A Walk Across The Rooftops

The wikipedia article lists this album genre as "sophisti-pop" which gives you a good idea of what you're getting into. This is some of the most pretentious 80s crap ever. The lyrics are incoherent, the instrumentation is a disconnected mess, and the song structure is completely nonexistent. I almost gave this a star because the singer has a pretty good voice. But, no. It's not enough to save the album. It's like some some guys in a highschool drama club got really into Bowie and decided to give it a try "but, you know, let's make it ours, right? Let's get experimental." Luckily, the whole album is only 38 minutes long. Because it's utter trash.

Goddamn this is a smooth album, especially Heatwave. Very short. First album/artist so far I know nothing about, and glad I’ve now heard it.

When the bass line plays on A Walk Across The Rooftops, I feel like David Lynch is saying hello from the set of Twin Peaks. There is no melody to this song, just seemingly disparate musical parts. The parts are clearly synced together, but there’s no constant beat. Strangely I like this about the song. There are several other parts of the album that feel similar, like everyone is playing the same song, but they all started at different times. It’s really difficult to pin down a description. There is order to it, not randomness. It just feels like the music is constantly throwing me off. Again, I somewhat like this aspect of the album because I’ve never quite heard anything like it. Another thing I like is the lead singer’s voice. When he says “heatwaaave” in Heatwave, I think it could be the music dictionary’s definition the quintessential 1980s pop sound. I don’t know, I instantly recognize the decade by this one word. Easter Parade is sleep inducing, not in a good way while the bass driven groove on Stay is quite enjoyable. I’ve written quite a bit of positive things about this album, but I didn’t download it. Much like the album itself, my thoughts above are disjointed from my overall feeling about it. In the end I don’t really like the album as much as this review might indicate, but I do appreciate its strange uniqueness.

More pretentious, early 80s new wave rubbish. I’ll give it an extra star for being listenable.

This album is everything that's wrong with the music of the first half of the 80s. tuneless, wordy nonsense.

It is impossible to overstate my love for this album. Tinseltown in the rain is the absolute stand out but the whole album is drenched in big synthy strings that sound fantastic when off set by that 80’s bass sound and Paul Buchanan’s soulful vocals. There’s so much going on in the mix that even now, after knowing and loving it for 20 years, I still discover new things on each listen

The Blue Nile's debut album has a rather fascinating genesis. Scotland's Linn Electronics wanted a demo track to demonstrate the fidelity and versatility of their new recording console and tapped a struggling local trio, the Blue Nile, to provide it. Their effort was a deliberately disjunctive song called "A Walk Across the Rooftops." To demonstrate the recording equipment's dynamic range and clarity, the song was arranged most peculiarly, with vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, and full string and horn sections all appearing, but never at the same time. Linn liked the song so much that they formed a record label and bankrolled the recording of this full album. The seven lengthy tracks on A Walk Across the Rooftops all follow the model of the opener, with Paul Buchanan's rich voice at the center of near-symphonic arrangements that manage to sound lush and incredibly austere at the same time. The tempos are deadly slow, with the most upbeat track, "Tinseltown in the Rain," barely rising above a graceful saunter, and the inventive arrangements make extensive use of empty space. This was a popular album for demonstrating the lack of hiss and background noise in the then-new compact disc medium, but A Walk Across the Rooftops works even better as a piece of music than as a stereo demonstration record.

This was a really cool album. Reminiscent of the albums we've heard from Prefab Sprout and Simple Minds, so it comes as no surprise to see this also labeled "sophisti-pop." I really dug the structure, seven pretty long songs that you can sink your teeth into is always nice. Some very interesting instrumental choices, too. Quite a few tracks on here I'll return to. Favorite tracks: From Rags to Riches, Stay, Tinseltown in the Rain, Heatwave. Album art: Not bad for a band photo, the framing and multicolored text is pretty nice. But nothing special. 4/5

I feel like taking part in this project has changed my Spotify recommendations algorithm to the point where it's started pumping out tracks from albums on the list. Case in point: "Heatwave" by The Blue Nile, which I've definitely heard before, very recently. The album is good though, its percussive soundscape still sounds great and ensures it hasn't dated as badly as music by The Blue Nile's peers. I also assumed they were from downtown New York, not the highlands of Scotland.

Incredibly well paced and measured; an excellent demonstration of restraint in pop music that is seldom seen. Rad.

There's something about this album that makes me think of one of the best, if not THE best 80's movie, Brazil. s. I imagine that this must be one of those albums that was right for it's time, but out of place in any other. Released in 1984, Communism was on high, the Berlin wall was still a thing, Gordon Gekko / Michael Milken was selling junk bonds on Wall Street and we were in the middle of the Reagan years. Perhaps it's the Reagan connection, but the word 'bureaucracy' is a good descriptor word for A Walk Across the Rooftops. There's a lot of busy work here, but you never get anywhere with this album. It's like you keep jumping through hoops because you're programed to think 'if I just listen a little more I'm sure I'll find something interesting.' This album I'm sure was considered intellectual and avant garde when it was released. It's just oozing with the 'you're not smart enough to understand this music' vibe, but I don't think there's much here to consider. The underlying music is incredibly repetitive, I found myself wondering if maybe some of this was repurposed for use in Roblox games, and the singing doesn't contribute much. Sometimes his voice sounds like he's either yawning while singing or taking their last breath before dying and neither are dramatic. I haven't seen Brazil in probably 30+ years, but I suddenly want to rewatch in hopes that it hasn't aged as much as this album.

Another band I never heard of!. Wikipedia says these guys are art pop or synth pop, and that feels pretty accurate. I wasn’t a big fan of the singer’s voice, but as always that is just a taste thing. The first track, which was also the title track, really drew me in. It had a very minimal feel, with the different instruments coming in one at a time. I wonder if this is where Spoon got the idea from. I loved both the tone of the bass, and the bass lines themselves, especially in the songs that were more musically spare where it could shine. The way the bass line hit in the title track reminded me a little bit of the way it comes in in Beck’s Soldier Jane, satisfyingly filling a rift in the song that you didn’t even know was there. Of the seven songs on this album, only 2-3 were in that sparse groovy style, with the others feeling too slow for my taste, or too much like other 80’s synth music. I would recommend listening to that title track, but not much else. As for belonging on this list, well, they don’t seem to be very well known, or very influential, or very consistent, to my ear. I think the list could have done without it. My personal enjoyment: 2/5 Did it belong on this list: 2/5

The Blue Who? I was dreading another very dated 80s album filled with synth. Turned out it was worse than that. "A Walk Across the Rooftops" did provide some brief glimpses of hope, with the incorporation of real piano and real strings, along with a funky baseline. But then came "Tinseltown in the Rain," which might be my least favorite song of this experiment so far. After tight 2 minute songs from Loretta Lynn the other day, the 5-6 minute songs here were agonizingly long. It's possible have good longer songs, that are dynamic and shift and change throughout. That's not what this was. They just droned on. And on.

I found this album to be an unexpected delight. Languid, sparse, and with unconventional structures and arrangements. All these songs feel tinged with sadness or melancholy in a way that cultivates a very distinct mood. 3.5/5 Favourite track: "Easter Parade"

Walking Across the Rooftops Didn’t quite know what to expect, one of those bands that you hear about, and sound a bit boring when you are in your 20s, but are actually very good, and maybe can only be appreciated when you are older. Love the big bass coming out of nowhere on A Walk Across the Rooftops, with the pizzicato strings. Very nice. Tinseltown in the Rain - big Bowie vibes, but almost latter day Bowie, I can really imagine this on The Next Day. Feels like it might burst into Running up that Hill in some parts, but great stuff Very Baba O’Riley synth loop on From Rags to Riches, giving it a kind of bouncy feel, but contrasting with the mournful vocal and melody and percussion coming from another room. Stay is probably the most immediate song and a supper bit of slightly reserved synth pop. Easter Parade is fantastically unassuming track, very delicately sad and tender, but lovely nonetheless Heatwave is such an arresting track, sneakily melodic and melancholic, fantastic, as Automobile Noise. Echoes Duchess by the Stranglers but a great, hopeful but downbeat closing track. The genesis of the album is quite Interesting with Linn, and it makes sense for the way it sounds. Big and reverby, digitally drive sound with spare and austere arrangements, but with a real warmth and tenderness. It’s a fascinating album, one that I’m sure will percolate more and more over time, but it’s easily a 5. 🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵 Playlist: From Rags to Riches

This is just amazing… so much emotion and feel. It’s a lesson in less-is-more…. Just a wonderfully crafted album from start to finish!

Not having heard of Blue Nile previous to listening to this album I didn't know what to expect. On first listen I struggled a bit to find a sense of how I felt about the album and ultimately found myself having to stop what I was doing and give it my full attention. Once I started to relax and really listen I began to be mesmerized by the sound. What is interesting is the music lacks the usual hooks that I look for but there was something romantic about the music that drew me in offset by the raw vocals. Somehow it works. I will definitely give more time to this album. Favorite song: Tinsel Town in the Rain

Fine. Sounds like something that would play during a montage in an ‘80s movie.

Nr. 51/1001 A Walk Across The Rooftops 4/5 Tinseltown in the Rain 3/5 From Rags to Riches 2/5 Stay 4/5 Easter Parade 3/5 Heatwave 4/5 Automobile Noise 3/5 Average: 3,29 Really liked the melancholic voice and the toned-down usage of instruments

Tried this a couple of times yesterday whilst working, and again this morning (I do try and do this when someone rates an album highly), but I struggled with this one. Maybe it's because we've been overwhelmed with synth-heavy 80s stuff (particularly over the last month), which isn't really my genre of choice anyway. Feels like the singer is trying to hit notes that his voice just can't quite make, it's all quite slow and ponderous, and really doesn't grab me. 2/5.

Drawn-out, unmemorable songs.

A Walk Across The Rooftops is rubbish, absolutely no time for any of this twaddle. 1.

This feels both adult and sophisticated - the kind of pop music that people with mortgages can conceivably enjoy. Big Peter Gabriel vibes at times. If music ever gave the impression that it doesn't sweat, it's this. A Walk Across the Rooftops is elegant, poised - and sounds utterly sensational, production wise. I want a copy.

I think I have to give this a 5! I didn't come into this expecting to be so charmed and weirdly... entranced... by this record. But it's so... alluring! Something so odd and wonky about the production, but crazy enticing. Spacious but just enough ear candy, compositionally delightful. With this broken, mourning, Bowie-esque voice at the end. I was talking with my uncle a while back about how it's hard to find some really iconically great 80's albums that feel great all the way through. This feels like that! And the fact that it's a phenomenal example of an album in the 80's feels like it should get top marks alone. Wow! Kinda crazy into it. 5/5

Freakin phenomenal - Probably one of the most underrated bands of the 80’s

I first heard this album when I was 15. Pretty early on I came to understand that while I loved it - it was not for everyone. I shared a love of this little secret with a few friends. But more importantly it helped me through the challenges of my high school years - and beyond. It was emotionally unrestrained and expressive in a way that few albums i have encountered dare to be. It paints beautiful pictures and transports you. If nothing else let Tinseltown sweep you away and get lost in the world of Heatwave.

Great stuffs. first time knowing of the band. very moody music.

I’d never heard of this band or album, so I had no idea what to expect. This was actually a really interesting listen that I enjoyed more than I thought I would, and I think it will only grow on me with repeated visits. It’s got a Talking Heads meets Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel vibe. It’s produced to show off how each element adds to the total sound — there are some really cool bass lines, good drum grooves, fun, jazzy parts, and interesting experiments with sound that are Eno–esque (and “From Rags to Riches” has a fun arpeggiated synth that sounds a lot like The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” mixed with interesting drum sounds). The lyrics and the singer are pretty good. He sounds similar to David Byrne but actually sings, though he occasionally approaches a shrillness that’s a bit too close to Sting for me. For an album that was created by a company specializing in hi-fi audiophile equipment, you can hear the care that went into engineering and mixing this album. The music sounds great and has a very full, dynamic sound that fills the space. Because it’s sort of on the post-punk side of new wave, there’s a lot of space between notes that helps to highlight each musical element. My only complaint is that on the title track, the vocals sound a bit buried in the mix. It somehow sounds very clear but also kind of muddled in my headphones. I’ll have to try listening on my stereo system and see if that makes any difference. I can definitely see how this album may have influenced future artists like Imogen Heap. It’s actually really impressive that they were able to achieve that kind of futuristic sound in 1983. The album feels like an 80s album but also feels very timeless. 5/5 — was not expecting this album but will be adding it to my regular rotation

5/5

Front row middle of the Manchester Free Trade Hall 1990 Best gig I’ve ever seen.

Magnificent. Sophisticated pop music that stands head and shoulders above a lot of the drivel that was released in the 1980s. Highly recommended.

This is the first of these that I've owned since it came out, more or less and it still sounds fresh. It's a masterpiece.

An absolute classic. Every home should have a copy. Others may prefer the second album 'Hats', and yes, its a close run thing, but the first album just pips it. Gorgeous tunes, lyrics that set the mood, and what sound/production! My 249th album to review here, and it's easily the best of the lot. It's that good. I envy you if it's the first time you hear this, what a discovery! We need a six star button.

This was pretty good stuff! I love this era and genre of music though I have never heard this band before.

excellent mid 80s Glaswegian sounds, takes me back to those post-pub nights in Muswell Hill

Love Blue Nile. Some is really reminiscent of the melody licks and instrumentation of sadder songs of Peter Gabriel, "Easter parade" reminds me of "here comes the flood" for example. Both just a very unique emotion evoked and something to sit with. I love Stay so much. It seems to me that it's a song steeped in regret more than hope, like the promise one should have made to someone who's already departed. But that could be just a personal interpretation given when I found and obsessively listened on repeat to this song in my own biography...sigh. Must be something Scottish to this kind of pop that I find so rewarding.

Probably enjoying a surprising number of listens this month after being mentioned by T-Swift. And by coincidence it's exactly 40 years to the day since it was released. Really enjoyed this - sounds like it could have been made in any year out of the last 40. Kind of Nu-romantic, kind of new wave, lovely arrangement and plenty of space for the songs to breathe. As the album went on I just found myself sitting and enjoying it more and more.

Omg, it all came flooding back. Scotland’s own The Blue Nile, and dancing to ‘Tinseltown in the Rain’ at The Pub in Rose Street with my pal Tracy. Not the most danceable tune tbf. And it always stuck in my mind that Paul Buchanan dated Rosanna Arquette for a while. This was better than I remember. Fantastic

Despite this getting a little slow for me by the end, I really loved the sound of this music: a little synth, a little piano, a little strings. Nice.

This album was great! Especially the sound.

Awesome! Perfect rainy day music.

This is a 4.5 and Hats is a 5. I find some of the instrumentals kind of funny, they remind my of when I was in year 7 and we had to start composing things on Sibelius.

What a surprise! It's exactly these deep cuts I started this for. Never heard of this album. Yet again it seems like bad reviews seem to result in me liking an album

Absolutely fantastic, I never knew music like this had been around for so long

superb

From the sound of the first note to the last, The Blue Nile demand and obtain perfection in A Walk Across the Rooftops. Seven tracks and less than forty minutes are needed to build a worldview so pristine no amount of dirt and grime could be piled on to sully its feature. Sophisticated pop has never before or since sounded this exact and this is the album that provides the blueprint for others to follow.

Tinseltown in the Rain is one of the best 80s songs that I didn't know about

I had never heard of these guys before and based on the description, I really didn't expect to enjoy this album as much as I did. In terms of musicianship, this was even a good album and in terms of songwriting it was pretty standard. But what truly shines about this album is the stellar production. The way all of the sounds are brought out and contrasted is a piece of art in itself.

Oh this is an awesome discovery. I love this style of synth pop, must have surely inspired Talk Talk, especially in their development of post-rock. 7 tracks and they're all fantastic in their own ways, with a couple dance tracks, a couple powerful pop pieces, and the rest being ambient emotional pieces. I love how spacious and atmospheric they all are, incorporating all sorts of sudden lush sound effects that make for a very pleasant experience. Not a single second felt wasted on this record.

Well there you go. Just goes to prove you should check something out yourself before basing your opinion on other people's views. I listened to this and lo and behold think it's pretty good. I know it'll never amount to much now and at the time due to no real label promotion it got nowhere. It's short but really well put together - kinda like a less poppy Talk Talk? Giving it 5 stars not because it deserves them but to say sorry for all the nasty reviews...

I love eighties music, but until recently, I really hadn't heard much Sophisti-pop, minus a few singles here and there (Spandau Ballet, Level 42, and ABC). But a year or so ago, a friend of mine who knows my love for eighties music and synths made me a Sophisti-pop playlist on Spotify, and I really enjoyed it. I've never heard of The Blue Nile before, but this album was absolutely fantastic. Every song was great, and the album as a whole had a really unique feel and vibe to it. I have a few notes on my favorite tracks: "Tinseltown in the Rain" has such great piano and guitar riffs. I think there was a part where a synth was playing stringed instrument sounds, and I loved that too; in my opinion, something like that is what Sophisti-pop is all about. The looping synthesizers in the background on "From Rags to Riches" were really great. The saxophone on "Heatwave" was fantastic; that's another Sophisti-pop element that I enjoy. The vocals really reminded me of Peter Gabriel, and I was shocked to learn that he really promoted the band, and even recorded a song with them later. However, when I played this album for my wife, she was getting Bowie vibes from the vocals, and I can hear that too. Either way, this album was great, and I can't wait to get more music like it.

Oh, it was love at the first sight. I feel I've been listening to it for ages. Maybe it just reminded me of Imploding The Mirage by the Killers. Anyway, I'll take it to my playlist

Walk across the rooftops sounds like it may have inspired some of Sting's early solo work. I love the arrangement of the track. Lazy bass, dreamy time, I've wandered in this fog more than once.

Four albums only and 4 perfect ones. All albums deserve 5 stars. All 7 songs of this album brilliant, Automobile Noise favourite track. Saw then live twice and you can't forget experiences like that,

absolutely GORGEOUS I am in love with these groovy-ass tunes! 10/10

I really liked this album. Hadn't ever heard them before and was very pleasantly surprised. I'm going to spend some more time on them in the future. Those are refreshing sound. I really like musically how it moved and I do like the vocals. Very nice overall.

Really enjoyable album, just mellow and moody, Stay was my favourite track.

A very underrated band.

very cool

Gotta give this a 5. Earnestly beautiful, expertly balancing heartfelt emotions with intricate arrangements to create songs that can truly captivate you. This is aided, in no small part, by the excellent production

Surprisingly great

Looooved this. So moody and beautiful

Loved this from start to finish. Right up my sonic street.

Super je ovo četiri će dobit samo zato što je hats remek djelo. Ma kvrgu ipak pet. Ovo je definitivno najbolji sophisti pop

Brilliant...I really enjoyed listening to it.

Never heard of this genre before, but I absolutely love this album. Has such a nice ambience to it. Especially enjoying ''Heatwave''

Very complex and artsy arrangements Sometimes sparse instrumentation Can be quite atmospheric and lo-fi "Easter Parade" features a beautiful piano melody

theatrical, brooding synth with sophisticated instrumentation and the ghost of Japanese citypop. Montages of a morose rainy walk around NYC. Excellent album for those pained with wistful nostalgia

real good

Short and sweet. Totally my shit.

Post New Wave, synth Soul, obra despojada de adornos. Hija de su tiempo suena sin embargo atemporal, para nada envejecida y muy actual. Se alarga en desarrollos. Muy bueno.

Everything good from the 80s IMO

Awesome ambiance music I really did not expect it and loved it

Actually pretty enjoyable and I didn't immediately recognize the artist, but it sounds so familiar! Such a smooth voice. 4.5

strange and engaging

my kinda thing

This is a band I wasn't aware of. They are quite good, and sound a little bit like The Talking Heads.

It's like a folksy David Bowie!

Overall, I liked it. It is a great album for listening to at a coffee shop.

High production value, sounds like this could have been recorded far more recently. Sounds like a mix of Springsteen and Gabriel with a flair for some 80s reverb. I was a fan of the subtle delivery and passionately assembled song structure.

very good album, reminded me of the Smiths, U2, and Sting. Really enjoyed the chill sound and will listen more.

A big surprise. Think this is what 80s can be. In the best way.

Me gustó, tiene buenos temas y el bajo en algunas canciones está genial. Un disco bien rarillo y bien intenso

Oh I didn't know The Blue Nile is here that's cool. Hats better be on this list. I like A Walk Across the Rooftops too--I own it on vinyl, and Tinseltown in the Rain is easily at least their third best song. But it's just not as perfect as Hats is.

Never heard of it but quite good 80s synth pop.

A solid album of sophisti-pop that is at times reminiscent of Peter Gabriel (especially in the vocals), with hints of Talking Heads (minus the quirkiness) or even Tears for Fears. There is an openness in some of their songs that invite rewriting and an updating, but the precious bones are there. “Easter Parade” exemplifies this by coming back to crunchy, clustered 4ths and 5ths, almost as if there was a lack of center. Time stops in contemplation: the music succeeds at conveying it. If you play this song in the piano you will see even its jazz potential. This being said, it does not feel like a perfect album, but more like those unfinished madonnas of Michelangelo. Some musical strategies are effective, but somewhat trite (like phrasing verses in minor scales, and then jumping into repetitive major progressions). And yet, although the album falls into some predictability, it has retained some freshness. This is not a mere pop album of the 80s. At times it feels like it’s attempting to create soundscapes instead of traditional songs. It’s quirky, with plenty of open spaces, unclear harmonies, unresolved chord progressions, and it’s sustained with consistent lyricism. 8.5/10

Really good.

Why not?

Een soort huismerk-Peter Gabriel, zoals Cees zou zeggen. Op zich fijne jarentachtig-klanken die de tijd hebben doorstaan. Tegelijkertijd lijken de nummers nogal op elkaar en niks valt bijzonder op. Een goed cijfer omdat het genre me wel ligt, blijkbaar.

I picture this one being perfect for a rainy day, during a quiet moment on vacation, when I want to reminisce and get lost and then found again. Especially Heatwave (Rhythm Mix). I can easily disappear into that one.

When I think of sophista-pop, this is exactly what I think about. I did enjoy this album, quite possibly more than I should have considering it's not "cool" and I am very awesome. There is no upbeat music to be found here but all 7 seven songs are pretty good. What I find most interesting are the instrumental sounds behind the music, as you can tell the band worked hard to make this sound good. Would I hear them in concert? Probably not. Would I put this album on when it's a rainy day out and I'm doing some work around the house or my actual job? Quite possibly I would. Worth a listen.

Sort of like late XTC and Talk Talk mixed together. I felt happy listening to this :) A very nice surprise, might have to check out the rest of their discography.

Very interesting

I like the overall vibe - the album is probably perfect for a rainy afternoon, but I'm going to stop at a 4 because I think it needs the right mood to enjoy fully.

I've heard of this band but never listened them. As soon as I saw that Linn were the label I assumed it would sound great. And it really does, great production and separation of the instruments. Very life like sound! The songs are well put together as well, a couple stood out but I can see why there weren't any major hits. The singer's voice reminds me a lot of David Sylvain's. The songs are quite subtle and down-tempo, nice one to listen to on a rainy day.

To my shock, I really enjoyed this. Especially the first three songs. I thought that the music was incredibly diverse and his singing was different get intriguing and impressive. I really liked the variety of background music with more of a consistent singing.

Very cool very cool

Für die frühen 80er ganz gut…abwechslungsreich, bisschen wie aha…7/10

Sometimes perhaps a bit too mellow and smart for my 80s filling, Blue Nile's A Walk Across the Rooftops is an excellent showing of that warm Summer night part of pop. The moments where the synths feel just subdued enough to be cozy, and the compositions are intricate whilst still having those bits and pieces to make it onto mainstream radio. It isn't a genre I ever thought I'd like, but it seems to constantly be hitting well with me, and this album is no different. The vocals aren't smooth, but it's that odd sounding, mellow-toned 80s gruff-lite that works oh-so-well, and I'm just a fan of the whole thing. It isn't mindblowing stuff, you'll find yourself a little outdone by the songs' long-winded runtimes, but those moments of just enjoying the urban, humid rain that make this album shine; enjoy the feeling as it presents itself, I say.

Sparse beautiful songs about joy and despair.