Random 80's Wednesday

Kudos - Better Late Than Never (7" Single, 1983)
This Other Eden - Angels Tell Lies (7" Single, 1989)
Ian Donaldson - Don't Let It Die (12" Single, 1987)
Invisible Zoo - Synthesizer Man (from Invisible Zoo, 1983)
Nick Heyward - A Song (7" Single, 1989)

Robert Marlow - The Peter Pan Effect (1984)

By special request

1. Calling All Destroyers
2. Torch Team
3. The Face Of Dorian Gray
4. Easternize
5. Life In A Film
6. The Kiss
7. That Dangerous Age
8. Claudette
9. Ambition
10. Crying For The Moon
11. I Just Want To Dance

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Reformation, Reformation

Is it me or are there a crazy amount of reformations of 80's bands right now?

For example: The Blow Monkeys want you to pre-order the new album, before which they are releasing a double CD greatest hits set.

Other artists getting the double CD treatment include Paul Young and two extended Thompson Twins reissues - and about time too!

Swing Out Sister have a new CD "Beautiful Mess" out next month in Japan, with a release elsewhere hopefully to follow soon.

Johnny Hates Jazz have got back together (minus Clark Datchler, who has done other good things of his own recently) so it's now the Calvin and Mike show.

ABC have a new album Traffic slated for release in March. I quite liked the last album Skyscraping back in 1997. Eleven years later, I'm not getting my hopes up. I always preferred the cartoons, anyway. How about the video for "Be Near Me"?



In case you missed it, Carol Decker (of T'Pau) released her solo single "Just Dream" last September.

I'll probably get taken to task for this, but I had no idea that Level 42 had released a new album a year or two back, and were planning some extensive gigs in the coming year. There's a lot of videos and other stuff at the Official Website.

In unrelated news, Guns 'N' Roses have apparently finished Chinese Democracy. It's being delivered by Nessie, Bigfoot and the Yeti, all of which are more likely to be seen in a record store. Oh, wait. Sorry, I meant that Nessie, Bigfoot and the Yeti are more likely to be seen than a record store. Anywho, my point is that if you had been working on the same album for over ten years, maybe you should consider changing the title to something like S**t I should Have Done Years Ago When Somebody Cared. Just a thought.

Spandau Ballet - Reformation (great song BTW)

Smiths Covers Competition - An Update

Having gotten about half way through this very democratic and fair minded contest, I have decided that I am quite bored of it all by now, and choosing a list of candidates for about ten people to vote on is a little underwhelming. Therefore, in a crassly autocratic gesture, the self-appointed dictator of MFL has elected the following to complete the track listing. Any appeals from the gathered throng may be heard for one week - suggest an alternative and which one to drop and I may hear your pleas. Who-hoo!












9. The Killers - Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself
10. Love Spit Love - How Soon Is Now?
11. Gene Loves Jezebel - Ask
12. Carter USM - Panic
13. The Beautiful South - Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
14. Wojtek Godzisz - A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours
15. Cinerama - London
16. Stars - This Charming Man
17. Placebo - Bigmouth Strikes Again
18. Billy Bragg - Never Had No One Ever

Angie Aparo - The American (1999)

Here's another recent classic that seems to have fallen out of print. I had the privilege of seeing Angie (short for Angelo) perform a solo set in Winooski, Vt. a couple of years after this came out (hence the signed cover) and over a pint I told him that this album was in effect a greatest hits album - every track could have been a worthy chart single. He seemed to appreciate that. Much of the power and apocalyptic sound of the album is thanks to the involvement of Matt Serletic (producer of Matchbox 20 and many other alternative rock acts) and he succeeded in wringing every nuance out of the thoughtful compositions and dramatic melodies. "Cry" is the best known track, being covered later by Faith Hill, and the lead single "Spaceship" briefly impacted MTV. My favorite tracks are the MLK inspired "Memphis City Rain", the jaunty "It's Alright" and a powerful commentary on contemporary life in the USA, the haunting title track "The American". But truthfully you could put this on random play and enjoy every track, in any order. I've added two extras - "Alone" was the B-Side of the Spaceship CD Single and "Nature's Way" was included on a later covers album project but I always thought it fitted in well in terms of sound and composition.

1. Green Into Gold
2. Spaceship
3. Hush
4. Cry
5. Third Time Around
6. Free Man
7. Gravity
8. Beautiful
9. Memphis City Rain
10. Swell
11. It's Alright
12. Wonderland
13. The American
14. Alone (bonus track)
15. Nature's Way (bonus track)

Download


Official Website
MySpace Page
Wikipedia Entry

Clarkesville - The Half Chapter (2003)

I was going to post a Clarkesville track ("Evergreen") yesterday, and then it occurred to me that most people have probably never heard of this group. My brother initially found a copy in a bargain bin and got it purely because there is a loose geographical connection to where I live. Shortly afterwards I found an import copy myself going cheap at Grimey's in Nashville. It's a good album, and definitely a grower.

It's a little more recent than most of the albums I post but as it was only released in the UK and Japan, and is now out of print, I think it deserves more exposure.

1. Evergreen
2. Heavy Soul
3. Secret File
4. Everyone Will Have Their Day
5. Someday
6. Spinning
7. Moonflowers
8. Reprise
9. Last Man Standing
10. Just Kills Me

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There are also a handful of extra tracks from the sessions dotted around on CD Singles. Does anyone have "Holding On", "Set In Stone" and "Fighter"?

Update: Here's Holding On, from the Secret File CD Single. Thanks Mat!

Everything's Gone Green

Isn't this a great ad? Something about that reddish hair and green blouse I find appealing, in a subconscious-Ireland tribute kind of way.

My posts are a bit rambling, sometimes. There's a reason why I considered calling my blog British Or Gay?

In unrelated news, I was excited to see that Matt Costa released a new album Unfamiliar Faces this week. Of course, being British, my excitement was along the lines of "oh, jolly good, now where did I put my pipe" and not "let me scream for ten minutes, hug everybody, cry, wet myself, and plan my autobiography", which you can witness on US reality TV every night of the week.

Matt's last effort, Songs We Sing, was one of my favorite records of 2006, not to mention also my favorite album cover of that year. If you're looking for warm vocals, delicate acoustics and a great, chilled-out vibe, then he's your man. Here's the video for the first single from the new album, Mr. Pitiful. It's quite inventive.

Yes, green does appear to be my favorite color, or even my favourite colour. Which is why I also like this album cover and this one and, probably, Kermit The Frog.

Milltown Brothers - Apple Green
Faith Brothers - Victoria Green
New Order - Everything's Gone Green

Did I mention that I have green eyes?

Coldplay - Green Eyes