2026 X-Wave Journal Vol. 1

*Love Spirals Downwards - Idylls. 1992 Projekt (CD). Purchased this way back in 1994. About four years ago I wrote about a band called Heavenly Bodies, a group I'd never heard before, but found themselves under the genre of "Ethereal Wave", a genre I'd also never heard of before. At the time, I didn't realize I owned anything in that genre, though I did refer to Dead Can Dance which does intersect at times. I own plenty by DCD. I had completely forgotten about Love Spirals Downwards (LSD yuk yuk). There was a brief time around 1993 to 1995 that I was branching out into all sorts of directions. I was a bit groundless in my personal life (though professionally I was doing well) and lived in three different metro areas (DFW, Colorado Springs, and Denver). These experiences typically leads to exploring other avenues you would not necessarily drive down otherwise. Getting out of one's comfort zone is what we'd call it today. Today I hear Idylls with fond remembrance, and also it serves as a reminder that it wouldn't be such a bad idea to add a couple of more titles in this genre to the collection. The angelic female vocals against the electronics and guitars, creates such lovely soundscapes. I often refer to the 90s as the great decade, as it was the trajectory launch for me personally. So I tend to be more subjectively positive about albums like this. It was a point in time and Idylls brings back that era for me. Beautiful music really. If I find any of their other albums in the wilds, I'll be sure to build out a page for them. (4/30)

*A Flock of Seagulls - Listen. 1983 Jive (LP). I've owned this album since it was first released, and was one of the earliest New Wave albums for me to purchase. It has a haunting atmosphere that I find appealing, and the melodies have stickiness. They were much better than their reputation suggests, that of a vapid hairdo group. Their look, and their timing on the worldwide stage, gives the wrong impression. While they certainly weren't Berklee graduates, they did offer a lot of great ideas in their early years. To me they are one of the more representative groups of the English synth pop movement of the early 80s. (3/16)

Group 87 - A Career In Dada Processing. 1984 Capitol (LP). I had heard this album prior, many years ago, and appended a very low grade to it. As the first couple of tunes blow by, I can understand my initial disgust. Primarily the slick-as-a-butter-dish production, 80s drum machines, synthesizer tones, and overall gloss. Next to the definition of what mid 80s music sounds like, sits a picture of this album. 'Pleasure in Progress' borrows its primary melody heavily from Alan Parsons' 'Eye in the Sky'. Some of the electronic music isn't really all that far away from what Tangerine Dream were doing back then. Mark Isham provides his trademark atmospheric trumpet to the proceedings. Maynard Ferguson, he is not. Music like this really hasn't aged well, and one wonders if there will ever be a renaissance for it? I'm sure there will be. Primitive electronics is very popular now, and this is the opposite of that. From a technology perspective they were embracing the latest available to them. It all sounds so quaint today. Not really for me, but much better than I remembered. (1/16)

2025 X-Wave Journal Vol. 2

Assassin of Silence - Phaze Shifter. 1980 Neurological (LP). With that moniker, title, and label name, I was certain this was going to be a new favorite for the collection. A Los Angeles based quartet, Assassin of Silence defy categorization and all manner of commercialization. It's song based, with one foot in the 70s and another in the upcoming 80s. As the album progressed, I hear a distinct love for David Bowie, and all his eras up to that point. Art rock, folk rock, punk, synth music, Devo, Dark Side era Pink Floyd, you name it. I appreciate the psychedelic sound of the guitar, something I wish was more utilized throughout. Assassin of Silence are to be commended for being independent. Not sure who the target audience for this album is, but if you like any of the above artists and styles, there will be certainly something here you will enjoy. (9/25)

various artists - Dark Horse Dreams. 1988 Big Ball (LP). A well done compilation of bands from here in Colorado Springs, complete with a lyric insert. The music is mostly late era New Wave, with a smattering of alt rock. The Bo'l Weevils are here, a band I thought I wrote about before, but I guess I didn't. They usually add some hard rock guitar, and they do that here too. The most interesting track is from Rich Mouser, who provides a most interesting proggy closer (the seven minute 'Last Day at the Carnival'). He provides a more straightforward cut to open the second side as well. Overall not something I need to hold onto, but if you're into local bands, this is worth seeking out. (7/17)

*Public Image Ltd. - Second Edition. 1979 Island (2xLP). I've known about PiL ever since I started collecting underground music in the middle 80s, but they were part of a different strain than I was looking for at the time. This is John Lydon's second group, his other was the Sex Pistols (there known as Johnny Rotten), a band who existed to be anti-everything including music. The latter were infamous in my day, as they spent some time in the national news for all the wrong reasons (and probably the right reasons in their minds). In any case, Second Edition is one of those albums that looks and sounds important. A double LP (originally released in the UK as a metal tin with 3 LPs) in an era when everyone was scaling back and focusing on hit records. Sure, Fleetwood Mac and Pink Floyd might get away with it, but no one else. As for the music, it's about as groundbreaking as it gets. Technically known as Post-Punk, a difficult to describe aesthetic, though it crosses over to areas I've long been fond of, such as motorik Krautrock. It's an easy album to listen to actually, yet it's not highly melodic nor particularly engaging from an instrumentation perspective. It's the nadir sound of London at the end of the 70s. Signs that street life there wasn't all Beatles-esque hedgerows and butterflies. (5/22)

Mi-Sex - Space Race. 1980 Epic promo (LP). I picked up three of this band's albums before we started selling at the Colorado Springs Record Show. I once had a 45 of this new wave band from New Zealand and it seemed pretty good. I checked out the latter of the three albums on a quick scan (Where Do They Go?). It's about four years later, but I heard enough to take a full listen to the other two. Space Race is Mi-Sex's second album. They are a somewhat typical synth pop band from the era, but given its early date (1980), the synthesizers are more toned down and the 70s rock element becomes more prominent. Particularly this is true with the rhythm section. This isn't a title I need to keep, but I have high hopes now for their 1979 debut which I will get to soon enough. (I heard it too, but naaa). (3/18).

Dead or Alive - Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know. 1986 Epic (MC). Last year I bought Youthquake on vinyl and decided to keep it on a nostalgia fit. Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know (haha) is very similar in sound. High energy, good melodies, and danceable. B1 is a highlight. But Dead or Alive aren't the type of group I'm building a band page for. Instinctively I kind of know I'm only going to keep the one album, but I'll not turn down hearing any of them. (3/7)

Love and Rockets - Express. 1986 Big Time (MC). Another one of those I picked up on vinyl during the pandemic, but took my profit quickly. I wanted to hear it again before letting it loose. Very British sounding. A mix of New Wave, psych, and alt rock. Like a mix Modern English and the Beatles (a coupling I'm making often now it seems) as played by The Smiths or some such group. (2/20)

Other albums heard but not reviewed: Mi-Sex - Computer Games (3/25); OMD - Organisation (3/26); 

*-Keeping for the collection

2025 X-Wave Journal Vol. 1

*Ministry - With Sympathy. 1983 Arista (MC). I originally obtained this on LP with the 2019 80's collection buy but decided to take the profit, even though I had a solid rating for it. This relisten resulted in a +1, so I'll keep the next LP I find (if I find it...). To be honest even after that first listen some six years ago, I thought this was a different Ministry from the band I knew from the late 80s and early 90s. In fact I thought this band was British and then broke up. Haha. My confusion is common of course. Starting out in Chicago, Ministry hopped on (or was pushed on depending on your source of truth) the synthpop bandwagon. Apparently the duo's heart turned dark and they created a new world for themselves - that of industrial metal. A very angry music indeed. You would never know that by the jolly and upbeat tones of With Sympathy. The interesting thing about Ministry, in retrospect, is just how good they were at New Wave music. It's far more complex and involved than your garden variety dance pop group. A fascinating beginning to a fascinating band. I'm sure at some point I will find their metal albums, one of which I owned on CD many years ago but sold off. (Feb)

Steve Hackett - A Doll That's Made in Japan / Just the Bones. 1984 Lamborghini (12" single). At 13 minutes it's really an EP length. As with all of Hackett's Genesis contemporaries - all obvious prog guys - this single belongs to 80s music. A) side is a mix of Japanese music (novelty level), glossy 80s with synthesizers and digital drums, and a nice guitar solo. B) side is similar but leaves off the Japanese angle. Not so bad really, just such a disappointment that none of the Genesis guys would acknowledge their heritage during the 80s. (Feb)

Modern English - Ricochet Days. 1984 Sire (MC). Here's a good test of a band I revere from a nostalgic perspective (After the Snow, an LP I own), who released Ricochet Days during that strike zone (early 80s), but I don't recognize anything from it. Does it hold up and is it collection worthy? Yes and no. For example A3 and B2 are rewrites of 'I Melt With You' and there's this persistent feeling that there isn't much more under the blanket from a creative viewpoint. Elsewhere there's a distinctive turn towards The Beatles baroque psych pop of 1966-67. Englishness as it were, living up to their name at least. All of which is inoffensive but not inspiring either. A reasonable follow-up to their classic work, yet lacking in something. Authenticity perhaps? I like it but won't keep it. (Feb)

*Missing Persons - Spring Session M. 1982 Capitol (MC). I've had this on vinyl before but didn't take notes. Thinking it was part of that 2019 80's buy. I did decide to keep their next effort Rhyme & Reason. So let's get a fresh take on their debut full-length. Right away I notice a more aggressive hard rock guitar attack throughout, something they most certainly softened on subsequent releases. These guys were from the Zappa camp, so musicianship was not an afterthought. As I continue to say (too often, just in this post alone), these 80s albums work best when I get a nostalgia pull, especially the early part of the decade while still in high school. And there's a few tracks here that bring back that unique period of time. Yea, I'm keeping this, and like with A-ha below, will replace it with the LP whenever I find it in the wilds (this one still goes for cheap). (Feb)

Madonna - True Blue. 1986 Sire (Canada) (MC). I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the first two Madonna's. I was able to appreciate both the nostalgia aspect as well as her artistic abilities from an objective standpoint, now that we're 40 years on from the lightning rod opinions that surrounded her in the early 80s. By the time of True Blue, my nostalgia meter falls off (just in general this is the case), as by then I was deep diving into the European prog underground of the 70s, and not paying much attention to contemporary pop culture. In addition, it's clear the creative well is running dry for Ms. Ciccone. 'Papa Don't Preach' and 'La Isla Bonita" are the two tracks I recognize from here and both I enjoy. Much of the others (not all) sound like filler to support the next tour. I'm interested in hearing her other albums just to see what triggers. Remember that Mrs. UMR was a big fan when we were newly married (hard to believe that was 28 years ago), and she owned a Best Of, which we listened to often in the car on road trips. Today she could care less about Madonna, but I'm still intrigued. Funny how that works. I also found a near perfect LP copy late last year at a thrift shop, and now I can safely move that to the record show boxes. (Jan)

*A-ha - Hunting High and Low. 1985 Warner Bros. (Canada) (MC). Well... finally. Despite buying multiple 80s collections and thrift shop dumps in the last six years, I have yet to run into a single A-ha album - in any format. I know this Norwegian group better from their super obscure 60s retro band Bridges (which doesn't even get mentioned in their Wikipedia entry) than I do for their obvious hit records. First track is 'Take on Me', which is mid-80s MTV college bullseye material right there. This is exactly the kind of synth pop I enjoy. Energetic, danceable (not that I'm doing that), and melodic. As I often say, these albums tend to work for me when there's a nostalgia play, and that's what we get with Hunting High and Low. I'll hold onto this tape until I eventually find their LP. (Jan)

Bangles. 1983 Faulty (MC). Before the gals became a hit sensation, they released a single and an EP on private and small labels. Known originally as The Bangs, they shifted on this EP to simply Bangles (one can imagine the double entendre problem). The music here is different than what they were to become. A mid to late 60s garage girl styled group sound emerges. RYM refers to this 80s movement out of Los Angeles as Paisley Underground. Not bad at all. (Jan)

Depeche Mode - Songs of Faith and Devotion. 1993 Sire (CD). This album is the highly rated follow-up to their lauded classic Violator. Even for a non-fan like me, I kept that CD. But this title didn't stir up much reaction. Whereas I saw Violator as the bookend of the synth wave movement, I hear Songs of Faith and Devotion as a tired retread of ideas with a purposeful move to alternative rock, which is definitely not my music of choice. Given its popularity with the general public, I just have to accept it's good for the style and leave it at that. (Jan)

Camouflage - Greyscale. 2015 Bureau B (CD). Just like with Surface 10 that is on the DiN label, there's no way I'm passing up anything on Bureau B for a couple of bucks. I had no idea who Camouflage were, but they apparently were legends from the synth-pop scene in Germany going back to the 80s (of course). And that's exactly how I heard this album without any pre-conceived notions. In fact I just pushed it into my car CD changer without even looking at it, and had forgotten they were on Bureau B, trying to figure out why I bought it in the first place. The label's description is telling: "Their music brilliantly combined the icy coolness of Kraftwerk, the pop of OMD and the melancholy gloom of Depeche Mode.". The latter group is what entered my mind first, and funny to see that I just covered OMD. In fact, I think I did find these together last year at the same shop. The vocal tracks are too much of the original scene, as noted below, and that only works with me if the recording is from that era. The instrumentals, however, are more exciting, including one Krautrock styled flute driven number. Much better than OMD's attempt below, but a long way from collection shelf space. (Jan)

OMD - The Punishment of Luxury. 2017 White Noise (CD). I didn't even realize these guys were around much past the 80s. And after hearing this CD, they haven't really moved on from the synth pop style. Sounds dogeared to me. Not quite sure how you can advance this style too much, though I guess I could say the same thing about straight ahead thrash metal. Anyway, nothing here for me to hold onto. Music like this only works for me if it's from the 80s, and as a pure nostalgia play. (Jan)

* - Keeping for the collection

2024 X-Wave Journal Vol. 1 - Complete

Machinations - Big Music. 1985 White Label (LP). From a store in Pueblo (Oct). Nice Australian original of a New Wave album I was entirely unfamiliar with despite eventually obtaining a US release on Epic and being a hit. Not only is the title Big Music, but the band obtained the Kleenex effect by having an entire subgenre named the same as this album (though technically the genre is credited to The Waterboys). I enjoy this kind of New Wave, high energy and dance oriented. Nothing really grabbed my ear for repeated listens, and I have a few others like it in the collection, so not something I need to keep. But table stakes for genre fans I would imagine.

*Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft - Alles ist Gut. 1981 Virgin (LP). Also from T&R (Aug). Excellent thick sounding synthesizer and real drums. It's a Conny Plank production for certain. Vocals sort of drone on in German, reminding me a bit of Sepi Kuu (of all groups) which came to me after the second listen. Musically it's like a German reaction to America's disco. Robotic and repetitive. Kraftwerk is a necessary comparison, but DAF are more sinister in tone. I don't have anything like this in the collection so I'm keeping it.

A Certain Ratio - Live in America. 1987 Dojo (LP) (1985). From T&R sale (Jul). Intriguing album sounding something like a musical Throbbing Gristle. Live recording is a bit distant but I heard enough to think their studio albums might find a place in the collection. But will I find them as I did this?

Mike Rutherford - Acting Very Strange (LP). 1982 Atlantic. From the Showrunner's garage sale (Jul). Much worse than I thought it would be. All the Genesis members were hungry for pop stardom, but Collins proved much better at it.

---I bought a large 125 piece collection in July. Many were in this category. The ones below came from that. 

INXS - Shabooh Shoobah. 1982 ATCO (LP). I found myself enjoying The Swing, but the later titles haven't done much for me. So I thought the album prior would have more positive results. A little bit yes, but still nothing I feel compelled to keep. They need something - more energy maybe? (Aug)

Duran Duran - Notorious. 1986 Capitol (LP). Disappointing 4th album, even less so that Ragged Tiger. Misses all that was great about their first two albums. Just boring 80s pop music. (Aug)

*Talking Heads - Remain in Light. 1980 Sire (LP). I'm not convinced this is one of the greatest albums of all time, but I do find it intriguing enough to keep for now. It's non-commercial in nature yet maintains wide appeal. I suspect this is a kind of gateway drug to the experimental for many people, and so it's exposure allows for early epiphanies. When these folks discover other like minded people are out there - in fact it represents a majority - the momentum builds even greater. Then it appears they cannot rush fast enough to carve out their slice of how great it is, even if it may not be. Time and place remains one of the primary reasons for an album's adulation. (Jul)

Talking Heads - Talking Heads: 77. 1977 Sire (LP). As noted with their follow up, More Songs about Buildings and Food, Talking Heads were considerably ahead of their time. This debut underscores that. Which doesn't necessarily translate into a more pleasurable listen for me. In fact, a bit less. I didn't take notes, but I also heard a couple of their less respected mid 80s albums, and those are more generic and even less to my taste. (Jul)

Devo - Are We Not Men? 1978 Warner Bros (LP). I don't think Devo is going to be my artist of choice. This is their influential debut, and it's here they create their iconic sound. Innovative for its time, though not my style really. (Jul)

Devo - Shout. 1984 Warner Bros (LP). By this point, Devo sounds like every other synth pop band, and are pretty far removed from their unusual arty stance of the past. (Jul)

---end of sale

April - Magical. 1990 Metropolitan (LP). This was from that big haul that I mostly documented in the soul and fusion journals (Jun). April Kelly was a girl on the rise as the 80s closed. Her music is called Freestyle, but she sounds a heck of a lot like Madonna to me. And has the look too. At first I quite liked this high energy dance styled music  But as the tunes wore on, they all sounded the same (just like with Kon Kan). I would say it's average for the style. Rare album at least.

Kon Kan - Move to Move. 1989 Atlantic (LP). Estate sale pickup (Jun). Same day but different sale than the Flock of Seagulls buy. At first I found myself enjoying the high energy dance music, but as it wore on, it's too much of the same thing. In fact the album comes across as dated for 1989, copying what occurred throughout the decade with synth pop, but it was time to move on.

A Flock of Seagulls - The Story of a Young Heart. 1984 Jive (LP). Cheyenne Mountain estate sale pickup (Jun). A Flock of Seagulls' third album sees the band maturing, but not as much fun. It's better than its reputation but it is kinda dull in the end.

---The next entries are from a large amount of albums that I bought at the last Colorado Springs Record show (May) from an Australian guy who happened to setup next to me at the last show.

INXS - Kick. 1987 Atlantic (LP). My thoughts here echo what I said about Listen Like Thieves. It's a very ordinary pop rock record and misses the vibrancy of The Swing. The big hits from this album I do like such as 'The Devil Inside' and 'Need You Tonight' but mostly this is blandola. (May)

Talking Heads - More Songs about Buildings and Food. 1978 Sire (LP). Talking Heads were a very prevalent band during my high school years of the early 80s, but they were already well known by the late 70s. I don't think I've ever given the band enough credit for how different they truly were in their era. This is miles away from the generic AOR being pushed down our throats back then. It's a no wonder they were pioneers of New Wave. This is a very good album, with various world music influences, but not enough for me to hold onto. I feel like one of their albums is going to make it though. Been at this "digging in the wilds" thing for 5 years now, and this is the first Talking Heads for me to find. They get snapped up quick, or you pay full price at the record store. The latter is what will happen when they buy this from us. :-) (May)

XTC - English Settlement. 1982 Epic (LP). Single album version, though I can't imagine the double swaying my opinion much here. XTC are one of those 80s bands I thought I missed back then. But so far all I hear is ordinary pop music. Seems I might like their earliest work best. (May)

Wham! - Make it Big. 1984 Columbia (LP). Well it doesn't get any gayer than this. As a straight guy, I do have to admit to wishing I looked like George Michael back in the day. Can you imagine the selection of girls I would have had? This is where I get religion, as you can also imagine the amount of trouble I would've gotten into. Thank you God for protecting me from myself. The only song I know from this is 'Closest Whisper' which is a very fine smooth jazz pop number. But it's not really representative. Much of it is showtooney Broadway styled brash pop, which goes hand in hand with the culture. Not for me. (May)

New Order - Brotherhood. 1986 Factory (LP). New Order are one of those bands that I probably know better than I think I do. Their beginning was after Joy Division broke up after the suicide of their lead vocalist. All the same, I hear this as "just one more" 80's album. I didn't recognize anything from it, and that seems to help when analyzing albums such as this. All good, but nothing more. (May)

Pet Shop Boys - Please. 1986 Parlophone (LP). First UK pressing. This is the first one up from the sale I mentioned above. Like Dead or Alive below, this is one of the more iconic releases from the gay synth pop movement. I always liked 'West End Girls' and there's a few other tracks here I enjoyed. But I have enough representative albums of the era, so this one can go. (May)

---end of sale

Dead or Alive - Youthquake. 1985 Epic (LP). The next three albums come from a buy at an antique mall (Feb), all priced way below market. Youthquake is about as representative of the 80s synth-pop dance culture as any you can possibly name. OK boys, get out your eyeliner! Music like this was the exact opposite of what I was into in 1985. Today I hear it as an encapsulation of the era in which it was released. Highly melodic, well composed, and very danceable. 

Bangles - Everything. 1988 Columbia (LP). Bangles are one of those bands I find myself rooting for, but I just can't get into them. Their first two albums fell a little short of acceptance, but Everything - their 3rd effort - falls into the disappointing category. Straight forward begging-for pop hits and nothing more. Throw out 12 (12!) three to four minute boring tracks and hope for the best. Not for me. (Feb)

Berlin - Love Life. 1984 Epic (LP). This is the second time for me to try for this, the other came from the large collection buy in 2019. I've warmed up to their second album Pleasure (and this seller also had the rare small label pressing of that album that I picked up for the collection), so I thought maybe I'd feel similar about their 3rd release. Nope. It's a hair better than the Bangles' junior year offering, as there were a couple of decent instrumental moments. But otherwise they wasted Terri Nunn's hypersexuality to produce a rather safe New Wave album. Average at best. (Feb)

* - Keeping for the collection

2023 X-Wave Journal Vol. 1

Neil Young - Trans. 1982 Geffen. Cheapie found at the Denver Record Show (Oct). As I mentioned on the Harvest blurb, I really don't know Neil Young all that well. On Trans it appears Neil Young doesn't know himself very well. This was an ill advised move in an attempt to be current and relevant. Neil Young and new wave don't go together. Generally rated as one of his worst albums. I don't think it's bad, but it's not a very good example of the genre. 

*Swing Out Sister - It's Better to Travel. 1987 Mercury. One of those odd albums I picked up real time in my earliest exploration of "other styles". I really liked 'Twilight World' when I first heard it, a contemporary take on the late 60s and early 70s insouciant jazz pop motif. Something Burt Bacharach might have penned had he taken a shine to modern rock music. The rest of the album didn't follow that pattern, and as I deep dived further into prog in the middle 90s, albums like It's Better to Travel had no further purpose, so I let it go. I recently rescued a perfect mint copy out of a local brick and mortar for a buck, so let's hear it again - as the last four years have mimicked where my headspace was in the late 80s. OK - yes, this is really great throughout, with 'Twilight Zone' sounding even better than I remembered. Today they call this style Sophisti-Pop, a cousin to the Japanese Shibuya-kei. I need more of this honestly. Keeper and a half. (Oct)

*Prismatic Shapes - Through the Prism (EP). 2021 Static Blooms. Fun one here. Mrs. UMR and I were traveling in the Kansas City area a couple of weeks ago and I found brand new stock of this 4 track EP for dirt cheap. So I decided to play one of the copies. Not bad at all. The group moniker, title, and cover do not indicate that this is pure retro early 80s danceable new wave music. It's more Flock of Seagulls than The Cure that's for sure. And they're from Mexico, who I don't believe had much of a synth pop tradition 40 years ago. All good fun. Vinyl is pressed as "blood red splatter on bone". OK, sounds good to me. I'm keeping one for the memories. (Oct)

Kajagoogoo - White Feathers. 1983 EMI. This was one of those "why not?" pickups. I remember enjoying 'Too Shy' in the past, something that was generally far from my normal listening fare while in college. Overall I found this one a fun listen, but not a lot of depth for repeated listening. That wasn't its intent - more to get people on the dancefloor. Borderline novelty act here. (Jul)

Crowded House. 1986 Capitol. Also with the R.E.M. (Mar). Australian group who had a big hit with 'Don't Dream It's Over' something I even recognized from back in the day. It's a good song, and happens to be the only thing decent on Side 1. I also like B2 and B5 and that's about it. Straddles the line between the kind of early 80s new wave I enjoy and the rather bland and straightforward late 80s alt rock that I don't care for. More of the latter too. Average rating from me. 

Peter Gabriel - So. 1986 Geffen. With the R.E.M. (Mar). In recent times I've shared my thoughts about Peter Gabriel's solo albums. The first three ended up being a disappointment, in some cases being worse than I remember. Then the 4th (aka Security) resulted in a +2 listen, some of that no doubt attributed to the nostalgic factor. And now we get to the successor So. And I fear to say that my original grade of "good" remains. It's very well executed and polished. Gabriel's ability to tap into the mid 80s mindset is brilliant, and the music defines the 1986 era. As noted many times before, I was detached from my peer group by then, and the nostalgia for this time and place is not very strong, like it would have been for 1983. This wasn't an album I heard in full until 2015, so all my views on it are purely retrospective.

R.E.M. - Document. 1987 I.R.S. Estate sale find (Mar). I'm trying to force myself to listen to these 80s albums through and through. Honestly I don't like R.E.M. Never heard much from them that I even recognize much less care about. There is some synchronicity happening in that this is the first LP I've found from them in the wilds and I was in Athens, Georgia a little over two weeks ago. And would you believe I saw them live once, with Sonic Youth opening? I preferred the opening band naturally, but R.E.M. weren't bad. That was back in May of 1995 and I had not long before started a new job in Denver. This was the start of many company/partner-driven events I would be fortunate enough to go to over the years. As for this LP, yea I don't really care for it much at all. OK, I recognize two songs 'The One I Love' (just looked at the set list and they didn't even play it!) and 'It's the End of the World as We Know It' which they completed their encore with. If you hang in there with Document the last track 'Oddfellows Local 151' is quite good. But mostly this is average at best. 

* - Keeping for the collection

2021 X-Wave Journal Vol. 1 - Complete

***The following all came from a collection dump at a thrift shop, most in pristine condition (Jul)

Men Without Hats - Pop Goes the World. 1987 Mercury (LP). For some reason, I had Men at Work in mind when I picked this up. Different group of course. Men Without Hats are from Canada and are most famous for the song 'Safety Dance' which I remember from high school. This is a few years after that, but it's still in-the-pocket New Wave music. Pleasant enough listen, but nothing really grabbed me here. Average for the style I would submit. In reading some reviews, it seems to be a cult classic of some sort. Not sure I hear anything radical enough to warrant that, but there it is.

Blondie - Autoamerican. 1980 Chrysalis (LP). My previous rating was somewhat mediocre, and in hearing the first couple of tracks, I thought I may have been too harsh. It starts off in serious orchestral mode before going into her disco comfort zone. Then a 40's number, a reggae bit, and on and on. Yea, my rating of average is right. I'm not too fond of genre hopping anyway, but especially from a group like Blondie.

Tom Tom Club - Close to the Bone. 1983 Sire (LP). The second album from Tom Tom Club is clearly less art pop, and more geared toward the dance floor. At first, I thought this album to be lesser. But as it went on, it became more infectious. 'The Man with the 4-Way Hips" is so ridiculous, you can't help but like it. Sometimes I wish I was more silly when I was 18 - I would have liked this. But alas, I was not a silly kid. In any case - fun listen, but not something I need to own.

Roxy Music - Avalon. 1982 EG / Warner Bros. (LP). Roxy Music has always been a preferred group for "The Smart Set". But since I'm a charter member of "The Dumb Set", I haven't ever really been drawn to their sound. They're the anti-Yes, and find favor with 70s arty songwriter fans. Not surprising at all that they were able to draw a new fan base with their take on 80s New Wave / Art Pop music. This was to be their last album, though it is considered one of their best. I found it pleasant enough, not overly distinctive from their peers. But then again, "select the next pattern that best represents the sequence of abstract shapes below" was never really my thing. 

Joe Jackson - Night and Day. 1982 A&M (LP). This was a true nostalgia pickup, as I bought this album my senior year of high school, when it first came out. I was trying to "broaden my horizons" obviously lol. My social set in those days was a mix of the cool kids and the long haired freaks. The latter was my metal outlet, and early adventure into prog. The former was all about early 80s contemporary music. I thought 'Steppin' Out' was great, so why not? It's by far my favorite track on the album, and one wishes there was more of this kind of music in general. It's almost a throw back to Burt Bacharach before doing such was fashionable. But Jackson was always an odd bird. I held onto this album for some years before parting with it. In hearing it again, I have to agree with that decision, even though I'm moving the grade from good to very good. There's just not enough nostalgia pull here (I barely remember the rest), and it's not something I'm going to be excited to listen to. 

Devo - Freedom of Choice. 1980 Warner Bros. (LP). This was also in the 80s collection I picked up three years ago (2019). I did manage to hear it all the way through last time, so my grade hasn't changed on this listen. Ohio's Devo captured the spirit of the era perfectly. They're a bit silly honestly, but it's all good fun. Not something for me to keep.

The Psychedelic Furs - Mirror Moves. 1984 Columbia (LP). Like with Devo, I first heard this in the 2019 80's collection purchase. And again my rating remains the same. The band name is a misnomer of course. Nothing psych about these guys, at least at this point in their career. Mirror Moves is oh-so-British accented New Wave music. By 1984 this style was already played out, but it's still a good example of the genre. Nothing I need though.

Tom Tom Club. 1981 Sire (LP). Tom Tom Club is a new name for me, but I'm sure many of you know that they are an offshoot of The Talking Heads. The music is similar Art Pop meets New Wave. It's heavily percussive as well. An interesting listen, more involved than your usual 80s music - but again not anything that goes beyond "good" in my world.

The New American Orchestra - Blade Runner. 1982 Full Moon / Warner Bros. (LP). This is the original version. Music was composed by Vangelis, but not performed by him. It's a true soundtrack with some decent electronic pieces, but average on the whole.

Bangles - All Over the Place. 1984 Columbia (LP). In my mind the Bangles existed earlier than 1984, but obviously that was not the case. While the 80s collection mentioned above had their more famous Different Light album ('Walk Like an Egyptian'), their debut shows the group to be more of that 80s indie/garage type sound. It's all very safe of course, nothing radical here, but at least the girls prove they weren't just a gimmick act. And as is usually the case, the market rewarded them only for their most ridiculous aspects. Oh well, they cashed in anyway. Nice album, but not anything I need to keep.

2020 X-Wave Journal Vol. 1 - Complete

*Laurie Anderson - Big Science. 1982 Warner Bros. (LP) With the two below (Dec). I do have some history with this album. Going back, once again, to early college. During Chemistry Lab 101, our young professor assistant (the same guy who basically told us when we catch on fire - not if...) enjoyed playing a cassette tape of this album during our lab sessions. I was very intrigued by the music, except... it was the absolute wrong setting. Laurie Anderson is anything but background music for lab work. So it came across as annoying, primarily because we were focused on the task at hand. So we begged him to stop playing the cassette... It's been 37 years since that event, and I'm hearing Big Science for the first time on an attentive listen. Well, I did my best anyway. As one reviewer noted, it must be considered absurd that she was a commercial success during this period. There is nothing catchy about Big Science. This is one-of-a-kind music that's for sure. Here are the genres RYM associates with only this album: Art Pop, Experimental, Spoken Word, Minimal Synth, Electronic, Post-Minimalism. I'm sure I could add some more. Overall I found the album alluring, though maybe not satisfying. But it's highly unique and would require a mindset change to appreciate further. I keep albums like that.

*Missing Persons - Rhyme & Reason. 1984 Capitol (LP). With the B-52's (Dec). For whatever reason, I find myself enjoying Missing Persons more than others of this ilk. It's a heavily synthesized mid 80s sound, but the melodies are solid, and the musicianship is a few cuts above the rest. Of course they all played with Zappa, so that could be one reason... I've actually never seen or heard this record before (1984 was early college, so I had even less to do with anything associated with New Wave). I was surprised, perhaps disappointed, that it's only a $5 record even in mint shape. But the good news is - I'm keeping it anyway!

The B-52's. 1979 Warner Bros. (LP). Thrift shop find (Dec). I have a story for you on The B-52's. The best part of a blog is that I have a captive audience. And the best part for you is... you don't have to read it. Ha! So... in 1998, I was a consultant for a large ERP software company, and my gig in those days was as a DBA - when I still had real applicable skills and didn't rust my brain out in "leadership". Specifically performance and tuning was my specialty. Since many of our clients had serious performance issues, I was in high demand nationwide, flying coast to coast to get them back on track. And when said company had their annual User's Conference, I was asked to run a one hour session on the topic. Because the topic was so popular, we would get one of the large auditoriums in the Moscone Center (ah forgot to mention that the conference was in San Francisco). We had over 1,000 people in attendance, standing room only. Now for an introvert like me, that's quite daunting. However, when a room is that big, it's actually more like doing radio (which I had already done for three years) - basically talking into the abyss. All the same, introverts like me (we're not shy by the way - common misconception - it's that we give off lots of energy, and thus are completely drained by people being around us, especially extroverts) - are massively exhausted after such an event. And it was at the end of day. And it's a conference. Meaning... I need a drink. Bad. And free drinks are everywhere of course. Wine please. Next glass. Next glass. Next... You get the idea. One of the other interesting aspects to these conferences is their ability to bring in top music acts. Maybe not currently top, but at one point they were. I've seen Jefferson Airplane, Tower of Power, and many others this way. Of course the software companies were (and are) super wealthy, and so they could offer up quite the event purse to any band willing to "sell out" to Corporate America. And on this night in November - as the evening carried on, and I'm bombed out of my mind - there's the The B-52's! I didn't really know them that well, but certainly remember them from my high school days of the early 80s. But given the state I was in, they were the perfect antidote. High energy concert, and a helluva lot of fun. I can still image it perfectly. Of course I was right in front of them (not my natural state, I must say). Good times. Oh, the album you ask? It's OK - decent I guess. Kind of campy really, and not much impact at home listening to the stereo, even with the trusty craft beer by my side. But I think The B-52's are more for the live setting. That's their element. 

999 - The Biggest Prize in Sport. 1980 Polydor (LP). With The Sunset Bombers (Nov). Like many budget bin albums, I bought it primarily for resale. Sometimes I listen to them, and sometimes I just scan the album and move to the sale box (and don't bother to rate). Ah, let's try this one - it's tagged punk rock on RYM. But it's not my definition of punk. Pretty harmless stuff. In this way I was more reminded of The Clash. Side 1 was better than I thought it would be, with some pretty good songs and guitar work. Side 2 was monotonous in contrast. Not bad, but just not my thing.

The Sunset Bombers - Sunset Bombers. 1978 Ariola (LP). From a local store (Nov). In the late 70s, one could tell the music tide was changing to a more aggressive, simplistic rock. Egged on by the music media, the day of complex, thought provoking rock, was coming to a close. Their primary argument: That's not what rock music is. As if such a declaration was etched on a tablet from On High. I'm sure this album was met with critical acclaim... and little sales. It's super boring and all the songs sound the same. It does possess good energy though. Features one of the guys who went on to The Knack, who honestly weren't much better, but had one great track to propel them to fame and fortune.

Living Dolls - Emotional Parade. 1986 Fine Line (EP). From a Denver area record store (Nov). Four track EP from Seattle based group. The music here is definitely New Wave, and it's a bit late in the game for this kind of sound. Good for what it is though, but not lighting my fire.

*Pulling Faces - Dance of Ghosts. 1987 Wea (Ireland). Excellent thrift shop find (Oct). I was pleasantly surprised by the contents - a fine mix of 80s new wave... and hard rock! Sort of like The Slapp 45 I wrote about here not long ago. Definitely holding onto this one.

*The Police - Ghost in the Machine. 1981 A&M (LP). Thrift shop find (Oct). This is the point where I start to really enjoy The Police. Focusing on nothing more than Sting's excellent bass work opens a lot of doors for appreciating this title. One of those iconic albums that define the term "80's music".

*Duran Duran - Rio. 1982 Capitol (LP). One of those albums that define my high school years, or the latter part of them. I was favorable to Duran Duran even back then, but didn't go so far as to buy their albums. I was still a metal head getting into progressive and electronic. Duran Duran were for the boys who "played for the other team" (don't make me explain). About 5 years ago, I went to a rare garage sale (there was a brief period in 2015 that allowed me to do what I do every week now) and this lady had tons of CDs. And this was in the stack. And it brought back a flood of memories. So now the LP found its way to a thrift (Oct). And I'm enjoying it even more now. They have an edge on them, with great guitar and superb songwriting. I hope to find others by the band. They have proven to be elusive so far. Certainly this is the first copy I've found in two years of doing this. Of course I could just go to a record shop and pay a few dollars more. But that's no fun.

* - Keeping for the collection