New Wave music reviews

After seeing them in concert, I am convinced I am going to buy anything they put out! What amazing musicians!!!

Just saw Cheap Trick in concert a few nights ago at a small club but I am old enough to remember when this group was headlining 18,000 seat arenas based on the success of the "Live at Budokan" album. Of course, back then the material from their first three albums drove their concerts and, in my opinion, this older material has never been matched. Yes, there have been some decent Cheap Trick songs since 1979 but I feel none of their albums since then have exhibited the skill, fun, humor,and "sing-in-the-shower" songs you find on these three albums. Listening to these albums will raise your energy level regardless of your age. This is guitar driven power rock at its finest. Considering that the terrorism war and financial debacles may have soured your mood a bit, buy this CD and maybe, like a good escapist movie, you can forget reality and smile for a little while.

Been listening to these 3 cds all day today at work and have decided that "Cheap Trick" is just about the best thing going music-wise today. The vocalist is great, the guitar players and drummer are polished musicians and they sing fun songs which require no heavy lifting to enjoy.

These are the first three cds that they recorded and some of the extra outtakes are a little rough but this is a great buy for some user-friendly rock & roll. Go ahead and order. It really is OK to enjoy good music without experiencing any "angst" or similar emotions.

This is a neat little collection and fits nicely alongside "Anthologyland".

It would be great if Capitol would remaster and re-release the remainder of the Motels catalog; there are a lot of fans out there that would love to own the originals in sonically updated format.

And, while we're on the subject, the next time somebody does anything with ANY Motels release, would you please go and get "Long Day" from the "Moscow On The Hudson" soundtrack and include it?

It's a great tune that is far superior to many of the tracks that made it onto "Anthologyland" and begs to be made available.

This entire disc sounds fantastic! In 2002, Capitol Records threw out several of these 'Classic Masters' releases, emphasizing the 24-bit digitally remastered sound. These recordings have never sounded better! I've bought several 'Classic Masters' releases and have only been disappointed by the sound quality of the Pat Benatar release.

The Motels' songs sound crisp, full, and clear. It's amazing how well these songs have been tweaked from their original master tapes. The 1979 hit, "Total Control", is a perfect example. Not many recordings from 1979 sound this punchy! Jump forward a few years later to 1982 and hear the brilliant sound of "Only The Lonely" with it's blaring sax section. Woah!

With the sonic upgrade aside many fans may complain about the tracklisting. The 'Classic Masters' series tends to stick to around a dozen tracks. Tracks are going to be missing, and we are missing several hits here. However, those missing tracks are nicely replaced by several key recordings here, namely the beautiful, breathtaking "Some Things Never Change" (b-side of "Suddenly Last Summer"). I had never heard the song previously to buying this compilation. Ending the disc on a high, it's now become one of my favorite Motels tracks.

Despite the tracklisting I have to give this release a solid 5-star rating for the mastering and the inclusion of "Some Things Never Change". I'm glad I grabbed my copy when I did since the release is now unfortunately out of print.

If you even just like a couple of there songs & have a half way decent stereo - car or home - you owe it to yourself to get this CD. Might be the finest remastering I have ever heard. Stunning audio. Of course I am a fan of the Motels so I found all the tracks on this CD most excellent. Again I can't state enough how AMAZING the sound quality on this CD is. I was truly blown away. Get one and see..............peace.............

The Mentals are an awesome little pop band. Their pop, like much of their painting, is pretty nifty art. This band manages to be unpretentious while pursuing some of the most adventurous songs in the catalogue of pop and rock. There was a "famous" review in an English rock mag. that said the Mentals put more ideas into any one song than the average band put in an album. Very true. They can, however, be erratic, and sometimes lean to the twee. But you won't find a song that doesn't have significant redeeming features. This is classic rock/pop. And Creatures of Leisure is probably their best work. You might also seek out their first LP, "Get Wet", or one of the hits packages.

On vinyl this *was* the album I could play day after day, year after year. Folks new to this won't miss the changes, but if you loved the US vinyl version, be prepared. The CD is not as good as the US LP. The songs are different, additions *and* subtractions. The CD packaging/liner art is poor. The artwork on the vinyl album liner (done by one of the band members) was outstanding, and totally complemented the music (one piece of art per song). It mystifies me as to why they would have changed a single thing! Buy it anyway, you will not regret getting this!

One of my favorite albums of the early 80s. Seamless and timeless album. These guys weaved many different influences into a tight style that was all their own. Just one problem: the American LP had a great version of Orbison's "Working For the Man." Where is it!

I first heard this compilation when i was a teenager. I just now came upon it again in over 20 years.This to me is "THE" Dave Edmunds retrospective as it covers many facets (but sadly, not all) 0f this pioneers influences. If you find yourself in need of a rockabilly fix look no further. The arrangments (such as on "From small things Mama, big things one day come") are on a playing field belonging only to the greats. If you need to further your "jone,s" try anything by his one time collaborater Nick Lowe. Solo, they are influential, together they are magic.

This is a wonderful, energetic, upbeat, exciting record. If you want to become familiar with Dave Edmunds, this is the place to start.

Every now and then a great album comes along and the world goes nuts. People buy it, play it, rave about it and before you know it, forget about it. But sometimes, a great album comes along and no-one hears it. Just a few lucky people who stumbled upon a masterpiece. This is one of those albums. In fact, it may be the BEST of those albums. When this album came out, Dave Edmunds was a name that few people knew. If they did, it was probably from the hit "I hear you knocking" which had come out years before this release. Now, 20 years later, things haven't changed much, Dave Edmunds remains an undiscovered talent, and this album remains brilliant. At the time of its release, very few bands were playing this music, a blend of rock, tex-mex, rockabily and country---remember, this is years before the Stray Cats or Uncle Tupelo, and decades before Wilco and Whiskeytown. If released today, branded by terms like alt-rock, country rock or new country, it would probably find a much wider audience, which is what it deserves. Songs like the Springsteen penned "From Small Things" to the Chuck Berry cover "Dear Dad" find Dave ripping down the highway in a 57 Chevy, top down and radio blaring. But others, like "Deep in the Heart of Texas" and "One More Night" finds our hero in a roadside bar, south of the border, one moment whopping it up with the local bar band, the next crying in his beer. And the next time you break up with, or better yet, get dumped by the love of your life, put on "Paula Meet Jeanne" or "Other Guys Girls" and feel the healing power of rock and roll. And that's what this album is all about. Good old Rock and Roll. Forget all those other catchy "Flavor of the Month" terms, this is simply rock and roll. "Louisiana Man", "Warmed Over Kisses", "Generation Rumble", "Me and the Boys" one cool rock tune after another. Pete Townshend once said that rock is like sex. You are always looking for an album that makes you feel as great as the first record you ever heard. Just like you are always looking for the thrill of that first sexual experience. This is that album. The first song proudly screams 'From small things,mama, big things one day come.' That's true, but for this album you might say, 'from unknown things, great things one day come.'

Music by a band ahead of it's time. Tony Mansfield (singer, composer, producer) has the ability of constructing a warm sound out of all the electronic instruments. Although you don't hear a guitarist and drummer on this album, it still has a great deal of emotion.The second album Anywhere, is already released. I am however waiting on ther third CD-release, Warp.

i've been waiting for this album to be released on CD for at least 5 years. today i got it. wow, it's even better than i remember. tony mansfield is truly brilliant. i can't wait to get "warp"!

this cd is great i have been a fan of new musik for a long time now and i would just like to know if there other album called anywhere will be realesed at all on cd also if anyone can help me on finding the album anywhere by new musik i would be very grateful if you could please e-mail me at stepug@aol.com thankyou

To tell you the truth, I am not sure why they had to use three discs for this collection. Not only because there are only 10 songs on each disc, but because there is really nothing all that great on Disc 2. However, Disc 1 and Disc 3 are truly loaded with some of my favorite songs from the 80s. "Obsession" by Animotion might well be my favorite one hit wonder song of all time and the decade is certainly represented by songs that defined the music we were hearing on the radio and watching on MTV, from "Take on Me" by a-ha to Toni Basil's "Mickey." What makes this a strong collection overall is that it has a lot of those one hit wonders type songs like Wang Chung's "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" and Tommy Tutone's "867-5309/Jenny." Those memorable songs are balanced by some hits by more established groups like Blondie, Cheap Trick, and Culture Club. Just look over the list of tracks and unless you have an extensive music collection, you are going to find enough hits to make this one worth picking up. If they ditched that woefully weak second disc, then this one could get five stars. But for reasons that passeth understanding, this CD collection is a music sandwich with nothing in the middle. Go figure.

Excellent Compilation. Worth of buying for someone who is experiencing the 80s nostalgia

It certainly will take you back...

Reading a previous review, makes me want to share the fact that very few of my friends every heard of Wreckless Eric.
I bought I listened and I enjoyed all of the music on both albums.......'whole wide world' & 'big smash'.....
had one friend in particular who enjoyed this music along with all the Stiff artists.....at the time.

I couldn't get enough
Can't wait til I get the CD and crank it up...

Don

brains wit humor personality soul. great tunes. the very best of wreckless eric. what are you waiting for?

On one fine day way back in the spring of 1981, One of my roomates at Colorado State University brought a new record into the house. Wreckless Eric "Whole Wide World".

Who in the hell ever heard of Wreckless Eric? We surely had the only copy of this album in the entire city of Fort Collins, and the whole state for that matter.

It took about 13 seconds ( and a couple of bong hits) to realize that what we had was something wonderfully weird. The gravelly voiced little urchin could really play that classic Richenbacher guitar.

We loved it, but most of our friends thought it (...). We played this (...) thousands of times anyway. I still have my vinyl copy of Whole Wide World. I've been waiting for years for someone to have the inelligence to re-release this wonderful (...) on CD. Al the favotites are on this totally (...)-up and glorious package of MUSIC! Get this CD today. It just makes you happy.

Rock On Eric Goulden.

This is not your normal British ska-revival record of the early 1980's. This isn't happy, teen-bop ska, designed to make 16 year old kids dance poorly. This is a dark, haunting, bluesy iteration of ska that has to my knowledge never been attemped before or since. For that reason it is a very unique record.

If you love the genre of ska, it is a must-have, for it delivers an interpretation of ska that quite simply cannot be found on any other disc.

Celebrate The Bullet is a must-own record. I have never heard another record with its mix of alluring vocals, topical lyrics, ska beats and luscious, textured orchestrations. The CD rerelease even includes several remixed dub versions that are worth an extra listen.

I bought the vinyl many, many years ago and have always counted it as one of my favorite albums. When I saw the CD available, I jumped at the chance to order it. What I found is that the music still sounds fresh and inventive and the lyrics are even more apropos than ever. It's as if The Selecter were looking twenty years ahead in time when they put the record out.

The CD release also includes a useful historical booklet with interesting facts (the title cut, for instance, was banned from the BBC because it was released the week that President Reagan was shot).

i got vinyl in '83. i too was a little taken aback when it first hit my ears, but then the more i listened, the more it grew on me until i was totally sold on the selecter as my favourite band from that period and one of my all-time favourites. it was a cleverly orchestrated album for them when you consider the scene from which they spawned, and especially following their first "influential" album of the era - no more than 2 years earlier. a new direction, or rather a tangent to the sound that was essentially theirs anyway, i think further propelled the group to a brave new level. alas, the rest of the world had moved along. nevermind, the spirit of the music that was the selecter, is still very much alive whenever i play any of their tracks. PS: i'll look around for the re-release cd as the vinyl went the way of a number of other classic albums from the era - eroded.

Finally the BBC has properly issued the complete BBC sessions by Adam and The Ants. Tracks four through twelve were previously with cool artwork issued in 1991 but ommitted the pseudo-offensive "Deutscher Girls" (containing the line "why did you have to be so Natzi?" - hardly promoting Natzis) and "Puerto-Rican" a great song with tounge-in cheek lyrics (irony is seemingly often misunderstood by Americans). The versions of these songs are interesting early versions of songs that were later released either on Dirk Wears White Sox or as A-Sides or B-Sides (or sometimes not at all).

The version of "Zerox" here is incredible (although the single/album version remains the definitive version). It sounds like Kraftwerk playing an angular punk rock song. Terrific!
The versions of "Tabletalk" (with its great "love love love" guitar line), "Animals And Men" (played here twice as fast as the Dirk version) and "Ligotage" (which is French for "Bondage") are all fantastic slices of brooding angular Dirk-era atonal punk.

"It Doesn't Matter" is a fun little song that the band re-recorded during the Vive Le Rock sessions (but in that version they left out the "you smell" punchline). "Lou" -a song about Lou Reed - is pretty much ruined by Jordan's screaming throughout it.
"Cleopatra" is done a tad too slow here and the version of "You're So Physical" here is pretty similar to the Do-It version.
Jumping from '79 to '95 the acoustic versions of "Wonderful" and "Gotta Be A Sin" are pretty ace. The version of "Antmusic" is pretty funny Ant sounds like he's having fun.

A worthwhile and necessary purchase for any Ant fan.

Most of this disc was released as 'The Peel Sessions' about a decade ago, but this superior version also has two additional early tracks: 'Puerto Rican' and another version of 'Deutcher Girls', as well as three acoustic tracks from 1995. This is a must for anyone interested in Adam's punk roots or punk music in general. A lot of early Ants classics are here: '(You're So) Physical', 'Zerox', 'Never Trust A MAn With Egg On His Face', etc, just that they're different versions- some are slightly slowed down and some are slightly faster than the originals. Forgotten track 'Puerto Rican' finally makes it onto an Ants album, and then there's 'Lou' and 'Ligotage' as well which ended up on the UK Antbox box set from 2000. All classic punk/Ants material which you NEED! Great material, play loud. At the end of the disc is three acoustic cuts from 1995 which are slightly out of place amid these early John Peel sessions from the late 70's, but are a welcome addition. Of these, included is a gorgeous 'Wonderful' as well as a drum-free acoustic version of 'Antmusic' which is stripped down almost into a campfire singalong. These were just Adam and Marco, i believe. The rest of the disc is the original Ants. Get it!

What an unbelievebly great cd. I am a fairly new Adam Ant fan. I only discovered him about a year ago. I knew about Goody Two Shoes and all that (which is a great song of course) but I had NO IDEA how talented he really is. If you like punk and want to hear something different- buy it! It's really too bad that the Ants are never brought up when talking about the early punk era. Its always the Ramones, the Clash, the Sex Pistols ect. But the Ants were up at the top of early, influencial punk bands. Please please please- buy this cd. You wont regret it. And the lkast three songs are great too. Ant Music, Wonderful and Gotta Be A Sin (that LUCKY Heather Graham!!!!) were all recorded acoustically and they are grogeous. I LOVE YOU ADAM!!

The CD is OK, very synthetic and not natural sounding at all and is a little too bublegum 'new agey' for my liking. The last track is good and relatively pleasant (although sometimes repetitive), not great, I don't think it's going to change your life as the other reviews seemed to have implied. I had imagined an epic inner journey with natural sounds of drums etc. and that's not what this was about. I would give it 2 1/2 stars if possible, definately not five.

I would not pay full price for this CD.

This is one of my favorite albums. Is this the same James Asher who did the other James Asher albums listed under his name? I don't think so.

I found this album in 1989 through a mail order catalog from the UK and fell in love with it. The title track "The Great Wheel", a 29 minute long epic, can evoke emotions of joy and ectasy that you never thought were possible. The sense of peace this albumn evokes is such that I had a terminally ill family member who would listen to this one song repeatedly while in hospital. This work is that powerful! Have some tissues nearby when you listen the first time! If you only own one CD this is the one to buy!