Peter Gabriel – Security. 1982 England

Recently I wrote of my disappointment with the first 3 Gabriel albums. I really thought with my newfound appreciation of X-Wave that Gabriel would resonate better. If anything, his music only got worse to my ears. But this fourth album was the only one I originally kept (also having let go of the follow-up So many years ago). Happy to say I enjoyed a +2 listen this go round. I have so many memories of this album from my well-heeled friend playing the CD on his massive stereo (see the Al Di Meola Elegant Gypsy review about him) - to the chilling soundtrack to a Miami Vice episode, Security is something I relate well with. I did pick up the LP but I’m going to sell it at What’s Left (already sold...). For me this album represents the thrill of the early days of the CD and the excitement that the medium brought in the mid 80s. So clear sounding. So powerful. As noted in the Pink Floyd Meddle review, I was considered rich myself to own a CD player back in 1986. But my buddy had one from the very beginning and we used to play this album all the time while shooting pool in his huge game room. Great memories. I didn’t get this CD until many years later, but it’s going the distance I think.

Ownership: CD: 2002 Geffen. Jewel case. Remastered.

1983; 2002; 3/17/23 (CD 4.6); 4/18/23 (new entry)

Theatre of Hate - Westworld. 1982 England

Theatre of Hate apparently belong to a genre known as post punk. I know diddly about it, but I quite liked this album, perhaps a nostalgic pull. These kind of albums made up the background music of a scene I wasn't a part of but aware of. I think if I deep dived further, I'd discover more bands to my liking. While I have no intention of doing that purposely, I'll keep my eyes peeled for more.

Rate Your Music defines the genre as thus:

With its roots in the mid to late 1970s, post-punk emerged alongside the initial Punk Rock explosion in the United Kingdom. While retaining punk rock's focus on trimming away excess, post-punk tends to place more importance on creating atmosphere and usually has more complex songwriting than punk rock. Musicians tend to be much more experimental, often incorporating influences from Dub, Funk, Krautrock, Art Rock, Experimental music, and Electronic music. Unlike New Wave, its more pop-based counterpart which emerged around the same time, post-punk often deals with more serious subject matter. Stylistically, the genre has a general backbone consisting of a prominent, pulsating sound and rhythm section of bass and drums. On top of this arrangement are atmospheric, spiky, interweaving lead guitar lines commonly described as "angular", creating a cold and melancholic tone with extensive use of minor key melodies. Vocals tend to be menacing, monotone and in some cases, even robotic. 

---

Yep, that's pretty much what Westworld sounds like. Tribal drumming is also an adjective used for the rhythm presented here.

Ownership: LP: 1982 Burning Rome (UK). Single sleeve. Recent score (2023) from an Atlanta record store's dollar bin while there on business. NM copy too. These kind of albums usually go for good money today, but Westworld remains a very affordable option if looking to purchase one online.

3/22/23 (new entry)

King Crimson - Beat. 1982 England

Another cleanup item from last year.

This is an album that fell through the cracks and is the first time for me to hear. I bought Discipline a couple years after release, and as I said on that entry, it wasn't a sound I was immediately drawn too. I liked their earlier stuff better. It's only in recent years that I've come to appreciate Discipline as one of their best albums. For whatever reason I did pick up Three of a Perfect Pair pretty much the day it came out. It only underscored my feelings towards Discipline at the time. All the same I still have that copy to this day. But what of Beat? I figured why bother, since I'm sure it sounds like the other two bookends and I have gobs of music to acquire (especially back then). And in hearing Beat, that assessment was quite right. Which is why I think it's great now! Timing is everything. Definitely a step down from Discipline though, as is Three of a Perfect Pair. I also didn't realize that Beat referred to the writer movement of the 1950s, which is cool too. Glad to finally be acquainted with this album.

Ownership: LP: 1982 EG (Germany). Single sleeve. Recent online purchase (2021). I never find KC in the wilds - at least on the cheap.

6/12/22 (LP 3.12); 1/6/23 (new entry)

Witchfinder General - Death Penalty. 1982 England

Witchfinder General's debut is one of the oddities of the NWOBHM movement. While most bands took the Judas Priest footprint and merged it with the energy of punk, Witchfinder General found their inspiration in Black Sabbath. And they pretty much nail it. Sabbath were still an active concern, but this isn't emulated after the Dio fronted group, but rather a lookback to the Ozzy days. It's relatively straightforward but has better songwriting than the last 2 with Osbourne, recalling Sabotage without the proggy elements. What's great about Death Penalty is that each track features breaks which contain at least 2 or more riffs. A classic of its kind, Witchfinder General ironically were ahead of their time while looking backwards to obtain their sound.

Ownership: LP: 1982 Heavy Metal Records. Single sleeve. Clear vinyl. Acquired at a record store in Kansas City while there for a buddy's wedding (1993).

This Heavy Metal Records is not to be confused with Heavy Metal Worldwide, which was also operating out of the UK at this time. The cover is really silly and should not be taken seriously. On a positive note it features Joanne Latham, a very well known "glamour model" in her day - and she certainly does capture the imagination. However in today's cancel culture world, the album most assuredly has already been declared "encouraging violence against women". If you're interested in owning it, get your copy now, because they will likely be banned for sale in the next decade. Don't believe me? You watch. Discogs has already banned the selling of certain albums for less offenses.

9/9/93; 9/13/22 (new entry)

Pythagoras - After the Silence. 1982 Netherlands

This is the second album I've heard this year with a "For Jimi" tag. Though for Pythagoras' sophomore effort, it's far more a stretch than on Jukka Tolonen's Hysterica. This isn't a guitar centric album, but definitely belongs to electronic music forms, very prevalent in the day. Given that one member of the duo is a drummer, it definitely is more "electronic rock" in the same manner that Klaus Schulze's Moondawn is. Though one can argue that Pink Floyd is more an influence on the rockier sections. Lots of guests on this platter including Arjen Lucassen on guitar (he of Ayreon fame, who made a decent career of it 15 years later), Plackband (long before they ever saw a release), flute, violin, and a rare appearance of the Novotron. The keyboards are a mix of the latest digital synthesizer technology of the day, with copious amounts of the legacy mellotron. A different sound for the genre, and excellent on the whole.

Ownership: LP: 1982 Syntone. Single sleeve. Was part of the large haul from the Baltimore record store late last year. The photos you see are this copy as we added them to Discogs. Also changed the date to 1982, as the labels are clear about this. The back cover shows 1981, which is probably the source of the incorrect year.

new entry

Tangerine Dream - The Dominion Theatre Concert 6th November 1982

I was most looking forward to hearing this source recording of what ultimately became Logos. At twice the length, I was curious what segments were left out. You get your answer quick, because almost the entirety of the second disc is what makes up Logos. Other than the opening, the first disc is mostly unique, though still borrowing from then-current themes such as Exit's 'Choronzon'. They carefully edited some other sections, and there are times when only a minute or two were shaved off for the original LP. They also included two tracks from White Eagle, both verbatim to the album originals. They might as well have just played the record for the concertgoers. At this point of my life, of course, there would be no chance the original source would supplant the extract, because it's the latter that is imprinted in my mind. It's Logos the album that is part of my personal history. That said, the original concert is a burner, something that must've been an amazing experience for the audience at hand. 

Ownership: CD: 2020 Virgin. Part of the Pilots of Purple Twilight box set that I have detailed on the White Eagle entry. Interesting that they decided to put the archival release ahead of the existing album. I would have done it the opposite - and that's exactly what I did for personal listening.

Tangerine Dream - The Official Bootleg Series Volume Three. 1977; 1982 Germany

These vintage Tangerine Dream live albums never fail to satisfy. The 1977 set is the Detroit live concert of which snippets were taken for the Encore album. 'Cherokee Lane' and 'Monolight' apparently were scripted for most of the concerts, so no major revelations there. But once Edgar plugs in the guitar for 'The Emerald Beyond', it becomes absolutely jaw dropping. 'Conjuration' also features some intense Froese soloing. I never knew that Tangerine Dream ever revisited their Electronic Meditation years - but the Detroit concert (and probably others from the tour) proves that they did!

The 1982 set is from Sydney, Australia. They played the entire White Eagle album, and it's verbatim to the original. So that's disappointing (the music is great, just it's the exact same). However, the live versions - and placement - of their Force Majeure, Exit, and Logos material are excellent and do vary from the original source. In addition there's about 35 minutes of unique material, at least from a studio album perspective, all of it excellent. So once again, it's a revelation. I really enjoy the early Schmoelling years of Tangerine Dream, and this live set gives me one more album to savor.

Ownership: CD: 2019 Reactive/Esoteric (UK). These Tangerine Dream box sets are Esoteric's best work in years. And the liner notes, posters, photos, etc... are entertaining and insightful. Essential for fans.

Ra Can Row. 1982 USA-Ohio

Ra Can Row were a band from Cincinnati, lead by guitarist Don Schott. At the time of this recording - namely 1982 - almost no one was doing this kind of heavy psychedelic music. Perhaps only LS Bearforce in Germany, and even they had roots in a Guru Guru past. Ra Can Row actually predicted the UK Festival Psych scene by about 3 to 5 years, and could be considered a proto-Ozric Tentacles. This is a very well produced, yet unhinged driving instrumental psych music, with wild guitar solos, and relentless rhythms. The opening 16 minute+ 'Things Beyond Our Control' is the highlight, but all the tracks are satisfying on some level. Could of used a bit of editing and some more focus on songwriting, but for the time and place, Ra Can Row is quite extraordinary.

There are two distinct presses of the album, and the latter promises much better sound and precision. After many years, I finally compared the two copies back to back. Honestly I don't hear much difference. The second press is truly a re-mix, not anything unique. I think it's a bit more crisp overall, but not enough to warrant an upgrade or to keep both.

Ownership: LP: 1982 Eye. Single sleeve with a 4 page insert and a postcard.

My copy of the original has a red and white silk-screened Ra, but I've seen plenty that have a black and white one as well. All the second presses I've seen have the black and white paste-on.

7/24/09; 9/21/18 (new entry)

As far as reissues go, Don Schott was in touch with me in early 2014, via the CDRWL blog, to inform us that a reissue LP and CD were in the works. But obviously nothing has come of it to date.

Step Ahead - s/t. 1982 France

What's most interesting about Step Ahead is just how un-French it really is. 1982 was a boom time for creative French progressive rock groups festering in the underground. Step Ahead is none of that. I think understanding that will help one digest this album better. As others have suggested, Step Ahead taps more into the burgeoning New Wave of British Prog Rock that was just about to launch. Whether Step Ahead were involved - or influenced - by that, it's hard to say, though I would expect not. Yes of course band leader Christian Robin spent much time in England, but what I hear is someone who took the same inputs as Marillion, IQ, et al, and spit out a similar conclusion. When one hears the vocal style (sounding every bit like an early 80s FM radio crooner), and some of the compositions, it's not a real stretch to hear bands like Asia in the mix. And really, if one listens closely, Step Ahead clearly had the stuff to make a radio hit in those days. The album needed more polish and editing, and some of the music is just too proggy for its own good - at least if commercial ambition is in play here. The gatefold cover is quite lavish, and it actually looks like Japanese anime to my eyes. A bizarre juxtaposition of themes on display. Is it prog, is it AOR, is it American, English, or Japanese? Nope. It's a French neo prog album, without any influence of its own culture like Ange, Magma, or Atoll. One of a kind, and better than I remembered.

Personal collection
LP: 1987 RCA (Japan)

For years I thought this album was released for the Japanese market, given the anime styled gatefold cover. But alas, no, it was in fact released 5 years earlier only in France. Must have sold 30 copies too. And the bizarre thing is the original is not that rare.

Pseu. 1982 France (archival)

The early 1980s were a heyday for the Zeuhl style of bands. Not that anyone knew it then of course, except those crawling around the clubs in and around Paris, Nice and Marseilles. Bands like Eider Stellaire, Eskaton, Super Freego, Uppsala, Honeyelk, Jean-Paul Prat, Xaal, Xalph, Shub Niggurath and Dun were all making the rounds back then. Now we can add Pseu to the pack. They never did get around to releasing their music on album, so this 2004 Musea reissue is quite a revelation. It takes a bit to get going, and unfortunately this isn't a typical Musea reissue with great liner notes in English, so it's hard to know if it's the earlier or later material that's suffering (recordings are from both 1981 and 1982). But by track 5, Pseu is firing on all cylinders and continues through to the end (and this section covers about 35 minutes and is the bulk of the disc). And, like Eider Stellaire, the guitar is featured far more than on most Zeuhl albums. The vocals are pretty much all chanted using only phonetics rather than actual lyrics or even made up languages. Naturally the bass playing is superb and the drumming here is also better than Eider Stellaire. A wonderful discovery for any Zeuhl fan.

Ownership: CD: 2004 Musea. Jewel case.

9/18/07 (review); 5/6/17 (new entry)

Osiris. 1982 Bahrain

Osiris are arguably the Arab worlds' most prominent progressive rock band. They are from the tiny kingdom of Bahrain, once a British Protectorate, and as such you have an English speaking nation with an underlying western background. It is out of this environment that Osiris emerged. And yes, it's true, the band are heavily influenced by the UK progressive rock scene of the 1970s. Most notably Camel, but any number of mainstream bands will come to your lips as you hear this debut. Even a bit of what would later be known as Neo Prog is presented here. Sadly there are no indigenous elements to their sound, so it's not like you'll hear Yes meets Agitation Free's Malesch for example (perhaps we can dream for this one day?). It's best (and fair) to approach Osiris as an anonymous progressive band from the US or England. And on that front, they come up aces. The compositions, while not incredibly dense, are complex in the right places - and they never forget that melody drives the song. If only there were more examples from the region...

Personal collection
CD: 1997 Musea (France)

I did once own the original private press of the album, so it does exist. I traded the LP in the late 90s, after obtaining the Musea CD, for something else I wanted. The Musea CD is excellent with great sound and full liner notes. And it's in these liner notes that we are made aware of...

The last track 'Look Before You Leap'  is actually a bonus track and was recorded in 1989. Musically it is far more poppy than the album proper and shouldn't be considered in the overall evaluation.

As well, note that track 7 is called 'Paradox in A Major', presumably referencing the scale, not some confusion in college curriculum. 

Iskander - Boheme 2000. 1982 Germany

The CD issue contains significantly more music, much of it superb, including the magnificent full 4 part suite of 'Winterhagen', which now clocks in at over 18 minutes. Iskander's debut is a real under the radar delight, and mixes symphonic rock with psychedelic guitar and a variety of progressive ideas. The album is pretty much forgotten today, but was quite well known within those that were tuned into the "Eurock" circle back in the 1980s. I've had this CD almost since it was released, and it has passed the test of time quite well.

Ownership: CD: 1989 Iron Curtain (as Boheme 2000)

1990; 11/22/11; 10/19/15 (new entry)

Winterhawk - Revival. 1982 USA-Illinois

Chicago based Winterhawk have quite the reputation among those predisposed to enjoying the hard rock genre. Like me. Almost all the tracks clear the 5 minute mark to allow for a few more ideas to creep in per composition. And to also allow more time for the unrelenting guitar solos - each, I might add, with a solid amount of creativity. This latter point alone would most certainly have found its way to the cutting room floor back in 1982. As well, the rawness of the production is a big part of the charm here. Makes you feel like you're in an old abandoned brewery on the South Side. Lead dude Jordan Macarus can play the strings with the best of them - and a strong nod goes to the Nuge (right down to the cow leather lace-up boots!). Every major US city had a Jordan Macarus that never got their due. In those days, you would check out Winterhawk live at the "Agora Ballroom", bring your main squeeze, and boast to the bartender you're a good friend of the band. If your girl stayed through the concert without complaining - and as an extra bonus got tanked on Pabst - she was a keeper.

Personal collection
CD: 1998 Monster

The CD is awesome with liner notes, bonus tracks, and from the master tapes.

Legend - Death in the Nursery + Frontline. 1982 Jersey (UK/Channel Islands)

Legend's second album Death in the Nursery attempts to streamline their sound a bit, and tighten up the ship. And fortunately... they failed. Legend is one of those bands that just can't seem to help themselves when it comes to creative songwriting. One gets the impression that if you told Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) to write more poppy material, he'd come back with similar compositions as found on Death in the Nursery. While no one would dare label Legend "Prog Metal", they are in fact more unpredictable than any established band in that field of music. Side 1 is a tad weaker than the debut, though almost all the material is still excellent, with 'Time Bomb' being their token "ordinary" metal track, similar to 'Bad Girls' from the debut. Side 2, however, opens up Pandora's Box, and the tunes begin to stray all over the place without rhyme or reason. Awesome. 

Still marching forward without a label deal, Legend gives it a 3rd go with Frontline, this time going with the EP format. 'Stormers of Heaven' was the track that received the accolades from the metal press of the era, and it would seem to be the best choice for a single. For Legend, however, it's a bit ordinary. The other tracks, of course, are unpredictable with fantastic breaks/riffs, and cool psychedelic solos. It is the sound of Legend, one that most of the world unfortunately was deprived of for so long. If only a single enlightened label had come along...

Ownership: LP: 1982 Workshop. Single sleeve with lyric insert. Recent acquisition from JL (2023).

CD: 2002 Monster (as Anthology). 2xCD is awesome, and it includes all of the band's work from 1981 to 1983 (including Frontline and demos). Features fine liner notes with historical newspaper clippings and photos. 

2002; 7/23/15 (new entry); 4/1/23 (LP acquire)

Cytrus - Kurza Twarz. 1980-1985 Poland (archival)

If you ever wondered what it would sound like if mid 1970s Kansas mixed with early 1980s Solaris - and who wouldn't wonder about that? - then you now have your answer. With perhaps some additional guitar rave-ups similar to late 70s Fermata. It's obscure prog blender night! Seriously though, this archival release from Poland's Cytrus is absolute dynamite. Recorded from various radio studio sessions over a period from 1980 to 1985, the band goes on to prove they are an instrumental tour de force. At least for the first 11 tracks presented here (1980-82, 84). The final 4 tracks (1983; 85) apply vocals to a bit more conventional songwriting, though they never stray too far away from a creative break... or three. Cytrus' wunderkind is Marian Narkowicz, the inventive gentleman who provides both the violin and the flute.

Personal collection
CD: 2006 Metal Mind

The CD comes with full liner notes in Polish, but laid out so one can easily discern the salient facts. Many photos as well. Wonderful sound too.

Steve Linnegar's Snakeshed - Classic Epics. 1982 South Africa

What's most telling about Linnegar's album is just how out of sync the album was with its release date of 1982. The psychedelic guitar, optimistic vocals, folky acoustic guitar and violin overlays, and overall songwriting point to an album that could have been released in 1974 England. Classic Epics is a crafty mix of folk, psychedelic, progressive, and AOR. Best track is the lengthy 14 minute psychedelic space rocker 'Desert'. A wonderfully out of touch album, perhaps due to its remote location on the (then) shunned South African subcontinent. The new reissues on Guerssen really open this album up from prior bootleg copies, and even from the typically dirty South African originals. Be sure to hear this album as it was intended before passing quick judgment.

Personal collection
CD: 2014 Guerssen (Spain)

Originals come in a gatefold sleeve. Albums coming from South Africa are hard enough to find, but privately pressed ones are even that much more difficult. I was first sent a cassette of this album in the late 90s, and I've had it in the CDRWL since its inception. And as first reported on that site, via Linnegar's sister Diane, we learned of these Guerssen reissues. The album sounds great (from the master tapes) - much better than my old cassette which came from the crappy bootleg LP I'm sure. The album features a detailed review from Acid Archives contributor Aaron Milenski, as well as the full set of lyrics, newspaper clippings, and photos. The LP reissue, it appears, replicates the original in every way. Don't miss these reissues if there's any interest at all in this album.

Keep - II (Rock'n Rocked Rock). 1982 Japan

Despite the subtitle Rock'n Rocked Rock, Keep's second album is definitely a fusion affair, similar to their contemporaries like Crosswind, Prism, and Casiopea. But the separator here is the ferocity of the instrumental work - recalling edgier outfits of the early 70s like Mahavishnu Orchestra. 'Aristocrat Bachelor' is the definite highlight here, and is closer to heavy progressive rock than jazz.

CD: 2011 Clinck
LP: 1982 Trash
CD: 1999 Vivid Sound

The original LP is a typical single sleeve with requisite obi. I sold my copy of the LP when the first edition CD came out (1999 Vivid Sound). And it was a bear to find. I finally had to ask a friend who worked at Marquee in Tokyo to send me one.

April 2017 update: I recently discovered another mini-LP version, this time as part of a 4 CD box set called J-Fusion Masterpiece Collectors' Box, which I now possess.

Tamarisk - Frozen in Time. 1982-1983 England

Tamarisk reminds me of everything I like about the NWOBPR scene. They're tight, melodic, fast, and reasonably complex. The vocalist sounds like every other UK vocalist who spent a wasted youth with his dogeared Genesis albums (I mean that as a compliment). The guitar playing, in particular, is well done. And lots of mellotron on Lost Properties. All in all, very satisfying material.

CD: 2012 private (as Frozen in Time)

The two cassettes are very obscure, and I personally had never even heard of Tamarisk back in the day, even though I was already deep diving the NWOBPR scene in the early 1980s. Moe Curly turned me onto them via a CD-R only a few years back, and thus they became a feature on our CDRWL site. Frozen in Time is a well done private CD reissue of Tamarisk's two albums made by the band. The first 4 tracks are from the Lost Properties EP cassette (1983), whereas tracks 5 to 7 are from their debut EP cassette (1982). There are no bonus tracks.

Magical Power Mako – Music From Heaven. 1982 Japan

Solo artist Magical Power Mako provides us with fourteen musical interludes, that could be classified as incidental music for TV & film (aka Library Music). The music has a distinct psychedelic Eastern bent with sitars, fuzz guitars and indigenous scales. Mako also performs drums and percussion on occasion.

CD: 1994 Belle Antique

Music From Heaven was originally released on Tokyo's own Marquee Moon as a promo LP, and may have in fact been the first release for the label/magazine/store. Though the Belle Antique CD lists 14 tracks, everything is stuffed onto one indexed song making it a PITA to listen to one particular track. When listening to the CD carefully on headphones, you'll hear background music, as if the master tape contained other music before being overwritten with Mako's album.

2015 update: I sold the CD.

Anders Helmerson - End of Illusion. 1982 Sweden

Classically trained pianist Helmerson put his talents to good use on his sole output End of Illusion. Apparently he felt this might be his only chance to record an album, so what the heck, let's go fer-it! The album goes full throttle - all the time. Helmerson handles the keyboard toy store, while assembling various guests on guitars, bass, drums, violin, and even tamboura. The album has an electronic rock flow about it, similar maybe to You's Electric Day. However the great shadow of Wakeman's classic The Six Wives of Henry VIII looms everywhere.  Helmerson's keyboards dominate the proceedings, and the lightning fast rhythm section exhausts itself trying to keep up. There's not much in the way of composition development, but rather sketches of songs are brought forth along with accompanying jams to fill the time. Despite this flaw, End of Illusion is a very satisfying release especially for fans of 70's era keyboard tones. No doubt Helmerson could be seen as an influence on some of the early 1990s projects like fellow countryman Par Lindh, Spain's Altair, and the Fort Worth,Texas based Covenant (of Nature's Divine Reflection fame).

CD: 1992 Musea (France)

I was first introduced to Helmerson via this CD back in 1993, and purchased on the spot. Original LPs on Skivbolaget have always been scarce.

Last listen: November 29, 2018