Various Artists — Wave News – The New Generation of Music

“Wave News”? Must be a German thing. Gotta love that sweet colored vinyl. We’ll definitely keep this “limitierte auflage” compilation because it’s a crazy mixed bag of “new generation” music from 1980 and ’81, released in ’82. I split the foldout in two so you can get a good look a whats-his-face from Depeche Mode. What is he, thirteen? Sporting that look I doubt he made it to lunch before being mistaken for a girl. My favorite track is definitely “Disco Man” by The Damned, followed closely by “Countdown” by U.K. Subs. Mary says she got this at a record store in D.C.

Tracklisting from Discogs.com:

A1	Depeche Mode	New Life (3:42)
A2	Damned, The	Disco Man (3:18)
A3	Max Meldau	Shutdown (3:46)
A4	Lovely Previn	From A To B (3:13)
A5	Eyeless In Gaza	Faceless (3:11)
A6	Jo Broadberry & The Standouts	Footsteps In The Dark (3:26)
A7	China Doll	China Doll (3:18)
A8	Medium Medium	Hungry, So Angry (3:56)
B1	Au Pairs	Inconvenience (2:55)
B2	Fad Gadget	Pedestrian (3:14)
B3	Dead Kennedys	Too Drunk To F… (2:39)
B4	Thomas Leer	Letter From America (4:36)
B5	Exploited, The	Hitler’s In The Charts Again (2:36)
B6	Eddie Maelov & Sunshine Patteson*	Another Teardrop (3:46)
B7	Bloodless Pharaos	Bloodless Pharao (6:09)
B8	UK Subs	Countdown (4:55)

Heaven 17 — Height of the Fighting (He-La-Hu)

• Artist: Heaven 17
• Title: Height of the Fighting (He-La-Hu)
• Year: 1982
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: ?
• Keeper: Yes

Here’s another 12 inch from those former Human League-ers, Heaven 17. “Height of the Fighting (He-La-Hu)” is pretty enjoyable, but I can’t really remember the mixes on the other side. Even if you don’t dig this early electronic music, you gotta love the cover art by Jill Mumford.

Heaven 17 — (We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang

• Artist: Heaven 17
• Title: (We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang
• Year: 1981
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: A cut-out bin somewhere in DC
• Keeper: Yes

Today we have a 12 inch single from Heaven 17. Who knew the founding members were two guys who split from Human League? Not me. Actually, I know very little about the band; this one belongs to Mary. Their debut single “(We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang” is some solid dance music with “overtly political lyrics” that got it banned from the BBC. “The Decline of the West” on the flipside is a pulsing instrumental bit of dark electronica. I like both cuts, so very synth.

Wikipedia can tell you more about Heaven 17.

Tears For Fears – the hurting

Tears For Fears - the hurting

• Artist: Tears For Fears
• Title: the hurting
• Year: 1983
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1983 – Somewhere in Germany when she was an exchange student
• Keeper: Yes

Mexicans have taken over my sound system! Now, I can’t stop playing Plastilina Mosh. But I did manage to squeeze in this oldie. I gave the hurting by Tears For Fears a couple plays but I can’t remember much about it. “Mad World” is definitely my favorite song. Mary bought this in Germany when she was an exchange student. So, for her it’s tied up with the fond memories of that experience. She rates it an 8.

OMD (Ochestral Manoeuvres In The Dark) — Telegraph

• Artist: OMD (Ochestral Manoeuvres In The Dark)
• Title: Telegraph
• Year: 1983
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1983 – Somewhere in Fairfax, VA
• Keeper: Yes

Long overdue, here’s the latest record: “Telegraph” by Ochestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, better known as simply OMD. I didn’t expect to like this very much despite the fact that I bought an OMD record myself way back when, but I have to say I do. This single is an almost eight minute “extended version” of the song with a variety of cool synth sounds and vocals that remind me of Alvin and the Chipmunks, or maybe 999. My favorite bit is the chime sound prominent in the early part of the song. The flip side is a drum-less instrumental titled “66 and Fading” that sounds like the band’s name.

New Order — The Perfect Kiss

• Artist: New Order
• Title: The Perfect Kiss
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: Unknown
• Keeper: Yes

I think I’ve left that Mano Negra record cover up there long enough for everyone to enjoy it. This cover for New Order’s “The Perfect Kiss” is also handsome, if not as irresistible. Typical of New Order the cover is minimalist but also refined. This is only a 12 inch single and the cover is a metallic silver with the title embossed along the edge. The dust cover is swanky too with one side colored a deep blue and the other listing the tracks in, again, a very minimalist graphic design.

I like the song. I’m pretty sure “The Perfect Kiss” and Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love a Bad Name” were separated at birth. They’re not identical twins stylistically, but I’m here to tell you the melodies are very similar. Now, I’m guessing that few people are fans of both bands, which may be why no one seems to have noticed. But I was working in a chain record store when the Bon Jovi track was a hit. We had a number of teenagers at the store, I was only 19 or 20, and I got to listen this one more times than I care to remember.

Fac 123

Depeche Mode — Shake the Disease

• Artist: Depeche Mode
• Title: Shake the Disease
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1985 – “I was in art school at the time, you couldn’t be in art school and not buy Depeche Mode back then.”
• Keeper: Maybe

Ah man, I was just about to trash this single and then I listened to it again. I’ve always been sorta neutral on Depeche Mode, but I did buy one album early on. “Shake the Disease” has a cool minor key melody that to me screams for a heavy metal makeover. I know, I say that about every other decent pop song. This time I really mean it. The flipside “Flexible” has a curiously upbeat thing going on that doesn’t sound like Depeche Mode to me. Both songs are good. Lemme see those horn Depeche Metalheads!

Naked Eyes — Promises Promises

• Artist: Naked Eyes
• Title: Promises Promises
• Year: 1983
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: ?
• Keeper: Maybe

This sounds so ’80s, but it’s decent pop. I definitely like it more than the other single of this year, “Always Something There To Remind Me.” But if never heard either of them again that would be OK by me. Mary gives “Promises Promises” a 6.

M — Pop Musik

• Artist: M
• Title: Pop Musik
• Year: 1979
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: ? – She fell asleep before I could ask.

I’m writing from yet another hotel in Asheville, NC. We close on our new-old house tomorrow morning. This time we brought the kids with us so they can check it out. So far, thumbs up. That said, I did get panhandled three times in as many minutes after leaving a restaurant tonight. I’m not sure if that’s more irritating or funny. This is my fourth near-1000-mile-roundtrip to Asheville in a little over a month.

I’ve always liked this silly song, “Pop Musik.” I played the flipside, “M Factor”, this morning and already I’ve forgotten what it sounds like. That means it’s either completely forgettable, or I’m really tired from driving all day.

B-Movie — Nowhere Girl

• Artist: B-Movie
• Title: Nowhere Girl
• Year: 1982
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1982 – Olsson’s in Georgetown, DC.
• Keeper: Yes

This is an early-80s 12 inch single. And it is so “80s” sounding that even people born after it was released, and there really are people like that, would know when it was made. Lotsa synths and somewhat mopey vocals. Mary gives it a 5.