The 1980 Listening Post - The Start - Hey You

 July 1980 LISTENING POST DISCOVERY

by Sheffield Chastain

The Start

Hey You

Genre: Mick Jagger Fronted Power Pop

Rating: 4 out of 5

Highlights:

Hey You

Kids In The USA

Right out of the gate you’re gonna get smacked in the face with the Jagger-esque singer.  It’s all Mick Jagger.  You can practically feel the pursed lips and the super swagger.  “But wait … “ you say, “isn’t this power pop??”  Sure, that’s right.  Mick Jagger fronted Power Pop.  You’re either gonna get on board, or you’re not.  I feel there’s no sitting on the fence on this one.

Four times through and I got on board.  Maybe not totally, but enough to say give this one a listen.  Though the Jagger imitation grates, I grant ye. And I get why this didn’t catch the ears and dollars of the youth in 1980. One word – Knacklash. How many bands have we said that about it?  Too many, my friend, too many.

The first three tracks - distortion fueled, power pop rockers with attitude – gave me enough of the power pop feels to give the whole thing a thumbs up. 

I could do without the synth on the fourth tune, Bad Girl.

But this disc really comes alive on the next two tracks – Hey You and Kids In The USA.  You wanna know what a Mick Jagger fronted Power Pop band sounds like, it’s those two tracks. Especially Kids In The USA.  A terrific Cheap Tricking, power rocking, Mick Jagger struttin’, rocker.  Nice.

Then it gets REALLY Rolling Stones-y.  State of Her Shine bites hard on Mick Jagger, not totally successfully.  And then you get the total Stones rip-off, Just Another Girl.  Hated it the first time through. And probably the second (and third). But it grew on me.  You’ll probably hate it.  No arguments.

After that, the wheels fall off and the album nose dives into mediocrity.  I’d love to give the whole a much higher score, but I just can’t. But a 4 is pretty good. The back half of the album drags it back a few notches. But side 1 and the first tune on side 2 … pretty good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shaUi1SllkI&list=PLn9qe9Lu6DICV1rBN89nQBWcoeeBOG3hL&index=2