A few years ago I made the decision to pick up anything I see on Klaus Schulze's Innovative Communications label, as long as it is at a reasonable price. I was challenged this week, as lo and behold, one of our local b&m's had this one in their regular bins (more about that in the ownership section). In the 1980s and early 90s, these IC albums were surprisingly common here in the States (at import retail prices mind you, despite the domestic pressing). But why did I not buy them back then? Well that's what I meant by "challenged". The back cover seems to imply this will be a new wave album, verse the progressive electronic one would expect. Let's see... you have two guys with short cropped and colored poofy hair. Wearing lipstick. One with sunglasses. Honestly, they look like Tears For Fears or any number of bands like that. Well... I've come to like that style too, so I have nothing to lose, and the resell value fits my model. Let's buy it.
Double Fantasy is made up of Charly McLion and Dreamstar. OK, who the heck is that? Dreamstar is a not-well-hidden nom de plume of a one Robert Schroeder, he of what seems like 100+ electronic albums. I've not heard a one of them. Charly McLion is the stage name for Charly Büchel. Now who is that? Well, this one's interesting. He was the Charles in Charles and Morgan, an album I covered back in the CDRWL days. Bloody awful at that. OK, throw all of the above in the blender, pour, and then hold your nose while tasting. Universal Ave is....
Awesome. Que? Schroeder is clearly a protégé of Klaus Schulze, and his electronics here are very much of his school of thought in the mid 80s. McLion goes about adding some very Manuel Gottsching-esque electric guitar on top. In effect what we hear is a slightly updated Ashra from their power trio years. Take away Grosskopf's real drums, and replace them with synthesizers, and that's pretty much what you have here. As you all know (or might know), I'm a huge fan of Correlations and Belle Alliance. And Universal Ave. fits that profile perfectly. All 6 tracks here satisfy greatly, but special mention goes to the side 1 closer 'Endless Running', which really captured my imagination. If I can keep finding albums like this on the cheap, I'm buying...
Ownership: LP: 1986 Innovative Communications (USA). Single sleeve. As noted above, a recent acquisition from a local b&m. According to the sticker, it's been sitting there since Dec 2019. How did I miss it? Well, they just moved locations and that caused them to jumble up their inventory, so it was brought to the front. Like any store such as this, I haven't thumbed through every single record, so it got away the first time. Glad no one else saw it either...
3/28/21 (new entry)
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