The 1981 Listening Post - Stiff Little Fingers - Go For It

Stiff Little Fingers - Go For It #134 April 17 1981 Stiff Little Fingers Go For It Genre: Punk 4 out of 5 Highlights: Just Fade Away Hits and Misses Picacdilly Circus I know that all the punters in England were hanging out with Don Letts in the late 70s/early 80s and their musical shifts reflected that (Looking at you, “The Only One”). Here we see it affect Stiff Little Fingers on the very first track, a skittish, nervous cover of Bunny O’Riely’s "Roots, Radicals, Rockers and Reggae” and, well, we all know how I feel about opening your record with someone else’s tune. In this case, the track is excellent and right in SLF’s wheelhouse but that just has me wondering why they chose to open with someone else’s track, especially since, as often happens, the album explodes right after that the original “Just Fade Away” and I wasn’t expecting the title track to be a rambunctious choo-choo train of an instrumental. There is so much energy coming out of this record, it’s a shame no one talks about these guys anymore. https://music.apple.com/us/album/go-for-it-remastered/695460161

The 1981 Listening Post - Tenpole Tudor - Eddie, Old Bob, Dick and Gary

Tenpole Tudor - Eddie, Old Bob, Dick and Gary #133 April 17 1981 Tenpole Tudor Eddie, Old Bob, Dick and Gary Genre: Unexpectedly bonkers New Wave/Punk 4.5 out of 5 Highlights: Swords of as Thousand Men Header Now Wunderbar Three Bells in a Row I was never really a punk. I mean, yeah, I had Never Mind the Bollocks and the first two Clash albums and Dead Kennedys In God We Trust and Plastic surgery but I leaned more to melodic rock. Much as I love “Deutscher Girls” by Adam and the Ants, I’m more of a “Dog Eat Dog” guy. I saw The Great Rock and Roll Swindle but Tenpole Tudor has faded from my memory of that flick. Replaced by Tenpole’s appearance in Absolute Beginners and, by then, he was but a name I had read in passing in fanzines. I was mislead about Tudor. This isn’t “punk”. This is raucous and silly pub rock. “There Are the Boys” drifts more into Ant territory than The Clash. Even though this music would never ever ever be played there, I want to see a montage of Fawlty Towers physical comedy set to “Three Bells in a Row”. This record borders on Oi but never goes there and that’s to it’s credit. Give these guys a pint when they get offstage. https://music.apple.com/us/album/eddie-old-bob-dick-gary-let-four-winds-blow-stiff-anthology/1368581437

The 1981 Listening Post - Santana - Zebop!

Santana - Zebop! #132 By Jon Rosenberg April 29 1981 Santana Zebop! Genre: Rock/Latin Rock/Jazz Rock Allen’s Rating: 3 out of 5 Jon’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Highlights: Winning Changes Tales of Kilimanjaro Genre: Rock/Latin Rock/Jazz Rock Santana hits the 80’s! With an album called Zebop! And yes, the exclamation point is part of the title, so clearly someone was very excited about this music. After spending the latter half of the 70’s putting out jazz fusion that seemed to alienate many of their Woodstock Nation fans, Zebop! is something of a return to form. Gone are the Fillmore-length jams and lysergic lyrics, and in their place shorter, more radio friendly songs. But fear not, there is still a lot of fantastic guitar-work, and the requisite Latin percussion that envelopes you like a warm comfy blanket – and without which this wouldn’t be a Santana album. There’s nothing here of the caliber of “Evil Ways,” “Black Magic Woman,” or “Nobody to Depend On” from the first three albums. But “Winning” is a catchy-as-hell pop song -written by Russ Ballard - that gave Santana their first Top 20 hit single in a decade - and their last until “Smooth” in 1999. It’s still a great song, which fortunately hasn’t been co-opted (yet) by any douchebag politicians who don’t pay attention to the lyrics. “Changes” - a Cat Stevens cover - is a fantastic opener, that Santana make their own. And “Tales of Kilimanjaro” is a swirling Santana instrumental that brings to mind the chill vibe of “Singing Winds, Crying Beasts” from Abraxas. So, while some may not appreciate the pop sensibilities and brevity of the tunes, Zebop! is a minor classic in the Santana discography and definitely worthy of reappraisal by fans who may have dismissed it back in the day. https://open.spotify.com/album/6xneJ1pKj47GhKZOKv7OGD?si=i7CL7uYsSe2sLKmdsq6Qqw

The 1981 Listening Post - The Church - Of Skins and Heart

The Church - Of Skins and Heart #131 April 13 1981 The Church Of Skins and Heart Genre: Rock 4.5 out of 5 Highlights: For a Moment We’re Strangers Chrome Injury An Unguarded Moment Don’t Open the Door to Strangers This record feels…ahead of its time. Yes there are a lot of toes dipping into the late 60s psychedelic pop sound ala the Furs and I have to wonder just how popular that first First record was down under. What’s happening here is a fully realized, terrific set of what would probably be considered “New Wave” in 1981, and “Alternative” in 1991 songs and it’s that rare beast that had me stopping everything and listening again. I would bet a month’s salary that The Church opened for U2 on an Australia leg. How could they not? “Memories in Future Tense” seems to be directly inspired by a Boy aesthetic. “Bel-Air” could have fallen off a mid-career Cure record. I just wanted to say that. Cuz I’m listening to it. Again.
I really love how it starts off with the brokenness of that moment that “we're strangers For a minute you look away For a second or always For an instant another day Such strange things you say” But it closes with that warning…”Don't leave your thoughts unguarded Don't let them float where they will They never tell me what I want to know Don't open the door tonight” In the end we are all strangers to each other, yes? And maybe for more than a moment, but perhaps we should be aware that some of those strangers wish us harm. This album was a much needed jolt to an otherwise unimpressive year of music…so far. https://music.apple.com/us/album/of-skins-and-heart/713478306

The 1981 Listening Post - Joe Ely - Musta Notta Gotta Lotta

Joe Ely - Musta Notta Gotta Lotta #130 April 10 1981 Joe Ely Musta Notta Gotta Lotta Genre: Rockabilly 3.5 out of 5 Is Eel-y or E-lie? Anyone? Thanks in advance. It’s very possible, not likely but not 0% chance, that I avoided this guy because of how to pronounce his last name. Yes, I am that stupid. There are guys, like Dave Edmunds and Joe Ely for whom 1955 never ended. And I guess that’s fine but, in Ely’s case I listen to that title track and all I hear is an interpolation of “Great Balls of Fire”. Why not just play that and solo like a mad man all over it? Oh, I know. Money. Delicious, delicious royalties. Well, I think Ely would have sold more if he DID cover Jerry Lee instead of just ripping him. All that said, these are just well made rock and roll songs. Nearly charming, even though Joe isn’t, try as he might. https://music.apple.com/us/album/musta-notta-gotta-lotta/1445662176

The 1981 Listening Post - The Tubes - The Completion Backwards Principle

The Tubes - The Completion Backwards Principle #129 By Tom Mott April 28 1981 The Tubes Completion Backwards Principle Genre: Rock Allen’s Rating: 4 out of 5 Tom’s Rating: 3.9 out of 5 Highlights Talk to Ya Later Mr. Hate Attack of the 50 Foot Woman Think About Me "As I mentioned near the close of the last record, this record you are now playing is another example of the Completion Backwards Principle. If you can possibly manage the time, please play both sides at one meeting." Yesssssss! So cooooool! Forty years later and I still have that memorized. I feel vaguely guilty that I requested this one, because my love for the Tubes mostly begins and ends with this album, But The Completion Backwards Principle was a big part of my 1981 life. Or maybe my 1982 life. Things happen later in Lompoc. My Non-Chicago-Listening (NCL) brother brought this back from the freshman dorms at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. It was exciting and energizing; a soundtrack for moving ahead and escaping our home town. I experienced this album 100% as Party Rock -- Friday night dorm dance party! -- not as something within a larger Tubes history. Any listening notes below about David Foster are retroactive, or (dare I say) completion backwards. Is it the classic album that I remember? Let's dive in ... TALK TO YA LATER -- Yes! A great song for blasting on your car's cassette deck on the way to the mall or the beach or Carl's Jr. Not in a bitchin' Camaro, but possibly in a Datsun 260Z, and definitely in a Mazda GLC. A GREAT song. SUSHI GIRL -- I had the vague sense in 1981 that this was meant to be dirty. The cliche "Asian-y" sounds don't age well. Otherwise it's a solid rocker. AMNESIA -- I don't remember this song. Irony! It's a slice of classic David Foster. Oh wait, yeah, I remember the chorus. Meh. MR. HATE -- A super-fun slab of schlock a la BOC's Godzilla, that seems tailor-made for their live act. There's an odd little 5-second snippet of a song at the end of this. I want to hear THAT song! What's the story? Is that a Spotify mistake, or something else? ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN -- Another quiry rock gem that sounds tailor-made for their live act. This come off as camp, theatrical Steely Dan. And that's the end of Side 1. So far, it's fun! Party rock with some camp. A weak David Foster track in the middle, but otherwise, it's solid. The band's playing is super tight -- studio-musician tight. The bass is clean and funky and up in the mix. Fantastic drumming, courtesy of Prairie Prince, whose name is the only one I remembered besides Fee Waybill. I'm not a big David Foster fan. But pairing him with The Tubes mostly seems to be working. Side Two begins with ... THINK ABOUT ME -- oh yeah! Fast-paced "new wave" synth eighth-notes. Fun song! This needs Terri Bozzio singing it, but Fee does OK. A good one. A MATTER OF PRIDE -- Filler-ish. A fine rocker. I'll take it over Toto, but I can think of a bunch of other middle-of-side-two songs I'd rather listen to. DON'T WANT TO WAIT ANYMORE -- hmm, another one I don't quite remember. That's not Fee Waybill singing! It's (clickety-clickety-clack) Bill Spooner, their guitarist. This sounds like David Foster-era Chicago. Not. My. Thing. POWER TOOLS -- starts with a bass riff cribbed from The Kinks, and that's OK. Then simultaneously mellows-out and angulars-up. Weird. LET'S MAKE SOME NOISE -- an album (or cassette) closer. It's fine. A bit repetitive. Sounds like a concert ender. Strong piano that smells like Jools Holland. The wrap-up: For an album that was such a big part of my 1981 listening experience, I remember it much less than other albums from 80/81. TALK TO YA LATER is sooooo strong, it single-handedly lifts the album up a point or two. That's a killer song! There are strong hints of SHE'S A BEAUTY here -- that Tubes + David Foster + Steve Lukather thing. But I like this better than their next album Outside Inside. You know what this reminds me of?!? Was (Not Was) Born to Laugh at Tornadoes. Strong drums and funky bass lines, solid songwriting, tight production, quirky and humorous lyrics, fun party rock ... but not the masterpiece I want it to be. I'm rooting for it, dangit, but now that I'm done, I want to listen to Don't Say No or Soul Mining as a cleanse. https://open.spotify.com/album/3YVb9ns1i0WdzF1cdnLYWi?si=iSZ1Ixx-RlCcFOe95dKz-A

The 1981 Listening Post - Roger Taylor - Fun In Space

Roger Taylor - Fun in Space #128 April 6 1981 Roger Taylor Fun in Space Genre: Rock 4.75 out of 5 Highlights: Future Management Let’s Get Crazy My Country I & II Good Times Are Now Constantinople/Airheads Remember that scene in Bohemian Rhapsody when everyone in the band was SO pissed off that Freddie signed a solo deal to make Mr. Bad Guy? Yeah. No one seemed upset that, four full years before that, Roger made a solo record that was some strange rock hybrid of The Cars and Gary Numan and David Bowie all run through the taffy machine that is Roger’s arpeggiated sensibilities. And this really bugged me. Cuz I was one of those Queen kids that had to have Fun in Space. And I played the shit out of it. That whole year. I studied the cover and the inner liner with all the alien sci-fi novel depictions with variations on Roger’s name (Regor La Troy!) I marveled at how Roger played just about every instrument. And thanked the rest of Queen for butting out. And how the P.P.S. said “157 Synthesizers.” Which was a big fuck you to all those “No Synths” on those other Queen records. (My own band wrote No Synthesizers on our album as my own nod to my favorite band.) But is the album any good? Some of it is terrific. And the kind of stuff you would NOT find on a Queen record, until they allowed Roger to bring in those damned Synths and then we all got shite like “Calling All Girls” and “Machines”. I took this album to review because it meant so much to me as a kid. And I wanted to see just how biased I was when I rated it 5 years ago. Yeah, I was biased. But also not. See Roger understands hooks and he seems to have been able to tap into those groups I mentioned above and synthesize them into a rather catchy little number. “Future Management” is a terrific example of this for me. It’s kind of groovy, almost raga and designed to lull you into a state of digital drowsiness. For me the best thing on the record is “Let’s Get Crazy”. It’s the only song where the esteemed drummer lets loose and actually…plays the shit out the skins. The solo is without a doubt one of the most satisfying of the era, for years it was my ringtone (remember ringtones?) And it’s on that song that he divests himself from his idol, David Bowie. Because, let’s face it, Bowie could not, would not, rock that hard. I can only imagine what “Good Times Are Now” would be like if Brian had played the solo. And Freddie could have crushed “Magic is Loose”, a song that seems to have been with him in mind. And let’s not forget that Roger wrote the lovely “Heaven for Everyone” which Freddie would, eventually, put vocals on, as well as the nostalgic and melancholy “Those Were the Days of Our Lives” as well as other deeply emotional ballads. That’s the thing that separated Roger from Ocasek and Numan and, yes, even Bowie: Roger comes across as a very deep feeling guy. Sure, he was the band’s lothario, look at those locks and tell me you blame him for his indulgences. And that’s how he elevates those tracks. And then there is the soundscape/stadium rock experience that is “Constantinople”, where the musician walks into the wrong room and then steps on stage to the live audience, takes control (a little mini-wall), walks out, shuts the door and immediately pounds into the “Sheer Heart Attack” sequel “Airheads”. I say listen to them back to back. They are of a pair. On “My Country I & II” he builds a percussive tapestry that makes me wish he had played this live with other musicians. And it’s a song that fades out, fades back in and then hard stops abruptly. It’s damned great. If Roger Taylor wanted to tour this album just for nostalgia sake, I would buy tickets, stat. https://music.apple.com/us/album/fun-in-space/1443857764

The 1981 Listening Post - John O'Banion - John O'Banion

John O'Banion - John O'Banion #127 April 10 1981 John O’Banion John O’Banion Genre: Male Pop Vocalist 2.5 out of 5 Highlights: Love is Blind Requisite 80s Cover: “Walk Away Renee”. I can not express how much this sounds like it fell off Olivia Newton John’s Have You Never Been Mellow album. One of the things I noticed that we didn’t hear a lot of was that male vocalist sound. The kind of stuff you would hear from Eddie Money, Michael Bolton and others. I often liken them to American Idol finalists because I truly think that, 20 years after this, that’s where these artists would have to go to get their shot. O’Banion is one of these. Somewhat anonymous sounding, without much personality but he can hit the notes. He’s Johnny Bravo. Not the cartoon, the manufactured character that Greg Brady was almost turned into. In other words, O’Banion “fits the suit”. I have no enmity for people like John, after all, if I could have had a career as an actor and vocalist, I would probably have done my damndest to be either the Phantom or the lead in Chess. I don’t know if that’s where John ended up. I know he died after a car accident and that’s sad. This album is a bunch of Richie Zito & Joey Carbone songs. The kind of pap that you hear on the office radio before you convince the office manager to try Morning Becomes Eclectic and she does and everyone’s taste gets better. (This happened. 1989. Federated Bank. Money Market account processing. Boy I haven’t thought about THAT place in a while…) https://music.apple.com/us/album/john-obanion/1461757991

The 1981 Listening Post - Billy Squier - Don't Say No

Billy Squier - Don't Say No #126 By Tom Mott April 13 1981 Billy Squier Don’t Say No Genre: early-'80s melodic rawk Allen’s Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Tom’s Rating: 4.7 out of 5 Highlights In the Dark The Stroke My Kinda Lover Lonely is the Night PROLOGUE "This is the sound of the roller skating rink and driving around in your older friends car while smoking huge quantities of generic Mexican weed. This album captures what is what really like in 1981. The huge, legendary bands were either finished or on their last legs. Here was something familiar, but very melodic and crunchy at the same time. Real life affirming stuff."--AllMusic user review A SHORT PLAY THE CHARACTERS Me: 53-year-old dad He: 14-year-old son who likes Kendrick Lamar PART 1 Me: Wanna review an album together? He: OK, but I won't like it. Me: Won't like reviewing? He: Won't like the album. I don't like rock, and I don't like 80s music. Me: Well, this was the second album I ever owned. (needle drop. first 30 seconds of In the Dark play) He: Oh! (...) He sounds like the guy from Led Zeppelin. Me: Totally! But, punched-up and streamlined for the 80s. He: Yeah! This isn't bad. (I skip ahead to the second song, The Stroke) Me: This is called The Stroke. ... Me: (blurted) Itsprobablyaboutsexormasturbation (20-30 seconds of listening) He: This was your second album? Me: Yeah He: It's not bad. Me: Right? Here's another song. (My Kinda Lover) Me: I love the bass sound on this album. It's super melodic. Listen to that! (0:59) Right there! I love that! He: I hear it! Me: (quietly bonding over music) INTERMISSION I have three first albums. The 1st album I owned: Zenyatta Mondatta, given as a gift from Brother #1. The 1st album I chose: Don't Say No, given as a choose-your-own-record from Brother #2. And the 1st album I bought: Escape. This one got a lot of play. It has such a great sound: soaring vocals, tasty riffs, big melodic bass, Bonham-esque drums. I heard Billy Squier before Led Zeppelin, so I didn't know he sounded like Robert Plant. He just sounded like Billy Squier. Sure, Lonely is the Night sounds like Nobody's Fault But Mine, but Billy shaved off two minutes and turned in something groovy and fun. Reinhold Mack is producing here. Mack, who produced albums for Queen, ELO, and the Stones, along with Sparks "Angst in My Pants" (!!!). So that helps explain the great sound: big Bonham-esque drums, crunchy riffs, soaring vocals, that lovely melodic bass, and just a shmear of synths. PART 2 Me: OK, here's another one. (Lonely is the Night begins) Me: Listen to that bass! He: Totally! I hear it! It sounds great! He: (Gets up and walks out) ... ... ... Me: (calling out) Are you done? He: Yeah. EPILOGUE 1 Squier wrote all the songs. It's really good. EPILOGUE 2 I'm trying and failing to imagine my dad hipping me to an album -- "Itsprobablyaboutsexormasturbation" -- Ugh, Dad! Just give me my space. https://open.spotify.com/album/6TwlLNU5Zd9qGuNgSLeWPt?si=HifMzVZuSKOdmWH5-DxaBg

The 1981 Listening Post - Modern English - Mesh & Lace

Modern English - Mesh & Lace #125 April 6 1981 Modern English Mesh & Lace 2.5 out of 5 Before they melted with us, Modern English was a 4AD band that didn’t make much of a mark, apparently. I accidentally started listening to the CD version of this record which opens with “Gathering Dust”, a metro trip of swelling guitars and synth sounds. I loved it. And then the rest of the album kicked in… And I’m not sure what I would have thought if I was a “I Melt With You” fan who decided to go back into the band’s catalog and I heard this opening track “16 Days” with it’s static and Joy Division drums. It seems designed to make you either hate it or grab some Mollie to enjoy it. But there wasn’t; Mollie back then, was there? This has all the markings of a group trying to figure out what it wants to be while fervently declaring itself vital to the scene. But, also, super boring. https://music.apple.com/us/album/mesh-lace/1452734695