Ippu-Do "Night Mirage" (1983)

Night Mirage
release date: Jul. 21, 1983
format: vinyl (25506) / digital (2013 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: Masami Tsuchiya
label: Epic Records - nationality: Japan

Track highlights: 1. "Plants' Music" (4 / 5) - 2. "Àfrican Nights" - 3. "Rain in My Heart" - 5. "Lonely Sea Lion" - 10. "Crystal Leaves"

4th and final studio album by Japanese synthpop and new romantic Masami Tsuchiya-led project band Ippu-Do. The band's previous albums were released as a trio consisting of Masami Tsuchiya on vocals and guitar, Akira Mitake on keyboards, and with Shoji Fujii on drums, but after releasing its third album Radio Fantasy in '81, the band went on a hiatus and upon rejoining, after Tsuchiya's engagement with British band Japan on its final '82 tour, Ippu-Do was reduced to a duo without drummer Fuiji.
The original ten tracks album has a running time at just below 42 minutes, whereas the 2013 remaster comes with an additional 7 bonus tracks making it a more than 71 minutes album.
On Night Mirage the band is joined by Richard Barbieri (on one track) and Steve Jansen, both members of Japan, with the latter playing drums on all tracks.
Night Mirage is an experimental synthpop release with tracks of various styles, but ultimately bridging nicely between with European synthpop and that of Yellow Magic Orchestra with an addition of sound elements from Japanese music culture and more electronic bits from ambient music. Some tracks are harmony-driven with lyrics and choruses, whereas others are more experimental instrumentals. The seven bonus tracks' album makes it more incoherent with the added compositions being more in the style of electronic ambient.
This is a strong, original and very warm album that I always return to!

Ultravox "Lament" (1984) (single)

Lament, 7'' single
release date: Jun. 21, 1984
format: vinyl (UV 2)
[single rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]
producer: Ultravox
label: Chrysalis Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Lament" - - B) "Heart of the Country" (instrumental)

Single release by Ultravox taken from the band's homonymous 7th studio album released in April. The single is the band's third of a total of five singles from the album. The single peaked at number #22 on the UK singles chart list, and only the second single "Dancing With Tears in My Eyes" became a top-10 hit peaking at number #3.

Talk Talk "The Party's Over" (1982)

The Party's Over [debut]
release date: Jul. 1982
format: vinyl / cassette / vinyl (reissue) / cd (1997 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,67]
producer: Colin Thurston
label: EMI Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Talk Talk" (3,5 / 5) - 2. "It's So Serious" (3,5 / 5) - 3. "Today" (4 / 5) - 4. "The Party's Over" (4 / 5) - 5. "Hate" (3,5 / 5) - 6. "Have You Heard the News?" (3,5 / 5) - 7. "Mirror Man" (3,5 / 5) - 8. "Another Word" (4 / 5) - 9. "Candy" (3,5 / 5)

Studio debut album by London-based Talk Talk consisting of vocalist, as well as primary lyricist and musical composer, Mark Hollis, Simon Brenner on keyboards, Paul Webb on bass and with Lee Harris on drums. The music is synthpop, new wave, new romantic, and what I believe is art pop.
Talk Talk is one of a long list of new romantic bands of the early 1980s, but as many others, they are quite unique and highly original in style. I find that they have parts of Japan, parts of Human League, bits of Duran Duran [whom they were then seen as mere pale imitators of], but they also carry something as 'ordinary' as a touch of classic pop / rock, and with that pointing to the 1970s and Roxy Music, and on the other hand they also bring about a more futuristic sound, which may put them aside OMD. And yes, many bands and artists of this period blended styles and inputs in an attempt to stay on the right course with equal amounts of pop and synths.
In retrospect, there's no doubt that Talk Talk was one of a few artists who literally constructed the path of music to come, a pioneering band who has influenced music like few of the aforementioned. Only Japan with its influence on new romantic and synthpop, and OMD with its original sound in between experimental and pop have had such impact on popular music on the same scale. Talk Talk didn't do it with this album alone. With this they made a strong first album, and they put their name on the list of bands to look out for.
I didn't appreciate this as much then. Actually, I didn't listen to the full album until I got around to purchase a copy on cassette in 1989. Although, I knew the band well from its single releases and more fully from the international breakthrough The Colour of Spring (1986), I wasn't quite ready for the synthpop without the post-punk element in the early 80s, and there really are no punk references here. Years later, this would apply for sophisti-pop, but that style wasn't labeled then.
Listening to this today, I find it refreshing in a way only original and timeless music survives, and knowing what they would later come up with only adds to the admiration. The album contains no weak tracks. Apart from the original vinyl, a cassette issue, and a 1987 cd-issue, I have a 1997 remastered edition of the album, but to be frank, apart from more dynamics, which in many cases sound too forced, I don't find the remaster bettering the original mastering, which still sounds just mighty fine.
The front cover is by artist James Marsh [Album Cover interview - wikipedia] who would remain the artist behind all of the band's albums and single releases throughout the entire life-span of Talk Talk.
Recommended.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

1997 remaster

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My collection of Talk Talk albums

Culture Club "It's a Miracle" (1984) (single)

It's a Miracle, 7'' single
release date: Mar. 12, 1984
format: vinyl
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,44]
producer: Steve Levine (A-side); Jon Moss (B-side)
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "It's a Miracle" - - B) "Love Twist"

Single release by Culture Club and the band's fifth and final single taken from the album Colour by Numbers (Oct. '83) where it follows the release of Victims (Nov. 1983).

Culture Club "Victims" (1983) (single)

Victims, 7'' single
release date: Nov. 1983
format: vinyl
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Steve Levine
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Victims" - - B) "Colour by Numbers"

Single release by Culture Club and the band's third single from the album Colour by Numbers (Oct. 1983) following the release of Karma Chameleon (Sep. 1983).

Human League "Dare!" (1981)

Dare!
release date: Oct. 16, 1981
format: vinyl / digital (1983 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,16]
producer: Martin Rushent, The Human League
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

3rd studio album by Sheffield-founded synthpop band The Human League. The UK and US versions are without the exclamation mark, whereas most other international issues were titled "Dare!" just as my Scandinavian version.

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

Highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine, Record Collector 5 / 5, Mojo, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Culture Club "Karma Chameleon" (1983) (single)

Karma Chameleon, 7'' single
release date: Sep. 1983
format: vinyl
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Steve Levine
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Karma Chameleon" - - B) "That's the Way"

Single release by Culture Club and the band's second single from the forthcoming second studio album Colour by Numbers (Oct. 1983) succeeding Church of the Poison Mind (Apr. 1983).

Visage "Fade to Grey" (1980) (single)

Fade to Grey, 7'' single
release date: Nov. 10, 1980
format: 7'' single
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Visage & Midge Ure
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Fade to Grey" (4,5 / 5) - - B) "The Steps" (2,5 / 5)

Single release by Visage released on the same date as the release of the band's first solo album Visage (both tracks are taken from the album as tracks #5 and #10 respectively). The single is the band's only second single release but its first after signing with (major label) Polydor.
"Fade to Grey" was the band's first and also only major hit single reaching number #8 on the national singles chart list, and several other top-10 chart entries throughout Europe, New Zealand and Australia, and also peaking at number #1 in Switzerland and in Germany.
I bought the single at some point in 1981 when the song already was a major radio hit. At the time it was referred to as new wave, although, it's more obvious in a style of new romantic and synthpop. I wasn't a fan of the band but liked the otherworldly sensation of the title track, which is a truly brilliant composition.

Visage "Visage" (1980)

Visage [debut]
release date: Nov. 10, 1980
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Visage & Midge Ure
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 4. "Tar" - 5. "Fade to Grey" (4,5 / 5) - 8. "Moon Over Moscow"

Studio album debut by London-founded band Visage consisting of lead vocalist Steve Strange (aka Stephen Harrington), keyboardist Midge Ure (aka James Ure, former member of Thin Lizzy and Rick Kids, current member of Ultravox), guitarist John McGeoch (ex-member of Magazine), keyboardist (synthesizer) Dave Formula (aka David Tomlinson, ex-member of Magazine), violinist and keyboardist (synthesizer) Billy Currie (aka William Lee Currie, current member of Ultravox), and drummer Rusty Egan (ex-member of Rich Kids). Although being a sextet, the band is formed without a traditional bass player, and on the album ex-Magazine member Barry Adamson plays bass on three tracks (as the remaining songs are without traditional bass instrumentation).
Stylistically, it's closely related to the music by Ultravox in it's synthesizer-driven compositions, and on top of that it showcases a much bolder new romantic sensation and with that places the band alongside contemporary acts like Human League, Duran Duran, Altered Images and Japan.
I only came across the album because of the hit single "Fade to Grey" and that song is really the only great song on an album that hasn't aged well. At the time of its release, the music truly represented something else, as the punk rock era had done a few years before that by presenting music at the new frontier with technical sovereignty, though, I preferred the more chorus-based bands like Human League, Orchestral Manoevres in the Dark and bands with a stronger bond to the post-punk movement.
Visage is a very fine example of the new romantic era with its synthesised sound but I don't think, the album will survive very well on future chart lists, and the band only made one other - and a better attempt with a second album, The Anvil (1982) after which the band was continued with a new line-up and quite different music.

Adam Ant "Vive le Rock" (1985) (single)

Vive le Rock, 7'' single
release date: Jul. 1985
format: vinyl (A 6367)
[single rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,50]
producer: Tony Visconti
label: CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Vive le Rock" (3 / 5 ) - - B) "Greta X" 

Single release by Adam Ant released prior to his solo album also titled Vive le Rock released in Sep. '85.

Japan "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" (1980)

Gentlemen Take Polaroids
release date: Oct. 24, 1980
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: John Punter
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" (4 / 5) - 2. "Swing" - 4. "My New Career" - 5. "Methods of Dance" - 6. "Ain't That Peculiar" - 7. "Nightporter" (live) - 8. "Taking Islands in Africa"

4th studio album by Japan and the last to feature the band's usual guitarist Rob Dean (who would leave in the spring of '81). With this the band continue its art pop and new-found style of new romantic, which would become a mainstream pop style within a year with bands like Depeche Mode, Visage, Spandau Ballet, ABC, and Duran Duran. The glam rock and Bowie-inspiration has been left behind, and the album comes out as highly original. All tracks except from a cover (track #6 by Smokey Robinson, Warren 'Pete' Moore, Marvin Tarplin and Bobby Rogers) are written by David Sylvian - track #8 being co-written by Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Gentlemen Take Polaroids was well-received by critics but failed to reach the public attention. In retrospect, however, and alongside its predecessor, it has been hailed as a cornerstone in the whole new romantic era.
[ allmusic.com, Smash Hits 4 / 5 stars ]

Japan "Quiet Life" (1979)

Quiet Life
release date: Dec. 1979
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,55]
producer: John Punter, Simon Napier-Bell, Japan
label: Hansa Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Quiet Life" (4 / 5) - 2. "Fall on Love With Me" - 3. "Despair" - 4. "In Vogue" (live) - 6. "All Tomorrow's Parties" - 8. "The Other Side of Life"

3rd studio album by Japan who has taken another stylistic move. The first two albums are both playing with funk rock and variations of glam rock and new wave but with this the band focuses more on art pop adding a layer of synths to the sound and by doing so, the album has been recognised as one of the very first albums to introduce and ignite the new romantic era. Another change to the band's sound is the vocal performance of lead vocalist David Sylvian. On the first two albums he appears heavily inspired by David Bowie, but now he has taken on a darker, more sincere, and also a much more original and contemporary tone. All tracks except the cover song "All Tomorrow's Parties" (Velvet Underground track written by Lou Reed) are credited David Sylvian.
The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Here Before You Die". Unfortunately, the album didn't gain much success at the time of its release but in retrospect it has become one of the most acclaimed albums of its time.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Adam and the Ants "Prince Charming" (1981)

Prince Charming
release date: Nov. 2, 1981
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,06]
producer: Chris Hughes
label: CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Scorpios" (3 / 5) - 3. "Prince Charming" - 6. "Stand and Deliver" (4 / 5) - 10. "S.E.X."

3rd and final studio album by Adam and the Ants shows a stylistic change that really only made the band more mainstream as new romantic was flourishing everywhere. The band had turned down the more aggressive elements from punk rock and new wave, so this comes out as a more polished pop release. However, the band now appealed to a new audience who perhaps found bands like Duran Duran and ABC more tolerable, and AATA stood by a cross road [and made a wrong turn]. Many fans familiar with the band's first two albums saw this as mainstream pop and a bad decision.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Adam and the Ants "Prince Charming" (1981) (single)

Prince Charming, 7'' single
release date: Sep. 4, 1981
format: vinyl (A1408)
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,55]
producer: Chris Hughes
label: CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Prince Charming" - - B) "Christian D'Or" (3,5 / 5)

Single release by Adam and the Ants issued to promote the band's third album Prince Charming (Nov. '81). The style is much the same as the second album - perhaps with more focus on new romantic and less on new wave. The single promised a fine new album and went to number #1 on the national singles chart, but when the album came out two months later that really only proved that this was one of only two fine songs from the new album. The B-side is better than most tracks on the forthcoming album but wasn't included. I had already heard the first single, "Stand and Deliver" from the upcoming album, and found that a great tune, so I just bought this.

Adam and the Ants "Kings of the Wild Frontier" (1980)

Kings of the Wild Frontier
release date: Nov. 3, 1980
format: vinyl (CBS 84549) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,85]
producer: Chris Hughes
label: CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Dog Eat Dog" - 2. " 'Antmusic' " (4 / 5) (live) - 5. "Ants Invasion" (live) - - B) 1. "Kings of the Wild Frontier" - 2. "The Magnificent Five" (live) - 5. "Making History"

2nd album by Adam and the Ants released 11 months after the debut but having changed the band line-up completely since then. In Jan. 1980 guitarist Matthew Ashman, bassist Leigh Gorman and drummer Dave Barbe left to form the band Bow Wow Wow with vocalist Annabella Lwin leaving Adam Ant with no other members than himself. He soon teamed up with guitarist Marco Pirroni (aka Marco Francesco Andrea Pirroni, who had played with Siouxsie and the Banshees), bassist Kevin Mooney and two new drummers: Terry Lee Miall and Merrick (aka Chris Hughes, who would later be a rather well-known music producer, and who also produced this album). Instead of writing all songs on his own, Ant has written all songs with guitarist Pirroni as main musical composer and the end result is quite different from the songs on the debut.
This was the album that brought the band its fame and it's also my first acquisition of the band. New guitarist Marco Pirroni, who came into the band after releasing the debut, is put in front with his surf rock inspired guitar sound and then the band utilises two drummers to enable a characteristic Indian chants sound. At the time, Adam and the Ants were most likely seen as making post-punk and new wave music, but in retrospect, it's also evident that they were one of the first bands to initiate the new romantic era despite their slightly "off topic" style. Musically, it doesn't hold very well today, but in music history, there aren't that many popular albums with such an original and defining sound as this. It simply sounds like nothing else.
The album ended up topping the UK albums chart list and was preceded with two hit singles: Kings of the Wild Frontier charting at number #2 on the singles charts, and just prior to the album release, "Dog Eat Dog" peaked at number #4. Following the album release, " 'Antmusic' " peaked at number #2, so Adam and the Ants were really on everyone's lips, and the album was met by critical acclaim. Kings of the Wild Frontier is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Here Before You Die".
Back in the day, it was a great, wild, and a startling album - nowadays, I find it interesting but also a bit of an anachronism.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]