TV-2 "Nærmest lykkelig" (1988)

Nærmest lykkelig

release date: Oct. 1, 1988

format: digital (12 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]

producer: various*

label: CBS - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Det mørke Jylland" - 2. "Nærmest lykkelig" (4 / 5) - 4. "Læn dem ud" - 5. "Kys det nu (Det satans liv)" - 7. "Alt hvad hun ville var at danse" - 8. "De finder det helt naturligt" - 9. "Der er kun dig (Og mig)" - 10. "En sommerdag for alt for længe siden" - 11. "Kalundborgbåden"

7th studio album by TV-2 following 1½ years after En dejlig torsdag (Mar. 1987) marks a change in producer credits. Two consequtive albums with Greg Walsh as sole producer has been exchanged with a long list of producers. Michael Bruun, who stood behind Nutidens unge (1984) is back as producer of five tracks, Per Leth Nissen & TV-2 are credited as producers of three songs, Billy Cross and Mats Ronander are sole producers of two songs each, and Hilmer Hassig and Søren Wolff are both credited as producers of one track each.

Stylewise, the band doesn't make big stylistic leaps, and it's more of a subtle change of what had become a well-known formula. The album is the band's second-best selling album and it contains several national hits. At this point, I sort of had lots interest in the band, and in my mind they were now much more popular among older generations; however, in retrospect, I do find this easily bettering their '87 album.

TV-2 "En dejlig torsdag" (1987)

En dejlig torsdag
release date: Mar. 5, 1987
format: vinyl (450508 1) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: Greg Walsh
label: CBS Records - nationality: Denmark

6th studio album by Danish band TV-2 following the band's so far biggest success Rigtige mænd gider ikke høre mere vrøvl (Nov. 1985) is like that produced by Greg Walsh.
This time it's more obvious that band and producer attempts to reproduce what worked so well on their previous work; however, En dejlig torsdag doesn't quite deliver on the same level. Also, for the first time since the band's second album, the new album doesn't sell more albums than its predecessor, and this time only half of albums sold.

TV-2 "Rigtige mænd gider ikke høre mere vrøvl" (1985)

Rigtige mænd gider ikke høre mere vrøvl
release date: Nov. 1985
format: vinyl (26675) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]
producer: Greg Walsh
label: CBS Records - nationality: Denmark

5th studio album by Danish band TV-2 features British producer Greg Walsh, who had previously worked with Heaven 17, The Associates, Howard Devoto, and Tina Turner. Soundwise, it's not all that different from the predecessor, Nutidens unge (1984). It's mixed by using more tracks, I guess, and there's a sense of wider space with more musical complexity.
Again, the album was released to generally positive reviews and the album more than doubled the sales numbers of the band's previous success. The album remains TV-2's best-selling album to date.
It may not be the band's most coherent nor the overall best album, although, I find that it contains some of the band's best compositions, e.g. "På Skanderborg Station" and "September 1985". I also think that it's the first album where you sense that the band begin to reproduce a certain matrix.

TV-2 "Nutidens unge" (1984)

Nutidens unge
release date: 1984
format: vinyl (26155) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]
producer: Michael Bruun
label: CBS Records - nationality: Denmark

4th studio album by Danish quartet TV-2 follows closely on a similar stylistic path as Beat (1983), although, this is even better composed and produced - this time with Danish producer Michael Bruun, who has worked with Danish artists like Rocazino, Tøsedrengene, Jens Rugsted, and Halberg Larsen.
The album contains many of the band's best loved stables and it doubled the sales numbers of the predecessor, just like former had doubled its numbers.
Imho, this is my personal favourite.

TV-2 "Beat" (1983)

Beat
release date: Sep. 1983
format: vinyl (25689) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,84]
producer: TV-2
label: CBS Records - nationality: Denmark

3rd studio album by TV-2 - this time produced by the band only marks a considerable change of style, which should have a lasting impact on the band's career. The first two albums out were shaped as new wave releases and both linked somewhat with the quirkiness of American band Devo and British XTC; however, this is much more originally founded in a Danish pop / rock tradition paired with TV-2's own lyrical force.
The album became the band's so far biggest success and both the audience and critics praised it.

TV-2 "Verden er vidunderlig" (1982)

Verden er vidunderlig
release date: Feb. 1982
format: vinyl (85719) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Cy Nicklin, TV-2
label: CBS Records - nationality: Denmark

2nd studio album by Danish band TV-2 consisting of main songwriter, vocalist & keyboardist Steffen Brandt (ex-member of Kliché), guitarist S'Erik Lerchenfeldt (aka Svend Erik), bassist Georg Olesen, and drummer & percussionist Sven Gaul. The album is stylised Verden er vidunderlig - translated it means 'The World Is Wonderful', but with the subtle addition that with 'vid-' in white also hints both to the colour 'white' ['hvid'] but also signifying 'wide' AND as the word 'underlig' means 'strange' the title both suggests that, yes, the 'world is wonderful' but you may also perceive it as predominantly 'white' AND '(widely) strange'. And then you only have to take a look at the map of the world. Focus on word-play is already a strong trait of Brandt's lyrics, something he should carry on to explore on all of the band's future albums.

I purchased this already in '82 and not long after my first aquisition of a single release by TV-2.
The album has an even stronger focus on the lyrical dimension than the band's fine debut Fantastiske Toyota and its new wave and power pop strengths, have now been exchanged for a more experimental side of new wave or art rock attitude - perhaps a product of being compared to the strongest contemporary Danish act, Kliché. Some saw TV-2 as a Kliché-light version - and that tag wasn't an easy one to neglect since Brandt had played keyboards in Kliché before focussing entirely on TV-2.

TV-2 "Natradio" (1981) (single)

Natradio, 7'' single
release date: 1981
format: vinyl (A 1664)
[single rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Jan Degner
label: CBS Records - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: A) "Natradio" - - B) "Vi er det bedste hold"

Single release by Danish new wave band TV-2.

[ collectors' item ]