New Wave music reviews

did see pylon in early '80 opening for gang of four and then once again about a year later. I enjoyed their first single cool/dub but sort of lost track of their later doings. what impressed me was their rhythmic angularity, spare/discordant guitar-but as many groups from the era, vocals tended to be a bit forced (in a squeaky art school sort of way). Nonetheless, a nice release from rednecksville.

Pylon is a very difficult band to categorize. Are they new wave? Dance music? Punk? Indie rock? They are all and none of these descriptions, and that's what makes them so intriguing. They were contemporaries of R.E.M., that other band from Athens, GA, and R.E.M. were huge fans of this group. Ironically, R.E.M. and their contemporaries thought that Pylon would be the band that was poised to follow the B-52's on a path to stardom.
Their furious live shows (I caught them on a reuinion tour around 1990 or so), treble-edged guitars, monotonous drum beats and harsh, sometimes screeching vocals can be irritating and yet incredibly infectious at the same time. This is a compliation of some of their earlier LPs and singles and is the only thing I know by them that is available on CD (if you can find it). Pylon certainly is one music's most unique and avant-garde bands of any genre.

Such an Awesome Group! Athens Georgia's Most Unique export. Vanessa's Voice from Growling down Low to Squealing up on Highs is a Joy to hear! Surrounded by Simple Yet extraordinary musical Explorations. Both Muscular & Intelligent! I still am Crazed that Pretentious REM became the Big Stars of "serious" Music, Blech, in America! at least they always name check the Real Stars of the Scene! Check out the use of a sports Whistle on the song DANGER! EXCELLENT!!!

"It's my life" was a great song. Even though the refurbished Gwen Stefani version is basically the exact same song with a different singer, it is still lame. Mark Hollis has a voice that is haunting, honest, hopeless, gritty and comforting at the same time. It is too bad that he does not make himself heard nowadays. This album has 3-4 fantastic songs and the rest are pretty good as well.

not much to add to everything said, yes, it is synthy, but no doubting (pun unintended) the maturity of the songs, Renee is for anyone who has experienced unrequieted love, and Tommorow Started, the way Hollis's voice hangs onto the stretched bass note beofre the trumpet solo, it symbolises everything wonderful about Talk Talk. Get a copy of Its MY life, add Lexicon of Love by ABC and New Gold Dream by Simple Minds and take back the airwaves from the Stefanis of this world.....

Talk Talk singer Mark Hollis has the most expressively emotional voice to have emerged from the "New Wave" (or whatever pigeonhole you need..) singers. Just hearing the sorrow, the pleading in "Renee" is enough to send you off if you like emotional singers - and I do. This is a fantastic album, atmospheric and yet claustrophobic. Talk Talk were one of the rare groups that really didn't set out to be BS rock stars, and one might say they accomplished that. It is a shame that Mark's voice was destined not to be what the music programmers wanted, so you got Simon Le Bon (and tinny-voiced Gwen Steponme) instead. Hope you're happy about that - I'm not.
And I didn't add the line about "voting buttons" either. Buy this CD.

Sounds like home! Even stranger, for those of you lucky enough to be in the Twin Cities, you can hear cuts of WAITING and MUSIC FOR BOYS on Minnesota public TV between shows. And, if you listen very closely, you can hear the same cuts (mostly WAITING) on the kid's show DRAGON FLY TV (a st. paul produced show). Talk about having your youth coming back to haunt while watching TV with the kiddies.

Buy it! Relive your youth. I bet you can't resist getting up to dance.

I am also a true Minneapolis Minnesota native, and the Burbs rock the house! I got my goggles on, and it's so bright! I see in color, not black and white! Is this the only album with "Waiting" on it? That is the best one on there. I also like "Goggles","Music for Boys","Cig Machine","Spring Came"...all of em really. The publishing company that did this CD is about 40 blocks away, I'm close native! BYE

As a Minneapolis native there is no other words to describe the Burbs here on this album..."the best"! After years of all albums being out of print, hard to find etc. This gem came from TwinTone. The burbs will light up your mind and take you backa few years to when things were just a little simpler...this disc is gonna make you want to roll down your windows, punch the gas and give a hoot out the window as you speed through downtown!

This CD may be perfect for a slooow meditation, however I enjoy his other CD's more that have some life to them.

If I could only have 1 cd this would be it. Now if I could have 2 cds this one and Santana Shaman would take care of all my needs. I have felt that way for years. I finally had to get a new one, as it was worn out. IF you use music to create holy time, and love piano, cello or native american flute. This will probably rock your boat. These gentleman have in my opinion connected with that holy energy of life. What a gift. I want to say thank you to them.

I love the adagios, specially the piano pieces by Peter Kater. Hauntingly beautiful. I tend to listen to them at night. I call them soulful music. The ones with vocals are wonderful too. Uplifting. Inspiring even.

I like this kind of music, it takes me to another world. Starting with the first song and the introduction spoken by Lawrence Laughing makes my flesh creep. Joanne has a beautiful voice and the duets together with Lawrence are a good combination!

I picked this disc up by chance on a vacation to Yellowstone with my family. It quickly became the signature music for a magical journey.

Joanne Shenandoah is a quietly powerful advocate for her musical and cultural heritage, which she represents on this disc with deep compassion. The album title means the oneness of all things, and the songs explore that theme in a few of its many components.

The album begins with the speaking voice of Lawrence Laughing describing the meaning behind the disc. We are here not just to live physically, but to be present and available spiritually. The final track brings this home in a most compelling way with lyrics (spoken in English by Shenandoah before they are sung in the native language) that emphasize our responsibility to stand up and be counted "in the spirit world." Like most good albums of its kind, this one represents life as a journey: "And when you are ready, O maker of life, I'll come home to you."

The female harmonies are simply stunning. Whether singing of love or friendship or reverence for life, they speak quietly but unmistakably to the central theme of the album --- oneness in different voices. A simple courtship dance, thoroughly accessible to children no less than to adults, is poignant in its simplicity and harmony.

Much recent "Native American" music has tended toward the New Age, and like artists in any genre, many Native American artists have sacrificed authenticity to make a buck. Not Shenandoah, at least not on this disc. The musical techniques are modernized, but the performers avoid catering to "pop" tastes and excessive sentimentality. Each tune is fresh, unique and purposeful, and Shenandoah uses rhythm as a complement to the music, not a substitute for it.

I recommend this as a first disc for anyone looking to begin exploring Native American themes through modern artists.

Moo-zik = de uni-voice all lang which... Music IS the universal language!

And: Joanne Shenandoah speaks it fluently on this CD! - Kontemplatif +sympathetique y soothing. Let a healing sonic vibe wash over your being-ness. If you stop to listen - you'll hear a rare thing... a friendly message. - mrk (cornplanter -seneca)

I bought the album back in 1982 and love it. I've since replaced my vinyl with cds and now mp3's.

The question I have is:
Does the version of the song "Talk Talk" include the 'synth-drum clicks' in the first 5 seconds of the song?

I purchased the version from itunes and it does not include it. That mp3 is from the album "Natural History - The Very Best of Talk Talk" So while I'm pleased to get a great sounding mp3 of the song, I want the first 5 seconds with the 'synth-drum clicks'

Thanks to anyone who can answer the question.

I've been listening to this album since 1983 (ouch). When I first heard it in high school I loved all the uptempo numbers but now w/the advantage of a few years under my belt I see this album in a completely different light. Songs like Candy and The Party's Over lay the groundwork for what this band set out to accomplish on their later recordings. With the exception of the somewhat spotty Laughing Stock, Talk Talk are one of the most consistent and satisfying bands I know of... This CD is a great starting point.

I used to play this record at my work 20 + years ago when it came out. I worked at night in a the stereo department of a department store. We had a record dpartment but this was one of my faves. I listened to everything back then from The Kinks to Sex Pistols to Ultravox to on and on.

This album is still one of my favorite records. The music is almost dreamlike and Mark Hollis voice only adds to the effect. My favorite has to be Mirror Man which to this day is one of my favorite songs after say the Kinks immortal Waterloo Sunset.

I still love this album and I still don't know exactly why.

If you are like me, you may have wondered about all the listings where a rare, collectable item that sells for quite a bit normally is supposedly available from Amazon for a much lower amount "normally delivered in 4 - 6 weeks" or thereabouts. Well, I'm here to tell you, they don't have the title and it doesn't appear to be on its way. I ordered several such items, including this great Shoes cd on June 2, just to see what happened. So far nothing... not a peep. All Amazon is doing is putting their legitimate selling and buying customers at an unfair disadvantage while tying up your money (in case they ever do ship it). If I had ordered from an Amazon Merchant, I could have been enjoying this cd for the last 6 weeks.

Dear Seller:
Um, dude, we all know your high price for these albums is a total joke. I know Skip and Jeff; I drop in on them in Zion on a not-too-infrequent basis. Your price is for any of their CDs is insane, good as their music is--and it is good. What exactly are you thinking?
ZZ

Shoes are one of those bands that you look at and just scratch your head, wondering "how did these guys not get huge?" Of course, fans in the know will tell you that Shoes were one of the best power pop groups of all time (in fact, in college I did a Power Point presentation on power pop music, and I focused on my "Big 5," of which Shoes were #4). One of the first in a long line of Illinois popsters who just don't get their due - there must be something in the water over there that gives these guys so much talent and bad luck simultaneously. Anyway, the first record by Shoes that was released was Black Vinyl Shoes, which is highly recommended but a bit less accessible. Present Tense followed, serving up an actual hit single (!) in "Too Late," a simply great power pop song any way you slice it. Of course the rest of the album is magnificent from start to finish, and as a guitarist I loved being able to throw this on and pick out most of the simple but catchy guitar parts. Tongue Twister followed, and admittedly sounds a bit thinner and more dated, but there's still a wealth of great tunes for your listening pleasure. Fans of softer Cheap Trick, Dwight Twilley, Emitt Rhodes, Big Star, and the Records would be doing themselves a real favor to track this down.

Best Tracks:
"Too Late" - Cool little riff leads into this lesson in power pop dynamics - even when the guitars kick in and start crunching on the chorus, the vocals stay soft and sweet.
"Your Very Eyes" - Should have been all over AOR/AC stations in the late 70's. Puts other soft rock to shame.
"In My Arms Again" - Really interesting song structure here - scaled back chorus gives way to an explosive, emotive outro. Great tune.
"I Don't Wanna Hear It" - An early example of pop punk, miles better than anything out today in that genre.
"Your Imagination" - For those who dig early Goo Goo Dolls tunes written by bassist Robby Takac, this will fit right in. Good lyrics, peppy and bouncy, a great kick in to the Tongue Twister tracks.
"When It Hits" - More power pop 101 from the masters. I just wish this track was a bit better produced.

I came to the Sparks roundabout. I was listening to one of the last BBC shortwave radio broadcasts to the U.S., to John Peel's pop show (Peel died in 2004) and was gobsmacked at "This town ain't big enough for the Both of Us." I've collected the group since then. This is an interesting album for completists. The Sparks are an extremely quirky group, at times banal, at times geniuses. "Don't Turn Your Back On Mother Earth," "B.C." and "Bon Voyage" are extremely good. The rest of the entries are, well, extremely sparky and adventurous, but they don't always succeed. Still, this is a remarkable group. They almost make a fetish of clarity, incredible chromatic chord changes, like Richard Strauss on 78 rpm, and they are always on key. They do really astounding arpeggios and the notes are like gunshots, dead-on. They have very Dada lyrics, which are often extremely funny and witty. I can see why they were popular in Germany. In short, they're a remarkable musical combination, completely out of the ordinary and still thought-provoking after all these years. Some good came of the 1970s. This is not average music. This is very original.

Ever thought you would hear Tiny Tim singing with a hardcore punk band? Well, now's your chance. Actually, the vocals are much better than Tiny Tim's, the song melodies stick in your head *forever*, and, despite (or because of) the highly unusual vocals, the band is truly powerful in an almost metal sense. Also, I think these guys might have invented rap (check out the song BC). DON'T MISS THIS BAND. They are like *nothing* else you've ever heard.

This album instilled in me the burning desire to drop leaflets from helicopters declaring Sparks the greatest band in the world!! Having no access to a helicopter at the age of fourteen, word traveled slowly but surely, by various subversive missives.

Despite the Maels' intentions to take a completely new direction, ignoring the successful formula of Kimono My House, it segued right into Propaganda. Sparks' third and fourth albums (both on Island Records) complemented each other like a pair of bookends. Britain's `Holy Trinity' Melody Maker, Sounds and NME raved! They gave Ron and Russell tremendous coverage, featuring lengthy interviews in which they mostly discussed their favourite topic...food!

In 1974, recorded immediately after the smashing British reception of Kimono My House, Propaganda retained the same producer, Muff Winwood (brother of Traffic's Steve Winwood). The album was made in the anglo-maniac Maels' new home, England with Sparks' live touring unit; bassist Ian Hampton (replacing Martin Gordon from the Kimono sessions) and guitarist Trevor White - both former Jook members, (the late) Adrian Fisher also on guitar and drummer, Dinky Diamond.

The album cover of Propaganda launched a succession of hilarious cover shots, presenting the frail Mael brothers in extraordinary predicaments, usually helplessly victimized in some way. Here they are on the south coast of England - abducted, bound and gagged at the back of a speeding boat, and on the back cover, held hostage at a petrol station in the rear of a car. Their captors (Ian, Dinky and Trevor) are fiendishly deciding their fate. The inner sleeve finds the brothers breaking their ties and attempting to telephone for help.

Russell shines on the a'capella title track, with his voice overdubbed 30 times! The rest of the songs are sung in various narratives; the voices of animals left behind on Noah's ark ("Bon Voyage"), a kid who likes taking candy from strangers (potential abductors) but can't understand why he shouldn't ("Thanks But No Thanks"), a girlfriend being bribed by abundant eccentric gifts to keep her from divulging incriminating information ("Something For The Girl With Everything"), a cowardly army recruit ("Reinforcements") and many more. This was some of the most multifaceted pop music ever recorded. It was almost operatic with its amazing range and orchestrations, sudden tempo changes and strange storylines - and it rocked! Gilbert & Sullivan would have either been proud or envious!

Guitarist Trevor White told Goldmine in July, 1995, "'Achoo' ended with this really great characteristic long solo... (from Adrian) and they wiped it off and put on all those horrid multi-tracked sneezes. They figured everyone had heard a guitar solo, but they hadn't heard us all sneezing." Yes, guitar solos are a dime a dozen, but sneezing on a Sparks record was groundbreaking! Unfortunately, it never did catch on.

1974 brought Sparks four hits in the UK Top Twenty within nine months. The album charted instantly, and "Something For The Girl With Everything" / "Marry Me" reached #17. All of the UK singles from Propaganda contained non-LP B-sides.

In October of 1974, "Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth" /"Alabamy Right" reached #13. It was the nearest thing to a ballad that Sparks had ever done, featuring beautiful mellotron and synth strings.

Sparks were uncomfortably wedged somewhere between Glam and Rock although they were neither one entirely. As refreshing as their music was to some, it was equally annoying to others - a high standard which Sparks maintain to this day!

The Propaganda album elaborately set the stage for Sparks' next excursion...the inimitable Indiscreet.

I have not had the privilege of hearing the whole CD but my favourite song is the Anna Rexia song...however, I cannot make out all the words for it. Could somebody help me out with the lyrics??
e-mail me at longhair82@yahoo.ca
But it is quite interesting...and a genius title for the song.

I've got news for you: you're going to get old.

Yes, it's true that we all know that this will happen to us, but there is an often overlooked corollary to the above statement that many of us miss: you're going to get unhip, too.

I first realized this in 1985 when I made a mix-tape for a friend of mine who was in college at the time. She was several my junior, and so I strained to make a tape of music as cool as I had in my collection so that she could impress her college chums. (Or, rather, so that I could impress them.) The tape included, amongst the Talking Heads and Clash tunes, a couple of tracks by the Fabulous Poodles. I was sure it would be lauded by all her classmates, and when I asked her what her friends thought of it, she told me flatly that they didn't really like it. The music, they said, was old.

Ugh.

I could, I suppose, blame our short-attention span society for their dismissal of the music. After all, I reasoned, there is music that has lived on for centuries that was still considered great, so why not the music on this tape? And it is true that many of the tunes, particularly the Heads, seemed to have aged extremely well. Others, in retrospect, have not. This is where the Fabulous Poodles fit in. Listening to them now, I realize that the kids were right. The music sounds old now. Hell, it probably even sounded old then.

You see, even though the Fabulous Poodles were contemporaries of the Heads and the Clash and the burgeoning punk and new wave movements (they formed in the UK in 1976), their music never seemed to fit in with those camps. (This is, after all, a band who opened for the Clash in the US, it's true, but they also open for Tom Petty and even Sha Na Na!!) Instead, the Poodles (to these ears, anyway) sounded much more like the Kinks - but not the snotty three-chord rawness of the mid-60s Kinks. No, they sounded like the 70s version of the band, with its core in rock & roll, to be sure, but with elements of English music hall popping in every now and then. When I listen to this CD now, it is blatantly obvious. When I listened to it back in the day, I never heard it.

This is not to say the music is bad, mind you, and the band certainly had a bigger US following than the early Brit punkers. Indeed, back in the day the Poodles albums sold better in the US than the first albums by the Clash or the Jam. Some of the tunes still make me laugh, dance, or just act silly ("Pink City Twist" and "Toy Town People" immediately spring to mind). And the Poodles sole foray into the US charts, "Mirror Star" (which scraped the Hot 100 and stayed there for just a few weeks) holds up better than I expected it might. Still, if you were to play this album for today's youth, they would likely have little use for its dated material and would probably advise you that it was getting a bit past your bedtime, gramps. If you want to impress the kids, play them "Remain In Light" by the Talking Heads or "London Calling" by the Clash, or even "Black Generation" by Richard Hell & the Voidoids. This album will likely not do the trick.

The Poodles split in 1980. Leader Tony de Meur went on to change his name to Ronnie Golden and became an actor. Bass player Ritchie C. Robertson later turned up in Barance Whitfield & the Savages. Violinist Bobby Valentino has probably had the most enduring presence in the music business, having worked as a session music for the likes of Billy Bragg, Big Country, Tom Petty, the Proclaimers, Mike Oldfield, Nick Lowe, the Style Council, and many others, and currently works with a cockney/western swing band Los Pistoleros. Oh, and he also works as a Clark Gable impersonator.

If you liked the Poodles back in the day, you will likely continue to appreciate them for their nostalgic value; however, if you weren't a fan then, there are probably better places to start your investigation of late 70s Brit pop.

I had been waiting since CD's came into being for something from 'The Fabulous Poodles' to be released and since I don't think they released their best album 'Unsuitable' on CD this will have to do. Here the very best tracks are the ones off the 'Unsuitable' album, namely 'Mirror Star', 'B Movies', 'Chicago Boxcar (Boston Back)' and the hilarious and ever so slightly sinister 'Suicide Bridge'. Although my favorite track off that album 'Topless Gogo' is not unfortunately on this compilation. All the songs are infused with great humor and that English likely-lad pub-rock kinda feeling. Good old British Rhythm and blues with a Cockney accent, they were never hugely popular but left an original footnote at the end of the punk era, showing that lyrical originality and a quirky sense of humor really can go a long way. Not the most beautiful looking band in the world (you'll notice the only fabulous poodle on this cover is in fact a fabulous poodle!) the band's name in retrospect seems like a good fit. If you're looking for quirky funky good old pub-rock R&B New Wave music then this is definitely for you. You'll be singing along to 'Anna Rexia' in no-time believe me and not feeling at all guilty about singing along to lyrics like 'like makin' love to a bagfull of spanner's.' Buy and enjoy, although i don't know how this became a collectors item. Wait for a re-release. I'm sure they'll re-release this eventually and hopefully the 'Unsuitable' ablum too.

This is the best band to debut in the 80's. They had even better albums than this one, but this sure wasn't a bad start. The only album to be avoided, at all costs is Midnight to Midnight. Aside from that, do yourself a favor and buy everything by this amazing band.

People were either introduced to the Psychedlic Furs by Pretty in Pink or the classic tracks Heaven and the Ghost in You. In contrast to Simple Minds' Don't You Forget About Me, Pretty in Pink is an excellent, original band track that just happened to be used in a poor, very dated 80's movie. If you didn't move past these Furs tracks or their parent albums, you're missing a lot. The Furs have just enough original albums/CDs to fill a CD multiplayer: P. Furs; Talk Talk Talk; Forever Now; Mirror Moves; Book of Days; World Outside. We'll forget about Midnight to Midnight (everyone's excused one mistake - '87 - not a good year). All of the compilations (All of This And Nothing, Should God Forget, etc) are excellent, but best to get the 6 original albums. The Furs' eponymous first offering sets the base for the future; it defines post-punk to the same extent as Joy Division, Gang of 4, Teardrop Explodes and Echo and the Bunnymen. It is raw and heavy, with driving original base and drums (India), to rasping rock (Soap Commercial/ We Love You) that makes the live shows kick-ass, to the smooth, smart, subversive Sister Europe and Imitation that create the mold for the classic populist tracks of the Furs circa '82-'84. Talk Talk Talk builds on the raw platform and the '82-'84 albums are classics from a classic age. But if you like the eponymous CD take a listen to the return to heavy of the 1989 Book of Days - entertain me. Then there's arguably the most complete Furs' offering World Outside - brilliant. It is a shame that the Furs could not have continued and like the Cure produced a breath of fresh air every couple of years to clear out the prevailing dross. Draw a line from the Furs to Placebo to Interpol.

I sought out the first Furs CD after seeing them live - and now can't stop playing it for its original raw edge. I went to see Death Cab for Cutie with the Furs on the bill and frankly the Furs blew away Death Cab - this was a big surprise. The final driving fist of a tune at the show - India - made me check out the eponymous first CD. If you like Interpol, Static Age, even Arcade Fire, you should check out this CD. Oh, and catch them live.