#NowPlaying: #Ultravox - Vienna
1980 Dutch pressing.
The cover promised me a more pensive, calm album than what I'm hearing now. I do quite like it: it seems clean, powerful, and dark. The cover is a thing of beauty, that font looks brilliant as well! I heard a lot about this album so it's great to finally give it a go.
#NowPlaying: #VanderGraafGenerator - Pawn Hearts
1971(?) Dutch pressing.
You rarely find #vdGG #vinyl releases priced lower than 20 (maybe even 25) here so it was incredible luck that I found one in absolute pristine condition for 15 quid! As for the album, I don't really quite understand side 2 (A Plague etc.) yet, but Man-Erg is really good, especially when the song breaks down with saxes sounding like seagulls coming in. Proper chilling!
#NowPlaying: #U2 - The Unforgettable Fire (Single)
1985 UK pressing.
Well, is it a single really? It clocks in at 22 minutes and holds 5 tracks. It may be an EP or mini album in my eyes. It doesn't even start with the titular track. That song is brilliant, but I also love A Sort Of Homecoming and The Three Sunrises. I used Bass Trap as my alarm clock for the longest time! This period is probably my favourite in U2's timeline, the music is very atmospheric and vast.
#NowPlaying: #Genesis - ...And Then There Were Three...
1978 Dutch pressing.
I listened extensively to this album a couple of years ago and I don't think I fully understood Genesis back then, but it did something with me that made me come back. The album has a vast sound that I can't properly describe, it makes me nostalgic. This album has its highs and its lows, but it certainly ended at its highest with Follow You Follow Me, which is a beautiful song.
#NowPlaying: #ThePolice - Zenyatta Mondatta
1980 Dutch pressing.
This album is amazingly consistent with Stewart Copeland's immaculate drumming on the foreground. That's all there is to say really, nothing ground-breaking here, just some insanely catchy music.
#NowPlaying: #CabaretVoltaire - The Crackdown
1983 German pressing.
Very repetitive rhythms that require you to listen. (Although it gets way better a couple of albums later.) The album feels dark and grainy but does have some pop sensibilities. This was only my first time really listening to this album though and I really enjoyed the two after this so I expect also this to get a whole lot better soon!
#NowPlaying: #Ultravox - ha!-ha!-ha!
1979 Italian pressing.
I really liked ROckwrok and the Three Into One compilation so I knew that I wanted to find some of those early albums, and I was lucky this week that I found it at a #vinyl market. (I did get ripped off at this stall where I bought the Police album too. Expensive but bad quality media and sleeve.) I really like this upbeat punky music, drums are in your face, guitars are soaring. The songs are really catchy too!
#NowPlaying: #NewOrder - Movement
2019 reissue from the box set.
So it's time that I played again, I tooted about this album and how seminal it is earlier today. I got the box set and I think I never really touched it since I explored it when I received it. A shame really. The cover is brilliant as well: the lines aren't just there for fun, they also represent the catalogue number! Another brilliant Peter Saville design.
#NowPlaying: #NewOrder - 1981-1982
1982 US pressing on "translucent" #vinyl.
It's only translucent if you hold it against the light. This apparently is the first pressing, so it's quite cool that I found it today. While I love Movement, I think the singles from this time period really show the development from #PostPunk to #SynthPop: whereas Movement is more post-punk, this record is clearly synth-pop. Incredible find!
#NowPlaying: #ToontjeLager - Stiekem Dansen
1983 Dutch pressing.
I am always looking for Dutch language #NewWave or #SynthPop and hope it's something that sticks, and I don't think I found something yet. This is no real difference. It's not bad at all, it's got #ska vibes and feels a lot like #DoeMaar (from what I remember). #TheMo was absolutely perfect, but not Dutch language unfortunately. This record is still a pleasant listen though!
#NowPlaying: #CabaretVoltaire - The Covenant, The Sword, and the Arm of the Lord
1985 German pressing.
Also the name of a far right organisation... 😬 This album is my absolute favourite of the moment, but when I first listened to it it freaked me out completely. (I also was completely knackered after a night shift.) The transition from L21ST to I Want You is heavenly, and the latter song is an absolute banger. 5/5, what a brilliant album!
#NowPlaying: #vanderGraafGenerator - The Quiet Zone / The Pleasure Dome
1977 German pressing.
My favourite #vdGG album, the addition of the violin and its ethereal feel combined with its relatively accessible songwriting make this an excellent listen. I especially love the violin solo on The Siren Song, that might be my favourite track. The album came with a booklet of lyrics made with a typewriter by a previous owner, how cool is that!
#NowPlaying: #ChinaCrisis - What Price Paradise
1986 Canadian pressing.
The last album I needed to complete my China Crisis collection, except their 2015 effort. This makes me think: what band can I summarise 2023 with for me? 2022 was #OMD, 2021 #NewOrder, and 2020 #U2. Will it be China Crisis or #ACertainRatio? Not the right post to ponder this in, but perhaps these hashtags will help you find something new in this thread to listen to!
#NowPlaying: #TheVapors - New Clear Days
1980 German pressing.
One of my absolute favourite albums of all time. Such upbeat #PowerPop blended with #NewWave and #PostPunk with some really good and deep lyrics. Every song on this album is a hit in my eyes.
#NowPlaying: #PeterHammill - A Black Box
1980 UK pressing.
I found this back in May but I never bothered to listen to it (again) until now, when I'm realising the talent of Peter Hammill. He played most of the instruments on this album himself, including the drums. I always think that is very cool. As for the music, it's very dense and dark at times and sporadically very jittery (A3). I don't think I understand it yet, but it was a more pleasant listen than my first.
#NowPlaying: #ACertainRatio - To Each...
2017 European reissue on 2x red #vinyl at 45 RPM.
When I walked past my frequented record store today I saw there was a massive sale going on and the record I saw lying in the shelf for months was 12 euros cheaper than normal. So I had to buy it. This is my favourite a✓: album, it blends #PostPunk and #funk so perfectly, with chilling brass sections and funky rhythms. The Fox for one starts off with an amazing drum riff!
#NowPlaying: #ACertainRatio - ACR Loco
2020 UK issue on turquoise #vinyl.
I also bought this in the record store sale yesterday. It's cool how this was randomly packed in varying colours with differing rarity. I was unlucky and got the least rare colour, but I don't mind as I think this is the coolest one. This album hearkens back to the time around acr:mcr, whereas their later 1982 more to Sextet. I'm quite pleased after this first listen already! And Denise Johnson's on it!
#NowPlaying: #NewOrder - Low-Life
1985 Italian pressing.
Found this today by chance in my frequented record store. I always read that the front cover could be changed at will with a band member of choice, but this doesn't seem to have that. Maybe I misremember. I never was that fond of this album compared to their other #80s output, but now that I'm listening to it again I start to realise how good it is again. Face Up is a brilliant closer, voice strained as ever.
#NowPlaying: #Fashion - Fabrique
1982 European pressing.
I bought this together while a whole lot of other stuff from an unsorted shelf in a record store, in search of some lesser known music. I played this once and was impressed, but I put it away soon after. I now rediscovered the album and have been listening to it non-stop for a few days. (Not on Spotify, so I have to go by a YT video.) Really good, cool, #NewRomantic. Good bass, great synths!
#NowPlaying: #Mo
1980 Dutch pressing.
My favourite Dutch band from the period, too bad the lyrics aren't in Dutch, though. The great thing about #TheMo is that a Bassoon was part of their main instruments and it's audible on many tracks. Unfortunately this got ditched when the line-up changed after this album. This band seems to be mostly forgotten today, safe for their single "Fred Astaire", which is a big shame. I can really recommend this!
#NowPlaying: #JoyDivision - Still
2022 reissue on 2x clear #vinyl.
For some reason I listened more to this album than JD's greats. I feel like this album shows a bit more range and diversity with songs from different times in their period. I really like the live show as well, although it's disappointing that the start of Ceremony is cut off. These Days would have been a great addition as that's my favourite JD track. Is this even a comp actually?
#NowPlaying: #SpandauBallet - Diamond
1982 Spanish pressing.
Subtitled "Diamante" for if you didn't understand the title. Sophomore albums are often a disappointment after a great debut (ABC, A✓:, U2, etc.), and this is no exception. There's some interesting music on here though: Paint Me Down is amazingly catchy, and Coffee Club has got a quirky rhythm. I don't think this album is half bad, but not exceptionally good.
#NowPlaying: #NewOrder - The John Peel Sessions 1982
2020 #vinyl reissue for RSD.
I have been gawking at this in the store for a couple years now but yesterday it suddenly was 50% off so I finally got it. This is not just a Peel session: two tracks on here weren't recorded or released on anything else it seems. Turn the Heater On, a cover of Keith Hudson, and Too Late, which is just a rare NO track. I also love the version of 586 on here, my fave!
#NowPlaying: #ThomasDolby - The Flat Earth
1984 German pressing.
I actually went to the record store yesterday to pick this one #vinyl up that I kept seeing in the shelf as I got it in my recommended on last.fm. This is some really sophisticated #synthpop. I have read that Dolby usually writes humorous music, but this seems way calmer than that. I really quite like this album and will certainly listen to it more!
#NowPlaying: #ClassixNouveaux - La Verité
1982 Japanese pressing.
I was at a record store in Dordrecht and they had an entire shelf of Japanese imports, which was very cool. There they always have this luxurious OBI strip which makes the cover more special in my opinion. The album is some really good and grandiose #newromantic and especially the first (real) track Is It a Dream is a banger. I also love how the tracks seem to often segue.
#NowPlaying: #ABC - Beauty Stab
1983 Dutch pressing.
Although I previously mentioned that ABC had a disappointing sophomore album, this actually is my favourite by them and my 7th most listened to album the past 365 days. ABC's sleek and #NewRomantic style perfectly fits the rocky direction this album took. The title track is sleek and tight and Love's a Dangerous Language has got some very good guitar work. Not a bad track on here. The font is terrible though.
#NowPlaying: #KingCrimson - Discipline
1981 Dutch pressing.
King Crimson were back from the dead and embraced the new musical scene that had developed: this album is a perfect blend of #progressiverock and #newwave with neither of them having the upper hand. Elephant Talk is iconic and Thela Hun Ginjeet is chilling with it's spoken word section. I don't yet get The Sheltering Sky, it feels a bit out of place. Very lucky to have found this LP!
#NowPlaying: #Yes - Love Will Find a Way
1987 UK 12" single.
I actually told myself that I wouldn't post about singles I listen to but I make an exception in this case. This is a criminal dance remix of a #progressiverock band's #AOR single. I love the album version, it's perfect in every way, but the single release butchers it into infinity, even replacing Alan White's drums with a machine. While it's terrible, I do enjoy it. It's catchy and danceable.
#NowPlaying: #ABC - How To Be A... Zillionaire!
1985 UK gatefold pressing.
Released #OnThisDay in 1985, marking a dramatic change in direction for the band, again. I love the clean and tight #80s production, even if it's very cheesy. Vanity Kills might be my favourite of the album. The artwork for this album is great and it really fits the music. I bought this last year in Malta in (allegedly) the oldest record store in the world.
#NowPlaying: #Yes - Yesshows
1980 US pressing.
Great live album with better sound quality than its predecessor. I absolutely love the live performance of Gates of Delirium on side 2. Luckily it fit on one side, as opposed to Ritual, which had to be cut up. Disadvantage of the medium I guess... That's so annoying to me that it makes me question why it was even picked. It could be replaced very well with Awaken and Sound Chaser.
#NowPlaying: #TalkTalk - Laughing Stock
2016 European #vinyl reissue.
I had been looking for a copy on vinyl for ages, but when I realised an original vinyl copy of this album is rare and expensive, I decided it would be a better idea to just get a new issue. My favourite song on this album is New Grass by a long margin; the entire album I wait for it to come and when it's gone I am still processing it. It instills such calmness, nostalgia, and contentment in me.
#NowPlaying: #PetShopBoys - Introspective
1988 European pressing.
Released #OnThisDay, PSB's third studio album. I really the concept behind this album, where every song originally is a 12" remix and is edited down for single release. I feel like this album could use a little more oomph from time to time, but the beat behind I Want a Dog - and especially how it starts so abruptly, and that breakdown near the end of Domino Dancing are brilliant. I wish there were more of that on here. The strings in the opening of this album, Left to My Own Devices, sounds eerily familiar to the opening of #Videosex' album Lacrimae Christi, Sivi Dan. (Featured earlier in this thread.) My favourite track has got to be It's Alright though, it mixes melancholy with optimism and the music reflects that amazingly, due to the low tempo with its silky smooth bassline and those great vocals! Unfortunately, it seems that both #vinyl copies I have had, sounded absolutely terrible when nearing the end of a side. Now that I'm listening to it again, it doesn't seem as bad, but still annoying enough that I would rather play the CD version.
#NowPlaying: #Nena - ?
1984 German pressing.
I have had a few attempts in the past to listen to #NeueDeutscheWelle but for some reason they weren't fruitful. I still want to get into it, so when I saw this one in the record store I decided to give it a try. This album sounds very sophisticated and the production is great. It reminds me a little of the #PowerPop of #TheVapors. I am not at the point yet where I can properly name standout tracks, but I think I enjoyed Das Land der Elefanten the most up until this point. I will definitely give this album more listens in the future!
#NowPlaying: #GrahamParkerandtheRumour - Stick to Me
1977 US pressing.
I listened to this before in my #CD thread ( https://social.vivaldi.net/@DanielDeur/111030589116089264 ), which is funny, because I bought this copy before I bought the CD version. The record has been sitting untouched in my to-listen-to-box all this time, which is a shame because this album is actually very good. The music is very down to earth and upbeat. The production is very clear and the audio quality is amazing. I guess that's what #pubrock aspires to be? Back to basics and staying genuine. I do feel like there's not much depth to the music, but sometimes you just want good vibes from fun music.
Attached: 1 image #NowPlaying: #GrahamParkerandtheRumour - Stick to Me European CD reissue. I have a lot of albums by #GrahamParker and #TheRumour but it still has to get to me properly. So far this album is really enjoyable, nicely upbeat and some really clear production. I get really positive vibes from this album! #70s #70sMusic #PubRock #NewWave #CD
#NowPlaying: #Front242 - Front by Front
2023 Belgian pressing.
My friend had been talking about this album for a while and I had been wanting to give this album a go all that time since I was getting into #CabaretVoltaire, another #EBM artist. To our surprise, this release was in the display area of the record store - that we normally overlook - and apparently it was reissued a week prior. I was not yet convinced to buy a copy, since a 20 euro price tag for something you have never heard before is quite large, but he bought one and when we got to his place, he put it on the player and I was sold almost immediately. The album is repetitive, dark, and round - not as scratchy as, say, The Covenant. It sounds like it could very well be a follow-up to that album. It's amazing how it manages to be so repetitive but stay so welcoming. Whereas The Covenant properly annoyed me when listening to it the first time, with this one I am in for the ride all the while. I think the sound quality is brilliant and the production is impeccable. I can see myself playing this a lot!
#NowPlaying: #TheMo - Ha! Ha! ['ha:`ha:] The Sound of Laughing;
1982 Dutch pressing.
I remember that the title intrigued me when I found it in the unsorted bargain bin at my frequented record store, as it has some sort of phonetic transcription that's just not quite IPA. Anyway, I posted about The Mo's first album before and mentioned how the line-up changed: I didn't quite grasp how much it truly changed. The only remaining member is the drummer, who wasn't an original member in the first place. Despite this, and the loss of the defining bassoon, the sound seems to not have changed as much. There's still no guitar, only synths and drums and the songs are short and poppy. ADSR is a great opener with clever lyrics, Human Race on Display has got a really interesting synth riff, and the sudden transition from Jovial Scene to Nicky Knits really struck me. This is such a fun album, so it's a right shame only one track really stuck around: Cheese. This is probably my favourite Dutch album, I was very obsessed with it back in May.
#NowPlaying: #KingCrimson - Beat
1982 Dutch pressing.
This album sounds a lot like #TalkingHeads and I presume that is because Adrian Belew is on this album and might be a big part of its sound. Beat builds upon the #NewWave #ProgRock foundation that Discipline laid but goes much more in the New Wave direction. The album opener, Neal and Jack and Me, starts off exactly as Frame by Frame does, I feel, and Neurotica sounds very akin to Thela Hun Gingeet. This makes me feel like this album is a part 2 to Discipline. I really like the sound of this record and I will definitely listen to it more in the future.
#NowPlaying: #OrchestralManoeuvresintheDark - Dazzle Ships
1983 European pressing.
I actually had four copies of this album lying around my house at some point, one of them framed in my windowsill. Since I have taken that down in favour of #NewOrder's single Everything's Gone Green - another beautiful cover made by #PeterSaville, I decided to play it again since last time was ages ago. This probably is one of the most daring albums that I know of, brilliant pop songs are alternated with Cold War shortwave radio soundscapes. The album is opened with an announcement of a Czechoslovak radio station before rhythmic typewriter sound effects lead in probably #OMD's best track, Genetic Engineering, its message as current as ever: "These are the little children / Their future in our hands". ABC Auto Industry is probably the oddest track on this album, in that it's neither a proper song, nor a soundscape. Telegraph is again a brilliant pop song with some of McCluskey's most soaring and raspy vocals, which caught my attention long before I knew of the album.
I now notice 1400 characters is way too little to capture my thoughts on Dazzle Ships, so my review will be continued on Rate Your Music:
https://rateyourmusic.com/music-review/DanielDeur/omd/dazzle_ships_f15/209267603
#NowPlaying: #BeeGees - Spirits Having Flown
1979 Dutch pressing. First listen.
Really solid album with a good continuous theme. Really easy on the ears and brightens the mood. While I have to get used to the falsetto vocals, I don't think they're as bad as I had previously thought. I am very pleasantly surprised and I will definitely listen to more of this in the future. I don't quite understand why the Bee Gees get such a bad rep, even their '90s stuff seems solid.
#NowPlaying: #TangerineDream - Phaedra
1974 German pressing. First listen.
I was invited by a friend to a concert by them early last year, actually my first concert ever, and I had absolutely no clue who Tangerine Dream were. Despite that, the concert was nothing like what I expected: long, repetitive electronic pieces and an encore lasting, if I remember correctly, 40 minutes left me sore legged and inspired. This record was kind of what I expected considering my concert experience. Instrumental pieces that could be considered repetitive, if not for the blips and blops coming in and out. I phrased that poorly, but with long, repetitive pieces it's generally not the rhythm or whatever is on the foreground that deserves attention, but whatever happens around it. This record requires such thinking and the thought's seed was planted by the 12-minute Winter Hill by a✓: on To Each... (See above in this thread.)
#NowPlaying: #TimeBandits
1982 Dutch pressing.
I am always on the lookout for some good #80s #synthpop and/or #NewWave from The Netherlands and I found this album at some point. I draw comparisons to the #BeeGees (maybe because I listened to them earlier today), as there are some good falsettos and the album has a #disco vibe. Really quite a pleasant album and I think I might listen to this again at some point. Too bad the lyrics are in English though!
#NowPlaying: #RoughTrade - O Tempora! O Mores!
1985 Dutch pressing. 1st listen.
Less synth driven than previous RT records I have listened to, but still some really good #NewWave. I really quite like #CarolePope's vocals and they fit perfectly here, I don't think there's anything that sounds like RT thanks to her.
#NowPlaying: #TheWake - Here Comes Everybody
2020 UK reissue on clear #vinyl.
A friend recommended this album to me and it was a Factory record, so I bought this immediately when I saw it was 50% off. This album has a very mellow, twilight vibe to it, especially Melancholy Man. That song listens like a summer evening. I like how the entirety of the album is very consistent, with every song feeling exactly in place and all tracks sounding alike, but this could very well be this album's pitfall. A track like World Of Her Own stands out, though, because of its brilliant harmonica work. This album is brilliant to put the listener in a contemplative mood.
Side note: the band followed me on (then) Twitter after I had posted a meme about them.
Daniël Deur