Electro-Pop Overload
My girlfriend and I started an electro-punk project, so I’ve been immersing myself in the electronic new wave sounds of the early ’80s. Here are my favorites.
Soft Cell – Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret (Some Bizzare/Sire) & The Art of Falling Apart (Some Bizzare/Sire)
Soft Cell are tragically relegated to the “one hit wonder” category with their cover of Gloria Jones‘ “Tainted Love,” but a full listen to Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret proves that there was a lot more to the duo of Marc Almond and David Ball than meets the eye. Just hearing Almond scream, “I want to die!” at the end of Non-Stop‘s opener, “Frustration,” was enough for me, but the snide, anti-punk commentary of “Chips on My Shoulder” and the sleazy debauchery of “Sex Dwarf” sealed the deal. Soft Cell were really disciples of Suicide, just with a different approach. The Art documents the band in their cracking stages, as the excess takes its toll and consequences emerge from seemingly fleeting actions. Between Almond’s insight delivered through his powerful pipes and Ball’s innovative synth explorations, this was a band with a lot more depth than “Tainted Love” would lead you to believe.
Men Without Hats – Folk of the 80’s (Trend) & Rhythm of Youth (Statik/MCA)
Another “one hit wonder” curiosity with the Top 40 hit, “Safety Dance.” The thing is, band leader Ivan Doroschuk is a brilliant songwriter with a firm grasp of sarcasm. Combine that with the cold, driving aesthetics of a song like “Antarctica” and you’ve got one of the most under-rated bands of the ’80s. Really a punk band that used synthesizers instead of guitars.
Missing Persons – Spring Session M (Capitol) & Rhyme & Reason (Capitol)
Yet another “one hit wonder” band. Too bad nobody cared that they evolved out of Frank Zappa‘s late ’70s/early ’80s band. Spring Session M is a minimalistic display of technical prowess, if that makes any sense. Guitarist Warren Cuccurullo doesn’t really sound like he’s doing much, but when you listen more closely, you realize that he’s just making it sound simple. Rhyme & Reason is a bit more funk oriented, yet simultaneously more experimental. A slight footnote in the annals of new wave doesn’t do them justice.
Berlin – Information (IRS) & Pleasure Victim (Enigma/Geffen)
Long before “Take My Breath Away,” Berlin were disciples of Chrome, as the keyboard-driven sci-fi punk of Information confirms. By the time Pleasure Victim came out, band maestro John Crawford and vocalist Terri Nunn were immersed in a love affair, switching the themes from futuristic robot identity to throbbing electronic sex without sacrificing the edge.
Patrick Cowley – The Ultimate Collection (Unidisc)
Cowley was both an innovator of electronic music and a stalwart of the San Francisco gay disco scene. This collection eloquently bridges the two, with club hits like “Megatron Man” and “Menergy,” not to mention a great cover of The Seeds‘ “Pushin’ Too Hard” (RIP Sky Saxon – I’ll miss you, man).
Wall of Voodoo – Dark Continent (IRS)
My girlfriend knew “Mexican Radio,” but she had never heard this album, my favorite Wall of Voodo document. I hadn’t heard it in a while, so remembering songs like “Red Light” and “Back in Flesh” has been a real treat. I still own this on vinyl.
Cabaret Voltaire – Red Mecca (Rough Trade)
Out of all the Cab Volt vinyl I owned, this was my favorite. Unfortunately, I had to leave all my Cab Volt records behind when I moved from LA to NY years ago. Hearing Red Mecca again reminded me why I loved it so much – driving darkness in a landscape of nightmares.
Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Welcome to the Pleasuredome (ZTT/Island)
Another favorite record of mine that I had to leave behind when I moved. This album always perplexed me as it was all over the place. Sure, there was the hyper-sexual tension of “Relax,” but they also cover Bruce Springsteen‘s “Born to Run” and Edwin Starr‘s “War” amid odd originals like “San Jose,” “Two Tribes” and the title track. Tragic footnote #137.
The Human League – “Being Boiled” 7” (Fast Product/Virgin) & Holiday ’80 EP (Virgin)
“Don’t You Want Me” is all over television commercials these days, but The Human League actually began as a proto-industrial band in the vein of Throbbing Gristle or Cabaret Voltaire. These early releases document that period, which was actually quite innovative at the time.
Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles (Lies/Last Gang)
Not from the ’80s, Crystal Castles exist in the here and now, but their style of electronic music, tagged “8-bit” by some users, owes a lot to the ground broken 25 years earlier by the bands mentioned above. Almost a modern day Soft Cell, this duo bridges punk and dance music into a cohesive throbbing, angry unit. Hopefully, they can continue burning the energy encapsulated here on future releases.
