I have Professor Longhair (1918-1980): Mardi Gras in New Orleans, another of the Essential Blue Archive compilation releases. His piano style is described as a mambo-rhumba boogie thing. A legendary performer I felt I should have in my collection. Fun stuff & sound quality is good.
Next on the shelf is this mp3 cd collection of 80’s Brit pop groups that made some headway into the mainstream & others that remained fringe alternative. Starting with The Psychedelic Furs: Forever Now (1980), Mirror Moves (1984), Midnight to Midnight (1987), Made of Rain (2020). Thanks to a couple of movie soundtracks the Furs went from almost-known to sensations. Slightly Goth-emo songs that progress into major pop hits. Similar to The Cure but not as shoe-gazer our as quirky. Songs of loneliness, love, & even some with political intent. I enjoy the production work. I am enough of a fan to have picked up their ‘reunion’ lp Made of Rain – their first recording in a couple of decades which pretty much picks up where they left off.
More 80’s with the Buggles: Age of Plastic (1980) , Adventures In Modern Recording (1981) – one of the first of many products by Trevor Horn – with excellent hooky pop songs, brilliant engineering & of course the unforgettable Video Killed. Both this lps I had at one time as cassettes. The list of acts Horn produced is endless & includes Art of Noise, Frankie Goes To Hollywood.
Another 80’s combo is Cabaret Voltaire: Red Mecca (1981) – they defined moody Goth with their dense keyboards & mystic lyrics. Electronica & easy to absorb – if you like slightly experimental emo this is a band for you.
One of my favorite 80’s bands was Talk Talk. In this mp3 collection I have The Colour of Spring (1986), Spirit of Eden (1988) – the band started electronic pop but moved away from that with a dense eclectic that moved into what I call chamber rock. Music that wasn’t based on beat-per-minute or radio sensibility. Spirit of Eden is beautiful.
Lastly a real rock group who survived the 80’s The Pretenders’ Packed! (1991) with the expected tough sound. Perhaps not a best-seller but proof that solid, non-emo groups were still alive & well. Hynde’s vocal as compelling, the songs are good if not inspired & there is a great cover of Hendrix’s “May This Be Love” that is worth tracking down.
TOpoet 