Monday, December 28, 2020

The 1981 Listening Post - Fischer Z - Red Skies Over Paradise

 Fischer-Z - Red Skies Over Paradise


#112

March 1981

Fischer-Z

Red Skies over Paradise

Genre: New Waverock

2.75 out of 5



Highlights:

Marliese

In England


Ultimately, it comes down to songs, right? Fischer-Z’s 1980 Going Deaf for a Living was almost revelatory. A sonic whirlwind of New Wave ideas and madness. My hopes for that in this record were dashed at the open but lifted with the near stadium ready “Marliese”. And then…the title track came on. This is The Police. This is faux white boy reggae with falsetto lead Vox and power pop chorus. I don’t want to be thinking about Sting when I’m listening to…anybody, really. So, that’s a disappointment. Even when they go for mid-tempo rock, they can’t help themselves. “Cruise Missiles” is just another take on The Police. 


It’s a shame. This is a Sine Wave record. Just when I hate it…a song comes on that makes me love it and then another comes on and I hate it again. When it doesn’t sound the police, they sound like they want to be Boomtown Rats (“Bathroom Scenario”) and I feel like it’s all so derivative and dull. 

Darn. I tried to love it. I really did. 




https://music.apple.com/us/album/red-skies-over-paradise/696845750

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