Kraftwerk "Electric Cafe" (1986)

Electric Cafe

release date: Nov. 10, 1986

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]

producer: Kraftwerk

label: Kling Klang / EMI - nationality: Germany

Track highlights: 1. "Boing Boom Tschak" - 3. "Musique Non-Stop" (video-version) - 4. "Der Telefon-Anruf" (4 / 5) (single-udgave) - 5. "Sex Object" - 6. "Electric Café"

9th studio album by Kraftwerk released 5½ years after Computerwelt (1981) is the first album where the whole band is credited as producer - and the whole band is no longer as it used to be. The front cover shows the usual four faces, which are supposed to look like Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider, Karl Bartos, and Wolfgang Flür, however, only the first three actually appear on the album, while Flür is only credited as a permanent member. On his own initiative, he would leave the band after the album release at some point in '87. Additionally, Bartos has been 'promoted' from solely being credited 'electric percussion', he's now credited keyboards, 'electronics' and as lead vocalist on track #4. All six compositions are credited Hütter, Schneider, and Bartos, and only tracks #1 and #6 were created together with the songwriters Emil Schult and Maxime Schmitt, respectively. The original version counts six tracks with a total running time at just under 36 minutes.

Stylistically, the album doesn't introduce new elements or a change of sound, and the music is easily seen as an extension of the '81 album, and in reality most of the compositions were composed already in '82 but the production and mixing of the new Kraftwerk-album, which was intended to showcase 'top-of-the-art' sound quality was delayed for various reasons - including the fact that Hütter was injured in a cycling accident. The composition "Tour de France" had originally been intended for the this album, but as the album proved to be further delayed the song was instead selected for a stand-alone single and EP, and similarly, various titles for the new album were in play. In 2009, Electric Cafe was released under the original working title: Techno Pop, which came with the addition of "House Phone" and a shorter version of "Der Telefon-Anruf". The album release was met by lukewarm reviews, and nationally it peaked at number #26, at number #9 in Sweden, but at a more modest number #58 on the albums chart in the UK, which by this time already featured big synthpop names like New Order and Depeche Mode, who delivered breakthrough albums. Two singles were released from the album: track #3 "Musique Non-Stop" (Oct. '86) and "Der Telefon-Anruf" (Feb. '87), as the best composition from the album, although, also sounding like inspired by New Order.

Electric Cafe is not really a poor album, but it's yet another step in the wrong direction, where you find much of the compositions sounding like repetitions of previous ideas and parts of familiar songs - in general, the album doesn't stand as something that others could take great inspiration from, and the band appears most of all like a train that has lost its steam and perhaps should consider a (permanent) return to the garage.

[ allmusic.com, Uncut, Drowned in Sound 3 / 5, Smash Hits 2,5 / 5 stars ]

2009 cover

Elvis Costello & The Attractions "Blood & Chocolate" (1986)

2015 Remaster

Blood & Chocolate

release date: Sep. 15, 1986

format: vinyl (X FIEND 80) / digital (2015 remaster)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,98]

producer: Nick Lowe and Colin Fairley

label: F-Beat Records / Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Uncomplicated" (live) - 2. "I Hope You're Happy Now" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Tokyo Storm Warning" - 4. "Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head" - 5. "I Want You" (4 / 5) (studio session) - 6. "Honey Are You Straight or Are You Blind?" - 7. "Blue Chair" - 8. "Battered Old Bird" - 9. "Crimes of Paris" (4 / 5) - 10. "Poor Napoleon" - 11. "Next Time Round" (4,5 / 5)

11th studio album by Elvis Costello and his second fine studio album in the same year. King of America (Feb. '86) was Costello's quiet solo singer / songwriter clone of country folk and acoustic ballads, which stands as yet another fine accomplishment by one of Britain's strongest songwriters, and then he rocks away with The Attractions on this one fuelled with energy and great songs.

Costello had already established himself as a bit of an artistic chameleon - you would always be a bit curious of what style he would dig into next. His first albums were all energetic new wave-oriented albums, but then he went on to make ballads, singer / songwriter material and country-fused songs. And then he made more sophisticated pop / rock songs in a pop soul-style - he did just what he wanted, regardless his fans.

With this, he sort steps back for a while, but also, he doesn't really. Yes, there are many new wave elements on this, but it feels more like s new combo than a step back to what he did. Here, he combines the energy of new wave with his more 'serious' singer / songwriter contributions, and then the production sound both leaves room for the roughness as well as the more polished and softer sides. I recall my initial thoughts about it as generally positive, but with a slight unfulfilled sensation that it could be more in terms with his earlier material. His musical progress was so fast that it was hard to follow. Fans wanted the angry and sharp Costello but he was so much more, and it has taken me decades to understand his tremendous repertoire.

The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

This is truly one of his finest moments, and it may just turn out as one of his artistic cornerstones.

The 2015 remaster is released by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab.

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

Elvis Costello "King of America" (1986)

King of America
release date: Feb. 4, 1986
format: vinyl (RCLP 20369) / digital (2013 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: The Coward Brothers ['T-Bone' Burnett, Elvis Costello]
label: RCA Victor - nationality: England, UK

10th studio album by Elvis Costello, credited the Costello Show, following close to two years after Goodbye Cruel World (Jun. '84) marks a new direction in a more substantial way than has usually been the case. Costello has always sought new ways of expression and challenged his fans from album to album but never to the extent he end up showcasing here. Around '84 he had found himself in various deep conflicts - be it privately, between two women, which ended with his first wife Mary [Burgoyne] filing for divorce and Costello then rejecting his American girlfriend, and the ongoing and increased tensions with The Attractions had him considering firing the band. He sought relief on an American solo tour where he played with 'T-Bone' Burnett [aka Joseph Henry Burnett III] and in him found a soul, with whom things seemed to work out for the better. Alledgedly, Burnett helped Costello in finding the essense of his songs and skip the superfluous arrangements he had recently become accustomed to. Together the two played covers from a long range of songwriters in a refreshing new style, and this appears to be the first step to this album. Initially, Costello invited The Attractions to the States because he still thought they should back him on the album, but after listening to what they produced together, he simply rejected the idea of a full involvement from his old backing band and completed most songs with the studio musicians that Burnett suggested - and with whom Costello found a new free form that was impossible for him to imitate together with The Attractions (they all play on two songs; keyboardist Steve Nieve on three). All but two covers are written and composed by Costello who was so determined to come up with something new that he also skipped his name; or rather: he returned to his birthname, so all songs are credited Declan MacManus and the producer-duo (T-Bone Burnett & Costello) are simple credited The Coward Brothers.
But he had also found a new love in Cait O'Riordan. He had been introduced to The Pogues and immediately fell for the band's bassist, and he then managed to hire the band as warm-up on a tour in Britain and not long after, he was hired as the band's producer for Rum, Sodomy & The Lash (1985) and during the recordings he soon began acquainting O'Riordan, and in Dec. '85 the two informally married [since Costello wasn't yet officially divorced] - seemingly, they married officially in May '86; however, Cait much later admitted - in 2004 when the two parted ways - that there never was an official marriage. The album then both deals with old flames, a broken marriage and a newfound love.
King of America is in many ways the rebirth of the artist. He tries hard to dissociate his new self with the image he had tired from, but it's not an easy task, when everyone knows who you are anyway. But with new musical friendships, new backing musicians and songs that have been stripped from the pretentiousness of his recent releases, Costello succeeds - again. His songwriting talent makes it a sheer tour de force of emotions and the sound is far from anything he has done before. He has included two covers: "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" by Bennie Benjamin, Sol Marcus, and Gloria Caldwell (originally written for Nina Simone in '64 and covered by many artists over the years) and "Eisenhower Blues" by J. B. Lenoir - probably to pay tribute to the very song catalogue that had inspired him to make the album, and perhaps also to show in what context he basically wanted his new songs to hint at.
I recall, purchasing the album upon its release - simply because it had been rumoured to be something completely different from his recent albums, and I simply wished he would live up to his name. Iinitially, I was slightly bewildered but the songs and the stripped down arrangements were so good that I embraced it as his best in years.
The 2013 remaster is released by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab.
The album is Costello's first of two full-length albums to be issued in '86, and King of America is simply a cornerstone in an already long and remarkable career.
A must.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Blender, Q Magazine 5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Bryan Ferry "... Is Your Love Strong Enough?" (1986) (single)

... Is Your Love Strong Enough?, 7'' single
release date: Mar. 1986
format: vinyl
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,46]
producer: Rhett Davies & Bryan Ferry
label: EG Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "... Is Your Love Strong Enough?" - - B) "Windswept (instrumental)"

Single release by Bryan Ferry taken from the "Legend" soundtrack (Ridley Scott movie).

The Durutti Column "Circuses and Bread" (1986)

Factory Benelux
release fbn136
(my release)

Circuses and Bread
release date: May 1986
format: vinyl (fbn 36) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,65]
producer: Vini Reilly
label: Factory Benelux - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Pauline" (4 / 5) - 2. "Tomorrow" - 3. "Dance II" - 4. "Hilary" - 5. "Street Fight" - 6. "Royal Infirmary" (4 / 5) - 7. "Black Horses" - 8. "Dance I" - 9. "Blind Elevator Girl - Osaka" (4 / 5)

5th studio album by The Durutti Column originally released by Factory Records - the album is listed as the seventh studio album on thedurutticolumn.com, but that includes counting the album Amigos em Portugal released in Portugal only (issued on Fundação Atlântica) and probably the live album Domo Arigato to the list. The album is a return to the style and a mix of Another Setting (1982) and LC (1981) seemingly without adding much new to his music, but there's a delicate introduction to his use of sampling and/or drum programming, which would be further elaborated on succeeding albums, and the album contains several stand-outs.
[ allmusic.com 3 in 5 stars ]

Factory Records org.
cd release, facd154

C.V. Jørgensen "Lige lovlig live" (1986) (live)

Lige lovlig live (live)

release date: 1986

format: cd (1991 remaster)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,84]

producer: Nils Henriksen

label: Columbia - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Søndagsseancer" - 3. "Lediggang agogo" - 5. "Morgendagens stjerner" - 7. "I en blågrå kupé" - 8. "Sæsonen er slut" - 10. "Et satanisk mesterværk" - 11. "Johnny & Djiim" - 12. "Hotel Halleluja" - 14. "Hamburger Sally" - 16. "Datadisciplin" - 18. "Costa del Sol"

Live album by C.V. Jørgensen originally released as double vinyl lp are the live recordings from various concerts from Feb. '86. Originally, it was released on vinyl only, the '91 single-CD edition is 74 minutes long and excludes the track "Flik-flakker" appearing on T-Shirts, gummisko & terylenebukser (1975) to accommodate the maximum running time of CDs. The album feature Lars Hybel and Nils Henriksen on guitar and bass, Pete Repete on keyboards, Gert Smedegård on drums, and Jacob Andersen on percussion. The selected tracks span the majority of C.V.'s total discography - which, however, avoids the first two releases, apart from the vinyl edition. Of the 18 tracks on the CD-issue, five are from his most recent album Vennerne & vejen (1985), four are from Lediggang agogo (1983), three each stem from both Vild i varmen (1978) and Storbyens små oaser (1977), two comes from Tidens tern (1980), and only one track is taken from Sold to stanglakrids (1979).

As a single CD, it's quite an excellent selection of songs, although, you'll always see personal favorites among the shortcomings, and then you have to remember that this isn't a best of album, and quite naturally, his most recent albums play a major part on Jørgensen's first live release.

The cover is here credited to C.V. himself.

Zucchero Fornaciari "Rispetto" (1986)

Rispetto

release date: Apr. 28, 1986
formats: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Michele Torpedine
label: Polydor - nationality: Italy

Track highlights: 2. "Rispetto" (4 / 5) - 3. "Come il sole all'improvviso" (4 / 5) - 4. "Tra uomo e donna" - 7. "Solo, seduto sulla panchina del porto guarda le navi partir..." - 10. "Canzone triste (canzone d'amore)"

3rd studio album by Zucchero released as 'Zucchero Fornaciari' follows one year after Zucchero & The Randy Jackson Band, and with this Zucchero is back as primary songwriter and composer. Track #3 is written by Gino Paoli, track #5 by Alberto Salerno and track #8 is co-written by Salerno and Zucchero. Bassist Randy Jackson is the only recurring musician from the predecessor.
This is simply one of his better albums. The style is his trademark: a combo of soul pop and blues, and then I simply prefer him singing in Italian, which he sort of forgot later on as he became an international star.
Recommended.

The Stranglers "Dreamtime" (1986)

Dreamtime
release date: Oct. 27, 1986
format: vinyl (EPC 26648) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,44]
producer: Mike Kemp and The Stranglers
label: Epic Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Always the Sun" - 2. "Dreamtime" - 4. "You'll Always Reap What You Sow" - - B) 2. "Big in America"

9th studio album by The Stranglers following closely on the path laid out with Aural Sculpture (1984). The style is still pop / rock, and the album feature four single releases - none of which made it any higher than to #30 on the UK singles chart list. First single "Nice in Nice" is not really the best track, but the second single "Always the Sun" became a small singles hit outside Britain.
The album was met by luke-warm to negative reviews, which I find strange considering how much it resembles the sound of the predecessor, but from my perspective, sounds more original and is better produced. To me, this was more or less the end of my interest for the band. The last two albums were no near earlier edgy releases and I found that I tired quickly of their new songs. At the time, I do think I found this an even lesser album than the '84 album, but in retrospect, I actually prefer this one.

Love and Rockets "Express" (1986)

Express
release date: Sep. 15, 1986
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,56]
producer: John A. Rivers, Love and Rockets
label: Beggars Banquet - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "It Could Be Sunshine" - 2. "Kundalini Express" - 3. "All in My Mind" (4 / 5) - 5. "Yin and Yang (The Flowerpot Man)" - 7. "All in My Mind (acoustic version)" - 9. "Ball of Confusion (USA Mix)" (Bonus track)

2nd studio album by Love and Rockets takes the band further into experimental and neo-psychedelic within the alt. rock frame. It's strange how it has been successfully mixed as both extremely complex and yet clear as the brightest light. There's the addition of a harder tone of distorted guitars throughout the album but other than that it's undoubtedly Love and Rockets. The album is generally better produced than the debut album, despite being produced by the same people only two years later, and it's a rather hard choice to have to choose between the band's two first albums. They are both very good and highly original. The album comes in various editions. The first UK issue consisted of 8 tracks, although, an American issue had 9 tracks, and a Canadian issue 11 tracks. In 2000 Beggars Banquet reissued the album in a remastered version with 8 bonus tracks.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Kerrang! 4 / 5 stars ]

XTC "Skylarking" (1986)

2014 cover

Skylarking
release date: Oct. 27, 1986
format: cd (2014 corrected polarity edition)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,96]
producer: Todd Rundgren
label: Ape Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Summer's Cauldron" - 2. "Grass" - 4. "That's Really Super, Supergirl" - 8. "Earn Enough for Us" - 9. "Big Day" - 12. "Dear God"

8th studio album by XTC originally released by Virgin Records is produced by American producer Todd Rundgren, and it follows two years after The Big Express (Oct. 1984). Or does it? Following the '84 album Andy Partridge and Dave Gregory had found a common interest in psychedelic rock of the 1960s and Partridge pursued the idea of making music with bonds to Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd, The Electric Prunes, and Beatles at their most experimental stage. The whole band found it an exciting side-step, and they were joined by Greg's brother Ian Roy and together they initially recorded six tracks with John leckie, 'Swami Anand Nagara' (aka John Leckie) and the band as producers - all four members are credited with new-found names like Sir John Johns, The Red Curtain, Lord Cornelius Plum, and E.I.E.I. Owen - and under the name of The Dukes of Stratosphear, a Mini-album titled 25 O'Clock (Apr. 1985) was released to great reviews and sales numbers (selling the double as their '84 album). That album has been re-issued and remastered and promoted as 'XTC as The Dukes of Stratosphear', and the album has been filed as the eight by XTC, which I find a difficult choice. Perhaps, Partridge an Co. would have likened it to follow The Big Express, but frankly, it's not only due to contractual obligations from Virgin that it wasn't promoted as an XTC album, it's so differently shaped that it's better perceived as an album by a (side-)project-band consisting of the members of XTC.
That aside, Skylarking both follows a style from the '84 album but also builds on the side-project with strong bonds to psychedelic rock but it's not the attempt to put out another album in the style of the 1960s but more so, to present us with a contemporary conglomerate. Thanks to the success of the band's newly recorded '85 album they have made quite a daring move into more experimental neo-psychedelic pop / rock. Varying accounts from members of the band concludes that the recording process with Rundgren wasn't an immediate success as Andy Partridge and Rundgren didn't communicate all that well, and to make things really complicated an error in the recording process afflicted the final issue of the album, and only some 24 years later in 2010, as Partridge reissued the album on his own label, the album came out as intended in a corrected polarity edition. Rundgren has been hailed as mastermind of the production aspect to it, and his accounts of the recordings is not surprisingly a different story.
My initial feelings towards the album was that it once again was a fine collection of songs, but at this point of my fascination for the band and their music in general, I simply had grown tired of their style, and I kind of abandoned the band for a period of time. I stopped buying and even listening to their new material of this. Duh! Only two decades later or so, I returned and found that their progression still made much sense, so I still enjoy their music and frankly, I don't think they have ever made a bad album. AND this one, is definitely worth more than a listen 'cause it's simply one of the band's better ones. Despite the unintended sound difficulties the album is the first by XTC to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
The original cover for the album, as drawn out by Partridge, was banned by Virgin and replaced before being released; however, for the 2010 reissue (released on Andy Partridge's own Ape House label) of the album, the originally intended cover is back and so is the intended sound [ story ]. Having listened to both the 1986 album and the 2010 'corrected polarity edition', I must say that the album could only have received even broader acclaim, had the technical error been addressed back then. It's a must for XTC fans and most music lovers of early neo-psychedelia and a cornerstone in modern music.

Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 5 / 5, Uncut 4,5 / 5, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

   

vinyl cover

   

1986 cd cover

a-ha "Scoundrel Days" (1986)

Scoundrel Days
release date: Oct. 6, 1986
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,68]
producer: Alan Tarney, Mags, Pål Waaktaar

label: Warner Bros. - nationality: Norway

2nd studio album by a-ha released one year after the debut - and this time co-produced by Magnus Furuholmen and Pål Waaktaar of the band.
The album contains fine vocal harmonies and well-executed compositions but it doesn't really help me when I find it tedious in the long run. It's hard to tell just what lacks 'cause these guys know how to play their instruments - they are kinda original, aren't they? The "but" part is somewhere in what's not really interesting, "fine fine, yes but... I just don't really find it that good." In the days when they were around I think, I thought of it as "music for girls", mostly. I know that sounds stupid but it must be that it never really appealed to me, so I had to categorise it along with bands like Culture Club and Take That stuff and hearing it some 30 years later doesn't really change my feelings about it - so there you have it.
I can't really recommend this.

Michael Falch "Det andet land" (1986)

Det andet land

release date: 1986

format: cd (reissue)

[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,68]

producer: Jens G. Nielsen, Thomas Brekling, Per Chr. Frost & Michael Falch

label: Medley - nationality: Denmark

2nd solo album by Michael Falch following Michael Falch (Mar. 1985) is a return to a strong American influence from especially Springsteen. The album was seen as the artist's response to much of the critique of rejecting his stylistic foundation with his pop-fueled debut. Especially the song "I et land uden høje bjerge" ('In country with no high mountains') came to define this album on which he narrates of Denmark as a country with no room for high aspirations. Pete Repete of Malurt contribute together with Jens G. Nielsen and Per Chr. Frost of Gnags, as well as several other contemporary Danish artists, which also include musicians of C.V. Jørgensen backing band..

The album hasn't aged too well, and even back then, I found it a dificult listen. In my ears, it sounds too strained and with too much will to show that he's still the rock front figure from Malurt - just with nothing much left but shear appearance. Back in '86 I would probably have handed this 1 out of 5 stars. In restrospect, it's still an attempt to tell his audience that his still around, but it's also an album with no memorable tracks, although, I like it better than his debut.

Talk Talk "Give It Up" (1986) (single)

Give It Up, 7'' single

release date: May 1986

format: vinyl

[single rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]

producer: Tim Friese-Greene

label: EMI - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Give It Up" - - B) "It's Getting Late in the Evening"

Single release taken from the album The Colour of Spring (Feb. 1986) - the third of four singles from the album and succeeding the single "Living in Another World" (Mar. 1986) and preceeding "I Don't Believe in You" (Nov. 1986).

Big Country "The Seer" (1986)

The Seer
release date: Jul. 14, 1986
format: vinyl / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Robin Millar
label: Mercury Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Look Away" (4 / 5) - 2. "The Seer" (feat. Kate Bush) (4 / 5) - 3. "Teacher" - 4. "I Walk the Hill" - 5. "Eiledon" (4 / 5) - 6. "One Great Thing" - 7. "Hold the Heart" - 8. "Remembrance Day" - 9. "Red Fox" - 10. "Sailor"

3rd studio album by Big Country following two years after Steeltown (Oct. 1984) introduces a somewhat softer sound, yet still builds on especially the style from the debut album. The album is produced by Robin Millar, who has been associated with more mainstream artists, and it's probably due to the shift from Lillywhite to Millar that I disliked the album in the '80s. Fact is, I sold my copy of the vinyl album because I never played it. Talk about being stupid! To me, and my ears back then, this was nothing but polished pop / rock, and I simply stopped following the band from here on. Nowadays, I don't understand my rejection, as I find that this more than pars Steeltown. It contains fine songs, and it's actually better produced - it's more varied with a broader sound - and it simply contains no fillers. I know, I didn't really appreciate the title track, and just found it boring. Now I see this as one of the absolute strongest tracks. Its complexity, verses and great chorus lines with a splendid contribution by Kate Bush whose singing voice really suits Adamson's guitar so perfectly. Actually, one may see the whole album as a fine bridge between contemporary pop / rock and celtic rock. Luckily, I have managed to get a second-hand copy of the original first issues.
Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5, Kerrang! 3 / 5 stars ]

Gabriel Yared "37°2 Le matin (Betty Blue)" (OST) (1986)

37°2 Le matin (Betty Blue) (soundtrack)
release date: 1986
format: vinyl (V2396)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: Gabriel Yared, Georges Rodi
label: Virgin Records - nationality: Lebanon

Soundtrack album composed, arranged and directed by Lebanese composer Gabriel Yared who has composed music to several major French movies during the 1980s. The film "37°2 Le matin" has become more commonly known as "Betty Blue", and is directed by French director Jean Jacques Beineix.

The Go-Betweens "Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express" (1986)

Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express

release date: Mar. 1986

format: cd (1996 remaster) / 2 cd (2004 remaster)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]

producer: The Go-Betweens & Richard Preston

label: Beggars Banquet / Lo-Max Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Spring Rain" (4 / 5) - 2. "The Ghost and the Black Hat" - 3. "The Wrong Road" - 5. "Twin Layers of Lightning" - 6. "In the Core of the Flame" - 7. "Head Full of Steam" (4 / 5) - 9. "Palm Sunday (On Board the SS Within)"

4th studio album by The Go-Betweens released two years following Spring Hill Fair (1984) is the band's second consecutive album as a quartet. It's the band's first on Beggars Banquet, and the album release may have been delayed as they had previously signed with Elektra, who then closed its UK division in the middle of the recording sessions leaving the band with a newly recorded album but no record label. Luckily, they were then approached by Beggars Banquet with a recording deal for three albums in total.

The standard album contains ten tracks. The enhanced 2 cd issue contains an additional 11 tracks as well as the music videos for tracks #1 and #7. For the first time around the album is produced by the band who brought in Richard Preston as sound engineer, which means they were in control of what they wanted. Also, it's made without various additional musicians thrown in here and there, although, Tracey Thorn (Everything but the Girl who made friends with the band) is worth mentioning as she sings backing vocals on tracks #7 and #10.

Soundwise, it's bond to Before Hollywood (1983) as being both a more scraped down album than the predecessor but also with more varied arrangements. For the first time, the band makes use of a strings section with music arranged by Audrey Riley (who should later work with Coldplay). It's an album reflecting more inward and quiet music than more obvious pop harmonies, and there's a stronger sensation of folk rock sound on all compositions.

The album was well-received and saw many music critics' positive reviews hailing the album as one of the band's absolute best. However, as with most other albums by The Go-Betweens, the album failed to approach anything near top-10 anywhere. It's listed as number #62 on the Australian charts and with no entry figures anywhere else. "Spring Rain" and "Head Full of Steam" were released as the two singles from the album without noteworthy charts. Perhaps the band would have been better off had they signed with Warner or another big label to help them promote their music 'cause critics really loved the band, but then they probably would if presented with such an offer.

I have always found this a transitional album - certainly not poor or a lesser release as it's the band's so far best. For once they seem to have found their own path away from the stronger indie rock type of compositions with bonds to Velvet Underground, The Byrds and Tom Verlaine as heard on the sophomore album and the lighter pop / rock songs with bolder mainstream appeal, which is most clearly heard on the band's sixth studio album from 1988. Liberty Bell provides a bunch of playful songs that reek a new-found lightness and strong coherence.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Blender 4 / 5, NME, Select, Uncut 5 / 5 stars ]

Prince and the Revolution "Parade" (OST) (1986)

Parade (soundtrack)
release date: Mar. 31, 1986
format: vinyl (gatefold) / cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]
producer: Prince
label: Warner Bros. / Paisley Park - nationality: USA

Track highlights: A) "Intro" 1. "Christopher Tracy's Parade" - - B) "End" 3. "Kiss" - 5. "Sometimes It Snows in April" (4 / 5)

7th studio album by Prince and his third as Prince & The Revolution is also titled Parade: Music From the Motion Picture 'Under the Cherry Moon'.

Steve Kilbey "Unearthed" (1986)

Unearthed [debut]
release date: Jan. 2, 1986
format: vinyl / cd (1987)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,44]
producer: Steve Kilbey (recorded by)
label: Enigma Canada - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Out of This World" - 2. "Guilty" - 3. "Pretty Ugly, Pretty Sad" - 5. "Judgement Day" - 11. "Nothing Inside" - 12. "Othertime" (acoustic live)

Solo album debut by Steve Kilbey, main songwriter, composer, and lead vocalist of The Church, released on Red Eye Records in Australia and on Enigma Records. The issue I own is a Canadian import issued on the sublabel Enigma Canada. A short instrumental, "Swampdrone" is written by Kilbey's girlfriend Karin Jansson and she contributes with vocals on "Othertime". The instrumental "Famine" (final track) was written by Steve's younger brother Russell.

Musically, this doesn't fall far from the music by The Church, although, it's both more varied and more experimental than what has so far been released by the band. Some of the compositions sound like leftovers and have arrangements that remind you of The Blurred Crusade and Remote Luxury with focus on acoustic guitar, yet there's an uplifting looser atmosphere as perhaps the result of having fewer people involved. Some of the more experimental bits makes me think of David Sylvian.

Unearthed isn't the amazing overlooked debut from one of Australia's best songwriters, but it's like a fine outlet for artistic fascination.

Angelo Badalamenti "Blue Velvet - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" (OST) (1986)

Blue Velvet - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (soundtrack)

release date: 1986

format: cd (VCD47277)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,02]

producer: David Lynch

label: Varese Sarabande - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Main Title" - 2. "Night Streets / Sandy and Jeffrey" - 3. "Frank" - 6. "Frank Returns" - 8. "Blue Velvet / Blue Star (Montage) (feat. Isabella Rossellini)" - 10. "Akron Meets the Blues" - 11. "Honky Tonk Part I (performed by Bill Doggett)" - 12. "In Dreams (performed by Roy Orbison)" - 13. "Love Letters (performed by Ketty Lester)" - 14. "Mysteries of Love (feat. Julee Cruise)" 👉 [ Soundtrack playlist ]

Soundtrack album to the film "Blue Velvet" by David Lynch featuring Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, and Laura Dern. The soundtrack is Badalamenti's first full-length soundtrack under his own name, although, he debuted as soundtrack co-composer as Andy Badale together with Albert Elias (as Al Elias) - together they were credited as Badder Than Evil - and they stood behind the majority of the music for the 1973 film "Gordon's War" (directed by Ossie Davis); a year later, again with Al Elias and still credited as Andy Badale they made the music for "Law and Disorder" by Ivan Passer, they also made music to one episode of the "NBC Special Treat" TV-series in '77, and then in '83 he released the album Nashville Beer Garden under the name of 'Andy Badale and The Beer Garden Band'; however, the Blue Velvet soundtrack is his first soundtrack under his own name and as a solo artist.

The music here represents a huge mix of styles - from traditional r&b, blues, jazz, popular standards, classical, and contemporary pop music, but not in a big melting pot, but various tracks contain bits and pieces from this or that and altogether its a highly coherent mix. Like the film has a disturbing element, so does Badalamenti's soundtrack contain an eerie dimension that helps transporting the film to its status as a certified classic, and perhaps the film rocketed Lynch to the top of hot directors in the 80s.

Badalamenti's soundtrack is regarded as a major work and one of the best soundtracks of the 1980s, and 'frankly' [!] it's one of those, which really works on its own. It's really not a collection where the single compositions compete in gaining the listener's attention but the type of albums where the whole works as the biggest accomplishment.

As the film is a must, the soundtrack by Badalamenti is worth every penny.

Kate Bush "The Whole Story" (1986)

The Whole Story (compilation)
release date: Nov. 10, 1986
format: vinyl / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Kate Bush; Jon Kelly; Andrew Powell
label: EMI - nationality: England, UK

A 12-track compilation album by Kate Bush, and a fine best of album with most of her hits. The album went to number #1 on the UK albums chart list.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]