Catching Up
I was sick for a while, so I’ve fallen behind, but here’s the stuff I’ve been listening to lately.
The Stranglers – discography up to Ten (EMI)
Duh. Do I really need to tell you about The Stranglers?
Ultravox! – Hahaha (Island)
This is only at number two because The Stranglers dominate out of sheer volume. Take the fast Roxy Music songs like “Editions of You”, speed them up a bit and you pretty much have one of the most energetic albums I’ve ever heard in my life. I get sweaty just listening to it!
Savage Republic – discography (various labels)
About ten years ago, Savage Republic were the soundtrack to my life. I’ve happily rediscovered these brilliant albums by one of the most underrated bands in existence.
Goblin – discography (various labels)
I spent my time sick in bed watching my favorite Italian horror and “giallo” movies, and I remembered how much I like Goblin’s music, so I pulled it out again. What a great band!
Alternative TV – The Image Has Cracked (Anagram)
Savage Republic’s cover of “Viva La Rock’N‘Roll” reminded me of ATV and their great first album and early singles.
Various – Dawn of the Dead: Unreleased Incidental Music (Trunk)
Hey, it’s my favorite movie of all time (seriously). Of course, I know the Goblin score very well, but I was always curious about the other music. Turns out “Cause I’m a Man” was by The Pretty Things and my favorite piece of music from the film is called “Sun High” and it’s by Simon Park.
Simon Park – Something in the Air (EMI)
So the guy who did my favorite track from Dawn of the Dead was also known for funky instrumental lounge music in the ’70s. I grabbed a few other albums by him, but this one’s my favorite. From the overly dramatic “Funeral for a Friend” to the bizarro covers of “I Am the Walrus” and “Honky Tonk Women,” it’s a masterpiece.
Ultravox – Systems of Romance (Island)
They’d dropped the exclamation mark from their name and slowed down their sound a bit, but this Conny Plank produced album is still very powerful.
John Foxx – Metamatic (Virgin)
After he left Ultravox, vocalist John Foxx made this solo electronic album, which is more along the lines of Gary Numan than Bryan Ferry.
Cherry Five – Cherry Five (Cinevox)
Before they were Goblin, they released this album as Cherry Five. It’s actually one of the better prog albums I’ve heard, reminding me of the best parts of ELP and Curved Air.
