we listen so fast: forgotten/unkown/unloved 80s we are listening to.

christoph heemann of h.n.a.s. played at my store once. he is so nice. and so fun to talk to about records cuz he has that crazy brain like his nurse with wound friend. crazy in a good way. for instance, one of his favorite records is Ball by Iron Butterfly. i always liked that about him.

haha that's awesome

listening to the one and only album by The Ladder. not terrible? so far. that production though...wow. 1986 in full effect. 1985 to 1989 could be an awkward period for studio engineers. apparently. but they were right there in joe the butcher's house! i know that they probably said make it like the hooters, joe! and they should have said make it like schoolly d, joe!

https://i.discogs.com/tM30HH6Z-iwgDWPR4RqkNXrjwj81EdM-0we6tl8ftCI/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:448/w:450/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTI4NDUy/MTQtMTMwMzY3NDk3/Ny5qcGVn.jpeg

I mentioned this in another obscure 80s thread, but this album was fucking fantastic, and dark as hell.

https://i.discogs.com/tOmoEDhf4wY1G7RkYngkbG3RQaNlC3Ax99fiU_ndi_8/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:593/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTkwNzM1/Ni0xNDcwNzUzOTY1/LTYyMzAuanBlZw.jpeg

i should listen to it! i have avoided it all these years and it is ubiquitous around here. i mean i know the hit obviously.

Ubiquitous, really? They always struck me as one-hit wonders. David Baerwald had a solo album or two afterwards, but I don't think they did very well. I remember getting a promo copy of this one from the record store I was working at and being just blown away.

there are a million copies of it around here. must have been their core demographic. the state of massachusetts.

I don't remember selling a single copy of it back in the day lol

Boulder, Colorado may not have been their core demographic

That sleeve is v.v. familiar, must have been a bargain bin perennial in the UK too

nothing like the sheer weight and volume of joan armatrading albums but i've had dozens and dozens of copies of boomtown here.

related: I cannot believe how much cheaper records are on the east coast/midwest. the Goodwills here charge $3.99 for total garbage, the other thrift chain (St. Vincent de Paul) charges $2.99 for everything, you can still find deals but jeez

xp Yeah, I think A&M tried to promote it pretty hard.

(I am in Oregon, which appears to be the worst state in the country for used vinyl)

ATL is all over the map, some bargains and a ton of stuff overpriced (like $35 and up for middling releases).

okay, screw The Ladder and their bloat this is more my speed. Philadelphia Five via KK Records. 1988 New Beat the way I love it. this is dope!

https://i.discogs.com/4RScPRR-w0ScOg0bIYviZajZ7mo6JsvD3bezfNuUKrM/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTE2NTgz/NS0xNTYxMzQ5NzA1/LTMwMTcuanBlZw.jpeg

i like stacy. never listened to this record all the way through! a narada michael walden production. A+ pop r&b.

https://i.discogs.com/ohYVcPhv8JqsB_yVtYqJRtYwddjwIt_QvMQc1Lcc3_A/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:590/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTE2MDIw/NzQtMTUyMzExNDA3/Mi02NDkyLmpwZWc.jpeg

listening to 1981 power pop right now. i've heard worse! but there is definitely some corniness here.

https://i.discogs.com/nH-lRr9GM6OlEIMMC8HpHUuCDz4k-puNTjLdx6X4d2U/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:500/w:500/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTE1MTYz/MTQtMTMzODYyMzg2/Ni05MzE3LmpwZWc.jpeg

Previously on ILM:
C/D: David & David - Boomtown
David and David: "Boomtown" -- C/D?

Whenever I see H.N.A.S. written out I momentarily mix it up with HSAS a.k.a. Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve which is an 80s band that no one should really remember. Except I think that J. D. Considine's review of the HSAS album ("Fred Zeppelin") is funnier than the infamous GTR review

It was a long way from Santana at Woodstock to HSAS for Michael Shrieve

your morning workout!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs_gXpPg31c

canadian new wave from 1982. this is actual synth-pop! so far. i dig it. we shall see how things progress. with these types of dollar records you don't know if you will get actual synth-pop or slightly skinny tie power pop with a dash of synth from a band that turned in its steve miller and eagles covers 6 months ago and bought some pointy shoes. not that i have a problem with the latter if the songs are good. but often the former bar band will have one cool single that is A1 on side 1 and then a bunch of whatever.

https://i.discogs.com/PLarDiRE-LR5sn4M6EDFD1OW0z4U_3T5FiPdo5qg4jg/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTE1NzA0/NDctMTM3MTI2Mzk0/MC03ODcxLnBuZw.jpeg

in general, though, all bets are off once the calendar turns to 1985. things go downhill fast. as far as that kinda stuff goes. by 1985 you have full rooster hair a la The Alarm and cowboy boots and before you know it you are caught in a zodiac mindwarp!

i love this one! but i have already expressed my love for radio songs. this is kinda ultravox + blue nile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU7IESCs-j0

I haven't been following this thread (was planning to revisit it later when I'm next obsessed with a very minor 80s band, upon which I'll mention the ones I already have in mind) but I just want to say Cruella de Ville are great and it's a shame there was never an album.

it's official. the first Strange Advance album is UNDERRATED. maybe not in canada. i wouldn't know. they don't put a bar band new wave rock song on the album until track 10! and its the only song with Bob Rock playing rock guitar. everything before that any new wave band would have been happy to have a single. for the most part. good job, gang!

https://i.discogs.com/78UZaLBZo4_3B_h4djo9jmasakJ_sjPkny_uj7hKPh0/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:423/w:500/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9BLTI5MzE5/NC0xNDg0NTAzMDc0/LTI2NDQuanBlZw.jpeg

It's Jesse's Gang! Who could ever forget them? Me! I'm sure I've seen their singles a bunch. That's the great situation I'm in right now. I have a ton of full-length albums by artists who I have only seen on singles before. The albums rarely pop up. The singles tanked so the album tanked. Or something like that. Plus, this is from 1987 so if anyone was a Jesse's Gang fanatic they would buy the tape or CD. anyway, I'll report back. I'm looking forward to their song "Noiz Without Words".

https://i.discogs.com/rEz4vpsByk-xGYu-ut62rcMCxUZ5RqHZsq1WpjhR0Sc/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTE5OTAw/OTEtMTM3OTYwMjYx/Ny00NjE3LmpwZWc.jpeg

since canadian synth-pop is a recurring theme of this thread, i will humbly submit this amazing b-side by the band Roman Grey, who had some degree of success in their home country but are basically unknown in the states. could only find one mention of them in the ilx archives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHRAUN8rudU

i like that a lot!

nobody needs that Jesse's Gang album i was listening to. sorry, Jesse. and as a sorta/kinda kid creole/august darnell/stony browder completist i'm embarrassed to say that i have never heard this project by the ever-fecund darnell mind. from 1983. playing now!

https://i.discogs.com/1GTQoCIiqQdyS_9crwqz5cWLoV4ZB38Qnck3P1zWIZQ/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTExMTAz/MC0xNjIxNzczMzk3/LTk0ODEucG5n.jpeg

I haven't thought about some of these albums in years. The cover art brings back the heady days of stocking the bins.

Hmm pop with synths is not synthpop imo? Song 1 vibes more as, like ultravox, but performed by like, rush? By songs 2 and 3 they’re even better at it.

i guess i just meant the difference between SYNTH-pop with a big emphasis on new wave/new romantic/post-punk synth sounds and some rock band with some added synths farting along behind them.

there was a lot of anonymous power pop with a loud keyboard player thanks to The Cars. every label wanted another Cars. who can blame them?

listening to the first album by then Jerico (First (The Sound Of Music) from 1987) but i think i like their promo pics better than their album.

https://i.discogs.com/KXQ94X44qqxNxuhDtDH7VFjSwe4PbnMoy0FfHd2WPz4/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9BLTk2MTI5/LTE1ODUwNzkyNzMt/ODcyOS5qcGVn.jpeg

https://i.discogs.com/cD2Ty00cmd89yvNWLyzGy9NTtfHwvk2_tZJ7Ub5EgH8/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:613/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9BLTk2MTI5/LTE1ODUwNzkzMDQt/NDU3Ni5qcGVn.jpeg

https://i.discogs.com/IBU7pxm3aw84Nse0jyRl0EkWzefFjLDVBBoyonz8R88/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9BLTk2MTI5/LTE1ODUwNzkyNTMt/NDk3Ny5qcGVn.jpeg

did they have their own line of ripped sweaters? that is so cool.

https://i.discogs.com/TImSuXnXYhnqB7g7sH0hplaXuPBw8EGW_WNh0MJ5GlU/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:603/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9BLTk2MTI5/LTE1ODUwNzkyODUt/MjgzMy5qcGVn.jpeg

xp Ha yep. I agree that strange advance album is consistently good at what it was doing.

though possibly more interesting than then jerico - and as much i like jan hammer - i don't think i can listen to this styx solo record. i'm moving on after one track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SanTtzMW2c

we have a winner!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7ReMYa64MQ

acieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed. this is really good. i'll go light on the acid house singles i'm cleaning because 95% of all british acid house is obscure to me. i listen to it on comps and i never know what i'm hearing. from 1988. i would listen to a comp of whoever this is on cd.

https://i.discogs.com/lOBQL4baOk7OX-PG8xLS0sKV_p8ZyWdqK8GFshwScbY/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:598/w:595/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTg2Mzk4/LTEyMDExNzQzMTYu/anBlZw.jpeg

haha, no wonder. its one of the 5% i know and love, a guy called gerald!

british ebm. 1986. so keeping this 12-inch. i dig it. and i won't have to listen to the crappy youtubes that people put up. this one isn't as crappy. some of them are really bad. turntables from 1902 playing industrial music. maybe that's steampunk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqbWgyx8jtY

maybe you’ve heard it already scott but the richard sen comp ‘this ain’t chicago’ has that annette track and lots of other excellent british acid house besides

speaking of britishes: the UK group White Door, from their album Windows. the members of this band also played in a prog band called Grace about whom i know nothing. italian DJs in the 80s liked to play this one @ 45, and i can see why - it’s a bit on the slow side, but i like its prettiness. they apparently released a second album a few years ago!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roagtiGaMhA

the white door track is cool. like a dubby japan sorta. or a murkier japan. i like that tempo. i will keep my eye out for the album.

that comp looks cool too. i like baby ford a lot. confused me when i searched it that there was a u.k. acid house group named This Ain't Chicago but they aren't on the comp! and they had a smash hit apparently.

okay, i'm out of here. but before i go i totally forgot about THIS song until i heard it on youtube today. probably haven't heard it since 1983. sounds good in 2023!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i44WVe1Hci4

'A Night In New York' by Elbow Bones & The Racketeers is fabulous.

the cruella de ville up thread, i wonder if it's the same band I have a single by, "hong kong swing"? listening again it obviously is. haven't thought about those for about 40 years.

xxp dud for suing Jandek

speaking of britishes: the UK group White Door, from their album Windows. the members of this band also played in a prog band called Grace about whom i know nothing.

I had a couple of Grace albums back in my 80s-era neo-prog days. They had a song about a witch I used to play a lot, the rest of it I don't recall. More dud than classic from my hazy recollections.