New Wave music reviews

Black & White is the masterpiece of The Stranglers, a band which showcased a very aggressive sound (especially the bass of J.J.Burnel) with Doorsian influences (the keyboards), dark themes and very politically un-correct opinions in their lyrics.

They were contemporaries of the british punk movement of the second half of the 70's, but they were never a part of that scene and were always distinguishable for their use of keyboards and independent thought. I don't think they ever pressed the anti-establishment issue that was so prevalent in the punk scene, although they never refrained from taking an independent stand on controversial topics.

Therefore, I disagree with the label "punk" so often attached to them, included the previous users' reviews on this site. If you want to use a tag, then I think "darkwave" fits best.

The music in this album blends "dark" themes with psychedelia, poppish hooks ("Tank", "Sweden - All quiet on the eastern front") and even up-tempo waltz ("Outside Tokyo"). The drums - as the costume of the time imposed - were played in a quite rigid, cold style; the bass is an ever-threatening presence and along with the keyboards give the Stranglers music its distinctive sound.

After almost 30 years this is still great album to listen to; my impression is that fans of dark metal would also appreciate it.

I love this album; I consider it the best punk album ever recorded. Despite my love for this album, I've never checked out any of the other Stranglers albums... perhaps I'm afraid I'd be disappointed when comparing them to this masterpiece. (This strange quirk of mine extends to the "bonus tracks" on the CD; I don't want to hear them for fear they'll turn a perfect album into an imperfect disc.) I can't imagine The Stranglers - or punk music - getting any better than the original "Black and White" album. I don't have a favorite track on this album; they're all gems.

What makes this record unique is its balance between traditional "punk" sounds and attitudes on the one hand and virtuoso musicianship on the other. Punk bands have never been known for talented instrumentalists; oftentimes, it's a person's ATTITUDE that gets him hired by a punk band, not his ability to play an instrument. As a result, most punk bands don't have very talented musicians. That's not the case here... the members of The Stranglers are all exceptional on their chosen instruments; they all have "chops" and play as though music theory matters. Bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel is perhaps the best in the band... his tone and basslines on songs like "Toiler on the Sea" and "Nice n' Sleazy" blow me away.

Punk musicians with chops? Time and tempo changes in punk songs? It hardly seems possible, but it is. Prog Rock meets Punk? Prog Punk? What's next, will the members of Yes join the Clash?

(The only complaint: the CD format robs the buyer of the art on the original album. The LP had a "marbled vinyl look" that was entertaining to stare at as it spun beneath the record needle.)

I love this album; I consider it the best punk album ever recorded. Despite my love for this album, I've never checked out any of the other Stranglers albums... perhaps I'm afraid I'd be disappointed when comparing them to this masterpiece. (This strange quirk of mine extends to the "bonus tracks" on the CD; I don't want to hear them for fear they'll turn a perfect album into an imperfect disc.) I can't imagine The Stranglers - or punk music - getting any better than the original "Black and White" album. I don't have a favorite track on this album; they're all gems.

What makes this record unique is its balance between traditional "punk" sounds and attitudes on the one hand and virtuoso musicianship on the other. Punk bands have never been known for talented instrumentalists; oftentimes, it's a person's ATTITUDE that gets him hired by a punk band, not his ability to play an instrument. As a result, most punk bands don't have very talented musicians. That's not the case here... the members of The Stranglers are all exceptional on their chosen instruments; they all have "chops" and play as though music theory matters. Bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel is perhaps the best in the band... his tone and basslines on songs like "Toiler on the Sea" and "Nice n' Sleazy" blow me away.

Punk musicians with chops? Time and tempo changes in punk songs? It hardly seems possible, but it is. Prog Rock meets Punk? Prog Punk? What's next, will the members of Yes join the Clash?

(The only complaint: the CD format robs the buyer of the art on the original album. The LP had a "marbled vinyl look" that was entertaining to stare at as it spun beneath the record needle.)

Like its predecessor, A Letter From St Paul, another phenominal exhibition by this band. I bought this album in 1989 and still listen to it this day. I also owned St Paul and Dance to the Holy Man--they disappeared from my collection long ago, but to my dismay I cannot find them anywhere any longer. It's regrettable they are/were not bigger. The world should be their oyster.

one of my top ten of all time. try the only other Silencers album probably better than this: "Dance to the holy man". Breath-taking

Wow!...what a music!. when I started playing this CD of SILENCERS in our office, the deafening silence suddenly broke-off; somebody just got tapping his toes and his hands with the beat and just got louder and louder, others are whispering trying to follow the rhytm others are body shakin' while seated. I was amazed when everyone asked me to run them a copy of this specially the Real McCoy music.

This is THE place to start with this rock band from Illinois. Once you listen to these 3 records, you will be hooked. I was in 1978 and have been ever since! They are the real deal!

Hello, I'd just like to let anyone who is thinking about buying this box set ,do it I've enjoy this band for over 25 years. Cheap Trick is a underrated band that the radio stations just never caught on too,too bad for us Cheap Trick music lovers.There first three ablums are the best.You'll love it buy it today...............excellent rock & roll....

Twenty years ago I walked into a record store and saw the In Color album on the shelf. With Tom and Robin on the cover, I thought this album has got to be good (!) It turns out all the songs were great and I became a fan instantly. 'Come on, come on', 'I want you to want me' and 'Clock strikes ten ' are still among my top ten favorite Cheap Trick songs. Their latest albums are just as excellent as their first ones, and I hope there will be many more to come.

This album is a gem...a must for any rock collection. in the early 80s when the American "hair bands" (Journey/REO etc) had degenerated into shlock like "Lovin', touchin' squeezin'" and "High Infidelity" these Aussies were rockin'. This album is a fine mix of balls-out rockers to ballads and every song is great. This is Cold Chisel at their best. The original version of "Bow River" found on this album, which appears in many forms on all live Chisel albums, is the best of all....possibly one of the coolest, catchiest rock songs ever written....a virtual rollercoaster of fantastic vocals and crunchy guitar hooks...great stuff. The bonus tracks are neat but the original more than stands up by itself. Cold Chisel was an honest, straight-forward band with no need for hype or pretense. It is too bad they had such a short life together....more records like this would be very welcome indeed. I could write a lot about this relatively unknown album (at least unknown in the US) but suffice it to say it always satisfies. Buy it and enjoy it, I know you will.

This is not as intantly gratifying as "East", as it does not, in my opinion contain as much radio friendly, poppy stuff as that album.

This is a much better album because of the songs that did not make radio play. All the Don Walker stuff such as "Wild Colonial Boy", "Houndog", "Taipan" and "Letter To Alan" make this a great album. Songs that are personal and direct, they are gems that shine in a mine of great material.

The pop is not left completely behind with "Forever Now" and the classic "When The War Is Over" as well as the biting Barnes classic "You Got Nothing I Want" about Elektra records.

Recorded in 1981, but still sounding as fresh now as it ever did it is an Australian classic and these blokes should have been huge overseas if given the right promotion. Unfortunately, they weren't big and didn't get the right promotion from Elektra.
Such a pity as they were truly great

You want Oz-Rock at it's finest? Just listen to Bow River. Hear Ian Moss' amazing voice (and he ain't even the lead singer). Hear the band kick in for the second verse. Hear it lift when Jim Barnes joins in for the chorus. Experience the intensity in Mossy's crunching guitar solo and then, when you think it can't scale any new peaks, feel your hairs stand on end when Barnes comes in for the final screaming verse. It all finishes with Moss bringing it back down to earth. I'm always breathless by the end of this song. As for the rest of the disc, all I'll say is there's not a dud song on there, esp Wild Colonial Boy, No Good For You, Hound Dog (love the bridge), and the classic, classic pop of Forever Now. Stunning music.

Six volumes in this series, as well as the companion disc "Club Columbia" which started this series, gets you a load of 12" versions never before on CD. Track list:

1. young guns (6:53)
2. she bop (6:16)
3. I could be happy (5:40)
4. brand new lover (9:00)
5. what I like about you (2:56)
6. goody two shoes (3:29)
7. state of shock (5:35)
8. 10-9-8 (5:42)
9. voices carry (4:21)
10. a girl in trouble (6:12)
11. turn me loose (5:35)
12. der kommisar (5:43)
13. 99 luftballoons (3:51)

This album is worth it just for the Dead or Alive "Brand New Lover" remix. But how could an album with Blondie, Cyndi Lauper, and Aimee Mann (Til Tuesday). While Reagan/Bush were ignoring AIDS and civil rights for all -- the latter task now turned over to his son -- this is what we were dancing to. I want surprises!

Fab collection of lots of hard to find 80's remixes (although BEWARE! Not all of the songs are remixes- Romantics, Adam Ant, 'til tuesday, Loverboy, After The Fire, and Nena are not remixes.) Most of these songs skew to an 80's New Wave notion, with the exception of The Jacksons (although "State Of Shock" is the jam), and Loverboy- who really should not be on this cd. Their contribution to this cd doesn't feel very well thought out at all (nothing against them- it's just their type of music is different from the rest of this cd.) Best tracks here: Wham!'s "Young Guns" remix, Cyndi Lauper's "She Bop" remix, Altered Images "I Could Be Happy" remix (too bad "Happy Birthday" isn't on this cd!), Face To Face's "10-9-8" remix (what an underrated 80's classic that is!), and Romeo Void's "A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing)" remix. After The Fire's "Der Kommissar" clocks in at 5:43- it's a long song, but it's not any different than what you've heard before. Even though that song was an 80's greatie, it IS hard to find on cd- so it's great to have that on this cd.

This cd is a must for all 80's music collectors!

John Polito's debut recording is a fascinating blend of musical genres, mixing jazz, Latin, new age, and classical styles into a complex portrait of what promises to be an important emerging artist. Backed by an impressive ensemble that includes Doug Lunn on bass, Ramiro Belgardt on cello, and Charlie Bisharat on violin (only one track, darn it!) John Polito's composing and playing ranges are amazing. "Euphoria" and "Aurora Alegre" will have you up and dancing, while the gorgeous "Union" and "Heaven Knows" will elicit gentle sighs. I often find that albums I like immediately wear thin after a few listens, but this one just keeps getting better. The music is immediately accessible, but complex enough to keep unfolding as you get deeper into the music. My favorite pieces are those with Polito's piano and Ramiro Belgardt's cello. "Union" and "Heaven Knows" are in a classical/new agey style. Cello and piano is such a sensuous combination, and these two pieces bring out the best of both instruments and their expressiveness. The album is worth the price for these two songs alone, but the rest of the album is also great! "Time and Space" is almost ambient in the floating feel of Polito's piano and synth. Belgardt enters with his soulful cello, giving the piece a smooth and soothing solidity. "Aurora Alegre" is the most "Latin" of this collection, and is a toe-tapper. Charlie Bisharat gives his signature violin playing to "In Motion", probably the most abstract of the pieces. Very free, with an improvised feeling, this would be a great piece to see performed live. "Walk in the Clouds" reminds me a bit of Suzanne Ciani, who gave her endorsement for this CD. "Home" is a gentle, cozy piano solo that closes the CD in a very peaceful way. Highly recommended!

If you like David Benoit, you'll love this CD. It's very classy contemporary jazz. Every song has a different mood, and each one is amazing. There is not one song that is less than astonishing, which is pretty unusual. This CD is really great to listen to when you want to relax or be inspired.

This CD provides great listening music for all ages. It has enough different flavors of music on one disc, that you don't get bored listening to the same type of songs. This CD can make you stand up and dance and also make you sit back and enjoy the soft sounds with your friends or over a candle light dinner with your significant other. Anyway you look at it, it is absolutely awesome, there's not much more I can say.

In many ways Crush was one final creative burst for the original lineup of OMD. Crush succeeds not only because it avoids gratuitous disco numbers, but because it taps into what made OMD great in the past; a balance between expirementation and pop appeal, moods of ironic melancholy, and the ability to combine music, lyrics, and cover art into one cohesive artistic presentation. "Bloc Bloc Bloc" manages to graft a rockabilly Elvis style onto an 80's keyboard pop song (no easy feat), and "88 Seconds in Greensboro' and "Native Daughters of the Golden West" take an unexpected turn with electric guitars and heavy drums. The expirementation continues with "The Lights are Going Out" and "Crush," which is built on samples of television commercials that Andy McCluskey recorded while in Japan. Lyrics are generally about dysfunctional relationships, though "88 Seconds" takes a stab at social consciousness (it's about a racially motivated massacre). Overall, the OMD sound has matured and warmed, there are some nice sax parts and drummer Malcolm Holmes serves up some tasty organic sounding grooves too. "Hold You" is the only filler track here, the rest is an engaging listen and refreshingly creative.

Bloc Bloc Bloc. It gets no better for this 80's group.

I've been moving my CD collection onto my computer as of late, and have been assembling a massive playlist of 80's pop/new wave singles. Its just amazing how many great songs OMD assembled before breaking up. Crush, which produced such classics as 'So in Love', 'Secret', and 'La Femme Accident', is one of the standout albums of the decade. It reminds me of highschool, going to dances, and....well.....a former girlfriend. Its just an all-around classic.

Musically, OMD came into their sound during their previous album, Junk Culture, and continued through Crush and the follow-up hit, The Pacific Age. All of them produced hits. But most people who only knew the singles were often disappointed by the songs inbetween, which were really more consistant with their older, more raw (and sampled) sound. OMD were a pure techno band - except in the studio, I don't think they interacted much with real instruments other than the sampled sounds through their equipment. The bulk of their songs are very rythmic and eclectic, using repetitive samples and simple keyboards to convey their music. Some of it can be overly simple and hollow, while others are simply beautiful.

Rhino records is a godsend to fans looking to learn more about a musical genre. Every genre they tackle is chronicled lovingly and contains a great mix of obscure gems and popular classics. The D.I.Y. series views late 70's punk-styled music in 9 volumes, separated by region and musical style. There are 4 "pop" collections, 2 each for the U.S. and the U.K. The U.S. collections are less stylistically varied but considerably more fun and tuneful, since British pop often goes over my head (see: XTC, for starters, who I am starting to love). This collection covers the "early" years of US power pop, 1975-1978, which means it misses the Raspberries and Big Star but still gets many of the major players. Very highly recommended, snag this while its around!

Best Tracks:
"Shake Some Action" - Stones meets Beatles anthem. One of the Groovies' best and that's saying something, this has a great chorus and some tidy guitar work.
"Wayside" - Big Star acoustics give way to something that's equal parts power pop, hard rock, and pure genius rock and roll.
"Hit The Floor" - More great guitar and a booming mix make this Earth Quake's best original. The most raw and rocking song here, it's a song just waiting to be discovered by bar bands everywhere.
"Can't Wait" - Why are the Piper CD's out of print? Billy Squier's best work was done with this unknown band, and this track is nearly perfect.
"Blow Yourself Up" - Off-kilter drum work and Tommy Hoehn's alternately strong/shaky voice showcase this shoulda-been-a-classic.
"Why Can't It Be" - The Names are one of the totally unknown bands on this compilation and this was a fine single. Wild drumming and very Eric-Carmen vocals, the liner notes slam the production, but it's great for a 70's indie.
"Come Out And Play" - Cheesy? Yes, but this song has such great hooks that it's a worthy power pop song by anyone's standards. Better than today's teen pop by far.

Bless Rhino's heart for compiling this gem. Flamin' Groovies, Nerves, Artful Dodger...terrific! But the long lost nugget of this CD is Chris Stamey & the dbs' "Summer Sun". Released as an indie single, it was backed with what I deem the most influential indie pop song of the era, "I Thought You Wanted To Know". Reminiscent of Big Star, this little masterpiece is available only on Vol. II of the American Power Pop series, "Shake It Up", which has been sadly deleted from Rhino's catalog. The #1 best power pop collection of all time, "Vol. II" deserves to see the light of day again. I myself would give just about anything to find a copy...can anybody out there help me out?

Bravo, Rhino!! That is a huge selection of a very funny times for power pop. It is plenty of jewels and gems (please Rhino, we want a Nerves discography re-edition!) like probably one of the best songs ever made: "I am the Cosmos" of the Big Star most unknown half Chris Bell, or the Flamin' Groovies masterpiece "shake some action" from their self named LP...best recomended!!

Cyndi did an amazing job on this song (as usual) If you like dance, and specially if you love and appreciatte great vocals this single can't be left out of your collection.

THIS IS AN AWESOME WORK BY CYNDI!! her vocals are great, and thanks to Soul Solution and Boris and Beck..it's the best!the tracks are: 1>disco inferno 3.48

2>boris and beck roxy edit dub..3.58

i LOVE THE roxy edit dub...IT'S SOOO AWESOME!

if you love great dance music..GET thiS!!

Cyndi Lauper is a gem. I love her to pieces. I've been a fan since 1984, and will remain forever. This single is red hot. I love the rhythm and her vocal range is stronger than ever. Too bad she didn't win the Grammy Award for that single, she really deserved it. This is truly a song you can't miss. To all Cyndi fans, keep pressuring the radio stations to play this song (as well as her future songs)....I think it should heard and appreciated by everybody! This is a must get!!!

This is the Fixx's fifth studio album. The original was 37 minutes long. With the bonus track it is just over 40 minutes long. Sound quality was not that great on the original.

After peaking on the second album, The Fixx had a gradual decline in popularity. On this CD, it is as if the Fixx borrowed from other popular bands of the time trying to find a hit.

This album borrows a lot from other bands, like a little from U2 and Alan Parsons, some from David Bowie and a whole bunch from INXS. Caused to Be Alarmed reminds me a little of Bowie's Gene Genie. The bonus track sounds even more like Bowie.

I think the sound mix on this album does some of the music a disservice. Distorted guitars and vocals are turned way up, while the other instruments are muted. The sound is not full. World Weary might have been a much better tune if the keyboards and synthesizers were turned up. If you are going to mimic Alan Parsons, you might as well go all the way.

There are some very good tracks on this CD, especially those where they are not trying to sound like INXS. I particularly like the energy in Shred of Evidence and Cause to Be Alarmed.

Other tracks, like the Flow and Precious Stone are weak and mushy. I am all for bands experimenting and trying new things. But, few bands are successful when they copy other bands with goal of getting a hit.

Yeah, not much to say about a decade old CD that got no play at the time and most people don't even know exists . . . except that it's an absolutely solid piece of work, and essential. The ballads here are breathaking, particularly "The Flow" and "Precious Stone", a beautiful song with the usual West-Orram shining ornaments. Every single original CD the Fixx released is full of great songs, and this is no exception. I can't imagine living without it.

I wouldn't say I'm a rabid Fixx fan, but I've always wondered why they were such an overlooked band. It was only by chance that I stumbled upon this CD recently and had the good sense to purchase it on-line again.

WOW! What a delightful surprise. I was stunned as I listened to each track. I had completely forgotten what a rock solid CD this was. With the exception of the rather mediocre GYPSY FEET and NEVER MIND WHAT YOU LEAVE BEHIND, every song is absolutely top notch.

This is by far an edgier, more guitar heavy Fixx outing than their other stuff. Which is, of course, why I enjoyed it so much. Honestly, the first three tracks, I'M LIFE, DRIVEN OUT and SUBTERRANEAN are worth the price of the CD alone. All the other great tracks are just gravy. But, what tasty gravy they are!

Driven Out is, in my humble opinion, just about their best song and I can't understand why it wasn't a huge radio hit.

What a shame that this band never received the appreciation that they deserved. Here's hoping that whoever reads this review will give the Fixx a second listen and support these guys with a purchase.

Peace.