Gen X-er living in a time machine, high on nostalgia. Flashbacks is the debut album by Peach on a beach, a tribute to growing up in Dartmouth, NS during the 80s. Available on streaming and CD. Check out YouTube videos for "Beeping and Bleeping", "Pizza Corner", "Before Call Display", "Anticipation Street" and "Boogeyman Trail". Released on Feb. 16, "Rabbit Hole", is a tribute to alternative artists The Cure and Skinny Puppy. Official website: https://www.peachonabeach.ca/
With a couple of catchy singles and epic videos under its belt, Duran Duran went on to top those with the sweeping ballad "Save a Prayer".
Filmed among the beaches and temples of Sri Lanka, the surreal video flows perfectly to the synth-pop gospel.
The dreamy synths immediately draw me in before the synth flute takes over. Dancing children, crashing waves and five buddies on tour.
It wasn't all sunsets and one-night stands: guitarist Andy Taylor apparently fell into water used as an animal latrine during the filming of the video and ended up being hospitalized with dysentery.
Fave lyric: "Some people call it a one night stand but we can call it paradise"
The Edge's guitar chords in the intro always gives me goosebumps.
"Where The Streets Have No Name" is undeniably one of the 80s great rock anthems, and for me the best of the quality singles from The Joshua Tree album that broke the band in America. I thought the single deserved a better video than the official version showing the band playing on a rooftop and shutting down the streets of LA. The video actually does a disservice to the song, ruining the The Edge's opening and iconic riff. I've therefore added a video of a more recent concert performance that demonstrates the enormous emotional attachment both band and fans exhibit towards one of U2's finest moments.
"Streets" came out late in the summer of '87 after I graduated from high school. I remember listening to the tune on my Walkman taking the ferry to Halifax into the unknown on my way to university at SMU, equally hopeful and reticent, but most of all thinking anything is possible.
New Order are often best known for their unique blend of rock and electronica, and in my opinion, "The Perfect Kiss" is the best high-end example of their trademark sound.
Lyrically, the song is apparently about the AIDS epidemic that swept through New York clubland in the early 80s. Musically, it was inspired by the club scene in New York which had heavily influenced them.
This 10-and-half minute epic and captivating video is a must-see!
Directed by the late great Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs), the video shows close-ups of the four band members playing various instruments. Although all four are bringing it, I think the excellent bass work is Peter Hook's finest moment.
The video also demonstrates how the group excelled at constructing a song piece by piece until it becomes a cohesive whole.
The diverse instrumentation and versatile musicianship is clearly on display:
- lead singer Bernard Sumner plays cow bells (along with usual lead guitar)
- bassist Peter Hook plays the drum machine
- the (usual) drummer Stephen Morris plays keys
- Gillian does her magic on the synths
The song has several intoxicating builds until a thrilling two-minute-long bass and synth finale wraps up one of the most exhilarating climaxes ever produced.
"The Perfect Kiss" also features samples of Amazonian tree frogs croaking and sheep bleating.
The music is complex yet the quartet look to be barely breaking a sweat. They were good.
Once in a while during the 80s, a song from the previous decade would slip through."Gypsy" by Fleetwood Mac is one magical power pop song from a band rooted in the 70s.
Stevie's haunting vocals always brings on the chills and goosebumps. We can thank the perpetual tension between Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham, this one written back to when the duo were struggling musicians.
For me, this is Stevie's shining moment and Fleetwood Mac's best track: so polished yet so free. Lindsey's guitar work is subtle until his final solo tales over.
Here comes the chill again, running up my spine... "Here Comes the Rain Again" is a mesmerizing and immaculate new wave classic and one of the most beautiful pop songs ever made.
Like many of my favourite tunes, I dig a cinematic opening. Then the powerful and entrancing vocals of Annie Lennox kick in and carry the show along with the shimmering melodies. The sweeping instrumental bridge and Annie's final chorus offer convincing and ample proof that synth music can churn out emotion and soul.
I used to hear this track in my parent's car while we'd take a day trip to Lawrencetown Beach in the summer of 1984 and of course for years later, whenever a low pressure system was bearing down.
How about them bagpipe guitars? As a young teen I secretly wished "In a Big Country" by Big Countrywas the Canadian national anthem (Big Country hails from Scotland). The descriptive lyrics conjured up iconic images of Canada coast to coast: "in a big country dreams stay with you" "mountainsides" "seeing the sun in winter time" Although the story line in the video is hard to follow (what exactly is happening anyway?), the symbolism only solidified my sentiment, featuring clips of all sorts of outdoor rural adventures: all-terrain vehicles, jet skies and scenic landscapes. As for the tune itself, it's a driving tour de force of old Celtic meets new wave starring a unique bagpipe-emulating guitar and fantastic drumming. Lyrically, I think "In a Big Country" is a song about getting back up when you get knocked down and it still gives me chills.
This song almost got me hooked on playing the drums. A few years ago I received drumsticks in my stocking and graduated to playing air drums for a few days. But since I sucked at the playing part, the dream quickly evaporated. "Some Like It Hot" was the first single of supergroup The Powerstation, composed of two parts Duran Duran (bassist John Taylor and guitarist Andy Taylor), vocalist Robert Palmer and Chic's drummer Tony Thompson. You may recall that Duran split into two side projects: Simon, Nick & Roger went off in the opposite direction with the uber-synth Arcadia. Featured in the dream sequence in the European Vacation film, the song is a barnstormer from the start to finish. It all begins with that epic drum intro. The polish and energy are through the roof as all the main ingredients roll on and off.
"Train of Thought" by a-ha was the third and somewhat underrated single from the Norwegian band's debut album Hunting High & Low, an incredible tune that stands up well. Excellent to listen to on headphones, the track is also one of my favourite tunes for my runs and commutes (it is afterall a song someone's thoughts during a commute). With its peppy verses and soaring choruses, I find "Train of Thought" combines the best elements of "Take on Me" and "Sun Always Shines on TV".
Although the lyrics are melancholic, the synth arrangements (and pan flutes!) are just so damn melodic and uplifting. And a sound that at times sounds symphonic, even classical: vocalist Morten Harket's range is quite operatic (like 5 octaves and an insane falsetto). Crank up the volume to fully appreciate the rhythm and layering. Fave lyric: "Words go up words come down, Forwards backwards twisted round" The 4th single "Hunting High & Low" is part pop ballad, part power symphony and completely epic.
Wouldn't it be good if "Wouldn't it Be Good" would be covered by Matthew Good?
This is a great pop song with the iconic opening guitar riff and an irresistibly catchy synth line. The tune keeps getting better: the sweet instrumental bridge with the guitar & brass solo is genius. Always enjoyed the deep lyrics with a slightly dark tone. "Wouldn't it Be Good" is one of the first songs that lead to a shift in my preferences over to the melancholic side of the spectrum. For its time the video was entrancing, with hints of what to come in the next year with A-ha's "Take On Me". Fave lyrics: "Wouldn't it be good if we could wish ourselves away?"
"Blue Monday" sounded nothing like Joy Division. Released three years since New Order formed from the ashes, the number one selling 12" single of all time was the result of an evolution from bleak post-punk to cutting-edge electronic music.
The song was inspired from the band's desire for an automated excuse to hit the bar early.
"Blue Monday" ended up being an accidental innovation, inspiring electronic music for the mind. The drum machines and synths do their thing, mostly by accident as the story goes, while Bernard Sumner's sparse guitar and Hook's iconic bass weave in and out of the mix. While the infectious beats almost force you to move your body, Sumner's obtuse lyrics stirs the mind (mine, anyways).
It's not my favourite track by New Order, but it was the one that reeled me in.
I used to play this song incessantly but have moved on to a deeper dive and appreciate a few others. But every once in a while I"ll feel the need to crank 'er up and still be in awe that something so futuristic was even possible in 1983.
Coming in at an economical 3 minutes and 23 seconds, "Echo Beach" is over far too soon. Toronto's Martha & the Muffins not only created one of Canada's best new wave songs, it was among the best made period. It was also the first 45 single I ever bought, inspired to purchase with my allowance after wearing out the track from the classic K-tel High Voltage album (see the bottom of this post for a complete tracklist of songs).
The song starts with a catchy guitar riff before the synths kick in. And does it get any better than that sax bridge? The fun, energetic vibe, especially visible in the final chorus between the two Marthas reminds me a bit of the B52s's dynamic between Kate and Cindy. As a pre-teen, I had a crush on the Martha dressed in red playing the keys and backup vocals.
A nostalgic song about nostalgia, turns out that the mythicalEcho Beach that beckoned ‘far away in time’ became my future: I couldn't help but hum the tune from the first moment I saw Mavillette Beach the day of my interview for Clare tourism, 20 years ago this April. It's been on my playlist ever since. Because I can't help it, I'm a romantic fool...
"A Criminal Mind" showed off Gowan's uniqueness. "Strange Animal" proof he could rock. "Cosmetics" was groovy. But "Moonlight Desires" is...spiritual. Mayans. Mullets. Battlestar Galactica.
Full disclosure: I lifted that last bit from the You Tube comments but it's a fitting summary.
"Moonlight Desires" may as well been created on another planet, a verse from another universe: it touches the soul and makes the goosebumps.
The arrangement impeccable, the lyrics magical, the vocals haunting, the setting majestic. It's everything I love about the 80s, a reminder how fortunate to have grown up during this era.
The collaboration with Jon Anderson (YES) is a perfect harmony, a sort of Obi-Wan Kenobi character dropping in from another dimension to connect with Luke (Gowan).
Madonna became an 80s pop icon through sheer will and charisma.
In 1985 she summoned us to join her on the dance floor with the irresistible"Into The Groove", demanding your attention in what may just be her greatest song, pure pop that's both fluffy and forceful.
The stuttering synth and staccato bass drive the proceedings while Madonna's coming out party articulates the power of the groove' as 'music' is a 'revelation' and a 'sweet sensation'.
"Only when I’m dancing can I feel this free" reveals Madonna is in charge of her life.
"Tonight I wanna dance with someone else" is another powerful moment and a saucy invitation.
"Into The Groove" will also be remembered as the pivot when the underground dance music scene moved to the mainstream.
Timeless may be an overused word to describe music, however that descriptor totally fits here. The third single from the deep Tears For Fear's Songs From the Big Chair album sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. Only peaking at #7 on the Peach chart in Sept. 1985 (see below), I seem to enjoy the warm & fuzzy "Head Over Heels"more every year.
Perhaps it's the full-on nostalgia of watching a video set in a library devoid of computers and mobile devices. Or maybe it's the memories of hearing this played on the radio in PEI with my parents in search of a cabin? (should have called ahead, right Dad?). I dig the high production and passionate vocals, and the balance of the cerebral lyrics with a playful video. The arrangements are stellar, starring a divine synth riff around 01:30, well-placed harmonies, the "4-leaf clover" bridge and "la-la-la, funny-how-time-flies finale". Pure Magic.
The video for "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" may only show vocalist Morrissey but much of the magic is crafted by guitar wizard Johnny Marr.
From start to finish, the guitars shimmer on arguably the most gorgeously polished production of their five-year career. The Smiths broke up just weeks before the single had been released. The Smiths legacy was quality over quantity (72 songs over 6 years), as well as being the indie UK rock band of the 80s, soon to influence a brand new British invasion to come in the 90s.
Back to the single, a song about lies, obsession, drinking, fisticuffs and a bicycle accident: leave it to Moz to come up a creative way to describe a crossbar hitting his junk as "The pain was enough to make a shy, bald buddhist reflect and plan a mass-murder." Incidently, the song was banned from daytime airplay on the BBC due to a recent massacre.
The unique video features Morrissey and a gang of bespectacled clones wearing Smiths shirts riding bicycles around Manchester on Coronation Street and past iconic venues like the Salford Boys Club and the Strangeways prison. In fact, the 'cycle with Morrissey' theme resulted from a call out to fans. Read the cool story from a New Zealand participant here.
The carefree cycling reminds me of my own childhood biking adventures on my trusty 10-speed, riding helmet-free from the trailer court in Dartmouth across town, over the bridge and throughout Halifax, unbeknownst to my parents. Back when we just had to show up for supper.
While in junior high I tuned into ASN's Atlantic Canada's Choice on Saturday evenings lying down two feet away from the TV. I recall watching "New Year's Day" in a trance, captivated by this new group riding on horses and playing in an open field in the middle of winter. This is the song that introduced Ireland's U2 to many of us in North America. The early U2 sound exuded fire and soul: the Edge's signature 'chugga-chugga' guitar and Bono's passionate vocals are alive and well here. Bono is convincing when delivering the chilling "I will be with you again" and "I will begin again". I would find out later that the lyrics were about persecuted leader of the Polish Solidarity movement, Lech Walesa.
After all these years,"New Year's Day" remains an uplifting song, an anthem of freedom and renewal, and a staple on my beach runs. That piano riff that weaves in and out is pure magic. Happy New Year!
Those of us attending junior high at the time will always remember the playful decadence of the "Rio" video, shot while the band was on holiday in Antigua. But let's not forget the tune was a cracker, too. "Rio" sports a grand intro before giving way to a bouncy, maniacal John Taylor bass line and Andy Taylor's timely guitar riffs, setting up the iconic singalong chorus about the mystical Rio dancing on the sand. The song changes gears a few times, including an amazing sax climb before the last chorus. Back to Rio: does she really exist? Well, yes...as a metaphor. According to SongFacts, Duran Duran explained on the VH1 show True Spin that Rio is a metaphor for America, and the song expressed their desire to succeed there, which they of course did.
I'd always thought LeBon said "...evidently run you down... in the lyrics during the bridge : "Hey now (wow) look at that did he nearly run you down. Before Google we experienced dozens of similar examples. "Rio" is still a favourite at Duran concerts, and often during an extended version when Simon LeBon introduces band members to the audience. I was fortunate to have seen it played in the encore of their 2011 gig at Montreal's Bell Centre.
I suppose listening to the The Police could be defined as 'rebellious' for an 11-year-old with access to a clock radio and two radio stations.
Hearing "Don’t Stand So Close To Me" on the radio inspired my first album purchase: Zenyatta Mondatta by The Police. I still vividly recall playing the record from start to finish on my parent's hi-fi unit while studying the photos and lyrics of the tactile inner lining. I can still hear the pops and crackles from playing the vinyl. The magnificent trio to open the album, "Don’t Stand,"Driven to Tears" and one of the longest titles ever made, "When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around" made me a life-long fan of The Police.
Up until then I'd been content with lapping up the soft 70s pop and classic rock stuff (April Wine, Harlequin etc.) that CJCH and C100 offered up. Remember that in 1980 it would still be a couple years before music videos became mainstream and almost 15 years before the internet.
"Don’t Stand So Close To Me" starts with that almost sinister synth before the verse begins infectious reggae-rock with just an amazing chorus. It had the familiar guitars, but also had some synth, a sign of where my tastes were heading. Since Sting was a teacher in a previous lifetime I've always wondered if the lyrics were autobiographical.
"Don’t You Forget (About Me)" is one of the key anthems for those of us in Generation X. Surprisingly, The Fixx, Bryan Ferry and Billy Idol all refused to perform the song for The Breakfast Club before Jim Kerr and The Simple Minds were approached. Their loss. The soundtracks of John Hughes' movies are the stuff of legends.
The track oozes that slightly cheesy, seriously catchy synth-pop new wave vibe that dominated the charts the middle part of the decade. That part from the bridge to the end is the best and I can't help myself playing air drums.
