people on here with a genuine/serious love of UK 80s pop

[Neomod]

I'd like to add Danny Wilson's Meet Dany Wilson. Wrongly they got lumped in with Deacon Blue in another thread by A.N. Idiot and deserve much better.



Wearing their Steeley Dan influences proudly yet with added 80's snap this LP or rather the cassette album I bought, is full of 'pop bangers'™ and still easily holds up today as a little know classic of the time.

Danny Wilson Five Friendly Aliens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ahPBx4haO4

[Brundle-Fly]

From A to B by New Musik is a bit of an under-rated classic of early 80s pop

Absolutely. Wonderful ear for melody. They could have been more successful but acted and looked fantastically uncool. They were the Bad Manners of synth bands.

Talking of which...

(cover portrait painted by one of the band)

Yes, they were boorish and daft, but they are one of the best good-time bands this country ever produced. Buster Bloodvessel once said in an interview that he wanted the group to bring back the spirit of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band as well Blue Beat ska. When he said that, they finally made sense. And people forget how many hits they had. Four top ten hits, nine top forty hits. The first four albums on Magnet are the only ones you need but I think Gosh It's... (1981) was their pinnacle. 'Walking In The Sunshine' is probably their finest moment and stands shoulder to shoulder with the hits singles of the other 2Tone launched bands of that era.

[Better Midlands]

From A to B by New Musik is a bit of an under-rated classic of early 80s pop

24 Hours From Culture - Part ll (1981) is some nice proto house/techno.

[buzby]

Oh yes, and 'Wonderful Life' by Black is also one of the best songs ever written.

It is. The almost-forgotten stuff from his early Eternal Records period (which never made it as far as getting a CD release) is also amazing, especially Hey Presto and it's B-side Liquid Dream.

Agree with the League/Heaven17/OMD/Haircut 100/associates recommendations, and the Simple Minds New Gold Dream (just before Kerr started his Bono impression and they went up their own arse).  The Eurythmics' Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) and Touch albums are the apex of their synth-pop era. I have a soft spot for Ultravox's Rage In Eden over Vienna (the latter has got the title track and the amazing opening instrumental Astradyne, but the former has The Voice and The Thin Wall). The first album by The Christians also has their best singles on it - Forgotten Town and When The Fingers Point.

Putting my New Order hat on, Power Corruption & Lies and Low Life are their best albums of that era (Technique is still technically 80s being 1989, but was looking more towards the next decade musically), but the 1987 Substance compilation of their singles is probably where you want to look for their 'hits' (Low Life was the first time they included singles on the album).

For some individual tracks:
CaB favourite The Maisonettes - Heartache Avenue
The Mighty Wah! - The Story Of The Blues Part 1
It's Immaterial - Driving Away From Home (Jim's Tune)
The Passions - I'm In Love With A German Film Star
Martha & The Muffins - Echo Beach and related, Martha Ladly's second solo single Light Years From Love
Icicle Works - Love Is A Wonderful Colour
The Lotus Eaters - The First Picture Of You
Dream Academy - Life In A Northern Town

[the science eel]

It is. The almost-forgotten stuff from his early Eternal Records period (which never made it as far as getting a CD release) is also amazing, especially Hey Presto and it's B-side Liquid Dream.

Agree with the League/Heaven17/OMD/Haircut 100/associates recommendations, and the Simple Minds New Gold Dream (just before Kerr started his Bono impression and they went up their own arse).  The Eurythmics' Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) and Touch albums are the apex of their synth-pop era. I have a soft spot for Ultravox's Rage In Eden over Vienna (the latter has got the title track and the amazing opening instrumental Astradyne, but the former has The Voice and The Thin Wall). The first album by The Christians also has their best singles on it - Forgotten Town and When The Fingers Point.

Putting my New Order hat on, Power Corruption & Lies and Low Life are their best albums of that era (Technique is still technically 80s being 1989, but was looking more towards the next decade musically), but the 1987 Substance compilation of their singles is probably where you want to look for their 'hits' (Low Life was the first time they included singles on the album).

For some individual tracks:
CaB favourite The Maisonettes - Heartache Avenue
The Mighty Wah! - The Story Of The Blues Part 1
It's Immaterial - Driving Away From Home (Jim's Tune)
The Passions - I'm In Love With A German Film Star
Martha & The Muffins - Echo Beach and related, Martha Ladly's second solo single Light Years From Love
Icicle Works - Love Is A Wonderful Colour
The Lotus Eaters - The First Picture Of You
Dream Academy - Life In A Northern Town

Great list.

I'd add this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQBoeBgb0uk

[The Culture Bunker]

Martha and the Muffins' later album 'Danseparc' is worth a listen too - I find it a lot better than their debut 'Metro Music', which, for me at least, doesn't have that much going for it beyond 'Echo Beach' (which is fantastic, of course).

[Neomod]

The mention of Black up thread who I saw support, I wanna say -erm- the Thompson Twins, in Brighton reminded me of another quiet Liverpool band.  China Crisis, who I think I first heard on Peel (African and White).

Difficult Shapes and Passive Rhythms, Some People Think It's Fun To Entertain is well worth an hour of your time.



Quietly understated but definitely pop-ish.

China Crisis Some People I Know Lead Fantastic Lives[nb]what is it with the long titles![/nb]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOArp35cYLI

[Endicott]

It's Immaterial - Driving Away From Home (Jim's Tune)

The LP Life's Hard and Then You Die is pretty good. 75% out of 10 for me Clive.

[Neville Chamberlain]

I remember being obsessed with Red Box as a kid. Charmingly cheesy they may be, I still think they were a cut above:

Chenko

Lean On Me (ah-li-ayo)

For America

[The Culture Bunker]

The LP Life's Hard and Then You Die is pretty good. 75% out of 10 for me Clive.

It is good, but I much prefer their (quieter) follow up 'Song', though the Blue Nile reckoned It's Immaterial nicked all the ideas off them. Judge for yerself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMZZ1XeOHTQ

Perhaps links into the aforementioned Black, as I believe some of the video for 'Wonderful Life' was filmed in New Brighton. 

[pigamus]

I like Driving Away From Home but is it supposed to be as creepy as it is? He sounds like a serial killer

[phantom_power]

This is such a great sentence.

It would have been better if he had said "more interested in what Donald Duck done rather than Donald "Duck" Dunn" but that might have been over-egging it

[Brundle-Fly]

It would have been better if he had said "more interested in what Donald Duck done rather than Donald "Duck" Dunn" but that might have been over-egging it

Dang! You're right. *starts having a quacky fit.

[buzby]

It is good, but I much prefer their (quieter) follow up 'Song', though the Blue Nile reckoned It's Immaterial nicked all the ideas off them. Judge for yerself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMZZ1XeOHTQ

That theory came up when 'Driving' appeared in the TOTP repeats. Both albums were recrded in the same studio with the same producer, but It's Immaterial finished their album before The Blue Nile then came in to record the bulk of theirs.

Perhaps links into the aforementioned Black, as I believe some of the video for 'Wonderful Life' was filmed in New Brighton.

New Brighton, Southport (the funfair and beach) and Eastham Park (the ship passing down the ship canal in the bachground).

That gives me a tenuous link (same video director) to another track - Tanita Tikaram - Twist In My Sobriety

I like Driving Away From Home but is it supposed to be as creepy as it is? He sounds like a serial killer

It's an audio road movie about driving down the M62 from Liverpool to Manchester. For it's US release, it got a 12" remix with different lyrics that reference a load of US 'road' songs/books/films.

[Better Midlands]

It's an audio road movie about driving down the M62 from Liverpool to Manchester. For it's US release, it got a 12" remix with different lyrics that reference a load of US 'road' songs/books/films.

I never knew the Dead Man's Curve version was for the US release, it makes sense.

Apparently DAFH was originally recorded in Milwauckee with Jerry Harrison and had even more of a C&W influence.

https://superdeluxeedition.com/feature/its-immaterial-on-recording-their-classic-single-driving-away-from-home/#comments-124072

[phantom_power]

I like Driving Away From Home but is it supposed to be as creepy as it is? He sounds like a serial killer

That sits in that category of odd spoken word singles that were around in the 80s, along with Somewhere Down the Crazy River by Robbie Robertson

[Egyptian Feast]

Having just listened to Don't Stand Me Down - The Director's Cut following a nasty visit to the dentist and made my voice hoarse attempting to sing along to it, I will echo any previous mention of Dexys Midnight Runners in the thread. Their three 80s LPs are as perfect as albums get.

I've probably already said this on here, but Billy Adams has always reminded me of Peter Baynham in the spoken word bits, which only enhances the experience.

[purlieu]

Sparkle in the Rain really sags on the second half of the disk, but that's maybe because the first side is absolutely packed with monumental bangers.

I used to feel that way, but it's really grown on me over time, ''C' Moon Cry Like a Baby' especially.

I'd like to add Hunting High and Low by A-Ha. Very cinematic and not the straightforward twee chart pop you'd expect from exquisitely beautiful chart botherers.

Yes, I was going to suggest this only I decided to ruthlessly stick to the 'UK' thing. It's a glorious album, at least eight songs of the 'this would be the standout on any other album' variety.

It is. The almost-forgotten stuff from his early Eternal Records period (which never made it as far as getting a CD release) is also amazing, especially Hey Presto and it's B-side Liquid Dream.

Cheers, I'll check these out! I do remember listening to some of his other (probably later) singles and being disappointed.

[Dusty Substance]

You can probably skip these in favour of a best-of League:

Crash

Todd In The Shadows did a recent episode of Trainwreckords on Crash

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrXR4cLJ01M

[Neville Chamberlain]

Always loved this track:

Furniture - Brilliant Mind

[Dr Rock]

Most of these are NME-approved leftfield pop -what about Duran Duran? They knocked out some top tunes, Rio is a fantastic album.

Wham! had their moments, the early Wham-rap stuff and Bad Boys, then finishing off with I'm Your Man and Everything She Wants. 

Adam Ant made some very strange yet hugely successful hit singles. Proper pop star.

Spandau Ballet can fuck off.

Does Sir Billy Idol count? He was triffic.

Even Buck's Fizz had their moments. And Five Star.

[The Culture Bunker]

Most of these are NME-approved leftfield pop -what about Duran Duran? They knocked out some top tunes, Rio is a fantastic album.

'Rio' is let down only by the incredibly duff version of 'My Own Way' - keep meaning to download the Night Version of the same song so I can make it a better album.

[imitationleather]

I'm listening to Speak and Spell for the first time ever.

Man, this album fucking bangs.

[Neomod]

Spandau Ballet can fuck off.

From what I remember emanating from my older sister's bedroom I'd say Journeys to Glory was a pretty good opener.

Other sister of course bought Planet Earth.

[pigamus]

I'm listening to Speak and Spell for the first time ever.

Man, this album fucking bangs.

I listen to Absolute 80s a lot and the real revelation for me has been Depeche Mode - I wasn't much aware of them as a kid but they really are bloody good

[Mr Banlon]

Didn't really like Altered Images, but I liked this : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUg6yzKrRXo




On second thoughts, after reading the comments, I fucking hate it now.

[buzby]

I never knew the Dead Man's Curve version was for the US release, it makes sense.

Apparently DAFH was originally recorded in Milwauckee with Jerry Harrison and had even more of a C&W influence.

https://superdeluxeedition.com/feature/its-immaterial-on-recording-their-classic-single-driving-away-from-home/#comments-124072

Yes, I posted the background of the recording in the TOTP thread I linked to earlier. The band disliked Harrsion's C&W concept for the song (including backing from a Nashville wrecking crew) and worked on their own version at night. When they took the multitracks back to the UK to mix them, the only part from Harrison's sessions that was kept were some keyboard parts. When he found out he asked for his name to be taken off the album.

[non capisco]

Largely agree with Dr Rock on the demerits of Spandau but I love 'Chant No. 1' and get along fine with 'To Cut A Long Story Short' and 'Musclebound'. Post-'True' they can have it on their toes though, yes.

[Dr Rock]

Largely agree with Dr Rock on the demerits of Spandau but I love 'Chant No. 1' and get along fine with 'To Cut A Long Story Short' and 'Musclebound'. Post-'True' they can have it on their toes though, yes.

Agreed, those very early singles do not need to fuck off.

[Bently Sheds]

From A to B by New Musik is a bit of an under-rated classic of early 80s pop

Agreed. Their second album Anywhere is just chock full of gorgeous analogue synth sounds wrapped around some truly cracking songs. The third one Warp I can take or leave. I think they were regarded as a bit of a novelty band with Living By Numbers, but they were easily more interesting than a lot of their contemporaries

I always had a sneaking regard for Duran Duran's way with a pop hook, not to mention John Taylor's bass playing, but never really got past their ubiquitous chart hits. Mrs Sheds is a huge fan and her relentless playing of their collected works over the years has warmed me significantly to them. The fact they're still putting out fresh music after all this time is pretty remarkable.