Moving Pictures
Rush
1981
Tracks
1. Tom Sawyer
2. Red Barchetta
3. YYZ
4. Limelight
5. Camera Eye
6. Witch Hunt
7. Vital Signs
Many moons ago I reviewed 2112, the first Rush album on the List. Thank goodness I have written records of my reactions to these albums, or I would never be able to remember anything. Happily, I was able to do a quick search and see that I labelled 2112 as unbearably pretentious. Yes, I am aware I use that word too much.
Anyway, I was expecting another excruciating cacophony of keyboard sound effects. However, this was actually a vast improvement. This is the last Rush album on the List, so I am not sure if this is just a fluke or if they actually deflated their heads and continued producing quality music.
Not particularly awe-inspiring but still, a decent album.
RATING: 4/5
Tom Tom Club
Tom Tom Club
1981
Tracks
1. Wordy Rappinghood
2. Genius of Love
3. Tom Tom Theme
4. L'elephant
5. As Above So Below
6. Lorelei
7. On On On On
8. Booming and Zooming
I apologize for my long delay in posting. I have had so many writing assignments lately that I am feeling a tad burned out. Still, I am excited to reach the 500 milestone, so, like an unfaithful Irish Catholic husband, I will always return, no matter how long I have been gone.
I made the rather horrifying mistake of listening to the CD version, rather than the original release. This meant that I listened to "Lorelei" for approximately eleven minutes. Needless to say, it was pretty grueling but luckily I escaped with only minor brain damage.
Anyway, if I base my opinion off the original release, sans remixes, I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. I wouldn't have recognized the name "Tom Tom Club" but a lot of the songs did sound quite familiar, which speaks to its influence as an album. Worth giving a try.
RATING: 3/5
The Poet
Bobby Womack
1981
Tracks
1. So Many Sides Of You
2. Lay Your Lovin' On Me
3. Secrets
4. Just My Imagination
5. Stand Up
6. Games
7. If You Think You're Lonely Now
8. Where Do We Go From Here
I had big plans to get a lot done this weekend, but through a series of unavoidable circumstances, I was unable to do anything but watch Real Housewives of New York. Now I am slightly panicked, but hey, panic is the mother of invention.
Anyway, let's quickly recap this album so I can get some other shit done and maybe prevent myself from having a meltdown (though I am not making any promises). This album feels a bit dated. In fact, if I wasn't blindly following the List like a robot and just stumbled upon Bobby Womack in my day to day life, I never would have guessed that this was from 1981. Still, it made for a fun throwback and I quite enjoyed listening to his voice.
If I based my ratings on originality, I would have to be rather harsh about this one. Fortunately, I base my ratings on sheer enjoyability.
RATING: 3/5
Mask
Bauhaus
1981
Tracks
1. Hair Of The Dog
2. Passions Of Lovers
3. Of Lilies And Remains
4. Hollow Hills
5. Dancin'
6. Kick In The Eye
7. Muscle In Plastic
8. In Fear Of Fear
9. Man With The X Ray Eyes
10. Mask
I should have known things were too normal around here to last. I don't necessarily like to spurn the unusual (just look at the men I've dated) but I found this to be incredibly grating. Small disclaimer: I may have stayed out a little too late and drank a little too much last night so my perception of what might be headache inducing is a bit skewed.
I was surprised by my negative reaction to this, as I have liked gothic rock in the past. I suppose this was too experimental for my taste. It stopped resembling music and started to seem like glorified sound effects. Oh well, we have had good albums lately; there was bound to be a bump in the road.
Next up: Bobby Womack!
RATING: 2/5
Fire of Love
The Gun Club
1981
Tracks
1. Sex Beat
2. Preaching the Blues
3. Promise Me
4. She's Like Heroin to Me
5. For the Love of Ivy
6. Fire Spirit
7. Ghost on the Highway
8. Jack on Fire
9. Black Train
10. Cool Drink of Water Blues
11. Goodbye Johnny
It has been a stressful week. Let's just say that the Douchebag of the Week award is anyone's game at the moment (and I thought Trump would have that thing locked down). As everyone knows, the perfect solution to a long week is listening to a song called "Sex Beat."
So this album is pretty strange, as I don't think I have ever heard of the "punk blues" genre before. The sheer novelty of the album kept me interested for its duration. Still, would it hold up after repeated listenings? I'm not sure. None of the songs were particularly memorable.
Overall, it's a creative twist on a somewhat tired genre. Will we ever reach the 500 milestone?
RATING: 4/5
Dare!
The Human League
1981
Tracks
1. Things That Dreams Are Made Of
2. Open Your Heart
3. Sound Of The Crowd
4. Darkness
5. Do Or Die
6. Get Carter
7. I Am The Law
8. Seconds
9. Love Action (I Believe In Love)
10. Don't You Want Me
Hello everyone! I just got back from a beach vacation! I am not even going to apologize for my absence. I think I have reached the point where my apologizes don't mean anything anymore. I have officially taken on the role of the douchebag boyfriend. Oh well, let's talk about Dare!
Everybody on Earth knows the song "Don't You Want Me." That is a damn good song; it is catchy as hell and even carries a message of female empowerment (oh Human League, you do know the way to my heart). I was worried the rest of the album would just be generic 80s pop music, but I was pleasantly surprised (I particularly enjoyed "I Am The Law").
It was nice to get a break from some of the more serious music and listen to some quintessential 80s tunes. Recommended.
RATING: 5/5
Talk, Talk, Talk
Psychedelic Furs
1981
Tracks
1. Dumb Waiters
2. Pretty In Pink
3. I Wanna Sleep With You
4. No Tears
5. Mr. Jones
6. Into You Like A Train
7. It Goes On
8. So Run Down
9. All Of This And Nothing
10. She Is Mine
I hang my head in shame for not keeping my promise of daily posts. I just moved so I have been pretty busy. But I guess it is a poor workman who blames his tools. Or in this case a poor blogger who blames her heavy picture frames that she isn't tall enough to hang up herself.
The quickest way to my heart is through my love of movies and cheese, so, in my opinion, no song tops "Pretty in Pink." I found the rest of the songs entertaining too, although the the song "I Wanna Sleep With You" seems like the anthem of douchey single men everywhere.
Anyway, I am quite excited for the next album, so I will try to get back on here asap.
RATING: 3/5
