Undertones (the) - Listening In Radio Sessions 1978-1982

Name: The Undertones
Album: Listening In Radio Sessions 1978-1982
Year: 2004
Style: Punk
Similar Bands: Clash, The Jam, Buzzcocks, The Adverts, Monkees
"One-Word" Review: Standard Punks Who Became Musicians

Based Out Of: Derry, Northern Ireland
Label: Sanctuary Records Group, BBC Music, BMG 

Cover, Sleeve Back

Liner Notes, CD Back

Liner Photo, CD, CD Tray

Liner Notes

Liner Notes

Liner Notes, Song Details

Listening In Radio Sessions 1978-1982 (2004)

1. Get Over You 2:54
2. Top 20 1:59
3. She Can Only Say No 0:36
4. Male Model 1:52
5. Listening In 2:15
6. Family Entertainment 2:35
7. Billy's Third 1:51
8. Here Comes The Summer 2:01
9. Nine Times Out of Ten 2:34
10. The Way Girls Talk 2:42
11. Whiz Kids 2:38
12. Top 20 2:02
13. Girls That Don't Talk 2:22
14. Tear Proof 2:17
15. What's With Terry 3:17
16. Rock n Roll 3:07
17. The Positive Touch 1:55
18. You're Welcome 2:11
19. When Saturday Comes 2:47
20. Like That 2:57
21. Bye Bye Baby Blue 3:23
22. Beautiful Friend 3:05
23. (Just Like) Romeo and Juliet 2:03
24. Untouchable 3:16
25. The Love Parade 4:11
26. Luxury 2:35
27. The Sin of Pride 3:45

Album Rating (1-10): 9.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Michael Bradley - Bass, Vox (The Wesleys, Bernard Lenoir, Ash)
• Damian O'Neill - Guitar, Vox (The Wesleys, That Petrol Emotion, The Monotones, Everlasting Yeahm Wavewalkers, A Quiet Revolution, Tommy Tate & the Torpedoes, X-Valdez, Bernard Leonoir, Qu4tre, Ash, Rare, Mimi, Aujord'hui Madame, Die Toten Hosen, 5 Billion in Diamonds, Eileen Gogan & the Instructions, Baby Shakes)
• John O'Neill - Guitar, Vox (That Petrol Emotion, Rare, Bernard Lenoir, Wasp Factory, Blink)
• Feargal Sharkey - Vox (The Assembly, Peace Together, Kiki Dee, Bernard Lenoir)
• Bill Doherty - Drums (Bernard Lenoir, Baby Shakes)
• Vincent O'Neill  -Backing Vox
• Steve Hammonds - Release Coordination
• Joe Smith - Release Coordination
• Hugh Gilmour - Artwork & Design
• Larry Doherty - Photos
• LFI - Photos
• Jill Furmanovsky - Photos
• Andy Ferguson - Mgmt (Cracks 90 Ltd.)
• Dave Richings - Recording
• Mick Houghton - Liner Notes
• Bob Sargeant - Producer, Engineer
• Dale Griffin - Producer, Engineer
• Dave Dade - Producer, Engineer
• Mike Engles - Producer, Engineer
• Stephen Nelson - Producer, Engineer

Unknown-ness: This album is one of the more recognizable bands i'm "reviewing"...i probably could take it off the list, but i did not know who they were when i bought this album used back in the mid 00s, a couple years before I started this blog. Figured they were a Clash/Jam style band from the clothes and years this compilation represented. And yeah, spot on.

Album Review: This is a nice compilation that travels the evolution of the Undertones, one of the biggest bands from Northern Ireland's, sound. Starting with their first John Peel session in 1978, where Peel had to foot the 70 pound studio bill for the broke band, through to their final (7th) session in 1982, which apparently the band barely remembers doing. It shows the band's growth from a three chord angsty punk band, the standard first origins step for any punk band. The wavering and harmonized vocals took the Beatles sound, sped it up, and overlaid aggressive guitars over the generally catchy hooks and backing beat. Again, I'm not discovering anything new here, it is a stereotypic start for the genre. Over the sessions, the songs got longer, and more intricate and added in more themes of 60's Psychedelia, Motown and Gary Glitter.

Although this is an Undertones compilation, it lacks their most popular track, Teenage Kicks, missing because, as the band states, they recorded it as well as they could have hoped, and felt no need to replicate it (even if Top 20 is on here twice). They broke up after their fourth album in 1983, but reunited in 1999 for Derry reunion gigs, minus Sharkey, who decided against rejoining. They are still an active band (as of 2021) and i would have seen them last year for the first time, it it weren't for that meddling covid.

Stand Out Track: 78 Peel Session (Get Over You / Top 20 / She Can Only Say No / Male Model)

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UK - Danger Money

Name: UK
Album: Danger Money
Year: 1979
Style: Prog, Jazz Fusion
Similar Bands: Styx, Brand X, Battles, Mike Batt, Emerson Lake Palmer, King Crimson
"One-Word" Review: Cinematic Space Soundscapes
Based Out Of: England
Label: EG Records, Polydor, Polygram Distribution

Cover, Record, Liner Notes

Back, Record, Sleeve Notes

Danger Money (1979)

1. Danger Money 8:12
2. Rendezvous 6.05 5:00 (single)
3. The Only Thing She Needs 7:53 (single) /
4. Caesar's Palace Blues 4:42 (single B-Side)
5. Nothing to Lose 3:57 (single)
6. Carrying No Cross 12:20

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Eddie Jobnson - Writing, Arrangement, Producer, Violin, Keys (Curved Air, Roxy Music, Frank Zappa, Jethro Tull, Legacy, UKZ, Ultimate Zero, Fat Grapple, Roger Glover, Neoteric Orch, Yes, Mark Mancina, Andy Mackay, Bryan Ferry, Dana Gillespie, Amazing Blondel, John Entwistle, Mike Heron's Reputation, Phil Manzanera, Jasun Martz, Spyro Gyra,   more)
• John Wetton - Writing, Arrangement, Producer, Vox, Bass (Asia, King Crimson, Roxy Music, Brian Eno, Uriah Heep, Edward Hand, Family, The Human Experience, Jack-Knife, Mogul Thrash, Qango, Renaissance, Wishbone Ash, Ultimate Zero, Bryan Ferry, Phil Manzanera, Atoll)
• Terry Bozzio - Drums, Percussion (Frank Zappa, Missing Persons, HoBoLeMa, Lonely Bears, Vai, Bozzio Levin Stevens, Brecker Bros, Jeff Beck, Luis Gasca, Barretto, A.Heller, Spinettam Group 87, more)
• John Punter - Engineer
• Geoff Emerick - Recording
• Nigel Walker - Asst. Engineer
• Dave Fidler - Crew
• Graham Davis - Crew
• Hipgnosis - Cover Design, Photos
• George Marino - Mastering
• Mark Fenwick - Special Thanks
• Sam Alder - Special Thanks

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this band. The cover of a corporate employee washing their hands, couple with the album title Danger Money offer a political commentary on corporate greed and the difficult subjugation. The back show long hairs with their instruments, and overall, i get a hard rock, power pop standing on the edge of metal vibe...if it were not for the 6 tracks at rather lengthy times. That makes me think it is more of a prog act. Not to say the two cannot be blended. Also, I see the name John Wetton, whom I have reviewed previously as a solo artist. So if that gives me any indication, this will still be that fine line of power pop & arena rock.

Album Review: The music emits the feeling of a cohesive theatrical play about psychedelic space adventures, even if that was not the intention. The vocal sections show they can be an arena rock band like Journey, but the rest of the progressive sections tie them to the 8-10 minute musings genre. The first 4 minutes of The Only Thing She Needs is a nice song with some Battles and Genesis sounding sections, but the song pauses and builds itself back up for an extra 4 minutes or so.

UK were a supergroup, with each member coming from 3-5 different popular bands from King Crimson, Roxy Music, Frank Zappa to name a few (obviously i'm not well versed enough in these bands or I may have picked a name out.). The end of Prog's popularity & differences in stylistic direction plagued the band, as this is their second of two studio albums (where the first one had four members, one of whom was a different drummer [Bill Bruford], and they did not replace the guitarist [Allan Holdsworth]), and they broke up while touring for the album. But their differences were not enough to burn any bridges, as these three all worked together in various projects, and reformed together for a US tour in 2012.

Stand Out Track: The Only Thing She Needs

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Truth (the) - Playground

Name: The Truth
Album: Playground
Year: 1985
Style: Jangly Pop
Similar Bands: Hall & Oates, Dire Straits, ABC, Tears for Fears, China Crisis, Howard Jones, Spandau Ballet, Style Council, JoBoxer
"One-Word" Review: pub rock with a smooth new car smell facelift
Based Out Of: UK
Label: IRS, MCA

Cover, Record

Back, Record

Playground (1985)

1. Spread A Little Sunshine 3:35
2. Exception of Love 3:07 (single)
3. So Many Things 2:52
4. Always On My Mind 4:02
5. I'm In Tune 2:44 /
6. Playground 3:22 (single)
7. Solution 3:25
8. It's A Miracle 5:18
9. Thursday Club 3:35
10. You Play With My Emotions 4:15

Album Rating (1-10): 7.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Dennis Greaves - Guitar, Vox (Nine Below Zero, NHS Voices, The Co-Operative, Perfect Crime, Gwyn Ashton, Steve Marriott, Squeeze, Glenn Tilbrook & the Fluffers)
• Mick Lister - Guitar, Vox (The Stowaways, Perfect Crime, Moody Marsden, Jamai, The Beat, Tony Hadley)
• Chris Skornia - Keys (Fabulous Poodles, The Boyfriends, The Cane, The Planets, Billy Ray Cyrus, The Overtures)
• Allan Fielder - Drums (The Climb)
• Richard Parfitt - Bass (60ft Dolls, Blood Brothers, McAlmont & Butler, Lene Marlin, Duffy, David Sinclair Trio, Martin Carr)
• Carolyn Lovell - Cello (Flesh For Lulu)
• Dennis Weinreich - Producer
• Hein Hoven - Producer
• Trevor Hallesy - Engineer
• Dave Powell - Thanks @ Konk Studios
• H.T Murkowski - Photos

Unknown-ness: I had never heard of this band. I found 2 of their records in a dollar box, but decided on this one after simply reading it was a better / more popular record...but did not hear it at all. With a 1985 date, I assume this is smoothly produced pop with a bunch of synth effects in place of typical instruments.

Album Review: It is one part jangly pop, but also has a bit of a blue-collar pub rock edge, if only a small bit, underneath the mid-80's overproduction sheen. They possess standard nasally British vocals, and some Blue-Eyed, Mod-revival pop experimentation on a couple of the tracks with synthesized horns.

This is their first album, three years after Greaves and Lister formed the band and a handful of non-album singles. Two more albums followed, with the middle one being the big hit in the US (Weapons of Love), with some songs being featured in the 1987 sci-fi film The Hidden. They were on track to follow in the Jam's footsteps, but ended up coming off without their power and drive, and ended up succumbing to the era's Miami Vice soundtrack bands in the states, and never recovered back home. You can hear it quite clearly on the track "Is There a Solution," which is musically great until the Phil Collins like vocals and chorus hit.

Stand Out Track: Exception of Love

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3 Mustaphas 3 - Shopping

Name: 3 Mustaphas 3
Album: Shopping
Year: 1988
Style: World Music, Middle Eastern, Caribbean/Island, Russian, Polka
Similar Bands: Harry Belafonte, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Zap Mama, Immigrant Suns, Gipsy Kings, Residents
"One-Word" Review: Upbeat Mos Eisley Fusion
Based Out Of: London, England
Label: Shanachie Records Corp., Ace Records Ltd.

Cover, Record

Back, Record

Newsletter Sign-Up Card

Shopping (1988)

1. Shouffi Rhirou (Regard the Jealosy) 6:44 (Najat Aatabou cover)
2. Selver (The Girls Name) 3:36
3. Xamenh Evtesia/Fiz'n (Lost Fortune / Lost Refrigeration) 6:31
4. Musafir (Oh Traveler)/ 5:05
5. Ljubav Kraj Izvora / Zvezdanovo (Skupovo) Kolo (I Took My Lover To The Well) 4:32
6. Valle E pogradecit (A Dance of That Religion) 5:14
7. Shika Shika (Hold, Hold) 6:20
8. A Night Off Beirut (Descriptive Suite) 6:13
9. Szegerely Farewell (Farewell, Szegerely) 1:20

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Isfa'ani [Salah Dawsom Miller]- Djembe Bendir-Krakab, Tam-Tam, Tama, Gangoqui, Conga, Bells, Ganza, Tambourine, Pandeiro, Cuica, Darbouka, Ti Bois, Campana, Cymbals, Electro Gamelan (Polly Bolton, Paul Dunmall, Indigo Girls, Eddi Reader, Justin Adams, Saladin's Orch, James Horner, Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Vanessa Mae, Reem Kelani, Tinariwen, U-Cef, Juldeh Camara, Les Triaboliques, Sonia Slany)
• Sabab Habar [Colin Bass] - Bass, Vox, Fond Memories (Camel, Jugala Allstars, Stella Chiweshe, Clancy, RBC, Steve hillage Band, Velvet Opera, Quidam, Amarok, Eddie Quansah, Gasper-Lawal, Oumou Sangare, Jozef Skrek, Etran Finatawa)
• Hijaz [Ben Mandelson] - Cumbus, Keman, Guitar, Bouzouk, Fiddle, Banjo, Szegeruele (Stella Chiweshe, Blue Blokes 3, Les Triaboliques, Amazorblades, Billy Bragg, Lemez Duo, Magazine, Orchestre Jazira, False Beards, Mighty Cloud of Dust, Kirsty MacColl, Jah Wobble, Mathilde Santing Combo, Gasper Lawal, Shriekback, Robert Wyatt wti the Swampo Singers, Sussan Deihim, Richard Horowitz, Abana Ba Nasery, English Country Blues Band, Susheela Raman, Abdul Tee-Jay, Cechomor, Imagined Village, Oi Va Voi, Shtetl Superstars, Bob Copper, Yiddish Twish Orch )
• Niaveti 3 [Tim Fienburgh] - Vox, Flute, Bulgarian Kaval, String Writing, Tulum (The Republic)
• Kemo "Kem-Kem" [Kim Burton]- Synth, Keys, Tumbador, Conga, Accordion (Onward International, Working Week, Vic Godard, Lizzy Mercier Descloux, Fairgrond Attraction, Maddy Prior, Rick Kemp, Steve Arguelles, Eddi Reader, Patron Saints of Imperfection, Billy Rain, Kirsty MacColl, Eric Matthews, Aterciopelados, Negrocan, Maryam Mursal, Chris Haigh, Ingrid Laubrock, Viramundo, Barb Jungr, Davide Mantovani, Sierra Maestra, Joglaresa, Jackson Sloan, Amira, Tracey Thorn, Dunja Knebi)
• Houzam [Nigel Watson]- Drums, Conga, Fond Memories (Stella Chiweshe, Orchestre Jazira, Element of Crime)
• Expensive [Chris Batchelor]- Trumpet, Tenor Horn (Abana Ba Nasery, Oysterband)
• Duane Mustapha - Guitar
• Uncle Patral Mustapha Bib Mustapha [Lu Edmonds] - Saz (Blue Blokes 3, Les Triaboliques, Damned, Mekons, Athletico Spizz 80, Billy Bragg, Blabbermouth, Jane Aire & the Belvederes, Pulic Image Limited, Raz3, Shriekback, CrashBaptists, The Edge, The Spizzles, Unlaunched Orchestra, Tuvan throat singers Yat-Kha, Laurie Anderson, Waterboys, Kirsty MacColl, Jon Langford, Carl Marsh, Howard Werth, Yat-Kha, Laurie Anderson)
• Lavra Tima Daviz - Vox
• Madagascar [Tarika Sammy]- Crickets (Musical group from Madagascar)
• Loquat Pathfinder Dance Club - Dancing
• Joss [Jocelyn] Pook - Viola (ABC, Massive Attack, PJ Harvey, Peter Gabriel, Communards, Regular Music, Electra Strings, Jools Holland, Mark Knopfler, Stranglers, Cranberries, This Mortal Coil, Nick Cave, Divine Comedy, Paul Weller, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Michael Nyman, Laurie Anderson, more)
• Clare Finnimore - Viola (Britten Oboe Quartet, Britten Sinfonia, Guildhall String Ensemble, Virginia Astleu, Corelli, Robert Salter, Field of Blue, Oxford U. Press House Composers, theaudience, Suggs, Boyzone, Paradise Lost, Muse, Jocelyn Pook, Cousteau, Cirque Du Soleil, Moloko, Feeder, Robin Milford, Ten tenors, Snow Patrol, Christopher Benstead, Tom Jones, Kiki Dee, White Lies, Pixie Lott, Sting, Magic Numbers, Aziza Sadikova, Kylie, Melanie C, Girls Aloud, Siobhan Lamb, Gerard Presencer, Theodore Shapiro, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Jonathan Dove, Peter Warlock, James Newton Howard, Jaga Jazzist, Marco Beltrami, Nick Urata, Charlie Wood, Kazuma Jinnouchi, John Powell, Lianne La Havas, Michael Giacchino, Mick Cave & Warren Ellis, Benjamin Britten, Woodkid, De La Martinez, Lontano)
• FEZCO - Producers
• Ian Caple - Engineer, Mixing
• Corinne Turner - Photos
• Adam Skeaping - Post Production
• DKB - Designer

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, and by the looks of the back & the story there in, these folks grew up in the Balkan nations in Eastern Europe, and draw heavy influence from local, roots music of the region...mixed in with influences from whatever was passing by or stopped in from the newly paved motorway. So my guess is Klezmer music with Russian sounding baseline with pop and folk affects fused in.

Album Review: Although the music is all over the place, style-wise;  Middle Eastern to Caribbean to Polka, the underlying grooves make the album fully cohesive. They are a British band, and I even get a Welsh vibe to a couple songs ("Musafir" perhaps because I am a big fan of Gorky's Zygotic Mynci). The vocals are passionate and sometimes quite silly, but they are having a great time all the while, and it translates in their music, perhaps summarized in their punny musical catch phrase "take it to the fridge" and adopted motto "forward in all directions!"

Although their Balkan roots from a town called Szegerely with adopted Mustaphas names and being smuggled into England in refrigerators was a humorous ruse, it was a good story to set the stage for their eccentric and unique (there was no World Music genre) brand of blended musical styles. They lasted about 9 years, from 1982 - 1991, with revivals in 97 & 01. They recorded seven times with John Peel, and found themselves playing at a variety of festivals and venues, almost every time, requiring a fridge full of fruit on stage to "take 'it' to." In complement to this, they requested the audience to bring mysterious cheeses to their shows for the band to identify.

Stand Out Track: Shouffi Rhirou (spelled Choufi Ghirou on later versions)

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Tenpole Tudor - Let the Four Winds Blow

Name: Tenpole Tudor
Album: Let the Four Winds Blow
Year: 1981
Style: Rockabilly, Punk
Similar Bands: XTC, Clash, Mink Deville, Dead Milkmen, Sugarplastic
"One-Word" Review: Jokey Theatrical Punk
Based Out Of: London England 
Label: Stiff

Cover, Record

Back, Record

Let the Four Winds Blow (1981)

1. Let the Four Winds Blow 3:24 (single)
2. Throwing My Baby Out With the Bathwater 3:28 (single)
3. Trumpeters 4:10
4. It's Easy to See 3:48
5. What You Doing in Bombay 4:03 /
6. Local Animal 4:04
7. Her Fruit is Forbidden 2:58
8. Tonight is the Night 3:45
9. The Unpaid Debt 3:19
10. The King of Siam 3:58

Album Rating (1-10): 9.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Eddie Tudorpole - Vox, Sax, Guitar, Piano (Sex Pistols, Visitors, Cage Against the Machine, Richard O'Brien, Petter Baarli, Die Toten Hosen)
• Gary Long - Vox, Drums, Percussion (Tudors, The Commercials, Pearl Harbour, The Deadbeats)
• Bob Kingston - Vox, Guitar, Piano (Tudors, Pearl Harbour)
• Dick Crippen - Vox, Bass (Tudors, The Weird Things, King Kurt, Ministry of Ska, Pearl Harbour)
• Munch Universe - Vox, Guitar, Percussion
• Jos Holloway - Indispensable Man
• Alan Winstanley - Producer, Finger Cymbals
• Dave Allen - Machinery Operator
• Kim Aldis - Photos

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. Their name, album art and album name create a concept album of medieval reenactments. They look like a group ready to embark on an album of Baroque / Prog meanderings.

Album Review: Their style and chosen identity is not represented at all musically. They are a mix of punk ala The Clash and rockabilly like Stray Cats, with some complex arrangements of mid-period XTC sprinkled in. 
Their big break was when singer Tudor-Pole starred in the Sex Pistol's 1980 film The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle, and instead of replacing Johnny Rotten, Vicious died & the Sex Pistols folded, and he was able to pick up with the group he organized a few years earlier. While they only lasted a few years, and put out two albums and a slew of singles, Tudor-Pole has reformed the grouped often over the years, and has a bit of a style-rollercoaster of a career, playing in Cajun, jazz and swing acts and focused on acting for a time, which included hosting a UK gameshow The Crystal Maze in the late 90's. They were apparently goofy odd-balls with a wacky live show, adopting the chain mail and knights armor on stage stemming from Tudor-Pole's claim to descend from Henry VIII's lineage. 

Stand Out Track: The King of Siam, Let the Four Winds Blow

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Taxxi - States of Emergency

Name: Taxxi
Album: States of Emergency
Year: 1982
Style: Hard Rock, Power Pop
Similar Bands: Foreigner, Cheap Trick, Bad Co., Loverboy, Night Ranger
"One-Word" Review: Back Alley Power Rock
Based Out Of: London, England
Label: Fantasy Records 

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

States of Emergency (1982)

1. Girl (New York City) 3:58 (single)
2. The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter 4:26 (single)
3. Cocktail Queen (Don't She Love to Rock And Roll) 4:06 (single)
4. I'm Leaving 4:28 (single) /
5. Players 3:58
6. Gold Digger 4:16 (single b-side)
7. Whipping Boy 4:36
8. I Remember 4:23

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Jeffrey Nead - Drums, Backing Vox (Cleaners, Soho Jets, Marlon McClain)
• Colin Payne - Keys Backing Vox (Candyland, Marlon McClain, Heather Nova, Thomas Lang, Treehouse)
• David Cumming - Guitar, Vox, Synth (Cleaners, Soho Jets, The Look, David Hayes)
• Tim Gorman - Keys Backing Vox (The Who, Lazy Racer, Phil & the Noise, Marlon McClain, KBC Band, Jefferson Starship, The VU, Paul Kantner's Wooden Ships, Gabriel, Striker, Pleasure, Spinners, Tim Renwick, Marlon McClain, Defuser, Local Boys, The Look, George Whitsell, Steve Douglas, KC & the Beat Merchants, Clas Yngstrom's Sky High, Diane Tell, Alasdair Fraser, Quistaday, Heart Attacks, Greg Kihn)
• Danny Chauncey - Guitar (Billy Satellite, Eddie Money, .38 Special, Mistress, Witness, Thomas Jefferson Kaye, Jim Peterik & World Stage)
• Randy Jackson - Bass (Billy Cobham, Michael Narada Walden, Herbie Hancock, American Idol, Journey, We Are Family Collective, more )
• Phil Kaffel - Producer, Engineer, Backing Vox
• Tom Coster - Keys Bullmark, Santana, Vital Information, more)
• Steve Douglas - Sax (Replacements, Duane Eddy, Crystals, Jerry Cole, Jan and Dean, Dick Dale, Albert King, Incredible Bongo Band, David Cassidy, Keith Moon, Nilsson, Tubes, Cher, Leon Russell, Beach Boys, Bette Midler more)
• Steve Smith - Tambourine (Journey, Corrado Rustici Trio, Focus, George Brooks Summit, GHS, Players, Soulbopband, Steps Ahead, The Storm, Vital Information, Vital Techtones, Vox Humana more)
• Bob Basik - Dice
• Steve Toby - Asst Engineer
• George Horn - Mastering
• Rollie- Equipment
• Phil Carroll - Art Direction
• Phil Bray - Photos
• Jamie Putnam - Design, Cover
• Dave Leiken - Mgmt

Unknown-ness: Never heard of the band, but the name Taxxi with two Xs just seems silly. With cover art of three people hidden by smoke, i imagine they are trying to communicate that they are a back alley pub rock band suited for the Miami Vice soundtrack.

Album Review: So this London based band is another act cashing in on the American power pop sound. I would not have imagined they were British until i read their bio. They were actually encouraged to move to the states after forming, so they moved to the Bay Area. Their songs vary between powerpop and hard pub rock, even throwing a touch of slide guitar country occasionally. The songs are catchy, his voice is solid, but nothing here is all that differentiating or unique. The most powerful song is probably Cocktail Queen, which was a single and inspired by an actual experience in Arizona. This is their second of five albums, six if you count the album never released, and they had songs on the Weird Science and Secret of My Success soundtracks.

Stand Out Track: Cocktail Queen (Don't She Love to Rock And Roll)

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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

Links:

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N1M

Steve Swindells - Fresh Blood

Name: Steve Swindells
Album: Fresh Blood
Year: 1980
Style: Pub rock, Power Pop, New Wave
Similar Bands: Dire Straits, A's, Graham Parker, Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen, 
"One-Word" Review: Unpolished Americana Wave
Based Out Of: London, England
Label: Atco, Warner Communications Company, Atlantic

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

Fresh Blood (1980)

1. Turn It On, Turn It Off 3:12
2. Fresh Blood 3:36
3. I Feel Alive 3:47
4. Low Life Joe 4:16
5. Bitter and Twisted 3:50 /
6. Don't Wait on the Stairs 3:22
7. Is It Over Now? 4:08
8. Down on Love Street 5:37
9. Figures of Authority 5:12
10. Show Down in the Night 5:12

Album Rating (1-10): 7.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Steve Swindells - Producer, Writer, Vox, Keys (Squidd, Pilot, Hawkwind, Hawklords, Danmingo, The Plastic Surgeons, Sacrosanct, Spirits Burning, Bridget Wishart, Dave Evans, Capdevielle, Robert Calvert, 
• Huw Lloyd-Langton - Guitars (Hawklords, Widowmaker, 2001 A Space Rock odyssey, Broken Bits band, Cosmograf, Hawkestrel, Hawkwind, Robert Calvert, Nic Potter, Dr Brown, The Meads of Asphodel, Sacred Geometry Band)
• Nic Potter - Bass (Van der Graaf Generator, Pool Sharks, The K Group, The Misunderstoods, The Noise, The Tigers, Unkestra, Henry Schifter, Colin Scot, Peter Hammill, Rare Bird, Chuck Berry, Guy Evans, Magna Carta, Steve Hyams, VDGG, Huw Lloyd-Langton, )
• Simon King - Drums (Hawklords, Hawkwind, Captain Lockheed & Starfighters, Michael Moorcock's Deep Fix, Opal Butterfly, Brian Eno, Robert Calvert, The Bunch,  )
• Simon Fraser - Engineer
• Bill Price - Mixing
• Jerry Green - Asst. Engineer
• Bob Carlos Clarke - Photos
• Richard Evans - Graphics
• Bill Curbishley - Mgmt & Direction
• Pete Fountain - Mgmt & Direction

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this dude. From the cover and back, it looks like he's trying to be a scummy version of Billy Joel...a harder edge and if the back has any say, it looks like the model for the film They Live. 

Album Review: The album starts out strong, the first two tracks are fun and bouncy, with calm focused vocals similar to Mark Knopfler, but the rest takes a dive into darker territory mixed with blue collar Americana. Don't Wait on the Stairs has a little Elvis Costello / Graham Parker sound in his voice. A couple songs, like Bitter and Twisted embrace electronic synth effects, which were en vogue at the time. Figures of Authority brings in an extra layer of Goth, sounding a little like Sisters Of Mercy, or one of the early record reviews Bay of Pigs. 

So apparently, he's English, from Ipswich, Suffolk. And after music didn't pan out (to which he considers being "out-gay" might have been a contributing reason in 1981), he shifted it to a hobby and worked as a party/concert promotor and later a journalist. He then returned to music, and is still active self-releasing old and new material. A couple of his songs were recorded by Roger Daltrey.

Stand Out Track: Turn It On, Turn It Off

Links:
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Shadows (the) - Jigsaw

Name: The Shadows
Album: Jigsaw
Year: 1967
Style: Instrumental, Surf, Pop, Psych
Similar Bands: Ventures, Beatles, Peter Frampton, Rick Nelson, Bobby Fuller Four, Association
"One-Word" Review: Surf Skiffle
Based Out Of: London England
Label: EMI, Gramophone, Columbia

Cover, Record

Record, Back

Jigsaw (1967)

1. Jigsaw 2:33
2. Tennessee Waltz 2:50 (Pee Wee King / Redd Stewart cover)
3. Prelude in E Major 2:42
4. Cathy's Clown 2:27 (Everly Brothers Cover)
5. Stardust 3:06 (Hoagy Carmichael cover) (Single)
6. Semidetached Suburban Mr. James 2:48 (Mannfred Mann cover) (Single)
7. Trains and Boats and Planes 2:15 (Bacharach cover)/
8. Friday on my Mind 2:47 (Easybeats cover)
9. Winchester Cathedral 2:49 (New Vaudeville Band cover)(Single)
10. Waiting for Rosie 2:14
11. Chelsea Boot 1:52
12. Maria Elena 3:07 (Lorenzo Barcelata cover)
13. With a Hmm-Hmm on My Knee 1:57
14. Green Eyes 3:05 (Nilo Menendez cover)

Album Rating (1-10): 7.5

Members & Other Bands:

• David Steen - Cover Photo
• Jim Goff - Cover Design
• Norrie Paramor - Producer
• Peter Vince - Engineer, Writing
• John Rostill - Bass (Tom Jones, Ritchie Francis)
• Cliff Richard (Harry Webb) - Writing (Drifters, Band Aid II, Mit Chor Und Orch, Anti-Heroin Project, And Strings, Pat Carroll, Aleksander John, Dave Pope, Garth Hewitt, Olivia Newton John, Network 3, BA Ronertson, Craig Pruess, Shelia Walsh, Janet Jackson, Phil Everly, Mike Batt, Elton John, Dave Clark, Van Morrison, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Claudia Jung, Darren Day, Tim Rice, Sir John Betjemen, Lulu, Helen Shapiro, Helmut Lotti, Cilla, many)
• Hank Marvin (Brian Rankin) - Guitar (Drifters, Chesternuts, And Strings, Vipers Skiffle Group, Marvin-Welsh-Farrar, Flair, Dennis Waterman, Des O'Connor, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Wings, BEF, Shakin' Stevens, Jean-Michel Jarre, Alan Jones, Darren Day, Jane McDonald, Jet Harris, Dire Straits, Peter Frampton, Jay-Z, Leo Sayer, Jason Donovan, more )
• Bruce Welch (Bruce Cripps) - Guitar (Drifters, Chesternuts, And Strings, Marvin-Welsh-Farrar, Olivia Newton-John,  more )
• Brian Bennett - Drums (Oh Boy! House band, Marty Wilde, Tommy Steele, And Strings, Collage, Heat Exchange, James Aldenham, Les Play Boys, Krew Kats, Thunder Company, Wally Asp, Wasp, Mark Wirtz, Al Stewart, Gunhill, Marvin-Welsh-Farrar, Olivia Newton-John, Labi Siffre, Georgie Fame, Alan Hawkshaw, The Gentle Rain, Michael de Albuquerque, Nick Ingram, Camilo Sesto, Garth Hewitt, Sassafras, Alvin Stardust, Bruce Forsyth, Glenn Cardier, Dennis Waterman, Flair, Chris Spedding, Walker Bros, Sutherland Brothers, Allan Heiding, Eddie Cochran, Roger Whittaker, The Players, Darren Day, Local Heroes, Robin Beck, Survivors, East Tennessee State Univ. Bluegrass Band, Vibratos, Mohawks  more )

Unknown-ness: Never heard of the Shadows. Picked this up while on honyemoon in London, so this is a Great Britian pressing. I liked the simple layout of the name & logo & font, plus the play on the album name and puzzled together photo. See one member has buddy holly glasses, so i'm guessing it is a pop vocal band from the 60's

Album Review: So this is a very popular instrumental (mainly) band, at least in the UK, as they are the fifth sellingist band over there, right behind Presley, Beatles, Madonna & the gentleman they are also the backing band for, Cliff Richard (who was the British answer to Presley). Their peak popularity was just before the Beatles, (whom were greatly influenced by them), and they have pioneered some of rock's greatest assets, from instrumentation and band set (lead, rhythm, bass & drums) up to live performance choreography. They were forced to change their name from the Drifters to Shadows in 1959 thanks to a single released in the states, clashing with the vocal group of the same name.  They have also performed in many films and tv shows: even in pantomime and marionette forms. Musically, they combined and spotlight elements of pop, rock, surf, ballads, and jazz. This collection of songs are mostly covers, with all the aforementioned genres added in together; jazziness particularly on their originals, and some country as well. The title track is just a masterpiece ahead of its time.

Stand Out Track: Jigsaw

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Scars - Author! Author! E.P.

Name: Scars
Album: Author! Author
Year: 1981
Style: Post Punk, New Wave
Similar Bands: Gang of Four, The Jam, Haircut 100
"One-Word" Review: Soundscape inspired Post Punk
Based Out Of: Edinburgh, Scotland
Label: Stiff Records

Cover, Record

Back, Record

Author! Author! E.P. (1981)

1. All About You 3:59
2. Leave Me in the Autumn 2:48 /
3. Author! Author! 2:52
4. She's Alive 2:57 

Album Rating (1-10): 9.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Robert Blamire - Producer (Penetration)
• Steve McLaughlin - Drums (Cubs, Jimmy Cliff, Badly Drawn Boy, Ilan Eshkeri)
• John Mackie - Bass (Bitter Moon)
• Paul Research (Mackie) - Lead Guitar (Heavy Drapes, VoiceX)
• Robert King - Vox (Opium Kitchen, Groucho Handjob, Lip Machine)
• Laurence Diana - Engineer
• Pete Anderson - Photo
• Rocking Russian - Cover Design

Unknown-ness: Never heard of them. The cover artwork makes me think of a punk version of Los Lobos. It also kinda reminds me of the artwork of the Hoodoo Gurus, so maybe it will be more conceptual rock than angsty punk. Either way, Stiff Records bodes well for the sound.

Album Review: This EP is an extension of their only album by the same name, Author! Author!. They were part of the literary art-punk scene in Edinburgh. They did a reunion show in 2010, and have a 2015 documentary called Big Gold Dream about them. The style of the single, "All About You," which was written in the studio to be a single, is soundscape, new romantic post punk. "Leave Me in Autumn" is like a combo of Duran Duran and Gang of Four. "She's Alive" is driving, bouncy, Clash like post punk.

Stand Out Track:She's Alive

Links:

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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

Links:

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Mad Professor Nice Up Interview

Ariwa Label Page

Red Guitars - Slow to Fade

Name: Red Guitars
Album: Slow to Fade
Year: 1984
Style: New Wave
Similar Bands: The Jam, The Clash, Duran Duran, Talking Heads
"One-Word" Review: Snotty Sophisticated British Dance Party
Based Out Of: Hull, England
Label: Self-Drive Records, Red Rhino & the Cartel

Back, Cover, Record

Lyrics, Credits, Record

Slow to Fade (1984)

1. Remote Control 3:52
2. Dive 3:07
3. Astronomy 3:26
4. Cloak and Dagger 3:51
5. Crocodile Tears 4:49 /
6. Shaken Not Stirred 3:46
7. Sting in the Tail 4:49
8. Marimba Jive 5:20 (#1 Indie single)
9. Slow to Fade 3:56

Album Rating (1-10): 8.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Roy Neave - Producer, Engineer
• Neil Drake - Asst Engineer
• Grant Ardia - Percussion
• Danny Woods - Hammond Organ (Jeremy Kidd)
• Tokai - Guitar
• Jerry (Jeremy) Kidd - Vox (Carnage in Poland, Czechs, )
• Lou (Louise Howard) Barlow - Bass (Weirdies in the Wardrobe, The Planet Wilson, Loudhailer Electric Company, Celtarabia)
• Hallam Lewis - Lead Guitar (Carnage in Poland, Czechs, The Planet Wilson, The Fabulous Ducks)
• John Rowley - Rhythm Guitar (The Fabulous Ducks, Lovemat) 
• Matt Higgins - Drums
• Syd Shelton - Design, Art Direction
• Andy Dark - Hand Colouring

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. Was gifted the album by a friend cleaning out stuff he didn't listen to, saying he got this because of Lou Barlow's bass contribution (but it is not the same Lou Barlow as Sebadoh / Dino Jr). I like the clean design, simple coloring, lots of neutral space and British army imagery, which all reminds me of Wire. I figure the music will be simple, minimal, but catchy in the realm of post punk or politically active high-brow new wave.

Album Review: There is a lot of Clash and Police influence in this record, with snotty, nasally vocals sounding like Simon Le Bon much of the time. The special ingredient that made the band unique was Hallam's upbringing in South Africa, which brought a different influence on his guitar playing that gave the band somewhat of a sunny African rhythm and nature. They had 2 big breaks of having their first single played prominently on the John Peel program and opening for the Smiths (including a headlining spot on occasion when Morrissey was too troubled to play a show). They were politically motivated, supporting left wing causes and adopted an anti-corporate ideology. They self-released their material, but Kidd left the band 2 months after this albums release, and they only lasted another 2 years without him before disbanding. 

Stand Out Track: Shaken Not Stirred, Marimba Jive

Links:

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Wiki

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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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Q-Tips - s/t

Name: Q-Tips
Album: s/t
Year: 1980
Style: Big Band, Jazzy New Wave, Blue Eyed Soul
Similar Bands: Joe Jackson, Rod Stewart, Jackson Browne, Creedence Clearwater Revival, J Geils Band, Sha-Na-Na
"One-Word" Review: Big Band Oldie Pop Party
Based Out Of: England
Label: Chrysalis, EMI, Warner Bros

Cover, Record

Back, Record

Q-Tips (1980)

1. Some Kinda Wonderful 3:42 (John Ellison cover)
2. Tracks of My Tears 3:25 (Smokey Robinson cover) (Single)
3. Please Don't Stay Home 3:20
4. You Are the Life Inside Me 4:33
5. The In Crowd 3:20 (Dobie Gray / Ramsey Lewis cover)
6. (Now I'm Left With A) Beautiful Memory 3:07 /
7. SYSLJFM (The Letter Song) 2:41 (Joe Tex cover) (Single)
8. A Man Can't Lose (What He Don't Have) 6:07 (Single)
9. Uncle Willy 3:14 (single)
10. Different World 3:36
11. Keep Your Shoes On 3:35

Album Rating (1-10):7.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Bob Sargeant - Producer
• Norman (Dingo Blue) Mighell - Engineer
• Mark Dearnley - Engineer
• Nigel Mills - Assist Engineer
• Nick Rogers - Assist Engineer
• John Gifford - Guitar (Streetband, Dmascus Road, Undermind, Street & Rock, Mary Tomaselli)
• Ged Doherty - Mgmt
• Roz Fleetwood - Q-Tips Info
• Paul Young - Vox (Streetbandm, Kat Kool and the Kool Kats, Band Aid, Los Pacaminos, Squeeze, Johnny Logan, Barbara Dickson, Bobby Womack, Il Novecento, Clannad, Vangelis, Zucchero, SAS Band, Robbie McIntosh Band, Small Faces All Star Charity Band, Chicane, Steve Fowler, Cherokee, Music Relief 94, Sharkweek, Sulo)
• Barry Watts - Drums (Adam Ant, John Foxx)
• Mick Pearl - Bass (Streetband, Faraway Stars, Argus, The Monos!)
• Garth Watt-Roy - Guitar, Backing Vox (The Greatest Show on Earth, East of Eden, Marmalade, Adam Ant, Fuzzy Duck, Ossie Laine, Steamhammer, Living Daylights, Limey, David McWilliams, London Symphony Orch, BA Robertson, Bonnie Tyler, Navah)
• Ian (The Rev) Kew (Kewley)- Keys (Samson, Limey. Strider, Royal Family, Wishbone Ash, Jack Lee, The Alarm, Jacqui Brookes, David Gilmour, Squeeze, Stan Webb's Chicken Shack, Mango, Manic Street Preachers, Johnny Hallyday, Gerry McAvoy, National Flag )
• Tony Hughes - Trumpet (Adam Ant, Stiff Little Fingers, Angelic Upstarts)
• Steve (Fix-It) Farr - Baritone Sax, Backing Vox (Adam Ant, Status Quo, Stiff Little Fingers)
• (Oscar) Stewart Blandamer - Alto Sax, Backing Vox (Adam Ant, Status Quo, Stiff Little Fingers)

Unknown-ness: Never heard of them, but with the bright primary colors, matching outfits, they reminded me of Squeeze or Joe Jackson (not Madness with the similar poses, however) to me when i bought it at an Oxfam charity shop in London, so I'm guessing this will be Catchy New Wave.

Album Review: They have big band character, but often settle for power pop tunes, often reminding me of the little i know of Jackson Brown and sometimes sounding like John Fogerty / CCR. Not much new wave here, except their songs are short swinging pop songs that have a lot of brass, and could be swept into a Joe Jackson camp. I was not aware this is a Paul Young band after his former Streetband. I only know Young was a singer because of his solo album i reviewed a while ago, but he does add a little Blue Eye Soul to the tracks here and there. They were a reportedly very fun and popular live act in the early 80s. At the very least, Paul Young is still actively playing out live (2020). This record was reissued in 2013 with live & bonus tracks. 

Stand Out Track: Please Don't Stay At Home (live version)

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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

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