The 1981 Listening Post - U2 - October

 U2 - October

#556

By Chris Kouzes

October 12 1981

U2

October

Genre: Rock

Allen’s Rating: 2 out of 5

Chris’ Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Highlights:

Gloria

October

Scarlet

Before the Yellow And Black that is Stryper released their debut album in 1984, there was only one predominant Christian Rock Band and that band released their God Album (per Bono) two years prior. Not really, but there are some religious overtones lyrically and there certainly was plenty of discussion when this was released. Oh, and the fact that “Gloria,” the big single from it has some lyrics in Latin translating to “Glory in You, Lord / Glory, exalt [Him]." But hindsight, for the most part this is a “college rock” album through and through.

Coming off a pretty great debut album and a phenomenal single in “I Will Follow,” it was going to be tough for the band to do even better. They tried, and came close, but ultimately it’s not as good as “Boy.” Maybe it was a classic case of being on the road promoting the hell out of their first album and then trying to rush to record the follow up. There’s also the story of Bono losing all the lyrics he had just prior to the recording and had to pull them together in the 11th hour. Regardless, it’s still a pretty decent album with some great songs that paved the way to better albums. 

“Gloria” is pretty fantastic. Big, bold and very U2. I’m sure you’re all very aware of this song. The next song, “I Fall Down” is also great. Lots of interesting production tricks (thank you Steve Lillywhite) with Edge adding various background vocals and piano throughout. Looking at those first four albums before they blasted to the stratosphere with “Joshua Tree,” this is a great overlooked track. Other standouts include the piano-based title track with Edge dominating musically. This really is his band and this album is lets us in on that fact really for the first time. “October,” the song, really conveys the fall in its starkness. I’m also partial to the last two tracks, “Scarlet” and “Is That All?” “Scarlet” initially sounds like a perfect b-side as it’s a bit off kilter and more adventurous than the other tracks. But then it pulls itself together very nicely and ends up strong. “Is That All?” is familiar having an early version of it being tacked on as an intro to “The Electric Co.” live. But it’s got a cool riff and nice way to end the album. 

But all the other songs in the middle are fine, but nothing I feel were compelling much. I suppose you have to write your share of these to hone your songwriting craft. So while they serve a purpose, I don’t think I’ve ever (or will ever) feel I need to listen to these again. 

You can see a lot of seeds developing here that cause you to love or hate U2. As mentioned, Edge is a pretty talented guy. Larry Mullen Jr. is an above average drummer who throws out some interesting patterns and fills. I’ve said it billion times, I’m not sure if there’s a luckier guy in music than Adam Clayton. Outside of his work on “Gloria,” a more boring bassist I’ve yet to hear. And Bono isn’t over the top (yet), but you can feel it a bit coming. I’ve had one encounter with Bono and he was super cool to me, so you won’t find me shitting on the guy. 

This is far from a bad record. But of the first four, it’s definitely my least favorite. But what I’ve give for the guys to write a few songs again as good as the highlights here…

https://open.spotify.com/album/59O7CFxLYBBKYtrO61LyqF?si=UrBcoK4xTBuaxb6GYVhcFA

The 1981 Listening Post - Meat Loaf - Dead Ringer

 Meat Loaf - Dead Ringer

#403

By Chris Kouzes

September 4 1981

Meatloaf

Dead Ringer

Genre: Rock

Allen’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Chris’ Rating: 1 out of 5

Highlights

The album cover

Sonically sounds great

It’s not one second longer

I think you love and embrace the bombastic, bloated, over-the-top songs of Meatloaf or you don’t. I most certainly do not (and this is coming from someone who LOVES a lot of 70’s Prog Rock). But for the sake of moving out of my comfort zone, I foolishly volunteered to review this album, with the idea that maybe…maybe…my mind would change a bit. I should be open to revisiting past with an open mind, right? 

Bat Out of Hell came out in 1977 and it was inescapable, even for a 9-year-old me. But even then I didn’t like anything about it. I was listening and loving to my mom’s Beatles and Stones albums, Top 40 pop on WLS and just starting to wade into the world of FM with whatever WXRT was playing. Zero of what Meatloaf was doing at the time registered with me. Running around with untucked sweat-soaked ruffled shirts waving around a handkerchief was not my idea of good. But millions (billions?) of people definitely did and if you’re in that group, than God bless ya…

So when this album came out, the long-awaited follow-up to Bat Out of Hell, I didn’t waste one second on it. So fresh ears now, right? The opening strains of motorcycles revving. OK. Oh wait, the song is called “Peel Out?” Hhm, pretty on the nose, but still willing to give it fair shot. Six minutes later and NOPE. I’M OUT!! Holy shit, this is t-e-r-r-i-b-l-e. But out of commitment to Allen, I’m trudging on. Listen, if you like the first song, you’re probably going to like the rest, so no need to delve track-by-track. A couple of comments: the track “Nocturnal Pleasure.” First off, there’s no way any song with a name like this is going to be good. Oh, wait, you mean it’s actually a 38 second spoken word piece not by Meatloaf, but his co-conspirator Jim Steinman? Even worse than what I was expecting. The only redeeming quality this has is that it’s less than a minute. And then there’s the title-ish track “Dead Ringer for Love” buried towards the end of the album. I swear on the life of my children that I never thought I’d be so happy to think, “Oh thank God, here comes a track featuring Cher.” Unfortunately her turn in the song sounds nothing remotely like her. Cher sounds a lot more like Little Nell than Cher. Not being a Rocky Horror fan, I also never thought I’d be referencing RH in any way (of course the exception being making fun of a balding man refusing to give up his long hair in back ala Riff Raff). 

So is there anything good about the album? Actually, yes. The musicianship is outstanding, which includes the likes of Mick Ronson, Davey Johnstone, Max Weinberg, Roy Bittan, Liberty DeVito, Nicky Hopkins and several others. Even streaming through my car’s stereo system, this album sounds amazing. What I would to have half of the albums I love sound this good. 

Johnny Rotten is famous for wearing a “I Hate Pink Floyd” shirt in the early years of The Sex Pistols, certainly symbolizing what the band and punk in general were rebelling against. Had punk been delayed a few years, Rotten undoubtedly would have been wearing a “I Hate Dead Ringer” shirt.

https://open.spotify.com/album/2Y9CaNn1xUX2EJWIiBG45i?si=4BnC6TKbQ-el5mk1ePqwyQ

The 1981 Listening Post - Echo and the Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here

 Echo and the Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here

#222

By Chris Kouzes

May 1981

Echo and the Bunnymen

Heaven Up Here

Genre: Alternative

Allen’s Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Chris’ Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Highlights

A Promise

All My Colours

Show of Strength

I graduated high school in a Chicago suburb in 1986. So bands like R.E.M., The Replacements, The Smiths and Husker Du were vastly influential in forming my musical tastes. The next tier of bands included The Hoodoo Gurus, The English Beat, Joy Division/New Order…and Echo and the Bunnymen. I distinctly remember this album coming out and picking it up that summer. Lucky to have a few hip record stores in town and, at the time, a great radio station in WXRT. 

 “Show of Strength” is a solid and logical opener (from this collection of songs). “With a Hip” and  “Over the Wall” are both good, with traces of classic Echo. “It Was a Pleasure” goes nowhere. But, but…the first real classic in the Echo canon arrives with “The Promise.” Incredible vocals, guitar…and maracas. End of Side One. 

As we head into the second side, let’s take a minute to talk about the U2 comparisons that have badgered the band seemingly their entire career. Do they sound like U2 at times? Yes and no. Do they sound much like Boy/October U2, some, but not much. In hindsight, the guitars in songs like “Heaven in Here” (lead off track on Side 2) and the entirety of “All My Colours” sounds like Unforgettable Fire and Joshua Tree-era U2. History really should reflect more how much U2 sounds like and were influenced by Echo and the Bunnymen than vice versa.

Back to Side Two, just mentioned tracks one & three. The second track, “The Disease,” is a throwaway. Tracks four (“No Dark Things”) and five (“Turquoise Days”) are trying too hard to be interesting. Which brings us to the closer, “All I Want.” It’s fine enough. It succeeds more on the push/pull of the arrangement more than it being a good song. 

 

Musically, Ian McCulloch found his voice early on and Will Sergeant’s guitar is very Will Sergeant throughout. Moody, slinky guitar lines weave throughout nearly every song. But the band’s real weapon is drummer Pete de Freitas. Powerhouse when needed, but throws in all kinds of nimble drum fills to make things really interesting. Ironic considering that only about a year before this album they were using a drum machine. There’s also A LOT of production going on in these songs. Layers upon layers of guitars and overdubs galore. But what’s great is that this, as with a lot of their albums, is that the production is pretty timeless. With the exception of the odd synthesizer, all real instruments here and nothings screams “early 80’s” production.

There is more good than not on this record. In baseball terms, “Heaven Up Here” is a double, but with grit and determination, stretched into a triple. The bones of what makes Echo and the Bunnymen so great are here, they’re just waiting for consistently better songs. Home runs will come with the albums Porcupine and, their masterpiece, Ocean Rain.

https://open.spotify.com/album/29rkfL25uKOkVOhyr1CmXJ?si=x6w2cgyETC2wkslOXxtaFw

The 1981 Listening Post - UB40 - Present Arms

 UB40 - Present Arms

#219

By Chris Kouzes

May 1981

UB40

Present Arms

Genre: Reggae

Allen’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Chris’ Rating: 3 out of 5

Highlights:

One in Ten

Present Arms

Don't Walk on the Grass

Remember that bit on Sesame Street? Marley. Tosh. Cliff. UB40. Which of these things is not like the other? You really can’t lump UB40 into a genre other than reggae, but are they? 

This, their second album, is less political than their debut, but not by tons. The original album itself had eight tracks, with two more included as bonus 7” (all the CD and streaming services include all ten). Four of the ten are instrumental, so at best 60% of the songs have an agenda of some sort. But that’s herenorathere. 

Things get out of the gate pretty strong with the title track. I do generally like what the band does with the horn section and they on full display here. “Sardonicus” and “Don't Let It Pass You By” follow. They fine enough. Nothing to get excited about…the definition of album track. “Wild Cat,” the first instrumental is terrible. It’s repetitive to the point I literally had to check to make sure the music wasn’t stuck in a loop. On your deathbed and want to cling for life, put this one on. It’ll make your last 3:04 on Earth seem like an eternity. Next is the strongest track, and single, “One in Ten.” This (and the title track) really sound like a UB40 song, in a good way. Wish they were this consistent in their songwriting. Skip the next two. Song eight “Lamb’s Bread” is interesting. I don’t know what Lamb’s Bread means and don’t care enough to look it up. But I like what’s going on here. The last two tracks from the 7” are both instrumentals with “Don’t Walk on the Grass” being pretty good and definitely the better of the two. 

For an album released in mid-1981, I’m surprised just how `80’s sounding it is. Tons of synths and the odd electronic drum and synth bass. Had I not known better and you told me Thomas Dolby got his start in UB40, it totally would have made sense to me.

I actually saw the band live in 1986. They were touring their Rat in the Kitchen album (which I liked and will see you a few years to review that one). But I primarily went to see the openers, Fine Young Cannibals, who had just released their debut, an album I loved (again, see you in a few). FYC didn’t disappoint and UB40 were pretty solid. 

It’s too bad these guys are best known for dreadful (but enormously popular covers). I don’t hate UB40, but kinda hate what they came.

https://open.spotify.com/album/6yAiouQIjAhtqo5WbznIoL?si=k6T2e_-3REq-qPISvS8BUg

The 1980 Listening Post - The Babys - On the Edge

 The Babys - On the Edge

#424

by Chris Kouzes

October 1980

The Babys

On the Edge

Genre: Rock

Allen’s Rating: 4 out of 5

Chris’ Rating: 1.5 out of 5

Highlights

Turn and Walk Away 

Postcard 

Darker Side Of Town 

Those first four Babys albums are all very-good-to-fantastic. Songs like “Isn’t It Time,” “Wrong or Right,” Every Time I Think of You,” “Back on My Feet Again,” and “Midnight Rendezvous” are all among the best rock/pop had to offer in the `70’s. Oh, for anything that strong to be included on this album. This, their last album, ain’t so good. Adding pre-Journey Jonathan Cain to line up for this album was probably their death knell. Not a fan…he’s the male version of Diane Warren. The Queen and King of middle of the road horsehit. 

Things start off promising with “Turn and Walk Away.” Even that feels like it could veer off into pabulum, but hangs in there and is actually decent enough. But it’s largely downhill from there. Of the rest, “Darker and Walk Away” has a cool vibe due to its reliance on the electric piano and “Postcard’ has a hooky chorus. Seven of the ten songs are co-written by Cain; worse is that he sings lead on two of them. Why?? Did you ever have a fever dream where Sammy Hagar was fronting latter day Bad Company? Wanna know that sounds like? Listen to the other seven tracks. 

The worst though? Title: “Sweet 17.” Do you hate it? Me Too.

“I wouldn't say she's easy

But she's the kinda girl that won't say no

She's always getting into trouble

Though she's only got a year to go

She's got a record with the local sheriff

And a reputation coast to coast 

(Fifteen sixteen seventeen)

Sweet seventeen

Sixteen going on seventeen

And she acts like she's twenty-one

Counting days til she's eighteen”

Who knew someone could make Gene Simmons’ lyrics seem Dylanesque?

John Waits was a hell of a vocalist and front man. Unfortunately he’s probably best remembered now for his solo hit “Missing You” or as part of the Bad English supergroup. Shame he had to go out on an album like this with The Babys. I’d have given this a 1, but gave a bit more due to Waits’ superior vocals.

https://open.spotify.com/album/4GYMsv818WDk1oXX7KR5NR?si=cwHbwwH8RDmHpyNXq8bMig