Julian Cope - Fried
#300 (I've made some numbering mistakes. Sorry)
November 9 1984
Julian Cope
Fried
4 out of 5
Highlights:
Reynard the Fox
The Bloody Assizes
O King of Chaos
This is a lot rawer than World Shut Your Mouth from the get-go and I already love it.
Cope gets a bit precious and wistful occasionally ("Me Singing") but, for the most part, it's unassuming and quite fun.
I never really cared for The Teardrop Explodes (although I love the name with an adoration and envy I can not express) and I really thought that last one by Cope was meh but, bully for him for coming out just a few months later with something as interesting and assertive as this.
I'm quite stunned at how much I enjoyed this. Stripped down, I would have told you that Julian needs MORE filigree and production, not less.
The space between the notes and the air he gives himself here is greatly appreciated.
I gave this an extra .25 above the average because my experience with it was unexpected.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/fried/599505560
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
The 1984 Listening Post - Gary Numan - Berserker
Gary Numan - Berserker
#301
November 9 1984
Gary Numan
Berserker
3.25 out of 5
Highlights:
Berserker
Child with a Ghost
My Dying Machine
This one isn't available anywhere so I had to pull it up on my EHD cuz I have an abnormal affection for all things Numan.
Well, that's not totally true. HAD. Cuz, right around I, Assassin, Gary seemed obsessed with losing me.
He succeeded. Berserker is not great. Now, I know Gary's had problems and issues with depression, etc, and it did nothing for me the first time I heard it, when I did the Numan retrospective or today.
Here's part of the 08 review:
"This is a big, bold heaping pile of industrial noise. Predating Nine Inch Nails by some time there is no way Reznor hadn't heard this record. A lot of synth musicians were playing around with these sounds, even Sparks found themselves so far in love with their keyboards that they got lost in a miasmic pit of redundant faux-industrial over-production.
Songs like "My Dying Machine" come dangerously close to sounding like Harold Faltermeyer but that was the sound of the times, yes? "Cold Warning" starts off promising but crumbles under the weight of it's own self-aware gravitas and length. Dammit, Gary, cut these tracks by about 90 seconds each, please! And when he does return to the bass driven jazzy sounds on "Pump Me Up" the whole affair just feels tired and dressed up to sound new but not original in any way
If there is any saving grace it's on "Child with a Ghost" a song Numan wrote for his deceased-by-overdose friend and original bassist, Paul Gardiner. "Child" is the most beautiful song Gary has recorded since his Telekon days. A piece of brilliance almost marred by a dreadful sax that appears about 3/4 of the way in."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9pMWsbKiN8
#301
November 9 1984
Gary Numan
Berserker
3.25 out of 5
Highlights:
Berserker
Child with a Ghost
My Dying Machine
This one isn't available anywhere so I had to pull it up on my EHD cuz I have an abnormal affection for all things Numan.
Well, that's not totally true. HAD. Cuz, right around I, Assassin, Gary seemed obsessed with losing me.
He succeeded. Berserker is not great. Now, I know Gary's had problems and issues with depression, etc, and it did nothing for me the first time I heard it, when I did the Numan retrospective or today.
Here's part of the 08 review:
"This is a big, bold heaping pile of industrial noise. Predating Nine Inch Nails by some time there is no way Reznor hadn't heard this record. A lot of synth musicians were playing around with these sounds, even Sparks found themselves so far in love with their keyboards that they got lost in a miasmic pit of redundant faux-industrial over-production.
Songs like "My Dying Machine" come dangerously close to sounding like Harold Faltermeyer but that was the sound of the times, yes? "Cold Warning" starts off promising but crumbles under the weight of it's own self-aware gravitas and length. Dammit, Gary, cut these tracks by about 90 seconds each, please! And when he does return to the bass driven jazzy sounds on "Pump Me Up" the whole affair just feels tired and dressed up to sound new but not original in any way
If there is any saving grace it's on "Child with a Ghost" a song Numan wrote for his deceased-by-overdose friend and original bassist, Paul Gardiner. "Child" is the most beautiful song Gary has recorded since his Telekon days. A piece of brilliance almost marred by a dreadful sax that appears about 3/4 of the way in."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9pMWsbKiN8
The 1984 Listening Post - REO Speedwagon - Wheels are Turnin'
REO Speedwagon - Wheels are Turnin'
#300 (!!!!)
November 5 1984
REO Speedwagon
Wheels are Turnin'
2.75 out of 5
Highlights:
I Do' Wanna Know
Can't Fight this Feeling
I often think that REO Speedwagon's best stuff sound like they are auditioning to be the band that writes the song for a sequel to Grease.
I know there was a sequel to Grease and it was terrible. And, you know what? It might've been a LOT better if they used REO Speedwagon songs.
They're like a slightly less charismatic, more arena ready J. Geils Band, no?
When they hit, they hit a bullseye. But that's rare. After Nine Lives and Hi Fidelity it's been a war of attrition of quality material for them.
I have a friend over, sitting in the corner, working on a puzzle while the kids are playing and the wives are outside talking. I started playing this from where I left off, during "Live Every Moment".
"Is this REO Speedwagon? I feel like I haven't heard them in 20 years."
He hasn't. But its remarkable that he knew who it was from 30 seconds of a non-hit album track.
"Can't Fight this Feeling"...is there any other song that screams "80s Prom" than this one?
I think not.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/wheels-are-turnin/200298768
#300 (!!!!)
November 5 1984
REO Speedwagon
Wheels are Turnin'
2.75 out of 5
Highlights:
I Do' Wanna Know
Can't Fight this Feeling
I often think that REO Speedwagon's best stuff sound like they are auditioning to be the band that writes the song for a sequel to Grease.
I know there was a sequel to Grease and it was terrible. And, you know what? It might've been a LOT better if they used REO Speedwagon songs.
They're like a slightly less charismatic, more arena ready J. Geils Band, no?
When they hit, they hit a bullseye. But that's rare. After Nine Lives and Hi Fidelity it's been a war of attrition of quality material for them.
I have a friend over, sitting in the corner, working on a puzzle while the kids are playing and the wives are outside talking. I started playing this from where I left off, during "Live Every Moment".
"Is this REO Speedwagon? I feel like I haven't heard them in 20 years."
He hasn't. But its remarkable that he knew who it was from 30 seconds of a non-hit album track.
"Can't Fight this Feeling"...is there any other song that screams "80s Prom" than this one?
I think not.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/wheels-are-turnin/200298768
The 1984 Listening Post - Bryan Adams - Reckless
Bryan Adams - Reckless
#299
November 5 1984
Bryan Adams
Reckless
4.5 out of 5
Highlights:
She's Only Happy When She's Dancin'
Run To You
Heaven
Somebody
Summer of '69
Ain't Gonna Cry
I almost forgot what "rock" sounded like during this year's retrospective. I mean, I know there were people out there trying to do it, even Molly Hatchet should be given some credit for trying to keep the Guitar/Guitar/Bass & Drums sound alive.
But here we are, a Canadian (!) icon reminding us what that fist-pumping, arena filling sound is.
The hits are candy (sorry, I like em...it's the Canada in me), the album tracks are better than serviceable. "She's Only Happy When She's Dancin'" & "Ain't Gonna Cry" re the 80s tracks the Rolling Stones didn't write but should have.
Was "Summer of '69" ubiquitous? Yes. Does it slavishly worship at the feet of Springsteen? Also, yes. But so did John Cafferty and Beaver Brown Band and who doesn't love the Eddie and the Cruisers soundtrack???
Who!?!?
You?
Sit down. It was fun.
Okay, it was cheese-rock. Which a lot of this was. But this sort of sound is integral to the fabric of rock. Not only can you sing to it, and air guitar to it, and air drum to it but it's also unabashedly and blatantly about a sex act AND it was a massive seller on the charts.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/reckless-remastered/940720637
#299
November 5 1984
Bryan Adams
Reckless
4.5 out of 5
Highlights:
She's Only Happy When She's Dancin'
Run To You
Heaven
Somebody
Summer of '69
Ain't Gonna Cry
I almost forgot what "rock" sounded like during this year's retrospective. I mean, I know there were people out there trying to do it, even Molly Hatchet should be given some credit for trying to keep the Guitar/Guitar/Bass & Drums sound alive.
But here we are, a Canadian (!) icon reminding us what that fist-pumping, arena filling sound is.
The hits are candy (sorry, I like em...it's the Canada in me), the album tracks are better than serviceable. "She's Only Happy When She's Dancin'" & "Ain't Gonna Cry" re the 80s tracks the Rolling Stones didn't write but should have.
Was "Summer of '69" ubiquitous? Yes. Does it slavishly worship at the feet of Springsteen? Also, yes. But so did John Cafferty and Beaver Brown Band and who doesn't love the Eddie and the Cruisers soundtrack???
Who!?!?
You?
Sit down. It was fun.
Okay, it was cheese-rock. Which a lot of this was. But this sort of sound is integral to the fabric of rock. Not only can you sing to it, and air guitar to it, and air drum to it but it's also unabashedly and blatantly about a sex act AND it was a massive seller on the charts.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/reckless-remastered/940720637
The 1984 Listening Post - Alison Moyet - ALF
Alison Moyet - ALF
#296
November 5 1984
Alison Moyet
ALF
3.25 out of 5
Highlights:
Invisible
I had no idea Moyet did the soundtrack for the tv show about a cat eating space puppet.
Ok, that was too easy.
Snap judgment: It's Eurythmics lite. Or it's female led Blue Eyed Soul. Wait...that's what Eurythmics really were, weren't they? Female singer led Blue Eyed Soul masquerading as "New Wave", right?
I feel like every time I hear something from Moyet or Clarke I am going back to Upstairs at Eric's and I don't know if that's fair but it is what it is. That album was the standard by which much of this stuff should be measured.
This is no Upstairs at Eric's. It's a solid record of smooth rock sounds and I see no reason to revisit any of it. And I wonder if the 3+Million people who bought have ever listened to it again.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/alf/500308423
#296
November 5 1984
Alison Moyet
ALF
3.25 out of 5
Highlights:
Invisible
I had no idea Moyet did the soundtrack for the tv show about a cat eating space puppet.
Ok, that was too easy.
Snap judgment: It's Eurythmics lite. Or it's female led Blue Eyed Soul. Wait...that's what Eurythmics really were, weren't they? Female singer led Blue Eyed Soul masquerading as "New Wave", right?
I feel like every time I hear something from Moyet or Clarke I am going back to Upstairs at Eric's and I don't know if that's fair but it is what it is. That album was the standard by which much of this stuff should be measured.
This is no Upstairs at Eric's. It's a solid record of smooth rock sounds and I see no reason to revisit any of it. And I wonder if the 3+Million people who bought have ever listened to it again.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/alf/500308423
The 1984 Listening Post - Pat Benatar - Tropico
Pat Benatar - Tropico
#295
November 1 1984
Pat Benatar
Tropico
3 out of 5
Highlights:
Diamond Fields
We Belong
Ooh Ooh Song
The last day of school in May of 1985 this record was sitting on the carpet in front of an empty dorm room. Just the record. No cover, so sleeve.
I don't know what that means in the greater context but it's the only memory I have of this record, which I've never heard.
I have to admit I wasn't expecting the pro-rock opening of "Diamond Field". It's actually a lot more pulsating and energetic than I was anticipating, since I always wondered why the album didn't open with the massive hit that follows it.
Now, everybody knows that I am not a fan of original acts opening their albums with a cover but this one seemed obvious to me. And, also, I don't know if, at the time, anyone would've known that it wasn't a Benatar/Giraldo original.
What "We Belong" is, though, is one of the best songs of the era. Bar none. I say that, not because I know the author but in spite of it. It's haunting and delicate and then explodes into a siren call of hope and connection. How has it not become a political anthem? It's more than just a love song, which it is, it's a love song to people, not just a person. It's perfect. And it lingers long after the fade out.
From there we get some seriously MOR stuff. "Painted Desert" & "Temporary Heroes" are slow paced and almost ponderous and, while they don't build on the promise of her earlier stuff, it points to a mature direction, a sound that, dare I say, Madonna would mine about a decade later.
I'm not sure that's what we want from Pat, though, is it? She was a warrior voice in male dominated 70s rock, a beacon for, I know this sounds weird, Lita Ford and Joan Jett and others. She was fierce.
Tropico is the sound of someone leaving their youthful exuberance and energy behind and settling in to comfortable adulthood. But that doesn't yield the catharsis I want from her.
Then Side Two bursts out with the "Ooh Ooh Song" and we are at a carnival and I wonder...how come this wasn't up front? After the turgid, somnambulant end to Side One, why would anyone turn the damned thing over to even know that there's anything with any life in it on Side Two???
Sadly, it doesn't really last. I mean, "A Crazy World Like This" tries, but it's too little, too late.
Too bad, really.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/tropico/716134525
#295
November 1 1984
Pat Benatar
Tropico
3 out of 5
Highlights:
Diamond Fields
We Belong
Ooh Ooh Song
The last day of school in May of 1985 this record was sitting on the carpet in front of an empty dorm room. Just the record. No cover, so sleeve.
I don't know what that means in the greater context but it's the only memory I have of this record, which I've never heard.
I have to admit I wasn't expecting the pro-rock opening of "Diamond Field". It's actually a lot more pulsating and energetic than I was anticipating, since I always wondered why the album didn't open with the massive hit that follows it.
Now, everybody knows that I am not a fan of original acts opening their albums with a cover but this one seemed obvious to me. And, also, I don't know if, at the time, anyone would've known that it wasn't a Benatar/Giraldo original.
What "We Belong" is, though, is one of the best songs of the era. Bar none. I say that, not because I know the author but in spite of it. It's haunting and delicate and then explodes into a siren call of hope and connection. How has it not become a political anthem? It's more than just a love song, which it is, it's a love song to people, not just a person. It's perfect. And it lingers long after the fade out.
From there we get some seriously MOR stuff. "Painted Desert" & "Temporary Heroes" are slow paced and almost ponderous and, while they don't build on the promise of her earlier stuff, it points to a mature direction, a sound that, dare I say, Madonna would mine about a decade later.
I'm not sure that's what we want from Pat, though, is it? She was a warrior voice in male dominated 70s rock, a beacon for, I know this sounds weird, Lita Ford and Joan Jett and others. She was fierce.
Tropico is the sound of someone leaving their youthful exuberance and energy behind and settling in to comfortable adulthood. But that doesn't yield the catharsis I want from her.
Then Side Two bursts out with the "Ooh Ooh Song" and we are at a carnival and I wonder...how come this wasn't up front? After the turgid, somnambulant end to Side One, why would anyone turn the damned thing over to even know that there's anything with any life in it on Side Two???
Sadly, it doesn't really last. I mean, "A Crazy World Like This" tries, but it's too little, too late.
Too bad, really.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/tropico/716134525
The 1984 Listening Post - Orange Juice - The Orange Juice
Orange Juice - The Orange Juice
#294
November 1 1984
Orange Juice
The Orange Juice
3.5 out of 5
I was not much of a fan of the last 2 Orange Juice albums so...gimme a minute.
I'm still not a fan of Edwyn Collins' goofball nasal voice so that hasn't changed.
Does this sound right? Is Orange Juice the truck stop on the way between Mod/The Jam and Blue Eyed Soul before you get off at the Smiths off-ramp?
Cuz that's the vibe I get, especially on "Burning Desire". This vibe, that would get it's full throated representation a couple years later in Absolute Beginners, is really wearing thin on me.
I will never come back to this. I have a sneaking suspicion the members of this band don't, either.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-orange-juice/1185497090
#294
November 1 1984
Orange Juice
The Orange Juice
3.5 out of 5
I was not much of a fan of the last 2 Orange Juice albums so...gimme a minute.
I'm still not a fan of Edwyn Collins' goofball nasal voice so that hasn't changed.
Does this sound right? Is Orange Juice the truck stop on the way between Mod/The Jam and Blue Eyed Soul before you get off at the Smiths off-ramp?
Cuz that's the vibe I get, especially on "Burning Desire". This vibe, that would get it's full throated representation a couple years later in Absolute Beginners, is really wearing thin on me.
I will never come back to this. I have a sneaking suspicion the members of this band don't, either.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-orange-juice/1185497090
The 1984 Listening Post - Omen - Battle Cry
Omen - Battle Cry
#293
November 1 1984
Omen
Battle Cry
2.75 out of 5
Highlights:
Last Rites
Has anyone seen Omen and Manowar in the same venue? Or Grim Reaper? Or Venom? Or Armored Saint? Or Metal Church??
I bet a metal fest of these bands would be awesome AND they could just swap out players one by one throughout the night, never stop playing and no one would be the wiser.
I totally get why parents would think that there was an enveloping cult of Satan worshippers poised to steal their children away. I don't know how many of these bands lived the life of the songs they wrote, I can't imagine it was that many.
Here's the thing about Omen, though. Where all those bands thought they were the next coming of Priest, this sounds like a band trying to be Iron Maiden.
Now, I blew out my eardrums on Powerslave so I've had to ease back on the banging of the head but I could find myself digging some of this, especially the fretwork on "Be My Wench" and "Bring Out the Beast" which is some monster shredding.
Look, it's chukka-chukka axework and sometimes it delivers and other times it doesn't.
I really thought this would rank higher and then I tallied the songs and...nope.
I really wanted the chorus of "The Axeman" to be "Bow down to the ass, man!" but I don't get what I want most of the time, so I'm used to it.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/battle-cry/60365680
#293
November 1 1984
Omen
Battle Cry
2.75 out of 5
Highlights:
Last Rites
Has anyone seen Omen and Manowar in the same venue? Or Grim Reaper? Or Venom? Or Armored Saint? Or Metal Church??
I bet a metal fest of these bands would be awesome AND they could just swap out players one by one throughout the night, never stop playing and no one would be the wiser.
I totally get why parents would think that there was an enveloping cult of Satan worshippers poised to steal their children away. I don't know how many of these bands lived the life of the songs they wrote, I can't imagine it was that many.
Here's the thing about Omen, though. Where all those bands thought they were the next coming of Priest, this sounds like a band trying to be Iron Maiden.
Now, I blew out my eardrums on Powerslave so I've had to ease back on the banging of the head but I could find myself digging some of this, especially the fretwork on "Be My Wench" and "Bring Out the Beast" which is some monster shredding.
Look, it's chukka-chukka axework and sometimes it delivers and other times it doesn't.
I really thought this would rank higher and then I tallied the songs and...nope.
I really wanted the chorus of "The Axeman" to be "Bow down to the ass, man!" but I don't get what I want most of the time, so I'm used to it.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/battle-cry/60365680
The 1984 Listening Post - Molly Hatchet - The Deed is Done
Molly Hatchet - The Deed is Done
#292
November 1 1984
Molly Hatchet
The Deed is Done
2.25 out of 5
Oh, man.
The great keyboard virus has infected Hatchet now.
This album makes me want to go back and re-rate all the other Molly Hatchet albums and lower their rating by a full point as a punishment.
To be fair, they've never rated higher than a 3.something but this is some of the least interesting beer festival band music I've subjected myself to.
"Heartbreak Radio" is as near as the boys get to something that sounds like a hit. It's not great by a long shot but it hews back to some of their more serviceable stuff. And "Straight Shooter" has so much country-rock energy I am hard pressed to understand why it's buried so deep into the record?
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-deed-is-done/280280037
#292
November 1 1984
Molly Hatchet
The Deed is Done
2.25 out of 5
Oh, man.
The great keyboard virus has infected Hatchet now.
This album makes me want to go back and re-rate all the other Molly Hatchet albums and lower their rating by a full point as a punishment.
To be fair, they've never rated higher than a 3.something but this is some of the least interesting beer festival band music I've subjected myself to.
"Heartbreak Radio" is as near as the boys get to something that sounds like a hit. It's not great by a long shot but it hews back to some of their more serviceable stuff. And "Straight Shooter" has so much country-rock energy I am hard pressed to understand why it's buried so deep into the record?
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-deed-is-done/280280037
The 1984 Listening Post - Cocteau Twins - Treasure
Cocteau Twins - Treasure
#291
November 1 1984
Cocteau Twins
Treasure
4.5 out of 5
Highlights:
Ivo
Lorelei
Pandora (For Cindy)
Donimo
So, this sort of picks up where we left off with these guys last time, yes? That Bauhaus meets Siouxie sound seems to predate the 90s in a great way. Were they ahead of their time or did a bunch of musicians follow their lead?
The band thought this was rushed and not up to par. No one else agrees with them. This is, perhaps, an example of artists not being able to overthink anything because this album filled me with emotions I had suppressed. It's a dream and catharsis, gorgeous and ugly.
I love this record.
On a sunny Saturday, like today.
Maybe if it was raining.
Or the world was burning.
Or the kids are grown and visiting.
I think this would work for all of that and more.
I'm glad I didn't give up on them after Garland. This is a treat.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/treasure/1027469081
#291
November 1 1984
Cocteau Twins
Treasure
4.5 out of 5
Highlights:
Ivo
Lorelei
Pandora (For Cindy)
Donimo
So, this sort of picks up where we left off with these guys last time, yes? That Bauhaus meets Siouxie sound seems to predate the 90s in a great way. Were they ahead of their time or did a bunch of musicians follow their lead?
The band thought this was rushed and not up to par. No one else agrees with them. This is, perhaps, an example of artists not being able to overthink anything because this album filled me with emotions I had suppressed. It's a dream and catharsis, gorgeous and ugly.
I love this record.
On a sunny Saturday, like today.
Maybe if it was raining.
Or the world was burning.
Or the kids are grown and visiting.
I think this would work for all of that and more.
I'm glad I didn't give up on them after Garland. This is a treat.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/treasure/1027469081
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)