A Walk Across The Rooftops

Really interesting instrumentals let down by boring songwriting and lacklustre scotch morrisey vocals

Lovely, definitely feels like a grower. A night time album.

Sounds very typical of the 80’s. It sounded like they were trying to imitate another band. A little too mellow for my taste.

This is not for me. It sounds like a failed attempt at doing an artsy rip off of a Bowie album. Really bad.

Pleasant, not offensive, somewhat interesting but kinda like 80s elevator music. Elevated synch-pop is about right. Into some songs (looking at you "Automobile Noise") while others were kinda just annoying ("Heatwave")

This is interesting. I never even heard of this band. It’s like a cool minimalistic chamber pop. Minimalistic arrangements (kinda reminds me of Talk Talk The Colour of Spring, but much earlier), interesting vocalists that’s somehow both sting and Robert smith and his own thing. Music is somber and dark and dramatic. Not my favorite thing in the world but interesting listen. Three stars.

A Walk Across the Rooftops is a quiet stunner—an album that doesn't shout for your attention but slowly pulls you into its late-night, rain-soaked world. With just seven tracks, it crafts an atmosphere of reflective melancholy and urban romance, built on sparse electronics, delicate arrangements, and Paul Buchanan’s warm, aching vocals. Songs like Tinseltown in the Rain and the title track feel cinematic without being grandiose, intimate without ever sounding small. The production is beautifully restrained, each element given space to breathe, and that patience pays off in mood and emotional depth. It's not an album packed with hooks or flash, but it lingers long after it's over. Understated, elegant, and quietly haunting—A Walk Across the Rooftops is a glowing example of how less can truly be more.

Different. They sound like a downshifted Duran Duran, in tone and mood. Nothing jumped out at me as notable, but it's not an album I hate.

Listened to this last week couldn't remember it much. Not usually a good sign. Now 2nd listen it's OK but still unremarkable. Round up to 3

Nice to listen to, but it didn’t make an impression on me.

Fav - Tinseltown in the rain, from rags to riches

Not a fan of dissonence, but I can conceptually get how this is innovative

I enjoyed this album very much, I’m a big fan of new wave and post punk and this album embodies every aspect of new wave that I enjoy, it’s melodic, the synths are cold, overall its a beautifully crafted album.

If you told me this was a David Byrne side project, I’d believe you.

Solid album, not particularly to my tastes. 6/10

Atmospheric electronic approach resulting out of limited musical ability.

Tinseltown in the rain is a bop

Wow I really fell in love with the first two songs immediately. I love how weird and challenging they are. The production choices are bizarre but have a sense of profound creativity. Honestly after those two songs the album fell off hard. None of the other songs stood out the same way, and none of them felt like they were trying to achieve that same vibe or that same creative vision. I honestly think this could’ve been an easy 5 if they had just gotten wilder and crazier and more experimental as the album went on, but either way I felt the first two songs carried the whole album. Ultimately a full day later, those two songs are the only ones I remember which I think says a lot.

I don't know about this album. 2 stars.

Kinda sounds like David Byrne if you ordered David Byrne off Temu

Not my style

some interesting sonic textures that i really liked here. it's a really nice sounding album. i really appreciated the production here. super clean. that being said, a lot of the songs are, quite frankly, kind of boring. it's not unbearable, but not something i would really come back for. which is a shame, because i did really like the production.

Great album. Nice sound.

This was not unpleasant but pretty dreary and boring. Not really sure why this made the list.

I've listened to this twice, and I have no idea what I think of it, other than... I quite liked it? It's a very 80s "we're serious musicians" sound, though.

Peak 80s, which isn’t my favorite genre, but definitely listenable for me. Ultimately enjoyable but I don’t think I would revisit it out of love over and over. I might give Hats a try from curiosity more than anything, I see this as an influence in some of the nostalgic pop rock as the 00s. Reminded me very much of the Killers and even the Postal Service. The bass line in A Walk Across Rooftops rocked, and the lead singer has a great voice. I find the synths discordant thing of the 80s generally to be kind of cheesy but this is a moment

If the snare drum wanst deafening it might be ok, but it was too hard to listen to

Where has this album been in my life? I loved it. In fact, I think once I've become familiar with the tracks, it will rise to a 5-star album. Lovely to be introduced!

Meh. This one was pretty meaningless to me. I have no intention of listening to The Blue Nile again.

I do love this album it was such a shock when it first came out. It felt timeless when I first heard it yet it does not completely reject sonic elements of the 80’s. The pacing of the songs and the way they tumble forward bordering on messy but they never fall apart. The odd main beat sounds and scattered noises along with a Sinatraesque phrasing it’s all so refreshing yet familiar.

Sonically very much of its time. I like the wobbly synths, the vague, dreamy vocals but not that Seinfeld-esque slap bass . At all. I would like to adore this record in the way that many of my friends do, but the moment that the slap bass comes in, I am turned off.

Started out really good, but towards the end I got a little bit bored..

Maybe I have no idea. I have the faint feeling that this is supposed to be great art and that unique snowflakes are floating around. In short, I don't understand the music. Strange vocals that don't match the rhythm of the instruments. Atonality. Overall, my impression when listening to this album fluctuates between boredom and being annoyed. 1/5

What I love about this project is discovering bands I had never come across before. I really enjoyed this album. It was moody, experimental and beautifully varied. Will definitely listen to their second album

Mid. Took a long time to gain popularity because it doesn't stand out. Bass fucks tho

The instrumentals were nice but didn't like the singing.

Nix für mich

hazy ambient pop music, an underrated gem in the synthpop world. many tracks feel like you're alone in the middle of the night, wondering where the fog will take you. blending subtle orchestral sounds with minimalist pop music production, this album is beautifully... mysterious. it's the kind of album that makes you lost in thought... try not to bump into any nearby buildings while you circle in the street.

underwhelming. pünkt gits für experimentierfreudigkeit, aber ich erkenne weder es konzept (ussert repetition), no isch d singstimm schön. d grüsch wo de bass macht erinnered mich teilwiis a verdauigsgrüüsch. easter parade isch aber sehr schön, experimentell und nöd zu tonal, aber ruhig und nachdenklich. allerdings mues ich amerke, dass de sänger sowohl d vokäl als au d konsonante schleikt und ungnau singt und s gfallt mer gar nöd. di ruhige songs (ungefähr ab easter parade) gfalled mir generell besser, will det isch s repetitive und experimentelle eifach so öppis wie meditativ und bide songs wo schneller sind oder meh passiert ischs i mine ohre eifach all over the place.

It's ok, just a little mellow for my liking

This was ok. A little ethereal for my tastes. It was giving 80s

Boring as shit.

good

Liked the last song best and somehow it's the least played on Spotify

Love you too.

Talks about being in love a lot. Quite like Rags to Riches This grew on me 3 or 4 I think

Not good at all absolute crappy 80s movie love scene background music. Cheesy and simply not enjoably for me at all. Songs too long

Tried listening to this during my morning routine. Felt like my coffee was judging me. It’s clean, slow, and borderline sterile. There’s a tiny little smidge of beauty in the minimalism, but it’s buried deep under layers of melancholy. I kept waiting for something to happen and it just… didn’t. Very few albums actively feel like they’re trying not to be catchy. Maybe someone finds this haunting. I just found it feels like getting ghosted by a jazz band. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions: - Tinseltown In The Rain

Nice enough, but didn't really grab me. A pleasant listen though.

2.5 too slow for work

Voice is a bit Bowie-esque

moody and synth heavy

The wrong album choice for this list - it's not as good as Hats.

Magnificent, stunning, the definition of a hidden gem. I had not heard of The Blue Nile before going through the book and they have since become a favorite of mine, too bad their output is so scant at only 4 albums. This one and their follow-up Hats (1989) are their best, with their city night atmosphere, impeccably written songs, and Paul Buchanan's tremendous vocals. There aren't many singers capable of tugging on my heartstrings quite like Buchanan does, and it's always a joy to hear him whenever he pops up on other artists projects, be them with Peter Gabriel, Craig Armstrong, or Jessie Ware. Key tracks: A Walk Across the Rooftops Tinseltown in the Rain Stay Heatwave Automobile Noise

I'm trying, but this sounds like so much 80s Brit (I know they're Scottish) pop that never broke out of its core group to the wider world, and definitely not to posterity. That's fine. I have favorite bands like that. Why is this one on this list, though? I could barely remember anything to write after the album was over because my mind was already reset by anything else I heard that was more interesting. Okay, that sounded mean, but I think you get it. It's not bad, but it doesn't rise to the level of mortal recommendations.

This is #day219 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... anytime I see an 80s album getting a little more than a 2 out of 5, I get excited because chances are this could be fun. And I wasn’t wrong. Although I’d never heard of The Blue Nile, the music feels familiar. A Walk Across The Rooftops turned out to be what I love about 80s: the edgy side of new wave, in the vein of Associates, Japan, Japan’s spin-off Rain Tree Crow, David Sylvian, Talk Talk (circa The Colour of Spring and beyond), Mark Hollis, Duran Duran’s spin-off Arcadia, and others. That’s the kind of music I find peculiar. Of course, I'm giving this album a 5 out of 5. That bassline on the title track, though! Great find. Looking forward to #day220.

"A Walk Across The Rooftops" by The Blue Nile is an album that offers a unique and atmospheric experience, blending elements of synth-pop and jazz with a touch of melancholy. Released in 1984, it presents a rich soundscape that is both haunting and beautiful, leaving a lasting impression on those who venture through its tracks.

Pas eu le temps de bien écouter. Le gars n'a pas la voix de D. Bowie mais j'ai très envie de réécouter ça

A typical 80's production but in a good sense. Very UK Worth a deeper listen...

Quite 80, reminded me of Peter Gabriel and Talk Talk. I don't know what to say except that the author of the 1001 selection must be Scot since it's the second Scottish unedr the radar band that we hear. It's like I'd put Tri Yann the best of in my 1001 selection. Now back to the album. It's not bad and I did like to listen to it But I will forget it soon and probably won't think it again ever. Good effort though.

Are we in the top 10000000000 ? So boring!

Average

No sensation, not even rejection. This thing only worked in England. Total emptiness to me

Chris de Burgh clone

this one really didn't hit for me.

Arguably interesting but not really my thing.

By track 3, I was sure I had heard this in the 80's and loved it then, but had forgotten about it. Maybe. I probably would have loved it. So much angst but with smarter melodies than Morrissey, et al.

This record is an inventive and imaginative accommodation of 80s pop, and its general aura, given the group's name and the album cover, was something I was prepared for. What I wasn't primed to appreciate was the extent to which its seven songs all deal w/ 'love' in one way or another. 6/7 of the tracks contain love in the lyrics. For an album like this, that seems to me a significance: 'I am in love, I am in love with you'; 'Do I love you? Yes, I love you'; 'I am in love, I am in love with a feeling'; 'The love theme for the wilderness'; 'For the love King, out in the morning air'; 'You are pretending love is worth waiting for.' The final track is an exception, but the thematics have been inculcated by then. A bit sleepy, but mostly wise and peaceful. And 'Stay' is a masterwork: 'Stay, and I will understand you.' That's love.

Dynamic and full

Unless you want generations of people checking their headphones, don’t start your album with 10s of silence! A good album - bleak yet heartfelt.

Not a bad album, just not for me.

Weird. Not bad, but weird.

lil bro sinä et ole david bowie.. älä laula kuin retardi henkilö plIIIIIS. oonneksi hidas, introspektivinen ambient-tarinankerronta pelastaa katastrofilta.. tämä on aikuisille albumi.. ei lapsille.. olemmeko rikkaita vai olemmeko köyhiä, onko sillä enään edes merkitystä?? no on. tarkoittaa ketkä paiskiihommia ja ketkä pummeja... pummit siis rikkaita heheh... saatana leikatkaa vammaistukia NYYYYT!!! epstein records hold up.. satuloippa hepat ja sitten mennään from rags to riches

Never heard of it before and I have to say that it didn't really do anything for me. This album feels extremely dated with its instrumentals that sound like stock sounds that you'll find in keyboard that you picked up at a sale. It is probably a product of its time and it's difficult to judge it without any context regarding this album. Maybe they pioneered a new genre with the drumkits, synths and sequencers but man this album is really a snooze fest. Honestly, it didn't age at all and I had to struggle through it quite a bit. Upon further listens, I think I can get behind the idea of the album but it just doesn't come together in a cohesive way. The title track and Tinseltown stood out to me because they were a bit more engaging with a groovy bass and more energy. Unfortunately, a lot of it feels pretentious and just incoherent. These instrumentations are thrown together in an isolated fashion which makes it all feel super disjointed, the missing song structures aren't helping either. If the artist wanted to create a moody and atmospheric album, I think that that they failed in their execution and mostly because the instrumentals sound so terribly dated. I don't think I can recommend this to be honest.

I had really high hopes from the lead song, but all the other ones let me down. The lead singer gets really whiny the longer you listen to him

this was great, a new gem. highlights include: "A Walk Across the Rooftops" "Tinseltown in the Rain" "From Rags to Riches" "Easter Parade"

Crystal clear production with some very weird instrumentation/arrangement choices that are somehow both ambient and jarring. Fairly concise album at only 38 minutes, despite the 5-6 minute song lengths. A couple of the slower songs do drag a bit, but overall the album is too interesting to give less than a 3/5.

Intriguing at times. Would I change the radio station if it came on? Depends on my mood, I guess.

I sort of like this album a little bit maybe. 3 stars or C for my uncertainty.

25/02/25 This was terrible.

Ok 2/5

This was a nice album, kinda all blended together but some nice bops

Relativ langweilig und nichtssagend

Solid projectand felt like something refreshing. But on a honest note, it is not really crazy and dont made me feel something after the first 2 tracks.

Really stylish and funky synth pop

I'll give it an extra star for some SWEET bass playing. Otherwise very unremarkable though, definitely 2-leaning-2.5 kinda stuff overall.

This was beautiful. Sometime an album catches a mood and i listened to this with headphones on whilst my baby slept on my chest and it allowed me to absorb every note of this. Very much of its time, with a scottish core, the plaintive lyrics sucked you in. The unique dance between some really disparate sounds was carefully managed and it created a sweeping soundscape that was both engaging and challenging.

This albums sucks. It's bad.

As far as New Wave goes this was ok. I appreciate how they were aiming for an expansive sound. I don’t think they were ultimately successful but at least they were trying.

experimental mess, but it somehow works. guy singing kinda sounds like adrian belew so thats cool

A boring early 80s album

Went back and forth on this one. Some of it is very self indulgent 80s music and some of it is super catchy and has some great hooks. Can't decide if I like or hate the vocals. Kind of a Peter Gabriel meets David Bowie but he's trying too hard sound. Weak 3/strong 2.

Love it

Another hard one to listen to. I seem to remember hearing "Tinseltown In The Rain" when it came out and quickly changing the radio station. Just vapid generic 80s British new wave. Not for me

The first time I listened to this album (and The Blue Nile as a whole) was this listening party in an old Discord server, the person making the listening party happen was someone who loved this band dearly because it was personal to him (I think something to do with his parents, I think). It's been years since and I haven't talked to this person in forever, so the only thing left is this album which I haven't really revisited because both times I heard it was either not really focusing or being really exasperated at how slow and minimal it was and just wrote this album (and Hats) as purely something I would never care for. I think after this listen though I feel like I misjudged the album as some totally boring, mid 80s artsy thing and not a genuinely nice album that utilizes its sense of space for its benefit. I'm not gonna say every decision made by the album sonically clicks with me, the opener feels a little awkwardly mixed and some songs like Easter Parade just hardly left an impression on me to really care for it, but I think every other song had a melody or something that really caught my attention, especially when the singer had more of the spotlight (like Stay or Tinseltown in the Rain where he sounds great), also the closer's semi industrial thing works so well for me, it's probably my favorite for using negative space in a song to feel so... clean but not in a negative way? I'm happy I can find a reason to reassess this album in a way that gives me more to appreciate from it.

So before starting this album, I looked at reviews. Probably a bad idea but I do it anyway. The first few reviews call this 'pretentious 80s new wave' and it's pretty lowly rated. I was excited because that sounds right up my alley. It doesn't immediately suck me in. Although I do like the bass a lot, it's unmistakably 80s. And sometimes that 80s bass just kills. I don't get why everyone is calling this pretentious? I dig it. The guy's voice is a little strange and takes some getting used to but it oddly fits the music. It's pretty synth heavy, but that’s to be expected for 80s new wave I guess. I think it gets better as it goes on and it flows really well. Overall I really enjoyed this and it was a little unexpected. This album is super short, just when I was really getting into it, it was almost over. I'd definitely buy this album if I ever came across it though. It would be a great record to throw on and sit and enjoy with a cocktail on a rainy evening. 4/5

Enjoyed the ambient music parts - this would be so much better without a singer. 2/5

Boring a bit annoying

Sucks

4.5 - love love love the tone of this, nothing too stand out but just could listen all day

What a nice treat. I really like the vibe of this album. It has distinct "80s"ness to it, but doesn't feel tacky or poorly aged. Each of the first 4 tracks were pretty strong in their own way. Fave Track: A Walk Across the Rooftops 4/5

Dull

Completely different from anything else I have been recommended as part of this process and one of few records that were completely unknown to me.

Enjoyed that, having never heard of the band before. Really well put together.

Haunting dreamy palate. The Seinfeld bass line in the first song was a trip. I liked the instrumentals but the lyrics did not resonate as much.

This didn't do much for me. It's well done. But I won't come back to it.

Pleasant if a little meandering :)

I got a bit of an 80s era Peter Gabriel from some of the tracks - although without his vocal chops and lacking the solid musicianship from his work. Not unpleasant to listen to but scratching my head how to rate. Probably a weak 3 from me…

Eh it was alright. I probably wouldn't want to listen to it again though.

An interesting album. Instrumentals were surreal and abstract at times, and decent otherwise. The vocals were distant, but emotional at times. I enjoyed listening to this one. 'From Rags to Riches' wins my fave for being so weird.

Not the worst I've heard during this journey, but certainly not something that makes me want to listen to this for a second time.

This reminded me of an 80’s LCD Soundsystem. I really enjoyed

methinks the singer is trying a little too hard to be a modern day frank sinatra. not for me.

Just listened to this about an hour ago. I do not remember anything about it.

Bright yet eerie sounds Host a melancholy voice That croons deeply sweet

what a gorgeous journey. wow. i'm gonna be listening to this one time & time again i'm p sure...

High high four Had never heard of this band or album before and I absolutely LOVED this. Sounds quite a bit like Peter Gabriel, tbf, but I love Peter Gabriel too so that didn’t bother me. Atmosphere, romantic, yearning, I listened to this one again and again. Great discovery from this project.

The 80s are probably my favorite decade of music so even though I've never heard The Blue Nile before, I loved this. Hit my sweet spot. Favorites: Tinsel Town in the Rain, Stay Would I listen to it again?: Yes

Kinda cool. It's got that Talking Heads feel.

The symphonic arrangements (symph-pop?) are an irritating distraction from the basic song structure and intelligent lyrics. Just when I get intrigued the synth and strings come in to ruin things. From Rags to Riches is nearly perfect though in its atmospheric hauntings and odd percussion. As long as they're doing things along those lines I totally like the weirdness.

They have a distinctive style, which they don’t necessarily deviate from, but in an album this short it absolutely works. Tinseltown in the rain was possibly the best song of the 1980s (and one of my favourites of all time) - my father and I played it incessantly. If it wasn’t on this list, it was going to be in our other selections. So, so beautiful. Possibly not a five for the whole album but TITR rates 10 on its own.

I wasn't sure what to make of this as it began — it was teetering on a fine line for me — but as it played, I found myself sinking into the aesthetic of the band. Understated, a little strained, but assured in a way that drew me in. As she may mention, Niko had put this album on her latest list (apparently this wasn't initially included on the 1001 list?), and in our inner circle this would be at least a 3.5, but I don't know that I quite sank in enough to get to the 4 star. But a band I'd give more listens to to see if my affection grows.

I struggled with how i felt about this. I admired it more than liked it. Not sure I'd queue this up again anytime soon, but I'm feeling generous this morning, so i'll round up to a 3.

Classic and nostalgic album for me. I love every moment.

Boring forgettable dated album. Singer tries so hard to sound like Peter Gabriel. Not working.

An album with some interesting ideas, if not always the easiest to listen to. Stay in particular was fantastic though. Favourite tracks: Stay & Heatwave Would listen again. 3/5

This list is not disabusing me of the notion that 80s music sucks.

Seinfeld?! I loved this, sentimental, nostalgic, melancholic, wistful

started as an alright synth pop album but got a bit too whiny towards the end

Nice music overall but easy to lose track imo

It was fine, a little bit of stuff I didn’t like, but I added some to my playlist.

Further adventures in the 1980s. The Blue Nile is a band I've heard touted for decades, but I've never really gotten around to them.

It's slow, it's sad, it was minorly annoying.

7/10: love the opening track for how aggressive the bass and synth are, sort of insistently tuneless at times under a very quiet, vulnerable confession of love from the singer. I like the parts of the album that are minimal, crisp, and sort of noisy, rather than the sappy and mushy-sounding ones. The album gets pretty samey for me in the middle. I loved Heatwave! I appreciated the contrast in it. Very clear different sections. Love the recurring tinny and dissonant percussion followed by bright melodies on guitar and piano. The weird sounds like jangling keys add a lot of interest.

The whole thing kind of passed in a blur, and I was on the way through an accidental second listen before I realized

These guys a boring version of all the good bands from this era. Also his lyrics are weak. He's trying way too hard.

Not a fan. Too melancholy. Too slow. Too whiney.

One of the facts that has come through loud and clear on this list is that Scottish music is awesome. This album sounds great and has so much cool music in it. I had to keep reminding myself that this is not a Bowie album because the guy's voice sounds just like Bowie on several songs. Truly a hidden gem 4/5

Walk Across The Rooftops is an interesting listen with its atmospheric production and moody vibe, but as a whole, it doesn’t quite come together as good music. It feels more like a concept than something truly engaging or memorable. Fascinating, but not fulfilling.

Indie music for the era of cassette tapes and boom boxes. Not too bad as far as synth music goes, and I appreciated the non-sex subject matter.

Never heard of them before. I like the first two songs on the album a lot.

I had never heard of The Blue Nile but this was great!

This one sounds like it's probably decent if you can get on the same wavelength. There's some good piano in there, but the general vibe is not something I enjoyed. 2.2

Sonne un peu comme The Police mais en moins bon. Très contemplatif, pas très entraînant.

So unexpectedly refreshing. Loved the meandering vocal melodies and atmosphere.

Trying to put my finger on what I like so much about it.. it’s like restraint.. or maybe just keeping things simple.. but also there are a lot of interesting sprinkles mixed in. But not too experimental. And that bass is so killer. They really had me from the first moments of the first song. I listened through at least 4-5 times today. There’s so much space in the arrangements, I kept finding new little pockets. Like Peter Gabriel’s vocal vibes with differentness of Roxy Music’s music. Thanks 1001 for another 5 star introduction 🙏

Sophisti-pop, lidt kedeligt

The songs on this album are very good at setting the mood. Its and album I think need the right place of mind to really enjoy fully. That being said I didn't dislike the songs as and the album is definitely something I could see myself listen to if I remember it existing when I'm in the right time and place. that's a big if though.

Given that this is "sophisti-pop", it's interesting to listen to what passed for sophisticated in the mid-80s. The songs amount to a "lite" version of Peter Gabriel's music - the lead singer's style is basically an imitation of Gabriel. As such the album lacks any originality.

I really only enjoyed the vocals on “Tinseltown in the Rain”, but man these instrumentals were flat out great. They made this album a joy to listen to.

Not at all for me. The smiths without Johnny Marr or any creativity.

This was a solid album. What really surprised me was just how good the recordings sounded on my really nice headphone setup. I wasn't expecting that, but it was a pleasant surprise.

Ambient and moody synth-pop. I'll admit I didn't initially expect much from this album, but was pleasantly surprised - it certainly cultivates a distinct 'mood' across the board. Would listen again.

skrítin eighties þjóðlagatónlist. of undarlegt til að gefa ekki 3,5.

I'd rather not hear it again but it wasn't awful.

Very Bowiesque

Forgettable

5/10

enjoyed it more than i thought i would. felt more rock than "Scottish folk ambient". but what do i know. fav song: tinseltown in the rain.

Kinda sounded like the soundtrack to a forgettable 80s movie

Kinda like if Bjork was utter dogshit.

It's giving Talking Heads/Kate Bush vibes. I like this. Nice discovery.

elevator music

Enjoyable sophistipop.

The Blue Nile is a Scottish band that makes ambient synth-pop. A Walk Across the Rooftops is their debut album. At the time of its release, the album met with critical success, but did not have find significant commercial success. As years passed, its reputation grew, and subsequent releases from the band brought more attention to this debut. The band creates upbeat, melodic songs, like their single "Stay," with ambient electronic backgrounds. Some tracks have a more serious sense, like "Tinseltown in the Rain," anticipating the drama inherent in later 80s pop.

probably more interesting than I'm giving it credit for but just not catching

tinseltown in the rain is the only interesting song on the album - rest is pretty plain and slow music.

Nothing memorable Whatever

Not bad at all. Pleasant even. Not really my thing though. Got a little bored with it.

Forgettable music.

This record is a lot better than expected. Really pretty melodies, not too loud, not too much of anything. Nice, calm, well crafted music, that is enjoyable to listen to. Interesting, complex, unexpected, sophisticated and yet, a toe-tapper.

This sounds really good through headphones. Love the different instrumentation. Very 80s sounds, it practically has shoulder pads and a sneer. Mellow but not boring.

This is a very well-recorded album. The production is top-notch. That being said it is 80s synthpop which is not my favorite. I may try this one again to see if my impression changes.

A decent album. Not particularly memorable, but I liked it as background music. Perfectly serviceable and decent enough.

I hope they had fun recording this because I didn’t have any fun listening to it.

The music dropped me into a reflective mindset. I like that.

Another one that I have no idea why it’s on this list. Perfectly acceptable music. But nothing special. And I’ll never listen to it again. 2.5

Interesting. Kind of like a slower U2. Or maybe Springsteen? I don’t know, but pleasant if nothing else.

I just dont really like the moaning style of the 80s. Dont know why

This struggles to shake off the influence of Peter Gabriel to me. But I did like it.

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.

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.

Bass was OK I guess

It's like a folksy David Bowie!

Reminded me of all the 80’s British rock bands

Very 80’s vibe

It was alright listening to it in the background but I’m not sure I’d go back for more. 2/3 ?

Dull.

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

Хороший альбом

Geht so.

Twas the 80s

I get it. I did enjoy some of the soundscapes on this album. And the singer has a pretty good voice. But nothing about it really reached out and grabbed me.

It was ok. 2.5.

A sad man

80s drivel - this stuff is hit and miss for me and most of this was a miss

This is like discount Springsteen

very 80s synth-pop sounding songs. i hadn't heard of the group before today and i'm a huge 1980s artists lover... love their sound.

Does everybody in Scotland sing like this? There was some decent stuff here but fell a little flat at the end. High 3.

Yet another band I’ve never heard of and a questionable addition to the list. Not bad, just nothing special.

The singer sounded a lot like Sting to me. Overall it sounded like a blander version of the Police too. Nothing to hate here, but nothing that really grabbed me either.

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

The title track and "Stay" are decent, but "Easter Parade" and "From Rags to Riches" were nearly unlistenable. Another album that makes me question its place on the list.

80’s flavored music to have on during chill time. Nothin I’d need to put on again.

I'm not sure at which track I went from being bored to annoyed.

This was a weird album and I was trying to figure out why it was picked for this list. Then it comes up on demo albums for CD players from the 80s all the time and that sort of made sense, but I still don't think I had to hear this one.

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

I'm not sure about this album: the music is quite pleasant in an ethereal haunting sort of way, but the singer's vocals are a bit depressing, sometimes sounding a bit like Peter Gabriel having a bad day.

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.

I knew Tinseltown in the Rain, but I had always thought it was by Prefab Sprout. Listening to this album, I could well believe it was indeed churned out by Prefab Sprout, as it's just as appalling as their album on this list was. I can't get behind the vocals, they really drag everything down. The rest of the music isn't great either. I'm giving it two stars, because it doesn't quite cross the line into being painful to listen to, but it gets close at times.

It was super solid! There were some awesome songs and the production has aged well. Voice sounded like David byrne

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

Oh boy, well, we're back to Scotland again with this album. This album kind of sucks, not because its Scottish or pseudo-intellectual pop shit, but because its got nothing to say and no way to say it. 1/5

I kinda casually listened to this and didn't think much of it, but then gave it closer listen and was pretty impressed. I don't love any of the songs, but it all works really well together and they're doing a lot of interesting things sonically and compositionally. I get the feeling this could really grow on me over time and would be more of a 4 star after a few listens.

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

Pretty good, inoffensive. Nice background noise. A little Phil Collin’s esque in some moments. Not going straight back to listen to it but wouldn’t complain if it came on

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.

Boring 80s pop. Neither catchy nor experimental.Bland. Pretentious. Forgettable.

Liked 4 songs. It is not something I would listen to again

Another synth driven, ambient noise band with a crooner. Not much that hadn’t already been done already ad infinitum.

This was a good one. I liked the feel (somewhere between Joy Division and U2) and the production quality was impressive. They could have cut down some of their songs though. The musicianship wasn’t quite enough to justify multiple 6 min + songs.

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

Really boring. Nothing ever grabbed my attention except an odd bass riff.

When I read "Sophisti-pop" on the wiki I really was expecting to hate this, but I think those bottom-of-the-barrel expectations let me enjoy this a lot. I thought it was very well done. It takes a lot of what the normal 80s synth-pop records were doing and builds on it. Great use of instruments and mixing, especially in songs like Automobile Noise and From Rags to Riches, even if I didn't like the songs all that much. However, I loved how From Rags to Riches just sounds like music straight out of Earthbound. My favorites were Tinseltown in the Rain and Heatwave.

When I read "Sophisti-pop" on the wiki I really was expecting to hate this, but I think those bottom-of-the-barrel expectations allowed me to somehow hate this even more. I want someone to throw me in The Blue Nile.

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

Didn't really register for me

New wavey... First few tracks are reminiscent of U2 from around the same era. It devolves over the course of the LP into slower ambient tracks that remind me of the parts of Peter Gabriel's catalog that I do not like; mostly snoozers.

this was pleasant. More mellow than i was anticipating. Def wanna give it another spin. Heatwave is a great song.

Synth pop/rock with a U2 flair.

Really good.

Way too slow and spacey for me

Just ok.

A fairly basic, synth-pop sound, that sounds very dated and pretentious, but not uncommon for the mid-80's. It starts out feeling fresh sounding, with a new wave sound and smooth electronic beat, that must have pretty cool if you like this genre. It gets tiresome and begins to feel generic, bland and whatever the word is for the opposite of edgy. It reminds me what I didn't like about the 80's, with a bit of a Peter Gabriel-esque sound, but at least Gabriel had some corners to his music.

Why not?

po pire

Nice vibes. 3

Chill achtergrond

This is pretty bland and boring. The lyrics don’t match the music. And I get the overall feel of elevator music or department store shopping music. I could have lived without ever listening to the band. 1

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.

O man. Die stem. Verschrikkelijk. Soms zelfs mompelend en zeurend tegelijk... Jammer want ik vind de rest van de muziek soms wel erg fijn. Dan weer heel filmisch, dan weer heel elektronisch, dan bijna huppelend. Soms ook wel weer tergend saai. Leuk album dus om een keer te luisteren. Maar door die zanger geen tweede keer.

Ik ken uiteraard alleen het nummer Tinseltown in the Rain. Blijkbaar was dat met name in NL een hit. Verder deed dit album niet zo veel in de wereld. Toch staat het in onze snoblijst, maar gek genoeg kon ik hem niet vinden in de papieren versie. Ik was namelijk wel benieuwd wat Robert en zijn minions erover hadden geschreven. Ik moet het dus met wikipedia doen. En wat me meteen opvalt, is het genre. Sophisti-pop. Er is dus gewoon een eigen snobgenre, snobpop! Zo klinkt het album ergens ook wel, vooringenomen borstklopperij, kijk ons eens sophisticated muziek maken! Wat zijn we toch goed, veel beter dan al die boerenlullen die postpunk of new wave maken. Dat zijn maar aanstellers. Om eerlijk te zijn kan ik sommige nummers wel goed hebben. De eerste twee nummers zetten een bepaald sfeertje neer, mede vormgegeven door het stemgeluid van de zanger, die expres traag zingt, achter de tel zelfs denk ik (maar nu ga ik zelf iets te sophisticated, snobistisch lullen over zaken waar ik te weinig verstand van heb). Zolang het dat geluid heeft van Tinseltown, dan is het prima, maar als ze uitstapjes gaan maken naar electronisch of naar tranentrekkende pianonummers, dan is het niet om aan te horen. Al met al is het wel allemaal veel van hetzelfde. Want de meeste andere nummers klinken precies zoals Tinseltown. Dat ene nummer kun je prima in een spotify-lijstje hebben, maar een heel album is teveel van het goede. Wat dat betreft had dit beter in het boek 1001 songs kunnen staan dan albums. En dat kost dus sterren.

Starting to feel sorry for Dimery if this is genuinely the best he could think of.

didn't give this a fair shot - I just don't dig that sound. I stopped after track 4

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.

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.

I usually quite like ‘dreary’ music but this is a bit too far. He sounds half asleep!

I could accept this more if it had just focussed on the soundscapes. But the droning, over-long vocals makes this hard to endure.

Rather discordant in the main, I did enjoy a few moments of this album, so for that I'll give it three stars. But really I see it as a 2.5.

Chill

This is an interesting album, it blends a lot of styles of popular 80s music into something that works better than it should. That being said, the vocal tonality of the singer really distracts from the standout production and instrumentation. Most of the time, he sounds like a distant cousin of Sting. That kind of vocal works for a deconstruction of reggae, significantly less so for a fusion of post-punk, goth, ambient, and new wave.

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

Stay is the only song that stood out.

Absolute tripe.

I don’t think that this album belongs on a top list.

Really interesting. A fun find and a weird story behind it.

ja det här var väl inge bra. sophistipop kan ju vara kul men kom igen. gnällig röst och allt känns over the top på nåt vis

3.5 A lot to like here

Oh cool, some long droning songs filled to the brim with dumb synth and electronic drum sounds. Yawn.

Another one of those albums that I have no idea how they made this list. A real nothing album!

Heard the name a time or two but I've never listened to The Blue Nile. 1984 was my high school wheelhouse and I listed to everything so there has to be a reason this never hit my radar. I didn't enjoy the intro song, dreary and bland. "Tinseltown..." was their obvious hit but again, it didn't capture my attention, average at best. The second most popular song, "Stay", was by far the best track. The singer sounds like he's over his skis on vocals, straining to find any range or stay in the pocket. Clocking in at 5-6 minutes on every tune I found they wore out their welcome at the 3.5 minute mark on most every track. There's zero reasons that are obvious to me on how this made anyone's Top 1001, it's stark and boring with no highlights, no hits, no compelling songs or instrumentation. I felt like he was a drunk making up songs over a guy hitting a piece of tin in an alley, never captured my attention. 2 stars

Pretty good. 3.9

Honestly not sure why this is on the list…. the album is loaded with samples to make other, much better music. However, not great on its own

I’m losing sanity

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.

2/3

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.

Not my style.

Annoying voice

Very interesting

Not my cup of tea

Their synth pop grew on me as I listened to "Stay" and "Easter Parade", the rest were ok.

Kind of slow. It didn't grab me. Just always seemed a bit off key to my ears.

My first impressions of this band was that the production was not great. It felt like a lot of Casio noodling. Having said that, sings like "Stay" were pretty catchy. But some of the songs did feel like they went out on a little too long, like "Tinsletown In The Rain," which just felt repetitive after a while. Still, I keep coming back to songs like "Stay", "Easter Parade" and "Heatwave". So... interesting ideas, catchy (but long)* songs. * = When I say "long," I feel that a few just overstay their welcome. I've listened to and enjoyed songs that are over 20 minutes long, so length is not normally a factor for me. Top tracks: "Stay", "Easter Parade" and "Heatwave".

Here's what some of the first few lines of Wikipedia had to say: "Although the album was released to little fanfare and was not a big hit on its initial release, it slowly accumulated fans and sales through word of mouth ... and by the time the follow-up was released in 1989, [it] had sold 80,000 copies." So in 5 years it earned so much praise it sold 80,000 copies, which is remarkable because? This list has a love of blue-eyed soul (think Simply Red) and while that sound is fine and all, I don't see what the big deal is - with the genre or this album. I think "little fanfare" tells you all you need to know. Next.

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.

It grew on me, I think....

a little long and meandering but has interesting production ideas throughout

not the best, shallow sounding and generic. 3/10

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

Muito anos 80 pro meu gosto

5/5

A very 80’s synth sound. Some weird stuff here mixed with a few catchy songs. Ok, but not that memorable, imo..

Thought I heard some similarity to Peter Gabriel in some tracks. Not something I would listen to personally, but I think this is well made and would appeal to some listeners. Definitely respect finding these various sounds they are building some of these tracks around.

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.

Hard to see what they were going for here

I don’t think I’ve heard of The Blue Nile before. The opening track was a love song, but gave an air of spookiness and things going wrong. It made me with that The Blue Nile wrote the score to Sweeney Todd instead of Sondheim. The rest of the album made for a fun, if less spooky, listen. I did find the tracks after the initial one a bit less interesting so it peaked early for me, but it is by no means a bad album.

Kinda dull early 80s synth pop. I will forget I heard this soon. A very low 3/5.

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

Very meh. I thought the vocals were a little obnoxious, but I actually enjoyed the cheesy 80s digital instruments. Plus the bass carries this album. I wish this was just an instrumental. 5/10 Would I listen again? Probably not

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.

It's all so lovely and all so boring. I find myself having the desire to turn each song's BPM up by 25% - everything is incredibly laconic and mostly "driven" in that sense by the vocals. Bit of a shame as there's a lot of lovely melody here but I find it tripping over itself for the entirety of the album and the "do i love you? i do love you" repetitiveness of the lyrics early on are a distraction. I only notice them because it takes him so long to deliver the next word 4/10 2 stars.

A Walk Across the Rooftops and Stay are good tracks, but the overall cadence of the album is all the same. Not sure I’ll come back to this one. 3/5

Very cool very cool

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

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

A weirdly beautiful early indie gem