Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark "Junk Culture" (1984)

Junk Culture
release date: Apr. 30, 1984
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,98]
producer: Brian Tench and OMD
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Junk Culture" - 2. "Tesla Girls" - 3. "Locomotion" - 5. "Never Turn Away" - 8. "All Wrapped Up" - 10. "Talking Loud and Clear"

5the studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark indeed marks a change of style. The band had been experimenting with synthpop on all their previous albums and all of a sudden they release a bold pop album. The album plays with elements from reggae, dance-pop, and particularly contemporary British pop. I remember my astonishment and sheer disappointment by this album. I couldn't believe it was the same band that had released Dazzle Ships one year earlier. The explanation has probably something to do with the fact that the predecessor sold poorly, and that the band had been associated with pop star potential with the inclusion of the popular songs "Enola Gay", "Electricity", and "Joan Of Arc" on the first three albums, whereas Dazzle Ships "only" brought "Genetic Engineering", which wasn't quite as successful nor as mainstream pop-minded. Here the band secured the record sales but also (sadly) withdrew from the experimental (and artistic) side to its talent.
The album reached #11 on the national albums chart list, but one may take into account that fans in general found it difficult to the band's musical direction at the time of this release. However, the singles "Tesla Girls" and "Locomotion" fared more than well. To me, though, the album was an unexpected low point and a big disappointment from the highly original Dazzle Ships.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Sandie Shaw "Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?" (1986) (single)

Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?, 7'' single
release date: May 1986
format: vinyl (POSP 793)
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,45]
producer: Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?" - - B) "Steven (You Don't Eat Meat)"

Single release by Sandie Shaw. Non of the single tracks are included on any studio albums. The title track is a cover song originally by Lloyd Cole and the Commotions and included on the debut album Rattlesnakes (1984).

R.E.M. "Up" (1998)

Up
release date: Oct. 27, 1998
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Pat McCarthy and R.E.M.
label: Warner Bros. - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "Lotus" - 4. "Hope" - 5. "At My Most Beautiful" (4 / 5) - 7. "Sad Professor" - 9. "Walk Unafraid" (5 / 5) (live) - 10. "Why Not Smile" (3,5 / 5) - 11. "Daysleeper" (3,5 / 5) - 12. "Diminished / I'm Not Over You" - 13. "Parakeet" - 14. "Falls To Climb"

11th studio release by R.E.M is a 14 track album. Not only did new producer Pat McCarthy step in to signal a new time for the band but this was also the first time a band member had left since the formation of the band. Drummer Bill Berry had (like all four members) been a part of R.E.M. since the very beginning but he left the band in 1997, which is also why the band decided to use another producer, simply because Scott Litt had been like a fifth member of the band, and now with Berry's leave disrupting the band's structure, making it a trio, they had to look for a replacement and a new sound. Prior to Berry's decision, he had experienced an incident with a brain aneurysm during their Monster live tour in Germany 1995. He was naturally hospitalized for a longer period of time while the band found a substitute. After his recovery, he rejoined the band and they made New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996), but on this and the following, Joey Waronker plays drums.
This was the first album with the band that I didn't buy at the time of its release. I simply found it dull and like on a repetitious formula. I had grown tired of their pop / rock that was predictable and without artistic intentions. Like New Adventures... the album is a step down from their heydays, and I think this is just another step down from its predecessor. Yes, it contains fine music, great songwriting, but for a band who has accustomed its fans to always expect an artistic profile and a pioneering band that seeks out new material by looking for new sources of inspiration almost like a driving force... then this is... dull. 

Over the years I have come to enjoy the album more and more, and today consider it an improvement to New Adventures... Stipe's voice is brilliant and the music is more experimental as in search of something new. Two tracks really stand out. "At My Most Beautiful" and "Walk Unafraid" are up there among their absolute best.
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5, NME 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Show lyrics <- click...

~ ~ ~
"Walk Unafraid"

"As the sun comes up, as the moon goes down
These heavy notions creep around
It makes me think, long ago
I was brought into this life a little lamb
A little lamb
Courageous, stumbling
Fearless was my middle name.

But somewhere there I lost my way
Everyone walks the same
Expecting me to step
The narrow path they've laid they claim to
Walk unafraid
I'll be clumsy instead
Hold my love or leave me high.

Say "keep within the boundaries if you want to play."
Say "contradiction only makes it harder."
How can I be
What I want to be?
When all I want to do is strip away
These stilled constraints

And crush this charade
Shred this sad masquerade
I don't need no persuading
I'll trip, fall, pick myself up and
Walk unafraid
I'll be clumsy instead
Hold my love me or leave me high.

If I have a bag of rocks to carry as I go
I just want to hold my head up high
I don't care what I have to step over
I'm prepared to look you in the eye
Look me in the eye

And if you see familiarity
Then celebrate the contradiction
Help me when I fall to
Walk unafraid
I'll be clumsy instead
Hold my love me or leave me high.
Walk unafraid
I'll be clumsy instead
Hold my love me or leave me high."

~ ~ ~

The The "Soul Mining" (1983)

Soul Mining [debut]
release date: Oct. 21, 1983
format: cd (1989 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,86]
producer: Paul Hardiman and Matt Johnson
label: Some Bizzare / Epic Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (All of My Life)" - 2. "This Is the Day" (5 / 5) - 4. "Uncertain Smile" (4 / 5) (live on Jools Holland) - 5. "The Twilight Hour" - 6. "Soul Mining" (4 / 5) - 7. "GIANT" - *8. "Perfect" (Bonus track)
*included on the 1984 US release and on the '86 cd issue, but the track is left out on the 2002 remaster. The track was released as a single Feb. 1983 and is also included on the '83 cassette issue.

Actual studio album debut under the name of The The and also Matt Johnson's first with new label Some Bizzare. With this songwriter, main composer, lead vocalist and primary instrumentalist Matt Johnson has gathered up with various musicians to record music under the name of The The. The album follows two years after his solo album Burning Blue Soul (Aug. 1981 - from '93 reissued under the name of The The), and it's clear that Johnson has taken a decision to make more harmony-driven music, basically leaving behind the psychedelic style and instead produced his own sound based on new wave and art rock artists associated with post-punk. Actually, Johnson had already written what was to be the follow-up to his solo debut one year earlier, but as he was about to record the album - which came by the title of The Pornography of Despair, Johnson simply went missing on an impulsive road trip together with Some Bizzare founder Stevo Pearce, and the whole album was practically shelved and remains unreleased [some of the tracks from the unreleased album were apparently re-written / re-shaped into songs on Soul Mining].

Soul Mining is a great and highly original album sitting somewhere in between established genres and styles. Johnson alledgedly spent much time in setting up the order of tracks and deciding that "GIANT" should end the album, which was like a long journey coming to its climax [as stated in his biography "Long Shadows, High Hopes" by Neil Fraser, 2018]. According to his girlfriend Fiona Skinner, Johnson is said to have been more than just a little confused when he picked up a US cassette of the original album, which had the bonus track "Perfect" to end the album.

This was my first acquisition with The The and for a long time it remained my favourite by Matt Johnson. I do however think, his very best studio album is the successor Infected (1986) but together with this, they're both very fine albums and I often find it difficult to decide which one I've played most frequently. This is undoubtedly his cleanest pop-shaped album, and I really think the title fits very well, as it obviously has a founding pop soul element. None of his albums are record breaking chart busters but his music has always been praised by other musicians and critics.

Soul Mining is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". The cover art is made by 'Andy Dog', pseudonym for Andrew Johnson, Matt's older brother, who has made the front (and back) covers on most of the releases by The The. In North America, the 'spliff' smoking woman was exhanged with the 'screaming man' art work by Andy Dog.

[ Record Mirror, Smash Hits 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3 / 5, Sounds 5 / 5 stars ]

   

Portuguese and North
American cover 1984

2002 remaster

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds "Henry's Dream" (1992)

Henry's Dream
release date: Apr. 27, 1992
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]
producer: David Briggs
label: Mute Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Papa Won't Leave You, Henry" (4 / 5) - 2. "I Had a Dream, Joe" - 3. "Straight to You" (4 / 5) - 4. "Brother, My Cup Is Empty" - 6. "When I First Came to Town" - 7. "John Finn's Wife" - 9. "Jack the Ripper"

7th studio album by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds following The Good Son (1992) released on Mute, and for the first (and only?) time with (Neil Young) producer David Briggs, which seems a wise choice. In my mind, this is simply the best album by Nick Cave. On this, he mixes the alt. rock with the more ballad-styled compositions and makes his first truly fine and coherent album. "Papa Won't Leave You, Henry" is spitting angry blues punk and "Straight to You" is a beautiful chamber rock ballad.
Imho, this is the most deserved Nick Cave album to be included in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Mojo 4 / 5 stars ]

Bloc Party "Tulips" (2005) (single)

Tulips, single
release date: Jan. 25, 2005
format: digital
[single rate: 4 / 5] [3,75]

Tracklist: 1. "Tulips" (4 / 5) - 2. "Tulips (Club Version)" (3,5 / 5)

A single release from Bloc Party with an A-side single that somehow didn't make it to the album, which I never understood as it's an amazing track. It had been included on the ep Little Thoughts (Dec. 2004) and then found its way to a single release. Maybe it's too soft and mellow compared to the other tracks of the debut? But in that case, I guess they wouldn't have included Two More Years on the re-release in October.

Paul Young "Between Two Fires" (1986)

Between Two Fires
release date: Oct. 23, 1986
format: cd (2007 Deluxe Edition)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,08]
producer: Hugh Padgham, Paul Young, Ian Kewley
label: Edsel Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Some People" - 2. "Wonderland" - 7. "Why Does a Man Have to Be Strong"

3rd studio album by Paul Young originally released on Columbia Records sees Young move from more complex songs and arrangements to have a go on more straightforward pop music. Together with keyboardist Ian Kewley, Young has co-written eight of the ten tracks, and that's perhaps the biggest change from his two first albums. The duo wrote a few good songs for the previous album, but the best tracks by Paul Young have all been cover versions, and it's no wonder that the strongest track on the album, "Wonderland" is not written by Young himself, but a song by Betsy Cook.
The album fared rather well, peaking at number #4 on the UK album charts list (paved its way by the predecessor). Three singles were released from the album: "Wonderland", the best-faring single reaching number #24, "Some People" reaching number #56, and "Why Does a Man Have to Be Strong" topping at position #63.
I think, the album perfectly illustrates Young's strengths and weaknesses: he's an extraordinary vocalist with that unique singing voice, but no more than a mediocre songwriter, and I think, with this album he fell into the same category as Robert Palmer. Both strong on pop covers - not so great when they are to demonstrate their own musical ideas, and in the case of Paul Young, who is a better singer, it's just a pity 'cause with his second album, he showed what he was capable of. This is his perhaps least interesting album, and it might have brought him more damage than his following, and better, albums could ever mend.
[ allmusic.com 2 /5 stars ]

Roddy Frame "The North Star" (1998)

The North Star [debut]
release date: Oct. 1998
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]
producer: Simon Dawson, Roddy Frame
label: Independiente - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Back to the One" - 2. "The North Star" - 3. "Here Comes the Ocean" - 6. "Bigger Brighter Better" (5 / 5) (live on Later) - 8. "Reason for Living" (live) - 9. "Sister Shadow" - 10. "Hymn to Grace" (acoustic live)

Studio album solo debut by Scottish singer / songwriter Roddy Frame. The album is released in his own name but it's basically his seventh studio album when rightfully counting the six releases by Aztec Camera released from 1983 to 1995. The now 34-year old artist has given up releasing material under the band moniker and pursued a 'real' solo career despite the fact that he was always in full control when making music as Aztec Camera. The last studio album by Aztec Camera, Frestonia from 1995 really marked the transition to a singer / songwriter form, and that may have been the stepping stone to his change of name. Except for producer credits, the additional musicians from the '95 album are identical to the ones appearing on The North Star, but that aside the new album is the fulfilment of what appears as a slightly bolder folk-founded album.
In spite of a generally good reception and positive reviews the album failed to attract much fuss and seemed to be almost neglected by radio stations and record buyers - of course a small independent label didn't help much in promoting the album as something to pay attention to. The album sold better than the unsuccessful Frestonia and made it to number #51 on the UK albums chart list, still far from the sales numbers of the first five albums as Aztec Camera.
From my perspective, this is a solid modern singer / songwriter album, one of Frame's best album releases and a highly recommendable album.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Gangway "Sitting in the Park" (1988)

Sitting in the Park

release date: Jul. 12, 1988

format: cd

[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,72]

producer: David Motion

label: London Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "My Girl and Me" - 2. "Sitting in the Park" - 3. "The Loneliest Being" - 5. "Out on the Rebound From Love" - 7. "The Party's Over" - 8. "Do You Remember"

3rd studio album by Gangway is aka Sitting in the Park (Again!) (marked on a sticker put after the title) released on London Records and produced by David Motion. It follows 2½ years after the original Sitting in the Park (1986) released on the now defunct Danish label Irmgardz... The '86 album had only been released in Scandinavia (and Japan in '92) and the band's new label, London Records (sublabel of PolyGram), had initially wanted to reissue the album but unable to get the master tapes they simply had the band re-record some of their older compositions from the Irmgardz... years with six songs stemming from the '86 album, two from the '84 debut The Twist, an '85 A-side single, and (only) one new song: "Here's My House". The album is most often filed alongside their other studio albums; however, what it more resembles is that of a re-issue, or perhaps a contemporary "remix" album. Their step into the British market was over before it even began. Apparently, conflicts between the band manager, London Records, who focused on other acts, and the mother company, combined with a (too) long time spent getting the album finished, Gangway was shelved practically before launching what they thought was an upcoming English adventure. They were instead positioned for the German market and subsequently released from their contract, which meant that the album (again) wasn't promoted in Britain and ended up selling only approx. 17.000 copies.

Stylewise, it's somewhat obvious that David Motion wanted to update the sound and rearrange the songs in an attempt to make it a coherent whole by changing the original diverse compositions originating from various releases. A few of the new versions don't sound all that different but several compositions are near unrecognisable and what's worse: none to the better. Motion has made all the songs more dynamic, more strict but he has also managed to scrape away the charm or warmth of the original recordings. The two songs from the The Twist: "The Loneliest Being" and "Violence, Easter and Christmas" are basically ruined, and what was highlights on the original releases are here like grey and dull cover versions. Of course, you cannot completely turn a deaf ear to the songwriting talent of Henrik Balling & Co., which is why you still find highlights here, but the intended boost to the band's popularity simply falls flat here.

Not recommended. Instead listen to The Twist and / or the '86 version of Sitting in the Park.

Gianna Nannini "Puzzle" (1984)

Puzzle

release date: 1984

format: cd (1995? reissue)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]

producer: Conny Plank & Gianna Nannini

label: Metronome - nationality: Italy

Track highlights: 1. "Kolossal" - 2. "Fotoromanza" (4 / 5) (TV appearance - Live 2002) - 4. "Siamo ricchi" - 6. "Fiesta" - 7. "Ballami" - 8. "Se vai via"

6th studio album by Gianna Nannini follows two years after the fine Latin Lover and is like that produced by German sound engineer Conny Plank together with Nannini. It was originally released on Dischi Ricordi for the domestic market and also in Germany - for other international issues the album was issued by Polydor (the Metronome reissue is likely from the mid-90s).

Without making use of a vast group of starring artists as had been the case on the '82 album, the album was recorded with guitarist Rudy Spinello, bassist Hans Baar and drummer Rüdiger Braune as the only recurring instrumentalists apart from Plank's synth constributions. Nannini has written the songs here in collaboration with Italian singer Raffaella Riva (from the vocal group Gruppo Italiano) and Nannini is sole composer on three and has co-composed two tracks with Plank (tracks #2 & #5), three together with Mauro Paoluzzi (#4, #5 & #8), and track #3 with drummer Rüdiger Braune.

Musically, it doesn't fall far from her two most recent albums. There's a stronger presence of electronics (keyboards, synths, emulator, harmonizer, vocodor and drum programming) compared to her more rock-based predecessor, and Puzzle also show Nannini as a bolder "pop" artist.

The album is Nannini's first major hit album peaking at number #2 on the national charts and the first single "Fotoromanza" topped the charts, whereas the second single "Bla bla" (also written together with Riva and without featuring on the album) / "Fiesta" failed to chart. Later on "Bla bla" would become a staple when performing live as well on later "best of" releases. With its broader appeal Puzzle is most likely perceived as her national break-through, but in her extensive discography I do find it a bit of a small step back and basically don't find it quite as appealing as the '82-album, and nor as strong as some of her later studio releases. Having said that, Puzzle is still a fine album with at least one great and two to three fine compositions, and it's truly a fine studio release that points to her future style incorporating her rock-foundation with that of a more mainstream pop / rock outing with traces of italo-pop.

Recommended.

Tindersticks "Nénette et Boni" (OST) (1996)

Nénette et Boni (OST) (soundtrack)
release date: Oct. 21, 1996
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,33]
producer: Ian Caple
label: This Way Up - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Ma soeur" - 4. "Camions" - 8. "Petites gouttes d'eau" - 9. "Les cannes à pêche"

Soundtrack album by Tindersticks for a Claire Denis film of the same name. The album consists of 14 compositions, of which all except one are instrumentals. The song "Petites gouttes d'eau" is a newly rearranged version of "Tiny Tears" from the band's second studio album (aka Tindersticks II from 1995). Nénette et Boni has a total running length of 37 minutes.

This soundtrack marks the beginning of a long-time collaboration work with and for Claire Denis, which reaches into the new Millennium.

Robyn "Body Talk Pt. 1" (2010)

Body Talk Pt. 1, mini-album
release date: Jun. 14, 2010
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,98]
producer: Klas Åhlund
label: Konichiwa Records - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Don't Fucking Tell Me What to Do" - 2. "Fembot" (live) - 3. "Dancing on My Own" (live) - 4. "Cry When You Get Older" - 5. "Dancehall Queen" - 6. "None of Dem" (feat. Röyksopp)

Mini-album by Robyn released five years after her latest original studio album not counting her modified 2007 album. Like that, this is made almost in partnership with producer and songwriter Klas Åhlund but also with Patrik Berger with whom she also worked with on her 2005 album.
The album only contains 8 tracks and has a rather short running time just clocking 30 mins. But as the title suggests, this was promoted as her first release in a series of 3-albums-a-year-project of 2010, which made it more than an ordinary release.
The first part of the series takes off pretty much where Robyn ended, or at least in a similar direction when thinking of her hits from that album. It's dance-pop and electropop with an intensified focus on the latter, and with six fine tracks out of eight, this is a blast of a start of an ambitious project. The album introduces the implementation of re-using songs in acoustic-ordinary versions from Part 1, 2 and 3 respectively. This contains the acoustic version of "Hang With Me", which is found on Part 2 in the standard version, and likewise Part 2 contains an acoustic version of a song appearing on Part 3.
Only the single "Dancing on My Own" was officially released to promote the album, although also tracks #2 (made available in Mar. 2010), tracks #5 and #6 were released individually as digital singles only. "Dancing on My Own" topped the charts in Sweden (becoming Robyn's first number #1 national hit single), at number #2 in Denmark number #8 in the UK, and number #3 in the US (Hot Dance Club Songs Chart). Also the album topped the national albums chart list and it reached number #3 in the US for Dance / Electronic albums. Needless say, it received wide-spread acclaim.
My only regret is the short playing time, but I simply find it her so far best album release to date. A spontaneous question naturally arises as to how Part 2 couldn't but disappoint after this start, but of course it also made people pay attention and keep them hungry for more, although, in retrospect, I think it would have been optimal with a one album release - that would have been a bomb!
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com, Slant, The Guardian, Spin 4 / 5, Rolling Stone, NME 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Lars Muhl "King of Croon" (1988)

King of Croon
release date: Apr. 1988
format: vinyl (FOX 116) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Kasper Winding
label: Fox Records - nationality: Denmark

2nd solo album by Lars Muhl following The Glorious Art of Breaking Little Girls' Hearts... (1986) and his first and only album on local (Aarhus) label Fox Records.
I got the original album on cassette when it came out, and have only recently purchased a fine second hand copy of the vinyl issue. Despite being a typical '80s production album, Lars Muhl proves what a gifted songwriter he is / was. The album contains several songs that were minor radio hits in the Summer of '88, but it's without doubt the song "Angel Come Go with Me" that most people associate with Muhl.
With this album he demonstrates that he's one of the absolute best national songwriters of the '80s, and imho, this is also his very best solo album.
Recommended.

Peter Gabriel "So" (1986)

So

release date: May 19, 1986

format: cd (1988 reissue)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]

producer: Peter Gabriel, Daniel Lanois

label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Red Rain" - 2. "Sledgehammer" (4 / 5) - 3. "Don't Give Up" (feat. Kate Bush) (4 / 5) - 5. "In Your Eyes" - 9. "This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds)" (feat. Laurie Anderson)

5th studio album by Peter Gabriel following nearly four years after Gabriel's most recent studio album Peter Gabriel (1982) is his first not to be a self-titled release. It was originally released on Charisma Records, which had been absorbed by Virgin in '83. It's his second release with Canadian producer Daniel Lanois, who also co-produced Gabriel's soundtrack for the Alan Parker 1985-movie Birdy, and two years earlier, Gabriel also released the live-album Plays Live (1983). On So, Gabriel has gathered some of his usual backing band musicians including guitarist David Rhodes, bassist Tony Levin, and drummer Jerry Marotta, but what's more striking is a rather long list of studio musicians as well as featuring artists, which include Manu Katché, Michael Been (The Call), Kate Bush, Jim Kerr (Simple Minds), Laurie Anderson, Stewart Copeland (The Police), Nile Rodgers, Bill Laswell, Richard Tee, P.P. Arnold, Ronnie Bright, Youssou N'Dour... and several others. Artists and musicians from various eras, from all kinds of styles. and from every corner of the world. The song "This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds)" co-written by Laurie Anderson was orginally included on her '84-album Mister Heartbreak. The album here is without keyboardist Larry Fast, who participated on Gabriel's first four solo albums, and Gabriel himself is then credited for playing keyboards, synths and doing electronic programming - something he initiated doing with the Birdy-soundtrack.

The album continues the stylistic approach he initiated with his '82-album and particular his inclusion of African and Latin American rhythm sections, but where the former album was more experimental and without strong melody structure, So is an even stronger conglomerate of styles but with focus on harmony and melody song structure, which also makes it his so far boldest mainstream pop / rock album.

Alledgedly, the title is Gabriel's small protest to label distributors and directors' idea that albums must have a title, so he came up with the small sarcastic answer: "[So] here it is!". The album is Gabriel's breakthrough, which took him all the way from cult-figure status to stadium arenas, and the album soon topped the charts all over the world with number #1 positions in the UK, Canada, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, a secondplace on the US Billboard 200, and selling multi-platinum in several countries. Music critics also saw it as a groundbreaking album, and in retrospect it's generally seen as his best effort. No less than five singles were chosen for single releases: "Sledgehammer" preceeded the album release and its success - aided by a state-of-the-art music-video (winning 9 awards at the '87 MTV Video Music Award, and winning "British Video of the Year" at the Brit Awards) - made way for "In Your Eyes", "Don't Give Up", "Big Time" and "Red Rain", and all singles made top-10 entries on single charts world-wide.

I recall the "Sledgehammer"-music video on MTV, and although, I wasn't a huge fan, I understood its general appeal. From my perspective, So was mainstream music made for people, who listened to Tina Turner, Springsteen's Born in the USA, Diana Ross, Madonna, Sting, Jean-Michel Jarre, Phil Collins and the like. Basically, music you couldn't avoid, and to me, Gabriel was talented but not an artist I adored. I ended up liking his music more after coming accross The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by Genesis at some point around '93/94 and soon after I purchased his Secret World Live album (1994). Yes, So is fine - I do, however, understand why Paul Simon's Graceland won Album of the Year in '86 'cause I like that so much more, but Gabriel's album is nevertheless something you simply need to know of. I don't consider it my favourite Peter Gabriel album, but it's still highly recommended. My favourite track is "Don't Give Up" where Kate Bush simply gives that extra stellar quality to a classic song.

[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, Mojo, Q, Uncut 4 / 5, Pitchfork 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 5 / 5 stars ]

Liz Green "Haul Away!" (2014)

Haul Away!
release date: Apr. 14, 2014
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Liam Watson
label: Play It Again Sam - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Battle" - 2. "Haul Away" - 3. "Rybka" - 4. "River Runs Deep" - 5. "Where the River Don't Flow" - 7. "Into My Arms" - 8. "Island Song" - 9. "Little I"

2nd album by Liz Green released on Play It Again Sam. Liz is a multi-talented artist, who did the artwork as she did on her debut O, Devotion! (2011). Aside for singing, writing and composing these songs, she's credited on piano, guitar, organ, clarinet, and banjo.

The album takes off where the debut left us three years ago. Liz keeps to her formula, and thank god for that, because she has such a unique voice and style. This may turn out as wonderful as the debut, but I haven't accustomed to this as her first release.

EDIT May 2014: Liz Green is quite unique, and she's really one of the most interesting modern solo artists from Britain today. This album is fine - far from a mediocre release - but it's not really up there alongside her astonishing debut.

Suzanne Vega "Suzanne Vega" (1985)

Suzanne Vega [debut]
release date: May 1985
format: vinyl (395 072-1) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Steve Addabbo, Lenny Kaye and Steven Miller
label: A&M Records - nationality: USA

Studio album debut by Californian-born American singer / songwriter Suzanne Vega (aka Suzanne Nadine Vega).

Gangway "Sitting in the Park" (1986)

Sitting in the Park
release date: Feb. 1986
format: vinyl (IRMG 14) / cd (1993 reissue)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]
producer: Søren Wolff
label: Irmgardz... - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: A) 1. "The Party Is Over" - 2. "My Girl and Me" (promotion clip) - 4. "Sitting in the Park" - 5. "Yesterday, When I Was Drunk" - - B) 1. "Once Bitten Twice Shy" (4 / 5) (video) - 2. "This Can't Be Love"

2nd studio album by Gangway follows 14 months after The Twist (Nov. '84) is released on Irmgardz and reissued on Genlyd / Sony BMG in 1993. The line-up has changed as drummer Jan Christensen has left and new replacement is Gorm Ravn-Jonsen. Also Torben Johansen (former Escape Artists) has now joined on guitar, keyboards & backing vocals. Allan Jensen remains the band's vocalist & bassist, and guitarist & keyboardist Henrik Balling is now credited as composer and arranger of all tracks.

The sound has changed a bit on this album, and is no longer The Smiths- but more Madness-inspired, which means a move to more mainstream pop/rock and sophisti-pop, and gone are the simple guitar-based compositions. The album was without doubt the band's commercial breakthrough in Denmark, but it didn't make the band more wanted abroad. Although, this is a much more uniform album, with songs pointing in the same direction, I still saw this as a bit of a disappointment, as I found it too mainstream sounding, and basically just lacking the original and simple sound they had on their first release. Yes, "My Girl and Me" is fine but not really great, but the majority of Danish music buyers and the national radio station DR P3 all embraced it as an improvement and obviously saw it as a potential commercial hit abroad, which it came close to be via heavy rotation on MTV and airplay on US (West Coast) college radio stations; however, before spreading the news and signing distribution deals the label stood knee-deep in financial difficulties and eventually went bankrupt in March '87 after which Gangway signed with PolyGram. The album sold approx. 25.000 copies from sales exclusively from the distribution in Scandinavia.

My favourite track was "Once Bitten Twice Shy", although, I find the single version somewhat altered with more strings and heavier arrangements on the album. The album is Gangway's last with Irmgardz..., and according to songwriter Henrik Balling it was on initiative of the band that they decided to leave the label as they weren't paid any royalties for their music, but instead the label closed and the band ended up signing with PolyGram, who wanted a "safe release", and initially simply wanted to buy the rights from the closed Danish label and re-release the album - but instead ended up releasing some of the band's older songs in new arrangements but was released as Sitting in the Park (Again!) (1988).

Siouxsie and the Banshees "Nocturne" (1983) (live)

Nocturne (live)

release date: Nov. 1983

format: digital (2009 remaster)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]

producer: Mike Hedges, Siouxsie and the Banshees

label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

*Track highlights: 6. "Pulled to Bits" - 13. "Spellbound" - 14. "Helter Skelter"

*It's a splendid album without a dull moment and where all songs could be listed here, so here's a few songs that simply shine more than the original studio versions.

[ full concert ]

Live album by Siouxsie and the Banshees released one year after A Kiss in the Dreamhouse is featuring new guitarist Robert Smith (also The Cure) replacing John McGeoch, who was dismissed by the band in late '82. Smith jumped in as substitute for the upcoming tour promoting the '82-album in November that year and was then asked to join the band. The 16 tracks selected for this album were all recorded over two nights at the Royal Albert Hall, London, on Sep. 30 and Oct. 1, 1983. Most of the songs are taken from the two albums Juju (1981) and A Kiss in the Dreamhouse with the addition of a couple of B-side singles and the most recent single hit "Dear Prudence". The album was also released in VHS-format as a 12-track issue and in 2006 on DVD including an extensive TV performance 'Play at Home TV Special' and two live tracks from a live performance from The Old Grey Whistle Test.

Despite just playing songs from two albums Nocturne is a spectacular and quite successful performance at the height of this band's remarkable career. The sound is not perfect but it justifies the skilled instrumentalists and reveals what a sublime unit they are. The addition of Robert Smith works so smoothly because he had played with the band for a couple of live concerts in '79 and then he has collaborated and recorded together with bassist Steve Severin on their common project, The Glove - a fascinating music-project releasing just one album, Blue Sunshine (Aug. '83).

Nocturne is a must-have for fans of Siouxsie and the Banshees, but it's also a quite successful live album for anyone interested in post-punk and / or early gothic rock.

Highly recommendable.

[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Beto Guedes "Sol de Primavera" (1979)

Sol de Primavera

release date: 1979

format: cd (1995 remaster) 

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]

producer: Ronaldo Bastos, Mayrton Bahia

label: EMI - nationality: Brazil

Track highlights: 1. "Sol de Primavera" - 2. "Como Nunca" - 3. "Cruzada" - 5. "Pedras Rolando" - 10. "Casinha de Palha"

3rd studio album by Beto Guedes following the fine Amor de Índio (1978). With this Guedes still upholds the traditional style of MPB and latin folk but the album mostly shows his attempt to blend in elements from Western popular music in form of heavier arrangements and with touches of more simple-structured soft rock, which may be an influence from Genesis and 10cc, but also from fusion rock bands like Santana and Weather Report. It's not that it's without originality, as it still contains Guedes' highly original light singing style but it's undoubtedly a step away from the more traditional latin folk he demonstrated on his first two solo releases. On Sol de Primavera Guedes appears to try to incorporate the succesful styles from contemporary British, American and Mediterranean artists, and it becomes a bit of mouthful to digest. The best tracks - and especially heard on the title track - are still compositions fitting more in the line of his earlier works. This is not a poor album, but it's really not too coherent.

The Blue Nile "A Walk Across the Rooftops" (1984)

A Walk Across the Rooftops [debut]
release date: Apr. 30, 1984
format: vinyl (206 268) / digital
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,43]
producer: Paul Buchanan and Robert Bell
label: Linn Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Tracklist: 1. "A Walk Across the Rooftops" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Tinseltown in the Rain" (5 / 5 ) - 3. "From Rags to Riches" (4 / 5) - 4. "Stay" (5 / 5) - 5. "Easter Parade" (4 / 5) - 6. "Heatwave" (4,5 / 5) - 7. "Automobile Noise" (4 / 5)

Studio album debut by the Scottish band The Blue Nile. I can't remember how I came across this band but I know that I bought this album shortly after its release. I have played it the vinyl issue more than most other albums in my collection. I never understood why they weren't more popular. Critics loved them but they never made it to the huge crowds. After their second album, they were the critics' darlings and also had many fans among other musicians, which led to many collaboration works.
However, guitarist, lead vocalist and main songwriter Paul Buchanan obviously wasn't interested in a glamorous life, and just wanted his ordinary life. The band didn't release albums too often, and after the third studio album they have kept quiet without officially being disbanded.
This album is rightfully enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Sounds 5 / 5 stars ]

1984 Favourite releases: 1. U2 The Unforgettable Fire - 2. The Smiths The Smiths - 3. The Blue Nile A Walk Across the Rooftops

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds "The Good Son" (1990)

The Good Son
release date: Apr. 16, 1990
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: The Bad Seeds
label: Mute Records Ltd. Japan - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Foi Na Cruz" - 2. "The Good Son" - 5. "The Ship Song" (4 / 5) - 8. "The Witness Song"

6th studio album by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds follows 1½ year after Tender Prey (Sep. '88) and is the band's so far best album. It clearly marks a change of style to a more laid-back, and a much more melodic collection of songs with Cave as crooner, which he succeeds better with than on the covers album Kicking Against the Pricks (1986). There's no experimental rock, or post-punk here, and many of the tracks are piano-driven with strings and backing choir.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Q Magazine 3 / 5 stars ]

Bloc Party "Little Thoughts EP" (2004) (ep)

Little Thoughts EP, ep
release date: Dec. 1, 2004
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,08]

Tracklist: 1. "Little Thoughts" (3,5 / 5) - 2. "Tulips" (4 / 5) (alt. version) - 3. "Storm and Stress" (2 / 5) - 4. "Helicopter" (3,5 / 5) - 5. "Skeleton" (2,5 / 5) - 6. "Tulips (Minotaur Shock Remix)" (3 / 5)

A 6 track ep released before an actual full-length album by Bloc Party.
This is rather uneven, I think. "Tulips" is a great track but "Storm and dress" and "Skeleton" are poor filler tracks.

New Order "Republic" (1993)

Republic
release date: May 3, 1993
format: cd (POCD-1110)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: New Order
label: London Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Regret" (4 / 5) - 2. "World (The Price of Love)" - 3. "Spooky" - 6. "Young Offender"

6th studio album by New Order released on London Records. Rumor has it that New Order indirectly made their record company, Factory Records, collapse after enormous financial debts after producing this album. It's both a return to simple synthpop like on Low-Life (1985) and Brotherhood (1986) but also a full embrace of house and dance-pop.
It's the bands so far least interesting album - "Regret" is the exception - but it's also the first in a series of lesser albums, which in a way already indicate that the 90s really wasn't a prosperous decade for the band. After this release, most of the band members sought new partnerships and put their energy in various collaboration projects, while New Order was put on pause. The most successful side-project is possibly vocalist Bernard Sumner's project with ex-The Smiths guitarist, Johnny Marr named Electronic (1988-99). Another well-known project was keyboardist Gillian Gilbert and drummer Stephen Morris' project The Other Two (1990-99). The two were married later this year. Bassist Peter Hook took part in Revenge (1989-95) and Monaco (1995-2000). All side-projects has released several albums.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Robyn "Robyn" (2007)

Robyn [International European release]
release date: 2007
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Klas Åhlund
label: Konichiwa Records - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 2. "Konichiwa Bitches" - 3. "Cobrastyle" - 4. "Handle Me" - 5. "Bum Like You" - 6. "Be Mine!" - 7. "With Every Heartbeat" (with Kleerup) - 8. "Who's That Girl?" - 13. "Should Have Known" - 14. "Anytime You Like" - 15. "Jack U Off" (Bonus track)

4th studio album by Robyn released in a European / International issue by Konichiwa Records. This issue contains 15 tracks (including 1 bonus track), a much altered version of her eponymous Swedish album with a different running order and the inclusion of two major hits: "Cobrastyle" (cover, org. by Swedish band Teddybears) and "With Every Heartbeat" composed by Robyn and Swedish musician and producer (Andreas) Kleerup. It also contains "Bum Like You" and "Robotboy" in new recordings, and it's without "Tomteverkstan (Interlude)" (track #8) from the 2005 issue.
"With Every Heartbeat" became Robyn's so far first number #1 single hit in the UK, and the album peaked at number #11 in the UK. The album was modified in 2008 as it was issued for the American market, which basically is the EU-version without track #15 but with the addition of two tracks: "Dream On" and "Handle Me (RedOne Remix)". Also, in Nov. 2008 an 18 track Special Edition was made available in the EU - containing the EU version with bonus track and the two extra tracks from the American edition on the same issue plus one track from her 2002 album.
Whichever issue you get hold of, this is highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Blender, NME, Spin 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Hüsker Dü "Candy Apple Grey" (1986)

Candy Apple Grey
release date: Mar. 1986
format: cd (1992 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,84]
producer: Bob Mould, Grant Hart
label: Warner Bros. - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely" (4 / 5) - 3. "I Don't Know for Sure" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Sorry Somehow" (4 / 5) - 5. "Too far Down" - 6. "Hardly Getting Over It" - 7. "Dead Set on Destruction" - 8. "Eiffel Tower High" - 10. "All This I've Done for You"

5th studio album by Hüsker Dü follows the recipe of Flip Your Wig with Bob Mould and Grant Hart as producers and for the first time now they approach an equal share in the writing credits with 6 - 4 in Mould's favour. The album is the band's first on a major label, and with this they demonstrate the conflict between Mould and Hart as the songs appear as individual representations rather than the end result of their combined forces. For the first time in the band's history Hart really challenges Mould as the band's most prominent songwriter - an issue of debate, which may have led to the band's dimise only 1½ years later. On the predecessor, Mould manifested as a songwriter with an ear for melody structure and Hart locked on making something contrary, whereas Hart here proves his worth on the same arena.
The style has evolved slightly to a broader profile with clear folk rock references, especially heard on the Hart compositions (tracks #2, #4, #7, #9), but with its energetic power pop alt. rock, or college rock, it's also a clear reference to artists of the later grunge rock movement.
With Candy Apple Grey and via their new label they reach a larger crowd and they succeed in holding on to their characteristic sound while producing their best-sounding album to date. So once again, the band moves some steps up the ladder and simply launches its so far best album.
Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, 👍Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

Bloc Party "Helicopter" (2004) (single)

Helicopter, single
release date: Oct. 25, 2004
format: digital
[single rate: 3,5 / 5]

Tracklist: 1. "Helicopter" - 2. "Always New Depths" (3 / 5) - 3. "Tulips (Minotaur Shock Remix)" (3,5 / 5)

A 3-track single release from the forthcoming album debut by Bloc Party.

Angélique Kidjo "Djin Djin" (2007)

Djin Djin
release date: May 1, 2007
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,55]
producer: Tony Visconti
label: Razor & Tie - nationality: Benin

Track highlights: 1. "Ae Ae" - 2. "Djin Djin" (feat. Alicia Keys & Branford Marsalis) - 3. "Gimme Shelter" (feat. Joss Stone) - 4. "Salala" (feat. Peter Gabriel) - 5. "Senamou (C'est l'amour)" (feat. Amadou & Mariam) - 7. "Sedjedo" (feat. Ziggy Marley) - 8. "Papa" - 10. "Awan N'La"

10th studio album by Angélique Kidjo is a very fine but totally overlooked release. I think a lot of people only think of her 90s hit "Agolo" when hearing the name Kidjo. This is just better. Iconic producer Tony Visconti (Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Lou Reed) has produced - in addition several prominent gueats star on the album, including Alicia Keys, Joss Stone, Branford Marsalis, Amadou & Mariam, Carlos Santana, Josh Groban, Peter Gabriel, and Ziggy Marley. The album gave Kidjo a Grammy for "Best Contemporary World Music" album and a *"NAACP Image Award" for Outstanding World Music album.
*(National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)

Chumbawamba "Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records" (1986)

Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records [debut]
release date: 1986
format: digital (1994 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: Chumbawamba
label: One Little Indian - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "a) Prologue; b) How to Get Your Band on Television" (4 / 5) - 2. "British Colonialism and the BBC: Flickering Pictures Hypotise" (3,5 / 5) - 3. "Commercial Break" - 4. "Unilever: How to Succeed in Business" (4 / 5) - 5. "More Whitewashing" (4 / 5) - 6. "An Interlude: Beginning to Take It Back" (3,5 / 5) - 7. "Dutiful Servants and Political Masters: Abolishing Slavery (And Reinventing It)" (3,5 / 5) - 8. "Coca-Colanisation" (3,5 / 5) - 9. "…and in a Nutshell" - 10. "Invasion" (3 / 5)

Studio album debut by Chumbawamba originally released on the band's own label Agit Prop and reissued on cd in '92 as a double disc compilation together with the band's second album Never Mind the Ballots (1987) with the title: The First 2 (also on Agit Prop), and again reissued in '94 by One Little Indian. At this point the line-up counts 7 people all of which are only mentioned by their first name: Harry handling drums, vocals (guitar solo on "Slag Aid"), Alice Nutter on vocals, Boff on guitar, vocals, and clarinet, Mavis Dillon on bass, trumpet, French horn and vocals, Lou on vocals and guitar, Danbert Nobacon on vocals, and Dunst on whirlypipe and turntables.
I didn't hear of the band until around '94, and it seems the album gained little interest at the time of its release. Apparently and quite obviously, it's meant as a critical response to the whole Live Aid idea with artists in disguise of helping a whole continent in utmost poverty are basically only interested in promoting themselves. Listening to it today, it's actually quite ingenuously written, and with catchy melodies to support the harsh criticism. Just by looking at the track titles one may come to think of Dead Kennedys or Crass when they sing about the world in "the sick hands of capitalism". The strong satire has always been the band's trademark. Sometimes they share bonds with Dead Kennedys, Crass, Frank Zappa, but also Monty Python, which doesn't make it any worse.
It's more than enjoyable, and frankly, should be enlisted in all lists comprising the most interesting albums of modern pop music.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

1992 reissue as "First 2"

The Chemical Brothers "Come Wih Us" (2002)

Come With Us
release date: Jan. 28, 2002
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,76]
producer: The Chemical Brothers
label: Freestyle Dust / Virgin - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 3. "Galaxy Bounce" - 4. "Star Guitar" (4 / 5)

4th studio album by The Chemical Brothers. The album is not as great as the first three but how could they continue on that level? This album still contains a few great tracks, especially the more big beat styled "Star Guitar" but there's simply too much tribal house inspiration that I just don't like and the duo has given much wider room for other artists on the various tracks making it sound like a mixtape or compilation. "Star Guitar" could easily have been included on Surrender (1999) but the title track, "It Began in Afrika", "My Elastic Eye", and "Denmark" are new stylistic changes that I just don't get.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, PopMatters 4 / 5, Q Magazine 3,5 / 5, Uncut 2,5 / 5 stars ]

Moby "Innocents" (2013)

Innocents
release date: Oct. 1, 2013
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,24]
producer: Moby, Mark 'Spike' Stent
label: Mute Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Everything That Rises" - 2. "A Case for Shame (feat. Cold Specks)" - 3. "Almost Home (feat. Damien Jurado)" - 6. "The Last Day (feat. Skylar Grey)" - 9. "Saints" - 10. "Tell Me (feat. Cold Specks)" (Live session) - 12. "The Dogs"

11th studio album release by electronic artist Moby.
It's not really Play standard nor one of his big misses.
Already (as of Dec. 2013), I find this one of his better releases. Moby has made a few truly great albums, a few downright boring ones, and then some mediocre albums, but he has always investigated new material and occasionally he comes out with a very good album, and I think, without being great this is one of his more successful albums.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Mojo, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

St. Vincent "St. Vincent" (2014)

St. Vincent
release date: Feb. 25, 2014
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,92]
producer: John Congleton
label: Loma Vista Recordings - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "Birth in Reverse" - 6. "I Prefer Your Love"

4th studio album by St. Vincent - her first on Loma Vista. John Cogleton is producer as he was co-producer on her previous two albums - here, he is fully in charge.
The album follows Strange Mercy from 2011, however, Annie Clark made the collaboration album Love This Giant with David Byrne in 2013, and that teamwork seems to have had its impact on Clark. Gone are the noise pop elements and instead her music has become more orchestrated - less simplistic.
Annie Clark is such a gifted woman and does so well on her own. Her previous solo releases all document this. Sadly, Mr. Byrne has a bad habit of infecting talented artists - he was eager to jump on the Arcade Fire train as soon as that took off - he had it slowed or derailed, and he then put his live-less hands around Annie and persuaded her into collaborative work. That experience [read: Byrne's mere presence] sadly disturbed Annie so much that her music here seems infected by ideas of a [parasitic] lesser artist. Annie, please get back on track!
Yes, that may sound harsh, but I never  have been a fan of Mr. Byrne, and it's quite obvious how her music and style has changed on this. I find it less originally sounding - as an attempt to satisfy a mainstream audience, which isn't necessarily just bad, but Clark's distinct sound and style is what makes her interesting, and that is almost gone here. "Rattlesnake" sounds more like Björk, and the album's highest ranked single "Digital Witness" (track #17) is a tedious Talking Heads-like [yea, yawn!] composition that reflect no originality whatsoever.
Regardless, my objection, the album was well-received by the press and fans as it became her best selling album to date reaching number #12 in the US and number #21 in the UK. Several music magazines (including NME, Slant and musicOMH) put it on top of their end-list of 2014.
Although, it's not as poor and indifferent as her collaboration work with Byrne, I find it her least interesting solo album to date.
[ allmusic.com, NME, Rolling Stone, Spin 4 / 5, The Guardian 5 / 5 stars ]

Cocteau Twins "Treasure" (1984)

Treasure
release date: Nov. 1, 1984
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: Cocteau Twins / Robin Guthrie (2003 reissue)
label: 4AD Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1"Ivo" - 2. "Lorelei" (4 / 5) (live) - 4. "Persephone" - 5. "Pandora (For Cindy)" - 7. "Aloysius" - 10. "Donimo"

3rd studio album by Cocteau Twins is the first really fine album by the band who still do not operate with a drummer, only using drum machines, but Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie has now found the replacement for former bassist Will Heggie by expanding the project with Simon Raymonde. The album is the first to be exclusively produced by the band, and the sound is at this point a trademark hailed as a brilliant display of workmanship, and a sound that focuses on Guthrie's guitar sound and Fraser's characteristic undecipherable vocal harmonies using her voice as an instrument of sound.
It's still not entirely harmonic dream pop - a few tracks like "Persephone" and "Cicely" still sounds like heavily inspired by Siouxsie and the Banshees without being poor or lesser compositions but they do point in other directions and have a distinct post-punk feel.
The album was reissued and remastered by Robin Guthrie in 2003. It's an acclaimed album by the band, and many critics (and fans) consider this to be their finest, which is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
I don't really consider the album one of the band's absolute best as I find it too incoherent pointing to much more consistent releases but it's undoubtedly important in the way it helps defining their later sound.
Recommended.
[ 👎allmusic.com, Spin 4,5 / 5, 👉Rolling Stone Music Guide 3,5 / 5 stars ]