A Walk Across The Rooftops

4/5

- Unexpectedly really into this groove. Am really into the first four tracks as well as "Heatwave" -- not feeling "Easter Parade" as much, though I like it more than the other versions of this type of track I have heard. (Feels less pretentious?) - Adore "Tinseltown in the Rain" and "Stay." These synthesizers and other electronic elements, including the percussion, are mesmerizing. - This had to have been an influence on The Killers (especially Brandon Flowers).

I like the minor key sounding love song but what really sold me was walking in the rain watching the sun on the space needle listening while listening to Tinseltown in the rain

Another band I had never heard of before this challenge, and I am genuinely glad I have now discovered them. A Walk Across the Rooftops has such a moody, atmospheric sound. It feels spacious and slightly melancholic, but never dull. The production is very eighties, yet in a restrained and elegant way rather than over the top. Tinseltown in the Rain is a brilliant track and easy to see why it became one of their best known songs. It has that sweeping, emotional feel that really pulls you in. Stay is another highlight for me. Subtle, heartfelt and beautifully arranged. I really enjoyed the album as a whole. It feels cohesive and carefully crafted, and it has definitely made me curious to dive deeper into their catalogue. Favourite song: Tinseltown in the Rain Least favourite song: None that stood out negatively Album artwork: A great cover. Very eighties, but stylish and perfectly matched to the music

Unexpectedly great!

Cool and synthetic but heartfelt. Love it

This is very much my vibe, classy weird 80s pop

First time hearing closely that type of music. Which is like, experimental 80s pop, soft new wave? Anyway, the combining soft instruments leaving all the place to the mediocre voice kinda ruins the whole thing and the lyrics arent that good. Still, some songs were pretty heartfelt and some short segments are actually 5/5 when the music and voice picks up. Was gonna give it a bad rating but the weirdness grew on me 4/5

A Jewel of the Nile for certain! It’s a short playing album, but I have listened in loop for four times now. Huge surprise! This is what I have hoped to find more of when I decided to start this journey.

I feel like I shouldn't like this as much as I did. The vocals really don't appeal to me, but there was something in the music that pleased me enough.

These songs certainly aren't hummable and the vocals have a Bryan Ferry quality that I don't love, but it was a nice, meditative listen.

I was starting to get turned off by the title track and opening of this album, but as it progressed I started to enjoy the vibe more and more.

Quite interesting, David Bowie vibes, not as ambient as I expected from the description but very enjoyable

This is definitely something that will take multiple listens to fully appreciate. On first listen there are some really great tunes, with a couple that fall flat. I really like the production and the ambient synth noises in the background. The synths and the vocals remind me a lot of Berlin/80's era David Bowie. On first listen I would give this a 3.5, but I can see this easily going to a solid 4 on further listens.

Really dug the production on this. It sounds kind of like a sound demo at times but honestly… kinda works for me. Singers voice isn’t anything special and the songwriting is bleh but, the production makes it a 3.5 leaning 4.

Sounds good - I never knew them!

Synths? Yes!

Four stars because I absolutely love the song “Heatwave.” Really enjoyed listening to this on a moody rainy city drive yesterday. A lot of the songs do sound like the same formula as Heatwave but not as strong.

Je décèle (à raison?) une influence de Peter Gabriel. Un album qui me séduit par son côté insaisissable. J'ai écouté une version double sur Apple Music, certaines reprises dans le 2e album m'ont tannée, mais à la première écoute j'étais plus réceptive.

Good one, and all new to me. Definitely needs more listens.

Admittedly, I usually am a bit nervous whenever I get an album where I’ve never even heard of the artist; I have no idea what the genre will be before I listen, much less if I will enjoy it or not. I was very pleasantly surprised by this; despite having had absolutely no idea what to expect, this album surprised me with how good it was. It’s interesting, experimental, and genuinely excellent. How have I never heard of this before?

A new discovery (for me). This is soft, melodious, yet expansive. So many influences stem from here. I will return.

Peter Gabriel vibes “Sophista-pop” GLESGA

great stuff, and some wonderful ambient adjacent pop, but its missing the amazing songs of there other album, Hats

So very 80s. Loved it.

Wow. What a beautiful album. This music never came close to my listening experience. I am pleased to learn of it now, and thank this web site for the exploration.

I thought I was listening to Peter Gabriel at times.... I don't know these guys. I like Peter Gabriel so them reminding me of him was a plus for them. Standouts: A Walk Across The Rooftops, Tinseltown in the Rain, From Rags to Riches, Easter Parade, Heatwave. I Love This Life (Bonus Material). 4/5

What is this bass? It's so good. Epitome of adult music. There is nothing childish at play here.

Never heard of this band before but it was a nice surprise!

Tinsel Town in the rain is a classic Great album, great vibes 4

Neato

Leaning more towards good than meh

I thought Hats was their big album - never even heard of this one. New Romantic sounding but also kid of a jazzy post rock. Of the time maybe production wise but very cool!

It's ultra 80s, it's ultra new wave but it also sounds very unique within that genre for some reason. A lot of new wave albums on this list use a variety of orchestral instruments and electronic sounds but I guess I hadn't ever heard them put together in this way. There are a couple dull spots like the last track and rags to riches but there are also quite a few bright spots like tinseltown in the rain. To be honest, I wasn't super engaged by this album overall but the production was so interesting I enjoyed it for that alone.

I've never heard of this band or album, but I really enjoyed it!

Not an ordinary record and sound - the sparse arrangements in some of the songs is quite Interesting and so is Paul Buchanan’s vocal style and phrasing - although it’s quite samey throughout the record and can border on the tiresome. But… it’s not a long record and it’s unique and the songs are pretty cool. Nice surprise.

Good. weird I think very very 80s.

This album owns, super chill and enjoyable.

I had no idea what to expect, but this has some pretty cool big 80s sounds. It manages to be both really mellow and also mixed in a way that gives all instruments their respective limelight. It's not afraid to be bass / keys / percussion heavy, which is something often missing in modern production. I feel like this could grow on me more and more (or maybe not :D), but I'm not mad. Not bad, not bad.

This went unexpectedly hard. It was like Talk Talk (last 2 albums) with some Seinfeld music influence. I'll be coming back to this one for sure

Sounds like Peter Gabriel on Valium. Pretty cool and interesting take!

Very nice art-pop offering with subtle arrangements and texture that gives a glimpse of a progressive electronic aspect. It's a true 3.5 to me, let's give it 4 as I'm glad for this new discovery.

3.8 Actually really like this album. It's very So era Peter Gabriel (just a bit more mid). I'm a fan of the grandiose songs and Tinseltown in the Rain was a big fave of mine a few years ago. Fave songs: A Walk Across The Rooftops, Tinseltown in the Rain, Stay

Scottish folk ambient from 1984 that sounds timeless and reminds me a bit of Peter Gabriel. Fave tracks Tinseltown In The Rain and From Rags To Riches

Yeah, really liked this - made me think of Talk Talk when they were starting to get experimental but hadn't gotten too far yet. Talk Talk's "The Colour of Spring" is in roughly the same ballpark, so I reckon this was an influence on them. Feels like it could have been an influence on the emergence of slowcore, too! Fave tracks - "Heatwave" for optimism, "Automobile Noise" for melancholy...

Reminded me of Talk Talk “Colors of Spring,” except this album came out two years earlier. Hats off to Blue Nile.

liked this a bit more than i've expected myself to do

I really like this. Hadn't previously heard.

listened to 1 song before the website freaked out on me and gave me the next album but honestly it was quite nice. This is the right way to do chill music. Also "A Walk Across The Rooftops" is a fantastic name.

Some great stuff, some boring stuff.

Yeah good, easy to listen to

I quite liked this.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this album. Real easy listening but still fun to listen to, and the singer has a great voice to, like a midway point between Bono, Sting, and Dave Matthews

super cool. some songs gave the same vibe as a slow Springsteen song

Really enjoyed it. Tinseltown in the rain is fantastic. The rest doesn't quite match up, but still a good listen

A Walk Across the Rooftops by The Blue Nile is a captivating and atmospheric album that defines the band's distinct sound. Released in 1984, it introduced the world to their unique blend of synth-pop and art rock influences. Tracks like "Tinseltown in the Rain" and "Stay" showcase the band's emotive songwriting and Paul Buchanan's haunting vocals. The album's production is rich and ethereal, creating a dreamlike atmosphere that draws listeners in. While it may not be as well-known as some of their later works, A Walk Across the Rooftops remains a mesmerizing and beautifully crafted album. It's a hidden gem that deserves recognition for its timeless and evocative sound.

Never heard of these guys before. Liked it, would listen again.

I've never heard of this band, and I was really pleasantly surprised by this album. It's immersive and moody, it's not too sonic-ally busy, it's unique, and it comes in at under 39 minutes. I could listen to this again and again.

I need to listen to this album at 11pm, not 9am. It has late night moody vibes all over it. Heatwaves is the standout track for me on first listen. 7/10

I've never heard of The Blue Nile, and all of the music from A Walk Across The Rooftops was new to me. I could hear the age of this album (early 80s) as I listened. The music reminded at times of Simple Minds, David Bowie, and even talking heads. There was some loneliness in the music that reminded me of some of the not so new-wavey, new wave - not so reliant on electronic, fabricated sounds. For a melancholic record, this album was a happy surprise. The music isn't particularly unique, and I'm not sure how to describe it, but there was something for me to listen to. I felt like I had listened to something with substance when I was done. To make sure, after finishing it the first time I turned around and listened to the album again.

Polished, intelligent and mature carefully crafted beautiful pop. Like a less avant-garde Talk Talk. Very slick and I can hear why these guys are adored by critics. Not sure I’m going to listen often enough for 4 stars, but it is very well executed. Ok then, 4.

A walk across the rooftops: what am I listening to?? Very David bowie but with a lot more silent spots everywhere Tinsletown in the rain: this one is better than the last song for me From rags to riches: even better. Like bubbly and poppy and plucking sounds, very fun little energy guy Stay: good vibes overall. Would be happy if it showed up on my shuffle at probably any point in time Easter parade: very peaceful, this album so far is very much what I was hoping to hear today so im very pleased. Heatwave: very good Automobile noise: again very good This is really good for me. Basically a much more peaceful and less chaotic David bowie sound. 4 stars. It could be 5, but im happy giving it a 4

Альбом понравился. Очень напоминало Piter Gabriel...

Quiet, gentle, fragile sophisti-pop from The Blue Nile's debut. Something grey and dreary captured here, quite beautifully rendered. Smart and will surely reward repeat listens.

Beautiful record with lots of pretty sounds and moods. A very nice vocal with introspective lyrics. But it’s somewhat of a moody record I need to have a specific feel to put on. 7,5 out of 10

Cinematic. Suiting a sunny Saturday afternoon very well. I know for a fact without looking that the band Guillemots absolutely love this record. Loving tracks 1,3,5,6 Spirit of Eden comes to mind, although that is undoubtedly a level above. The more formulaic 80s groovers that are also here are not bad, but far less interesting. This is absolutely the sort of album I'm doing this list for and found it very enjoyable. Might well check out one or two of the other Blue Nile records recommended.

Stellar debut. But there's a feeling that they are locating the Blue Nile special spot: not too eighties synth-pop (Stay); not too piano ballad (Easter Parade) - but a goldilocks zone of mournful, funereal rolling (Automobile Noise and the amazing Heatwave which emerges from this listen as the track from this album, setting the tone for the masterpiece that would follow). 4.4.

As I look into my baby's eyes, I see her sadness. She goes swimming 6 times a week and can barely perform a competent breaststroke. She's slightly overweight and can't see that it doesn't matter to me, in fact, I'm into chubby women, I like their big fat tits bouncing in front of me.

Enjoyable album. Relaxing with good instrumentation and vocals

I enjoyed this a lot more than expected. There are a lot of elements of that kind of 80s pop production that usually annoy me but everything worked together perfectly here, and the songs were really well written and developed

Thoughtful, considered, excellent musician

This has been on my radar for a while and I understand why. Very pretty music, almost Peter Gabriel-ish, and anything that reminds me of PG is worth a thumbs up in my eyes. B

A wonderfully crafted post-punk/new wave album.

This was good. The opening track is a bold choice. I like this more than I expected. But. Why are 2 of the first 10 albums Scottish Synth? Lol

Okay, little dark, but great 80’s tracks!

so different, pieces of unique music bound together with other pieces of unique music. Vocals are smooth and inviting. So unpredictable and interesting.

I will admit, I was not too hopeful when I read the Wiki description, which lists it as "Scottish sophisti-pop/ambient". Thankfully, labels aren't everything, and it resulted in a really interesting album. I will admit, I'm pretty biased as I typically love the 80's synth-y sound. I was still very surprised to find that this album held up throughout. It reminds me of a Psychedelic Furs/Thompson Twins vibe, without being a copycat. Loved the overall sound and I feel like his voice fits in perfectly. The only thing it's missing is a true standout 'hit', but there wasn't a bad song on the album imo. Nothing was added yet, but I will be re-listening and adding 2-3 for sure. 8/10

Higlight: From Rags To Riches

What an unexpected gem! I really liked this one and had not heard it before. It has a kind of Peter Gabriel vocals meets the music of Kate Bush’s 80s albums. I will be revisiting this one often.

The songwriting was missing a bit of something, more catchy choruses or dynamics, but album has a beautiful sound throughout and that’s what sold me!

Really interesting. Sounds like this is where LCD Soundsytem got their sound.

La performance du chanteur est totalement éclipsée par les lignes de basse ultra-charismatiques. Il n'y a pas de hasard, c'est moi-même qui en tiens le manche et fais étalage de ma technique, sous le regard agacé des différents membres.

3 to a 4 just for Stay.

This was a very interesting album. Kind of a mix of avant-garde and electronica. I wouldn't call it prog but I could hear shades of Bowie in his voice. Some of the songs sounded like just noise. But the more I listened, the more subtle patterns started to emerge. I really had to listen to it twice to really get a handle on what I was hearing. I think this one is an acquired taste where you have to be in the right mood to enjoy it. Scale: 5 - My absolute favorites. 4 - Albums I like. 3 - I enjoyed listening to it but wouldn't seek it out. 2 - Didn't like. 1 - Absolute shit.

Somewhat of a challenge on first listen, but overall a good album. definite 80's feel all through

Ett av listans bästa fynd! Stark 4

Very enjoyable listen. The vocals reminded me of Thom Yorke and David Bowie blended together. Great bass lines and a wide variety of tunes. Overall a pretty sweet album. I'm surprised such a low key album was produced at the height of the new romantic era. Well there you go. I actually just listened to this twice in a row.... Not many of the 1001 have this on the stats list!

Great album!

Very pleasant and relaxing. Not too interesting though, but maybe that's because I didn't pay enough attention.

Prima muziek, maar geen uitschieters.

I'm going to have to listen to this again and reassess if I really like it as much as I did the first go around, but it was really well made. Some songs sounded like what David Bowie would end up doing on his album '1. Outside' a decade later, which any comparison to Bowie is high praise

Really interesting. Like a Scottish 80s Elbow

Wow this is great, an 80s smash

Näiden Hats on upea levy ja niin on näemmä tämäkin. Tosi persoonallinen tunnelma näissä, sitä hyvää kasaria.

Olipa melankolisen kaunis ja musiikillisesti kiinnostava levy. Nautin! 4/5

Timeless sophistopop where so much of the magic is in the spaces. Tinseltown in the🏃‍♀️Rain: perhaps only Richard Hawley's Coles Corner gets close to the same fragile melancholy.

Définitivement à réessayer. Un son très brit et très 80s, mais en même temps très avant-gardiste et avec une personnalité propre.

J'ai vraiment aimé. J'ai beaucoup de vibe Peter Gabriel Solo et j'adore. 4.5

A cool and atmospheric blend of synths, funk and orchestral sounds. Didn’t keep my attention though and slide into the background after a few tracks.

Artful and elegant and evocative, has the feel of fully hand-crafted and intensely personal music. The combo of synths and strings is most impressive, really thoughtful textures with the observational lyrics and actorly delivery makes this feel quite a literary record – just a lovely summing up of what it means to be alive. “Automobile Noise” is a particular fave among uniformly strong tracks.

Very Peter Gabriel

Really gorgeous, sparse production and vocals. I can see why this was commissioned to showcase sound systems. I definitely dig it.

I wasn't sure what to expect from a genre called Sophisti-pop. But I actually really like it. I definitely hear the Peter Gabriel influences and at times I feel a bit of lyrical style similar to Leonard Cohen. At times it can be an overload of Synth tones, but it is a very musically progressive sound that I do enjoy when the overload isn't too much. I think it is one of my favorite synth basses I've heard recently. I was not expecting a song that said automobile noise over and over again but it was honestly kinda good. I think my favorite part of this list is getting to discover new genres and actually enjoy more of them than I would have expected.

Great post punk/new wave sound that I was totally unaware of.

Lots of ear candy here. Was glad to hear a proper synth album. Singers was a little mismatched for the style and these tunes are not as catchy as say Tears for Fears, Depeche Mode, pet shop boys. Favorite tracks: tinseltown in the rain, from rags to riches

popzinho das antiga

Before this, I hadn't heard of the Blue Nile. This album really surprised me and I gotta say it is one of those albums that really makes you feel an unnamable feeling. I looked it up and that's what "Sophisti-pop" is. Play this album on a rainy day and stare out the window while listening to this album, I dare you. Favorite song: Tinseltown in the Rain

Yeah this one was good i like it

le titre de l'album est particulièrement bien choisi

3.5

Jättebra! som ett snäppet mer modernt Talking Heads. Otroligt bra ljud! Älskar den här mixen! Rolig och engagerande!

It's like if Frank Sinatra fronted a synth/electronic band. This is a fair assessment and not necessarily a negative critique. It's disarming and quirky. Tinseltown in the Rain though, feels like a lost Peter Gabriel song, and I love it. Stay is another stand out song here. This album is better than it should be.

Un mini clàssic per descobrir. Barreja del new pop elegantot i classicista d'uns ABC, amb el synth pop més seriós i fins i tot tocs del pop arty de The The. Cançons com 'Stay' reivindiquen la seva rellevància i tot ell és una obra per continuar recuperant de tant en tant

A fun album, not what I usually listen to, but pleasant background music.

Was not familiar with this band, but I did recognise the single Tinseltown in the Rain. Pretty good, but did not capture me enough for a top tier rating.

Some lines are super sticky

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: A walk across the rooftops, Heatwave

A Walk Across the Rooftops really slowed my day down, as the members of Blue Nile strikes a good balance between sparse arrangements and raw vocals to great effect. The lyrics can be painful and bleak, but A Walk Across the Rooftops never loses steam. It's definitely an album I'll be returning to. Fav Tracks: "Automobile Noise", "A Walk Across The Rooftops" and "Tinseltown in the Rain"

Some arresting melodies and lyrical flourishes made this a fascinating listen and I expect it will grow in my estimation on future listens.

Enjoyed this and being introduced to a new genre: ambient soft rock.

Ok, dit kende ik niet en was geweldig!

Aangename verrassing, al kende ik al wel een paar nummers. Een van mijn all time favourites is Let's go out tonight, maar dat staat op een andere plaat. Later prachtig uitgevoerd door Craig Armstrong en de zanger van The Blue Nile. Gaat dat luisteren! Nu houd ik op met m'n loftuitingen.

This was a really relaxing listen, I enjoyed most of the songs and felt like I was listening to 80’s soft rock but it was unique enough to stand on its own. Very short and sweet

NICE 80´S

Like a more calm talking heads. Did not like the beginning of track one and I dreaded the rest. But then I got hooked! Very enjoyable, and I’ll definitely be revisiting.

surprisingly loved this album. i'm not huge on synth music, but it had a few banger tracks on it, and it was a cool listen to, very chill.

it wasn't mediocre, but it wasn't my favorite. i'd never heard of them, and was apprehensive - but ultimately, i enjoyed this one.

This is wild. Bridging the gap between 70s Fripp, and 80s Talking Heads off-beat mellow weirdness. Really good, but best for a rainy work day morning.

Absolutely amazing

Pop dream fun

This was something really unique, I'm not sure how to classify the genre on it. Totally new to me and a welcome find.

Love the atmosphere here. Very unique and detailed sound. Headphone ride.

fine

Absolutely just ok.

So… somehow I came across this a few years ago. Spotify sent me down a Scottish rabbit hole because I was having a Frightened Rabbit fest. Btw are FR on the list? No. They’re on the user list. The Midnight Organ Fight. Good addition. That’d be my choice. Anyway, I actually ended up listening to this album. I enjoyed it and left it behind. Listening to it again that’s my feeling - again. It’s good - but why is it here? In perusing others reviews I realize we all have our own criteria for rating and agreeing/ disagreeing with the inclusion of some album on some list of important-albums-to-hear as a music lover/connoisseur. I personally appreciate albums that aren’t necessarily obvious. But they should demonstrate something remarkable in their production, their writing, their music, or their future influence. Slint’s Spiderland isn’t for everyone. But its cult status and influence are undeniable. By this standard, I would argue for more Elliott Smith, less Adele on the list. Adele’s 25 doesn’t do anything new that wasn’t already done on 21. 21 is enough. Elliott on the other hand, whether you like him or not, is an extraordinary song writer with a matching influence. I would argue that much is to be gained from following his progression from Heatmiser through his own career, from a song writing tutorial standpoint, personal enjoyment aside. Which brings me back here. On another day, I might give this a 4 from a personal perspective. But months into this project and I can’t say it deserves better than a 3 in this rating system. And it certainly does not belong on the list. 3 Boolean: FALSE

Never heard of these guys before, which is for some reason, a bit surprising. Too absent-minded this morning to properly soak it in, so I'll try to give it another spin at work this morning. Quite enjoyable 80s stuff, really not bad at all so probably easy 3 stars, but at the same time this is not super my cup of tea so I am afraid no more than 3! I could see myself listening to this though why not.

Es klingt wie ein nächtlicher Blick über eine leere Stadt: kühl, elegant, distanziert. Die Blue Nile bauen eine Atmosphäre, die beeindruckt, aber manchmal auch zu sehr im Nebel bleibt. Stark in Stimmung, schwächer in Dynamik.

This one's alright. We have another 80s British sophisti-pop album on our hands for today. This isn't the worst of the bunch, but it's certainly not the best either. I did like it though. The production is a little dated, but there are some elements that I really liked to it, namely the bass on the first few songs. The vocals are solid. I don't have any issues with them. The writing is good, I will say that. "Tinseltown in the Rain" is a pretty good song. I might be crazy for saying this, but the instrumental for "Stay" kinda reminds me of Kraftwerk at times. I like it. I don't really have a ton to say about this album, but none of what I have to say is particularly negative, so I guess I'd call the album good. Apparently this album's followup, Hats, is better than this album, so maybe they should've chosen that one over this. I wouldn't know though. I've never heard it. For now, I feel okay about the Blue Nile. Solid 3/5.

*1984. *This was a very pleasant surprise - U2, Peter Gabriel vibe, with a touch of Talk Heads occasionally. *A little two synthy and 80s to score more than a 3 of 5 though. *These are long songs (5-6 mins each), but it works as an album. RATING - 7/10

An okay album, I liked From Rags to Riches the most.

Quirky but not brilliant

It was ok, but for the time it was not as good as other bands who nailed this sound. They feel more like an 80's cover band that decided to write their own music.

I feel like there’s a lot of potential here, but many of the songs drag on and I tend to lose interest in them. 3/5

Bom álbum, parece ter sido influente nos primórdios do rock.

Definitely enjoyed how weird this got at some point. There is certainly more to this than the 80s sheen that coats most of these tracks; I can hear real artistry in this one. Favorites: Tinseltown In The Rain, From Rags To Riches, Stay

I don't think I've heard any of these songs. While the 80's production and synth everything grate my nerves, I have to admit I really enjoyed the mood of this record. In fact, I hear a lot of Kaputt era Destroyer in this, and that's essentially what I'm looking for from this type of record. Keep the songwriting, keep the sad disco vibes, but use more live instruments and less gated reverb. So this comes very close to a record I can fully embrace, but rather I see and appreciate what they're going for, and I'm glad others could build off it.

Hmm, never heard of this band despite being quite familiar with 80s UK acts. Let me look them up... "The Blue Nile's highest chart placement came when "Tinseltown in the Rain" reached No. 28 in the Netherlands in 1984,". Right. So... Notable? Not sure about that. Pleasant enough.

I hadn't heard of The Blue Nile before, and they sound like a new wave band that isn't quite as over-the-top as the genre's best-known acts. There isn't much to say about *A Walk Across The Rooftops* - I like the distinctive bass sound on the title track, and the other songs are generally okay. Solid.

Really cool but the production ruins it a bit

Enjoyed this one much more than expected. Good stuff.

mildly interesting

I'm not into new wave, but this record left me with something smooth, sweet, and lovely.

Solid

It was ok. Wouldn’t have ever listened it otherwise and glad I have.

Influence of both David Bowie and Talking Heads is obvious. I love both so it makes sense that I enjoyed this too though I’d struggle to recall any of the songs as particular stand outs as soon as it ended….

This album sits in the very strange middle space between great music and ambient soundscapes. I found myself working too hard to appreciate the lyrics and gave up. So, more ambient soundscape in the long run.

Empezó muyy bien, me venía re gustando, pero no me acuerdo en qué canción cambió y se puso re denso y aburrido, igualmente siguió estando bien. Son álbumes que gustan, pero no me van a cambiar la vida.

Me da una vibra parecida a Depeche Mode pero no tan electronico y con menos levante que Depeche. No me atrapo mucho en realidad, la voz del cantante no me llamo la atencion, el sonido y el ambiente no me hacen meterme en la cancion, le falta fuerza para usar tantos sonidos que deberian de captar la atencion. Sin dudas es una banda importante del genero New Wave o Pop pero no me gusta tanto como otros exponentes, hay algo que es constante en las canciones que es el ritmo de la misma no tiene grandes variaciones, es como un set en loop y eso me parece dificil de llevar a cabo en una cancion escrita. Top Picks: 1 - Stay (Por lejos la mejor) 2 - Tinseltown in the Rain (Es lo que refleja el album. tristeza y un ambiente desolado con ruidos) 3 - I Love this Life (La cancion mas movida, me gusto mucha, tipica cancion de Radio para escuchar como Old Hit, me suena mucho a una cancion de Keane que se llama Perfect Symetry

5/10

Meh. This was fine but nothing jumped out at me.

Fine I suppose!

High on fidelity, low on tunes.

Some decent new wave/pop stuff, pretty forgettable but it's a nice listen

Pretty boring. Nothing bad but nothing good either. Fine background music.

New to me, a sort of 80s baroque synth pop oddity, and another left field act from Scotland. I enjoyed some of it, and hated none of it. Worth a spin

Interesting, enjoyed it most of the time! Sad boy music. But gets kinda repetitive in melody

An enjoyable listen that's most interesting feature is similarities with Bowie

80s pop music is the best pop music. Rode the line of familiar and catchy but different enough to be unique and interesting, close to a 4 for me but not quite

3.5 Tinseltown in the rain is the standout. Sound quality/engineering/producing is pretty darn good.

Scottish band I would listen to this again but I felt that it was really hard to get into this album. Felt it was forgettable

Being Scottish, I’ve long known the legend of The Blue Nile and their reputation for appearing on the same mysterious schedule as cicadas. I finally gave "A Walk Across The Rooftops" a listen, and yeah, it's definitely an 80s record, kinda on the edge of its own problems. It leans into that sophisti-pop thing, or even fancy smooth jazz, which can come off as a bit much or just old. There's this feel to it, all polished and held back, which some will think is boring, others will see as cool, atmospheric minimalism. Even with those occasional slow songs, the production really gets to you. The bass on the title track and the rainy feel of "Tinseltown In The Rain" make this a unique, late-night city vibe (honestly, I'm 99% sure this inspired Deacon Blue's "Raintown" album), and "Heatwave" is the highlight of the whole album. It's one of those albums that people either hate or love, but it does capture a certain 80s feeling. Not every song is a winner, but Paul Buchanan's vocals make it worth checking out.

Pretty cool new wave sound, didn’t hate this. Glad it ended before I got tired of it.

Folky, but not my favourite cup a tea

Much preferred this when it was ambient, the cheesy 80s production does it no favours

(2.75)

Very good album! "Stay" was one of my favourites.

This was kind of an unexpected solid album if I’m looking at the reviews. Seems like the idea of it pissed some people off but I didn’t hate it personally.

Enjoyable, but utterly forgettable music

Ah, yes. Immaculate 80s vibes that sound like something straight out of the Goldbergs. What's not to love? I'm being only slightly sarcastic by the way.

Nile

I liked this weird little album. Some parts were a bit draggy but others sounded great. 3.5

pretentious and a little much sometimes but overall enjoyed it and would revisit 3 stars

At times I really enjoyed this album but I just felt each song was really repetitive. Later songs were less enjoyable. Overall if there was a 1/2 star I'd give it 3.5

First listened to this a few years ago having heard only good things about. The vocals are great but registering to it again I did feel that after the first two tracks (A Walk Across The Rooftops and Tinseltown in the Rain) are a tough challenge for the rest of the album to live up to. A lot of comments favouring this album are from people for whom it evokes nostalgic memories, I have no such connections to this music as I first listened to it almost forty years after it came out. I actually probably enjoyed the OMD album for it's slow burning power more than this, this is more brilliant but in some ways today it just didn't grab me as I thought it might. A strong 3

Buen disco, como para pasar el rato.

I would like this a lot more if they had fun on even one track. I'm not saying they need a dancy pop hit or anything, it's just hard to take the oppressive melancholy of the album seriously when there's no respite from it. You need a couple highs to appreciate the lows I guess? Since they've clearly listened to a lot of Peter Gabriel, I'll just say they need a Sledgehammer.

Not sure why this is considered sophistipop. I think of music much smoother than this. It does have the 80s pop feel though. I can hear some influence of some of the slower songs of Gabriel's fourth album two years earlier. Not sure if I totally get into this on first listen, but I found it interesting at least (6.8) ★★★

I'm not normally a sophistipop guy, but this is a good bit cooler than stuff like Scritti Politti and the Style Council. Paul Buchanan has an interesting David Byrne-esque vocal delivery that makes the whole thing sound like the Talking Heads decided to make Roxy Music's *Avalon*. There's a couple songs I don't love, which hurts a 7 track album, but "Stay" and "Heatwave" are cool. 3.5 stars.

It's fine, solid

Kind of meh. I guess this is what it sounds like to my partner when I listen to Joni Mitchell.

I like a few Blue Nile songs, mostly from the follow-up Hats, but it’s just never a world I want to spend that much time in. But, I admire what they were able to accomplish - it’s such a thoroughly deliberate sound - and find their embrace by later generations charming, even winsome.

Buen sonido

Not bad

I get the feeling that these guys are the only 80’s band that didn’t at least try doing coke before hitting record. The songs themselves weren’t bad, but they were all monotonous and some were simply too long.

The bass tone is sweet and the bassist is doing some pretty interesting things. Overall an easy listen. Not sure I'll remember much of it, but it's not too bad.

A bit different indie music. Not sure how to describe it. I didn't connect to it, but it wasn't bad

A walk across the rooftops - 3 Tinseltown in the rain - 4 From rags to riches - 3 Stay - 4 Easter parade - 3 Heatwave - 3 Automobile noise - 3

2.6 2x

It was advertised as sparse, and that’s exactly what it was. The vocals were really good, but the artistic direction taken on this album wasn’t really for me.

Reminds me of David Byrne and Prefab Sprout, never heard of them

I enjoyed the album, remembering it was of a time when pretentious lyrics were omnipresent.

I liked it. I dont listen to much 80s music but this was not bad to listen to.

Talented Scottish outfit championed by Peter Gabriel. The album is, solid front to back but nothing worth being in the 1001 🤷‍♂️

It was enjoyable but not an album that will stick with me for very long.

Surprised how much I enjoyed this, much more complex than I expected.

3.5

Un álbum donde las dos primeras canciones son muy buenas, lo cual hace que te agarre una gran decepción cuando escuchás los tres siguientes temas luego de venir pasándola bien, para que termine siendo salvado por las últimas dos. Mediocre. ↑: A Walk Across the Rooftops, Tinseltown in the Rain, Heatwave ↓: From Rags to Riches, Easter Parade

Not bad, of it's time...Surprised it didn't do better

This snuck up to a 3 based solely on the bass player

I had previously listened to 'The Hat', maybe it's called. I think I might like this band. I hear Talk Talk very strongly in this particular release, with a whole bunch of other musical flavors thrown in.

Some strange artsy '80s stuff like if a new wave band had an identity crisis-slash-artistic calling and then made a collaboration with Brian Eno It feels engaging and it offers some pretty and unique musical experiences, but it also leaves me feeling like I want more out of it, maybe some more diversity and experimentation... until the procedure successfully turns it into Another Green World II Much worth a listen, though

5.5/10

At times is interesting, at times boring

Not a standout

What U2 wants to sound like.

No está nada mal, alguna que otra canción me ha gustado bastante y es todo bastante impredecible. No hay nada que no me haya convencido, puede ser un disco que en determinado momento pueda volver a escuchar

I suspected by the cover art and the song names that this was gonna be some lost 80s experimental pop. The drums don't sound tooooo 80s, but then that slap bass comes in (dead giveaway). To my surprise this depressed singer has actually caught my ear a few times! This record has grown on me, there's some catchy hooks and cool bleeps and bloops in here. Wouldn't say no to a re-listen.

‘A Walk Across the Rooftops’ is very spare. Every note, vocal, and lyric is considered and deliberate. Heavy, dripping with atmosphere, longing, and melancholy, with an intimate, cinematic quality. It’s still worth listening to, even if it’s an album I’ve always admired rather than truly adored.

Particular, tiene un par de hits muy interesantes, creo que me quedo con uno que se llamaba Heatwave No creció tanto en mi, pero si sé que tiene mucha relevancia específicamente en el sonido del Reino Unido

This sure doesn't sound like something from the early 80s. The craftsmanship on the bass and the rest of the studio engineering are pristine - certainly worth listening on good headphones. The writing is a little bit free-form prog, with the meandering of earnest adolescent romance. Again, I can't believe how anachronous the production sounds, like an ambient folk time traveler from an unidentified decade dropped off a copy of this CD and it got re-pre-released decades ago.

Jazz

One of those quintessentially 80s albums that seems to have a sort of quietly mythical status — the kind people speak about in hushed tones, like it’s some lost holy text of synth‑laden melancholy. And fair play, I can see why it’s revered. It’s all atmosphere: neon lights reflected in rainy pavements, lonely bus rides, that sort of thing. But for me? It didn’t quite land. There’s a certain elegance to it, sure, but it’s the kind of elegance you admire from a distance rather than properly feel. I know Steve Hogarth bangs on about The Blue Nile in his Invisible Man diaries, and you can definitely hear little shades of his vocal phrasing in there — that tender, airy croon drifting over big emotional spaces. Beyond that, though… I don’t really have a strong opinion. It never offended me, never wowed me. It just sort of… happened.

Good

You are the sunshine of my life 3/5

An oddly soothing, yet downbeat album, mainly helped along by how the backing instrumentals and sound effects are produced. It almost makes me nostalgic for a decade I never got to experience. Kind of wears on you the further along it runs, however.

Not bad, I really like the bass. The lyrics are good. I enjoyed a few of these songs. Probably wouldn't ever seek it out but not bad.

This is like if Dave Mathews got a little more experimental. It was an interesting journey, albeit one I'll only take once

Quite forgettable, not really a standout. Not horrible to listen to either. 3/5

Solidly smooth at its highs (often weird, which I enjoy), but its lows are forgettable.

I see why it is on the list but not something I’d listen to much again

I don't think that this album could be more 80s if it tried

interestinggggggggg, the instrumentals were nice. chill vibes overall. I liked heatwave best, or maybe it's just the one I took notice of while I worked?

Ну снова таки ничего особого 5/10

I had never heard this record. Pure 80s sound. I dig it but I’m not sure I can go full 4

Its not for me, but it was ok. This reminded me a little of Simply Red

Just not my type of music personally

Some I liked, some I didn’t

Funky. Gave me disco doors vibes

I think my problem with this album is that there is always *something* happening in the instrumentals, but I'm focused on other parts, that are mostly looped But is it really my bad? How much work is the artist supposed to do for you, so that you don't have to put any effort into consuming the art? I think - all of it. Artist effort 100%/0% listener effort. They're getting paid for this, they spend their entire lifes doing this, so it should be their job to handhold me through the consumption process. Unless, of course, the unraveling of the overcomplicated art piece is the point of that art piece, but I don't think it's the case here So, at the end of the day is it the albums that I'm rating, or my own abilities as a listener? I don't know. I can only tell that one answer is very convenient for the artist, and the other is very convenient for me. It would be safer to rate everything higher, then... I swear this is not the reason why I rated it a 3, I just liked Automobile Noise

I am doing a rare gesture of appreciation for how NOT shit this was and I will be giving it a 3 despite me not liking a single moment of it. No matter how bad it gets, it can't be worse than Nick Cave

Good sounds

A nice album. I like the singers voice and the tone, but I wasn't all in on it.

Moody and stylized, the record leans heavily on atmosphere, sometimes at the expense of immediacy. The arrangements are distinctive and cinematic, though not every track leaves a strong imprint. It’s an interesting listen that rewards patience more than instant engagement.

this is fine, I guess. I don't really see myself coming back to it tho. It's just generic 80s music, it's fine. The only thing I'd known of these guys before is the Taylor Swift lyric "drowning in The Blue Nile, he sent me Downtown Lights" on "Guilty As Sin" (great taylor swift song), but the one she's referencing is not even on this one.

This was a weird one for me. At the beginning, it was a 1. After a couple more songs it was 4. I think 3 is fair.

Dull. Nothing special.

Listened to this twice and couldnt figure out what exactly I liked or hated about it. Interesting sound.

Chill 80s new wave.

Chill, cool

Was not familiar with the group… found some catchy tunes… 2.5.

I enjoyed this while it was on, but it wasn’t super memorable. “Languid” was a word used in someone else’s review. “Tuneless” is another. The first is a positive, the second less so. 5/10 Decent

This wasn't so bad as some of the reviews made it out to be

I like this album, a very strange mix of Roddy Frame meeting Rod Stewart with Edwyn on the production decks. “Stay” is a great song - 3 stars.

Well, I’d never heard of this band, and played it on a long car journey- 1st track a bit of nothing, but after that I quite enjoyed it!

A pretty decent listen, I liked listening to this one but not much to say really some cool beats here and there, a standout song would be ‘Stay'. It didn’t feel like it was anything super special though so just a 3 simple stars from me.

It was OK.

I too wish I was David Byrne.

Just ok

This album was middle of the road at best. I didn’t totally dislike it, but more like background music, at least it was short.

Pro: short album Con: turned into nothing

This was cool enough I guess. The dude's voice was pretty solid. Everything else was either mildly interesting or incredibly boring. The lyrics really just feel like throwaways. I think if I had listened to this on a rainy day it might have gotten a 4. I did not thought.

LOVED A Walk Across the Rooftops and Tinseltown in the Rain. Going to have to listen to more of their music!

eu precisava escutar esse antes de morrer? acredito que não não é ruim, de forma alguma mas é completamente foda-se

bem melhor que o de ontem eh esquecível também, mas pelo menos eu me diverti!!

I’d never heard of The Blue Nile in my life until this album came up. I didn’t hold out much hope for it initially, but I enjoyed it. Unassuming, pleasant 80’s pop. I didn’t find it tacky or overbearing, and it remained creative, original and interesting for the duration.

Cool enough to rise above average. 3.5

demasiado experimental para mí, pero están muy interesantes las elecciones instrumentales y la organización

A little bit durgy but had some nice moments overall. Wouldn’t listen again but added ‘Heatwave’ to my best of albums playlist!

Did not like this, but not bad enough for a 2

Album 1029 of 1089 A Walk Across The Rooftops - The Blue Nile (1984) Rating : 3 / 5 Going into this one, I wasn’t really sure what to expect — and when it ended, I found myself thinking, yeah… I think I actually enjoyed that. I put the headphones on, pressed play, and the album just sort of unfolded and carried itself all the way through. Nothing jumped out as a standout track, but just as importantly, there wasn’t a single moment where I thought, I don’t like this. That says something. The overall mood is calm, restrained, and quietly confident. It’s one of those albums that doesn’t demand attention but rewards you for giving it some. The sound is consistent from start to finish, which can sometimes work against an album, but here it feels intentional - more about atmosphere than hooks. I wouldn’t call it memorable in a “this song is stuck in my head” way, but it’s absolutely listenable and pleasant. Sometimes that’s enough. A solid, middle-of-the-road album that does exactly what it sets out to do.

It was intriguing and i get why it was on the list, but it's just missing that final piece of the puzzle (better lyrics)

Pretty lame

Really enjoyed the instrumentation here. Fun, easy listening album.

Not bad.

I dig the string and synth sound and boy this album has loads

This was fine, but not particularly standout. Made for a good atmosphere on a rainy walk

This was a classic 80s British Synthpop album. It’s interesting to hear it because Paul Buchanan vocally sounds like Brandon Perry of Dead Can Dance. His voice is very smooth and yet emotes differently throughout the entire album, from melodic to yearning. The bass work on a Walk Across the Rooftops was really cool: slab on a fretless. But I think my favorite track was Stay, which easily could’ve been on one of Bowie‘s mid-80s album like Never Let Me Down. In the synth chronology I would like to see where this album lay. I’m not familiar with Blue Nile, but I’m hoping to be coming back here soon.

Some good parts, some out there parts and in-between parts

Somewhere between a 2.5 and a 3. Some of it was okay but generally meh.

While they're a pretty obscure Scottish band from the 1980s, The Blue Nile certainly showed on debut record 'A Walk Across the Rooftops' that they had enough pop sensibility to give the charts a bit of a run during their heyday. Sounding equal parts Peter Gabriel and U2 (minus guitars), 'A Walk Across the Rooftops' is a spacious, atmospheric record that incorporates synthesizers, programmed percussion, occasional guitar and the passionate vocals of Paul Buchanan to achieve a sound that, while happy to provide hooks from time to time, is not afraid to get cinematic and experimental in its scope. The Gabriel influence here is incredibly noteworthy, and it's quite fitting that Buchanan would eventually collaborate with Gabriel on one of his later records (OVO). There's that same penchant for unconventional, nuanced pop that both acts share, although The Blue Nile were perhaps a little less envelope-pushing than Gabriel. 'Tinseltown in the Rain', an ode to their native Glasgow, is certainly the highlight of this record, but I also don't mind the dense jaunt of 'Stay'. The album can come across as a bit uneven at times, and the slower songs, such as the title track and 'Easter Parade', can be a bit of a chore despite their serenity. But overall, 'A Walk Across the Rooftops' is a decent find, and a great showcase of effective synth usage. Best songs: Tinseltown in the Rain, Stay

Enjoyed. Kept sounding like a subdued Sting. 3.7

Decent, sort of soft rock

They're a Scottish sort of indie band, so my predisposition is favourable. But honestly, quite a lot of it just drifted by without really grabbing me at all. I felt like maybe I knew Tinseltown in the Rain, which is quite a standout track, but I couldn't possibly have said from where. Anyway, it's a little experimental, it's not unpleasant, but I think I'd claim never to have heard it before if you asked me in two days time.

A nice find. Had never heard of them. No impact in the US. Stay and Heatwave were the best tracks.

Heatwave. 3/5

Lotta vaguely talking heads ish acts I didn't know about. These ones are a little less grating than ol Pere Ubu, but similar vibes all around.

6.9

the vibe was right for a drive home Would I listen again? Yes Deserves to be on this list? Maybe 3.4

5.0/10 Didn’t dislike it as much as some others..

80's new wave artistry. Never heard of these guys. It's not bad but doesn't especially grab me. It's probably worth a few more listens and it's musically interesting enough that it could grow on me.

This wasn’t terrible, I felt like it had Sting vibes, but it was kind of a depressing 38 minutes.

Cool

Fine to listen, nothing really to remember here

I like the vibe but it does become a bit samey by the end, lost a bit if interest. 2.5

Very far from generic pop, which is a good thing obviously, but also not that exciting, in my opinion. This album felt way too minimal at places. Also, I got tired of these endless love songs overfilling half of all genres years ago. It had some interesting ideas, but the stuff between them I felt was kind of lacking. Way too soft and calm for my taste, but, like… it’s fine. Wouldn’t say it’s boring or I disliked or anything.

Lots of musicality here, and it barely holds the rails for me. Can't argue with the artistic skills, just a little more dissonance than I normally search out. Stay is the one track on here that has a "traditional" arrangement, and it's a pretty damn good track at that.

First listen: It reminds me a bit of The Talking Heads with a more melancholy performance voice, weary and faltering. It has a good sound but nothing that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I feel like I listened to this release waiting for the "good track" that would shift my perspective of this being a good release to something great and never found it.

Os momentos intimistas são os mais bonitos e as faixas com inclinação pop são mais fracas, o que torna o disco inconsistente. Vale a audição, mas não colocaria como um disco essencial ou extremamente relevante.

Bueno

It's a very atmospheric album, and the instrumentation and the lyrics are quite nice. This isn't my usual type of music, though. And while I enjoy it fine enough, I don't see myself coming back to it much. It feels like a very somber album that would be good for low moments.