftover" which was included at the very last minute. While it do contain some promising little cues and melodies here and there, it still cannot undo the fact that it is the weakest track on the record. Zero as a Limit is the final number off this album and is a step up from the former track. It takes almost 2 minutes before things start to take action and then build upwards and fast but it is not a very memorable one. All in all, while it is not a great album, it is just too uneven at times for it to get close to that kind of rating, however it do show lots of potential and that these guys where still trying to find their own unique sound and while coming close several times on some of the better made stuff, the album sadly also suffers from having a few too many "fillers" included which at times goes on for far too long, that and I would surely have enjoyed more of them if they were done as instrumental pieces and cut away a lot of the silly lyrics. Reproduction is still an album I will continue to re-visit, and also recommend mostly because of its standout tracks which are very well made and important influences on the synthpop genre and still sounds very good almost 40 years on. 6/10
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Feb 26, 2018 16:12:24 GMT
Artist: The Human LeagueAlbum: TravelogueGenre: SynthpopYear: 1980Standout tracks: Being BoiledThe different second album came along with Travelogue in 1980. A record which many fans and critics somehow seem to hail as the bands "finest" hour, which I try to respect but still have some difficulties to believe, as for me this is not the sound of a band that have reached its climax, but instead an chaotic, uneven record where it becomes a bit too obivous that behind the scenes there were huge differences going on, in which way to go and what followed was a much needed change of scenery for all parts involved. While their debut had pretty much failed in term of sales, and with the record company breathing down their necks, things was not looking very bright for The Human League. They barely had any money left and there was not a very friendly atmosphere taking place in the record studio, as it had become all too clear that Phil Oakey wanted the band to go in a far more commercial kind of a way, which was to be the completely opposite of what Martyn Ware was looking for. Stuck in between the two was Ian Craig Marsh and Adrian Wright. To make it even worse, they had been completely taken by surprise when an ex-punk rocker with the name of Gary Numan and his Tubeway Army wrote music history when they appeared on Top of the Pops along with their 1979 hit, Are 'Friends' Electric?. As an result, things would never be the same again, as Britain now become well aware of the new arrival of synthpop and the record labels soon began to take notice of its fully potential as the next big thing. Sadly for The Human League, they were a long way of taking any part of that success, or at least for now. The heated conversations and trouble agreeing over what kind of sound the band was gonna go for, went so far that in order to avoid having people fight each other physically, several of the band members had to be separated in different rooms when making music or writing lyrics. Of course, this kind of behaviour and setting was not something which could go on for much further and it would mean that somebody had to leave. Martyn Ware was the first one out and not long after followed Ian Craig Marsh. The two would then go on to form Heaven 17 along with singer Glenn Gregory. But that is a whole other story. The Black Hit of Space opens up in a promising way (musically speaking). Some intense and very heavy synth-riffs arrive soon and then sadly the fun is over the very next moment as Phil Oakey begins to speak up some ridiculous lyrics. Once again a number is almost ruined by vocal and some terrible lyrics. I guess they were meant to be funny or something like that but they are more annoying to my ears. Not a good opener. Only After Dark is a cover of an 70s song written by Mick Ronson and Scott Richardson. It starts up kind of similar to the Running Man (1987) theme from the film with the same name and was done by Harold Faltermeyer. This is a much more catchy song, not great but still a big step up from the disappointing opening. Life Kills has some great synth-riffs going, but again the melody and singing by Oakey leaves me with very little. Dreams of Leaving get it going from the very start along with some "weird" noises before we end up with a few heavy and truly nightmarish synth-riffs. Now why could they not have done a bit more of this kind of stuff, as they were doing it so good and again comes the vocal part in and I end up losing interest. The song do gets better midway through but it is one that could have been much better if it was just an instrumental. Toyota City is a nice, maybe a bit too short but still an good instrumental. Crow and a Baby take things up again into a more upbeat yet an somewhat chaotic melody/chorus. While not a great song, still it comes close as of now to the ones which combines music and lyrics the best from this record. The Touchables follows with a more melodic sound and one which almost sounds like it could have been a single. Some neat synth-riffs goes on but it is one that still misses that little bit of extra to really make it work. Not bad but could have been better. Gordon's Gin by Jeff Wayne gets a little "makeover" by the Sheffield band. A nice little melody opens up along with a more danceable beat/rhythm along with some very effective sounds. A rather good instrumental. Being Boiled is another one which stands out as a classic early The Human League number. I gotta admit I do like the fast version better, but the album version still do kick some serious ass. While not always been a fan of the lyrics the wrote, this time they got it all right. Great song and even better lyrics. WXJL Tonight starts off with some very nicely sounds, which makes me somehow think of mid 90s dance music or something not that far off. This one is a very early hint to Heaven 17, or at least part of it is. Not a great song but it do offer some fine stuff along the way. I really wanted to like these two early The Human League albums, but somehow, no matter how many times I have tried, they just won't do it for me. Reproduction was the better release, and also contained much greater and more memorable songs but it also felt like a band who were at the time working together more like an unit and not against each other which it sounds very much like on Travelogue and where they seemed to try for a short period of coming to a agreement on combining pop music with more experimental stuff and it ends up at least for my part, sounding very way off. For me, the best part of the break up of the original The Human League lineup, was that on one hand we got Heaven 17 and on the other hand we got one of the finest synthpop albums ever to be recorded. 4/10
|
|
|
Post by darknessfish on Feb 26, 2018 20:58:02 GMT
Joanna Brouk - Hearing Music
|
|
rmcrae
Sophomore
@rmcrae
Posts: 675
Likes: 448
|
Post by rmcrae on Mar 1, 2018 5:12:43 GMT
Helicopter Girl - How to Steal the World. An eccentric Eartha Kitt-like voice slinking across Portishead-sounding grooves. 10/10.
|
|
|
Post by theauxphou on Mar 1, 2018 8:17:34 GMT
Ken Ishii – “Sleeping Madness”
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
@Deleted
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2018 21:03:11 GMT
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Mar 2, 2018 14:49:26 GMT
Artist: The Human LeagueAlbum: DareGenre: SynthpopYear: 1981Standout tracks: The Things That Dreams Are Made Of, Open Your Heart, Darkness, Seconds, Love Action (I Believe in Love) and Don't You Want MeBy the early 80s the synthpop genre had taken a huge step away from being just another small "curiosity" by making sure that it was here to stay, or at least for a while. However back in the late 70s audiences were probably finding themselves a little fed up with the third or fourth "wave" of punk rock, that and also having witnessed the fall and decline of both disco but also having several big superbands going into "hiding". Something new and fresh was needed and that something would appear on Top of the Pops along with an alienated and "strange" synthesized sound and with Are 'Friends Electric? Gary Numan and Tubeway Army had announced to everyone that the Future had finally arrived! Sadly a lot of the older "veterans" who had been around for years making groundbreaking electronic music, was still not any closer of getting into the action and it must have been a rather painful experience to have this young ex punk-rocker coming out of nowhere, having just "stumbled" upon a synthesizer and then decided to ditch the punk scene. And as a result, he ended up "stealing" their glory by launching himself as the first big electronic synthpop superstar. One of them had been the original 1977-1980 The Human League lineup which had consisted of Martyn Ware, Ian Craig Marsh and Phil Oakey but after having released two albums and with no sign of any commercial success, this influential group was soon to be history. It was pretty much down to a do or die type of situation, where it was up to Philip Oakey to either continue following in his pop star dream or just call it quit. The last one was never gonna happen. Sure, things did not look too bright early on, as Phil decided to do some rather drastical and at the time very unpopular changes when ditching the former all male lineup by picking up two young schoolgirls at a Sheffield disco to become the bands new background singers. This new "image" did not sit too well with everybody, specially many coming from the original lineups fanbase or crowds in general, and the band would often be seen as an "easy target and to be attacked by people who were throwing beer bottles (often full of everything except beer), glasses, rocks or stones and other stuff which could severely hurt the bandmembers onstage but also their expensive equipment. Instead of retreat, the band got the idea of using police riot shields along with helmets and would then stand up against the angry crowd and show them they were not gonna be bullied off the stage. This attitude seemed to give them a much well respected nod from their musical colleges who usually was a long shoot away from pop music and more in touch with punk rock. However, the most important part was that it made people aware of this strange but interesting new live act. But still the obvious worrying part of it all, was that neither Oakey or Philip Adrian Wright was barely able to play an instrument. As an result the much needed service of former punk-rocker Jo Callis and sessision musician Ian Burden was to be brought in. However the final and maybe most important ingredient of this new version of The Human League came when they hired producer Martin Rushent. 7 months later this brand new The Human League lineup along with their latest album Dare was now about to be put through the ultimate test when being released in october of 1981. The Things That Dreams Are Made Of brings along with it a tight, "cold" beat but it also includes some rather upbeat lyrics and while the main melody might not be as "cathcy" as some of the bigger hits off this record, it is still a cracking opener. Some of the mechanical sounds which is used here sounds incredible, specially compared to and not only the later work of The Human League but also several other synthpop artists. Sadly, the whole "less is more" approach which works to almost perfection on this record would be ignored not long afterwards, and instead the groundbreaking sounds of Dare would get drowned in forgettable, overblown mid 80s pop ballads and some terrible musical ideas which led the band in all the wrong directions. Open Your Heart is a much more catchier number and one of many obvious singles taken from the album. As with many of the more radio friendlier songs, the topic or theme is about love and features a "warmer" and far more melodic sound to it. A great pop song, specially the singing coming from both Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley. The Sound of the Crowd continues the "party" factor and makes again great use of Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley. My only little "complaint" is that I have always wanted the outro to be longer, as some of the futuristic synth sounds that goes on sounds fantastic, but again another great number. Darkness is where the sounds of Dare goes from party mood into a more serious place and while the song features an impressive set of musical ideas and details, it is the lyrics and its stunning "disco" sounds which makes it into one of the best cuts they ever wrote. Do or Die tries to combine the irresistible sing-along chorus of The Sound of the Crowd with a more "spicy" sound. However it is one I still have not gotten around to really "learn" to enjoy. Compared to the rest of the first half of Dare, it is the one which I like the least. Not a bad number but one which I often "forgets" and I think I might have to admit that this album is not all that "perfect" as I have always thought it to be. Get Carter opens up side 2 and is pretty much a 1 minute instrumental that was originally written for the classic british thriller with the same name starring Michael Caine. Another "filler", thankfully the band or at least Phil Oakey had learned his "lesson" from the far too long fillers from the earlier The Human League albums, or at least with this one. I Am the Law sounds like it could have been taken right out from either one of the first two of The Human League releases. The melody is not very memorable but the lyrics and Oakey's voice fits well. But again this is sadly not a very strong cut and I hate to use the word "filler" once more but yeah, it pretty much is a forgettable number. Seconds is finally where things really starts to come together again. My favorite The Human League song, one which proves that they were not only singing about love and having fun all the time, as here we have one of their most darkest moments that is still debated around if it is about JFK or John Lennon. The haunting melody and heavy synth-riffs along with the powerful lyrics makes it all the more of a fantastic and unforgettable piece of british synthpop history. Love Action (I Believe in Love) continues the more lighhearted pop approach of side 1 with one of the best synthpop/new wave singles of the ealry 80s. Don't You Want Me closes off the album and there is not much more to say about it that I still haven't gotten tired of hearing it, which of course might have something to do with the fact that norwegian radio stations never seem to play any The Human League material, and if they do the chances are more of them playing Human than anything from Dare. So, in a way I have escaped them killing off my love for it. It is actually been a while since the last time I heard the album all the way through, which might just have something to why the mid-section came as a bit of a downer, or at least compared to the rest of the album. There are 1 very short filler and 2 not so great numbers in here, but still 7 out of 10 is not that bad and especially since those 7 are so damn good and where the album is backed with some stunning production. So I feel that it really do deserve much of its praise as one of the genre defining releases, and one which set a whole new standard for not only synthpop or electronic music but pop music in general and would finally bring Phil Oakey the success that he had been wanting all along and go on to prove that Dare was the things that dreams are made of. Sadly, the price of "blowing" every idea and creative input into such a big album, was that the band had reached its fully potential, at least musically. Sure they did write or have people producing/writing a few hits for them later on but the sound of Dare got lost very fast, which sadly also happened to a lot of other british artists in the 80s who had their own unique style and sound but to keep up with the music business they were either forced or pushed to go through some big changes that was something which was not really needed and when they realized the damage they had done, it was just too late for most of them. Still Dare is one of those few moments where a band is suddenly handed one last opportunity through a brutal make it or break it deal, but luckily it turned out to get the best out of everyone involved. Anyway, it is still a fantastic sounding record in most way, but I just cannot ignore the obvious weaker or "fillers" which for me have no place on a 10/10 record, so they do drag it down a few notches. 8,5/10
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
@Deleted
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2018 11:16:03 GMT
|
|
|
Post by theauxphou on Mar 4, 2018 9:56:24 GMT
JB3 – "Close Grind"
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Mar 5, 2018 15:01:37 GMT
Artist: Tubeway ArmyAlbum: Tubeway ArmyGenre: Post-punkYear: 1978Standout tracks: None reallyThe 1978 debut album of Tubeway Army is one I have not encountered for almost 10 years, and which never really grew on me as much as the later stuff they recorded and since I have gone through most of the Ultravox and The Human League records that I own, I thought the next step should be to take a re-visit towards the late 70s and early 80s albums of Gary Numan and Tubeway Army. I am mostly aware of Numan's solo-work, that and of course the second Tubeway release Replicas, however the debut never got on that well with me, and I ended up giving up back in 2009, but now I am curious to see if I had missed out on something that I might have not taken notice of earlier. The opening cut Listen to the Sirens is really not that far off in either lyrics nor sound to Numan's more famous releases later on and you can hear the mini-moog play a little but nice part in there as well. However, here the punk-rock sound is slightly in front but as an album opener it is not a very memorable number. It is closely followed (a little too fast) by the more upbeat My Shadow in Vain which again comes with some cool synth-sounds and neat guitar riffs but again where the melody and lyrics are a bit too uneven/hectic and for me it ends up as just another cut that end up giving me very little to go by. The Life Machine calms things down a bit, and while still not coming close to a standout number, it is probably the one of the first three which is the most "memorable" or catchy, and in some ways it almost sounds like it could have been taken right out of Replicas. Some fine synth sounds are included, but the song as a whole is a little too short and when it ends up getting more and more melodic in the build up, then it is sadly all over. Friends is taking it up several notches from the very go, backed by some very cool and heavy guitar riffs, but again the now a bit too hectic singing/talking lyrics from Numan is not fitting in too well with the far more interesting music and for me it ends up as one of those cuts which could have been so much better, if the vocal part had held it down a few levels or more. Something's in the House continues in a similar sound or tone as Friends and this time the vocal part actually work far better. While still a long shot of what I would call a great cut, it is probably the "best" and longest of the first 5 tracks. Everyday I Die is another calmer piece and one which is not that far off The Life Machine. Sadly once again when there is some potential for a memorable and good song, it is ruined by a terrible use of high-pitched mousy vocals at the end, almost ruining it. Steel and You starts like it was taken straight off Replicas, very cool intro along with the guitars coming in fast and heavy. The melody/riffs remind me of the opening cut Listen to the Sirens and while more guitar riffs are ripping onto the scene midway through the song is once more not a very memorable one and I begin to understand why this album did so little for me back in 2009 as there seems to be not much hope of discovering or re-discovering a great gem lying around, instead it just ends up sounding like most of them are barely the finished product and where maybe some of them might had stood a chance to be improved upon later one but the rest are just not that interesting. I tried, but as right now I am just too tired and bored, while the rest of the songs that follows is just another bunch of barely mediocre efforts which continues where the rest stopped and it is an album that end up "blending" a lot of forgettable fillers together and where some had potential here and there. The only "positive" thing beside some good musical inputs here and there is that there are no real bad or horrible songs included, but at least if it had included something like that, then I would have something which would be a little more memorable to go by. My interest in this debut album pretty much died out very early on, and without signs of any great gems lying around I feel that I am pretty much done with it for now, and it might go longer than 9-10 years until I will waste more time on it again. 3,5/10
|
|
|
Post by Eva Yojimbo on Mar 5, 2018 15:37:36 GMT
stefancrosscoeHave you thought of posting these reviews on a site like Sputnik? Seems a bit like a wasted effort if you're only posting them on this board/thread where so few will read them.
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Mar 5, 2018 16:13:29 GMT
Artist: Tubeway ArmyAlbum: ReplicasGenre: New wave and synthpopYear: 1979Standout tracks: Me! I Disconnect from You, Are 'Friends' Electric? and Down in the ParkAfter re-visiting the disappointing debut album which did nothing for me, I had better hopes for their second release which one can only take a look at the album artwork to notice that some big changes was taking place. I had bought a best of release of Gary Numan which also came with some of the work he did on the two Tubeway Army albums, and it was really the more synth dominated songs that caught my attention and Replicas I ended up buying the same week I first picked up Blade Runner The Director's Cut and while not falling completely over for either one of them, I did warmen up to Blade Runner on a second visit, specially the look and sound of it and it made me want to dig further into the Replicas album as well, however as I can recall I really do not remember much more than that it featured 3-4 great classic Gary Numan songs but also the slight downpart which that there was a little too many "fillers" which went nowehere for my part. Me! I Disconnect from You is one where I just knew it from the very first few seconds of the intro that it was gonna be a great one and this time Gary's voice is done more in a "colder" or calculated way than on the debut, which really is a huge upgrade and suits the song and their new style much better. The punk sound is not that far away, but it is obivous that with the introduction of the synths there was no going back this time. Then follows Are 'Friends' Electric? which is not that hard to understand why became such a big hit back in 79 and have every thing that is included from the catchy melody and lyrics to its huge, heavy and fat sound and is something very different than to what other electronic acts such as The Human League were doing at the same time. A classic cut and one which I remember first hearing through a remix/cover version that I think the british girlband Sugababes scored a big spring/summer hit in 2002 with and that was based on the synth-riffs used in this Gary Numan cut. The Machman and Praying to the Aliens are not what I would call "great" cuts, and while they are not all bad it is still one of the reasons to why I never did end up completely getting into it as I later on did better on with Blade Runner. Sadly, I have the feel that it might be more of these coming up later on. The "problem" is of course that they end up getting stuck between 3 fantastic numbers and it was never gonna be much of a chance to compete with those. Down in the Park is the third classic coming from this album and once again it sounds like a hit only a few seconds in, sadly I do not think it ended up as one when it was released back in the day. The dark and chilling lyrics have Numan singing about a bleak and dystopian future where humans are finding themselves in a desperate race to avoid the rape machines at night and "that you would not believe the things they will do". For, me this is a killer cut and the best from this record and certainly among one of the finest songs Gary ever wrote. You Are in My Vision, sadly continues what I feared with the third "filler" and again a letdown, specially following such a strong cut as Down in the Park. Replicas however is a step up again, not all there along with the best ones but surely a more interesting and catchier piece which combines the cold synth-sounds and a neat guitar riff following along. It Must Have Been Years is probably the most guitar driven cut on the album, but again it is one that is down with the other "fillers" as including some interesting guitar/synth stuff is not the same as being a great number. Then follows the albums two last two instrumental pieces in which When the Machines Rock are a little too "upbeat" for my liking however, I Nearly Married a Human makes it all up by providing a worthy album closer and in a very relaxing and soothing manner. All in all, Gary Numan and his Tubeway Army had finally found their sound, style and backed it all up with a huge hit single and become the synthpop genres first real superstar and that was a title that would continue following him into the next decade after several successfull releases in a row. However, I still have not been all blown away by an album that often is described as a "classic" and where people seem to hand out perfect 10/10s all over. Surely, there are 3 of that kind of quality songs included on Replicas, but sadly most of the other material is not even close of following them up and I am a bit disappointed but hopefully the next few albums will cheer me up again, as I remember that Numan had far superior albums coming up and also I am very excited to check out my two concert album that is the Living Ornaments '79 and '80 the full concert CD versions which I paid a whole lot of money for but when I finally got them after months of waiting, I had moved away from synthpop for some time and have never really given them much attention. 6/10
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Mar 5, 2018 16:29:10 GMT
stefancrosscoe Have you thought of posting these reviews on a site like Sputnik? Seems a bit like a wasted effort if you're only posting them on this board/thread where so few will read them. I do not think I have any knowledge of the site Sputnik, but I might look it up. Thanks anyway.
|
|
|
Post by Eva Yojimbo on Mar 6, 2018 2:57:09 GMT
stefancrosscoe Have you thought of posting these reviews on a site like Sputnik? Seems a bit like a wasted effort if you're only posting them on this board/thread where so few will read them. I do not think I have any knowledge of the site Sputnik, but I might look it up. Thanks anyway. This is it: www.sputnikmusic.com/
|
|