New Wave music reviews

With playful, jazzy, original compositions, harpist Lorin Grean weaves laughter and magic through the loom of her Celtic harp, while singing along in an enticing, wordless vocalise. I bought this CD expecting something rather traditional, and found these fluid, even mischievous songs to be a delightful surprise. The sinuous, luxuriant, mysterious character of Grean's compositions lends itself perfectly to her primary topic on this release: the adventures of cats. Kevin DiSimone, on keyboards and background vocals, and a variety of other musicians add to the richness of the music, and Charlie Bisharat's violin in particular sounds quite "meow-ful". If you are a cat fan, this CD makes a perfect accompaniment for a reading or rereading of Tad Williams' whimsical book "Tailchaser's Song". Or just listen as you play with your pet(s) and watch their antics. Lorin Grean's other release, "Spinning Gold", features more of her playful arrangements, this time using classic rock tunes as the source material. If you enjoy the work of Lorin Grean, you will also like the innovative harpistry of Kim Robertson, Thomas Loefke and Andreas Vollenweider.

Lorin's work is amazing to me. I've seen her perform live in Santa Barbara. What a talented musician who pours her heart, soul and energy into her work. And of course, The Radiance Technique is part of this wonderful CD!

Stumbled upon this CD by accident (a lucky bargain bin find) and never grow tired of it -- it's haunting and enchanting and luscious. I too am looking for more by Lorin Grean!

Hardest Hits [BOX SET] [IMPORT] has volumes 3-5 at less than 25 bux here on amazon, so all you have to do is hunt down volume 2 (disc 1 was pulled off the market due to licensing reasons). Odd name for this SPG series, but I assume they mean Hardest to find on CD hits...almost entirely made up of 12" versions this is a series that will help you get rid of a load of 12" singles-and introduce you to some new wave tracks you may have missed out on back in the 80s. Track times on this volume:

1. first last for everything (4:39)
2. whistle down the wind (3:41)
3. melody (3:58)
4. working with fire & steel (5:00)
5. baby's in the mountains (6:49)
6. day one (3:49)
7. pleasure boys (6:49)
8. only you (3:23)
9. doot doot (6:00)
10. love missile f1-11 (6:54)
11. simon says (6:10)
12. international (7:07)
13. jettown (3:40)
14. jet boy jet girl (7:00)

This CD series is super. If you really want to understand New Wave or simply love it, you can't get much better than this series or the Classic Alternatives Series offered by SPG.
So if you're like me, a New Romantic who cannot accept the past as dead, you'll cherish all of these tunes. Max Headroom couldn't be happier.

All five entries in this series are compilations of songs that were popular on alternative radio and in clubs in Toronto in the 1980s. We liked to believe then that Toronto embodied the best elements of the NY and London new wave scenes --- and that we were generally so hip that it hurt --- but, in retrospect, I'll only note that many UK acts were using Toronto as their North American beachhead. (One summer I worked in a restaurant and had the opportunity to offer Flock of Seagulls coffee, though only their management ordered any.)

My affection for all of this music runs deep, but probably principally for personal reasons evoked by Boys Brigade (local heroes) in Melody: "There was a time, and there was a place, and there are memories. And there was a girl, such a beautiful girl. ..."

The music's good too, of course. Go ahead, buy it. At this price, how can you go wrong?

You can't go wrong with Pearl's "Here comes trouble" ! It rocks from start to finish with no filler. Great singing from Pearl and fabulous playing from her top notch band. This is her definitive album. I don't know why this album wasn't a hit on the radio ?! It's ready made for it in all the right ways. I sure wished that she would record a brand new album. Pearl, where ever you are please record a new album and return to playing live again.

Great record, they dont have any bad songs that i've heard. Puts on a great show also! You were great at the hootinanny in '98, and the cramps show at the House of Blues later that year!! Sexy red white and blue outfit, at the former! You can be my hoochie-mama any time you want!

Not a bad song on the whole album. Pearl at her very best ! It rocks from the start to finish!! Why this album isn't played on the radio is a mystery to me ?! You won't be disappointed with "Here Comes Trouble".

How Men Are was, coming on the heels of the Luxury Gap and their massive UK hit "Temptation" something of a challenge. The production had moved from funky to more orchestral in nature, the songs less hook driven and more introspective. Still, I remember this being one of my favorite albums in the late 80s, I constantly played it and grew to love it. The Skin I'm In and Shame Is On the Rocks are classic Heaven 17 songs, full of bright pop sounds and yeah, funky I guess. The album has one of my all time fave Heaven 17 songs "Reputation," a shamefully over looked -should have been a hit single. ...And That's No Lie is a massive, almost Brian Wilson-type epic that has promise but seems half finished.
If anything, compared to the first two albums this one is more mature and less hit driven. Some tracks seem like filler, portents of things to come in hindsight. Not a bad album, certainly nothing embarrassing. But just wait...

This band has churned out some of the most quintessential eighties synth records of the 80s. This was their third outing and by far the most polished. It's slick and well (over?) produced and I absolutely love it. The lyrics showcase the band's great sense of humour and irony. Highlights include Sunset Now and And That's No Lie. If you love 80's pop you will love this album. Guaranteed.

Like ABC's Lexicon Of Love album, this is slickly produced BritFunk/SynthPop. While some reviewers complained that this album was "overproduced", it makes sense that production is where H17 shine. Keep in mind that their original reason for leaving The Human League in 1980 was to concentrate on production. Among their projects under the BEF monkier was the relaunch of Tina Turner's career in 1981. This album's biggest failing upon release is that no one got the joke...slickly produced pop music sending up the Yuppie/Sloan excess of Thatcher Britain/Reagan America. Fifteen years later it remains danceable and catchy, but the joke is a lot easier understood. If you buy only one H17 album, this is a good choice!!!

Hysteria was the proper album-length follow-up to the Human League's 1981 New Wave classic Dare. It followed the excellent 1983 EP Fascination! which is, at the moment, out-of-print, but I highly recommend seeking it out in your local used record and tape stores. I think that most fans of Dare will enjoy this over-looked gem, as it has a similar sound and some excellent dance tracks.

"I'm Coming Back" is a fun, energetic track to begin the album. It has the characteristic Human League duel vocals between Phil Oakey and the girls plus driving synthesizers. The bridge and verses are better than the chorus. A better version of "I Love You Too Much" is on the Fascination! EP. The version on Hysteria is staler and does not have the driving synthesizers. It is still a very catchy track, though, and has an addictive bass beat. "Rock Me Again...(Six Times)" is a good dance track but nothing special.

"Louise" and "The Lebanon" can both be found on the Greatest Hits collection. "Louise" is a slow, story-telling song and "The Lebanon" rocks! It is the best track on this album and one of the Human League's best songs ever! The ending on Hysteria drags on a bit. I like the Greatest Hits edited version of "The Lebanon" better. A real gem on Hysteria is "Betrayed." It is a powerful track with haunting vocals and a Wall of Voodooish bridge. Actually, the RealAudio clip here on Amazon intrigued me enough to seek out this album. "The Sign" is an upbeat track and "So Hurt" is a slower yet catchy number. "Life on Your Own" is also found on the Greatest Hits package. It is a story-telling track like "Louise" but more upbeat. "Don't You Know I Want You" is another dance track which is better than "Rock Me Again." If Hysteria came out closer to Dare, it probably would have gotten more play. If you are a fan of Dare and missed this release, give it a try. It is a very solid album without the fillers that even Dare had ("Get Carter").

In 1984 The Human League finally came out with new material after a two-year hiatus. "Hysteria" blends the synth-pop style from 1982's "Dare" with guitar and bass. The result stunned many diehard fans, who felt that the band had changed the formula too much. Therefore the first single "The Lebanon" was virtually ignored. Well in the United States anyway. It made the top 10 in the U.K along with it's other two singles "Life On Your Own", and "Louise".

"Hysteria" seemed to be a very natural progression from "Dare" as each album had been from the one before it. Fans however, may not always be willing to grow with a band, which unfortunately forced this album to flop rather dismally. Still it is what it is, a collection of synth-pop songs that are socially relevant, intelligent, sincere, political and catchy at the same time. The best songs, other than the singles, are the reworked "I Love You Too Much" (the original all-synth version appeared only on the 1982 EP "FASCINATION!"), the beautiful "Betrayed" about the survivors of a war, and the lovesick anthem "So Hurt". "Don't You Know I Want You" was also a radio hit but never made the charts either in the U.S. or in the UK. All of these tracks remind us that singer/songwriter Philip Oakey is truly one of the most poetic lyricists of all-time. The only dud song on the album is the League's rather annoying attempt at disco with the cover version of "Rock Me Again, and Again, and Again, and Again, and Again, and Again (Six Times)"...and that's exactly how it appears on the album.

Hysteria was also the second and last album for this particular lineup of The Human League (known to fans as "the "Dare" lineup"). Jo Callis left the group shortly after this album was released, although he did collaborate with the band on their 1995 album "Octopus". "Hysteria" was followed in 1986 with the album "Crash".

In 1984 I was a freshman in college, and when this album came out and I didn't care that everyone I knew hated it. All I knew was that I loved it and played non-stop for days. Perhaps the reason I liked HYSTERIA so much is because no one else did. Everyone else was busy listening to some run-of-mill mindlessness. I was busy trying to understand what had happened to the Human League I had fallen in love with in late '79. Where were the "pioneers" that gave us "MARIANNE", "TOYOTA CITY", "DANCEVISION", "THE BLACK HIT OF SPACE", "GORDON'S GIN", "LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF BUDDHA"?

I was searching for clues in their newest album: HYSTERIA.

"I Love You Too Much" does things for me I can't explain in words. It's the type of song that is like a window into Philip Oakey's soul. Yes, it is a pop song; and yes, it is a bit silly (all love songs are unless you happen to be in love); and yes, it only has a couple of stanzas... but the few words that Philip sings are so sad and so sweet, my heart breaks even today when I play it.

Then, There's "BETRAYED" and "SO HURT" - both truly capture the agony in Philip's voice, you'll think the man's pain is flowing through your own flesh.

The main complain I hear about the Human League is that they USED to be really good - past tense. Their first two albums REPRODUCTION and TRAVELOGUE were the best things of their careers, and it is a shame they did not sell very well. That's because their target audience was a very specialized "minority". The only people to whom those 2 albums made sense were cerebral and artsy individuals, exotiques and non-mainstream types.

HYSTERIA is the sound of a band in turmoil. It is the sound of a band faced with a world that gorges itself with mediocrity and does not recognize the genius of pioneers.

If you want to hear the sound of agony listen to "BETRAYED" If you want to hear the sound of pain listen to "SO HURT" If you want to hear the sound of despair listen to "LEBANON" If you want to hear the sound of defeat listen to "LIFE ON YOUR OWN"

1984 is the year I lost that "proverbial" innocence... that's why HYSTERIA makes so much sense to me.

Awesome dance music!! Chick music!!

"I Am Woman" carries songs of woman empowerment from every generation. Been dumped recently? Passed over for promotion? Has someone told you "Women can't do that!" This CD is for you. You can pull yourself together with "I Will Survive," "9 to 5," and "I'm A Woman." When Reddy sings "I Am Woman" you can relive Woman's Suffrage and be proud to be one of the gentler (better?) sex.

This is a great cd, I listened to it over and over until it was stolen out of my car. I have to laugh when I think of the hoodlums who broke in to my car listening to their prize! Anyway, I quickly bought a new copy (in fact this was the only cd I replaced after the break-in) and listen to it when I need a little pick-me-up, or just want to dance around the house! I agree, "Fire" doesn't seem to fit the theme of the cd, but is still a fun song. I would recommend this cd as a great gift for women, there are enough songs here to please any music lover.

This record takes you back to the bands "early days"
Hearing them live on this cd reminds me of how good they really were.

I remember seeing the band at "Summers on the Beach" on the Fort Lauderdale strip in 1981.

They were as good as this cd.
Highly recommended.

SOUNDS EVEN BETTER THAN THE STUDIO VERSIONS. I REALLY RECOMENDED.

This CD certainly captures the early 80's sound by (imo) the best of the genre (at least talent-wise) and one of the great live acts. The pure enthusiasm and energy of the circa 1981 Missing Persons can't be denied. If you are truly an MP fan, this is a must-have! I only saw them twice and this CD brought it all back.

The additional track, "Action-Reaction" also smokes ala "Mental Hop Scotch", but harder. As usual, I was totally "amped" after listening to it and couldn't put it away for a month!

It's unfortunate that The Suicide Commandos only recorded one studio album. "Make A Record" is one of the best punk albums ever. Period.

One of the great punk albums of ANY generation. "I Need a Torch" is still one of the coolest, tightest rockinist songs of ALL time. When I hear what Green Day passes off as punk (and realize how much money they've made off it!)... They aren't even fit to open for the Suicide Commandos!!!

A platter of pure punk from when it mattered. Deserves to be played alongside the Ramones "Rocket to Russia", Costello's first two albums, Rezillos "Can't Stand the Rezillos" and Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers "Live at Max's Kansas City" and the first two Blondie records.

They also made a classic minimalist video for "Burn it Down" that I treasure my copy of.

Pray for the reissue...

This album is sure to receive another reissue soon so make sure you are in line when it does. No Punk Rock collection would be complete without this essential and very important recording. Not only was it one of the earliest "pure punk" records (according to modern day definitions) but it was also one of the building blocks for the scene that would spawn punk giants like Husker Du and the Replacements. Those bands would not have existed without the Commandos. How is the record? It's equal in quality to early Ramones (their leather glad alter egos on the east coast). Solid all the way through with one great song after another. Don't pass it up!

I had the good fortune of getting to see this great band live more than once. For me their straight ahead approach on stage was even more impressive than that of Talking Heads or Television, two of my other favorites from this time frame. The tunes are oh so simple and to the point. Or are they?

I used to think the later 100 Flowers (same band) recordings, once available from Rhino on CD and now sadly out of print, had more bite and focus. Today I prefer these versions of the repertoire recorded before the band became serious and polished. (It's all relative.) The first dozen cuts here are not to be missed, though some of the bonus material is a little hard to take. Then again, just the title, "Orange Anal Sin" is worth the price of admission. I do remember "Mr. Encore." It bugged me then too and I didn't even know it had a name.

Is this disc enjoyable only to those who experienced the band live way back when? No, not at all. What you have here is a classic and unique bit of garage rock / pop / art. If you love Wire, The Buzzcocks or Monochrome Set by all means buy this CD. It will make you very happy.

So pure, so fresh sounding 20 years later... true DIY spirit in a band that blossomed into 100 Flowers (one of the best bands of the 80's). Worth the price alone for the 1:09 of "Sex" ... plus, there's an accoustic version! Hot Damn Tamale, this is the real thing. Put this on and let it rub all the pleasure centers of your brain...

I saw these guys live recently--living punk legends but without all the nostalgia baggage. Punk before it was thrash--when it was still quirky and anything could happen. This CD grabs that weird little live sound--what it sounds like when guys record in a shed somewhere--fueled by nervous energy, creative genius, and strange creepy angst. Black Hole is my favorite. As the title says, check it out!

These guys definatly can rock! They played at a place called Max's today in Baltimore, Maryland. Personally, I absolutely love these guys. Think of a Green Day cd but add much better lyrics. I'm a teenager and loved it. Even friends ages 9-45 like it! Please check it out! There other album is great too! Plus, they informed me that they will be releasing a new album soon! Enjoy people!

If you can appreciate power pop from the likes of Jason Falkner, Jellyfish and Umajets, you'll love the sound of Starbelly. The songs are hook-laden, but that's not to say that they're in any way simplistic. Cliff's vocal talent is nothing short of perfection, and all the guys put on one heckuva live show. If you buy this CD for one reason only, let it be because of "Better Than Myself".

Starbelly have vocal harmonies unmatched in modern pop music today. It's almost kismet. Cliff Hillis plays a MEAN guitar, and Greg Schroeder is one of the best pop drummers out there, no question. Combined with Dennis Schocket's pop-sensible bass and melody, this is a tip top record.