Latin Quarter "Swimming Against the Stream" (1989)

Swimming Against the Stream

release date: Apr. 1989

format: digital (11 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]

producer: David Kershenbaum, Paul McKenna

label: RCA - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Swimming Against the Stream" - 2. "Blameless" - 4. "Model Son" - 5. "After Maralinga" - 6. "Dominion" - 10. "It Makes My Heart Stop Speaking"

3rd studio album by Latin Quarter following a little more than two years after Mick and Caroline (Jan. '87). Since then, the band has been reduced to a quartet consisting of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Steve Skaith, lead guitarist Richard Wright, bassist Greg Harewood and keyboardist & vocalist Yona Dunsford, while songwriter Mike Jones still 'only' delivers the lyrics to the music, which is all credited Skaith. On this, we notice the contributions by David Lindley on guitar, banjo and mandolin, Denny Fongheiser on drums, Tony Waerea on didgeridoo, Judy Gameral on dulcimer, and Paulinho Da Costa as percussionist. James Swinson is responsibe for the cover art, just as he has been on the band's former albums.

Musically, not much has happened since the debut Modern Times from '85. Latin Quarter narrates about the usual subjects and the style is held tight in melodic pop / rock with bits and inspiration from pop reggae and folk. In that way you don't really notice a progression, where the small variations may lie in the fact that Jones writes the lyrics - and they do tend to touch on naiivity - be it deliberate or not. To summarise, this isn't entirely bad - it does contain good tracks but also songs that echo some sort of recycling. Even though it appears as quite coherent, it isn't exactly great. It's good craftsmanship and then perhaps not much more.

The band's debut arguably raised some recognition, the second album was positively notised especially in Germany, Sweden and in Switzerland, whereas this doesn't seem to have been welcomed that well. I haven't been able to find any registered positions from Britain, and in Germany and Sweden the album reached positions as number 38 and 50 respectively on the album chart lists. This progression has continued the following years, where none of the band's releases have led to positions, anywhere. Latin Quarter where inactive from '97 until 2010, but since then and onwards to 2021, they have released another seven albums.

Latin Quarter "Mick and Caroline" (1987)

Mick and Caroline

release date: Jan. 1987

format: vinyl (208 142) / digital (2009 reissue)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,56]

producer: Jason Coraro

label: Rockin' Horse / Arista - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Remember" - 4. "Nomzamo (One People One Cause)" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Negotiating with a Loaded Gun" - 6. "Burn Again" - 7. "Love Has Gone" (4 / 5) - 8. "The Night" - 10. "The Men Below"

2nd studio album by Latin Quarter, who now appears to have been 'promoted' from the sublabel Rockin' Horse to its mother company of Arista. Since the predecessor keyboardist Steve Jeffries and drummer Richard Stevens respectively, have been replaced by Martin Lascalles and Darren Abraham.

This one follows closely in the established sound and style found on the debut Modern Times (1985), although, it does turn out as a more coherent whole. Several strong compositions make it a better release including the band's greatest track ever: "Nomazamo (One People One Cause)". Nevertheless, it also contain some fillers, and on an overall level, the lyrics tend to reflect the same one-dimensional trait you'll find on the debut: a political correctness mixed with songs about social, racial, and global injustice - all effectuated with a raised finger in a sort of naive approach, as some know-it-all, at least in the long run, but "Nomazamo" nearly raises this album to utter greatness.

Mick and Caroline is imho the band's best studio album.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

<  show lyrics >

~ ~ ~
"Nomzamo"

"Nine children in one family
Nine Xhosa Wars
Nomzamo in 1960
Already victim of her country's law
I say 'laws', why dignify
The Sjamboks and the slammed cell doors?
In twenty years they gave her nineteen sentences - still
One People! One Cause!
One People! One Cause!
Nomzamo! Nomzamo...

Named 'Trial' but how often can
You take the stand?
Nomzamo left glued in Brandfort
Twenty years for a touch of his hand
But in touch and in the face of
The Robben Islands and the bleak Pollsmoors
I see 'separate' - I see 'development' - still
One People! One Cause!
One People! One Cause!
Nomzamo! Nomzamo...
Nomzamo - you say it's part of your soul
Nomzamo - one day you'll paint it
Red, black, green and gold...

Told today that they release you
That you had paid your debt
Nomzamo in her own damn country
How much more boorish can these people get?
But you refuse to get the message
Of waving whips, in bloody semaphore
Where only gunfire's indiscriminate - as always
One People! One Cause!
One People! One Cause!
Nomzamo! Nomzamo..."

~ ~ ~

Latin Quarter "Modern Times" (1985)

Modern Times [debut]
release date: 1985
format: digital (1989 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Pete Hammond & Latin Quarter
label: Rocking Horse / RCA - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Modern Times" (4 / 5) (live in 2012) - 3. "Radio Africa" (4 / 5) (live in 2012) - 5. "America for Beginners" - 6. "Eddie" - 10. "Truth About John"

Studio album debut by London-based Latin Quarter released on the smaller Arista-owned company Rocking Horse (reissued in '89 by RCA). The band has been through various line-ups over the years but here they count eight [!] members fronted by Steve Skaith as lead vocalist and guitarist, Richard Wright on guitar and backing vocals, Greg Harewood on bass, Yona Dunsford as vocalist and on piano, Steve Jeffries on keyboards and backing vocals, Carol Douet as vocalist and on percussion, Richard Stevens on drums and percussion, and with Mike Jones, who alone is credited as songwriter.

The music is characterised by a solid (left-wing) political stand as well as a socially-engaged attitude with roots in reggae, world music but still framed in a pop / rock kontext with stress on 'pop'.

I believe, the first tracks, I ever heard on the radio by this band were the title song and "Radio Africa". Both still hold quite nicely, although, they are shrouded by stemming from another period, mostly due to their strong political content and the use of synthetic drums. Other songs have aged with lesser success and mostly appear as naiive. Stilewise, the band could sound as a pop-clone of music by Peter Gabriel, Men At Work and the later, and likewise politically and socially engaged collective, Chumbawumba.

[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

The Beat "Wha'ppen?" (1981)

original cover

Wha'ppen?
release date: June 1981
format: vinyl (BEAT 3) / cd (1999 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: Bob Sargeant
label: Go Feet Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Doors of Your Heart" (4 / 5) - 2. "All Out to Get You" - 3. "Monkey Murders" - 4. "I Am Your Flag" - - B) 2. "Walk Away" (4 / 5) (live)

2nd studio album by The Beat is like the debut produced by Bob Sargeant and originally released on the band's own label, Go Feet. The sextet remains intact, but it's quite evident that the style has altered since I Just Can’t Stop It from 1980. The tempo has slowed down and it's much more an experimentation with a huge fusion of styles.
Instead of the more original ska revival and 2-tone there's clearly more focus on reggae and calypso with steel band and dub.
The album was released to mixed reviews but still sold quite well reaching #3 on the national albums chart list and NME ranked the album #4 on its 'Albums of the Year' end list.
The album contains some very fine compositions, but the overall impression is a release with many loose ends - some fillers, and perhaps also what appears as an incoherent release, partly because of the strong debut with its tight original sound and sheer energy, but also because of an indistinct direction and blend of too many styles. That said, Wha'ppen? may not equal the strong debut but it's really no near a mediocre album - it simply contains too many fine compositions..
The '99 remaster has a different track listing and comes with several bonus tracks. [ allmusic.com, Records Mirror, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

1999 cover

The Beat "I Just Can’t Stop It" (1980)

vinyl cover

I Just Can’t Stop It [debut]
release date: May 16, 1980
format: vinyl (BEAT 1) / cd (1990 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,95]
producer: Bob Sargeant
label: Arista / Go Feet - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Mirror in the Bathroom" (4 / 5) - 2. "Hands Off… She’s Mine" (4 / 5) (live) - 3. "Two Swords" - 6. "Rough Rider" - 8. "Ranking Full Stop" - 9. "Big Shot" - 10. "Whine & Grine / Stand Down Margaret" - 11. "Noise in This World" - 12. "Can’t Get Used to Losing You" - 13. "Best Friend" - 14. "Jackpot"

Studio album debut originally released on Go Feet Records by The Beat (aka The English Beat / aka The British Beat), a sextet founded in Birmingham 1978 consisting of Dave Wakeling on lead vocals & rhythm guitar, Ranking Roger (aka Roger Charlery) on vocals & toasting, Andy Cox on lead guitar, David Steele on bass, Everett Morton on drums and with Saxa (aka Lionel Augustus Martin) on saxophone. The Beat released its first single releases on 2 Tone Records much like other ska revival acts like The Selector, The Specials and Madness. The Beat then signed with mother-label Arista and formed its own sub-label Go Feet Records. The name of the band was The Beat; however, because of an American band with that name (later identified as Paul Collins' Beat), they were launched as The English Beat in North America and as The British Beat for the Australian market. The original album release contains 12 tracks, the US re-issue comes with two bonus tracks (#5, "Tears of a Clown" and #8, "Ranking Full Stop" both of which had been released in '79 as a 7'' single (by 2 Tone). Much like The Specials and Madness, The Beat was highly inspired by the original Jamaican ska and also covered songs by Prince Buster - here: tracks #5 and 8, and the band's saxophone player, Saxa, had in fact played with Prince Buster and other Jamaican acts.
Stylistically, The Beat plays "2-tone" new wave in an original blend with 2-tone and pop reggae, which puts the band in the same drawer as Madness, The Specials, The Selecter and Bad Manners, but The Beat still sounded quite original with its bold focus on new wave, which in another way linked the band close to bands like The Clash, Magazine and Squeeze.
The album was met by critical acclaim and it peaked as high as #3 on the British albums chart list, and the best faring single, track #1 reached #4 on the singles chart list in the UK.
It's quite an achievement to produce this list of quality songs on the band's debut, also because many songs point in various stylistic directions: #1, 11 and 13 are tight new wave compositions, #5, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 are fine 2-tone songs with harmonic pop reggae, and track #2, one of my favourites, is the sheer positive conglomerate of all styles in one song.
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Spin 5 / 5, Smash Hits 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Cornershop "Handcream for a Generation" (2002)

Handcream for a Generation
release date: Apr. 1, 2002
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Tjinder Singh
label: Wiiija Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Staging the Plaguing of the Raised Platform" (live on Later) - 3. "Music Plus 1" - 4. "Lessons Learned from Rocky I to Rocky III" - 6. "Motion the 11" - 10. "Spectral Mornings"

4th studio album by Cornershop follows 4½ years after the acclaimed When I Was Born for the 7th Time (1997) is the band's final album on the Wiiija label. With this the band introduces a sound built more on indietronica, electronica with a bolder use of samling combined with the usual blend of indie rock and South Asian Music with a stronger dance appeal. Guitarist Noel Gallagher and bassist Guigsy [aka Paul Francis McGuigan] both of Oasis make guest appearances on two different tracks (#10 and #4 respectively).
For some time I found this poor or mediocre, and of little interest compared to the break-through album When I Was Born for the 7th Time, which preceded this, but it's more than just Okay, actually. With Cornershop one must realise that Tjinder Singh and Ben Ayres, the two founding members, always have sought to move on and to create new music - including new mixtures of sound. The change of style on this album comes out as a more big beat / house-inspired sound - I hear Chemical Brothers and or Underworld in tracks like "Music plus 1" and "Spectral Mornings" but also classic disco inspiration, which only adds to the band's soundscape. Cornershop already represents a huge blend of funk, soul, reggae, and rock - mostly garage-inspired rock. It's Western popular music on one side and Asian-inspired folk on the other with a fusion of Indian folk / Punjabi folk music.

Handcream for a Generation may require more than a few listens to sink in. At least it took me some time to fully understand that it's much better than my initial verdict told me. I really enjoy it and have come to think of it as one of the band's better albums.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

UB40 "Labour of Love" (1984)

Labour of Love
release date: Sep. 12, 1983
format: vinyl (LP DEP 5) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: UB40 and Ray "Pablo" Falconer
label: DEP International - nationality: England, UK

4th studio album by British octet UB40 is the band's complete commitment to mainstream pop. There are bonds to reggae and still examples of dub, but the overall style is one of pop reggae.
The band had always sold well and all of its albums were top-5 albums on the UK albums chart list, but with this, they sold multi-platinum and UB40 became an international success.
I recall, purchasing the album, and initially thinking "Red Red Wine" was a mighty fine pop song, but within a couple of weeks my feelings for the album had cooled down, and the song became painfull in the long run. And that pretty much sums up my sensations for the album. It's fine as a mainstream pop album, it contains nicely-wrapped compositions, but it's just too slick, and too much of the same. As a sales product, the album is a mighty success, but as an example of UB40's artistic level, I think the band sold out. It was my last purchase with the band, and in retrospect, I have always preferred their earlier works.

BliGlad "Kærlighed til Folket" (2007)

Grace Jones "Island Life" (1985)

Island Life (compilation)
release date: Dec. 1985
format: vinyl (207 472) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Alex Sadkin, Chris Blackwell, Tom Moulton, Trevor Horn
label: Island Records - nationality: Jamaica / USA

Compilation album by Jamaican-American artists Grace Jones with songs recorded from 1977-85.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Maui Wowie "Kugleskør / Sort - Hvid" (1982) (single)

'own scan'

Kugleskør / Sort - Hvid, 7'' single
release date: 1982
format: vinyl (Gens 1007)
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,56]
producer: Karsten Sommer and Maui Wowie
label: Genlyd - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: A) "Kugleskør" - - B) "Sort - Hvid"

Single release by Danish reggae-band Maui Wowie is the band's first and only single. The album back cover reads: "side A: Kugleskør - side B: Sort - Hvid." But on the record, the side featuring "Kugleskør" is labelled "A.side. 1007-1" whilst the other side reads: "1.side. 1007-A" - both indicating a 'side one'. This is further complicated on the matrix etched code, which reads "GENS 1007-Ӂ" [stressed-out letter] and "GENS 1007-A" respectively... Basically, implying they just wanted to release a single with two songs. The band consists of 9 [!] members all credited on the back cover, which depicts a blurred image of nine persons. Although, Maui Wowie didn't release that many albums and singles, they were a quite familiar band in the early '80s, and together with another Danish 'roots reggae'-band, Tredie Tilstand, they represented 'reggae' as inspired by Marley and British UB40, and its original sound.
The band released its first and only album Maui Wowie in '83 without any of these two tracks, and they played at the largest festivals (Roskilde and Midtfyn) in '83 and '84. An inspirational journey to Africa in '84 had them change their style to 'afro-funk', and without releasing any further new material the band split in '88.

[ collectors' item ]

Gnags "Har de puttet noget i kaffen?" (1987)

Har de puttet noget i kaffen?
release date: 1987
format: vinyl (GENLP 163) / digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,14]
producer: Michael Bruun, Gnags
label: Genlyd - nationality: Denmark

13th studio album by Gnags.

Grace Jones "Living My Life" (1982)

Living My Life
release date: Nov. 7, 1982
format: vinyl (ILPS 9722) / cd (1987 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Alex Sadkin, Chris Blackwell
label: Island Records - nationality: Jamaica

5th studio album by Jamaican-born, American model and vocalist Grace Jones.

Laid Back "... Keep Smiling" (1983)

... Keep Smiling (Club Edition)
release date: 1983
format: vinyl (MdLP 6150)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,06]
producer: 'De Syv Små Dværge'
label: Medley Records - nationality: Denmark

2nd studio album by Laid Back in a Club Edition - exclusively for Pladeringen.

UB40 "UB44" (1982)

UB44
release date: Sep. 13, 1982
format: vinyl (LP DEP 3) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: UB40 and Ray "Pablo" Falconer
label: DEP International - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "So Here I Am" - 2. "I Won't Close My Eyes" - 4. "Love Is All Is Alright" - 5. "The Piper Calls the Tune" - - B) 3. "Folitician"

3rd studio album by UB40 and the bands second studio album on DEP sees the band move into a more mainstream-sounding style. Credited band members on the album are: James Brown on drums, syncussion [synthesised percussion / electronic drum pads] and vocals, Ali Campbell on vocals & guitar, Robin Campbell on guitar & vocals, Earl Falconer on bass, Norman Hassan on percussion & trombone, Brian Travers on saxophones, Michael Virtue on keyboards and Astro on toasting, trumpet and vocals.
UB44 still bonds to roots reggae and dub but some tracks are composed with an ear for harmony vocals and more traditional pop compositions. That said, it's really much of a transitional album. The successor, Labour of Love (1984) and the predecessor, Present Arms (1981) may not have much in common, but UB44 is the album that sort of glues them nicely together.
The first UK pressings of the album were issued with a hologram-cover.

Men At Work "Cargo" (1983)

Cargo

release date: Apr. 29, 1983

format: cd (1993 reissue)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,36]

producer: Peter McIan

label: Columbia - nationality: Australia

2nd studio album by Australian pop / rock and new wave quintet Men At Work released 1½ years following the fine debut Business As Usual (Nov. '81). The band continues in the same style only with slightly more focus on the mainstream pop / rock and pop reggae part of its style. Men At Work play in a style that evokes memories of both The Police and Dire Straits only without emphasis on rock. In it's place the band plays melodic pop / rock with bonds to either reggae or new wave and heavily built on Hay's vocal harmonies. Cargo comes close to the sound of the debut but basically lacks strong singles.

The album was the band's last in its classic line-up.

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

The Police "Reggatta de blanc" (1979)

Reggatta de blanc
release date: Oct. 2, 1979
format: vinyl / cd (1991 reissue) / cd (2013 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,07]
producer: The Police, Nigel Gray
label: A&M Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Message in a Bottle" (5 / 5) - 2. "Reggatta de blanc" - 3. "It's Alright for You" (4 / 5) - 4. "Bring on the Night" (4 / 5) - 5. "Deathwish" - - B) 1. "Walking on the Moon" (4 / 5) - 2. "On Any Other Day" (4 / 5) - 3. "The Bed's Too Big Without You" (5 / 5) - 4. "Contact" - 5. "Does Everyone Stare" - 6. "No Time This Time" (3,5 / 5)

2nd studio album by The Police following 11 months after the debut and it introduces Nigel Gray as co-producer of the first of two albums by the band.
The album introduces a change of style, which I initially, and for the first months, experienced as disappointing. Gone are the fast and simple new wave 3-chord compositions with lots of rock-energy. Instead, the album is packed with complexity, jazz chords and effect pedals en mass but also with a broader repertoire of percussions and cymbals. The strong "It's Alright for You" is the only track that appears to continue the classic rock style found on the debut. The style is not clear or the same throughout the album but it does feel quite tight - perhaps aided by the amount of complexity and brilliant use of a founding rhythm section despite being reggae, jazz, or new wave-oriented compositions. Sting is still primary songwriter but it turns out as the album by the band to have most songs written and composed by Summers and Copeland. Sting is alone credited five out of a total of eleven compositions. Summer is credited as co-composer of two (the title track and #A5), and Copeland is both co-composer on two tracks (the title track and #A5) but also exclusively credited three tracks (#B2, #B4 and #B5).
Regatta de blanc was their first to reach number #1 on the UK album chart list as it also did in The Netherlands, and in Australia, thanks to the strong singles "Message in a Bottle", "Walking on the Moon", and "The Bed's Too Big Without You".
The album is deservedly enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" and it's definitely one of their two best studio releases, but also an album for listeners, I think.
Forced to pick just one of their studio albums, I would go with this one, as it really contains no fillers.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone Album Guide 4 / 5 stars ]

Men At Work "Business as Usual" (1981)

Business as Usual [debut]
release date: Oct. 1981
format: vinyl (CBS 85423) / cd (1990 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Peter McIan
label: CBS Records - nationality: Australia

Studio debut album by Australian pop / rock and new wave band Men At Work consisting of the two founding members (Scottish-born) vocalist and guitarist Colin James Hay and lead guitarist Ron Strykert, who formed the band in '78 as a duo. In late '79 the band had grown to the quintet, who plays on this and which also includes multi-instrumentalist Greg Ham, bassist John Rees and drummer Jerry Speiser.

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

Black Uhuru "Red" (1981)

Red
release date: May 25, 1981
format: vinyl / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: Robbie Shakespeare, Sly Dunbar
label: Island Records - nationality: Jamaica

Studio album by Jamaican reggae band Black Uhuru. The album is the second with a line-up consisting of Michael Rose, Sandra 'Puma' Jones and Derek 'Duckie' Simpson, and it's also the second consecutive album to have the producer-duo Sly & Robbie in the producer seats.
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]