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

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"

FAILSAFE - Bravados, A Fistful of Failsafe & Suicide Bridge

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

Post Your Requests Here

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 SINCEROS - The Sound of Sunbathing

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)

TOM DICKIE AND THE DESIRES - The Eleventh Hour

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

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

3-D - Self-Titled Debut

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

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

MARTHA AND THE MUFFINS - This Is the Ice Age

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.

BLUE PETER - Rockin' Canadian New Wave

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

MI-SEX - Where Do They Go?

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

JOBOXERS - Just Got Lucky (12" Single)

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

THE REELS - Self-Titled Debut

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

MAURICE & THE CLICHES - C'est La Vie

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

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

BOW WOW WOW - Love, Peace and Harmony

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)

D-DAY - Self-Titled LP

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

JIMMY DESTRI - Heart on a Wall

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

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

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