What was the last album you listened to?

Artist: A Flock of Seagulls
Album: A Flock of Seagulls
Genre: Synthpop and New Wave
Year: 1982
Standout tracks: I Ran (So Far Away), Space Age Love Song, You Can Run, Telecommunication, Modern Love Is Automatic, Standing in the Doorway, D.N.A. and Man Made

If one look up on the term "One-hit wonders" either oneline or through music magazines and documentaries, you can almost bet your life that A Flock of Seagulls are sure to be among one of those bands who always seems to be picked at and ridiculed.
However, this Liverpool act had far more to offer than only goofy looking hairstyles and colorful clothes and music videos.
They had a unique sound and it was very much kept alive through the incredible gifted guitarist Paul Reynolds who was to be their "secret" weapon and one which would put them in a slightly different "category" than most of the other british synthpop/new wave bands at the time.

I remember hearing them for the first time through the epic teaser/trailer for the upcoming PS2 release of GTA:Vice City (2002) back in spring 2003 (I think) on TV and not many days after I had ended up purchasing both the game and the entire soundtrack. And that was really to be the beginning of my lifelong obsession with the 1980s.
Anyway, back to the topic, I am reviewing the (according to Wikipedia) US release which have a slightly different track list and do not feature the song Tokyo.
In 2010 Cherry Red Records handed out a remastered version of their second album Listen (1983) and a year later on they gave the original UK 1982 release of their debut a go as well, but since there seems to be a sound problem (or so a lot of people say) with that remaster, I am gonna keep on going with my older CD copy, which I think still sounds very good.

01. I Ran (So Far Away) - Does it really need any introduction? An all time classic and one which no matter how many times I have heard it, it still manages to deliver that special something, every damn time.
One of the most perfect work out songs to really get the blood all pumping when ready to run for your life away from those evil "aliens" and other daily problems.
As much as I love the single edit, this album version is a whole different animal, one which makes brilliantly use of the stunning guitar solo by Paul Reynolds, which pefectly closes it off by handing out one hell of an opening act. 

02. Space Age Love Song - Is up next and it is doesnt hold anything back from the opening number as it bring along everything I love about their early 80s sound.
A very romantic and dreamy song, which comes with that special feel-good sound to it and where once again Paul Reynolds is delivering out some spectacular guitar riffs.

03. You Can Run - Another solid track, and one which not surprisingly do sound a little familiar to the albums classic hit singles, but this is far away of being just another "copy" as it sounds huge and is just as catchy as the ones above. The solid combination of Reynolds guitar talent along with those chilling "alien" synth sounds makes it to be one of the better songs off this record.

04. Don't Ask Me - While it continues on in the upbeat space-synthpop scenery, it is not as good or memorable as the first three cuts. Not a bad one but still a little "disappointed" coming up after such great numbers. 

05. Messages - Just as with Don't Ask Me, it comes with a upbeat sound and melody but is really not all that memorable either. Again, Reynolds makes sure to put in some neat little details here and there to keep my interest up, but all in all it is not a very good song this one either.

06. Telecommunication - Opens up side 2 in a much needed and fantastic way to help me forget about the two repetitive and rather forgettable tracks that finished off side 1. This one however brings back the fun and melodic hooks of the first three songs and if there is only one little "complaint" I have, it is that it cuts off a little too early.

07. Modern Love Is Automatic - Starts on rather slow before it takes off into an almost "punk-rock" sounding number. 
Reynolds is once more dishing out some brilliant stuff and while not as catchy as Telecommunication, I still think it is a good one.

08. Standing in the Doorway - The atmopsheric introduction slowly builds upwards and erupts into a fantastic "mayhem" of alienated space sounds and heavy guitar riffs and never looks back. A terrific number and for me it is up there as one of their very best. 

09. D.N.A. - A fantastic instrumental, which again showcases what a talent they had in Paul Reynolds. I think this number even got awarded with an Grammy back in the day.

10. Man Made - Is the haunting album closer which includes some truly chilling lyrics and it is not hard to think of such nightmarish sci-fi stories such as Blade Runner (1982) or The Terminator (1984) when hearing Mike Score sing:

"Man made machines make music for the man
 Now machines make music while the man makes plans
 A second generation, a generation lost
 While the man prepares for the holocaust

 Man made machines to control the days
 Now machines control while the man obeys
 A second generation, a generation lost
 While machines prepare for the holocaust"

I am surprised this have not made it into many films and TV-shows, as the whole post-apocalyptic sci-fi "warning" sign should fit right in, I think. 
Anyway, a great way of closing it all off with.

I really enjoyed re-visiting this album all over again as it really proves that they had something very special going on in their earlier day, and that something for me was surely hearing the young and very talented leading guitarist Paul Reynolds who is all over this record along with his signature style, one which helped out in a big way to set the band apart from many of their synthpop/new wave colleagues, who did not seem to rely so much on a guitar driven sound.

However, I guess there is always a price to pay as it is always sad to see such a talent go to waste, as I think Reynolds, who was only 18-19 years old when writing and playing on many of these songs, would quit the band at the age of 22. 
Having heard some of their later material, I gotta say, without him and his guitar it was just not the same band anymore, instead you had Mike Score and some godawful pop tunes which sounded nothing like the ones on their first two records. 

All in all, their 1982 debut is one that have so much more than just I Ran or Space Age Love Song, and while maybe not an album I would say is a "great" one, however, I do think there are no bad songs on it and if it had maybe included 1 or 2 more quality numbers, then I might have rated it a little higher.
Still, I think it is a very good album, one which any fan of synthpop and new wave should give a chance or more. 

7,5/10