Loz Netto - s/t

Name: Loz Netto
Album: s/t
Year: 1986
Style: Synth Pop/Rock
Similar Bands: Taco, David Bowie, ABC, Thomas Dolby, INXS
"One-Word" Review: Overproduced smooth synthetic back alley
Based Out Of: Brighton / Coventry UK
Label: Atlantic, Warner

Cover, Record

Record, Back

Loz Netto (1986)

1. Walking in the Dark 4:15 (single)
2. We Touch 4:45 (Single, on Miami Vice)
3. Dance to the Music 5:05 (single)
4. No Reaction 3:22
5. Silent Movie 4:48 /
6. Fat City 3:13
7. Do What You Want 5:27
8. One Night Out 3:46
9. Substitute 3:58

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Loz Netto - Vox, B. Box, Guitar (Moon, Sniff N' The Tears, Los Pacaminos, Tasmin Archer, Sharpeez, Ben E King, Thomas Dolby, Lene Lovich, Paul Young, Eye Talk, Brian Copsey & the Commotions, )
• Tessa Niles - B. Vox (George's Band, OPbsession, Sharpe & Niles, Strictly Unreasonable Zang Tuum Tum Big Beat Colossus, ABC, Morrissey Mullen, Tik & Tok, Caroline Munro, Higsons, Gary Numan, Flesh For Lulu, Tina Turner, Shakin' Stevens, Bowie & Jagger, Grace Jones, Explorers, Gloria Gaynor, The The, Everything But the Girl, Eric Clapton, Paul Hardcastle, Duran Duran, Berlin, Julian Cope, Cabaret Voltaire, Marillion, Pet Shop Boys, Escape Club, Steve Winwood, Sad Cafe, Spandau Ballet, Tears for Fears, Liza Minnelli, Rolling Stones, Dusty Springfield more)
• Steve Butler - B. Vox (Kartoon, Russ Abbot, Martyn Lacey, Party Boppers, Silver Screen Orch, The Law, Wendy James, London Theater Orch, Newton. High Jinx, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Don Estelle, Enlightenment, russell Watson, kevin Kennedy, Nigel Stonier, Barclay James Harvest, Thea Gilmore, Keith Hopwood, Malcolm Rowe)
• Paul Young - B. Vox (Gyro, Mike & the Mechanics, Sad Cafe, Measles, Toggery (5), Young Bros, Young & Renshaw, Roger Cook, Mandalaband, Union, Sir John Betjeman, SAS band, Streetband)
• Ian Wilson - B. Vox (Barclay James Harvest, Greasy Bear, Gyro, Mandalaband, Sad Cafe, Ramones, Kartoon, Sign System, Jon Astley, Martyn Lacey, The Law, Chippendales, Wendy James, Deborah Harry, Newton, Don Estelle, Kevin Kennedy, House of Saints, Keith Hopwood, Malcolm Rowe, Oleta Adams, Bunk Dogger, Paul Young, Casey Abrams, Johann Sebastian Bach, Joanna Eden)
• Richie Close - Keys (Annette, Both Hands Free, Frequency 9, Masters of Acid, T-Coy, Mainstream, Mike Harding, Maddy prior. Mandalaband, Heebeegeebees, Corey Hart, Allan Taylor, Camel, Tracey Carmen, Kartoon, Hombres G, Michael Chapman, Icicle Works, Jon Astley, Marilyn Martin, Jim Capaldi, Shadowland, Texido, ABC, Roger Spencer, Houghton Weavers, Danza Invisible, M People, Big Country, Thomas Lang, Barclay James Harvest, Keith Hopwood, Malcolm Rowe, 2AM, David Alexander)
• Jon Carin - Keys (Industry, Fishermen, Pink Floyd, Pete Towsend, David Gilmour, Bryan Ferry, Corey Hart, Psychedelic Furs, Escape Club, Dream Academy, Roger Daltry, Live, Love Spit Love, Soul Asylum, Gipsy Kings, NWO, Who, Richard Butler more)
• Phil Palmer - Guitar (Bob Geldof & Vegetarians of Love, Dragonfly, K Wallis B and the Dark Shades of Night, Legacy, Spin 1ne 2wo, Symphnoica Band, Bliss Band, House Band, Troll, Dire Straits, David Gilmour, Chris de Burgh, Shakin' Stevens, Joan Armatrading, Frank Zappa, Ian Matthews, Joe Egan, David Essex, Sheena Easton, Tears for Fears, Murray Head, Scott Walker, Toyah, Howard Jones, Alphaville, Swing Out Sister, Sam brown, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, George Michael, Dusty Springfield, Celine Dion, Tasmin Archer, Pete Townshend, Katy Sagal, Milla, Take That, Bryan Adams, Robbie Williams  more)
• Mike Hehir - Guitar (Barclay James Harvest, Sad Cafe, Sneaky Pierre, Corey Hart, Jon Astley, Greenway, Jim Capaldi, The Law, Marie Claire, Deborah Harry, Alan Simon, Paul Young)
• Ashley Mulford - Guitar, Producer (Champion, Mandalaband, Sad Cafe, Chilliwack, Therapy, Tim Hart, Mark Haines, Candi, Michael Learns to Rock, Tears For Jeanie, Jascha Richter, Paul Young, Riversea, Last Knight)
• Dave Irving - Drums Overdubs (Dianno, Eddie Cave & the Fyx, Sad Cafe, Supercharge, Paul Young)
• Jon Astley - Fairlight, Producer (Virginia Astley, Corey Hart, Tori Amos, Heavy Metal Kids, Gary Shearston, Sandy mcLelland & the Backline, Sad Cafe, The Law, Deborah Harry, Wendy James, The Who,  more)
• Steve Piggot - Keys (10cc, Living In A Box, Dogs D'Amour. Jon Astley, Ian Thomas, Brother Beyond, Escape Club, Gary Moore, Sad Cafe, Mark V, Vicki Morgan, Celine Dion, The Law, Mike & the Mechanics, Phillip Boa & the Voodooclub, Mikel Erentxun, Cliff Richard, Deborah Harry. Mitch Malloy, Jaki Graham, Sheena Easton, Zazie, Edyta Gorniak, Julien Clerc, Gipsy Kings, Joe Cocker, Jennifer Rush, Loreena McKennitt, Russell Watson, Preacher Boy, Rod Stewart, Barclay James Harvest, Kevin Kennedy, Dzal Martin, Nazareth, Keith Hopwood, Malcolm Rowe)
• Snake Davis - Sax (James Brown, Smokey Robinson, Chaka Khan, Eutythmics, Massive Attack, M People, B*Witched, Lisa Stansfield, Blue Shoes, Was (not Was), Sad Cafe, Swing Out Sister, Paul McCartney, Dusty Springfield, Shirley Bassey, OMD, Robert Palmer, Soul II Soul, Dionne Warwick, Pet Shop Boys, Denise Williams, Tina Turner, George Michael, Spice Girls, Paul Hardcastle more)
• Andy "Heavy" Macpherson - Producer, Recording, Guitar
• Phil Chapman - Asst Producer
• Michael Hoppen - Photos, Concept
• C-More Tone Studios - Graphics, Design
• Bob Defrin - Art Direction
• Robert Raymond - Mgmt

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this artist. And i'm not sure what to make of the prediction. From the name Loz and the dude on the motorcycle i presume is Netto, i first thought this may have a Hispanic / Latin influence. The year makes it hard to deduce what will be on it...86 was a year without one popular guessable style.  

Album Review: The album sounds like there is not one real instrument on it, which was popular at the time. So it is pretty smooth in production, and the vocal style is smooth as well and relaxed, and a little Bowie + Michael Hutchence-like. Fat City shares a very similar intro as Prince's 1999.

Loz was a nickname acquired back in elementary school growing up in the UK by Netto. He grew up in a variety of bands but first made it big in Sniff N' the Tears until a motorcycle accident put him in a cast and caused his departure. This only led to a recovery time full of songwriting, which in turn, catapulted his solo career. He's produced and created his own studio and recorded with many artists which all links back to his past connections. Still making music today, he never gained notable popularity, especially not in the US.

Stand Out Track: Fat City

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System (the) - The Pleasure Seekers

Name: The System
Album: The Pleasure Seekers
Year: 1985
Style: Synth, R&B, 
Similar Bands: Stevie B, Color Me Badd, Nu Shooz, Scritti Politti, Generationals, Billy Ocean
"One-Word" Review:80's synth pop club floor scene
Based Out Of: NYC
Label: Mirage, Atlantic, Warner

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Sleeve, Record

The Pleasure Seekers (1985)

1. The Pleasure Seekers 4:39 (single)
2. It Takes 2 4:12
3. Big City Beat 3:25
4. Love Won't Wait For Lovin' 4:47 /
5. This is For You 4:57 (single)
6. My Radio Rocks 3:43
7. Did In By A Friend 3:11
8. I Don't Run From Danger 4:45

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Mic Murphy - Vox, Produced, Wrote, Arranged (Kleeer, Flowchart, Sass, Howard Johnson, Lenny White, Chaka Khan, Howard Jones, Nona Hendryx, Natural Selection, Tom Jones, Mtume, more)
• David Frank - Keys, Produced, Wrote, Arranged (Kleeer, Orch on the Half Shell, Linear, Carole Davis, Rick James, Mtume, Robert Palmer, Scritti Politti, Chaka Khan, Phil Collins, Steve Winwood, Billy Squire, Billy Idol, Nona Hendryx, Aztec Camera, Ashford & Simpson, Phoebe Snow, Natalie Cole, Sheena Easton, Vanessa Williams, Marc Anthony, Eric Clapton, Michael McDonald, Katy Sagal, Dionne Farris, Notorious BIG, 98 degrees, Destiny's Child, Christina Aguilera, Vitamin C, O-Town, Victoria Beckham, S Club, Pussycat Dolls, Jordin Sparks, Brie Larson more)
• Paul Pesco - Guitar (Madonna, Hall & Oates, John Blackwell Project, Dave Weckl, C+C Music Factory, Joan Baez, Chaka Khan, Norma Jean, Michael Bolton, Force MDs, Eddie Murphy, Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, George Benson, Pointer Sisters, Sheena Easton, Jellybean, Whitney Houston, Steve Winwood, Fat Boys, Gregory Hines, Stephanie Mills, Don Johnson, Cyndi Lauper  more
• Audrey Wheeler - Vox (Unlimited Touch, Blue Moderne, Jellybean, Robin Gibb, Kurtis Blow, Fat Boys, Debbie Harry, Jermaie Stewart, Boogie Boys, Little Steven, Blow Monkeys, Melba Moore, Billy Ocean, Millie Jackson, Donny Osmond, George Benson, Eddie Murphy more)
• Denise Chaplin - Vox
• Jimmy Maelen - Percussion (Roxy Music, Peter Gabriel, James Taylor, Alice Cooper, John Lennon, The Jacksons, Talking Heads, Ambergris, Shobizz, Hollywood Vampires, Latin Dimension, BJ Thomas, more)
• Tom Lord-Alge - Engineer, Mixing
• Chris Lord-Alge - Mixing
• Acar Key - Assistant
• Dennis King - Mastering
• Bob Defrin - Art Direction
• Steve Fraser - Mic's hair
• Roy Volkmann - Photos

Unknown-ness: I have heard of this band; only saw their name on a sleeveless 45, but never heard anything by them. From the cover, it looks like it will have a Fun Boy Three vibe, so even though it is 85- which is apparent by the clothes, I'm going to guess it is on the tail end of new wave, but dancey.

Album Review: The album has a computer-generated 80's radio friendly r&b dance sound...everything sounds synthetic, and the beats have lots of 80's Casio effects processed in. The style has been adopted by some of the current Caribbean-yacht rock synth bands of today, but it also sounds like late 80's Stevie B Miami dance music.

This was basically a duo, hiring session musicians to fill in the rest, but were at the forefront of using synth as the spotlight sound. They gained notoriety for having their music in film & TV, on Miami Vice, Coming to America, Beverly Hills Cop, and they were in Real Genius. They worked with Scritti Politti, Phil Collins and Chaka Khan and their songs were used by musicians like Tupac Shakur and the Notorious BIG. They went back & forth being together and splitting apart as a duo, and have their own recording studio.


Stand Out Track: The Pleasure Seekers

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Robotiks (the) - Man and Machine

Name:The Robotiks
Album: Man and Machine
Year: 1985
Style: Synth, Electronic Reggae, Dub
Similar Bands: Manuel Gottsching, Mad Professor, King Tubby, Lee "Scratch" Perry
"One-Word" Review: Jazzy Synth House Reggae
Based Out Of: London, UK
Label: Ariwa Sound

Cover, Record

Back, Record

Man and Machine (1985)

1. Man and Machine 3:36
2. Dubbing in Harmony 3:26
3. San Remo 6:05
4. Test Tube Mix 4:29
5. Recharge 3:42/
6. Mystic Robotik 3:39
7. Shooting Star 4:38
8. Positive Logic 3:59
9. Dub De Goeblin 3:27
10. It All Started Under a Coconut Tree 3:51

Album Rating (1-10): 5.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Mad Professor (Neil Joseph Stephen Fraser) - Producer, Vox (Anti-Social Workers, Sergeant Pepper, Lost Cherrees, Perry Farrell, Dubital, The Nomad, Professor Skank, Ranking Ann, Ben Zephaniah, Johnny Clarke, Jah Shaka, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Kofi. Bob Andy, Clementine, Massive Attack so many)
• Preacher - Vox, Bass, Piano (Sane Inmates, Rosie Gaines, Twinkle Brothere, Ranking Ann, Mad Professor, Sergeant Pepper, Johnny Clarke. Jah Shaka, Alvin Dread., Wild Bunch, Addis Rockers, Sandra Cross, Macka B, Kendell Smith, Kofi, Champion Doug Veitch, Lee Scratch Perry, Nitty Gritty, Junio Delgado, Mr Palmer the Ninja, Sister Audrey, U-Roy, John McLean, Tippa Irie, Peter Hunningale, Luciano, Susan Cadogan, Joseph Cotton, Daddy Freddie, Tex Johnson)
• Michael Walters - Vox (Macka B)
• Robotics - Drums
• Black Steel (Errol Nicholson) - Bass, Guitars, Piano (Klearview Harmonix, Peter Culture, Mad Professor, Sandra Cross, Dr. Alimantado, Johnny Clarke, Aisha, Barry Biggs, Kofi, Dennis Brown, Twinkle Bros, KLF, U-Roy, Kevin Eastwood, Moody Boys, Intense, Thriller Jenna, Sade, Gregory Isaacs, Earl Sixteen, Kingpin, Macka B, Nolan Irie, Paulette Tajah, Yabby You, Workshy, Unitone Rockers, Tucker Rainbow, John McLean, Della Grant, more)
• Jeffrey Beckford - Guitar (Mad Professor, Sandra Cross, Nitty Gritty, U-Roy, Bert Martin, John McLean, Macka B, Aisha, Madelaine, Luciano)
• Cleveland Neunie - Piano (Ranking Ann, Mad Professor, Sandra Cross, Johnny Clarke, Nitty Gritty, Bert Martin, Madelaine, Susan Cadogan, Joseph Cotton, Daddy Freddie)
• Roger - Horns (Mad Professor, Macka B, Sandra Cross, Lee "Scratch" Perry)
• Patrick - Horns (Mad Professor, Macka B, Sandra Cross, Lee "Scratch" Perry)
• George Wilkins - Harmonica (Peter Culture, Mad Professor, Long Tall Texans)

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. But from the straight line cover of a military force taking on a robot attack, i imagine it is some sort of futuristic electro hard core or political minded indie punk with synthesizers. 

Album Review: So i was way out of my league when I put this record on. It reminds me a little of Manuel Gottsching with the synthetic repetitive house/techno sound, with the big exception is that this album has a chill reggae dub vibe. It is mostly instrumental, and the repetitive hooks and grooves are slow and deliberate. I've read they are the house band for their label, Ariwa, and support artist like Lee "Scratch" Perry. Mad Professor is by far the biggest name related to this band, and he is one of the pioneers bringing dub into the digital age, which is more than apparent on this album.

Stand Out Track: Man and Machine

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Mad Professor 2006 Remix Mag Interview

Mad Professor Nice Up Interview

Ariwa Label Page

Red 7 - s/t

Name:Red 7
Album: s/t
Year:1985
Style: Power Pop, New Wave

Similar Bands: Journey, Code Blue, Police
"One-Word" Review: Futuristic Radio Power Pop
Based Out Of: San Fran, CA
Label: MCA 

Cover, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

Red 7 (1985)

1. Relentless 3:58 (single)
2. Heartbeat 4:17 (single)
3. No Sorry 3:24 (single)
4. Less Than Perfect 4:12
5. The Way 5:09 (single) /
6. This Dark Hour 4:37
7. Questions and Answers 4:09
8. Let Me Use You 3:35
9. Shades of Grey 4:12
10. Can't Much Anymore 5:02

Album Rating (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Mike Rutherford - Producer, Bass, Choir (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics, Anon all credits)
• Don Gehman - Co-Producer, Mixing, Engineer
• Andy Prieboy - Music, Lyrics (Wall of Voodoo)
• Michael Becker - Music, Keys Backing Vox (Eye Protection, Stevan Pasero, Christopher Bock)
• Gene Stashuk - Music, Lyrics, Guitar, Lead Vox (euGENE WENDELL, Mike + the Mechanics, Ronnie Montrose, Isley Brothers, Toni Childs, The Unspoken Word, Bonnie Raitt)
• Paul Revelli - Drums, Backing Vox (Elvis Costello, Chuck Prophet, Bey Paule Band, Joe Lewis Walker, RX, Markus James, Anthony Paule, Cat McLean, Rusty Zinn, Sista Monicam Red House Painters, Chris Michie, Maria Muldaur, Go Go Market, Mark Hummel, John Vanderslice, Tom Heyman, Angela Strehli, Bill Cutler, Elvin Bishop, Might Mike Schermer Band, Blues Broads, Frank Bey, Anthony Paule, Sammy Hagar, Bill Kirchen, Austin De Lone, Nancy Wright )
• Bonnie Spark - Lyrics
• David Tickle - Engineer, Fairlight Programming, Choir (U2, Eric Johnson, Lost At Last)
• Geoff Callingham - Asst Engineer, Choir (Genesis)
• Ian Morace - Asst Engineer
• Peter Smith - Asst Engineer
• Greg Edward - Engineer
• Greg Dorman - Asst Engineer
• Julian Stoll - Asst Engineer
• Greg Fulgintini - Mastering
• Anne Wenzel-Banks - Choir
• Samantha Clayden - Choir
• Clare Newman - Choir
• Caroline Garnett - Choir
• Andy Barclay - Choir
• Dale Newman - Choir (Anthony Phillips, Mike Rutherford, Steve Hackett)
• Jeff Adamoff - Art Direction
• Marty Cohen - Direction, MGMT

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. This was one of the first TSM albums i got, so finally getting to the later letters. Per the promo sticker four of the first five tracks were potential singles. I like the sleek logoed "7," looking like a racing stripe, pasted on the black background. Simple, clean design, futuristic and mysterious with a little dangerous intensity. The band photo on the back, layered over the same logo gives a cold, archaic feel. I'm hoping the music taps into the future electronic aspects of the artwork, and this is a fun synth heavy new wave album.

Album Review: This is a very weird album. On one hand, there are a lot of fun time signatures and driving songs with keys and cold war synth effects. But on the other hand, the guitar and vocals are like a typical greasy, back alley Miami Vice power pop band of the 80's. Point in fact, their single "Heartbeat" found its way to be on Miami Vice (as well as 1986's film Manhunter).  And "Less Than Perfect" is featured in one of my favorite childhood films, Explorers. But back to the band: imagine Steve Perry fronting the Residents on the song "No Sorry" or occasionally sounding like Devo on "Let Me Use You" - but i would not classify that as their overall sound. "This Dark Hour" has a strong Police vibe. Mike Rutherford was a big help to the band on their first record, and he would have produced their second if it were not for his touring schedule with Genesis- a decision forced by MCA that ultimately led to the demise of the band under the forced misguided pressure from the label and production team. 

Stand Out Track: No Sorry, Let Me Use You

Links:

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Quick (the) - Wah Wah

Name: The Quick
Album: Wah Wah!
Year: 1986
Style: Hair Rock, Power Pop
Similar Bands: Journey, Def Leppard, Jackson Browne
"One-Word" Review: Slick Digitized Hair Pop 
Based Out Of: England
Label: A&M

Cover, Record

Back, Record

Wah-Wah! (1986)

1. Adventures Tonight 3:57
2. Down the Wire 3:17
3. We Can Learn From This 4:51 (single)
4. Cry Baby 4:27
5. Poise 3:50 /
6. I Needed You, You Needed Me 3:53 (single)
7. The Big Decision 5:03
8. Last Victim 3:45
9. Sharon 4:02
10. Bed of Nails 3:46 (single)

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Philip Carden Thornalley - Producer, Engineer, LIN, AMS Programming, Bass (The Cure, Johnny Hates Jazz, First Steps, Katrina & the Waves more)
• Colin Campsie - Vox (The Giant Steps, Grand Hotel, Dance People, Culture Club, Endgames, David Roach, Quarterflash, Ann Lewis, China Crisis, Keep It Dark, Hidemi Ishikawa, Sanne Salomonsen, Deniece Williams, Simon F, Deon Estus, Go West, Robert Hall, Louise, 911, Brit Pack, Beverly Craven, Duncan Dhu)
• George McFarlane - Bass, Keys, Guitar (The Giant Steps, Grand Hotel, Dollar, China Crisis, Endgames, The Mood, Helen Terry, Deon Estus, Deniece Williams)
• Jim Williams - Guitar (Phil Thornalley, Nick Heyward, Ambassadors USAFE Dance Band, Sunset Gun, Zeke Manyika, Simon F, Holywood Beyond, Man Jumping, Deon Estus, Udo Lindenberg, Halo James, Peter Murphy, Breathe. Beverly Craven, Bros, This Mortal Coil, Vivienne Mckone, Mikel Erentxun, Monroes, Rick Astley, M People, First Choice, F Machine, Diego Vasallo, John Parr, Broken Wings, Jackie O, Indigo, Duncan Dhu, RB Morris)
• Jim Copley - Drums (Graham Parker, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Mona Liza Overdrive, Psuchedelix, Spreadeagle, The Pretenders, UPP, Alan Tew, Roy Gaines, Ann Lewis, Mechanical Man, Go West, Deon Estus, Killing Joke, Tears for Fears, Robert Hall, Zazie, Alexander Mezek, Diesel, Curt Smith, Martin Page, Soulsister, Chris De Burgh, Paul Rogers, Dogwood, M3, Stefanos, Josh Groban, Iommi, Bernie Marsden, Magnum, Ali Maas, Micky Moody)
• Matt John Barry - Engineering & Production Assist, Cymbal Intervention, Backing Vox (Mavis Toi, Samantha Fox, Opossum Sun Trail)
• Frank De Luna - Mastering
• Louise Rutkowski - Backing Vox (Jazzateers, Sunset Gun, The Hope Blister, Kindness of Strangers, This Mortal Coil, Love & Money, Waves on Canvas, Mavis Toi, Phil Thornalley)
• Deidre Rutkowski - Backing Vox (Jazzateers, Sunset Gun, This Mortal Coil, Cactus World News, Love & Money, Louis Philippe)
• Hugh Tennent = RAK Studios
• Nick Sykes - Recording
• Sandy Roberton - Representation

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. Not much to go by with the bold, colorless font & cover artwork. There is a wah wah painting on the back that looks like a childish commentary on excess noise in NYC. So is this album an addition to the amount of noise, or an ironic critique on too much noise. And with a year on A&M of 1986, will this be college radio jangley rock with a snarky, humorous tone?

Album Review: This is the duo Campsie & McFarlane's fourth and final album. While this The Cure bassist produced album is hair rock with pop-synth production, most of their other material before and after this album is lighter, funkier, and dancier, as they were kind of a full-on synth wave pop duo in the beginning. But this album shows very little of that genre, and feels like a shot at the US radio market, even if it is about 6 years past prime for this style. The vocals are raspy between Steve Perry & Def Leppard, and the production is dense guitars and dated, time-period appropriate crystalline synth that feels completely digitized. Lead off song sounds like it should be on the Fast Times at Ridgemont High soundtrack. Single "We Can Learn From This" is a smooth R&B

Stand Out Track: Poise

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Roger Powell - Air Pocket

Name: Roger Powel
Album: Air Pocket
Year:1980
Style: Synth, New Wave
Similar Bands: Kraftwerk, Yellow Magic, Thomas Dolby, Duran Duran
"One-Word" Review: harmonic synth prog
Based Out Of: California
Label: Bearsville Records, Warner Bros

Cover, Record

Record, Back

Air Pocket (1980)

1. Lunar Plexus 4:04
2. Landmark 3:50
3. Air Pocket 3:45
4. Windows 4:01
5. Emergency Splashdown 4:54/
6. Morning Chorus 1:59
7. March of the Dragonslayers 3:19
8. Prophecy 3:25
9. Sands of Arrakis 5:26
10. Dragons 'N' Griffins / Mr. Triscuits Theme 4:51

Album Rating (1-10):6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Roger Powell - Producer, Video Synth Graphics, Music & Lyric Composition & Performance (Utopia, David Bowie, Steve Hillage, Meat Loaf, Born Bluesers, Shaun Cassidy, Ian Hunter, Alice Cooper, Felix Cavaliere, Charlie Rouse Band, Rick Derringer, Randy Vanwarmer, Jim Steinman, Kasim Sulton, Logic System, Barry Manilow, Rubinoos, Sons of Heroes, Joy Ride, Bob James, Todd Rundgren, Lyle Workman, Shelagh McDonald )
• John Holbrook - Engineer, Production Assistant, Rhythm Guitar, Remix (Baba Scholae, Five Day Rain, Utopia, Josh Joplin Group, Paul Butterfield, Claude Dubois, Bernie Cash, Randy Vanwarmer, Isley Bros, Terence Boylan, Ian Hunter, Nicole Wills, Tony Wilson, Natalie Merchant, Joy Askew, Katell Keineg, Madder Rose, David Mead, Jim Weider, Honky Tonk Gurus, Brian Vander Ark, Upchuck, Verve Pipe)
• Mark Styles - Associate Synth Tech, Keyboard Computer (Centrifuge, Jahneen, Thee untuchables, Knew Romeo, Those XCleavers, Stanton Davis)
• Bill Melville - Cover Design, Layout, Inside Sleeve Art
• Jennifer Morris - Video Synth Graphics
• Danny O'Connor - Photos
• Cleve (Robert) Pozar - Drums (Bob James, Peter Ivers, Ed Curran, Bill Dixon, Ed Curran, Peter Ivers, Arthur Miller, Richard Avery, Donald Marsh, Stephen Whynott, New England Conservatory, Michael Sahl, Eric Salzman, Eric Dolphy, Bobby Naughton)
• Todd Rundgren - E-Bow Guitar Solo (Doug Legacy, Legends of the West, Money, Nazz, Ringo Starr & his ALl Starr Band, The New Cars, Utopia Grokware, Woody's Truck Stop, so many more)
• Chris Andersen - Remix
• Lady Jane - Inspiration
• Susan Lee - Coordination
• Mike Pillot - Coordination
• Bob Ludwig - Mastering

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this musician, but the cover looks like a racing checkered flag on an 80's video screen, so my initial though it that this is going to be some long hair power pop. The nerdy tweed-clad person on the back counters that idea, but i still don't know what this will be...singer songwriter perhaps?

Album Review: This album is full of synth-heavy harmonic new wave and prog rock. The titles definitely create a nerdy, science and mythical world. The vocals are nasally, somewhere between Brian Eno and Duran Duran. Most of the songs on side 2 are instrumental soundscapes, exploring the effects and limits of programmable music, and others are just synthy power pop with guitar solos and layered harmonic choruses. Roger Powell was the keyboard player in Todd Rundgren's Utopia, thus the appearance of Rundgren on the album. Powell was right there in the beginning of the Moog synthesizer, as a protege to its creator, Bob Moog and has been at the forefront creating and writing articles about synth technology. He also created the first hand held remote synth controller and called it the Powell Probe. He's worked at many electronics/audio companies, including his time as a senior programmer for both Apple computers and Electronic Arts, and created one of the first PC MIDI sequencers for the Apple II called Texture in 1985.  

Stand Out Track: Landmark

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Expose

Pop Will Eat Itself - This is the Day...This is the Hour...This is THIS!

Name: Pop Will Eat Itself 
Album: This is the Day...This is the Hour...This is THIS!
Year: 1989
Style: Electronic, Techno, Industrial, Rap
Similar Bands: Sigue Sigue Sputnik, EMF, B.A.D., M/A/R/R/S, Einsturzende Neubauten
"One-Word" Review: Eastern European Industrial Rap
Based Out Of: Stourbridge, England
Label: RCA, BMG

Cover & Record

This is the Day...This is the Hour...This is THIS! (1989)

1. PWEI is a Four Letter Word - 1:12
2. Preaching to the Perverted 4:25
3. Wise Up Sucker 3:16 (single)
4. Sixteen Different Flavours of Hell 1:23
5. Inject Me 3:51
6. Can U Dig It? 4:31 (single)
7. The Fuses Have Been Lit 4:02 /
8. Poison to the Mind 0:57
9. Def Con One 3:59 (single, US #30 Mod Rock)
10. Radio P.W.E.I 3:37
11. Shortwave Transmission on "Up To The Minuteman Nine" 1:01
12. Satellite Ecstatica 3:33
13. Not Now James, We're Busy 3:08
14. Wake Up Time To Die 6:41

Album Rating (1-10): 5.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Flood (Mark Ellis) - Producer, Mixing
• Dave Pine - Engineer & Re-Mix Engineer
• Karl Broadie - Asst. Engineer
• Robin Goodfellow - Engineer
• Mr. X & Mr. Y - Producer
• Mark Dodson - Additional Production
• D. Steele - Producer
• A. Cox - Producer
• Robert Gordon - Producer
• Cenzo Townshend - Engineer
• Frank Booth - Guitar (Situation B)
• Kerry The Buzzard Hammond - Guitar (Yeah God!)
• Twig the Wonder Kid - Backing Vox
• Mastermix - Turntables (Hardnoise, Beatmasters, Cookie Crew)
• DJ Winston (Hazel) - Turntables (Forgemasters, Supafix, The Step, Winston & Ross)
• Vestan Pance - Words & Music Pseudonym for PWEI
• This Is The Designerstar Republica - Sleeve Design, Artwork
• Phil Wolstenholme - Computer Images
• Kevin Cumings - Live Photos
• Craig Jennings - Worldwide Rep
• Paul Boswell -UK Agent
• Ian Copeland - US Agent
• Graham Crabb - Vox Keys (Golden Claw, Wild & Wondering, Je Suis Crabbi, Primitive Race, Vile Evils, Fuzz Townshend)
• Adam Mole - Keys, Programming  (Wild & Wondering, From Eden, Kut Loaf, Vile Evils)
• Richard March - Keys Programming (Wild & Wondering, Bentley Rhythm Ace, Charlatans UK, Wonder Stuff)
• Clint Mansell - Vox, Guitar (Wild & Wondering, From Eden, Buddah Boys Choir, Cerebral Fix, NIN, Lavish, Vile Evils)

Unknown-ness: I have heard of them, but i know not what they are like...from the artwork ( i do like how the initials PWEI make up the 5 "monsters" attacking the biohazard clock in the middle), and mention of BPMS on the back, i imagine some sort of future-techno EDM band, but for some reason, i think they may sound like Nitzer Ebb or Low Pop Suicide or Stabbing Westward...maybe part of the industrial KMFDM / Front 242 genre, which is not a reach from the formerly listed bands. 

Album Review: This one required some research, as the style of music had an origin in the UK and is called Grebo Rock, a subculture and genre, adopted from a slang term for long hair bikers and/or rock music fans in the late 80's. When grunge and brit pop took hold in the early - mid 90's PWEI was shuffled over to the Industrial sub-genre, but they were a posterband for the Grebo niche. Their big trivia bit is that they were the first Western independent band invited to play the Soviet Union in 1988. The songs on this album are similar to the back of the album: a collage of bits and pieces strung together with samples, turntables and beats that bear a strong association with cold, mechanical industrial sounds. Sometimes the vocals have melody, sometimes, they are like an Eastern European cold wave rap. Def Con One uses samples of "Funky Town" and "The Twilight Zone" among a string of other musical borrows. They are still around, as a 2020 tour was planned in NZ, alas, everything was postponed Mar/April to Oct, so maybe?

Stand Out Track: Def Con One

Links:
Wiki

album wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

Spotify full album

website

touring NZ 2020 & playing this album in full

twitter

imdb

under the radar

trouser Press

Cherry red records

OXO - s/t

Name: OXO
Album: OXO
Year: 1983
Style: Synth Pop, Dance-pop
Similar Bands: Devo, English Beat, Haircut 100, Rubblebucket, Pointer Sisters, Bee Gees, Heaven 17
"One-Word" Review: Synthy Island Boy Band
Based Out Of: Florida
Label: Geffen, Warner Brothers, Warner Communications, David Geffen Company

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

OXO (1983)

1. Whirly Girl 2:56
2. Dance All Night 2:26
3. My Ride 2:39
4. Wanna Be Your Love 3:45
5. In The Stars 4:14 /
6. You Make It Sound So Easy 3:05
7. Waiting For You 2:41
8. Back In Town 2:37
9. I'll Take You Back 3:31
10. Love I Need Her 2:36
11. Runnin' Low 2:20

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Ish Angel (Ledesma) - Vox, Horn Arrangement, Percussion, Guitar, Synth Programming, Producer (Foxy, Company B, Blue Moderne, Bubble Solution, Garcia's Super Funk, Wizzzard, Rick Ashton, Sergio Mendes, Boyzone, George & Gwen McCrae, Betty Wright, Tony Wilson, Abba, Space People, Time Traveler, Apollonia, Dimples Tee, Gloria Estefan, 2 Live Crew, Mo Thugs, Santa Esmeralda, Little Beaver )
• Orlando -Guitar, Vox, Synth, Percussion (Vanessa Williams, DJ Don Juan, Ish)
• Frank Garcia - Bass, Programming, Vox
• Freddy Alwag - Drums, Vox (Sylvie Vartan, Smokey Robinson, Tonio K. Stacy Lattisaw, Billy Vera & Beaters, Four Tops)
• Uptown Horns - Horns
• Steve Porcaro - Synth Programming (Chris Squire Experiment, Toto, Bette Midler, Alice Cooper, Hall & Oates, more)
• Ian Underwood - Synth Programming (The Abnuceals Emuukha Electric orchestra, The Mothers, Frank Zappa, John Lennon, Jean-Luc Ponty, Sergio Mendes, Quincy Jones, more )
• David Thoener - Re-Recording Engineer, Mixing, Producer
• Umberto Gatica - Re-Recording Engineer
• Bill Bottrell - Re-Recording Engineer
• Richard McKernan - 2nd Engineer
• Steve Marcantonio - 2nd Engineer
• Ricky DeLena - 2nd Engineer
• Stephen Schmitt - 2nd Engineer
• George Marino - Mastering
• Ken Mansfield - Producer
• Carole Childs - Producer
• Mick Haggerty - Album Design
• Aaron Rapoport - Photos

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. But the black & white w/ minimal yellow cover art of the OXO repeating over and over has a feeling of a synth band, although the photo on the back has a 70's power pop vibe.

Album Review: OXO, not to be confused with the home kitchen gadgetry company or tic-tac-toe video game from 1952, was a "one hit wonder" band with top 40 Adam Ant-ish, swingy single "Whirly Girl" (about Ish's wife). Overall, this album has a harmonic island dance boy band style going on. "My Ride" has some Devo & Thomas Dolby elements, but is much more overproduced with the slick, tinny mid 80's synth sound. "In the Stars" sounds like a Pointer Sisters song. 2007's real footage documentary and 2015's comedy remake, both called Frank & Cindy is about bassist Frank Garcia odd marriage told by his filmmaker stepson. 2015 casts Oliver Platt as Frank & Renne Russo as Cindy.

Stand Out Track: My Ride

Links:

Spotify full Album
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

Variety Review of 2007's Frank & Cindy

imdb

Instructions - s/t

Name: Instructions
Album: s/t
Year: 1982
Style: New Wave, Synth
Similar Bands: Devo, Styx, Buggles, Adam Ant, Gary Numan, Mi-Sex, Roxy Music
"One-Word" Review: Future Theatrical Synth-Wave
Based Out Of: Canada
Label: Atlantic, Radio Records, Warner Communications

 Cover, Record

Back, Record

Instructions (1982)

1. Wicked Heart 4:00
2. So You Learn From Computers 4:15
3. Don't Say Love 3:47 (single)
4. Suburban Dream 4:19
5. Ha Ha Ha 4:29 /
6. The Factory 3:40
7. The Extra 3:55
8. Naked Deer 2:49
9. Cleek 2:56
10. O K 3:51

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Owen Smith - Vox, Writer (Vehicle, Maxwell Friday, Old Sailor, Paris Mob, The Immortals)
• Martin Wall - Keys & Textures, Writer (Vehicle, Wenzday)
• Domenic Troiano - Guitar (Guess Who, Black Market, Bush, James Gang, Mandala, Robbie Lane & Disciples, Hawks more)
• Mike Jones - Engineer
• Larry - Backing Vox
• Peter Crolly - Bass, Writer (Frank Soda, Lee Aaron, Robert Connolly)
• Alan Webster - Drums
• Dave Beatty - Guitar (Robert Connolly)
• Regan Myers - Keys, Writer (Cosmic Ray)
• Janet Williamson - Vox
• Kimberly Johnston - Vox
• Phantasmagoria Ltd Toronto - Design
• Greg Lawson - Design
• Hugh Cooper - Asst Engineer
• Jeff Stobs - Asst Engineer
• Mick Walsh - Asst. Engineer
• Robin Brouwers - Asst. Engineer
• Claudette Abrams - Photos
• John Driscoll - Producer
• Gaston Gravell- Producer Asst.

Unknown-ness: I never heard of this band, but it cover makes them look like a dark, pub band with back-alley musical style. The font, however, looks computer-generated, but that might feed into the spy theme with instructions for a secret mission. Still going to assume this is Pub Rock.

Album Review: The music is much more synthetic and new wave, similar to a cold, future concept album like Mr. Roboto, with dark, sanitized synth beats juxtaposed with an emotive singer, sometimes singing with a Devo-like monotone. "Suburban Dream" has a bit of a Police-like reggae melody to it. O K sounds a little like Roxy Music's "The Strand." The synthy part of "Cleek" reminds me of Adam Ant's talk-singing. "The Extra" is fun Power-Pop still keeping a toe in future synth sounds, but "Ha Ha Ha" sounds out of place on the album, like a Supertramp song.

Stand Out Track: Factory

Links:
what Frank is listening to
Willfully obscure
Discogs
owen smith website

Huang Chung - s/t

Name: Huang Chung
Album: s/t
Year: 1982
Style: New Wave, new romantic
Similar Bands: Thomas Dolby, Psychedelic Furs, Ultravox, Police
"One-Word" Review: Synthy Smooth Soundscapes
Based Out Of: London
Label: Artista,

Cover, Record

 Record, Back

Huang Chung (1982)

1. Hold Back The Tears 4:05
2. I Never Want to Love You In a Half-Hearted Way 3:12
3. Ti Na Na 4:24 (single)
4. Straight From My Heart 2:45
5. Dancing 4:35 /
6. China 3:24
7. Rising in the East 5:25
8. Chinese Girls 2:48
9. Why Do You Laugh 4:00
10. I Can't Sleep 3:15

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Jack Hues (Jeremy Ryder) - Guitar, Lead Vox, Piano (Scabb Harry, Intellektuals, 57 Men, Blanket of Security, Martin Page, Strictly Inc, Eg, Tony Banks, Led Bib, Bose, Definition Of Sound, Gene, Arkarna, Fey, Edurne, The-Quartet, )
• Nick De Spig (Feldman) - Bass, Percussion, Vox (Pig Williams, Intellektuals, 57 Men, Blanket of Security, Promised Land, Suggs, Tom Robinson, )
• Hogg (David Burnand) - Sax, Percussion, Vox (Blanket of Security)
• Darwin (Darren Costin) - Drums, Percussion, Vox (57 Men, Blanket of Security, Heroes)
• Rhett Davies - Producer (Roxy Music)
• Roger Bechirian - Remixing & Producer (Undertones)
• Fin Costello - Photos
• Steve Joule -Design
• Alex Feldman - Logo Design
• Ged Doherty - Mgmt
• Andy Hilton - Mgmt
• Nigel Mills - Engineer
• Stuart Henderson - Engineer
• Dave Bellotti - Engineer

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, but with an Asian name, but non-Asian band members (looking at the back pics), I'm not sure how to react to the album, although four of the ten tracks also have a Chinese theme, so will this be Chinese appropriated new wave? Not sure!

Album Review: So this band went on to a name change into Wang Chung once they became the second band from the UK to be signed to Geffen (their next album. Asia was the first UK band signed), because the label saw their name get mis-pronounced as Hung Chung. "Wang" was more phonetically accurate. The name means Yellow Bell, and is the first note in the Chinese classical scale. The songs are cold, smooth soundscapes full of synth and bouncy beats, with only a touch of Asian assimilation. The vocals remind me a lot of Thomas Dolby: cold and calculated, and emotive when they need to be.

Stand Out Track: Chinese Girls

Links:
Full Album Youtube
album wiki page
WC wiki
WC Discogs
NJ101.5
allmusic
ilxor thread
trouser press
pastdaily
rate your music
website

Hammer - s/t

Name: Hammer
Album: s/t
Year: 1979
Style: Light Rock, Powerpop, Electronic/Synth Pop
Similar Bands: Brian Eno, Yes, Peter Gabriel,
"One-Word" Review: Unpredictable Power-Synth Pop
Based Out Of: NY
Label: Elektra Asylum, Warner

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

Hammer (1979)

1. Goodbye 3:37
2. I Got You 5:50
3. Oh, Pretty Woman 3:41 (Roy Orbison Cover)
4. One Day 4:38
5. Vaporize Me 3:42 / 
6. Nowhere to Go 5:46
7. Forever Tonight 4:46
8. Highway Made of Glass 3:14
9. Rainbow Day 5:38
10. Sister Louisiana 3:14

Album Rating (1-10): 7.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Jan Hammer - Writer, Producer, Keys, Synth, Vox, Engineer (Mahavishnu Orch, Jeff Beck, Al Di Meola, Neal Schon, Sarah Vaughan, Mick Jagger, Carlos Santana, Stanley Clarke, Elvin Jones, Junior Trio more) 
• Colin Hodgkinson - Bass, 12 String Guitar, Vox (Back Door, Barlin Blues Band, Electric Blues Duo, Jon Lord Blues Project, K2, Ten Years After, Hofner Bluenotes, Spencer Davis Group, Tramline, Whitesnake, Alex Korner, Konstantin Wecker, Pete York, British Blues Quintet, Alexis Korner, Eric Delaney, Alan Randall, Joan Bptista Humet, Joji Hirota, Neal Schon, Schon & Hammer, Cozy Powell, Mick Jagger, Stefan Grossman, James Young, Phil Carmen, Pete Maffay)
• Gregg Carter - Drums (Edgar Winter)
• Glen Burtnick - Lead/Backing Vox, Guitars, Tambourine (Cats on a Smoth Surface, Helmet Boy, Jersey Artists For Mankind, Styx, The Orchestra, The Sides, The Weeklings, Schon & Hammer, Eric Troyer, Bystander, Celine Dion, Meat Loaf, Johnny Popstar Luv Explosion, Lita Ford, Marshall Crenshaw, Jonathan, Tonio K, What If, Patty Smyth, John Waite, Don Henley)
• Bos Schachner - Additional Engineer
• Ron Coco - Art Direction & Design
• Johnny Lee - Art Direction & Design
• Chris Callis - Photography
• Elliot Sears - Mgmt

Unknown-ness: Never heard of Hammer, and with such a general name, that does not give any hints. However, the chosen imagery does...lets see...smashing through into a women's (pink) locked apartment with said "hammer" as she seems to be hiding/running from the obstructed assailant. This does not paint a very understanding band, and far from today's PC standards. So i guess the music will be testosteronly aggressive. The back image of the band, being chased by the attacked female down the stairwell (per her retaliating shadow), shows energy, but also perhaps a lighter (weaker) side. When it comes down to the year and label, i can only surmise it will be power-pub rock.

Album Review: Apparently, this is basically a Jan Hammer, most famous for the 2-Grammy winning Miami Vice theme, album. Although he is not the lead singer, he has written, produced, and engineered the full album, aside from the bass heavy version of the Roy Orbison cover "Pretty Woman." The vocals are weak and kind of flat compared to the aggressive drum and bass - which carries through the album: locked in a tug of war between light and heavy super smooth production. In "Vaporize Me" the synth bass line that leads into a Monkees-like tambourine chorus sounds great (also like Brian Eno) and is really catchy. "Forever Tonight" also has a catchy computer-synth bass line and chorus. It is apparently is the first version (sounding like a demo version with lyrics) of the hit instrumental song featured in Miami Vice. The last track sounds a bit like a Beatles-Kinks hybrid song.

Stand Out Track:  Vaporize Me, Forever Tonight

Links:
youtube full album
wiki
website
imdb
facebook
discogs
allmusic
grammy
billboard
sound on sound
miami vice wiki
unofficial site
1979 NY Times poor live review (and description of his"unwieldy keyboard-contraption" "slung over his shoulder")

Yellow Magic Orchestra - s/t

Name: Yellow Magic Orchestra
Album: s/t
Year: 1979
Style: Chip Music, Electronic Pop, Techno
Similar Bands: Hot Butter, Chromolodeon, The Advantage, Ghostwriters, Bruce Haack, Cornelius, Kraftwerk
"One-Word" Review: Atari Disco
Based Out Of: Tokyo Japan
Label: Horizon, A&M, ALFA Records

 Cover, Record

Back, Record

Yellow Magic Orchestra (1979)

1. Computer Game "Theme from the Circus" 6:38
2. Firecracker 0:02
3. Simoon 6:28
4. Cosmic Surfin' 4:27
5. Computer Game "Theme From Invader" 1:00 /
6. Yellow Magic (Tong Poo) 6:20
7. La Femme Chinoise 6:05
8. Bridge Over Troubled Music 1:00
9. Mad Pierrot 4:22

Album Rating (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Harry Hosono - Producer
• Kunihiko Murai - Executive Producer
• Tommy Li Puma - Supervisor
• Ryuichu Sakamoto - Keys, Electronics, Percussion, Orchestration, Happy End, others)
• Yukihiro Takahashi - Drums, Percussion, Electronics, Vox (Sadistic Mika Band, others)
• Haruomi Hosono - Bass, Electronics, Keys, Arrangements (Happy End, Yosui Inoue, Osamu Kitajima many  more)
• Hideki Matstake - Micro Computer Programmer (Isao Tomita, Akhihabara Electric Circus, Beat Musik, NML: No More Landmine, Oriental mechanic Band, Purple Project)
• Shunichi Hashimoto - Vox (Izumi Kobayashi)
• Masayoshi Takanaka - Electric Guitar (Bacco, Brush!?, Flied Egg, Sadistic Mika Band, Sadistics)
• Tomoko Nunoi - Sexy Vox
• Nori Yoshizawa - Engineer
• Atsushi Saito - Engineer
• Al Schmidt - Mixing
• Mike Reese - Mastering
• Shunsuke Miyazumi - Recording Coordinator
• Roland Young - Art Direction
• Amy Nagasawa - Design
• Chuck Beeson - Design
• Lou Beach - Cover Art
• Masayoshi Sukita - Back Cover

Unknown-ness: At the time of buying this record, i had not heard of them. The image looks like it is going to be Asian computer sci-fi: with the wires pouring out of the sunglasses-laden Geisha's head. From a PC standpoint, the name seems to be a little racist, amplified by the yellow highlighted suits on the back of the record. But what do I know?

Album Review: So YMO is one of the first bands to include the electronic noised from what sound like Atari games into modern music, which leans disco for the time. Today, it's referred to chip music: folks that include 8 bit sound into their compositions. Their pioneering expands beyond that into J-Pop, Electro-Pop, SynthWave and techno. Their name is apparently satire of Japan's obsession with Black magic in the late 70's. The idea was to fuse oriental exotica with modern electronics. A section of Simoon sounds a lot like Ween's Mexican instrumental Fiesta.

Stand Out Track: Computer Game "Theme from the Circus", Firecracker

Links:
Wiki
Spotify
Discogs
Allmusic
Website
Vice
Facebook
Moog Music
Fact Mag

Pankow - Gisela

Name: Pankow
Album: Gisela
Year: 1989
Style: Electronic, Synth, Industrial
Similar Bands: Borghesia, Nine Inch Nails, Nitzer Ebb, Einstürzende Neubauten, Crash Course in Science
"One-Word" Review: Industrial Gothic Fusion Dance
Based Out Of: Italy
Label: Wax Trax

 Cover, Lyrics, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

Gisela (1989)

1. I'm Lost, Little Girl 5:20
2. Warm Leatherette 3:50
3. Die Beine Von Dolores 2:59
4. Let Me Be Stalin 4:35
5. Pankow's Rotkappchen 3:00 /
6. Me & My Ding-Dong 4:35
7. Happy As The Horses Shite 4:27
8. Deutsches Bier 3:50
9. Madness (Danke Gisela) 2:16
10. Follow Me In Suicide 4:06

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Maurizo Fasolo - RE301, Samples (FM & Paolo, Kowp, la Corte Di Orfeo, LAShTAL, Scudcrow, Hardsonic Bottoms 3, Diaframma, De Glaen)
• Alex Spalck - Vox
• Paolo Favati - Samples (Die Larm, Exit, FM & Paolo, Kowp, Pippola Music, Poppers, Templebeat, Vanish Memory, Verdiana Raw, Wave Workers Foundation, Meathead)
• Alex Gimignani - Drums (Circosmosi, Exit, Gezz Zero Hrup, Indoeuropean Music Ensemble, Kowp, London Underground, Neon)
• Carlo Rossi - Recording, Space Guitar
• Adrian Sherwood - Mixing, Erased Sounds
• Rico Conning - Mixing, Editing, Helicopters
• Paola Faggioli - Mad Girl
• Nardo Lunardi - Guitar
• Alessandra Micheli - Delightful Girl
• Michela Crociani - Female Voice
• Daria Piccini - Record lending
• Carlo Mauro - Choir 
• Helnwein - Cover Painting
• G Von Toma - Cut

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band...it came into the oddball thrift store I used to volunteer at. From the label Wax Trax, and the unnerving cleft palate painting on the cover, I can only guess it is some weird dark industrial shit.

Album Review: So this band is a pioneer in the EBM (Electronic Body Music)/Industrial scene, as they started 10 years before this record came out. The sound is exactly as the genre dictates: Industrial meets synth punk electronically. There are a bunch of samples, mash ups, and style changes, but underlying it all is a dark, cold industrial soundscape. The music could be interpreted and used as futuristic music in films like Robocop or a bombed out Russia, to show what the anarchist kids are into. "Die Beine Von Dolores" and "Follow Me In Suicide" are nearly vocals only with minimal music accompaniment.

Stand Out Track: Warm Leatherette (cover of The Normal's song & sounds like CCIS)

Links:
Discogs
website
Myspace
Youtube full album

Trans X - Message on the Radio

Name: Trans X

Album: Message on the Radio

Year:1983

Style: Dance, Electronic, New Wave, Synth Pop

Similar Bands: New Order, Sparks, OMD, Lime, Devo, Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Crash Course in Science

One Word Review: Nonstop Dancing Futureistic Computers

Based Out Of: Montreal, Ca

Label: Matra

 Message on the Radio - Cover, Record

Message on the Radio - Back, Record

Message on the Radio (1983)

1. 3-D Dance 5:53
2. Nitelife 7:15
3. 21st Century 5:29 /
4. Living on Video 5:52
5. Message on the Radio 5:10
6. Josee 5:46
7. Digital World 3:34

Album Rating: 9.0

Members & Other Bands:
`Pascal Languirand - Vox, All Instruments
`Anne Brosseau - Additional Personnel
`Chiffon - Additional Personnel
`Liz Tansey - Additional Personnel
`Linda Benoy - Additional Personnel
`Ian Lebofsky - Additional Personnel
`Steve Wyatt - Keys, Programming,
Laurie Ann Gill - Vox (Nudimension)
`Christian Traut - Art Direction
`Carmine Nicodemo - Exec Producer
`Dominique Nicodemo - Exec Producer
`Claude Allard - Mixing, Engineer
`Carole Arsenaul - Hair
`Daniel Poulin - Photography
`Michel Cloutier - Asst. Photography
`Lisa Fizzano - Make-Up
`Daniel Bernier - Prodcer
`Pierre Bernard - Programming
`Gaetan Desbiens - Recording
`Pierre Lacoste - Percussion, Drums (Isinglass)
`Guy Abrassart - Guitar

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this band. But it looks like they are Canadian, which really does not mean anything for the style of music the album may contain. I like the angular basic shape artwork on the front, and the back looks like it might have disco elements. But from the album and band name, there might be some electronic elements.

Album Review: Apparently, this is the Canadian version of the album, as other versions around the world were retitled Living on Video, since it was the big international hit, even covered by many different bands. Pascal Languirand is the main force behind the band, controlling who is his partner, and deciding when the band is together and when it is on hiatus. The name is taken from the Kraftwerk song “Trans Europe Express.” There are two classic albums, before he retired the band, but picked it up at different times to release more albums under the name. He also recorded solo albums that are more ambient, space music in genre. I’m imagining Sparks and OMD teaming up to cover New Order songs.

“3-D Dance” was the third single released by the band. It starts with a synthesized drum beat. Swooping synth effects fly across the speakers and a fun bouncy synth hook starts wiggling into your ears. It is dotted with OMD style synth notes. The vocals start, and represent part disco, and part Sparks. The bass is driving and thumping, augmented by the nervous keyboard sounds and pulsing synth beats. There are female vocals exchanging lines in the first verse, and in the second verse, digitized, deep monster vocals exchange lines with the lead. The song is like a sped up, energetic version of Men W/O Hat’s “Safety Dance.”

“Nitelife” begins with a dark, rumbling warning synth hook, reminding me of Crash Course in Science. Then a keyboard alarming sound is added in, which reminds me of Martha & the Muffins. The effects keep changing, and get squeaker and catchier. The chorus is a call in response with the singer and himself, only a slightly deeper pitch echos the original, Devo-ish call. Synth effects zig and zag, creating a little jazzy section of the song, all the while the drums and dark bass synth keep the tempo driving. It keeps coming back to the familiar elements that are laid down in the beginning, just in continuous variation. By the end of the song, the alarming keyboard sound warbles from left to right speaker.

“21st Century” begins with a somewhat disco bass and hand clap-like percussion start. Then with a genuine OMD twinkling keyboard melody, the upbeat song takes shape. Crystalline/angelic hums fade in and out on rotation. The vocals sound quite excitable. The song follows on this Sparks (vocal melodies) plays an OMD style song. It tends to get a little tedious in its repetitive structure.

“Living on Video” was their first, biggest single, covered by many and topping the charts in the US and Europe on top of Canada. It starts off with a strong “Blue Monday” New Order bass line, with crystal synth twinkles and space warp effects. Then another OMD keyboard hook builds in to repeat, and the final hook is added, a synthetic slide whistle is the best way to describe it. The vocals are all quite calculated, and some are digitized and some have an alluring unisex tone. Once the song breaks, the New Order bass line comes into full swing, and it is wonderful. More space and digital effects are layered over, along with vocal (some like Ladytron) cruising by. The song tears itself down, and builds itself back up numerous times, and keeps coming back to the incredibly catchy elements.

“Message on the Radio” was also a single, and the album title for most of the world. Different styles of digital hooks are used here, again, bringing OMD to mind, mostly. The vocals again remind me of Sparks. The song is built on a standard template of lyric-instrumental stanza on repeat until it reaches the chorus. The chorus is a burst of excitable vocal energy. Halfway through the song, an instrumental breakdown begins, with some sections experiencing a controlled breakdown, but it always comes back to the main supportive hooks. The song fades out with the energetic chorus in a fade.

“Josee” starts with a bass and drum beat, and breathy, futuristic automated female vocal samples. The song kicks in with another playful and upbeat OMD style synth line. The lyrics have a big emotional exertion, again, similar to Sparks. Once you make a connection, it is hard to shake it. The song sonds like a reprise on a couple of songs that came before it. The breathy vocals play a much bigger role here, for an instrumental breakdown, they speak over in a French(?) accent, like they are speaking over a phone call. There is a bit of an industrial effect breakdown, and some soaring electric guitar notes, and the male Oh-whoa-oh-oh vocals perform a call and response with the female vocals. The song returns to its previous structure, and plays out with the bouncy synth effects carrying it through to the fade out

“Digital World” has an anxious looping keyboard hook, accompanied with a drum machine tempo that is steady feels like it is about to pick up. Drive-by zooming synth effects lift off, and the song takes a leisurely futuristic drive, with a few vocal samples that cruise by, lost in the song’s momentum. This instrumental song continues with the nervous, driving synth tones, allowing the listener to visualize passing through art deco-futuristic city-scapes. It feels like I should be playing a game like Stun Runner. 

Stand Out Track: Living on Video

Links:
Wiki
Discogs
Facebook
Pascal Facebook
Akai Pro
Inner Edge Music Interview
Jorge Munnshe (Spanish) 
Allmusic
Womex
Amazings
Golden 80's
Artists Worldwide

Ultravox - Quartet~, Lament*

Name: Ultravox

Album(s): Quartet~, Lament*

Year(s): 1982, 1984

Style: Dark Wave, Synth, Electronic

Similar Bands: OMD, Depeche Mode, Human League, Art in America, Simple Minds, Gary Numan, Pet Shop Boys, Sparks

One-Word Review: Pulsating Count Synth-ula~ Anthemic Sterile Tundra*

Based Out Of: London, UK

Label: Chrysalis

 Quartet~ - Cover & Record

 Quartet~ - Back & Record

 Lament - Cover, Sleeve, Record

Lament - Back, Sleeve, Record

Quartet ~(1982)

1. Reap the Wild Wind 3:49
2. Serenade 5:05
3. Mine for Life 4:44
4. Hymn 5:46 /
5. Visions in Blue 4:38
6. When the Scream Subsides 4:17
7. We Came to Dance 4:14
8. Cut & Run 4:18
9. The Song (we go) 3:56

Lament *(1984)

1. White China 3:50
2. One Small Day 4:30
3. Dancing With Tears in My Eyes 4:39
4. Lament 4:40
5. Man of Two Worlds 4:27
6. Heart of the Country 5:05
7. When the Time Comes 4:56
8. A Friend I Call Desire 5:09

Album Review (1-10): ~7.5
*8.0

Members & Other Bands:
Midge Ure - Vox, Guitar~* (Silk, The Rich Kids, Thin Lizzy, Visage, Band Aid, X-Perience, Schiller)
George Martin - Producer~ (Beatles)
Warren Cann - Drums, Backing Vox~* (Tiger Lily, Zaine Griff, Peter Godwin, Helden, Mecano, Duffo, Python, Paper Toys)
Chris Cross (Allen) - Bass, Synth, Backing Vox~* (Tiger Lily, Hello, Larry Carlton )
Billy Currie - Keys Violin~* (Tiger Lily, Gary Numan, Tubeway Army, Steve Howe, Dead or Alive, Sam Blue, Vinny Burns, Phil Lynott, Humania, Visage, Duffo)
Geoff Emerick - Engineer~
Jon Jacobs - Asst Engineer~
Peter Saville Associates- Cover~*
Ken Kennedy - Drawing~
Bill Philpot - Colouring~
Rik Walton - Engineer*
John Hudson - Engineer*
Mae McKenna - Gaelic Vox*
String Quartet (Amanda Woods, Jacky Woods, Margaret Roseberry, Robert Woollard)*
Shirley Roden - Backing Vox*
Debbie Doss - Backing Vox*
Crown Copyright - Callanish Standing Stones Photo*

Unknown-ness: Although the name sounds familiar, and I have seen their name around recently, as they have reformed, I don’t know anything about them. I associate them with cod, dark wave, like Cabaret Voltaire, Fad Gadget, or maybe even Depeche Mode. But there are sub categories in there that could define them more, including being actually listenable, which Depeche Mode’s mid-later stuff is not.

Album Review: Ultravox has gone through a couple of rebirths, moving from a first incarnation called Tiger Lily, through finally settling on Ultravox (without an !), and the departure of the creative front man, giving way to their most successful era with Midge Ure, which lasted through to 1988. They reformed twice in 1992 for four years, and again in 2009 to the present. These two albums were in the middle of the Ure years, and show their biggest charting success in the US (Quartet, #61). Quartet had 4 top 20 charting songs, and Lament had three top 40. Both were top ten albums in the UK. All in all, they were a pretty big band in the UK, with minimal exposure in the US.

“Reap the Wild Wind” begins with an upbeat crystal-synth melody and bouncy bass. The vocal tempo of the chorus reminds me of “Invisible Touch.” The vocals are dark and gothic and not always sung. But it is a happy, wind-swept song.

“Serenade” starts with a bouncy bass and steady drum beat, sounding like something from Art in America (another album I reviewed). The digital pulsating synth tempo keeps the song moving, through the gothic sections and soaring vocals. This could be used for a broadway or ballet growth montage.

“Mine for Life” starts off with a few power chords, with off key, dark tones to form the melody. The chorus is anthemic, like an echoing, emo declaration.

“Hymn” keeps its namesake, and quietly fades up in gospel style. It quickly turns into another driving “growth montage” song, incorporating OMD’s Enola Gay synth hook underneath. It has that same pace, too. The majestic yet sterile chorus rises and falls, building itself with little melody peaks.

“Visions in Blue” starts out very dark and shuttered in with a sad piano carrying the deep mournful and crooning vocals along. The second tier of verse gets bolder, shedding the closeted fear and soaring up accompanied by sinister organ noted. Once it gets going, it features a synth hook that is reminiscent of a slowed down Pet Shop Boys’ It’s a Sin (which came out 5 years later). It combines pulsating electronic vibrations with angry chamber piano.

“When the Scream Subsides” starts off pretty suddenly, and has energetic Sparks-like vocals pared with quieter chanting. The song is a confident march, but it tends to meander in the instrumental section.  

“We Came to Dance” has a nervous keyboard intro that sounds like Mega Man’s Elec Man stage (which also came out 5 years later) alongside echoing bangs. The song maintains a nervous tension, thanks to the pulsating tempo. This song reminds me of Placebo. It features a dark breakdown with more bangs and creepy spoken lyrics that are barely audible.

“Cut & Run” again uses the ringing keyboard synth sound made popular by Pet Shop Boys. It is a dark, charging, chanting section that leads to a stripped away, show-tuney upbeat emotional vocal section. The darkness and upbeat sections converge to finish out the song in an instrumental fade out.

“The Song (we go)” sprints off at the start with driving drums and cold, sweeping synth. Even when the vocals come on, and the synths fade away, the song continuously moves forward, right to the driving fade out.

“White China” has a vibrating electronic bass line that reminds me of OMD or perhaps The Human League. The vocals sound like they are sung into a bucket, with the echo and deepness. Backing vocals create a bit of a call and response. The chorus is anthemic and tundra cold. There are some techno and drum beat breakdowns before starting the electro-synth backbone to the song. This could have been in a John Hughes movie.

“One Small Day” was a single, starting off with some arena rock guitars. The chorus blasts off with a bold, Big Country or The Alarm like echo that can fill a whole stadium. The song breaks itself down, and then builds back up into the explosive chorus. The chorus itself is a very catchy, repeating hook that could go on forever.

“Dancing With Tears in My Eyes” was also a single, and UK #3. A pulsating rubber band synth rhythm kicks it off, and the vocals pattern the chorus of One Small Day very closely. The band discovered the anthemic country side, arena rock feel, and they pushed it through to the first three tracks. Personally I like them all, but they are too similar to pick a favorite. Just when the song feels like it has built itself up as powerfully as it can, it somehow breaks new ground and reaches new heights.

“Lament” was also a single. It starts out slow and you can tell it is a product of the mid 80’s in production. It has a little of a “Take My Breath Away” melody in the chorus.  The synthesized xylophone particularly stands out as an 80’s band trying to attain an organic feel via electronics.

“Man of Two Worlds” fades in with soaring notes. This gives out to a driving beat and deep, delicate vocals. For the chorus, a crystalline flute-synth is layered alongside the Gaelic female guest-vocals.

“Heart of the Country” was a single. A synthetic industrial drum beat starts the song off with dark stressed synth notes as a bass line. Synth industrial elements are peppered in here and there. The song staggers along with a mid-paced tempo, and lots of sounds and sampled sections trying to give the song more depth.

“When the Time Comes” begins with an organ quietly fading up. Echoing drum machine beats are layered behind, and diffused vocals are added, sounding like the distant vocals in Video Killed the Radio Star. The song gently glides along, overtop a wafting, rising and falling synth bass wave. It fits the rest of the album’s profile with its crystalline synth tone.

“A Friend I Call Desire” fakes the listener out with a sinister dark tone, only to be lifted off with a Duran Duran-like lead looping guitar. The song abandons the guitar for the darkness, this time, it is a driving force. Soaring vocals buffered by a female chorus in the background. The darkwave dance song progresses along the cold soundscape, to a squeaky synth ending fade.

Stand Out Tracks: ~Seranade
*White China

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