VINYL GOLDMINE - Lost New Wave & Power Pop Gems

Flying Color

2011-03-20T15:07:00.001-05:00

My most recent record store discovery is the self-titled 1987 album by Flying Color. I had no idea who the band were when I first spotted it sitting on the shelf, but it looked like something that could be promising, and a quick phone search revealed that I stumbled onto the one and only record by mop-topped San Francisco quartet Flying Color. It's a bit alarming to think that if I didn't pay a visit to the store that day I might have never found out about this band, because this is one hell of a jangle/power pop album. In fact, it has quickly become one of my favorites.

Made up of guitarists Hector Penalosa, Richard Chase and Dale Duncan, as well as drummer John Stuart (with vocal duties shared across the band), Flying Color formed in 1984 and were around until the end of the decade, but only managed to put out one single ("Look My Way" b/w "Dear Friend") and one LP during that time. It's a shame, because these guys had something special.

Originally the aforementioned single's B side, "Dear Friend" was given a bit of polish to serve as the opener of the album. It's the band's most memorable track and is nothing short of a power pop classic. It's everything a fan of the genre could want out of a song - emotive but not sappy and packed to the brim with ammo in the melody and hooks department. Nothing else on the album reaches quite these heights, but all of it is top-notch. I'd even go so far as to say most of it is better than many power pop bands' strongest songs.

"It Doesn't Matter" and "Bring Back the Rain" are melancholy gems that represent early college rock at its best. More rocking moments such as "Believe Believe," "I'm Your Shadow" and "Wise to Her Ways" keep the energy up and give the collection a bit of an edge, while tracks such as "One Saturday" and "Farewell Song" are simply pure, jangly pop joy. Certain parts of the album even have a bit of a rootsy twang to them, which only helps the material to stand out more.

Flying Color are yet more proof that the best music oftentimes gets the most attention. During its time this LP fell off the radar without much notice, but it's essential for any fan of power pop.

The album was released on CD in 1996, but now appears to be out of print and very difficult to track down. So here, for your listening pleasure, is a vinyl rip:

Flying Color - self-titled LP (1987)

1. Dear Friend
2. It Doesn't Matter
3. One Saturday
4. Through Different Eyes
5. Tumble
6. Believe Believe
7. Farewell Song
8. Bring Back the Rain
9. I'm Your Shadow
10. Wise to Her ways

Also, the music video for "Dear Friend" has surfaced on YouTube. Check it out below.

Slow Children - Self-titled LP and 'Mad About Town'

2010-10-09T17:05:00.002-05:00

In a time that included no shortage of highly creative and quirky bands, early 80s new wave act Slow Children managed to stand out as one of the most unique and compelling. The duo - consisting of singer Pal Shazar and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Chinich - had a lyrical bite and attitude-drenched female vocals not unlike that of The Waitresses, but forged a style all their own on their two albums, 1981's self-titled LP and 1982's Mad About Town. Their most popular song was "President Am I," a minor new wave classic, but the duo released a number of other fantastic songs, including "Spring in Fialta," "Brazilian Magazines," "Late Night Transatlantic," "One More Trauma" and "Vanessa Vascillating."

After the band's end following the release of Mad About Town, Shazar went on to release a number of solo albums. In Spring 2010, she and Chinich reunited, began to write new material and even played a gig as Slow Children in New York City. Click here for more details.

Both Slow Children records have yet to be released on CD, but you can check out vinyl rips of both the self-titled and Mad About Town below. Both include B sides, extended mixes and alternate versions.

Slow Children - self-titled LP (1981)

Slow Children - Mad About Town (1982)

An update on a lack of updates...

2010-08-22T23:01:00.000-05:00

For everyone who has continued to visit this site, thanks for your interest even though there's been no new content in a while. I've been intending to update for a long time, but it's gotten away from me. The Vinyl Goldmine's not dead yet, though! New stuff is in the works, so please continue to visit.

Blondie offer up some holiday cheer

2009-12-18T19:36:00.007-06:00

New wave legends Blondie have recorded a fun, punky new cover of the Christmas standard "We Three Kings' and have made it available for free download!

The band originally performed the song during live shows a few years ago, but this is the first time a studio version has been made available. The track was recently recorded as part of the sessions for a brand new, still unnamed Blondie LP in 2010. Download it here:

http://newmedia.10thst.com/blondie/splash.html

Debbie Harry and company also filmed a very low-budget, but fun, music video to go along with the tune, which you can check out below.

Interview

2009-10-11T14:26:00.009-05:00

interviewtheband.com

Interview were a British band formed in 1977 in Bath, releasing two LPs and a handful of singles during their existence. They debuted in 1979 with Big Oceans, in my opinion a decent but somewhat forgettable album of pub rock (though the single, "You Didn't Have to Lie to Me," is catchy enough). Their 1980 sophomore effort, Snakes and Lovers, is much more compelling and is solid enough to be considered a lost classic. The LP finds a balance between catchy, melodic power pop and thoughtful, more adventurous rock that gives it a truly unique character.

Snakes and Lovers kicks off with "Hide and Seek," which would simply be a bouncy pop number if it weren't for its curious lyrics that, according to vocalist Jeff Starrs in an interview on seedyroad.com, are "about a guy who wonders whether or not he's killed all his girlfriends." The other most accessible tracks on the record are "It's Over Now," a breezy 60s-pop inspired gem that really should have been released as a single, and the peppy "To the People." In a recollection on interviewtheband.com, guitarist Alan Brain reflects, "The single Virgin chose to release from Snakes and Lovers was "Hide and Seek," which I felt was one of our weaker songs and I'm convinced that "It's Over Now" would have been the better choice. But then again, I've always been a sucker for the catchy, 3 minute pop song."

Other songs on the LP find the band taking a more atmospheric, abstract approach, such as the anthemic, hopeful "Adventurers," the powerful melodicism of "Crossing Borders," and "Style on Seaview," which can best be described as sounding like being in a dream. These songs represent pop music at its most intelligent and poignant. Also worth noting is Starrs' vocal delivery, which is no doubt one of the most emotive of its time and is instrumental in conveying the power of the material.

All of this adds up to make Snakes and Lovers a genuinely special, one of a kind record that was criminally ignored upon its release, thanks to a lack of marketing and support from the band's label, Virgin.

Although Interview's music still has not officially been reissued on CD, in recent years band members have put the albums to disc on their own and are currently marketing them through their Web site. In a comment on the music site PVAc to 44.1 kHz, Starrs explained, "We didn't make any money with Interview as Virgin were a very tough company to deal with but alot of people have enjoyed the albums over the years, it seems, and we're at least trying to make a few quids on our creations."

The band's site also includes samples of tracks from both Big Oceans and Snakes and Lovers.

For more information:
- Review and discography of Interview records plus an interview with vocalist Jeff Starrs
- "Great Lost Albums" review of Snakes and Lovers

Lolita Pop: Sweden's best kept pop secret

2009-09-21T10:26:00.015-05:00

It’s usually not clear why an excellent band fails to achieve widespread recognition. It could be a lack of promotion, bad timing, or probably most often combination of factors. Swedish band Lolita Pop is a prime example of a truly special group that for whatever reason couldn’t break into the American market during their existence from 1979 to 1990 and still remain virtually unknown outside their home country.

Lolita Pop formed in Örebro, Sweden in 1979 with vocalist Karin Wistrand, guitarists Sten Booberg and Benkt Smith, bassist Thomas Johansson, drummer Peter Olsen and tenor saxophonist Per Eriksson. The band began as a post-punk/new wave outfit driven by their love of New York punk a la Patti Smith and Television, releasing their first album, Falska bilder, in 1982. It was a much darker, heavier affair than upbeat power pop they would come to be best known for a few years later, but two very important elements of the unit’s sound came through early on: the exuberant, slightly husky vocals of Wistrand and the hard-hitting guitar work of Booberg and Smith.

The band’s early days produced three additional Swedish LPs – Fem söker en skatt, Irrfärder, Att ha fritidsbåt – as well as their debut, self-titled English language release in 1984. For this release, they reworked some of the material from earlier, Swedish records into English. 1985 single “2000 år,” nicely summarizes the band's early sound:

After finding success in their home country, the band signed an American deal with Virgin and released their second English-language LP, once again titled simply Lolita Pop, in 1987. Despite a U.S. tour and a record full of incredibly catchy pop, the band never found a sizable American audience. Listening to the record more than 20 years after its release, it’s downright puzzling that infectious material such as “Mess of Machinery,” “Bang Your Head” and “Mind Your Eye” didn’t make a bigger dent in the States, as it’s arguably as good as anything else on the pop charts at the time.

Nevertheless, the band continued to score chart success in Sweden and reappeared in 1989 with Love Poison. Although this LP was also sung in English, this time there was no American promotional push, and the band’s biggest Swedish hit - the fantastic “Tarzan on a Big Red Scooter" - was mostly confined to their home country.

Love Poison was arguably Lolita Pop’s finest moment, full of hooky, guitar-driven pop and Wistrand’s best vocal delivery to date. The record gave the band another Swedish hit via the beautiful “Hey Winner,” and also featured an outstanding take on Magazine's biting post-punk anthem, "Song from Under the Floorboards."

Now recording exclusively in English, the band released what would be their final studio album, Blumenkraft, in 1990. The record featured many highlights, including the melodic single “Here She Comes” and the singalong power pop of “Live Forever,” “Wingbeats of the Night” and “Pay the Piper,” but it also contained more filler than most other Lolita Pop releases and overall didn’t receive a positive critical response. The band split soon after.

Since the break up, the band have reportedly played occasional one-off gigs, and Wistrand is currently involved in Jeremias Session Band. During their time, Lolita Pop might not have received the international attention they deserved, but with any luck intrepid new wave and power pop fans will begin discovering the band's music, no doubt some of the finest forgotten pop of its time.

Here are two of the band's albums - their 1981 debut, Falska Bilder (in Swedish) and their 1987 self-titled English LP.

Lolita Pop - Falska Bilder (1981)

Lolita Pop - self-titled LP (1987)

Lolita Pop lineup:

Founding members:
Karin Wistrand, vocals
Sten Booberg, guitar
Benkt Smith, guitar
Thomas Johansson, bass
Per Eriksson, tenor sax
Peter Olsen, drums
Other members:
Henrik Melin, Bass (1987)
Christer Björklund, drums

Lolita Pop discography:

Falska bilder (1982 –Swedish)
Fem söker en skatt (1983 – Swedish)
Irrfärder (1983 – Swedish)
Lolita Pop (1984 – first English language release)
Att ha fritidsbåt (1985 – Swedish)
Lolita Pop (1987 – second English language release, different than self-titled 1984 album)
Love Poison (1989 - English)
Blumenkraft (1990 – English, the band’s final LP)
Regn av dagar 1982-1990 (1993 – “best of” compilation)
Klassiker (2008 – 2 disc “best of” compilation)

Expressos - Unreleased tracks

2009-09-04T22:23:00.004-05:00

A while ago I did a post on the brilliance of short-lived British power pop group the Expressos and their sole record, 1981's Promises and Ties. Fronted by the charming Rozzi Rayner, the band sounded sort of like a cross between early Blondie and the Pretenders, and even though much of their material was just as memorable and appealing as that of those bands, they're sadly remembered by few.

Although they broke up before they could follow-up Promises and Ties, they recorded some additional tracks that have never been heard - until now! Thanks to the wonders of YouTube, some unreleased tracks have surfaced:

"The Hurt" aka "Hurt in Your Eyes" - This was to be the band's final single, and it's a shame it never got released because it's a stunner. It has a much more serious mood than anything on the band's LP and a flawless vocal from Rozzi.

"Rehearsals in Hollywood" - The song that would have accompanied "The Hurt" if it had made it out as a single.

"Johnnie B Bad" - Total 60s girl-group, sounding kind of like "Da Doo Run Run."

"Three Rs" - More pure 60s girl-group.

"He's Got Something" - A cover of the classic Dusty Springfield tune.

"Crazy Sneakers" - Very representative of the late-70s power pop sound, reportedly coming from a session produced by none other than Nick Lowe!

The Numbers

2009-06-02T13:21:00.015-05:00

In the early 1980s, Australia was home to a host of excellent pop and new wave bands such as The Reels, The Dugites, Eurogliders, and Flaming Hands, and Sydney’s The Numbers were no doubt one of the finest. The band went through many lineup changes in their existence from 1978 to 1984, but the one constant was brother and sister duo Chris and Annalisse Morrow. Throughout the group’s existence, Chris shined as a talented songwriter and guitarist, while Annalisse was a strong bassist and gave the material a distinct personality with her hard-edged, commanding vocals.

The group’s first release was a 3-track EP, Govt. Boy, in 1979, which took a louder, faster and overall more punk approach than what was to come. At this point, Chris was the focal point of the band, singing lead on two of the three tracks on the EP. By the time the band signed to the Deluxe label that same year, they had begun moving in a more accessible power pop direction, a shift evident on their first single for the label, 1980’s “The Modern Song.” Along with the cleaner sound came a decision to put Annalisse at the forefront. In a 2008 Mess+Noise interview, Annalisse explained of the decision, “You’re young and you’re taking advice from other people. And by that stage we were with a major label and we had a manager and we were with an agency and those people have a very large influence on how you think, because you’re taking advice from people you believe have the experience. And also personally I always thought I was a much better singer than I was a bass player.” This change in direction proved successful for the band, with the single cracking the Australian Top 50 and the band scoring an appearance on the TV show Countdown. Their next single, “Five Letter Word,” was another national radio hit and brought them further into the spotlight.

Once the band released their debut, self-titled LP in late 1980, they seemed poise to break out internationally. “The feeling I got then was the record company’s expectation was we were going to go absolutely ballistic,” explained Chris in the same Mess+Noise interview. “We were going to go from suburban Thornleigh to Madison Square Garden, we were going to be amazingly huge.” While the debut record included highlights in the form of the previous singles and select album tracks such as the melodic “I Don’t Know” (which found Chris back on lead vocals) and the punky “Hello,” third single “Mr. President” failed to chart and the album - while regionally successful - didn’t break the band as expected.

After a series of lineup changes, the band issued a new single, “Jericho,” and returned to the studio to record their sophomore release, 1982’s 39-51. Armed with more memorable songs and more confident vocals from Annalisse, things looked promising for The Numbers. The album's singles “Big Beat” and “Dreams From Yesterday” as well as standout album tracks such as “Day to Day,” “Blacktown” and “Dancer” sounded a bit like a rougher-around-the edges version of The Go-Go’s and deserved widespread chart success. Unfortunately, by this point interest in the band had waned and the record went largely unnoticed.

After two albums and years of hard work on the road and in the studio with little commercial success to show for it, The Numbers soon called it quits. It wasn’t until the early 1990s that Chris and Annalisse released more music together, this time as Maybe Dolls. While this incarnation of the band gave the duo their biggest success to date in the form of the catchy pop singles “Nervous Kid” and “Cool Jesus,” the band once again faced record label difficulties, grew disillusioned, and a recorded second album was never released.

The Numbers and the Maybe Dolls never achieved international commercial success, but they created a canon of strong power pop songs worth discovering. In 2007, Australian label Aztec Music brought the band to attention once again by releasing a compilation of Numbers material, including highlights from both EPs, rare B-sides and the complete Government Boy EP. The disc is titled Numerology 1979-1982 and is available via the label’s site. In addition, the Blue Pie label recently released the band’s output digitally, and it can be downloaded on Amazon MP3 and iTunes (but beware, many of the tracks are mislabeled in these releases).

The Numbers band members:

Annalisse Morrow - Bass, Vocals
Chris Morrow - Guitar, Vocals
Simon Vidale - Drums
Graham Bidstrup - Drums
John Bliss - Drums
Craig Bloxom - Bass
Russell Handley - Keyboard, Guitar
Marty Newcombe - Drums
Collin Newham - Keyboard, Bass
Marcus Phelan - Guitar
Garry Roberts - Bass

The Numbers discography:

- Govt. Boy (EP, 1979): Government Boy, Private Eyes, Guerilla

- The Modern Song (single, 1980): The Modern Song, Take Me Away

- Five Letter Word (single, 1980): Five Letter Word, Alone

- The Numbers (self-titled LP, 1980): Five Letter Word, I Don’t Know, Mr. President, Hello, When I Get Older, The Modern Song, Partys, Talk to Me, OK, Teenage Wonderland, Wind

- Mr. President (single, 1981): Mr. President, Private Eyes, Guerilla

- Jericho (single, 1981): Jericho (original version), Turn Back (original version)

- 39-51 (LP, 1982): Big Beat, Secrets, Day to Day, Somedays, Again, Dreams from Yesterday, Blacktown, Dancer, Turn Back, Telephone, Jericho

- Big Beat (single, 1982): Big Beat, Telephone

- Dreams From Yesterday (single, 1982): Dreams From Yesterday, Again

- Numerology: 1979-1982 (compilation CD, 2007): The Modern Song, Five Letter Word, Mr. President, Jericho, Big Beat, Turn Back, Dreams From Yesterday, Alone, Partys, Dancer, Secrets, Day to Day, Again, Take Me Away, Blacktown, When I Get Older, Hello, Govt. Boy, Private Eyes, Guerilla

Links:

- The Numbers on MySpace

- 2008 Sydney Morning Herald interview with Annalisse Morrow

- 2008 Mess+Noise interview with Chris and Annalisse Morrow

- Maybe Dolls promo video for "Nervous Kid"

Pearl Harbor & the Explosions - Live in Oakland, 8/24/79

2009-04-10T12:59:00.003-05:00

Head over to Wolfgang's Vault to hear a great show from short-lived San Francisco new wave act Pearl Harbor & the Explosions recorded at the Oakland Auditorium on August 24, 1979. Best remembered for their single "Drivin'," the Explosions blended guitar driven, jerky new wave with rockabilly and power pop, all carried by the unmistakable vocals and presence of singer Pearl E. Gates (also known as Pearl Harbor).

The band released only one album, an eponymous effort from 1980, before Harbor embarked on a solo career with 1981's Don't Follow Me, I'm Lost Too (1981), Pearls Galore! (1984) and Here Comes Trouble (1995).

This particular performance includes all nine tracks from the sole LP, most notably the infectious "Drivin'," the effervescent power pop gem "You Got It (Release It)" and the frantic fun of "Shut Up and Dance." The band also plays some covers, including Nick Lowe's "Let's Eat," "Black Slacks" by The Sparkletones and "I Can Feel the Fire" by Ron Wood. Throw in a couple originals that didn't make the album, and you have a set that gives you a better idea of what the band was all about than what was released on record.

Listen here

Tracks:
1 - Let's Eat
2 - Up and Over
3 - Don't Come Back
4 - Stop Me
5 - Black Slacks
6 - So Much for Love
7 - Nerves
8 - Keep Going
9 - (Get a) Grip (On Yourself)
10 - Drivin'
11 - The Big One
12 - Shut Up and Dance
13 - You Got It (Release It)
14 - I Can Feel the Fire

THE DB'S - 'The Sound of Music' now available digitally

2009-03-16T21:16:00.000-05:00

The classic 1987 dB's album, "The Sound of Music," is now available again after years being out of print.

The album is the band's fourth, and second after the departure of integral member Chris Stamey. In Stamey's absence, singer-songwriter Peter Holsapple kept the band going strong, creating an album full of straightforward, thoroughly enjoyable jangle rock. The LP features some of the band's finest songs in the form of rollicking and melodic power pop cuts such as "Change With the Changing Times," "Molly Says" and "Sharon."

You can purchase the album for download via Amazon MP3 and iTunes.

Keep an eye out for a brand new dB's record (featuring both Stamey and Holsapple) tentatively scheduled for release this fall.

THE MOTELS - 'Shock' demos

2009-03-15T15:46:00.003-05:00

Head over to the New Wave Outpost message board to grab three rare demos from The Motels, recorded during the sessions for their 1985 album, "Shock."

The songs, "Ice House," "I'm a Liar" and "Midnight Nightingale," are strong enough to have been included on the LP, but for some reason were left off. "Ice House," in particular, is a great slice of upbeat new wave/power pop with a memorable melody and standout vocals by Martha Davis.

"Shock" was the final LP from the original band. Davis released a new Motels album, "This," with a new backing band in 2008.

New Posts Coming Soon

2009-02-11T11:57:00.004-06:00

Thanks to everyone who continues to visit this site despite the recent lack of updates.

The Vinyl Goldmine isn't dead, it just went into Winter hibernation.

Stay tuned for updates coming very soon...

In the meantime, enjoy this new wave/power pop classic, "Switchin' to Glide," by the Kings.

MI-SEX - Castaway / Young Maniacs (7" Single)

2008-12-28T14:16:00.003-06:00

I previously posted a 1984 LP, "Where Do They Go," by New Zealand new wave act Mi-Sex, which was the band's final album and represented a shift from quirky synth pop to more straightforward new wave pop. One of the album's strongest tracks, "Castaway," was actually a single two years prior.

The song is one of the catchiest new wave tunes you'll never hear on flashback radio, and one that belongs on any list of the best 80s songs the world forgot (or maybe never knew in the first place). The 1982 single version is quite different from the version that appeared on "Where Do They Go," offering a much less polished take of what would eventually become the album cut.

The B side, "Young Maniacs," is an album track taken from the 1981 LP "Shanghaied."

Mi-Sex - "Castaway" / "Young Maniacs" (7" Single, 1982)

Track listing:
1 - "Castaway"
2 - "Young Maniacs"

CD Fit for Vinyl: KAI REINER - Self-Titled LP

2008-12-28T13:32:00.007-06:00

In his online biography, Hamburg's Kai Reiner says that being dragged to a Brian Wilson concert against his will just a couple years ago changed his life and inspired him to play pop music. It's a bit hard to believe his conversion was so instant and recent, as his 2008 debut, self-titled LP sounds more like the work of someone who has been lovingly listening to power pop music for years.

From the opening chords of track number one, "Cold Summer," it's obvious that this record is tailor made to appeal to any power pop enthusiast. The hooks are plentiful, the melodies pristine and the delivery sincere. As the record progresses it doesn't let down, with "Only We Both Know," "Hey K," "I Don't Want Your Crown" and "It's Over" all boasting instantly memorable melodies and spoonfuls of pop sweetness. Closing track "Shine" is another highlight, featuring an excellent chugging beat, an addictive guitar riff and contemplative lyrics. Most of the material is upbeat yet bittersweet, a mood made more pronounced by Reiner's earnest, almost deadpan vocal delivery. Musically, many of the songs bring to mind the power pop classic "Black Vinyl Shoes" by Shoes, with the material's fuzzy guitars and straightforward, unassuming vibe.

If you're into pop music with 60s-inspired melodies, loads of hooks and jangly guitars, this one is definitely worth a listen. Besides, any musician that ends his bio with, "Kai has become a much friendlier person now that he plays Pop music. Henry is Kais dog. Henry is a nuisance. He has to be taken for a walk twice a day. If not, he will take it out on the furniture," surely deserves plenty of fans.

You can say hello to Kai on MySpace and pick up the CD on CD Baby.

For a taste, here's the video to "Cold Summer."

MO-DETTES - 'The Story So Far' to be reissued

2008-11-03T11:08:00.005-06:00

London's Cherry Red Records - which has become one of the premier labels for bringing obscure old new wave releases to CD - will reissue the lone album by The Mo-Dettes, 1981's The Story So Far, on November 27. You can order it here.

Although the album has long been a cult favorite among fans of both new wave and early punk, up until now it has never been released in any format other than vinyl.

At times, the The Story So Far found the band sounding like a darker, edgier version of The Go-Go's, with fiery, melodic pop-punk tracks such as Foolish Girl, Satisfy, and the classic single White Mice. Other tracks bring to mind The Raincoats and The Slits.

Fans who own a vinyl copy will want to pick up the re-release for the inclusion of a booklet with commentary by band members Kate Corris and June Miles-Kingston as well as five bonus tracks, including their final single, the power pop confection Tonight.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

Fandango / Satisfy / Dark Park Creeping / The Kray Twins / Paint It Black / White Mouse Disco / Bedtime Stories./ Masochistic Opposite / Foolish Girl / Norman (He’s No Rebel) / Sparrow / Milord / Bonus Tracks- Bitta Truth / Two Can Play / Tonight / Waltz In Blue Mirror / White Mice

DAVID WERNER - Self-Titled LP

2008-10-31T14:08:00.012-05:00

I have seen David Werner remembered online for his contributions to 70s glam rock in the style of early David Bowie, but his third and final LP (the only one I have heard), 1979's self-titled release, sounds much more power pop than glam. That said, it's the harder-edged side of power pop with the guitars meaty, loud and up front.

There's plenty to rock out to here, but the album's most memorable moments actually come when it tries to branch out a bit. For example, Melanie Cries is a very appealing foray into 70s soft pop (it works much better than it sounds) and High Class Blues successfully attempts Stonesy blues rock.

It's not surprising that this album didn't reach the masses as nothing really stands out as a surefire single, but it's certainly a worthwhile listen for any fan of late 70s power pop.

David Werner - Self-titled LP, 1979

Track listing:
1 - Can't Imagine
2 - What's Right
3 - What Do You Need to Love
4 - Melanie Cries
5 - Eye to Eye
6 - Hold on Tight
7 - Every New Romance
8 - Too Late to Try
9 - High Class Blues
10 - She Sent Me Away

THE HEADBOYS - Self-Titled LP

2008-10-26T14:06:00.006-05:00

Here's another cool, random record store find - The Headboys.

The Headboys were a Scottish power pop act that scored minor chart success in 1979 with their excellent single, The Shape of Things to Come. The song was the first track on their debut and only LP, this self-titled release from the same year.

As a result of the success of the single, the band planned a U.S. tour and second LP, neither of which came to fruition.

While nothing on the record is quite as good as The Shape of Things to Come, there's plenty of other worthwhile tracks here such as the incredibly fun My Favourite D.J., the driving Changing With the Times and the delicate ballad Silver Lining.

Definitely worth a listen for any fan of late-70s power pop!

The Headboys - Self-Titled LP, 1979

Track listing:
1 - The Shape of Things to Come
2 - Stepping Stones
3 - My Favourite D.J.
4 - Kickin the Kans
5 - Changing With the Times
6 - Silver Lining
7 - Experiments
8 - Schoolgirls
9 - Gonna Do It Like This
10 - The Breakout
11 - The Ripper
12 - Take It All Down

Also, check out this video of the band performing The Shape of Things to Come on Dutch TV in 1980:

TOM DICKIE AND THE DESIRES - Competition

2008-10-07T19:45:00.005-05:00

A few months ago I posted The Eleventh Hour by Tom Dickie and the Desires, a New York City power pop band from the early 80s. That album was the band's second and final LP, released in 1982. The year before they debuted with Competition.

While The Eleventh Hour dabbled in dancey new wave to flesh out its power pop base, Competition was more straightforward, filled with full on, high energy rock sing-alongs in the likes of Downtown Talk, You've Lost and Burnin' Up. Other highlights include the title track, a catchy carnivalesque ditty, and Count on You, a melodic pop tune reminiscent of The Cars.

While nothing here is groundbreaking, it's all pretty enjoyable, well-performed and ripe for discovery.

Tom Dickie and the Desires - Competition (LP, 1981)

Track listing:
1 - Downtown Talk
2 - Competition
3 - House of Mirrors
4 - Inside You're Someone Else
5 - On the Other Side
6 - You've Lost
7 - Count on You
8 - Everybody Knows
9 - Waiting, Waiting
10 - Burnin' Up

BREAKFAST IN BED - Sorry Babe / Going Home (7" Single)

2008-09-15T22:07:00.006-05:00

Here's a cool little single I know next to nothing about.

What I do know is that Breakfast in Bed were an Australian band and that they released this single, Sorry Babe backed with Going Home in 1983 on Jonathon Apple Productions. I don't know if they released anything else.

The style is female-fronted power pop in the vein of other Aussie acts from around the same time such as Flaming Hands and The Dugites. For a less obscure reference, it sounds kind of like Blondie.

Breakfast in Bed - Sorry Babe / Going Home (7" Single, 1983)

Track listing:
1 - Sorry Babe
2 - Going Home

FAILSAFE - Bravados, A Fistful of Failsafe & Suicide Bridge

2008-09-08T19:18:00.010-05:00

First off, a huge thanks to Tim Ayres for contacting me about this very obscure new wave band and very kindly providing the following biographical information and vinyl rips. Nice work, Tim!

Failsafe was a band from the early '80s in Los Angeles which had three releases on their Paris Records label; Bravados (1981), A Fistful of Failsafe (no year listed) and Suicide Bridge (1984), all hard to find today. Failsafe was a mature, understated new wave band playing guitar-based songs with some innovative keyboard effects, vocal harmonies and often interesting musical ideas.

The band included:

Tim Mockler (12 string, lead vocals)
Tom Lloyd (bass, lead vocal)
Tod Polidori (drums, vocals)
Melanie (keyboard, vocals on Suicide Bridge album)

Bravados, the debut LP, includes a wide variety of rather unconventional new wave songs including a cover of the movie theme In Like Flynt.

The band followed the release with A Fistful of Failsafe, a 5-song EP with a fuller production sound and an elaborate cover design imitating Spaghetti Western soundtracks (so much so that it it has mistakenly been listed around the Web as a soundtrack album). It featured a new wave style cover of Hey Joe, a popular song dating back to the '60s performed by various artists (the most famous version is a 1966 recording by The Jimi Hendrix Experience). The EP also includes a remake of Failsafe's own Monica, which originally appeared on Bravados.

Suicide Bridge, the band's second and final LP, took the subtle guitar effects a bit further and flirted with science fiction themes.

Guitarist Tim Mockler went on to play with Los Angeles Band, which recorded a CD of famous rock songs translated into Spanish.

Check out all three releases at the links below. Tim, thanks again for your efforts in pulling everything together!

Failsafe - Bravados (LP, 1981)

Track listing:
1 - You Finally Got It
2 - Jump Bop
3 - Monica
4 - Christine
5 - Flynt
6 - Give Me All Your Love
7 - Rock and I'll Love You
8 - Dust on the Mirror
9 - Maria
10 - You Live Your Life
11 - Surfing Guam
12 - Blood and Sand

Failsafe - A Fistful of Failsafe (EP, no year listed)

Track listing:
1 - Hey Joe (Main Title)
2 - Is It You?
3 - Monica
4 - Talk Back
5 - Suzie Wong (Love Theme)

Failsafe - Suicide Bridge (1984)

Track listing:
1 - Is This the Way It's Done?
2 - 1943 (in Germany)
3 - Shout
4 - I Can Find My Own Way
5 - The Evacuation of Star Station 7
6 - Sixteen Years Ago
7 - Rebel Saint / Luv, Luv
8 - Big Town / Airport
9 - AO
10 - Hullabaloo

'TIL TUESDAY - A Few Rare Videos

2008-08-25T14:17:00.004-05:00

From the new wave-funk fusion of their debut LP, Voices Carry, to the highly sophisticated pop of follow-up albums Welcome Home and Everything's Different Now, Boston's 'Til Tuesday had a truly unique sound highlighted by the exquisite songwriting and singing of Aimee Mann and the guitar work of Robert Holmes. As much as I love Mann's solo work I keep coming back to the old 'Til Tuesday records for a sound I know I won't find anywhere else.

I periodically search for rare or previously-unreleased material from the band, and recently came across some excellent videos of a few songs that never made it to any of the albums. My favorite, Just Like Me, is an amazing keyboard-driven tune with a perfect melody that should have made it to an album. Enough to Save You is more thoughtful pop boasting some really nice guitar work, while Boy has the funk-inspired sound that ran throughout the Voices Carry album. Check out all three videos below. The look is unquestionably 80s, but the sound is timeless.

Just Like Me

Enough to Save You

Boy

THE CRYERS - Self-Titled Debut

2008-08-25T12:07:00.006-05:00

Years ago I came across a power pop compilation that turned me on to a number of obscure bands that have since become staples in my collection. I was able to track down LPs and singles for some of these bands, but others I could never find much more information about. One such band was the Cryers, whose compilation tune, Shake It Up (Ain't It Time?), instantly caught my attention as a lost power pop classic.

A recent Google search finally revealed the band's entire self-titled debut LP from 1978, thanks to Power Pop Overdose. The album is enjoyable throughout with songs in the vein of the Raspberries and Shoes, and includes at least one other lost classic in (It's Gonna be a) Heartbreaker.

Check it out here at Power Pop Overdose. Also, check out the site of lead singer Lowry Hamner, who is still making music.

Track listing:
1 - Shake It Up (Ain't It Time)
2 - World's on Fire
3 - I'll Steal Away
4 - Just a Little Rain
5 - All Over You
6 - (It's Gonna be a) Heartbreaker
7 - Live to be Free
8 - Oh, I Get High
9 - Diamond Ladies
10 - I'm on Fire

THE TOURISTS - Luminous Basement

2008-08-09T22:41:00.005-05:00

The Tourists are best remembered as the launching pad for Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart prior to Eurythmics, but in its three-album existence the band released some truly excellent power pop that stands strong on its own. In fact, the only major similarity between The Tourists and Eurythmics is that Lennox and Stewart were involved in both. Musically, the former took a much more organic approach to pop, emphasizing 60s-styled, Byrds-eque guitars instead of cold synths. Also, Lennox wasn't fully in the spotlight yet, as lead songwriter and guitarist Peet Coombes shared lead vocal duties.

By request, here is the band's third and final LP, Luminous Basement. It didn't score any significant British chart success as singles (I Only Want to Be With You, So Good to Be Back Home Again) from previous albums had, but it remains a strong power pop record with plenty of memorable, energetic tunes such as Angels and Demons, Don't Say I Told You So and So You Want to Go Away Now.

After the release of this album The Tourists fizzled out as Lennox and Stuart broke off to release the experimental In the Garden, their debut record as Eurythmics. The rest is history, and sadly The Tourists have remained unheard by even many fans of the duo.

The Tourists - Luminous Basement (LP, 1980)

Track listing:
1 - Talk to Me
2 - Walls and Foundations
3 - Week Days
4 - So You Want to Go Away Now
5 - I'm Going to Change My Mind
6 - One Step Nearer the Edge
7 - Don't Say I Told You So
8 - Angels and Demons
9 - Time Drags So Slow
10 - Let's Take a Walk
11 - From the Middle Room
12 - Round Round Blues

Unreleased D-DAY Material to be Unearthed

2008-07-21T11:19:00.004-05:00

According to the Web site of David Fore, the former drummer of Texas-based new wave act D-Day, there is a CD of the band's previously unreleased material on the way!

Here's the excerpt from his site:

"'The Lost Studio Sessions' CD is in the final stages of production. It features the tunes we wrote while waiting for our record to be released by A+M."

For those who don't remember, D-Day is most known for the delightfully trashy new wave gem Too Young to Date, which controversially hit #1 on "Rodney on the Rock" on L.A.'s famous KROQ station upon its release. The band followed it up with just one other single and an LP that are both fantastic, so it will be great to hear what else they had up their sleeves that never saw the light of day.

So far there are no details on specific content or exactly when and how the collection will be released. For now, have a listen to the classic Too Young to Date below.

Post Your Requests Here

2008-07-21T10:35:00.004-05:00

Some of you have requested or recommended bands and albums you'd like to see here. I've lost track of most of the suggestions and have given up on sifting through all the old comments, so feel free to repost them in the comments to this entry.

Chances are I won't have what you're looking for, but I'm always up for the challenge of hunting down excellent, obscure and forgotten new wave/power pop stuff.

THE PHOTOS - Crystal Tips and Mighty Mice

2008-07-16T16:29:00.009-05:00

The Photos were a British new wave band that has been described as Blondie-meets-the Buzzcocks, surviving long enough to release just one LP, a self-titled release in 1980. The album is an infectious lost gem, but before dissolving the group did manage record an even better follow-up cleverly and oddly titled Crystal Tips and Mighty Mice.

Up until now Crystal Tips has remained in the vaults, only to be heard by a select few new wave fanatics have who managed to track down mp3s ripped from a promo copy of the record. That's about to change thanks to London-based Cherry Red Records, which secured the rights to the album and has it slated for release on July 21. Hey, much better 25+ years late than never - especially for an album of this caliber.

Crystal Tips is full of masterful pop songs delivered with punk spirit. Singer Wendy Wu has an unmistakable voice that ensures you won't confuse the tunes with any other band's, and serves as an effective vehicle for getting across the slightly twisted themes found throughout the album.

Both opener My Life Story and the one song that was actually released from the collection way back when - Life in a Day, as a 7" single - are punchy numbers sung from the perspective of disenchanted souls plodding through everyday society. Luke Come Back is a catchy plea that sounds sort of like ABBA on steroids, while Kill That Girl is a dismal tale of deadly jealousy set to a bouncy tune. Quite possibly the star of the record is the stunning For Beauty's Sake, which features a truly dreamy melody and thoughtful lyrics.

According to Cherry Red, the album has been remastered from the original master tapes and will also boast a number of bonus tracks, including It's Always the English and Charlotte, two more tracks that were never released in any capacity. Here is the full track listing:

My Life Story / Life In A Day / Luke Come Back / Let's Pack Our Bags / Kill That Girl / The Final Scene / We Fight / Thinking Of His Girlfriend / Wish You Well / For Beauty's Sake / Time Of My Life / Bonus Tracks - More Than A Friend (B - Side Life In A Day ) / You Won't Get To Me (B - Side of We'll Win ) / It's Always The English (Unreleased, Recorded At Good Earth Studios For Muff Winwood) / We'll Win (A - Side S/T Single) / Charlotte (Unreleased, Recorded At Good Earth Studios For Muff Winwood) / Shy (B - Side Irene ) / Cridsilla (B - Side Irene , Double Single)

Click here to order the disc directly from Cherry Red or here to get your copy from Amazon UK.

For a taste, check out a vinyl-ripped mp3 of Life in a Day here, and look below for a clip of The Photos performing Do You Have Fun from their debut LP.

Video Rarities

2008-07-11T20:33:00.004-05:00

I thought about titling this post "I'm Not Dead, Part 2" because again, it's been a while since I posted and again, I blame it on being extremely busy.

Until I have time to rip and write about more stuff more extensively, I thought I'd post some very rare video clips from bands I have written about here. Oh, the things you can find on YouTube.

Click on the links to check out what I have previously written about these bands.

Blue Peter - Video Verite (live 1981) - A really energetic live performance of one of my favorite tracks from this Canadian power pop/new wave act!

Karen Lawrence & the Pinz - Girl's Night Out (1981) - I heard there was a promo video made for this album, but never really thought it would surface. Well, here it is. Karen Lawrence (who now does bluesier stuff) in all her throaty, untamed new wave glory.

JoBoxers - Is This Really the First Time (1985) - This band is best known for the bouncy semi-hit Just Got Lucky, but in my opinion, this tune is just as good (and just as bouncy). It was culled from their second and final album Skin and Bone, which I still haven't been able to confirm was actually released.

The Reels - Prefab Hearts (1980) - This video by Aussie new wavers the Reels is just a tad bit scary (in a harmless 1980 sort of way), but the song is truly one of my all time favorite forgotten pop songs. Just try to get it out of your head. I dare you.

The Crocodiles - Tears (1980) - Before New Zealand's Jenny Morris went on to a successful solo career in her native land, she had this local hit with The Crocodiles. A very catchy, well-sung pop tune.

Pearl Harbour (live with the Clash) - Fujiyama Mama (1982) - The larger than life Pearl Harbour appears on stage with the Clash to sing this track, a Wanda Jackson rockabilly cover off her debut solo LP, Don't Follow Me, I'm Lost Too. At the time she was romantically linked with Paul Simonon. Fun stuff.

PEZBAND - Cover to Cover

2008-06-28T22:10:00.004-05:00

Being from Chicago, I am always on the lookout not only for new local bands to follow, but also great acts that came out of the city in past decades. One of my favorites of the latter ilk is Pezband, a little-known power pop band that began in Oak Park, IL, in the early 1970s.

Shortly after I began this blog I wrote an overview post about Pezband, which you can find here. In short, the band released three LPs, Pezband (1977), Laughing in the Dark (1978) and Cover to Cover (1979).

While all three records are excellent, Pezband never achieved the widespread recognition they deserved. The self-titled release and Cover to Cover rank as two of my favorite power pop LPs ever, and it's hard to understand exactly why they didn't catch on.

Cover to Cover is a perfect example of how the band could write spot-on melodies in the vein of Shoes, but also blend those melodies perfectly with a hard-edged, unpolished sound a la early Cheap Trick.

Infectious yet rough-around-the-edges tracks such as the anthemic opener Stella Blue, Meika and Back in the Middle rock hard. In fact, there's not really a single song on the album that doesn't rock hard, except for maybe Didn't We (which is still great).

See for yourself:

Pezband - Cover to Cover (LP, 1979)

Track listing:
1 - Stella Blue
2 - Meika
3 - Back in the Middle
4 - Full Power
5 - Didn't We
6 - African Night
7 - Make Me Happy
8 - Cover to Cover
9 - Hero Hero
10 - Unexpected
11 - Don't Look Back

FLAMING HANDS - Wake Up Screaming (7" Single)

2008-06-20T13:10:00.004-05:00

A while back I posted two 7" singles, It's Just That I Miss You and The Edge, from obscure Australian new wave pop band Flaming Hands. Here's another of their singles, Wake Up Screaming, from 1980.

Wake Up Screaming was produced by seminal Australian rock musician Lobby Loyde, and like the band's debut single, a cover of I Belong to Nobody by Soul Inc., it features an organic, 60s-inspired rock sound. It also boasts a memorable melody by guitarist and songwriter Jeff Sullivan, a very cool sax break and the pure-yet-powerful vocals of singer Julie Mostyn.

The B side, Sweet Revenge, finds Mostyn musing about taking emotional revenge on a lover who has betrayed her. Musically, the song has a similar vibe to the A side and is just as strong. It begins with a simple, sing-songy vocal intro with a girl-group melody and crescendos into a true pop confection highlighted by a sparkling piano solo and a more aggressive guitar sound as the song reaches its end.

Wake Up Screaming is one of my favorite singles, has never been reissued in any format and like everything else by the Flaming Hands, deserves to be discovered my more people.

Flaming Hands - Wake Up Screaming (7" single, 1980)

Track listing:
1 - Wake Up Screaming
2 - Sweet Revenge

FOR FANS OF:
The Dugites, The Tribe, Blondie, INXS, The Pretenders, The Sinceros, The Motels, Martha and the Muffins, The Tourists

Vinyl Returns to Retail?

2008-06-11T09:49:00.004-05:00

On their way to the independent record store, some area's vinyl collectors can now stop at Fred Meyer (yes, Fred Meyer) to pick up new releases in 12" form. It might sound strange, but an AP article I came across this morning details how the West Coast retail chain, in addition to a handful of other large retailers, is bringing vinyl back. Here's an excerpt from the story:

This spring, an employee intending to order a special CD-DVD edition of R.E.M.'s latest release "Accelerate" inadvertently entered the "LP" code instead. Soon boxes of the big, vinyl discs showed up at several stores.

Some sent them back. But a handful put them on the shelves, and 20 LPs sold the first day.

The Portland-based company, owned by The Kroger Co., realized the error might not be so bad after all. Fred Meyer is now testing vinyl sales at 60 of its stores in Oregon, Washington and Alaska. The company says, based on the response so far, it plans to roll out vinyl in July in all its stores that sell music.

Other mainstream retailers are giving vinyl a spin too. Best Buy is testing sales at some stores. And online music giant Amazon.com, which has sold vinyl for most of the 13 years it has been in business online, created a special vinyl-only section last fall.

I think it speaks volumes to the timeless qualities of vinyl that in 2008, major retailers are beginning to once again stock a music format long considered by the mainstream to be obsolete. The CD has been on the market for over 25 years, and yet it still hasn't managed to obliterate a format that is undoubtedly much less convenient.

What do you think? Will vinyl come back in an even bigger way? Would you ever buy a new vinyl record at a retail chain instead of a CD?

THE SINCEROS - The Sound of Sunbathing

2008-06-10T23:40:00.007-05:00

While I included a song from this record in my first Sinceros post as well as its complete follow-up LP, Pet Rock, in my second Sinceros post, I hadn't posted the band's first album, The Sound of Sunbathing from 1979.

So here it is - 10 tracks of fun with hints of Squeeze and various power pop bands of the era. The record includes The Sinceros' most well known single, the very new wave Take Me to Your Leader, as well as 60s-inspired pop gems such as So They Know, Quick, Quick Slow and My Little Letter.

The Sinceros - The Sound of Sunbathing (LP, 1979) UPDATE 6/09 - This record is now available on CD via Cherry Red Records. Go get it!

Track listing:
1 - Take Me to Your Leader
2 - Worlds Apart
3 - Little White Lie
4 - So They Know
5 - Hanging on Too Long
6 - I Still Miss You
7 - Quick, Quick Slow
8 - My Little Letter
9 - Break Her Heart
10 - Good Luck (To You)

ROBIN LANE AND THE CHARTBUSTERS - Self-Titled and Imitation Life

2008-06-08T15:18:00.010-05:00

In the same recent vinyl haul that scored me records by Laurie and the Sighs, 3-D, Tom Dickie and the Desires and Sue Saad and the Next, I was able to grab the only two records released by Boston-based power pop group Robin Lane and the Chartbusters, 1980's self-titled release and its 1981 follow up, Imitation Life.

The band, led by husky-voiced singer-songwriter Robin Lane, specialized in melodic, guitar driven pop/rock, sometimes more straightforward along the lines of early Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and sometimes infused with the distinct new wave and power pop sounds of its time. While the material was definitely radio-ready, the Chartbusters didn't exactly live up to their name, and the two records remain quite obscure.

The self-titled debut starts off with the band's most well-known song, When Things Go Wrong, which is a mid-tempo, smoky atmosphered number that perfectly ushers in Lane's expressive, distinct vocal style. Although it and the album's second single, Why Do You Tell Lies? - another mid-tempo lite rocker - received extensive airplay, the debut garnered little commercial success. The music video for When Things Go Wrong, though, holds the distinction of being one of the videos played on MTV's first day on air. The video was the 11th shown on the channel on August 1, 1981.

Other highlights on the debut record include the manic, Sid Vicious-inspired I Don't Want to Know, the peppy Don't Cry and Kathy Lee, which plays an upbeat melody against downcast lyrics. The record stands out from many other power pop releases of its time in that it explores darker subject matter throughout without sacrificing hooks and melody.

1981's follow up, Imitation Life, is arguably even more interesting. Kicking off with Send Me an Angel, which sounds more than a bit like Patti Smith, the LP takes on more elements of early 80s new wave. While a few of the tracks on the debut sound very similar, each track on Imitation Life has its own personality. What the People are Doing is plodding and myterious, No Control is power pop on a sugar high and Idiot is a tongue-in-cheek nod to 60s pop. The crowning jewel on the record, though, is Solid Rock, a pop song of truly epic proportions. Its impeccable girl group melody, soaring vocals, chiming guitar and thoughtful lyrics mesh together to create sonic bliss. This is one of the best "lost" pop songs I've discovered.

Once again receiving limited commercial success, the Chartbusters called it a day in 1983, and Lane went on to release various recordings throughout the 80s and 90s.

The band reunited in 2001 and released a new CD, Piece of Mind, in 2003.

Only in recent years have the Chartbusters records been released outside of vinyl. The debut LP was reissued on CD by Collector's Choice, and is available to sample and purchase here. Imitation Life has yet to see a CD release, but is available digitally here. Both records are likely to be a pleasing discovery for any power pop fan.

ROBIN LANE & THE CHARTBUSTERS LINEUP:
- Robin Lane - Guitar and lead vocals
- Tim Jackson - Drums
- Leroy Radcliffe - Guitar
- Asa Brebner - Guitar
- Scott Baerenwald - Bass

KEY TRACKS:
When Things Go Wrong, Kathy Lee, Why Do You Tell Lies?, I Don't Want to Know, Solid Rock, Idiot

FOR FANS OF:
The Pretenders, The Byrds, early Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Dwight Twilley

I'm Not Dead

2008-06-04T15:17:00.003-05:00

The thing about keeping up a blog is you feel guilty when you don't update it! For that reason I feel the need to justify my lack of updates over the past couple weeks. I usually try to do at least 2-3 posts per week, but a week away on vacation and a particularly busy time at work has translated to little time left for blogging.

Thanks to everyone who checks out this site on a regular basis. New posts coming soon!

SPOONER - Every Corner Dance

2008-05-23T11:12:00.006-05:00

Having just been to a vinyl show and almost picking this up, but passing because the seller wanted too much, the AZ Local blog tapped into my mind and has made it available.

Spooner is most widely known for the fact that Garbage drummer Butch Vig and guitarist Duke Erikson started out in it. The band was a pure power pop outfit that formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1979 and lasted through three LPs into 1990. The first album, Every Corner Dance, came out in 1982 and sounded something like a more aggressive Shoes or a less experimental dB's. In fact, the album was produced by Gary Klebe of Shoes.

Every Corner Dance has a few moments that hold up among the power pop greats, including opener Will You Remember Me?, as well as Jackie and Poor Harold. The entire LP is an enjoyable slice of power pop history that any fan of the genre is sure to enjoy.

A big "thank you" to AZ Local for posting! Head on over to check it out.

Track listing:
1 - Will You Remember Me?
2 - Temptations
3 - Member of the Family
4 - Jackie
5 - Doing Time
6 - Every Corner Dance
7 - Cruel School
8 - Poor Harold
9 - Oo My My
10 - Way the Stories Go

FOR FANS OF:
Shoes, The dB's, The Plimsouls

SUE SAAD AND THE NEXT - Self-Titled LP

2008-05-22T14:15:00.009-05:00

If you had a listen to the Laurie and the Sighs album I recently posted about, you'll have a good idea of what Sue Saad and the Next sound like. In the same way as the Sighs, Sue Saad and company take a high energy, not quite power pop, not quite new wave and not quite basic rock and roll but somewhere in-between approach on their one and only album, 1980's self-titled release.

The band is best remembered for the lead single from this LP, Gimme Love/Gimme Pain, which is a catchy mid-tempo rocker. There's plenty more memorable hooks on the album, particularly in revved-up cuts such as It's Gotcha, I I Me Me and Your Lips-Hands-Kiss-Love.

Sue Saad and the Next did not last long enough for a sophomore LP, but Saad went on to perform the theme song to the 1981 film, Looker.

Sue Saad & the Next - self-titled (LP, 1980)

Track listing:
1 - Gimme Love/Gimme Pain
2 - It's Gotcha
3 - Prisoner
4 - Young Girl
5 - I I Me Me
6 - Your Lips-Hands-Kiss-Love
7 - I Want Him
8 - Cold Night Rain
9 - Won't Give It Up
10 - Danger Love

FOR FANS OF:
Pat Benatar, Laurie and the Sighs, Scandal, Genya Ravan, Spider

TOM DICKIE AND THE DESIRES - The Eleventh Hour

2008-05-16T21:05:00.001-05:00

Tom Dickie and the Desires were a New York City band that released two LPs, Competition in 1981 and The Eleventh Hour in 1982. I recently picked up the latter in record shop for just 25 cents (!!) simply because I thought the album art was interesting and seemed pretty new wave-ish.

It's difficult to pinpoint this album as new wave, power pop, or anything else because it doesn't follow a single direction. It jumps from blatantly 80s new wave (Victimless Crime, So Mystified) to pure power pop (I Don't Want to Live Without You, Gone to Stay, Twisted Years) to earnest slow tunes (If I Could Paint, They Don't Know Anymore).

That being said, there's some fantastic moments here - namely the tracks on which the band aims for a more straightforward power pop approach. The best is arguably I Don't Want to Live Without You, which is melodic ear candy through and through and boasts the record's strongest hook. Gone to Stay and Twisted Years take a similar approach and are almost as good, while Stolen Time has a great sing-along chorus.

The copy I picked up was a DJ promo, which included a biography from PolyGram Records that had this to say:

If one feels an urgency in the second album by Tom Dickie and the Desires, appropriately titled "The Eleventh Hour," it probably stems from this important new group's intention to make rock 'n' roll that matters. "There was this general feeling about everything that was going on while we were making this album," explains Dickie, "almost like - will we get it down on vinyl in time?"
"It's something we not only felt in our lives, but everywhere around us - in New York City, with the Yankees, in the Falklands...everywhere. That sense is found in the songs on the album, the urgency of people trying to accomplish something before their time is up."
...Dickie feels "The Eleventh Hour" reflects the band's experiences "living in New York where everything is always happening. You sometimes feel like you're living a day ahead of everything else, always on the eleventh hour."

Tom Dickie & the Desires - The Eleventh Hour (LP, 1982)

Track listing:
1 - Victimless Crime
2 - Stolen Time
3 - Gone to Stay
4 - Our Eyes
5 - So Mystified
6 - I Don't Want to Live Without You
7 - What Happened
8 - Twisted Years
9 - Patience Is a Virtue
10 - They Don't Know Anymore
11 - If I Could Paint

EXPRESSOS - Promises and Ties

2008-05-16T11:11:00.009-05:00

First of all, I must send out a big thanks to Music Ruined My Life for turning me on to this gem of an album!

Just when I feel like I'm beginning to close in on all the best lost records of the late 70s-early 80s new wave era, I come across something like Promises and Ties by U.K. band the Expressos and realize that the treasure chest is pretty much endless.

1981's Promises and Ties was the first and only LP by the Expressos, and this album is so good there's absolutely no reason it shouldn't have been a smash hit. Its cocktail of new wave, power pop and 60s girl group, during its strongest moments, stands up to classic tracks by the likes of Blondie and The Pretenders.

The album kicks off with the infectious, energetic single Tango in Mono, which Elvis Costello supposedly selected as his second favorite pop song of all time. My Yesterday follows with tasty slice of power pop, and There She Goes is a gorgeous track featuring Byrds-like guitar. Another single, By Tonight, is highly melodic 60s girl group, as is the clever ballad B Side. The true centerpiece of the album, though, is the title track. It's a soaring pop masterpiece just begging to be covered by someone. Other highlights include yet another single, the sing-songy Hey Girl, the jangling beauty of Miss You Melody (The French Song) and album closer The Trap, which sounds like it could have been on Pretenders II.

What's really amazing about this record is that for something that went largely unnoticed, the songwriting is consistently superb. It features one luscious pop tune after another, and the bright vocals of Rozzi Rayner gives them even more life.

Every fan of melodic, 60s-influenced new wave and power pop should discover this album! Check it out at Music Ruined My Life.

Track listing:
1 - Tango in Mono
2 - My Yesterday
3 - There She Goes
4 - By Tonight
5 - B Side
6 - Promises and Ties
7 - Kiss You All Over
8 - Want
9 - Hey Girl
10 - Missing You Melody (The French Song)
11 - Thumbs on the Ground
12 - The Trap

FOR FANS OF:
Blondie, The Pretenders, The Sinceros, The Photos, The Tourists

LAURIE AND THE SIGHS - Self-Titled LP

2008-05-14T10:09:00.011-05:00

Take one listen to the first and only LP by Laurie and the Sighs and it won't surprise you to learn that vocalist Laurie Beechman is best known as a Broadway star. The 1980 album is a showy burst of energy that mixes hard-edged arena rock a la Pat Benatar with spiky, tongue-in-cheek power pop to create consistently fun results.

Prior to the album's release, Beechman played in famous theater productions such as Annie and The Pirates of Penzance. After signing with Atlantic Records, Beechman and the Sighs hoped to find success venturing into rock and roll territory. During a time when Benatar was at the top of the charts, it would seem that Beechman, whose physical and musical similarities to the popular singer were not exactly subtle, would be a marketable act for her label. Unfortunately, Laurie and the Sighs received little support from Atlantic and soon faded into obscurity.

The LP rocks harder than you might expect, and it's clear that Beechman put everything she had into belting out the tunes. Some of the material, such as the brief jolt of Face to Face, an amped-up cover of the 60s Claudine Clark hit Party Lights and the aggressive Stop Telling Me No, even shows traces of punk. The LP only slows down once with the rock opera ballad Your Bridge Is Burning.

After the album failed to make a dent, Beechman turned back to musical theater, going on to star in Cats, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Les Miserables. Unfortunately, after a diagnosis of ovarian cancer in 1988 - which went into remission and then returned in 1995 - Beechman passed on in 1998 at the age of 44.

~~Check out a vinyl rip of Beechman's one and only foray into rock, which has never seen reissue on CD.~~ Update: The album has been released on CD by Wounded Bird Records! Get it here.

~~Laurie and the Sighs - self-titled LP, 1980~~

Track listing:
1 - Midnight Love
2 - Touch Me
3 - Party Lights
4 - Love Hostage
5 - Face to Face
6 - Never Go Back
7 - Your Bridge Is Burning
8 - Runaway
9 - Stop Telling Me No
10 - Burning Up

FOR FANS OF:
Pat Benatar, Scandal, Sue Saad and the Next, Spider

3-D - Self-Titled Debut

2008-05-12T23:43:00.004-05:00

What would happen if Marshall Crenshaw's 60s pop melodies mated with the up-front new wave synths of The Cars? You'd probably get something that sounded like 3-D.

3-D were a little known new wave band that produced two albums in its short existence. The first was the band's self-titled debut from 1980, and the second, See It Loud, came the following year.

The debut record has its share of catchy new wave gems, including the singles Telephone Number, X-Ray Eyes and All Night Television. Also noteworthy are the jubilant Pin Up Girl and the breezy Carnival. This is light, uncomplicated pop that makes for a consistently fun and entertaining listen.

3-D (debut LP, 1980)

Track listing:
1 - Telephone Number
2 - It's No Fun
3 - Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
4 - Pin Up Girl
5 - Back to You
6 - X-Ray Eyes
7 - All American Boy
8 - Carnival
9 - All Night Television

FOR FANS OF:
Elvis Costello, Marshall Crenshaw, The Cars

THE SPORTS - All Sports

2008-05-10T14:04:00.009-05:00

I stumbled across a very cool Australian new wave band, The Sports, over at the excellent I Supply the Country With Butter blog.

The Sports, based in Melbourne, were together from 1977 to 1981, and over that time recorded a good amount of early Elvis Costello-styled new wave-infused pub rock, scoring minor hits with songs such as Boys! (What Did the Detective Say?), When You Walk in the Room, How Come and Who Listens to the Radio.

1982's All Sports compiles the band's greatest moments over 16 songs. There's even a great cover of Wedding Ring, a classic Easybeats tune. Thanks to I Supply the Country With Butter for making this available. Head on over to check it out!

FOR FANS OF:
Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, Bram Tchaikovsky, Joe Jackson

CD Fit for Vinyl: MICHELE ARI - 85th and Nowhere

2008-05-09T11:16:00.003-05:00

There is no doubt that Michele Ari's debut six song EP, 2005's 85th and Nowhere, sounds like it were made for vinyl. Ari is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter, but not one you'll likely find playing coffeehouses solo with an acoustic guitar. Her preferred style is rocking out with a full band, and her tuneful songs feature clear new wave and power pop leanings.

The six songs on 85th and Nowhere are fresh and captivating, while calling upon some of the most sonically pleasing elements of rock and roll's past. Not only does Ari reference late 70s new wave and power pop, she also looks to R.E.M.-styled early alternative rock and the sweet, impeccable melodies of 60s pop. Think Debbie Harry meets Ronnie Spector with a dash of Michael Stipe.

The EP begins with the smoky My Sleeping Beauty, which has a bit of a Killing Moon vibe, and the jangling, pretty pop gem Please. The title track and Nevermind are a bit more straightforward and aggressive in a Nick Lowe sort of way, setting off the dreamier numbers nicely. Pretty is a bluesy slow burner that crescendos into something truly special and serves as an effective centerpiece to the collection, while the sweet, vulnerable 1000 Kisses closes the EP on an upbeat note.

Ari's vocals are relaxed and unpretentious, exuding 10 times more emotion and inspiration than any of mainstream radio's current pop crazes.

She is currently working on a full-length album, due for release later this year.

Check out some tracks from 85th and Nowhere on MySpace, and pick up a real copy on CD Baby or a digital copy on iTunes.

FOR FANS OF:
Blondie, Nick Lowe, R.E.M., Patti Smith, Ronnie Spector

MARTHA AND THE MUFFINS - This Is the Ice Age

2008-05-08T22:48:00.006-05:00

It's hard to describe exactly what makes canadian new wave band Martha and the Muffins' 1981 LP This Is the Ice Age so special, but it's one of those albums that definitely has a sound all its own and sticks with you from first listen.

This album gets a five star rating from me because it is completely effective in connecting beyond the surface level of the music listening experience and conjuring very distinct feelings. There is a sad, cold nostalgia to the music, even on the more upbeat numbers such as Women Around the World at Work and You Sold the Cottage.

The Muffins' Ice Age is a time without human warmth and connection. It is open, gray and lonely - feelings reflected particularly well on Swimming, Boy Without Filters, Jets Seem Slower in London's Skies and One Day in Paris. The arrangements are sparse and the vocals are stoic. The beautifully sad One Day in Paris is particularly nostalgic, with its singer yearning for a sense of completion in another time and place. It is unspecified and unimportant whether that place is in the past or future - all that matters is that it is away from the present "Ice Age."

Casualties of Glass is another highlight, and becomes especially effective near its end with the chant of "don't lose hope."

You sold the Cottage is the closest the album comes to being lighthearted, and at first seems out of place. Even so, its themes of looking back into the past and finding a sense of dissatisfaction works nicely with the LP's overall sense of cold nostalgia.

Also noteworthy are the lengthy title track and Three Hundred Years/Chemistry. The first is almost tribal, while the latter begins as a minimalist instrumental that bursts into a melodic tune that gives a true sense of completion to the album.

The music itself is not the only thing that makes this This Is the Ice Age so effective. The album's title relates perfectly to the mood of the music, as does its cover art. It is austere and desolate, intermingling a space seemingly devoid of any specific time and place with a space that is notably modern (illustrated by the tall office building in the distance). In this sense, the entire package conveys a modern "Ice Age."

This Is the Ice Age is ambient, introspective new wave art pop at its finest, and an essential record for any fan of the genre.

Check out a vinyl rip at Fantasmi Macchina.

In 2005 the album was released on CD, but already looks to be out of print. However, copies seem to be pretty easy to track down (see Amazon).

Click here for my recent post about another Martha and the Muffins release - the About Insomnia single.

PAULINE BLACK - I Threw It Away (7" Single)

2008-05-03T10:08:00.005-05:00

In 1983 ex-Selecter vocalist Pauline Black released I Threw It Away, a soulful single that traded in the two-tone ska of her previous band for more of a pop type of balladry. The song is a perfect showcase for Black's one-of-a-kind vocals, and was later covered by Joe Cocker!

The B-side is a fun, synthy cover of I Can See Clearly Now.

Pauline Black - I Threw It Away (7" single, 1983)

Track listing:
1 - I Threw It Away
2 - I Can See Clearly Now

RUBBER RODEO - She Had to Go (12" Single)

2008-04-29T19:47:00.006-05:00

Recently I wrote about country-new wave hybrid Rubber Rodeo's second and final LP, Heartbreak Highway. By request, here's one of the band's earlier singles, She Had to Go from 1982.

By the time Rubber Rodeo released Heartbreak Highway in 1986, its sound had developed from a self-described "cross between Gene Autry and Devo" to polished, radio-ready pop with country touches thrown in here and there. She Had to Go is a perfect example of the band's quirkier early stage (which also saw the release of a new wave cover of Dolly Parton's Jolene).

She Had to Go is a bizarre, Devo-esque track about death, strangely enough. Check out the last minute or so, which sounds something like the hoedown from hell. The B-side includes Rubber Rodeo's take on The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly as well as another instrumental, Forbidden Valley.

(2/17/09 - You can now purchase this music, along with the band's self-titled EP, on iTunes! Go get it!)

Track listing:
1 - She Had to Go...
2 - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
3 - Forbidden Valley

CD Fit for Vinyl: DAVE DILL - Follow the Summer

2008-04-28T10:20:00.007-05:00

While the music of indie singer-songwriter Dave Dill comes in CD form, it sounds tailor-made for any vinyl-loving power pop fan.

Dill's latest album, Follow the Summer, flows with a cool 70s vibe reminiscent of power pop pioneers such as Badfinger and Big Star, while at the same time bringing to mind the most honest, authentic modern-day pop songwriting by the likes of Michael Penn and Matthew Sweet.

The album's artwork and title don't lie - this is is breezy, summery stuff - but not to a super-sugary, bubblegum extent. Most of Dill's melodies only fully reveal themselves after a few listens, making for an overall more rewarding sonic experience filled with a various musical textures, swirling harmonies and innovative instrumentation.

Highlights include Happily Ever After and Don't Remember, a pair of hook-filled, up-tempo rockers, as well as the melodic, Pete Ham-esque ballad You Don't Believe It and the dreamy, lengthy album centerpiece Follow the Summer/Pink Skies.

Dill's pure vocals shine throughout, often channeling Brian Wilson and always meshing perfectly with the warm, sunny music. Follow the Summer is perfect listening for a hazy summer day.

Pick up a copy at CD Baby or Not Lame, or download the album on iTunes.

FOR FANS OF:
The Beatles, Badfinger, Michael Penn, Big Star, Matthew Sweet, Jon Brion

WEB LINKS:
- Dave Dill official site
- Dave Dill MySpace

BLUE PETER - Rockin' Canadian New Wave

2008-04-26T18:55:00.013-05:00

I have to thank Uncle E of the always entertaining Uncle E's Musical Nightmares for turning me onto Blue Peter, a rather obscure Canadian new wave band of the early 80s.

Blue Peter's output consists of two LPs, Radio Silence (1980) and Falling (1983), as well as two EPs, Test Patterns for Living (1979) and Up to You (1982). The releases are quite different, with the early EP and LP focusing on a straightforward power pop sound and the later releases introducing more of a new wavey synth-pop sound.

In fact, Test Patterns for Living brought on Blue Peter with a stripped-back sound that would completely transform by the time the band reached its later stages. The EP is full of energetic, short power pop tunes that are enjoyable, but not necessarily instantly memorable. The two exceptions are the manic, bizarre Do the Robot and the closer, Factory Living, which features the memorable line, "it's no fun starving for artistic integrity/better to work in the big old factory."

Radio Silence is a progression of the EP's sound, kicking off with the infectious Video Verite, one of the band's strongest tracks and a definite lost power pop classic. Other highlights include AWOL, Where's My Angel, Attraction and Shell Shocked. The kind of power pop on the album is not the warm, romantic kind you might expect from acts such as Shoes or Dwight Twilley. I'd call it "futuristic power pop," with its occasional use of synths and the sometimes deadpan delivery of lead singer Paul Humphrey. Other times it brings to mind the harder-edged pop of bands such as Red Rockers and fellow Canadians Payola$.

The second LP, Falling, sounds for the most part like a different band. The songs are more tuneful and produced, the overall ambiance is more nostalgic and reflective and Humphrey's vocals show a greater range of emotion. The result is an arguably stronger collection of songs, beginning with the pretty, open-sounding title track. The lead single, Don't Walk Past, was the band's most commercially successful song. It is very much a product of its time, with its slinky dance-pop sound. Head Over Heels is another cool dance track, this one more dance rock than synth-pop. Other highlights include the soft, romantic Red Filters, as well as All Your Time and Right Stuff, which along with the title track are the album's most melodic moments.

Blue Peter began recording tracks for a planned third LP, Vertigo, which was never completed. The band broke up in 1985, but has recently reformed for occasional gigs in Canada.

In 2007, Blue Peter made its entire catalog is available in the form of three CD reissues - Test Patterns for Living and Radio Silence on one disc, Falling and the unreleased Vertigo on the second and Up to You plus an assortment of rare and unreleased tracks on a compilation called Burning Bridges. All three sound great and are available on Amazon.com.

BLUE PETER LINEUP:
Mike Bambrick, Paul Humphrey, Rick Joudrey, Geoff McOuat, Jason Sniderman, Owen Tennyson, Ron Tomlinson, Chris Wardman

FOR FANS OF:
Red Rockers, Payola$, Japan, Duran Duran, Maurice & the Cliches

WEB LINKS:
- Blue Peter official site
- Blue Peter on MySpace
- Don't Walk Past video on YouTube
- Blue Peter on Wikipedia
- Interview with Paul Humphrey

THE CROCODILES - New Wave Goodbye

2008-04-22T23:20:00.005-05:00

One of the first posts I made on this site detailed The Crocodiles, a New Zealand pop band that emerged in the late 70s with a sound that mixed new wave and power pop. Here's a vinyl rip of the band's debut record, New Wave Goodbye (aka Tears), in full.

The Crocodiles are best remembered - when remembered at all - for the song Tears, which was a hit in their home country. It came from the 1980 LP of the same name, which was released elsewhere the following year under the title New Wave Goodbye.

The album is full of energetic pop that switches vocals between various members - most notably Jenny Morris, who later became a pop star in New Zealand and Australia. It covers quirky new wave (title track, In My Suit, Working Girl), 60s-style pop (Any Day of the Week, Whatcha Gonna Do, Tears, It's the Latest) and straight-ahead power pop (Young Ladies in Hot Cars, Ribbons of Steel).

The Crocodiles - New Wave Goodbye (LP, 1981)

Track listing:
1 - New Wave Goodbye
2 - Any Day of the Week
3 - All Night Long
4 - Tears
5 - In My Suit
6 - Young Ladies in Hot Cars
7 - Whatcha Gonna Do
8 - Ribbons of Steel
9 - It's the Latest
10 - Working Girl

FOR FANS OF:
Split Enz, The Dugites, XTC, early Elvis Costello, The Sinceros, Squeeze

Colored Vinyl: Resistance is Futile

2008-04-22T19:57:00.006-05:00

As you can see, there's no music in this post. In an effort to expand my blog-writing horizons, this time I'm going to ramble about something other than a specific record or band. That something is my inability to resist colored vinyl.

There are a lot of factors I can cite as reasons why vinyl, in most cases, has become my preferred music format - the unique sound, the big artwork, the fact that you can now get fantastic albums for dirt cheap because most people consider vinyl an obsolete format...

These all speak to the allure of vinyl, but I hold a special place for one very important superpower that vinyl can use to trump the almighty compact disc: multicolored awesomeness.

Sure, you can pretty much put any color or design on the top of a CD, but it's just not the same. I mean, when was the last time you experienced the thrill of finding a see-thru, ocean blue CD?

Maybe I'm (way) too easily amused, but I find colored vinyl incredibly cool...seriously, really cool. Probably to an extent that some might not consider humanly healthy. There's something about great music coming from a large, brightly-colored circle that makes it even more enjoyable than when it's coming from a bland black circle or a smaller shiny circle.

In fact, I'm always tempted to buy any colored vinyl I come across regardless of the band.

Case in point: I've never collected music by the Beatles, but I was surfing eBay the other day and saw a sizable lot of Beatles singles, each in the form of a vibrantly-colored 45, and was seriously tempted to bid. Not that it would have been such a bad thing. I hear a few people think they're a pretty good band.

Still, those singles weren't as cool as the colored vinyl centerpiece of my collection - my Bruiseology LP by The Waitresses on swirled purple vinyl (pictured above on the left). This special edition of the LP was only pressed for DJ promo copies and is somewhat scarce, so even though I already had a copy of the album in basic black, I had to have the purple-ish wax when I saw it. Granted, I don't pull it out and stare at it on a daily basis, but somehow knowing it's in my collection makes me happy.

It seems that translucent green is a popular choice for colored 45s. I've already got three of those after less than a year of devoted vinyl collecting.

Sometimes the color of a colored vinyl perfectly matches the music. There's no better example than the Josie Cotton 7" He Could Be the One b/w Systematic Way on bubblegum pink vinyl. I just tracked down a copy, and somehow Josie's summery, carefree, girl-group inspired power pop sounds even better coming from it.

The only downside to bright colors is that sometimes they make it hard to gauge the condition of a record. This is mainly because scratches don't show up as well as on black, but you also might find yourself too busy being awed by the wonders of colored wax to even notice or care.

That aside, colored vinyl is a prime example of how vinyl simply provides more of a music listening experience than any other format. I admit, some CDs sound excellent, but as a whole they just can't compete (although they do beat digital music. You can't even see that).

If I ever join a band and record an album you can bet it's gonna be on vinyl. And it's gonna be colored.

MARTHA DAVIS and THE MOTELS - New Releases

2008-04-18T11:08:00.003-05:00

Martha Davis of the classic new wave pop band The Motels has launched three brand new albums, marking the first release of new material under the Motels moniker since 1985's Shock.

The new Motels LP, This, in addition to a new solo release called Beautiful Life and a collection of revamped Motels favorites called Clean, Modern and Reasonable, are currently available for digital download at the official Motels site.

This features the classic Motels sound brought up to date, with lots of catchy, upbeat tunes including Where Oh Where, Last of the Bohemians and The Day That Won't Go Away.

Beautiful Life is a darker, more personal affair, filled with songs about loss and loneliness. It is beautiful and painfully sad at the same time, and works best when listened to all the way through. Highlights include Watching the World Go By, the title track, Let Me Fall and 4:30 Friday, which best convey the cathartic, deeply emotional nature of the album.

Throughout these releases, Martha's voice is as affecting as ever. In fact, time has brought her an even greater range. She jumps from a convicting rasp to a fragile cry with ease.

Check out some of the new songs on both Martha's and The Motels' official MySpace pages:

- The Motels on MySpace
- Martha Davis on MySpace

MI-SEX - Where Do They Go?

2008-04-15T09:46:00.005-05:00

Mi-Sex first gained notoriety in their native New Zealand and Australia in late 1979 with their electro new wave chart hit, Computer Games. Although the band continued on until 1985, no other single brought them as much success.

Their more straightforward, pop-oriented final LP, 1984's Where Do They Go?, contains no less than two essential new wave treasures in addition to a healthy dose of others that are pretty enjoyable.

Castaway and Blue Day - both released as singles - are not tunes you'll likely hear on flashback radio, but ones that have "80s classic" written all over them. The former is an peppy, insanely catchy sing-along number, while the reflective Blue Day sounds like the best song Men at Work never wrote.

The reggae-tinged title cut is another highlight, as is the the lively pop of Falling in and Out, 5 O'Clock (In the Morning) and Don't Look Back in Anger.

This album tries to be nothing other than radio-ready new wave without many twists and turns, but it is a worthwhile listen all the way through. The powerful lead vocals by the late Steve Gilpin are particularly notable. Unfortunately, Gilpin died in 1992 after being struck in a car crash.

Mi-Sex - Where Do They Go? (LP, 1984)

Track listing:
1 - Only Thinking
2 - Where Do They Go?
3 - Castaway
4 - Blue Day
5 - I Lose Control
6 - Falling in and Out
7 - Making Love on the Telephone
8 - 5 O'Clock (In the Morning)
9 - The Stranger in You
10 - Don't Look Back in Anger

WEB LINKS:
- Mi-Sex on Wikipedia
- Informational site on Mi-Sex vocalist, Steve Gilpin
- Blue Day video on YouTube
- Castaway video on YouTube

D-DAY - Right to Know (7" Single)

2008-04-11T18:38:00.003-05:00

I previously posted about the splendors of the obscure, raucous Texas new wave band D-Day and their debut and lone LP. That self-titled album was preceded by two memorable singles, the irreverent Too Young to Date and Right to Know. While the former was a slice of raw power pop, 1981's Right to Know took the sugar rush up a notch. The cut is fueled by an out of control, rather cheap-sounding (in a cool way) synth, some manic drumming and the always powerful, showy vocals of De Lewellen.

The B-side is a funk-infused, brassy number called Your History Complete, and is noticeably not as strong, but still pretty enjoyable if you give it a few spins.

D-Day - Right to Know (7" Single, 1981)

Track listing:
1 - Right to Know
2 - Your History Complete

RUBBER RODEO - Heartbreak Highway

2008-04-07T20:32:00.003-05:00

New wave and country might seem like an unlikely combination, but Boston-based Rubber Rodeo attempted the fusion in the 1980s over the course of two LPs and an EP.

The band is best remembered for its excellent 1984 single Anywhere With You, which was definitely more straightforward pop than country. The song appeared on their debut LP, Scenic Views, which also yielded a minor hit in The Hardest Thing. Prior to that, Rubber Rodeo stirred some attention with an EP that featured a new wave take on the Dolly Parton hit, Jolene.

Scenic Views didn't break the band to the level that was probably hoped, and it's apparent that with their follow up LP from 1986, Heartbreak Highway, Rubber Rodeo was aiming to lasso major pop success. The songs are hookier and more developed, and while Scenic Views included lead vocals split pretty much evenly between core members Trish Milliken and Bob Holmes, Milliken's memorable singing is the emphasis on Heartbreak Highway.

Side 1 features the album's strongest cuts, starting with the storming title track. If You're Ever Alone is a gorgeous pop tune sung by Milliken that was criminally not released as a single. This one could have done really well for them. Holmes does a worthwhile take on Fred Neil's Everybody's Talkin'. The lead single, Souvenir, is an infectious, upbeat duet that should have been a commercial smash. The Civil War is a melodic, Western-influenced instrumental.

The brief side 2 includes highlights in Look Who's Back, another fine pop song with lead vocals by Milliken, and the hopeful Maybe Next Year.

All of Rubber Rodeo's releases remain unreleased on CD. You can check out my vinyl rip of Heartbreak Highway at the link below, and head here for the EP and here for Scenic Views.

Rubber Rodeo - Heartbreak Highway (LP, 1986)

Track listing:
1 - Heartbreak Highway
2 - If You're Ever Alone
3 - Everybody's Talkin'
4 - Souvenir
5 - The Civil War
6 - Deadtown
7 - When Words Collide
8 - Look Who's Back
9 - Maybe Next Year

THE RECORDS - Rock and Roll Love Letter (12" Single)

2008-04-02T21:36:00.005-05:00

Here's one from another of the superb power pop acts to emerge in the late 1970s - The Records.

The Records were a British band most remembered for their debut single Starry Eyes, which is undoubtedly a timeless power pop classic and what I consider to be one of the greatest singles in the history of rock 'n' roll. The band's non-LP follow-up single, a cover of Tim Moore's Rock and Roll Love Letter, is also brilliant, but much less discussed.

The 12" single also includes another track that never appeared on an LP, Wives and Mothers of Tomorrow, in addition to an excellent live version of Starry Eyes.

The Records - Rock and Roll Love Letter (12" single, 1979)

Track listing:
1 - Rock and Roll Love Letter
2 - Wives and Mothers of Tomorrow
3 - Starry Eyes (live)

DWIGHT TWILLEY - Wild Dogs

2008-03-31T13:14:00.007-05:00

While power pop singer-songwriter Dwight Twilley had previously scored chart hits with the singles I'm on Fire and Girls, his 1986 LP Wild Dogs came out so quietly that many fans didn't even know it was released. Another piece of a career plagued by record label woes, Wild Dogs stood little chance for promotion after the label it was recorded for folded, leading to a rushed release through Epic's CBS Associated Records.

The oversight was criminal because Wild Dogs is arguably one of Twilley's strongest albums. Some fans might be put off by the increased use of synthesizers throughout, but the high quality of the material is undeniable. The LP features lush, melodic gems in Sexual, You Don't Care, Ticket to My Dream and Secret Place, while the title track, Hold On, Baby Girl and Radio offer a good dose of fun rock and roll swagger. Shooting Stars (the final collaboration with Twilley's long-time musical partner, Phil Seymour) and Spider & the Fly are dreamy and passionate slow numbers.

Twilley is one of the most talented singers and songwriters in power pop, but has never gotten the credit he deserves. Wild Dogs - which still hasn't seen release on CD - is just a sliver of his essential material, most of which you can purchase here.

Dwight Twilley - Wild Dogs (1986)

Track listing:
1 - Sexual
2 - Wild Dogs
3 - You Don't Care
4 - Hold On
5 - Shooting Stars
6 - Baby Girl
7 - Ticket to My Dream
8 - Secret Place
9 - Radio
10 - Spider & the Fly

PEARL HARBOUR - Pearls Galore!

2008-03-27T10:16:00.010-05:00

Pearls Galore! by Pearl Harbour is one of those "lost" albums that even many fans never knew existed.

The LP was the follow-up to Harbour's 1980 album, Don't Follow Me, I'm Lost Too, which was more widely known and consisted of short, clever rockabilly pop tunes. Before that, Harbour performed under the moniker Pearl E. Gates as front woman in new wave band Pearl Harbor and the Explosions.

By the time Pearls Galore! came out to limited release it was already 1984, and after four years of silence it's no surprise Harbour had fallen off the radar. Even so, the LP is a very worthy listen, with production by Richard Gottehrer (Blondie, The Go-Go's) and the material itself adding more of a 60s girl group polish to the singer's rockabilly base. Harbour even throws in a Shangri-Las cover (Out in the Streets) and an original track (He Ain't So Bad) that sounds remarkably like one.

Opener Killer Joe is another cover that pays tribute to 60s pop. The calypso-tinged Flirt and the latin and surf-flavored Spanish Bop are lots of fun. Nerves, Run Rhythm Run and the twangy Please Come Home hearken back to the sound of Don't Follow Me, I'm Lost Too. Get Outta Here is tough and catty, and wouldn't sound out of place on a Joan Jett record. Hula Love, yet another retro cover - this one originally by Buddy Knox - closes the album off with a laid back island vibe.

Flirt and Hula Love were pulled as singles (the latter released on 10" blue vinyl!), but unsurprisingly neither left a dent.

According to this site, the Japanese edition of the album contained some alternate songs - Voodoo Voodoo, You Don't Fool Me, A Love Like Yours, I Can't Tell You on the Phone and What I Should've Said. Apart from the first two, which were released on an earlier single, I've never heard these tracks. If anyone can help, PLEASE let me know.

One interesting fact to note is that during this time Harbour was married to Paul Simonon of The Clash. Check out this cool clip of her performing Fujiyama Mama with the band in 1982.

After releasing Pearls Galore! Harbour was quiet for over a decade, then released the raw Here Comes Trouble in 1995.

While Don't Follow Me, I'm Lost Too has seen digital release on iTunes, the elusive Pearls Galore! has never been reissued in any format. Check out a vinyl rip here:

Pearl Harbour - Pearls Galore! (1984)

Track listing:
1 - Killer Joe
2 - He Ain't So Bad
3 - Flirt
4 - Spanish Bop
5 - Nerves
6 - Get Outta Here
7 - Out in the Streets
8 - Please Come Home
9 - Run Rhythm Run
10 - Hula Love

MARK KJELDSEN - Are You Ready (7" Single)

2008-03-24T16:37:00.008-05:00

Just in case my other two posts about The Sinceros didn't give you a clear enough idea of how much I love them, here is another one. Well, sort of.

This one's actually about a solo single released by the band's lead guitarist and singer, Mark Kjeldsen, in 1980. It's called Are You Ready, with Something's Happening as the B-side. Both tracks were later recorded by The Sinceros, and although those versions were released as B-sides, didn't appear on either of the band's LPs (The Sound of Sunbathing and Pet Rock).

Kjeldsen's lone solo single contains arguably the best versions of the songs. Are You Ready is a simple, insanely catchy reggae-infused number, while Something's Happening is straight-up power pop.

All in all, a very nice complement to the Sinceros albums. Check it out:

Mark Kjeldsen - Are You Ready (7" Single, 1980)

Track listing:
1 - Are You Ready
2 - Something's Happening

JOBOXERS - Just Got Lucky (12" Single)

2008-03-20T21:42:00.002-05:00

JoBoxers were a British new wave group fronted by American singer Dig Wayne, and scored a minor, now mostly forgotten hit in 1983 with this joyful, soul-infused little number. Like the better-known Dexys Midnight Runners, JoBoxers had a street urchin type image, but produced crisp and bouncy soul-pop tunes.

Just Got Lucky also later appeared on JoBoxers' debut LP, Like Gangbusters. Despite a few other singles that were mildly successful in Britain, the group unfortunately never found a large audience and disbanded after the release of their second LP, 1985's Skin and Bone.

A JoBoxers best of compilation was released in 2006, and is available here.

The CD includes the album version of Just Got Lucky, but also check out my vinyl rip of the shorter, alternate single mix below. The B-side is a cool, jazzy track called Forget Me Love that did not appear on either LP.

JoBoxers - Just Got Lucky (12" Single - 1983)

Track listing:
1 - Just Got Lucky
2 - Forget Me Love

KAREN LAWRENCE & THE PINZ - Girl's Night Out

2008-03-18T11:52:00.009-05:00

While new wave sirens such as Josie Cotton and Holly Beth Vincent produced records in the early 80s that have since developed a cult status among the genre's fans, Karen Lawrence's lone new wave LP, Girl's Night Out, remains criminally under the radar.

Maybe this is because the bulk of Lawrence's work, including time as vocalist for both Blue By Nature and 1994, features a bluesier, more straightforward rock sound. Or maybe it's because it has never been reissued. In any case, 1981's Girl's Night Out is a thoroughly enjoyable homage to 60s pop, highlighted by Lawrence's consistently impressive vocals.

Like Josie Cotton on her classic Convertible Music LP, Lawrence delivers Girl's Night Out with a knowing, tongue-in-cheek nod to classic girl groups such as The Shangri-Las and The Ronettes. Even the artwork oozes retro style, with its bright pink sleeve and black and white photo of Lawrence decked out in a prom dress.

Musically, much of Girl's Night Out comes in twos. There is a pair of irresistible, punky power pop numbers in Blondes and Hold Me Closer - my personal favorites. Then there's a couple of top-notch sugary ballads, Rebel and So Tough, which best bring out the tough-but-tender, Mary Weiss vibe in Lawrence. Not to mention I Won't Stop and March of the Pins, which bring to the table a more synth-heavy, quirky 80s style of fun.

Throughout the album, the star of the show is Lawrence's big voice, which ranges from a raspy pur to a bluesy wail to a giddy squeak all in the course of a single song. She really digs into the material and makes every single cut convincing.

Unfortunately, I hear the masters of this album were destroyed before Lawrence could acquire them from RCA. The good news is that you can check out my vinyl rip of Girl's Night Out here:

Karen Lawrence and the Pinz - Girl's Night Out (1981)

Track listing:
1 - Girl's Night Out
2 - Blondes
3 - I Won't Stop
4 - Rebel
5 - Sealed With a Kiss
6 - March of the Pins
7 - Fix It
8 - Hold Me Closer
9 - So Tough
10 - Modern Times

FOR FANS OF:
The Motels, Holly & the Italians, Josie Cotton, The Crocodiles, The Dugites, Pat Benatar, The Pretenders

WEB LINKS:
- Karen Lawrence on MySpace
- Karen Lawrence on Wikipedia

PAYOLA$ - Introducing Payola$

2008-03-14T23:45:00.008-05:00

Payola$ formed in Vancouver, Canada in 1978 and included two key members - British-born lead vocalist Paul Hyde and guitarist Bob Rock (who later went on to produce various Metallica albums). The band started off as a rough-around-the-edges, punk-influenced act and transitioned further into new wave pop with each release. Their debut EP, appropriately dubbed Introducing Payola$, definitely represents the earlier, edgier style. That being said, the release is not without hooks and melody, making it digestible for those without a taste for punk.

Opener China Boys is a punchy, hooky tune that would later appear in an updated version on the band's first LP, 1981's In a Place Like This. The second track on side 1, TNT, is an angry working class call to arms. On side 2, Rose dabbles in reggae and Juke Box finishes things off with more punk energy.

Payola$ went on to release a few additional LPs, and scored a minor hit with Eyes of a Stranger off their 1982 album, No Stranger to Danger.

Amazingly, the band's material has not yet been released on CD apart from a rather meager greatest hits compilation. Check out my vinyl rip of the Introducing Payola$ EP:

Payola$ - Introducing Payola$ (1980)

Track listing:
1 - China Boys
2 - TNT
3 - Rose
4 - Juke Box

HOLLY AND THE ITALIANS Albums Now Available on iTunes

2008-03-10T10:08:00.006-05:00

Holly Beth Vincent produced two fantastic - though very different - albums in the early 1980s: The Right to Be Italian from 1981 and Holly and the Italians from 1982. These new wave classics were reissued on CD in 2002 by Wounded Bird Records, but quickly went out of print and are currently fetching hefty prices. The good news for those unwilling to pay an arm and a leg for the CDs is that both LPs are now available as downloads on iTunes.

The Right to Be Italian, credited to Holly & the Italians, is full of high-energy, melodic power pop with an edge. One listen to the raucous, Ramones-style opener I Wanna Go Home lets you know you're in for something special, and the album never lets up. Classic singles such as Tell That Girl to Shut Up and Youth Coup are simultaneously poppy and rough around the edges. Vincent and her Italians even manage to inject the punk spirit into a 60s girl group cover, Just for Tonight.

Vincent dropped the Italians and followed-up The Right to Be Italian with a confusingly-named solo release, Holly and the Italians. This is a completely different affair, one marked by introspective themes and somewhat murky production. Even so, it is just as essential as its predecessor. Lush, melodic opener Honalu makes you feel as though you're in a strange dream, and is probably one of the most unique pop songs you'll ever hear. It kicks off an album that truly forges a sound all its own. Holly and the Italians even includes a trippy, dramatically different version of For What it's Worth, originally by Buffalo Springfield.

Both The Right to Be Italian and Holly and the Italians are absolutely essential for any fan of new wave. Unfortunately, the iTunes versions don't include the bonus tracks included on the CDs, but it's still great news for those in search of the albums that they have been made available again. Go get 'em now!

THE REELS - Self-Titled Debut

2008-03-08T21:46:00.004-06:00

The Reels were yet another great band that came out of Australia in the late 70s. This one I got wind of on Overhere's blog. After reading a few of the entries and sampling a few of the tunes on that site I just had to track down some Reels on vinyl. I started with their debut LP from 1979.

The band specialized in quirky new wave that changed shape quite a bit throughout its existence. The first album is mostly energetic and bouncy, and much of the material is marked by ska and reggae touches. The singles, Love Will Find a Way and Prefab Hearts, for example, are upbeat and catchy ska pop. They are pure fun and arguably the best tracks on the record. Album closer Livalafaway is another peppy, irresistible ska number. Plastic Pop and Baby's in the Know are just as energetic, but more straight-up new wave, while the off-kilter reggae of Spot the Ridge is another highlight. Lead vocalist Dave Mason is versatile and convincing, delivering each song with gusto.

After their debut, The Reels went on to release a few more albums and EPs. The haunting title track from sophomore album Quasimodo's Dream is perhaps the most remembered Reels track. In 1982 the band released Beautiful, an unexpected but great covers collection of easy listening standards. The album included another hit in a version of the Burt Bacharach classic, This Guy's in Love With You. The Reels gained further attention in 1986 with an unlikely, synth-heavy cover of CCR's Bad Moon Rising, and continued until coming to an official end in 1995.

Upon breakup, the band released a now out of print best of collection called Requiem, but the individual LPs have not been reissued on CD. Here is my vinyl rip of the debut:

The Reels - Self-Titled Debut (1979)

Track listing:
1 - Plastic Pop
2 - Baby's in the Know
3 - Love Will Find a Way
4 - Don't Get Me Wrong
5 - Wonder Why
6 - Misused, Abused
7 - Prefab Hearts
8 - Spot the Ridge
9 - Apathy
10 - Go Away
11 - The Meeting
12 - Livalafaway

FOR FANS OF:
XTC, Squeeze, The Dugites, The Specials, Split Enz, Madness

WEB LINKS:
- The Reels on Wikipedia
- Love Will Find a Way video on YouTube
- Prefab Heart video on YouTube
- Quasimodo's Dream video on YouTube
- This Guy's in Love With You video on YouTube

THE WAITRESSES - Bruiseology

2008-03-02T20:28:00.003-06:00

It's unfortunate that all most people remember The Waitresses for (if they remember them at all) is I Know What Boys Like and Christmas Wrapping. Not that those aren't good songs, but the band had so many other noteworthy moments in its brief, two LP existence. Take, for example, 1983's Bruiseology, the second album. Apparently, the record was rushed to market after the first LP, Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful?, and by the time it came out The Waitresses had pretty much fallen apart with the departure of lead singer Patty Donahue.

You can't really tell the band was going through troubled times by the quality of the material on Bruiseology. It's as witty and hooky as the debut, and probably a bit more unique. Guitarist Chris Butler, a man who penned all the band's songs from a woman's perspective, really came up with some excellent material, and Donahue delivered it just as convincingly as she did on Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful.

The LP contains my personal favorite Waitresses track, the melodic, thoughtful Make the Weather. Although the song was released as a single it failed to make much of a mark, which is a shame because it represents the band at its smartest and most captivating.

Other highlights include the cheerleader anthem opener A Girl's Gotta Do and the manic, anxiety-ridden title track. Luxury, a six-and-a-half-minute epic, and the biting, sardonic closer They're All out of Liquor, Let's Find Another Party, are also worth noting. Even when the band slipped in an instrumental (Pleasure) and put bassist Tracy Wormworth on lead vocals (Spin) the results are entertaining, which is quite a feat, since Donahue's sarcastic, theatrical delivery was arguably the most important ingredient of The Waitresses.

After Bruiseology was released and Donahue left the band, Butler and company continued on very briefly for some live shows with Holly Beth Vincent on vocals. When The Waitresses were officially no more, Butler went on to release some solo recordings and Wormworth could be seen for many years as a member of the house band on The Rosie O'Donnell Show. Sadly, Patty Donahue passed on in 1996 after a battle with lung cancer.

Neither of the band's full albums has been released on CD. As of now, you can only find certain tracks on greatest hits compilations. Buy the latest one here or on itunes. Until it's reissued, here is my vinyl rip of Bruiseology in its entirety:

The Waitresses - Bruiseology (1983)

Track listing:
1 - A Girl's Gotta Do
2 - Make the Weather
3 - Everything's Wrong If My Hair Is Wrong
4 - Luxury
5 - Open City
6 - Thinking About Sex Again
7 - Bruiseology
8 - Pleasure
9 - Spin
10 - They're All out of Liquor, Let's Find Another Party

WEB LINKS:
- The Waitresses on Wikipedia
- Very informative Waitresses fan site
- I Know What Boys Like video on Youtube

MAURICE & THE CLICHES - C'est La Vie

2008-02-29T19:32:00.009-06:00

Vancouver, Canada's Maurice & the Cliches had one minor hit in 1982 with the spoken-word new wave gem Soft Core, but the band is quite obscure today, even among the genre's enthusiasts. I probably would have never found out about them had it not been for randomly buying a copy of their second LP, C'est La Vie, after seeing the cover in a record store and going with my gut that it would be good.

Fortunately, my gut was right. C'est La Vie is a great record that I can best describe as a fusion of theatrical new wave, sardonic punk and energetic power pop. Album opener Soft Core is indeed a classic and probably the catchiest number, but C'est La Vie has many highlights. It's All Talk, Reach for the Top, Beautiful Girls and Social Casualties are quirky, energetic power pop with instant hooks. Working Girls and Skyline are dramatic slow songs that add a change of pace and showcase the versatility of lead vocalist Maurice DePas. Unschuld is a dark post-punk instrumental. The title track is a punky new wave workout that sputters along with an aggressive, multi-language vocal until coming to an intentional abrupt stop.

Apparently, Maurice & the Cliches gathered a pretty dedicated following during their heyday, as stated on their official site:

M&TC became favorites on the thriving Vancouver alternative music scene. Even in these early days there always an element of the unexpected at their shows, many of which became elaborate events incorporating multi media, theatrical sets, props and actors. They also made frequent cameo appearances as themselves in the ongoing avant-garde theatre production, “the West End”, a live weekly improvisational soap opera.

After touring the USA and Canada in support of C'est La Vie, the band moved to Los Angeles in 1984 and recorded a third album - which was never released - before splitting in 1987. They recently released a collection of greatest hits and unreleased material titled Flogging a Dead Horse. It is available for download on CD Baby and itunes, or in CD form through the official Maurice & the Cliches site.

Neither of the band's proper albums has been released on CD. Below is my vinyl rip of the excellent C'est La Vie LP. Don't forget to support Maurice and co. and check out Flogging a Dead Horse!

Maurice & the Cliches - "C'est La Vie" (1982)

Track listing:
1 - Soft Core
2 - It's All Talk
3 - Reach for the Top
4 - Working Girls
5 - Unschuld
6 - Social Casualties
7 - Beautiful Girls
8 - Dead Reckoning
9 - Skyline
10 - C'est La Vie

MAURICE AND THE CLICHES LINEUP:
- Maurice DePas - vocals
- Jay Johnson - drums
- Gary Westlake - guitar
- Paul Wilson-Brown - keyboards
- Barry Muir - bass

WEB LINKS:
- Maurice & the Cliches official site
- Maurice & the Cliches on MySpace
- Soft Core (audio only) on Youtube
- Maurice & the Cliches on RateYourMusic

PYLON - Chomp

2008-02-25T00:02:00.002-06:00

Chomp, released in 1983 by Athens, GA new wave band Pylon, has one of the best album covers ever. How can you go wrong with a giant picture of a T-Rex? Fortunately, the music on the record is just as awesome.

Pylon had a sound all their own - one highly regarded by fellow Athens acts of the same time such as R.E.M. and The B-52's. It was a killer combination of Vanessa Briscoe's yelp-to-growl vocals, Michael Lachowski's driving bass, Curtis Crowe's pulsating drumming and Randall Bewley's sharp, angular guitar. The material they created is bizarre and random, yet totally addictive and danceable.

Chomp was Pylon's second LP, following 1980's Gyrate. While Gyrate was recently remastered and reissued on CD by DFA Records, Chomp still hasn't been released outside of vinyl. It's a shame because the LP is just as strong as its predecessor, taking the crunchy sound of the debut and fleshing it out with a bit more melody and experimentation.

The record kicks off with K, a crazy homage to Scrabble. The funky Yo-Yo gives the crunch and growling a break, bouncing along and sounding a bit like Devo. The two-minute, energetic Italian Movie Theme is a strong instrumental. The melodic Crazy, No Clocks, and Altitude are lyrically and musically compelling. Other songs - such as Beep, Spider and Gyrate - are reminiscent of the angular workouts on the debut LP.

Hopefully we'll see a remastered and expanded CD release of Chomp sometime in the near future. Until then, here is my vinyl rip of the album:

DELETED 10/8/09 - DFA Records is releasing a CD reissue of Chomp with bonus tracks! It's available here.

Track listing:
1 - K
2 - Yo-Yo
3 - Beep
4 - Italian Movie Theme
5 - Crazy
6 - M-Train
7 - Buzz
8 - No Clocks
9 - Reptiles
10 - Spider
11 - Gyrate
12 - Altitude

PYLON LINEUP:
- Vanessa Briscoe - lead vocals
- Randall Bewley - guitar
- Curtis Crowe - drums
- Michael Lachowski - bass

WEB LINKS:
- Pylon on Wikipedia
- Pylon official site
- Pylon MySpace site

THE SINCEROS - Pet Rock

2008-02-24T00:48:00.002-06:00

I recently posted about The Sinceros, a British power pop act that released two albums, The Sound of Sunbathing in 1979 and Pet Rock in 1981. I also mentioned that Pet Rock is one of my favorite power pop albums of all time, filled with consistently great, 60s-pop-inspired songs.

In my previous post I included a few tracks. Below is my vinyl rip of the entire album. It's never been released on CD, and if you're a fan of power pop you'll probably find it essential.

The Sinceros - Pet Rock (1981 LP)

Track listing:
1 - Disappearing
2 - Memory Lane
3 - Socially
4 - Down, Down
5 - Barcelona
6 - Falling In and Out of Love
7 - Sleight of Hand
8 - Nothing Changes
9 - Girl I Realise
10 - As the World Turns
11 - Midsong

BOW WOW WOW - Love, Peace and Harmony

2008-02-21T23:52:00.006-06:00

I Want Candy, and to a lesser extent Go Wild in the Country, C30, C60, C90, Go! and Do You Wanna Hold Me? may be well known singles among new wave fans, but Bow Wow Wow's 1983 single Love, Peace and Harmony is a bit more obscure. In fact, I don't even know if it were ever released as a proper single outside of radio station promos.

In any case, the song encompasses everything the teen-aged Annabella Lwin and company came to be known for - shouting, chant-like vocals, tribal, African drum beats and plenty of punk energy wrapped up in new wave weirdness. By this time Bow Wow Wow was nearing its end, and Love, Peace and Harmony features the later, more polished production of Mike Chapman. It was lifted from the band's final LP, When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going.

The Love, Peace and Harmony 12" includes the original version of the song on side A and an extended version on side B. Check out my vinyl rips of both:

Bow Wow Wow - Love, Peace and Harmony (12" single, 1983)

Track listing:
1 - Love, Peace and Harmony
2 - Love, Peace and Harmony (Extended Version)

FLAMING HANDS - Aussie New Wave Gem #3

2008-02-18T19:41:00.008-06:00

Similar to aforementioned Aussie gems #1 and #2, The Tribe and The Dugites, Sydney's Flaming Hands were an early 80s Australian new wave pop band that recorded some amazing songs. Unfortunately, their output never translated to much more than a cult following, and today there is very little information available on the band.

Flaming Hands' principal members were singer Julie Mostyn and songwriter/guitarist Jeff Sullivan, who together created something truly special. Sullivan delivered memorable, hook-filled songs that Mostyn made sparkle with her soaring, soulful vocals.

The band released their first single - I Belong to Nobody / The Stranger - on Phantom Records in 1980. They followed it up with four more singles - Wake Up Screaming / Sweet Revenge, It's Just That I Miss You / Go Or Stay, Cast My Love / Kismet and The Edge / Sacrifice. These singles were marked by an earthier sound than what Flaming Hands would be producing by the time they released their first and only full-length album in 1984. The self-titled LP, which featured Andrew Fariss and Kirk Pengilly from INXS, is enjoyable but relies a bit too heavily on synths. You can check it out on the Ausrock blog.

Unfortunately, the LP failed to get them the recognition they deserved, and Flaming Hands called it quits shortly after its release.

The Edge is arguably Flaming Hands' finest moment. It is around three minutes of melodic power pop bliss, enhanced by simple-yet-poignant lyrics and Mostyn's spot-on vocals. Another of the band's most powerful singles is the heartfelt ballad It's Just That I Miss You, backed with the punchy Go Or Stay.

Flaming Hands material has still not seen a CD release, but you can find my vinyl rips of The Edge and It's Just That I Miss You singles below. You can find most of the other singles on Overhere's blog.

- Flaming Hands - It's Just That I Miss You / Go Or Stay (7" Single, 1982)
- Flaming Hands - The Edge / Sacrifice (7" Single, 1983)

FOR FANS OF:
The Dugites, The Tribe, Blondie, INXS, The Pretenders, The Sinceros, The Motels, Martha and the Muffins, The Tourists

WEB LINKS:
- Flaming Hands on RateYourMusic
- Break Down and Cry Video on Youtube

EDDIE AND THE HOT RODS - Do Anything You Wanna Do

2008-02-17T15:35:00.009-06:00

Like Bram Tchaikovsky and Red Rockers, London's Eddie and the Hot Rods are a band whose most notable song is pure power pop, but whose other material has a slightly harder edge. In the Hot Rods' case, that one song is Do Anything You Wanna Do, an energetic power pop rocker that holds its place among the genre's finest singles.

The song is from the 1977 LP Life on the Line, which marked a move toward a more radio-friendly sound than their previous releases (the band formed in 1973). Still, the rest of the album bursts with raw punk spirit, from the almost-as-catchy Quit This Town and (And) Don't Believe Your Eyes to the raveup pub rockers Ignore Them (Still Life) and Beginning of the End.

Do Anything You Wanna Do was a British Top 10 hit in the summer of 1977, but unfortunately it seems to have fallen out of public consciousness. It has been reissued on an expanded version of the album released on CD, available here.

FOR FANS OF:
Bram Tchaikovsky, The Rumour, Graham Parker, Motors, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, The Yachts, The Records

WEB LINKS:
- Eddie and the Hot Rods official site
- Eddie and the Hot Rods on Wikipedia
- Eddie and the Hot Rods on AllMusic Guide
- Do Anything You Wanna Do live video on Youtube

D-DAY - Self-Titled LP

2008-02-13T23:36:00.007-06:00

Texas new wave band D-Day were most famous for their controversial 1979 single Too Young to Date, which included inspiring lines such as "Got an older guy and his name is Michael/He just told me 'bout my menstrual cycle." All Music Guide reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine describes it as "tastelessly vulgar, even for those with a taste for the tasteless, especially since it sounds like it's sung by a 50-year old divorcee." I personally think that makes it all the more charming. Oh well, to each his own. Anyway, the song reached the top spot on KROQ in Los Angeles before being banned thanks to complaining mothers (I wonder if they were the same ones who protested Garbage Pail Kids a few years later).

In any case, the song is a new wave classic, but D-Day didn't release anything else until 1982's 7" single Right to Know / Your History Complete. Both Too Young to Date and Right to Know applied a definite raw punk vibe to pop hooks, but by the time the band released their first and only LP in 1983 they had turned less punk, more straight-up new wave.

Thankfully, that didn't mean the music lost any appeal. In fact, the D-Day album is entertaining all the way through and contains some true lost new wave gems. The bouncy Desperation, for example, is a hit single that never was. Lead singer De Lewellen shines with her unique vocal delivery, really belting it out and at times sounding like a Broadway star who decided to sing off-kilter new wave music. The energetic Dream Song offers up some really cool imagery of bizarre sleep-time visions. Secret World is a catchy little ditty with lead vocals by bassist John Keller. More Than That is ska-pop bliss. Hold On and Lonely People are cold synth-rockers.

Unfortunately, the album didn't take off and D-Day didn't produce anything else. It's a shame, as the LP and its preceding Too Young to Date and Right to Know singles are high quality new wave. Too Young to Date can be found on a new wave compilation CD, but the LP was never released on CD. Here is a high quality vinyl rip I made of the album from a sealed copy I recently found:

D-Day - self-titled album (1983)

Track list:
1 - Dance It Off
2 - Strange Feeling
3 - Join the Ranks
4 - Dream Song
5 - Desperation
6 - Radio On
7 - Secret Worlds
8 - Do You Read Me
9 - Hold On
10 - More Than That
11 - Lonely People

D-DAY LINEUP:
- De Lewellen - lead vocals
- Will Fiveash - guitar
- David Fore - drums
- Glover Gill - keyboards
- John Keller - bass

FOR FANS OF:
The Waitresses, Blondie, Martha and the Muffins, Holly and the Italians

MARSHALL CRENSHAW - Self-Titled Debut

2008-02-11T21:04:00.001-06:00

Marshall Crenshaw's self-titled debut from 1982 is another vinyl I found for 50 cents, which completely obliterates the theory that you can't get anything good for under a dollar.

This record is pretty much flawless, filled with perfect power pop song after perfect power pop song. Before finding the vinyl I was only familiar with the songs that have appeared on best of compilations, including the galloping There She Goes Again, the unthinkably catchy Someday, Someway, the Phil Spector-infused Cynical Girl and Mary Anne. Those are fantastic tunes for sure, but the album is full of treasures of the same caliber.

I'll Do Anything, Soldier of Love and Not for Me apply irresistible 6os pop melodies and sound like they were written for Ronnie Spector. Others - such as She Can't Dance, Rockin' Around in N.Y.C., The Usual Thing and Girls... - sound like what Buddy Holly might have been making had he been alive in the 80s.

Marshall Crenshaw is not quite as "lost" as most material posted here, and is readily available on Amazon.com, itunes and other music retailers. If you are a fan of power pop or 60s-influenced pop in general you're sure to find it worth more than every penny.

FOR FANS OF:
Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Graham Parker, Squeeze, Phil Spector, Buddy Holly, Ronnie Spector

PAULINE BLACK - Pirates on the Airwaves

2008-02-09T22:53:00.000-06:00

In the late 70s and early 80s singer Pauline Black fronted Coventry-born 2 tone band The Selecter. Black's unmistakable, powerful vocals put a distinctive stamp on The Selecter's material - which fused elements of ska, new wave, reggae and punk. Selecter cuts such as On My Radio, Too Much Pressure, Missing Words and Three Minute Hero have long been revered as classics from the 2 tone movement.

After the band split in 1982, Black released a few fantastic singles that have since faded into obscurity. One of them was 1984's Pirates on the Airwaves, released in both 12" and 7" form by "Pauline Black With Sunday Best." Sunday Best included Neville Staples and Lynval Golding, formerly of The Specials and Fun Boy Three.

Pirates on the Airwaves is fun, bouncy dancehall reggae with an 80s pop sheen. It is much more lighthearted than Black's work with The Selecter, and you can tell everyone involved had fun recording the tune. The B-side, Pirate Dance, is pretty much the same song except with some toasting by Staples replacing Black's A-side vocals.

As far as I know, Pirates on the Airwaves has never appeared on CD even though countless Selecter and Pauline Black compilations have been put on the market over the years. Here are vinyl rips of both sides from my 12" version of the single:

Pauline Black With Sunday Best - Pirates on the Airwaves (1984)

WEB LINKS:
- Pauline Black official site
- Pauline Black on MySpace
- The Selecter official site

DIVINYLS - Desperate (Again) + Live at the Ritz

2008-02-07T09:47:00.000-06:00

This must be the year of Divinyls. First the classic Aussie band reforms out of the blue after a 10 year hiatus during much of which principal members Chrissy Amphlett and Mark McEntee were not on speaking terms. Then they release a new single called Don't Wanna Do This, embark on a mini tour of Australia and announce plans for a brand new album. Now, to top it off, their long out of print, classic first album Desperate has been reissued by Caroline Records.

The CD reissue is a replica of the original 1983 vinyl release, complete with a mini album cover and insert. It also features remastered sound. The only thing that would have made it better is bonus tracks - especially the punky Sahara Rock from the Australian version of the LP - but you can't have everything.

Buy the CD here.

Desperate is quite possibly Divinyls' strongest release. Chrissy Amphlett screams, yodels and yelps through these tracks like she's on fire. While her voice would become slightly smoother and more controlled on future releases (see diVINYLS), from the explosive opening of Boys in Town to the closer I'll Make You Happy, it's obvious she's holding nothing back.

Another highlight is Only Lonely, with a perfect pop-rock melody reminiscent of The Pretenders or Blondie. Science Fiction is the most "new wave" of the cuts, with catchy, quirky lyrics and some truly amazing high-pitched noises by Amphlett at the start of the bridge. Take a Chance is a heavy-hitting straight-up rock tune, while Ring Me Up and the manic rave Siren are the band at its most fun.

Elsie is a slow burner, and perhaps the most powerful song in Divinyls' catalog. It's about suicide and complete desperation, and Amphlett could not have delivered a better vocal for the morose subject matter. She makes a few sounds during this one that seem like they came directly from the depths of hell.

Desperate is a truly classic new wave album that was long overdue for reissue. Let's hope other Divinyls releases - What a Life!, Temperamental, diVINYLS and Underworld - follow.

Divinyls - Live at the Ritz

In honor of the Desperate reissue, below is my vinyl rip of the Live at the Ritz 3 track promo EP from 1986. These are blistering, high energy versions of Pleasure and Pain, In My Life and Sleeping Beauty that really show what an amazing live band Divinyls were (and still are).

Divinyls - Live at the Ritz (1986)

JIMMY DESTRI - Heart on a Wall

2008-02-06T08:57:00.000-06:00

Jimmy Destri is best known as keyboardist and one of the three principal songwriters in Blondie (the others are vocalist Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein). And while his Blondie contributions - including classics such as Atomic, 11:59 and Maria - are hardly obscure, many casual fans are not aware that Destri released a solo album on Chrysalis in 1981.

The LP - Heart on a Wall - is not quite up to the quality of Blondie at their best, but remains an enjoyable listen all the way through. In fact, its highlights very well could have been strong Blondie tracks. Don't Look Around - my personal favorite - has an almost dream pop vibe and is excellent in both melody and lyrics. The title track is a strong ballad with impassioned, Bowie-esque vocals by Destri. Numbers Don't Count (On Me) is a catchy and fun tune that name drops various Blondie songs, while Little Metal Drummer is a Spaghetti Western instrumental that features Chris Stein on harmonica and guitar and Deborah Harry on backing vocals. King of Steam and Under the Ice provide a bit of an edge, and perfectly represent the LP's overall murky, distant, almost desperate feel (which actually works in its favor).

Despite its strong points there was nothing very radio-ready on Heart on a Wall, and the album quickly fell into obscurity. Although there has been a great resurgence of interest for Blondie in the past 10 years after the band reformed, Destri's lone solo album still hasn't seen a CD release.

Back in 2006 Destri had this to say about demand for and a possible CD reissue of Heart on a Wall:

I am overwhelmed by all the requests for "Heart on a Wall" and the possibility of its re-release on CD.

I will try to locate the master through the label and see what can be done. We may have to start a grass roots campaign, are you ready? Can we take on the World to together? "Are you with me? Will you follow Caesar?" Will we defeat the hun? Will there be cake? Will there be...
nevermind, sorry. Back to reality.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem as though a reissue ever materialized, so until further notice vinyl will have to do. Here's a vinyl rip of Heart on a Wall :

Jimmy Destri - Heart on a Wall (1981)

Track list:
1 - Bad Dreams
2 - Don't Look Around
3 - Living in Your Heart
4 - My Little World
5 - Little Metal Drummer
6 - Numbers Don't Count (On Me)
7 - King of Steam
8 - Under the Ice
9 - Heart on a Wall

FOR FANS OF:
Blondie, Deborah Harry, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Japan

WEB LINKS:
- Jimmy Destri on Wikipedia
- Jimmy Destri on MySpace
- Official Jimmy Destri site
- Jimmy Destri page on official Blondie site

MARTHA AND THE MUFFINS - About Insomnia

2008-02-01T13:29:00.001-06:00

Martha and the Muffins were a Canadian new wave pop band most famous for their hit single Echo Beach. The band's material was marked by a mix of straightforward pop and avant-guard sensibilities, which is represented perfectly in my favorite single of theirs, About Insomnia, and its B-side, 1 4 6.

About Insomnia is a melodic pop gem with some really compelling lyrics:

Waiting for the dawn for a dream, a chance to lie down
That confused imitation of life eludes me now
All routes of resistance impaired by your face
Oh, fugitive hope, will I see you today?
In a tunnel, on a bridge, or a viaduct we'll meet just by chance
And in a moment, or maybe just an hour or so, renew our romance
And if the charms of foreign places call for changing tableaux
We will auction all our paintings and our furniture
And take to the road
Do you suppose?
The patterns on the wall never change, but shadows grow long
Vous n'assassinez de la realite' c'est malheuresement
As daylight disperses the spectres of night
My nocturnal musings don wings and take flight

About Insomnia was taken from the band's Trance and Dance LP from 1980. While the song is very accessible, its non-album B-side 1 4 6 is a random, noisy instrumental that reflects the more avant-guard side of Martha and the Muffins. Check out vinyl rips of both tracks from my 7" single below:

- Martha and the Muffins - About Insomnia (7" Single, 1980)

FOR FANS OF:
Blondie, The Waitresses, Talking Heads, Romeo Void

WEB LINKS:
- Martha and the Muffins Official site
- Martha and the Muffins CDs on Amazon.com
- Martha and the Muffins on Wikipedia
- Martha and the Muffins on RateYourMusic
- Martha and the Muffins on AllMusic Guide

THE CROCODILES - New Zealand New Wave

2008-01-29T17:59:00.000-06:00

The Crocodiles were a new wave pop band from New Zealand that released two LPs - their debut, Tears, and Looking at Ourselves. Both albums were released in 1980, and Tears scored them a radio hit with its title track. See the link section below to watch the music video.

The music ranges from quirky, peppy new wave to more straightforward pop. Various members of The Crocodiles take turns with lead vocals, but the real star of the show on both albums is Jenny Morris, who went on to become a well known pop star throughout Australia. Morris takes lead vocals on only a few tracks on Tears, but on Looking at Ourselves she moves further into the spotlight, singing on the majority of its songs.

While I find Looking at Ourselves to be the stronger LP, it failed to produce a hit on par with Tears, and The Crocodiles dissolved in 1981. Before launching her solo career, Morris went on to become vocalist of QED. Her new band scored a hit with a revamped version of Everywhere I Go, a track that originally appeared on Looking at Ourselves.

Check out some vinyl rips I made from The Crocodiles LPs:

- The Crocodiles - New Wave Goodbye (from Tears)
- The Crocodiles - Whatcha Gonna Do (from Tears)
- The Crocodiles - Hey Kids (from Looking at Ourselves)
- The Crocodiles - Looking at Ourselves (from Looking at Ourselves)

THE CROCODILES LINEUP:
- Jenny Morris - Vocals
- Fane Flaws - Guitar, vocals
- Tony Backhouse - Guitar, vocals
- Tina Matthews - Bass, vocals
- Bruno Lawrence - Drums
- Peter Dasent - Piano, organ

FOR FANS OF:
The Dugites, Elvis Costello, The Sinceros, Squeeze, Pearl Harbor & the Explosions

WEB LINKS:
- The Crocodiles on Wikipedia
- The Crocodiles on RateYourMusic
- Informational site on The Crocodiles
- Jenny Morris official site
- Fane Flaws official site
- Video clip of Tears on Youtube

BRAM TCHAIKOVSKY - Strange Man, Changed Man

2008-01-27T14:51:00.001-06:00

The things you can find on the discount rack...

Last week I made a truly great discovery as I searched through stacks of records on the clearance shelf at a half-price book and music shop. Amidst the legions of Barry Manilow, Barbra Streisand and crappy prog rock LPs I noticed the above artwork. "Bram Tchaikovsky"? Hmmm...I recognized the name, but couldn't place it. I knew I must have seen it on some power pop compilation, and at 50 cents, how could I go wrong?

When I got home and digitized the LP, I realized it was quite possibly the best 50 cents I ever spent. Strange Man, Changed Man, released in 1979, is filled to the brim with highly enjoyable, balls-to-the-wall power pop.

The album kicks off with the 1-2-3 punch of the title track, Lonely Dancer and Robber, all of which are hook-heavy and incredibly high-energy. Then there's the melodic top 40 single, Girl of My Dreams, with it's clever (and slightly creepy, come to think of it) lyrics about pining after a girl in a magazine. Sarah Smiles, a 60s-infused tune with a really catchy chorus, is another highlight. Turn on the Light provides a proper rave-up ending.

Bram Tchaikovsky hailed from the UK, and was originally part of pub-rock band The Motors. After he left, Strange Man, Changed Man was the first album he released with his own, self-named band. They followed it up with two others - The Russians are Coming in 1980 and Funland in 1981 - neither of which I have yet heard. Head over to the excellent Power Pop Criminals blog for more on those.

Good news - in December 2007 Hip-O-Select released Strange Man, Changed Man on CD. There is no bonus material, but it is still a must-have for any fan of power pop. You can purchase it on Amazon.com at this link.

BRAM TCHAIKOVSKY LINEUP:
- Bram Tchaikovsky - Guitar, bass and lead vocals
- Micky Broadbent - Bass, guitar, keyboard and vocals
- Keith Boyce - Drums and percussion

FOR FANS OF:
The Motors, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Pezband, Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Squeeze, The Rumour, The Records

WEB LINKS:
- Bram Tchaikovsky on All Music Guide
- Bram Tchaikovsky on Wikipedia
- Bram Tchaikovsky on Trouser Press

THE DUGITES - Aussie New Wave Gem #2

2008-01-25T16:48:00.004-06:00

The Dugites were, hands down, the best band ever named after a snake.

It never fails to amaze me how some bands with very little talent take off and others with loads of talent remain largely unnoticed. The Dugites, a highly melodic, Blondie-esque new wave pop act that came out of Perth, Australia in 1978, are a prime example of the latter.

I first learned about The Dugites when a friend of mine sent me their most famous song, In Your Car. The song was released as a single in 1980 and apparently did quite well on Australian pop radio. It is a fluffy little piece of pop that exudes an enthusiastic innocence completely missing in today's top 40. It is a great song, but as I quickly found out, The Dugites made better songs during their three LP existence. Lots of them.

In Your Car was culled from the band's eponymous debut album released on Deluxe Records in 1980. The entire album is filled with clever, fun, instantly catchy songs written by keyboardist Peter Crosbie and exuberantly sung by lead vocalist Lynda Nutter. On The Dugites, the band turns to 60s girl group for inspiration on noteworthy cuts such as Goodbye and Mamma Didn't Warn Me. Other highlights include the epic, eight-minute long Gay Guys, with its outrageous, humorous lyrics and chugging beat, and the sing-songy No One Would Listen.

The Dugites followed-up their debut with an equally strong release in 1981 titled West of the World. The most successful single was the slow, reflective Waiting, but as with In Your Car, there is better material on the LP. Follow-up single Part of Me is my personal favorite. Its strange and captivating lyrics, breezy melody and flawless vocals add up to make it one of the greatest lost singles of the era. Another highlight is Who Loves You More, the B-side of Waiting. This is an infectious number that really should have been the A-side. Malcom's Got a Problem is another energetic track that fuses punk and new wave quite effectively. Being Used is also a noteworthy cut that wouldn't have sounded out of place on an early Pat Benatar album.

By 1984 The Dugites were nearing their end, but fortunately managed to produce one final album, Cut the Talking. The release marks a shift from new wave pop to funk and soul-infused dance pop. Fortunately, a good pop song is a good pop song, and Cut the Talking is nearly as enjoyable as the band's first two albums. The best song is the charming, brassy Juno and Me, which was the second single. The first single, Cut the Talking, is an enjoyable piece of dance pop, but one that definitely shows its age. Other highlights include Michael and Rodney, a peppy song that's as strange as it is entertaining, and the fast-paced closer, Ain't Like That.

Currently, Nutter and some other original members of The Dugites are performing together again in a new band called Snakefish. While Nutter's sheening vocals remain in tact, the new songs have taken on a more relaxed, earthy feel. Check out an animated video clip of one Snakefish song, Kangaroo, here.

The Dugites released a "best of" compilation CD called Hisstorical: The Best of the Dugites in 2004. Unfortunately, the CD looks to be out of print already. In 2007 Blue Pie Productions made The Dugites and Cut the Talking available to purchase as digital downloads. You can find them on itunes and sites such as emusic.

Below I have posted a few of my vinyl rips, including my favorite Dugites single (Part of Me) and its B Side (Never Touch), Who Loves You More (the A-side-worthy B-side to Waiting) and Decide, the punchy, rare B-side of the No Money single from 1982.

- The Dugites - Part of Me (7" single, 1981)

Track listing:
1 - Part of Me
2 - Never Touch

- The Dugites - Who Loves You More (stellar album track from West of the World, 1981)

- The Dugites - Decide (B-side of No Money single, 1982)

THE DUGITES LINEUP:
- Lynda Nutter - vocals
- Peter Crosbie - keyboards and primary songwriter
- Clarence Bailey - drums
- Gunther Berghofer - guitar, 1978-1983
- John Crosbie - guitar, 1983-1984
- Paul Noonan - bass

FOR FANS OF:
Blondie, Flaming Hands, The Tribe, The Sinceros, The Crocodiles, The Photos, Martha and the Muffins, Josie Cotton, Altered Images, The Tourists

WEB LINKS:
- The Dugites on Wikipedia
- The Dugites on RateYourMusic
- 2005 Interview with Lynda Nutter
- Snakefish Official Site
- The Dugites In Your Car Video on Youtube
- The Dugites Waiting Video on Youtube
- The Dugites Cut the Talking Video on Youtube
- The Dugites Juno & Me Video on Youtube

THE SINCEROS - More of the Best Power Pop You've (Probably) Never Heard

2008-01-24T10:52:00.000-06:00

There are many artists in my music collection who have made a healthy number of albums, yet somehow I rarely find myself listening to them, or when I do, have to dig to find songs I actually want to hear. And then there are bands in my collection like The Sinceros.

The Sinceros were a London-based band active from 1978 to 1981 that straddled the line between quirky new wave and more traditional, straightforward power pop. Their brief existence spawned only two LPs - 1979's The Sound of Sunbathing and 1981's Pet Rock - but somehow I never get sick of listening to them, and constantly find myself coming back to both albums - especially Pet Rock.

The now-obscure Sinceros consisted of Mark Kjeldsen, Ron François, Don Snow and Bobby Irwin. Kjeldsen was the band's primary singer and songwriter, but François also contributed a considerable amount of material and vocals.

Shortly after forming, The Sinceros scored a record deal with Epic, and quickly released The Sound of Sunbathing. The lead single, Take Me to Your Leader, is the band's most recognized tune, a minor hit that comes close to being a novelty track. Some 7" copies of the sci-fi themed song were even pressed on martian-green vinyl. While I like the song, I actually consider it to be one of The Sinceros' weakest and most dated. For me, The Sound of Sunbathing yielded even greater treasures in the likes of So They Know, second single Worlds Apart and album closer Good Luck (To You), all of which are energetic numbers with memorable melodies. In fact, the entire first Sinceros album is pretty great.

As much as I love The Sound of Sunbathing, I really felt like I struck gold when I found Pet Rock. The album evolved from the failed, unreleased sophomore record, 2nd Debut. The Sinceros took many of the songs they recorded for 2nd Debut, gave them a face lift, threw in a few others and released Pet Rock in 1981. Pet Rock has become one of my favorite albums of all time, and one that I consider absolutely essential for any fan of power pop or new wave.

The album kicks off with a trio of insanely catchy songs. First single and album opener Disappearing is sparkling, pretty, full-on pop with a lead vocal by Snow that should have been a number one hit. The bittersweet Memory Lane continues down a similar path, while Socially goes back to the energy and fun of their debut - only the hook is much stronger. Another highlight is the jangly side one closer Barcelona, which is probably the most lyrically interesting track. Falling in and out of Love is a short and sweet 60s-pop-inspired song later covered by Tracey Ullman. Girl I Realize is Motown on a sugar high. The pristine Midsong is the perfect end to the album - reflective and gorgeous.

Pet Rock is power pop ear candy of the highest quality from start to finish. Criminally, both it and The Sound of Sunbathing failed to take off as they should have, and The Sinceros called it a day in 1981. Kjeldsen went on to perform with the Danny Adler Band, and reportedly became a taxi driver in Holland before sadly dying of AIDS in the 1990s. Snow went on to work with Squeeze and a variety of other artists, and now goes by John Savannah (link). Life after The Sinceros for François consisted of work with bands such as The Teardrop Explodes and Eurogliders, while Irwin has played with Nick Lowe.

It is also criminal that neither of the Sinceros albums has been released on CD. Do yourself a favor and track down vinyl copies. In the meantime, here are a few of my favorite Sinceros songs ripped from my very own LPs.

- The Sinceros - Disappearing (from Pet Rock)
- The Sinceros - Socially (from Pet Rock)
- The Sinceros - Worlds Apart (from The Sound of Sunbathing)

FOR FANS OF:
The dB's, Shoes, Pezband, 20/20, Squeeze, The Dugites, Pearl Harbor & the Explosions, Phil Seymour, The Rubinoos, The Kings

WEB LINKS:
- The Sinceros on Wikipedia
- Informative Sinceros discography site
- The Sinceros on Rateyourmusic.com
- Take Me to Your Leader video on Youtube
- The Sinceros on AllMusic Guide

PEZBAND - Tasty Chicago Power Pop

2008-01-22T13:50:00.000-06:00

While I've been a major fan of classic power pop bands such as The dB's and Shoes for years, I only very recently found out about the magnificent Pezband. Pezband came out of Chicago and onto the power pop scene in 1977 with their eponymous first album on Passport Records, and not only did they have a great name (makes me think of the candy), they had a canon of strong songs to boot. The band holds a unique place in Chicago power pop in that they sounded rawer than Shoes, but less hard rock than Cheap Trick. Even so, any fan of either of those classic Chicago bands should find much to love about Pezband.

The band's first album is by far my favorite of their three LPs, and I would rank it very highly in my list of essential albums for any fan of power pop. The album opens with Baby it's Cold Outside (no, not the cheesy pop standard), a must-include song for any power pop mix CD. The album never really loses steam, jumping from classic to classic with tunes such as Tracer, Princess Mary, Gas Grill and Please Be Somewhere Tonight. There is an irresistible 60s-inspired innocence to these hook-filled songs, but they are also marked by a sheer enthusiasm that gives the collection an edge. In addition to the songs themselves, the distinctive vocals of lead singer Mimi Betinis add to Pezband's charm.

Pezband went on to release two other albums - Laughing in the Dark in 1978 and Cover to Cover in 1979. While both of these are very enjoyable releases, for me they don't quite reach the level of greatness set by the first album.

Laughing in the Dark is a burst of rock and roll energy from start to finish (there's really not one mellow song in the bunch) and a bit rougher around the edges, bringing in some pub rock sounds to the classic power pop formula. The album spawned one hands down classic in Stop! Wait a Minute, which is generally considered Pezband's second signature song after Baby it's Cold Outside, and an additional single in On and On. While the raw energy of this album can't be denied, I personally find the hooks to be a bit stronger on Pezband.

1979's Cover to Cover is another worthwhile release and an enjoyable listen all the way through, although the album lacks a surefire classic in the vein of Baby it's Cold Outside or Stop! Wait a Minute.

Unfortunately, despite three fantastic albums, Pezband never quite gathered enough steam to gain them widespread recognition, and the band ended its first run in 1980. Despite an unsuccessful attempt to restart Pezband in late 1981, little was heard from the members until 2006 when the band reformed and began playing new, well-received shows, much to the delight of both old and new fans.

With any luck, we'll even be treated to some new Pezband recorded material.

All three Pezband albums have been released on CD, but unfortunately only as pricey Japanese imports. However, the inflated price of these discs is well worth it considering the high quality of the music, and they can be purchased through Not Lame Records (link) or other outlets such as Amazon.com.

Below is a vinyl rip of Baby it's Cold Outside for your listening pleasure. If you like what you hear, please seek out the full Pezband albums. You won't likely be disappointed.

Pezband - Baby it's Cold Outside

PEZBAND LINEUP:
- Mimi Betinis - lead vocals, guitar
- Tommy Gawenda - lead guitar
- Mike Gorman - bass, vocals
- Mick Rain - drums, vocals

FOR FANS OF:
Shoes, Cheap Trick, The dB's, Sneakers, Badfinger, Big Star, The Beatles, Dwight Twilley, Phil Seymour

WEB LINKS:
- Pezband Official Myspace Site
- Pezband on Wikipedia
- Pezband on Allmusic Guide
- 2007 Youtube video of Pezband performing a new song live in Chicago

THE TRIBE - Aussie New Wave Gem #1

2008-01-21T20:00:00.005-06:00

For my first unearthed new wave treasure, I want to introduce The Tribe, number one in a series of stellar Australian 80s band I have recently discovered.

The Tribe emerged in the early 80s, and consisted of Jan Preston on vocals, Phil Wichett on keyboards, Gary Evans on bass, Mina Motu on drums and Guy Le Claire on guitar. Their musical output, as far as I know, consists of a mere three singles and one EP, but within that tiny catalog exist some true pop classics.

The releases include:

- Angel (of the Junkheap) b/w I Aint Waiting (Single, 1984)
- Dreams b/w No Music on My Radio (Single, 1984)
- Even in Russia b/w Caught in the Crossfire (Single, 1985)
- War Cry (6 song EP, 1985)

There are three songs by The Tribe that I would consider lost pop classics. The singles, Angel of the Junkheap, Dreams and Even in Russia are lyrically clever and full of hooks, shimmering keyboards and Jan Preston's soaring, flawless vocals.

The Tribe didn't last long enough to put out an LP, but I'm glad they left behind these few treasures. Apparently, after the band broke up Jan Preston went on to become a respected blues singer and songwriter (site) and Guy Le Claire is now based in Hong Kong playing and teaching guitar (site), but I haven't come across any information on what the other members of The Tribe have been up to.

Unfortunately, The Tribe singles and EP have not yet been released on CD. Check out my vinyl rip of the War Cry EP, and while you're at it follow the link to view the Even in Russia video on Youtube!

- The Tribe - War Cry (1985)

Track listing:
1 - War Cry
2 - Dreams
3 - Angel of the Junkheap
4 - Even in Russia
5 - Caught in the Crossfire
6 - What's Goin' On?

If you have any other information on the band, or just want to comment, please drop a note.

WEB LINKS:
- The Tribe on RateYourMusic.com
- Even in Russia video on Youtube.com

VINYL GOLDMINE - Lost New Wave & Power Pop Gems - Welcome

2008-01-21T18:02:00.000-06:00

Welcome, and thanks for visiting! The purpose of this blog is to drum up interest for some fantastic bands from the past (most from around 1977 to 1985) that seem to have been largely forgotten with the passing of time.

I love seeking out quality music from the golden age of power pop and new wave, when strong melodies, tons of hooks, raw passion and creativity seemed to be much easier to find in pop music. This music speaks to me more than almost anything that is being released today, and it's very satisfying to dig up bands that nobody else seems to remember. In fact, the more obscure, the better!

It's even more satisfying to introduce these tunes to others who will also appreciate them. Ever since I became the proud owner of an Ion USB turntable (top-notch product, by the way), I'm no longer limited to hearing only old music that record labels have decided to put onto CD. This ability has led me to countless vinyl gems of the new wave and power pop era, which I will write about in this space.

I hope this blog leads you to some new discoveries of your own, and I'd love to hear from you with suggestions of music you think I should know about, or just with your general comments.

Enjoy!