Dead Can Dance "Dead Can Dance" (1984)

Dead Can Dance [debut]
release date: Feb. 27, 1984
format: cd (2008 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]

producer: Dead Can Dance
label: 4AD / Warner Music Japan - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "The Fatal Impact" - 2. "The Trial" - 5. "Ocean" - 6. "East of Eden" - 10. "Musica Eternal"

Studio album debut by Australian, Melbourne-founded, band Dead Can Dance, who at this early point after having relocated to London, UK, consists of Lisa Gerrard, Brendan Perry, James Pinker, Scott Roger, and Peter (Lawrence) Ulrich. Already from the band's successor Spleen and Ideal (1985) and onwards, the band is constituted only by Gerrard and Perry.
Musically, it's quite difficult to narrow in as the style reflects a mix from many sources. The front cover alone - depicting the ancient artwork originating from Papua New Guinea sided by Greek letters tell us bits of their influences. There are dream pop-hauling electric guitars and likewise vocal performances with bold use of echo or delay effects, and then there's 'world'-like use of strong bass lines and percussion, which altogether makes it highly original by adding a gothic rock / ethereal darkwave sensation, although, that term wasn't even thought of at this point.
There are no credit-list available, only a back cover note stating: "A special thank-you to Ivo, Robin and Vaughan for all the interest they have shown." Ivo being Ivo Watts-Russell, one of the founders of 4AD Records, Robin being Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins (also associated with 4AD) - both Ivo and Guthrie were involved in the musical project, This Mortail Coil, which included Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance; and Vaughan being Vaughan Oliver, graphic designer at 4AD.
The album was released without much recognition in '84, but by passing the new Millenium and a bunch of artists engaged in neo-classical and / or darkwave-styles, Dead Can Dance and this album have attracted much more recognition, although, the band's style here is more linked with contemporary early '80s music - putting the band aside acts like Bauhaus, The Cure, Cocteau Twins and This Mortail Coil. With later (and more original) releases, Dead Can Dance would prove to make highly innovative and influential music.
Later in '84, both Gerrard and Perry represented the band on the debut album It'll End in Tears by the music collective, This Mortal Coil, led by 4AD founder, Ivo Watts-Russell.

The Gun Club "The Las Vegas Story" (1984)

The Las Vegas Story
release date: Jun. 1984
format: vinyl / cd (2004 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]
producer: Jeff Eyrich
label: Animal Records / Chrysalis - nationality: USA

Track highlights: A) 2. "Walkin' with the Beast" - 3. "Eternally Is Here" (4 / 5) - 4. "The Stranger in Our Town" - 5. "My Dreams" (4 / 5) - - B) 2. "My Man's Gone Now" - 3. "Bad America" - 5. "Give Up the Sum"
[ full album ]

3rd studio album by The Gun Club follows nearly two full years after Miami (Sep. 1982) and it was originally issued by Animal Records. The 2004 remaster cd version comes with one bonus track. This has been issued by the label ' Sympathy for the Record Industry'.
In the aftermath of Miami, The Gun Club experienced a major change in the line-up with only Jeffrey Lee Pierce as the remaining member, which may explain the longer time in between albums. Patricia Morrison had been brought in to replace Rob Ritter as new bassist in the many new formations of the band in the following years. Drummer Terry Graham had been sacked and replaced but returned, then he refused to carry on, then he was replaced, but eventually he is still the drummer on this album. Guitarist Kid Congo Powers also returned from a period playing with The Cramps and Ward Dotson was subsequently sacked, and together they constitute the new quartet who recorded The Las Vegas Story.
The album is nicely put together, the songs are better, and the album is better produced and mixed than the predecessor. The style is with less reminiscences of post-punk and psychobilly, and instead it has a more profound blues rock at the base of an alt. rock sound. Strange as it may seem with the ever-changing band members, it's still an album with a sound and style that is unmistakably The Gun Club, which only goes to show that Jeffrey Lee Pierce is nearly synonymous with the band.
To me, this is one of the band's most memorable albums. It demonstrates a fine balance of alt. rock maintaining a clear blues-line, and that certain Jeffrey Lee Pierce combo of white energy and trembling fragility lifts the album to their so far best.
Within less than six months after the album release, tensions within the band had Pierce decide to put an end to the band and they performed a number of farewell concerts before disbanding after their final live performance in Dec. '84. Kid Congo Powers briefly joined Patricia Morrison in Fur Bible before moving to Berling where he initiated his work with Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Morrison joined The Cramps, and Jeffrey Lee Pierce then recorded and released his first solo album Wildweed (Apr. 1985). However, already as of 1986 Pierce regrouped a band and restarted it as The Gun Club.
Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com, Mojo 4 / 5 stars ]

Elvis Costello & The Attractions "Goodbye Cruel World" (1984)

Goodbye Cruel World
release date: Jun. 18, 1984
format: digital (2004 2 cd remaster)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,88]
producer: Clive Langer & Alan Winstanley
label: Rhino Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "The Only Flame in Town" - 2. "Home Truth" - 3. "Room With No Number" - 6. "Love Field" - 12. "The Deportees Club"

9th studio album released as Elvis Costello & The Attractions following 10 months after Punch the Clock (1983) is like the predecessor produced by the duo Langer / Winstanley. The end result is not as good since Costello apparently wanted to pursue a stronger folk rock sound but the management and the producer-duo sat out for a new pop-styled mix, which ended up with a compromise: songs like "I Wanna Be Loved" [track #7] and "The Only Flame in Town" were pure Langer-Winstanley productions, whereas other songs were made according to Costello's wishes.

The 2004 2cd remaster on Rhino comes with a bonus disc containing 26 additional tracks consisting of demo takes, alternate versions, outtakes, other takes and live recordings - as a collector's item, mostly.

The album is mainstream pop / rock-founded in sheer sophisti-pop-arrangements with bits of pop soul that makes it sound like a close relative to the '83 album - also with the same producer-duo.

To me, it was like witnessing the end of a great comet-career with two lesser albums in a row, and with this like the outtakes to the '83-album being clearly the weakest. Some compositions even sound as well-written songs but with strong use of harmony-vocals, 80s synths and an abundance of shakers and bleeps and bloops songs are turned into a generic... mish-mash.

The album spawned three singles: track #13 "Peace in Our Time", track #7 "I Wanna Be Loved", and track #1 "The Only Flame in Town" peaking at number #48, number #25, and #71 respectively on the UK singles chart list.

Costello had been super-productive from the late 70s and into the early '80s but his artistic level had begun to crumble, or so it appears. For a '95 reissue in the liner notes, Costello even wrote: "Congratulations! You've just purchased our worst album." And that's pretty much how it's widely considered.

In retrospect it doesn't really shine much, and looking at Costello's long-lasting career this very album seems like an absolute wrong turn down a dead-end street without a clear direction, which he luckily understood quite soon. The album may suffer from the fact that Costello and The Attractions experienced inner conflicts, which apparently had Costello suggest it was to be his last with the backing band [also hinted at in the title] and that he found himself in the midst of a divorce from his first wife Mary as well as in a romantic restart of his relationship with (American) Bebe Buell. In this respect, many of the songs deal with starting and ending relationships.

Already as the album was in the making, Costello had made plans of solo concerts in the US without his normal backing band, and these concerts gave him the freedom he needed.

Given various ideas of musical direction, inner conflicts between band members, the album is an incoherent whole, and it stands out as a strong contender to Costello's biggest miss. Overall, it's an album that cannot be recommended.

[ allmusic.com, Mojo, Blender, Rolling Stone 2 / 5, Uncut, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

Mark Knopfler "Cal" (OST) (1984)

Cal (soundtrack)
release date: Aug. 24, 1984
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,35]
producer: Mark Knopfler
label: Vertigo Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 5. "A Secret Place / Where Will You Go" - 12. "The Long Road"

2nd solo album by Mark Knopfler is another soundtrack album - this time for a movie by Pat O'Connor. Musically, it's in the same style as Local Hero, although, there's less room for electric finger-picking guitar on this, and there's a stronger sense of celtic new age to this.
I really don't like this much. There's too much tin whistle, bagpipes and bold use of keyboards to my liking.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

The Icicle Works "The Icicle Works" (1984)

The Icicle Works [debut]
release date: Mar. 23, 1984
format: vinyl / cd (1988) / cd (2006 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Hugh Jones
label: Virgin / Beggars Banquet - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Chop the Tree" - 2. "Love Is a Wonderful Colour" - 4. "As the Dragonfly Flies" - 6. "In the Cauldron of Love" - 9. "Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)" (4 / 5)

Studio debut album by Liverpool band The Icicle Works, who at this point were still performing as a trio consisting of primary songwriter Ian McNabb on lead vocals, guitar and keyboards, Chris Layhe on bass and backing vocals, and with Chris Sharrock on drums and percussion.
I recall buying the album back then and finding it truly great. Later on - with the follow-up The Small Price of a Bicycle from '85 I soon tired from McNabb's distinct vocal, and simply because time was against mainstream seeking artists of 'pop / rock' without strong originality.
This album has aged, but it still contains a few fine tracks of the era, and it stands out as the band's finest hour.
The 2006 remaster is released in a 3-disc versions.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Dire Straits "Alchemy: Dire Straits Live" (1984) (live)

Alchemy: Dire Straits Live (live)
release date: Mar. 1984
format: 2 lp vinyl / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,63]
producer: Mark Knopfler
label: Vertigo Records - nationality: England, UK

Double live album by Dire Straits recorded over two nights at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, Jul. '83. The album showcases the band at the height of its career playing familiar tracks in extended live versions in front of an enthusiastic crowd. The album is a fine document - in fact it's a live album above average, only, I think, I was fed up with the band at this point. I used to really enjoy Mark Knopfler, his signature guitar and laid-back singing voice, but I basically connected Dire Straits with the 1970s and I was occupied by the many new original styles of contemporary music. This is progressive rock and that was part of another decade - dead and gone, but I also felt that the presence of Knopfler had become too dominating. I mean, Bruce Springsteen wasn't even taking such a role being a solo artist when playing live. Dire Straits IS / WAS Mark Knopfler, and you really have to accept that. The songs are more than good, the performance likewise showing extremely skilled instrumentalists, but you just have to love a sound, and style on repeat to fully embrace this.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

The Durutti Column "Without Mercy" (1984)

Without Mercy
release date: Oct. 1984
format: vinyl (fact 84) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,86]
producer: Anthony Wilson and Michael Johnson
label: Factory Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Without Mercy I" (4,5 / 5) - - B) 1. "Without Mercy II" (3,5 / 5)

4th studio album by The Durutti Column. Reilly released an album titled Amigos em Portugal before this one, however, that album was only distributed in Portugal and not on Factory Records like this and all of his official albums, which in my mind makes this his fourth studio album. As far as I know, this is his first album to have Tony Wilson producing and / or working with Reilly on an album release. Wilson was Reilly's manager from the formation of The Durutti Column until Wilson's death in 2007. 

Allegedly, Reilly has disregarded this album and only did it to please Wilson, who tempted Reilly to be more artistically original and persuaded him to do an album with classical instrumentation.

The album is a further step into experimental art rock and what I see as modern classical. I purchased the vinyl album upon its release, and both found it sorely beautiful, lamenting, agonisingly melancholic AND at the same time I found it difficult to obtain for a teenager's taste for dirty punk rock and more standardised post-punk expressions. I have never ceased to enjoy this album, and for every decade, I have come to enjoy it a little bit more. Today, I see it as a masterpiece where Reilly showcases his many talents, as guitarist, pianist, and composer of complex modern music, and not only on the border to classical music but on the borders of musical expressiveness. 'Cause how does this fit in, in the time bubble of contemporary manifestations of music, regardless styles and genre? It doesn't. It's so damn unique and to the vast masses, simply unknown. So far.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars (users reviews: 4,5 / 5) ]

The Stranglers "Aural Sculpture" (1984)

Aural Sculpture
release date: Nov. 17, 1984
format: vinyl (EPC 26220) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Laurie Latham, The Stranglers
label: Epic Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Ice Queen" - 2. "Skin Deep" - 5. "North Winds"

8th studio album by The Stranglers following close to two years after Le Feline (Jan. '83) shows how the band has moved into the fold of mainstream pop / rock. There's hardly any evidence of new wave or an eager to shake the world of the established.
Regardless its bold pop-shape, I did really like the single "Skin Deep" upon its release, although, I quickly found it tiring, and the album just seemed too slick to my liking. Despite the less than two years separation, there's a huge cleft between Feline and this. Where the former had its unique sound of primary instrumentation and strong original sound, this is shaped via traditional pop / rock compositions with strings and multi-layered sounds that characterises the vast mainstream pool of '80s artists. Yes, critics liked it and it brought them a much bigger crowd of consumers, but it also made their music slightly more forgettable.

XTC "The Big Express" (1984)

original round vinyl cover

The Big Express
release date: Oct. 15, 1984
format: vinyl (wheel-shaped cover - VG 2325) / cd (2001 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: David Lord
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Wake Up" - 2. "All You Pretty Girls" (4 / 5) - 3. "Shake You Donkey Up" - 5. "This World Over" (4 / 5) (remaster) - 8. "Reign of Blows" - 11. "Train Running Low on Soul Coal" (4 / 5)

7th studio album by XTC produced by David Lord credited as "The Good Lord". Where Mummer had elements of 'folk' and presented the band in a highly positive and warm spirit, this album has a sensation of blues rock and soul-inspiration throughout without ever becoming any of those genres. It's first and foremost new wave and art pop. The band remains a trio with Partridge, Moulding and Gregory without drummer, and as was the case on Mummer, Peter Phipps plays drums on an album that also contains electronic drums on several tracks.
The Big Express is one of my favourite albums by the band, although, I don't rate it as high as English Settlement, Black Sea, White Music, or the fine follow-up Skylarking. These albums are not just major albums, including great songwriting, but are also classic albums of their period, which this is not - at least to the same extent. In that regard this is just a statement of fine craftsmanship. "All You Pretty Girls" is a giant pop track, and "This World Over" is a beautiful philosophical song that I shall never get tired of, and the end-track "Train Running Low on Soul Coal" is one great uptempo metaphor of a song.
Production-wise, it's much better than most releases of the 1980s.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

2001 remaster

The Go-Betweens "Spring Hill Fair" (1984)

Spring Hill Fair
release date: Sep. 27, 1984
format: cd (1996 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: John Brand
label: Beggars Banquet - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Bachelor Kisses" (acoustic version) - 4. "You've Never Lived" - 5. "Part Company" - 7. "Draining the Pool for You" - 9. "Unkind and Unwise"

3rd studio album by The Go-Betweens is the band's first and only originally released on Sire Records. It's the band's first album as a quartet after the inclusion of John Vickers on bass - now essentially leaving Grant McLennan room to play lead guitar. As usual, all songs are credited the two songwriters McLennan and Forster.

Following the daring and more edgy Before Hollywood (1983) this appears as more conventional mainstream pop / rock album with hints of folk rock and also slightly less poignant in its sound. According to Forster and drummer Lindy Morrison, the album failed in the recording process with producer John Brand, who had brought much good to the previous album, but here they found him taking wrong decisions in terms of sound and stylistic approach with a band who basically just wanted more of the same as they had previously produced together on the predecessor. Forster admits to have been uninspired when writing his contributions and Morrison states [details] that the band "were fucked [and internally] a neurotic mess".

In retrospect, the album isn't considered amongst the band's best - it appears to have come at a time of... frustrations, and the band's lack of a record deal didn't exactly make things easier. However, some critics praised it for being another example of classic songwriting. Two singles were released from the album: #5 and then #1, respectively, and with track #1 recorded and produced at a later stage by Colin Fairley and Robert Andrews as a track that shows the band's real potential and also (better) points towards later releases.

I have always thought of this album as 'superficial' in the sense that, yes, you are perfectly able, without any doubt, to hear that it's The Go-Betweens, but it either lacks edgy melodies, more substantial pop harmonies and / or the characteristic jangle pop. It's like a jar of sticky honey has been poured into tracks they didn't love in the first place. The two songwriters, Forster and McLennan have both brought their songs to the table, and they are both co-writers of the first two songs, but the rest are like night and day without much synergy.

It's by no means a lesser album, but in the discography of The Go-Betweens it's really not a recommended start.

[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

XTC "All You Pretty Girls" (1984) (single)

All You Pretty Girls, 7'' single
release date: Sep. 10, 1984
format: vinyl (VS 709)
[single rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: David Lord, XTC
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "All You Pretty Girls" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Washaway"

Single release by XTC for the band's forthcoming album The Big Express (1984). The title track is a great power pop tune, and really shows the band's commercial touch.

The Cure "Concert - The Cure Live" (1984) (live)

FIXH 10

Concert - The Cure Live (live)
release date: Oct. 16, 1984
format: vinyl (FIXH 10)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Dave Allen [David M. Allen], The Cure
label: Fiction Records - nationality: England, UK

1st live album by The Cure. The album is quite fine as documentation. The tracks were recorded live at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, on May 9 & 10, 1984, and in Oxford, May 5, 1984. Although, the concerts were held after The Cure had been engaged in seeking out a new style, and after turning its back on gloomy gothic rock, this album, with the exception of three compositions, only document the old days with tracks from the band's first four albums. In that way the album seemed like a strange release. Anyway, when you know the first albums it's fine but also incoherent with tracks of synth pop in between.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

The Pretenders "Learning to Crawl" (1984)

Learning to Crawl
release date: Jan. 17, 1984
format: vinyl / cd (2012 remaster) / digital (17 x File, FLAC) (2013 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,15]
producer: Chris Thomas
label: Real Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Middle of the Road" - 2. "Back on the Chain Gang" - 3. "Time the Avenger" - 5. "Show Me" (5 / 5) - 8. "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" - 9. "I Hurt You" - 10. "2000 Miles"

3rd studio album by The Pretenders (first album using the definite article in artist name) released two years following Pretenders II is an album that had been postponed due to fatal circumstances and at least one dead band member. Bassist Pete Farndom was dismissed from the band in Jun. '82 and two days later, guitarist James Honeyman-Scott was found dead due to a drug-overdose. Although, Farndon had been sacked, he initiated a career in the band Samurai (also with former The Clash drummer Topper Headon, who had also been sacked due to excessive drug abuse), however, also Farndon ended his life after an overdose in Apr. '83.
After a hiatus in late '82, Chrissie Hynde and drummer Martin Chambers were joined by guitarist Robbie McIntosh and bassist Malcolm Foster, and the new quartet restarted the band with its most coherent and second-best album overall. The delayed release may also be explained by the fact that Hynde gave birth to her first child in Jan. '83. It's really no wonder how many of the fine songs here are circling around themes of life and death - about endings and new beginnings. All songs are written and composed by Hynde except the cover song, track #8, originally by the brothers Robert and Richard Poindexter together with Jackie Members of the vocal group The Persuaders.
The Extended digital 2013 remaster (issued by Warner Music UK) comes with 7 bonus tracks including three 'Denmark Street Demo' recordings (original 1978 demo takes recorded in London's West End) and two live recordings.

[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Rolling Stone, Spin 4 / 5 stars ]

Jean-Michel Jarre "Zoolook" (1984)

Zoolook
release date: Nov. 1984
format: cd (2015 remaster - 30th Anniversary Edition)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,98]
producer: Jean Michel Jarre
label: Sony Music - nationality: France

Track highlights: 1. "Ethnicolor I" - 2. "Diva" - 5. "Zoolookologie"

7th studio album by Jean-Michel Jarre released a year after his official studio release Musique pour Supermarché, which was a bit of a publicity stunt as only one copy of the album was pressed after which the master tapes were destroyed in order to make the copy unique and to fund charity purpose.
Zoolook continue Jarre's exploration of his progressive electronic into synthpop and with sound collages.
I recall rejecting the album as superficial and tedious synthesizer pop, but I have to admit that it has its interesting moments in exploring a sort of link between instrumental electronic and more popular music tradition guest appearances featuring jazz and funk bassist Marcus Miller, art rock fusion rock experimental guitarist Adrian Below and electronic minimalist Laurie Anderson.
The album has a more experimental touch than his previous more pop-founded album Les Chants Magnétiques from 1981, although, the track "Zoolookologie" fits more with his newly-discovered pop period.
I think, it's an interesting development of style but I also find that it a mixed bag pointing in too many directions.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 ]

Julian Cope "Fried" (1984)

Fried
release date: Nov. 1984
format: cd (1990 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Steve Lovell
label: Mercury Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Reynard the Fox" - 2. "Bill Drummond Said" (4 / 5) - 3. "Laughing Boy" - 5. "Sunspots" (4 / 5) - 6. "The Bloody Assizes" - 9. "Holy Love" (4 / 5)

2nd solo album by Julian Cope released only eight months succeeding the release of his debut album is also his final album on Mercury.
The style here has already changed somewhat. In a way, it has become more original in the way that it's a more coherent whole, though it's still neo-psychedelia. Perhaps the post-punk and new wave styles have subsided on account of a stronger pop / rock and singer / songwriter profile. There's clearly a link to the first [musical] Brittish invasion exemplified by The Beatles and The Kinks, and therefore also to modern contemporaries like XTC, Robyn Hitchcock, and Echo and The Bunnymen.
The album was met by poor reviews and likewise sales. Apparently, Cope's original neo-psychedelia blend was out of tune with time and the album only shone a decade later, but the poor sales led to Mercury dropping Cope after this album.
In retrospect, the album is a stronger release than his more introvert debut, and it bonds nicely with the music of The Teardrop Explodes.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

Big Country "Steeltown" (1984)

Steeltown
release date: Oct. 19, 1984
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Steve Lillywhite
label: Mercury Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Flame of the West" - 2. "East of Eden" (4 / 5) - 3. "Steeltown" - 4. "Where the Rose Is Sown" (4 / 5) - 7. "Girl With the Grey Eyes" - 8. "Rain Dance"(live) - 9. "Great Divide" (4 / 5) - 10. "Just a Shadow" (4 / 5) (live)

2nd studio album by Big Country is once again produced by Steve Lillywhite, who in the early 1980s seemed to be engaged with all new artists with an energetic and new wave profile of some sort (including U2, XTC, Simple Minds, Toyah, The Pogues to mention a few). Compared to the great debut, Steeltown is somewhat more quiet, and reflects a move towards a broader audience, focusing on pop / rock. The sound is heavier (a typical 1980s syndrome heard from Springsteen, Tina Turner, and almost everywhere - drums and bass 'should' dominate) compared to the debut, and the tracks are generally slower. All compositions are still credited the band, although, Stuart Adamson probably has come up with many ideas, lyrics, as well as demos to build on. Anyway, for many years this was clearly my number two favorite by the band, however, from a modern perspective, I think, it lacks the same amount of truly great compositions one will find on the debut, but also miss the fine diversity one will find on its successor. However, the album is a modern classic of pop / rock, and of course a certified 'must-have' for fans of celtic rock.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

The Cure "The Top" (1984)

The Top
release date: May 22, 1984
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,58]
producer: David M. Allen, Chris Parry, Robert Smith
label: Fiction Records - nationality: England, UK

5th studio album by The Cure follows two years after Pornography (May 1982) and it's the band's first studio album after a move away from post-punk and gothic rock, and after having released several singles that suggested a clear change of style. The band is back to a trio with the core of Smith and Tolhurst supplemented by new percussionist Andy Anderson. The album is actually close to a solo album by Robert Smith who wrote most of the songs and played nearly all instruments by himself. Laurence Tolhurst is credited for playing 'other instruments'. To me this was more than a big change of style, and I have always found the album of little interest.
I purchased the vinyl album upon its release but later resold it back around the late '80s to finance new albums.
[ allmusic.com 2 / 5, Rolling Stone Album Guide 2,5 / 5 stars ]

Lou Reed "New Sensations" (1984)

New Sensations
release date: Apr. 1984
format: vinyl (PL84998) / digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]
producer: John Jansen, Lou Reed
label: RCA Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "I Love You, Suzanne" (official video - live) - 2. "Endlessly Jealous" - 4. "Turn to Me" - 5. "New Sensations" - 6. "Doin' the Things That We Want To" - 11. "Down at the Arcade"

13th studio album by Lou Reed follows only a single year after the predecessor Legendary Hearts (Mar. 1983), and on this he has teamed up with John Jansen as album producers. Perhaps, given Reed's hard time as only producer on the '83 album. The album marks another style-shift reflecting a turn to a more positive universe. The album oozes of warmth and a happy Lou [?]. It seems like Lou Reed has left the dark 70s and turned his back on drugs and excesses. I actually purchased this upon its release, but I didn't really enjoy it all that much. I guess, I fell for the single hit, but then quickly tired from both album and that song in particular. In retrospect, the whole album works a lot better than I recall, and it has aged quite well. The track "I Love You, Suzanne" is close to being a pure pop song. But then, it could very well have been included on New York (Jan. 1989).
New Sensations shows Reed in his experimental corner, going new ways but it's not one of his better albums.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Lars Hug "City Slang" (1984)

City Slang [debut]
release date: Nov. 1984
format: vinyl (MdLP 6159, 2nd pressing) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Lars Hug, Himer Hassig (ass.pro.), Finn Verwohlt (co-pro.)
label: Medley Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "Afsked" (4 / 5) - 3. "Glemt kvarter" - 4. "Ikke døden" - 5. "Vent" (5 / 5) (live performance) - 7. "De berusedes vej" - 8. "Passager" - 11. "Hen over himlen"

Solo studio debut by Lars Hug [aka Lars Haagensen, aka Lars H.U.G.] is music by Hug to lyrics by Danish poet Søren Ulrik Thomsen. The poems were released by Thomsen in his first book "City Slang" in 1981 (track #7 is from a collection titled "Digte om natten"). The album is with assistant producer Hilmer Hassig (of Love Shop) and with Finn Verwohlt (of SW-80 and Funtime) as co-producer. In a collaboration work, Hug, Hassig, and Verwohlt arranged the songs with a long list of musicians featuring Hassig, Verwohlt, Per Chr. Frost (of Gnags), and Søren Wolff (of SW-80) on guitars, Per Frost, Lars Jeppesen, and Verwohlt on bass, and with Jacob Sæther (of SW-80 and Funtime) on drums. The music is primarily art rock with inspiration from Roxy Music, Brian Eno, and possibly Kraftwerk, but in essence it's quite original incorporating elements from early synth, progressive electronic or space ambient.
It was clearly not an album that produced high sales numbers, although, it was well-received by critics and other musicians. Lars Hug had just left the perhaps most promising and important Danish rock band, Kliché after only two studio albums. This has parts in common with the second album by Kliché, Okay Okay Boys from '82, e.g. "Hen over himlen", but it also fore-shades Hug's second solo album Kysser himlen farvel (1987) especially in the more pop-founded song "De berusedes vej".
I recall a late night live broadcast from Danish national TV (late 1984?) as Hug presented his new songs. I wasn't exactly impressed, but watched the concert through more in ave. I understood it was more than special, although, the music felt like experimental avant-garde more than anything else. Still, I purchased the album 'cause I immediately enjoyed a few of the tracks including "Vent", which in my mind is the album's best track. Despite the experimental non-mainstream musical approach, the songs endure as strong lyrical compositions thanks to Ulrik Thomsen's writings.

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lyrics on cd inlay

The Blue Nile "Tinseltown in the Rain" (1984) (single)

Tinseltown in the Rain, 12'' single
release date: Aug. 20, 1984
format: vinyl
[single rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,38]
producer: Paul Buchanan, Robert Bell
label: Virgin Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Tinseltown in the Rain" (5 / 5 ) (live on Later) - - B) 1. "Regret" (4 / 5) - 2. "Heatwave" (4 / 5)

12'' single is the second of two singles taken from the studio album debut A Walk Across the Rooftops (Apr. 1984) by The Blue Nile released on Linn Records in the UK and Australia, by A&M Records in North America, and by Virgin in the EU only.

[ collectors' item - only EU 12'' pressing ]