The 1986 Listening Post - Quicksilver Messenger Service - Peace by Piece

Quicksilver Messenger Service - Peace by Piece

#355/2035

1986 Housekeeping

Quicksilver Messenger Service

Peace by Piece

Genre: Hot junk

.75 out of 5

Lowlights:

Electric Love

The rest of the record….

The things I listen to for this project….

I’m not up on my 60s bands; was QMS always a middling synth driven, bass heavy dance band? Cuz, they are here. 

And the songs are gawd awful. 

But at least they are all 4+ minutes long. 

WHY IS THERE AN INSTRUMENTAL CALYPSO THING ON THIS RECORD!?

why is there a metal statue of a roman soldier brandishing an assault rifle????!?!?!?

Ugh, this is a horror show. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/peace-by-piece/494153173

The 1986 Listening Post - Conflict - The Ungovernable Force

Conflict - The Ungovernable Force

#354/2034

August 1986

Conflict

The Ungovernable Force

Genre: Punk

4 out of 5 

Remember Punk?

This might be seen as an final gasp of the movement. 

The opening declaration, a sonic pastiche that doesn’t really suggest what’s inside the record.

“A Piss in the Ocean” lifts from “Anarchy in the UK” and is followed by “C.R.A.S.S.” which absolutely states, amidst rapid fire lyrics, that “punk is dead”. If they are right, this is the epitaph. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-ungovernable-force/203997080

The 1986 Listening Post - Tangerine Dream - Underwater Surprise

Tangerine Dream - Underwater Surprise

#353/2033

August 1986

Tangerine Dream

Underwater Sunrise

Genre: Pink Floyd

2.75 out of 5

Sublimely produced, hypnotic at times, this surreal piece of wax would probably work as the soundtrack to a deep tissue massage. 

But one with a crescendo and, dare I say…climax? Not that kind. 

This is borderline for the mission statement and I believe TD should no longer be included as we move forward. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/underwater-sunlight/440320823

The 1986 Listening Post - Phil Alvin - Un "Sung" Stories

Phil Alvin - Un "Sung" Stories

#352/2032

August 1986

Phil Alvin

Un “Sung” Stories

Genre: Rock…and others

4.25 out of 5

Highlights:

Death in the Morning

Titanic Blues

A few years before this Joe Jackson dove head first into big band with Jumping’ Jive and in about 10 years FROM this Swing will make a huge comeback through Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, Brian Setzer, Squirrel Nut Zippers and others. 

So, it stands to reason that we should take a look at this album of mostly covers of gospel and R&B and Swing tunes by the other Blaster. 

Missing the energy of Joe and the excited discovery of those aforementioned revival groups, Phil comes across as a steward of the genre and ends up with something just a bit more than a curio.

https://music.apple.com/us/album/un-sung-stories/299549570

The 1986 Listening Post - Lowlife - Permanent Sleep

Lowlife - Permanent Sleep

#351/2031

August 1986

Lowlife

Permanent Sleep

Genre: Dream Pop

4.25 out of 5

I couldn’t help but think that this would have been so much better with someone like Elisabeht Fraser on vocals instead of that deep droning Craig Lorentson has. 

I didn’t mind most of this and found it awfully soothing at times while never being boring. 

Were Lowlife influential? This is early Shoegaze, yes? 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/permanent-sleep-rain/305280428

The 1986 Listening Post - Black N' Blue - Nasty Nasty

Black n' Blue - Nasty Nasty

#350/2030

August 1986

Black ’n’ Blue

Nasty Nasty

Genre: Glam Metal

3.75 out of 5

Highlights:

Kiss of Death

There must be a behind the scenes story of this band. The lead guitarist, Tommy Thayer eventually became the lead guitar for KISS. Peter Criss appears on this thing as a vocalist and it was produced by Gene Simmons. But his joining up to work with them was still a decade away as written in the Thayer Wiki: “In 1994, Kiss' Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley hired Thayer to work part-time on their forthcoming book Kisstory, which led to other projects and eventually a full-time role with Kiss. Thayer's work for Stanley and Simmons began by performing such tasks as painting Stanley's house and cleaning out Simmons' gutters”.

So. 

You’ve got your own band. 

Fairbairn produces the sophomore album.

Kiss guys get involved. 

It goes nowhere.

You session for a bunch of people. 

Then you get hired to work on a Kiss book.

Then you are basically Paul and Gene’s task rabbit. (WHY IS THIS PART OF YOUR WIKIPEDIA BIO ENTRY????)

Then you are hired to be the 4th member of the band.

Weird, man. 

The title track is co-written by Gene and sounds very similar to his “Domino”. I quite enjoy both tunes. 

A fine example of 80s glam. 

https://open.spotify.com/album/49kjUcO89UFPDy7qxCnCtC?si=koOEO4-dQYm8C8tPOUt-Dg

The 1986 Listening Post - Bog-Shed - Step On It

Bog-Shed - Step On It

#349/2029

August 1986

Bog-Shed

Step On It

Genre: This band’s original name was The Amazing Roy North Penis Band. 

3.25 out of 5

Highlights:

Mechanical Nun

I don’t know how to even begin this. 

Take the best parts of funk and marry them with the better parts of punk and then think Presidents of the United States of America and make them British and then get really drunk and maybe listen to a bunch of Wire and that’s what this sounds like to me. 

It was fun for a while and then Side One ended and I was reluctant to turn the record over. But it started playing anyway since it’s a YouTube video and I just let it go and started drinking Mudslides. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqU9vuRcdis

The 1986 Listening Post - Bonnie Raitt - Nine Lives

Bonnie Raitt - Nine Lives

#348/2028

August 1986

Bonnie Raitt

Nine Lives

Genre: Dinner Party Rock

2.25 out of 5

This is the most antiseptic, unassuming, harmless record I’ve heard in a long while. The songs are all…songs. They are crafted and played and recorded and then pressed onto vinyl.

If you are having a dinner party and you want music that NO one is going to say “Hey, what is this we’re listening to?” about, this is the one. It’s a music bed for the background of a mixer when you want to act like you like rock and roll music. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/nine-lives-remastered-version/287368378

The 1986 Listening Post - The Lover Speaks - The Lover Speaks

The Lover Speaks - The Lover Speaks

#347/2027 LISTENING POST DISCOVERY

August 1986

The Lover Speaks

The Lover Speaks

Genre: New Wave

4.5 out of 5

Highlights:

No More ‘I Love You’s’

Never to Forget You

Tremble Dancing

In the vein of ABC and Duran Duran and Spandau comes The Lover Speaks. Honestly, I thought this sound was dead. It’s Human League and Tears for Fears and Spandau Ballet but with more (even) baritone. 

Here’s a thing: David Freeman wrote “No More ‘I Love You’s’ which was turned into a hit for Annie Lennox. This group was discovered via demo tape submission by…Dave Stewart. 

This is a gorgeous and lush album. It’s a bit heavy on the balladeering but has moments of sublime effervescence. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky1gqnZCWUU

The 1986 Listening Post - The Triffids - In the Pines

The Triffids - In the Pines

#346/2026

August 1986

The Triffids

In the Pines

Genre: Alternative/Country

3.75 out of 5

Highlights:

In the Pines

Kathy Knows

The notes on this record is that is was recorded in a barn for about a grand and a large amount of that went to alcohol. More than on food, apparently. 

This is basically a C&W record. It adds little to the conversation but it’s not bad. It just is. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/in-the-pines/1192299169