Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Endlich mal wieder eine überraschend gute Neuentdeckung. Optimistisch, hörenswert, super!
Incredible, one of the most unique albums from this era
Maybe it’s just because I had such low expectations but I adored this. The fusion of high energy post punk with afro and latin jazz influence is so insane and so fun.
¡Muy bueno! sonido variado, alegre, vibrante, es perfecto
Happy music!
What a discovery. Love them instantly!
Perfect
I bought this for 20p in a charity shop. I got more than double that back in enjoyment. Great fun, such groovy bass!
On paper I should not like this but damn, I've listened to this 3 times back to back
Fab
This gets a soft 5 stars from me. I actually quite liked the album as a whole and will probably revisit it at some point, but I can't help but feel like something is missing from it. That said, it was a good experience and I'm glad to have been suggested it. I'll slot 'Calling Captain Autumn' as my fave here, though there were a lot of tracks I vibed with and ended up saving.
ok oingo boingo Ótimo pra tocar naqueles churrascos de familia com seus tios que cresceram nos anos 80 EU GOSTEI MUITO DE LOVE PLUS ONE E LEMON FIREBRIGADE hit 5 estrelas fodase
I was totally surprised by this one. I remembered Fantastic Day and Love Plus One from when they were first released. Back then i was just a kid who was into the whole Mod revival and considered Haircut 100 as a novelty act, one hit wonder type of band but the musicianship on this album is amazing. I will definitely be getting this on vinyl, highly reccomended.
First couple of songs: oh, I didn't know this band were the ones that sang that. This is very 80's and for me, very pleasant. The singer's voice, the instrumentation, the lively rhythms... enjoyed it!
LOVE this album
Had never heard of thisbgorup ever in my life. Loved it and was in awe with this album smooth running well produced raw beginning of New Wave mixed with brit pop. Really good as in I still can’t believe I had never heard their music.
A band I had never heard of. But from the first track I could dig the sound. Baked Beans is my fave track (despite no singing about baked beans!) with Fantastic Day a close second. A number of the songs, like Baked Beans and Love's Got Me In Triangles give me some early Talking Heads vibes and I like it.
I grew up during this era and although familiar with Haircut 100 they weren't what I would consider "my kind of band", I had almost dismissed them as a bit of a gimmick really. I was very, very wrong - this is a fantastic album. I don;t think there was one weak track. I will be listening again.
I was not expecting this amount of funk and jazz. Listened to it twice it was so good
An old fav from its release. The band's debut and best... I listen to ti from time to time and can never just give it s solo play. I'm biased, but it has a nice beat from top to bottom. Came out in "New Wave" era but that is so unfair - much more, Listen to the great percussion.
Que buena sorpresa con esta banda!
Good funk
hella funky, i love it
This was absolutely delightful. Will definitely be checking out more from them
Brightened my sleepless early morning right on up. Love these vibes.
i really didn't know what to make of this album going in, it's not a band i've ever heard of and the album cover didn't really let on to what was going on. I had a really fun time with this one! front to back, really nice, catchy tunes. definitely very 80s in sound. cool stuff!
Damn, this album kicked ass. The music here is so upbeat and catchy, I really liked this one.
Another unexpected album! I’ve never heard of this band before but wow did I really enjoy the tunes on this album. Very jazz-fusion-y and the bass is absolutely killer.
10/10 a beautifully rich new wave album blending a wide variety of different genres
Quality from start to finish.... Amazingly funky. Has surprisingly stood the test of time. One to add to the collection.
This album was beloved by my 13 year old heart. Played it continuously.
What a nice discovery! I think with this site I would have never found this record. Their music reminds me of orange juice und I like them very much.
Oh boy, I have to admit I love this one. I'd never heard this album beyond the favorite "Love Plus One" with its iconic guitar-marimba-saxophone-aye-aye-aye-aye-aye-yah intro, but I was not disappointed. I'm just a sucker for a great brass section in some happy jazzy new wave pop! I'm happy that I noticed that Kingsize doesn't have the lyric "you're my little fat one" as I'd originally thought, although that might be just a little funny.
The only Haircut 100 I can think of is Love Plus One, which I dearly love. So much so that I used to use a variation of this group’s name as a password. I really enjoyed the rest of this album as well. Take Duran Duran, add some heavy cream and sugar, and whip into a light, frothy Haircut 100 treat!
A classic
I've been waiting for this album to come up, because it has long been one of my favorite albums of the 1980s. Optimal when listened to with the car windows open on a fine spring day. It's so much fun. Don't let the teen magazine album cover fool you. These gents bring some solid musical chops to the table. This album is full of gorgeous, danceable songs with breezy pop hooks, latin jazz-inflected arrangements, and some the most effective uses of horns that you will ever hear in pop music. Like the best British pop, these songs are clever, charming and pleasant on the ears, but they're also surprisingly funky. I get how this ended up being a niche sound, but I would love to live a day in the alternate 1982 universe where this became the dominant sound in pop music, because it's delightful. The band totally went for a certain vibe with this album, and they nailed it. Fave Songs: (All songs, from most to least favorite... okay fine, "favourite"): Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl), Love Plus One, Baked Bean, Kingsize (You're My Little Steam Whistle), Fantastic Day, Calling Captain Autumn, Lemon Firebrigade, Surprise Me Again, Snow Girl, Milk Film, Marine Boy, Love's Got Me in Triangles
TOP TIER
very cool
Wow, this album had everything, from a saxophone, to sounding like a happy Morrissey. I thoroughly enjoyed this album and this band's willingness to do whatever they wanted. I believe they should've gone farther in the industry, but this was the 80's and sex n drugs could ruin any band. Damn you Nick Heyward!!! I can't wait to own this on vinyl one day!
Okay I love this. It feels like proto-vulfpeck. They had to draw from these guys. The amount of silky sax and moving guitar and upbeat lyrics and music. Hell yeah. I'm gonna explore more of these guys.
Very solid. Interesting, a bit funky, the horns get a bit jazzy, the singer kind of vaguely reminds me of The Cure at times, and the tracks are catchy. I haven’t run into a song I didn’t enjoy the first listen to. I got to track 12 before I found one that I thought was just a fun jam that I might not want to hear again on a repeat listen. (And track 11 was a standout IMO.)
Genuinely quite surprised at how good this is. It's got some great swing, the composition and performance is great. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Great stuff. Learning about new music is why I'm here!
Sucker for 80’s electronic dance
New Wave?! NEW wave? But what's this?! Trumpets?! Funky rhythm guitars?! Samba drums? Evidently I don't know what new wave is, but this is amazing. Standout Track: Calling Captain Autumn
Favorite so far
I love the 80's too much, even these less known bands (at least here, in Brazil) always surprise me positively. I really liked the songs, I will look for other works.
Cet album a été librement inspiré d'une histoire qui m'est arrivée. Je vous colle l'article sorti dans la presse à ce sujet : "Robfructisgarnière crée un malaise chez le coiffeur Robfructisgarnière, critique musical de renom, a causé un scandale chez le coiffeur aujourd'hui. Alors qu'il se faisait coiffer par Jessica, la jeune coiffeuse lui a demandé comment il voulait sa coupe. Au lieu de lui répondre, Robfructisgarnière a sorti une photo de pélican de sa poche et l'a montrée à la coiffeuse. La scène a rapidement tourné au drame lorsque Jessica, visiblement confuse, a maladroitement coupé les cheveux de son client. Robfructisgarnière a alors accusé la coiffeuse de délit de pélicanerie et a appelé la police. Lorsque la police est arrivée sur les lieux, Jessica a expliqué la situation et montré la photo de pélican à l'officier de police. Bien que l'image ne soit pas incriminante en soi, la confusion de Jessica et la réaction exagérée de Robfructisgarnière ont conduit la police à arrêter la coiffeuse pour délit de pélicanerie. Le délit de pélicanerie est une infraction rarement poursuivie par les tribunaux, mais dans ce cas, la police a jugé que l'accusation était justifiée. Jessica a été mise en examen et risque une amende substantielle ainsi qu'une peine de prison."
4.5 rounded up. For fans of xtc, style council, Duran Duran. All groove. Only stinker is Calling Capn Autumn.
Ha I loved this! Upbeat, 80s, a bit poppy a bit disco, cool stuff! Really liked the whole thing Saved songs: Love Plus One, Kingsize (You're My Little Steam Whistle), Baked Beans, Calling Captain Autumn
I would have sworn that I'd never heard of these guys, but "Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)" sounded awfully familiar, and I definitely knew "Love Plus One." So that was a surprise. The bigger surprise: I fucking LOVE this album. It's new wave perfection, full of funky basslines, sexy sax, and the sort of overtly British vocals that somehow feel necessary for new wave to be *just* right. (Maybe because Duran Duran is inextricably linked to new wave in my mind? I don't know.) Regardless, this album was a delightfully upbeat surprise, and I enjoyed it from start to finish.
I had never heard of this band, so I was really struggling to justify why this album is on the list. My preconception was totally misguided; this album rocks. The band is so locked in. Their use of the funk palette works way better than it should for a bunch of young effeminate British white dudes from the 80s. The lyrics are fine, but the bass, percussion, and guitar more than make up for it. And a little clarinet in a pop album? bring it on!
This album is so cheesy and stupid in the best ways possible. So enjoyable. 5 stars not even sorry, tho I understand if you can’t get into it
This rules. I had never heard of them and I loved this
Bland and boring
Otra de las grandes sorpresas. Uno de los mejores discos de pop de los 80.
Another blast from the past. I loved this album I was 10 when it came out!
New Wave funky y jazzy. Sin haberme gustado nunca mucho ese sonido esta gente consigue embelesarme. Instrumentación de locos, desarrollos larguísimos pero totalmente en su justa medida. Suenan modernos y el disco es del 81. Descubrimiento, me encanta.
Excellent! Also very different and mostly upbeat Jazz rock infusion
Hot
Dig the 80s vibes. Fun and dancey.
Love me some new new wave
Exciting fun album
Liker det her overraskende mye, fin feelgood sommervibbe! Blir litt vell mye blåsing mot slutten av skiva for min smak.
Rytmisk og lett sommerpop. Lekent og fengende.
I'm glad this album is on the list. It's funky and cool and I would be sad if it was lost to time. It might not have made a huge cultural impact but it is good!!
A really fresh pop album, big surprise
I actually really enjoyed this album. When I saw the cover looking like a bunch of Mormons hanging out at a retreat, I was like there is no way this is gonna be good. But this is the new wave I want to hear. Now to be fair, this doesn’t belong on the list, but I’m glad I got introduced to this
much better than I thought it might be. i think Haircut might be buddies of Wham, Pet Shop Boys and some other UK early 80s fabulous groups.
Right up my alley! Might edit this to a 5 after another listen
Listen to this on a Fantastic Day!
I kinda liked it
# In-Depth Review: *Pelican West* by Haircut 100 (1982) ## Overview *Pelican West* is the sole studio album by the British band Haircut 100 in their original lineup—a record that has become something of a cult artifact of early-1980s British pop. Released in 1982, it reached #2 on the UK Albums Chart and was certified Platinum, making it both a commercial success and a snapshot of a very specific moment in British music history. The band’s story is one of brief but intense fame: after this album and a few follow-up singles, lead singer and primary songwriter Nick Heyward departed for a solo career, and the group never recaptured the same magic. --- ## Music & Sound ### Genre Fusion Haircut 100 occupied a curious niche that critics have variously labeled “British jazz-funk,” “sophisti-pop,” or “new funk.” The sound is an unusual cocktail: the rhythmic urgency of new wave, the brassy exuberance of jazz-funk, the danceable grooves of disco, and a sun-drenched tropicalia that evokes Brazilian beaches more than grey British suburbs. ### Instrumentation What immediately sets *Pelican West* apart is its rich, live instrumentation at a time when synthesizers were beginning to dominate pop: - **Brass & Woodwinds**: Saxophonist Phil Smith and the horn section provide the album’s signature color—bright, punchy, and occasionally cheesy, but always energetic. Tracks like “Lemon Firebrigade” and “Love Plus One” are essentially horn showcases. - **Percussion**: Congas, bongos, scrapers, and woodblocks (courtesy of Marc West) give the album its propulsive, polyrhythmic foundation. The percussion is not decorative; it’s central to the groove. - **Guitar**: The chukka-chukka rhythm guitar owes an obvious debt to Nile Rodgers and Chic, providing that unmistakable late-disco bounce. - **Bass**: The bass lines are consistently funky and well-executed, occasionally slipping into slap-bass territory that some critics find indulgent. ### Standout Musical Moments - **“Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)”**: Opens with a nervy horn splash and conga-driven energy; a perfect mission statement. - **“Lemon Firebrigade”**: A near-instrumental jazz-funk workout that lets the band’s musicianship shine. - **“Calling Captain Autumn”**: A tour de force of bubbling bass, odd sound effects, birdsong, and “bah bah bah” harmonies—arguably the album’s most eccentric and delightful track. - **“Fantastic Day”**: A pure pop song that restores some melodic normalality after the jazz-funk whirlwinds. --- ## Lyrics & Themes ### Nick Heyward’s Lyricism Nick Heyward’s lyrics are, by his own indirect admission and by critical consensus, not the album’s primary selling point. They are surreal, impressionistic, and often indecipherable—a stream of playful non-sequiturs rather than narrative storytelling. ### Recurring Motifs - **Youthful Romance & Obsession**: “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)” and “Love Plus One” traffic in the breathless excitement of young love, though filtered through Heyward’s odd diction. - **Surreal Imagery**: “Marine Boy,” “Milk Film,” “Snow Girl,” and “Calling Captain Autumn” suggest a dream logic where titles and images don’t quite cohere into meaning but create a mood. “Is it down to the lake I fear?” from “Love Plus One” is a quintessential Heyward line—memorable, slightly ominous, and ultimately nonsensical. - **Seasonal & Natural References**: “Calling Captain Autumn,” “Snow Girl,” and the album’s own title (*Pelican West*) evoke a kind of pastoral English psychedelia transplanted into an urban pop context. ### The “Sunshine Pop” Ethos One critic aptly described the album as “musical candy floss—fluffy, as light as air and pleasing.” The lyrics serve the mood more than the intellect; they are about evoking a feeling of unalloyed happiness and summer abandon. --- ## Production ### Bob Sargeant’s Role Produced by Bob Sargeant (who had worked with The Beat), the production is clean, bright, and very much of its era—polished 1980s sheen without the coldness of fully synthetic production. Sargeant had a deft hand with brass sections, though some critics felt the saxophone on “Love Plus One” veered into cheesy territory, contrasting with his more restrained work with The Beat’s Saxa. ### Stereo Mix & Sonic Details The production makes clever use of stereo separation—sound effects pan from left to right (a car zooming past in “Milk Film”), creating an immersive, almost cinematic listening experience. The mix gives each instrument room to breathe, which is essential given how busy the arrangements are. ### The “Airy” Quality Multiple listeners have noted an “airiness” to the mix—a lightness and space that prevents the dense instrumentation from feeling cluttered. This gives the album a freshness that has helped it age relatively well compared to some of its more synth-heavy contemporaries. --- ## Influence & Legacy ### Immediate Context Haircut 100 emerged alongside the short-lived “British Jazz Funk” scene (shared territory with Shakatak, Funkapolitan, and Blue Rondo à la Turk) and the broader “New Funk” movement championed by the NME and The Face. They were not a million miles away from what Orange Juice was doing simultaneously, though Haircut 100 were far more commercially successful and far less critically hip. ### Influence on Later Artists - **Sophisti-Pop & Britfunk**: The album is now recognized as a precursor to the sophisti-pop movement and a touchstone for British funk-influenced pop. You can hear echoes in later bands like Jamiroquai, Level 42, and even elements of Duran Duran’s more groove-oriented moments. - **The “Happy Album” Reputation**: *Pelican West* has become shorthand for unabashed, almost aggressive cheerfulness in music. As one reviewer put it, “It is a well-known, scientific fact that Haircut 100’s debut album… is the happiest album that ever existed.” - **Cult Status**: Despite being a one-album wonder in their original form, the record has maintained a devoted following. A 2011 reunion performance of the entire album at the Rewind Festival and an appearance on ITV’s *Lorraine* demonstrated its enduring appeal. ### The “What If?” Factor The band’s implosion after Heyward’s departure lends the album a bittersweet quality. Follow-up album *Paint and Paint* (1984) failed to chart, and the band faded into obscurity. *Pelican West* thus stands as a singular artifact—fully formed, exactly right, and never replicated. --- ## Pros & Cons ### Pros | Strength | Details | |----------|---------| | **Musicianship** | The band is tight, funky, and accomplished. The horn arrangements, percussion, and rhythm guitar are genuinely impressive. | | **Unique Sound** | A genuinely unusual fusion of jazz-funk, new wave, tropicalia, and pop that sounds like little else from 1982. | | **Unbridled Joy** | The album’s relentless cheerfulness is infectious and, for many listeners, therapeutic. It’s nearly impossible to be in a bad mood while listening. | | **Production Values** | Clean, spacious, and immersive mix that has aged better than many contemporaries. | | **Standout Singles** | “Favourite Shirts,” “Love Plus One,” and “Fantastic Day” are indelible pop songs. | | **Instrumental Showcases** | Tracks like “Lemon Firebrigade” prove the band could groove without relying on Heyward’s vocals. | ### Cons | Weakness | Details | |----------|---------| | **Lyrically Thin** | The lyrics are often nonsensical, impressionistic, or simply indecipherable. They prioritize mood over meaning. | | **Vocal Limitations** | Nick Heyward’s voice is pleasant but not particularly distinctive; some critics find it generic compared to the adventurous music behind it. | | **Cheesy Elements** | The saxophone occasionally drifts into Kenny G or “yacht rock” territory, and some arrangements can feel overly slick. | | **Filler Tracks** | Not every song matches the heights of the singles. “Milk Film” and parts of the back half lack the memorability of the opening run. | | **Lack of Edge** | For listeners seeking the angular, post-punk energy of contemporaries like Talking Heads or Gang of Four, this can feel too polished, too pleasant, and too safe. | | **Cultural Weight** | It’s a lightweight album by design—“candy floss,” as one critic said. It doesn’t grapple with heavy themes or aspire to artistic profundity. | --- ## Final Assessment *Pelican West* is a triumph of mood over message, of groove over gravitas. It is not an album that changed the world, nor one that demands deep intellectual engagement. What it offers is something rarer and, in its own way, more valuable: a perfectly captured moment of pure, unadulterated joy. It is the sound of summer 1982 distilled into 40 minutes—sunny, silly, sophisticated, and slightly surreal. For some, it will always be a guilty pleasure, a piece of “nondescript 80s background music.” For others, it is an underrated gem that deserves far more recognition than it receives outside the UK. The truth lies somewhere in between: *Pelican West* is a very good pop album made by a band who knew exactly what they were doing, even if what they were doing was essentially making the musical equivalent of a perfect day at the beach. It is, as one devoted fan put it, “music to make you smile”—and sometimes, that is enough. **Verdict**: A breezy, accomplished, and utterly unique debut that remains a touchstone of early-80s British pop-funk. Not a masterpiece, but a masterclass in mood
It was a good day for a happy, dance-y eighties pop album. That being said, this does have its share of filler tracks along with the classics. Still a good listen, though. 3 3/4 stars
I will not include the bonus tracks from the 1992 Plus reissue in this review. When I first noticed Haircut 100 pop up on my radar for today's record, I figured this was going to be another 1980s new wave band that had one landmark record before something happened that caused their momentum to peter out. That certainly was the case for the longest time here, as vocalist and main songwriter Nick Heyward was dismissed from the group after struggling with stress and depression from a year of constant work and pressure. The band's follow-up record, Paint and Paint, was a commercial failure, and they split up soon after. But now, after multiple attempts at reunions with Nick, Haircut 100 are set to release their third album later this year. This sort of comeback had me curious if their debut, Pelican West, held up. I will say that this album very much epitomizes the year 1982. The choppy, angular guitar riffs, Phil Smith's breezy saxophone playing, Marc Fox's laidback percussion work, and Nick's sultry vocal delivery. Pelican West as a whole boasts this tropical sophisti-pop feel, complete with brass embellishments and light incorporation of congas. Obviously, it's all cheesy and dated, right down to Nick's kooky, doe-eyed musings on life, love, and relationships in the lyrics. But I'll admit that I have a soft spot for this kind of cheesy music, and I can't deny how complex and bouncy the instrumentation can get on this record. Nick Heyward definitely has that fundamental understanding of pop sensibilities, and the rest of the band were willing to follow his direction. In that regard, I consider Pelican West to be a solid debut. It's definitely got me curious how Haircut 100 is going to follow up over 40 years later.
Really nice New Wave. Nothing gimmicky about it.
This was excellent! It's funky, vibey, poppy, and new wave all in one. Solid songwriting, excellent playing from the band, and groovy throughout. I love receiving albums from artists I've never heard of—that is, in my mind, the point of this project. Now for the bad: the fucking whiners on this damn website. If colonial Americans from the late 1700s somehow gained access to this website, I think they STILL would have a higher opinion of the British than the average reviewer here. (Btw, this is NOT Britpop. I can't believe the highest rated review says it is. It's off by roughly a decade.)
Haircut 100? More like Haircut 80/100
3,75
What a great surprise! I am a new wave fan but had never heard of this band or album. It is now in the permanent rotation!
Fun! Upbeat! Cute! Infectious! Sometimes you just need a filip like this.
Haha det här var ju funkfusionköttigt på riktigt! Slickt som en djävul, och det hatas inte. Är en varm förespråkare av funkig new wave. Några mellanspår såklart, men måste säga att funkgitarren icke är en bluff, det är emellanåt nile rodgers-klass på grejerna. Mer äkta sväng och stinkfaktor här än ABC, som trots allt fejkar funken till stor del. Trumintrot till ”calling captain autumn” var 10 av 10! Slår skyhögt på toto-skalan. Tenorsaxen är sliskig så Kenny g rodnar. Stäm mig för all del, men jag köper det rakt av. Hade jag fortfarande spelat skivor hade haircut 100 varit självklart i repertoaren känner jag. Med brasklappen att jag bara hann en vända så måste det bli en 4a till här.
svängigt!
Really fun, new wave and pre ska with fast guitar riffs, plenty of fun horns and danceable beats throughout.
They sound like a precursor to the Cure. I wonder how much of their sound is from session artists, but the percussion and horns really fill in, providing more pronounced fun. 3.5
We all were going to listen to various Bob Dylan and Queen albums eventually, but this? We weren't going to listen to Pelican West by Haircut 100 in full. Why is this over an hour long? Who the hell are these guys? Why do I love them? This is what the 1001 Albums Project is about! I wouldn't have heard this album otherwise. I finally have an album I feel I can succinctly and accurately simply describe as "cute." Pelican West also takes first place now for my favorite album cover so far in the project. Current top album covers ranking: 1. Pelican West by Haircut 100 (pumpkin spice latte coded) 2. On the Beach by Neil Young (a bunch of shit on a beach) 3. Back At The Chicken Shack by Jimmy Smith (guy with a chicken)
Surprising amount of fun, incredibly 80s and a lot of bongo but tracks have a lot of groove
A little bit of new wave, ska, a little bit of sophisto pop... fun
(fun)(ky)
tem uma coisa meio brasileira nesse álbum que eu não sei explicar direito, mas a mistura da percussão com os metais em algumas faixas me transportou pra um carnaval de rua daqueles bem arrumadinhos que a gente vai pra escutar um tim maia, uma banda eva, coisas do tipo. até a capa parece a dos doces bárbaros se você parar pra reparar. em outras ele é aquela coisa mais previsível, britânica, new wave, mas é gostosinho também.
Wasn’t really sure what to expect from this one. But I was pleasantly surprised. Jangly guitars, ska influences and good songs. I have vague memories of hearing ‘Love Plus One’ way back in the 80s as a kid, but there is other good stuff here too - Favourite Shirts, Lemon Firebrigade, Kingsize, Snow Girl are all great tracks, and worth a second listen.
Have no idea this will be this funky, a welcome surprise on the list. Really fun and not boring.
Not a bad track. Funk/disco goodness throughout. On paper, a similar formula to ABC, but where the orchestration on Lexicon Of Love seems to dilute the syncopation, here the picolo, brass et al augment it. You nod your head to the attempted sophistication of ABC, but you bop around the room to this record. Melodic bass, palm-muted 16th on the guitar, and life affirming lyrics. It's a thing of joy. Will be listening again.
Rambly, but fun, horn driven pop/rock jams with guitar backing and sparse vocals
Perfect example of 80s British pop music. If Tears for Fears listened to Chic and then tried to make yacht music. The singles are great, the rest is fine.
This was a lot of fun
First two are jams, rest of album is clever music w sort of asanine lyrics. I was pleasantly reminded of all of the horns in the 80s and the use of funk guitar in some new wave. Very nice.
Super cute, peppy 80s britpop. Like XTC, Adam Ant, Elvis Costello, Oingo Boingo. You can hear little shoots of new wave trying to come through. Sweet and fun
honestly i wiwsh more pop bands sounded liek this nowadays. yaya new wave with discernible lyrics
I went into this one blind, I guess this one did not make it across the Atlantic to the US of A. I was very pleasantly surprised, poppy new wave tunes with an emphasis on funky grooves. The percussion and sax additions were welcome and many of the songs had great bass lines. Found myself crinkling my nose and bobbing my head as a lot of these tunes were locking into place, a great sign!
As strange of an album as this is for me I don’t hate it. The vibes are there. The album cover is nice to pretty solid!
It’s so painfully 80s, especially in the voice, but the instrumentals, especially the sax, make it a very fun listen.
Bias alert! Love Plus One is so good that it elevates this album more than normal. Still good, though!
We really liked this but can't really remember why. Four stars.
Saxy
Completely surprised by how this group sounded. Not a crazy emotional connection but I was immediately impressed by modern their sound felt. Its the kind of bouncy pop music I expect out of like a glass beach. Super fun enjoyed a lot
Really funky and jazzy 80s brit pop, a really pleasant listen with great instrumentation, they don't make bongo playing white boys like this no more.
Not as great as North of a Miracle but some stunning tracks.
This sounds like 80s new wave flirting with ska that wishes it was yacht rock. Which makes it way better than the normal British new wave I've had in this project so far. It's so interesting. The bass is amazing. I love the horns. This is really great. I'm surprised I've never heard of Haircut 100. It does get a little too 80s deep in its runtime but is still very fun.
Let's get back to it. Some tough times, maybe this will help. Track one is an absolute fun fest. Amazing energy, great arrangement. A certified banger. Track 2 two is a beautiful track aswell. Love the rithem guitar and brass arrangement. Huge bass playing on track 3. Once again lovely lovely funky guitar. Marine Boy is a slick little tune with nice harmony vocals. But maybe my least favorite so far. Track 5 nice but not phenomenal. 6 is what I'm looking for. Huge energy. Guitars, great song. Fantastic Day has a 60's vibe to it that I really like. A naive Beatleesque tune with solid rithem section. 8 is a bit Talking Heads sounding. A very good song. Snow Girl is a highlight here. Love it. A sofisti pop masterpiece of a song. 11 is another 60's tribute and such a great song. The last track is a cool one. Maybe not an highlight but an enjoyable tune. What a great one to return! I guess I'm a sofisti pop fan. Love the sound and the energy. I love everything about this one with two exceptions- Some songs are less "sophisticated " wich is unfortunate. And the production and mix is not good enough in my opinion. This music deserves more shining sound. But it's a very deserving 4.5.
Nice surprise!
Really fun 80s new wave/pop romp! I am honestly surprised this didn't spawn more hits than "Love Plus One." While certainly not a five-star album, I really enjoyed it, and found there to be a lot of fun, upbeat tracks to keep me interested.
If you think New Wave is a good time and 80s themed parties are your jam, this is essential listening. Everyone else will probably be just fine not hearing this album before they die.
80’s New Wave ⭐️Fantastic Day
C’est le genre d’album qui est pas renversant ni spécialement distinct ou unique, mais que tu passe assurément un bon moment dessus
This was a surprise! I really liked this album - way more than I thought I would. I might put this into rotation. Funky, fun, and each song was kind of different.
there were some really fun songs, 4.5
Loved it, like the cure - New Romantic stuff, never heard of them before
I read the global reviews for this and expected it to be way cornier than it was. There's some really fun things here! The jazzy sounds with their poppy 80s writing really stands out today. Even the saxophone used like this dates it but its endearing to me. Really nothing bad to say. Favorite Songs: Marine Boy, Kingsize and October is Orange
Took me back
Fabulous 80’s vibe. Plenty of sax and a few bangers. A 3* but hey let’s go Plus One…
Oooo that's better. I've changed into my speedos and a white captain's hat, I've waxed my chest and made myself a Blue Lagoon. I have created optimal conditions for the maximum enjoyment of this album. These tracks are airy, breezy, carefree. I feel the echo of this down to more guitar-based bands like The Foals. I hear the new wave pop of ABC, but less synth and more guitar. Sounds of the summer. This may be what would happen of Gang of Four tuned their guitars, and listened to Barry Manilow. Not a perfect album. Several lapses into the pedestrian formats of bore-jazz and ersatz-salsa. But it's never long before you're back on that yacht, cocktail in one hand, scantily clad lady with big flammable hair in the other. A close an equivalent to a warm sea-breeze you can get on record.
Hey now...here is a little known, great 80s album. I have only heard "Love Plus One" before and never knew the band behind it. Haircut 100 has the typical 80s sound but they seem to bump it up a notch with the complexity of their songs. Bass guitarist provides, well, a solid base for the rest of the team to build on. English lead singer brings the swag and simple, catchy guitar rifts plus bongos spice it up. I am not big on horns but they work here. Sounds like a mash up of Joe Jackson singing with Duran Duran. Pelican West is spot on for the decade and I wish these guys had more albums. Makes me want to get a haircut...3.85 stars.
What a surprise this was. Haircut 100 was entirely brand new to me and I was really pleased with what I got. As the songs ticked by I found myself marveled at how much I was enjoying it all. Pretty much every song was solid with a couple added to my Liked Songs list for future play. This is listed in the new wave genre and I don't think I really know what that means. My lack of knowledge about the genre or the associated acts means I wouldn't have said I was a fan if someone asked. If this is what new wave has to offer, then its entirely possible that I've been a fan without ever knowing it. I'll have to delve into it a little more but maybe its a cleaner/preppier style that resonates with me more than punk roots. Either way I'll look forward to more from this vein. 3.74 stars
Singles are still great and the rest of the album is decent.
Nice 80s fun times
Enjoyable 80’s
YABA! (Yet Another Brit(pop) Album) I was ready to shit on this, but more enjoyable than expected. Like elevator/cruise background music. Does it merit being on this list though? 4*, enjoyed it quite a bit. Marine boy felt like Pinball wizard was about to come on. Sometimes I wonder who gave the authors of this book the authority to pick these albums. Maybe 1001 was too big a number -- after you've done the obvious ones, there's gotta be filler.
I didn't think much of Haircut 100 when they were in the charts, but I'm glad that this album is on the list. Favourite Shirts (Girl meets Boy) is the standout song.
Good stuff, much more than the one hit wonder I remember. Some Elvis Costello vibes.
This is #day563 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… yet another first-timer here, this time from the '80s. The moment I hear sax like that, I'm instantly sold. The whole affair sounds kind of like a mash-up of Men at Work and Talking Heads to my ears. Super fun and funky. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day564.
Boy I have absolutely 0 idea of what to expect here. I think that given time, I could have eventually guessed Boo Radleys would be like, early grunge or shoegaze adjacent. This is 82 and I have no idea. Really curious, though. I'll start listening before I pull up the wiki. **later** Oh, it's new wave! I've listened to some now and I dig this so far. Funny, the singles are the ones I don't like much so far. Only knowledge I really have of new wave is Thomas Dolby and Cars by Gary Numan (Newman?). I like those, the former being some of my favorite work of the 80s. And what I heard in the car before coming back to write this was surprisingly funky? I guess I just figured Dolby was an unusual white Brit, but maybe there's more to that. 1. Favourite Shirts - like, this is almost a disco track. One thing I was noting yesterday on first listen was how tight the guitar comping is. That's basically Nile levels. The bassist isn't Bernard Edwards but they are also pretty funky, some nice licks when they can but otherwise right in the pocket. And this track wasn't like, a blockbuster from what I heard yesterday, there are better tracks on the album that I prefer. I'm not full on dancing (that's later actually) but I've got a bassists heel tap going on. Interesting also is that melody isn't screaming out to me, but the groove is tight enough that it's taking precedence. 2. Love Plus One - that sax is just funny lol it's very silly, I'm not sure if it's intended to be. I like this groove, but this is one of the singles I was talking about in the beginning. The "ayayayay" and the sax/horn tones are kind of annoying. Just a tad. I think I could get used to them, cuz the song vibe is pretty relaxed otherwise. Just an easy driving groove. This would probably be lower on the album for me despite that. 3. Lemon Firebrigade - another bassist heel tap going on. I like that horn line! Very dramatic. And the groove right after actually gave me a little dance time with the added perc. Love a good swing pattern triangle groove. The latin influence so far is really a bit shocking considering, but I guess Thomas Dolby had a wide berth of influence too. This album sounds like it could be the soundtrack to the movie Brazil in a different universe, it's so squeaky clean in the mix and arrangement and playing. Heey 4 ending too. I like that one a lot. 4. Marine Boy - yeah this is the one that had me dancing for real in the car yesterday. Funky ass guitarist! And cool chord progression, the 1sus - 1 - b7sus - b7 is one I fall into a lot. I'm seeing on the wiki now that someone "dismissively" compared this band to the Doobie Brothers in some kind of popular outlet. What a dummy. The Doobie Brothers sound great! And yeah I see the comparison here but it's not a negative one. Michael McDonald is a great writer and can hold a groove quite well, they have those hits for a reason. Anyway, this was my favorite track on the album of what I heard yesterday. 5. Milk Film - I'm gonna pull up a lyric sheet for this in a moment cuz the title is hilarious. Very tight uptempo groove here and I actually like the melody a lot, pretty hooky during the verse anyway. The "I'll be the only one" bit, which I guess is the chorus, is a bit annoying. I think this album is usually skirting the line between glossy pop and annoying dredge pretty well, skating right against what is cool before crossing over into lame. It does dip here and there, like this chorus. But I like the verse a lot, it didn't cross there at all. And the ending is funny but I love those, brave if you're being serious about it. 6. Kingsize - yeah this is the one from yesterday where I noticed that they're just doing some disco sometimes. And good disco at that, you could put this on the dance floor at a black club in the 80s and early 90s hip hop artists would fucking hate it on principle, that's how you know it's good disco. One thing is that the solos fit the aesthetic well, they're not always super tight. I guess I'm always expecting Michael and Randy Brecker to show up. The sax solo here had its moments, though. Slap bass interlude with that swing triangle, that's sick. Yeah bassist is actually killing this song, and the changes compliment his lines well. Or the other way around. 7. Fantastic Day - another single, but I don't think I like this one very much. After the last 3 it is a letdown somewhat, very poppy but not very funky. I saw someone describe this album as "twee" and I don't agree at all, aside from this track. At least so far. This one isn't good to me, I'm afraid. Chorus melody isn't bad on its own but the groove doesn't compliment and the wide SNL 80s sax is pushing it over that line the album has been skating. 8. Baked Bean - lol funny track name. I'm telling you again, that bassist is putting the shit down. Like most of these tracks are giving me some room to dance here. This ones got me pretty good. The vocalizations on this one that aren't melodic remind me of Devo or some more of Dolby's stuff. Another thing this band does is bring it down on the groove for a bar or two quick and then hit it hard right back in, that texture change works really well. Horn line pretty funky here. And oh shit weird sax solo, I like that actually. Completely unrelated musically, but the groove is so tight that there's space for that sort of thing. 9. Snow Girl - big thing I'm noticing after an hour or so break, these grooves are tight and fun. Singable even, but there isn't a whole lot of texture contrast. Put it against Aliens Ate My Buick, that album has all sorts of textures on it that pair well with each other. That said, aside from track 7, this is probably the closest to a new texture on the album so far. And I still like the groove and all the interlude stuff that happens in this track. Bassist still super tight and up front with it. Not much to say, some darker colors in the chords that I enjoy. 10. Loves Got Me in Triangles - cool drum groove up front I gotta use for something sometime. Now that's a Dolby melody if I ever heard one. Again, the groove is quite tight, especially for that horn interlude, that's just good disco at that point. 11. Surprise Me Again - track 10 was so strong that this more straight ahead new wave pop is a little dull. Chorus is floaty and I dig it there but that's about all there is to this one. 12. Calling Captain Autumn - once again. I mean, is this just a cleanly mixed British disco band? That whole nonsense syllable chorus isn't nearly as annoying here as it was no track 2. This is reminding me of Devo a bit with the shouting chorus. Horns are killing this one for sure, they're allowed to sound a little crunchier in the full section I'm noticing. Hey that was a blast. I'm glad to know that I'm enjoying new wave so far and that it isn't just one artist. Genuinely excites me to find other like artists in the future. Without looking, I'd have to imagine this is the sort of album that can get annoying to people fast. It's very overpolished and whimsical, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. I thought the groove was pretty infectious throughout the whole thing, the playing was mostly on the one, the songs ranged from okay to good. The only this was the moments of skating too far over that annoying line from the other side. I don't think it happened often enough to really notice overall and maybe it's one of the things that I'd stop noticing overall when the album is in rotation. I'll definitely be hitting this one again. I can't say that I personally see any kind of deep genius or songcrafting mastery at work here, but I did have fun with a tight album and had some dancing. It's past inoffensive and has crossed over into good, so 4.
Did this album need to be an hour long? I don’t think so. Did I enjoy this entire album? Definitely a yes there!
This is a fantastic album whose biggest hits I had never even heard of before, though I didn't find myself especially impressed with them. Strong use of Burundi beats throughout the album, paired with slap bass, gives the music an 80's jungle vibe combined with the various brass and wind instruments on the album. I'm a huge sucker for saxophone and this band delighted, even thrilled me, with their consistent use of saxophone throughout the album. Not every tune was a banger, but my attention was piqued by something on every song. I will undoubtedly return to some of the highlights from this album in the future.
Bor, das hat Spaß gemacht. Wirklich so ehrlicher Spaß mit dem ich nicht gerechnet hatte. Bonuspunkt für Surprise Faktor.
Day 190 An album which got stronger as it went on, will definitely be going into regular rotation. Highlights Fantastic Day Surprise me again Calling captain Autumn
Haircut 100, Pelican West ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Album #18. Another new discovery. Third in a row. A great new wave record. I’d never even heard of Haircut 100. It’s not necessarily my thing, but it definitely flirts with the kind of music I tend to gravitate towards. Uptight rhythms, lovely muted rhythmic guitar and melodic lines, and while the saxophone isn’t my favourite instrument when it shows up, it’s suitably camp and tastefully used throughout. It’s kind of the focal point in a lot of ways. The singles are the best songs here. They’re insanely catchy, especially Love Plus One, which has an amazing chorus. I could definitely see some of these songs making it into my general rotation, so this was a hit for me.
I didn’t know I needed British new wave in my life. Groovy fun album.
The instrumental popped off- unexpected but great!
New Wave Sax Yacht Rock? Who is this for?? Me, apparently. Incredible production, mixing & mastering. Musically super detailed & interesting, I am sure music students study this.
big bass lines, quirky lyrics surprised they didn’t get more air play in the early 80’s Very taking heads in the rythms British band didn’t make it here, sadly! Listened to it three times thru
Funky talking heads. Van instrumentaal tot popbeukers. Lekker album ook hoor je her en der wat smiths er doorheen
Bri'ish talking heads innit. 7/10
Totally unknown band to me, but I enjoyed it. I'll give it a few more spins and see what shakes out.
Huh (complimentary). I had never heard of this band, and I probably wouldn't have listened to them when they were popular; they remind me of the "pretty boy" bands like Duran Duran that I disdained at the time. But like Duran Duran, they're actually pretty damn fine musicians - the bassist and percussionist particularly excel in these funky, mildly Latin-flavored tracks. They remind me a bit of Level 42, another Britpop band formed at the same time who ended up with a longer and more impressive career. It's catchy, tight, and well-put-together.
I didn’t expect these Hwite boys to have so much funk…
Really fun and funky pop. I hadn't heard this one before but really enjoyed it.
Was this Cory Wong 3 years before he was born?
I agree with the comparisons to Duran Duran, complete with the basslines that absolutely steal the show compared to any other instruments. (That bass in Kingsize... man, it's just so good. Snowgirl as well.) The tracks are fairly straightforward in structure and composition, so a lot of the focus is put towards how well the instruments are played. But because the vocals are questionable at best, the finest tracks end up being instrumentals (or quasi-instrumentals). Lemon Firebrigade and Marine Boy are much better than the two so-called "hits" preceding them. (The synths at the end of Marine Boy, underlying a smooth sax solo, are so simple... yet so great.) Calling Captain Autumn is incredibly catchy with poppy, funky brass lines. Favourite Shirts has great hands-on percussion and brass interjections, but the vocals could use some work. That slurred punk/post-punk delivery isn't doing it for me. (It only works in cases like the Smiths, and even then, largely because their reputation precludes them. Haircut 100 don't have that advantage.) But that clean late-70s guitar sound makes this sound straight out of a disco. It almost feels like the song "should" be popular, even if it isn't. Love Plus One can be described in much the same way. Only difference is, it contains more vocal harmonies to slightly mask the bad singing. Fantastic Day is the best iteration of a sung track here, because the harmonies are laid on pretty thickly in the choruses, and the singing is otherwise very quiet in the verses. That should've been the biggest hit here. I'm giving a lot of crap to this album. But in all honestly, it's really good. It deserves more attention, and it certainly deserves its placing on the list. 4/5 Key tracks: Lemon Firebrigade, Marine Boy, Fantastic Day
Really good. 4.5
Never heard of this band, but this is some good ass music. Like a lot of new wave, this is a band that was here today, gone tomorrow, but this is a very fun listen. The Pelican West Plus version on Spotify sits at just over an hour, but does not overstay its welcome.
Britpop they can never make me hate you, WAY too fucking long though, idk if i was listening to a deluxe version or something but it just kept going until all the songs just sounded the same. Looooove the kind of jazzy influences tho, feel like it makes it stand out more than the typical ‘britpop’ music.
Started out strong but finished kind of weak. Still, enjoyable and more interesting than your standard 80s album.
Fantastic day, today, indeed
Leukleukleuk
ik had het niet verwacht maar beetje wham achtig best leuk
Len Houmous claims he once tried to give a pelican 100 haircuts. 3.7 8/12 Baked Bean
VERY 80s I LOVE THE 80s
4/5 This album was funk-ay! Got the drums, the brass and the bass, what more could you ask? Even if some of the later tracks felt like they were repeating some themes and ideas from earlier in the album, the overall mix of catchy refrains and fresh instrumental sections leaves me wishing that this band had made more than one album.
never heard of them but i think i recognized that one song. enjoyed it but it was quickly forgettable
This album captures what I think of for funk in the 80s. It’s fresh, good energy, with horn sections over funky guitar rhythms.
Ok een new wave album, dat kan óf top zijn óf gigantisch fout. Ik ben blij om te melden dat het allebei is. Soms heb je een beetje de Club Tropicana vibes er in, sowieso gaat de percussi echt craaaaazy, maar dit hele album(ik ben bij nummer 3) funkt tot nu toe echt keihard. Mooi om te lezen dat deze gasten nu recent een comeback aan het maken zijn. Jammer dat ze alleen in de UK blijven, want dit lijkt me een hilarisch optreden om mee te pakken. Is dit een essentieel album? Geen idee eigenlijk, maar met een goede saxofoon solo zit je bij mij al gauw op minstens 3 sterren en dit album heeft ZEKER een goede saxofoon solo. Wel op bijna elk nummer, dus misschien gaat dit vervelen gezien het album bijna een uur duurt. Ja was er al een beetje bang voor, maar dit album duurt me toch een beetje te lang. Niet dat het vervelend word ofzo, maar ik heb zojuist zelfs een saxofoon solo gehoord die ik niet zo tof vond. Wist niet dat dat kon. Maar even, deze band is F U N K Y, echt bizar. Hun ritme secties gaan keihard, de zang is prima, ik vind het gewoon een beetje typisch 80s ofzo en niet heeeel bijzonder. Wel echt typische new wave zang wat dat betreft. Ja nee, instrumentaal is dit album zo ontzettend funky en gewoon LEUK om te luisteren. Sure ik ben wel een beetje toe aan andere muziek na een uur new wave, maar toch bij de 100e saxofoon solo kan ik me er niet aan onttrekken; toch weer een lach op mn gezicht. 4 sterren, voor de funky witte boys. 4 sterren! FAVO: Favourite Shirts, Lemon Firebrigade, Marine Boy, Fantastic Day, Calling Captain Autumn, Nobody's fool
Pretty fun
These guys may look ten years old on the cover (and in the excellent ‘Nobody’s Fool’ video), but looks are deceiving. The lead singer is actually 65. I happened to get a haircut today. What do you think THAT means??? Super cosmic!
Grew in me
C'était sympa, très varié avec des rythmes dynamiques
Des airs à la the Clash et the smiths par moment En vrai c’est pas mal, j’aime bien la voix et musicalement c’est diversifié
J'ai écouté avant de partir en weekend et j'ai souvenir d'avoir beaucoup aimé pcq je l'ai laissé en boucle toute la fin d'aprem
wasn't expecting this to be so good
i liked it, impressed not my fav but still my style
Now that's how you start an album. "Shouldn't be on the list" this, "shouldn't be on the list" that...JUST DANCEEEE. Groovy, light-hearted, and consistent. Considering the length of the album and the number of songs I was concerned if they would be able to keep up the momentum of this album throughout and boy was I wrong…until i wasnt. Second half of the album kind of fell off. This is the most fun I've had listening to an album from the list so far.
Love the horns. Love the groove.
this one was fun. i’ll definitely revisit.
Honestly, this slapped. The bass was funky/groovy, and there were some really fun songs to listen to on this album. Great listen.
Simpa New wave
kind of housemartins, good classic wave
Enjoyable New Wave.
Loved the combination of brass and lyrics going back and forth in verses. I well produced album with great mixing. Records had really diverse grooves going between upbeat to laid back.
Very much a Talking Heads-style new-wave band, with this big emphasis on groove and a tight rhythm section. It's also just super cute and feel-good, which is the impression I got from this album cover before even listening. So many little uplifting funky musical interludes and horn sections, with my favorites being 'Lemon Firebrigade' and that intro to 'Kingsize' is just perfect. Lyrically too, just listen to 'Fantastic Day'. And the bass on this album is to die for, so melodic and stated, the one on 'Milk Film' especially is infectious in its simplicity and playfulness. Maybe the only thing that I wasn't huge on here was the lead vocals; they're fine, but I enjoyed this album much more whenever they were pulled back for a nice saxophone solo or horn section. They're nothing special, but they get the job done - standard British new-wave and post-punk stuff, I guess. I like the Beach Boys thing in the vocals going on in 'Snow Girl'. The whole album is also just super cleanly produced, like absolute studio glitz and shine, and while I'm not usually super into that, I'd say it suits the album's aesthetic more than well. Like a field of sunflowers, super colourful, fun, and happy. I can't NOT like this thing. Apparently, they're releasing an album next year after like 40 years, which is neat.
Bit disappointed to see another UK new-wave album here, but I was pleasantly surprised upon listening. I really enjoyed the jazzy accompaniment and it definitely elevated the listening experience. 3.5/5
pretty good rock ish?
Really enjoyed this and felt a bit guilty about it. Fave Tracks: Love Plus One, Lemon Firebrigade, Marine Boy 4/5
My mom would listen to Lemon Firebrigade a ton and I started listening to Love Plus One in addition to that. I love both songs so I was surprised to see this album on the list. It’s a very light and happy album. Just a good time throughout, and the fast guitars and the sax really does it for me. Solid listen.
Very good album. I was surprised by the musicianship. Singing was pretty typical of the new wave era. No bad songs as far as I am concerned.
A pleasant surprise. A fun album. Reminds me of the Mario Kart soundtrack...or really any soundtrack of a racing game released in the 90s/00s. And this listener friggin' loves that sound. It also reminds me of my mother and the music she would play to me as a child. When rating I try to separate personal ties to a specific genre. I had a very hard if not impossible time to do it here. 4 stars for the feelings evoked within....
I can not remember having listened to Haircut 100 in the 80s. But quite a nice album. Of course very 80s but musich with good vibrations.
Disco ska
A good listen, another album from my lost 80's decade that I would never have listened to if not for the list
I had never heard of this one before, but I really enjoyed it. If you're into new wave, you'll probably like it.
god forbid a white boy get a lil funky
Favorite Track: Baked Beans
Pleasantly surprised by this. Really nice sounding instrumentation and easy to listen to vocals. Will be checking out more of them at some point!
I quite liked this. It's very 80s and I'm not really aware of Haircut 100 doing much after the hits from this, but it does have some cracking pop songs. I like the guitar playing and sax which gives it a smooth sound
A surprisingly good time for an album I knew nothing about going in! Funky fresh sophisti-pop jams to vibe out to.
What the hell?? The Brits win this one. Unexpectedly wonderful sound full of jazz and funk. Standouts: Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) • Lemon Firebrigade • Milk Film • Kingsize (You're My Little Steam Whistle) • Fantastic Day • Calling Captain Autumn
Interesting listen
Fun new wave. Dancey and rhythmic. The horns make it more interesting.
Dope
7/10… sophisti pop/ new wave
Initial reaction to this appearing was, of course, "oh, those sweater wearing floppy haired funksters of new-wave" It's actually very good though isn't it. You might not want to admit it, but it's deliciously bouncy. Yes, the funk gets a bit wearing after a while, but the big hits were all big hits for a reason. I'm not sure it's *quite* enough to warrant inclusion in this list, but I'm pleased the project brought it to my attention.
Everything is tight: the drums, the bass, the vocals, and the fucking horns! The production value is incredible and while this sounds like a typical 80s album, it also doesn’t. It’s got that Nile Rodger’s flair, and the Duran Duran execution. I thought it was refreshing and funky throughout.
Fun stuff, positive, great beats, it took me back with a big smile
A rhythm section that’s groovy as all get out, a refreshing cast of diverse instruments, and some killer melodies make for a polished, propulsive early-80s pop production.
Definitely has that 80s vibe but not the common overly used synth. Replaces it with horn (and saxophone!) which was a nice change of pace. Doesn’t have too many repetitive sections and the breakdowns keep it lively and fresh. Solid album.
Fun!
I have heard of this band only because of a random reference in MST3K: Mitchell. Yet another early British 80s band that reminds me of Duran Duran. Fun, upbeat with horns gives the music a ska feel. It's good, I'll give it another listen someday.
There was a moment in the 1980s, between OG New Wave and Techno's dominance when there was smart, fun, New Wave, pop. Bands such as Adam and the Ants with their weird wailing, DEVO with it's... um.. just weirdness, high energy pop of Duran Duran, and Spandau Ballet and the other New Romantics performed music you could dance to and listen to. Haircut 100 happened at this moment with their breezy, jazzy, funky New Wave. They were lightweight but sophisticated, precursors to the New Romantics. Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) and Love Plus One were mainstays of the NYC New Wave clubs, and New Wave/Punks stations such as WLIR NY and KROC in LA. Aside from those songs, which lead off Pelican West, their one and only album, this record is uneven. Some songs such as Lemon Firebrigade are basically light jazz instrumentals, while others are Milk Film and Kingsize are more New Wave. The latter kind of sounds like Duran Duran with horns a nice touch that Duran Duran would add later. Fantastic Day, a UK hit, would have been a great addition to an 80s teen rom com. All in all, Pelican West veers from inspired to insipid. which was common in the early 80s. It's an era that produced many one hot wonders. Pelican West is never bad but, never great either. It's a fun listen and Love Plus One and Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) are a must for any early 1980s club or driving mix.
I'm pretty sure I've heard Haircut 100 as the punchline to a stand-up comedian's joke in the past - can't recall who - but that made me expect something wimpier like Scritti Politti. Not bad though. Funky. Sort of gave me Japanese city pop vibes though the vocals sounded British as you'd expect. Not sure I'd listen to it regularly, but not a bad experience.
Really enjoyed this one, a banger debut album.
Favourite Shirts is the standout track. I know this is considered a new wave gem, and it may have been fresh is 1982, but many of the songs sound like many that came after. I certainly appreciate the sound, but when looking backward, I look for something more unique.
this was super fun!! sounded pretty talking heads-inspired which is always a good sign
Much more solid than I expected. Liek happier Cure, but funkier and with horns.
more new wave groups, forgotten in the vast palette of innovating pop and rock music from the 80s. this one is groovy and funky, has almost a tropical, south-american influence. nice and simple. i feel like if you're the kind of guy that likes listening to japanese fusion jazz music you'd absolutely get a kick out of this album. it has the same sort of instrumentation and positive energy throughout. could be a fun album to listen to if you're on vacation... it's chill. i dig it!
This was unexpected pure musical joy!
Mi ha piacevolmente sorpreso, e mi ha messo di buon umore
It was very 80s and good
drei bis vier
*HIDDEN GEM ALERT* The new wave genre classification was a bit misleading and led me to be pleasantly surprised by this album! Front to back, the band seemed like they were having lots of fun in their performances. “Love Plus One” is a JAM! I knew by this song I’d be smiling while listening to this project. There’s so many little 10 second motifs and musical ideas that are all so catchy just on this song alone. “Lemon Firebrigade” was like adding a little spice into the track list. The strutty guitars, the bongos, that bassline groove!!! Oooh! “King size” gave me many of the same lively, energetic feelings. I just really like the way this song plays out with that horn section. “Snow Girl” almost has a bit more of a classic rock construction with that E. Street Band horn hook and the cowbell going off in the chorus. A nice little mixup. “Surprise Me Again” is kinda like this albums “Here Comes The Sun” it’s super bright and cheery and lovey, I found it endearing. Man this album was just good. Front to back. Really impressed. Falls just short of a 5, just missing a little something special, not quite my idea of perfect. But really, really fun. Huge 4 stars
Bring me the horns!
I have been listening to music all of my life and this was the first time I heard this band. Quite innovative and fun. Combined a big band sound with great pop lyrics. A little redundant at times but overall a great catch.
Didn’t know this band even though I grew up at that time. Enjoyed this album! Very enjoyable.
Unashamedly pop music and all the better for it, if anything this list is forcing me to confront my prejudices against 80's pop that was lumped in with 'new wave', it's an enjoyable album, if you give me a.few hours I can think of 1001 that are more essential but not all of them will be as enjoyable and easily digested as this. Extra points for being deceptively funky in ways that no one would expect from looking at the cover.
Much groovier and funkier than i expected. Still has a slight paneer of 80s british cringe but not so much its overpowering. 4 for surprising me
Love this album. It’s fun!
One of my early favs.
Bit funky
Mjög gott 80's. Eins og Talking Heads að stæla Duran Duran. Skrítið að þeir hafi bara átt þessa einu góðu plötu.
Hresst og þægilegt eitís. Eldist furðu vel. 3,5
liked it better than I thought I would, thank you sax
Funky goodness and a little bit of everything. You know it's the 80s when the saxophone comes forward.
Despite this being one of the worst band names I’ve come across in some time, this album was very enjoyable. It seems to sit somewhere between new wave, ska, and funk, and somehow comes together into some of the catchiest music I’ve heard in a while. I didn’t recognise any songs here, so I’m not sure how big of a band Haircut 100 are considered to be, but this album oozed fun.
I liked it 🤷
funky stuff
Band dorks make a cool album then blow their cover by making videos. Possibly the best new wave band musically, but lyrically they are totally lame. Wanted to hate this one but couldn’t.
легенько, танцевальненько, с саксофончиком - нравица
I wasn't stoked when I saw we got another 80s britpop album but this has been a lot of fun. I'm digging the instrumentals and the latin-jazz feel to it. It's accessible yet has depth to it. My biggest complaint about this record is that it felt a bit too long.
Very fun, funky and listenable. Aged pretty good. No standout, evergreen singles. Would listen again 7/10
Jangly jangly pop, love it, a few gems in there too
Very fun!
This was ... enjoyable? I had never heard of this band before, but even though the cover art suggests a boy band from some years later in the same decade, the album flows nicely. Sound is New Wave-ish (think Spandau Ballett oder Duran Duran, without quite reaching the same heights, song-wrighting-wise), and production values are rooted firmly in the 80s without being to overbearing or self-indulgent, which was often a problem with albums back then. Yeah, I can see myself listening to this again sometime. 3.5/5
I really dig this!
Did not come into this album with high expectations based on a potential hour's worth of Britpop, but dare I say this was good. The first 4 songs of this album were the strong points with Favourite Shirts being my favorite. Kind of like the start of Marine Boy stealing from The Who's Pinball Wizard. Kingsize is downright funky. I enjoyed this album pretty thoroughly. A lot of the instrumentals were funky and fun. The singing was not super overt as we've seen on other Britpop stuff. This lands at a 3.5 stars for me and I'm willing enough to move this to Low 4 territory.
"sophisti-pop" is a new one for me. Gotta say that for six preppy-looking white dudes in cable knit sweaters, they make some fun dance music with funky/soulful undertones. Thick bass, nice horn accompaniment, and sex guitar aplenty -- this was a fun ride. Favorites from the listen were opener Favourite Shirts (By Meets Girl), Lemon Firebrigade, and Kingsize. Some of the songs dragged a bit (e.g., Snow Girl) but in general this was surprisingly solid. For me this is the absolute softest of 4s.
This is a speedy and funky number. Makes me hopeful that we get Masayoshi Takanaka at some point. All in all this one has nice groovy highs, and the lows are that of some solid classic rock.
I enjoyed this album way more than I thought i was going to. At first I thought it was going to be just another mid British new wave album with a really annoying singer. But the singer grew on me and it turned into a very fun album with some really unique instrumentals. Barely a 4 but it still counts
Første albumet på lista med en artist æ aldri har hørt om, men det e jo new wave og det høres ut som new wave, og æ har ingenting imot det, men det e liksom ikke helt min greie. Æ nikka en del på hodet underveis, men det kommer neppe til å feste sæ i hjernen.
Not quite sure why this album is in the list, but I'm not mad about it. Favourite Shirts is a pretty fun start. The rest is easy listening.
Favourite Shirt, Love Plus One, Lemon Firebrigade
No clue what's coming my way. Ok starts promising. Favourite Shirts is great! A lot of fun. I'm realizing that I use the same words multiple times but fun really seems like the perfect word to describe my experience listening to this song. Great stuff. Love plus one was lovely. Love this mostly instrumental track. This record really is a pleasent experience, brings me memories of the beach. Overall a good vibe. The songs kind of melt into each other, so I'm having trouble differentiating between them. Liked the different vibe from Baked Beans. Love's Got Me In Triangles is an unexpected highlight from the latter half, the sax moments really add to it. The final track is fun and really sums up the whole record. It's very pleasent. A consequence of this is that the songs don't sound too different. Sure, some are better than others, but few stand out from the rest. So overall, I'd say this was worth a listen, and I'll probably listen to it again, but I don't know if it's out of the box or innovative enough to hold up to being included in this list. But hey, this was great! Bye
Great music for a sunny afternoon drive, just the right side of jangly tweeness - I've always enjoyed Fantastic Day, and the rest of the album is... Pretty much exactly what you'd expect from that
Quite good
I would have never listened to this on my own so I'm glad this is on this list because it's a bit of a banger! There are some very 80's things going on that date the shit out of it but overall it's like some early sounding Brit pop at least to my ears! Not perfect but way better than I would have expected, I thought it would be complete shit.
Liked to listen to it while commuting to work. Very chill and nice melodies, funky and jazzy to dance. Will certainly listen again.
This is actually good! 80s British pop that’s pretty far to the right on the funk spectrum. And it’s good funk! Super surprising. Strong instrumentals.
Ned gwüssi dasi widermal en Haircut 100 bruche aber da isch er uns er staht mer dammi guet! En Funky-Mullet mit chli usfadendem groove uf de siite, hine bitte chli me vocals, denn gern s ganze no chli mit 80er energy abrunde. Ja mit wäsche und föne und am schluss no gern biz fun it haar fürs styling. Aber lönd sie mer gern 4 Schmalzlocke will die Buebe hends richtig verdient!!
das macht also wüki spass so, so lahd sich schaffe – würd fast scho s'wort lüpfig verwende
If every song was as good as the opener and October is Orange, this would be a 5-er. But there’s a lot of weak and corny tracks.
Still rather pleasant
There's a kind cheapy guilty pleasure in this one. It's like watching a Talking Heads cover band performing at a shopping mall. You might be reluctant to admit it to anyone but it's actually very fun. This is definitely on the campier side of New Wave. But if you can look past the cheesy saxophone, you'll have a great time. Don't worry if none of your friends join in. It can just be for you.
My appreciation for its influence gets this album four.
78/100. Pelican West by Haircut One Hundred is a great and fun new wave album with tons of energy and charm. The album kicks off with a strong start, delivering a few fantastic, infectious tracks right out of the gate. While it loses some momentum as it goes on and drags a bit toward the end, it remains consistently enjoyable. The instrumentation is superb, filled with bright grooves and tight arrangements that make it stand out.
this kind of thing is exactly what i was hoping this 1001 albums project would deliver: a new-to-me sort of forgotten classic, only one hit album but honestly it's kind of fire. they're like a weirder, slightly fruitier Duran Duran (& it mostly works).
I really enjoyed this album. Didn’t know the band and am very upset about it. Disappointed to see that some of these songs have as few plays as they do. So I guess I’m not the only one. Great era for this kind of sound.
Like a more fun uptempo The Cure. Pretty fun with some nice jazzy trumpets as well
Feuer einfach
9/10 These dudes are doing city pop. City pop bangs. This album bangs. Favorite song: Kingsize
I really love this album and was pretty delighted to see it on the list and get to listen to it yesterday. Bright, happy British white boy funk that just works for me.
First two songs are classic singles, but I'd never hear the rest of the album, and it's surprisingly solid. Will definitely revisit!
Another fun album. I would, and plan to, revisit this album. Musically it was very reminiscent of Talking Heads, just add horns and you’re good.
As always, plus one for horns, and boy were there horns! This is an example of a one hit wonder band that should’ve been bigger. I knew Love Plus One from an 80s compilation cd my parents had and I always liked that song but I never checked out anything else from these guys. This was a great album with a unique sound.
Fun, groovy, I suspect I'd feel a bit bad with giving this one a 3, in spite of it being nothing extraordinary. But does it need to?
Quite funky! Surprised me. 4.1
totally unexpected and funky fresh
such an underrated album, good combination jazzy sound but groovy
nice!
The horns carry this album!
Loved lemon firebrigade and favourite shirts
Olipas hyväntuulista ja letkeetä kamaa. Ilmeisesti new wavea, mutta oli kyllä aika funkahtava fiilis omasta mielestä. Tosi hyvä. Parhaat: Love Plus One, Milk Film, Kingsize
Some people might find this blasphemous, but this sounded a bit like the clash to me. And like orange juice (rip it up and start again). The bass and the rhythm section is super tight and fun. Really fun and upbeat, with some nice melodies and harmonies. Probably no song great enough to reach the highs of a 5 star rating, but I really liked the sound and the sense of fun about this band. Never heard of them before this. Great find
Listened to a few songs a while back but finally got to the full thing. Only album in my backlog that I have been looking forward to. This was pretty damn fun and silly - reminds me a little of Talking Heads or that band They Might Be Giants. Stand outs for me were Love Plus One, Lemon, and Fantastic Day, but this whole record is pretty consistent.
Went into this blind. Really fun! Cool merging of brit pop, new wave, and a little jazz.
Fun and funky. How is it that I’ve never heard of these dudes!!!! Obsessed with the way percussion and saxophone are used on this album Amazing band name
Am I enjoying the British new wave from the 80s? What did you do to me, 1001 list?
Very 80's, did not like it on 1st listen. 2nd listen proved much more enjoyable with the horns and the happiness
Where were they getting all these bass lines from? I’m fond of a few new wave and new wave adjacent groups (Duran Duran, WHAM!, Spandau Ballet, TFF) but hadn’t listened to the Haircuts before – my error. A sprightly, sunshiny record that has most in common with Duran Duran (though contains much less in the way of lascivious undertones – I can’t imagine DD calling a song “Baked Beans”). At times the looser jam feel creates an atmosphere reminiscent of Orange Juice’s jangly navel gazing (“Surprise Me Again”, for example). It’s a shame they only lasted the one album. Highlights: “Love Plus One”; “Lemon Fire Brigade”
Oh my, it's been way too long since I've listened to this entire album. It was a delight to rediscover all the old favorites. I love the fun vibe that flows through this album, with the funky bass, the horns, the sax, the percussion....so good!
I was actually surprised by this album, having never heard of Haircut 100. They have a unique take on pop music- their songs are varied in tone and style but always with an overarching pleasant catchiness Overall- probably a 3.5/5, but ai found nyself rocking out a lot so I'll bump it to 4
This is a great pop record and typical of the time.
Très agréable à écouter, j'ai bien aimé.
This is a very entertaining album! The record hangs somewhere between Postcard bands like Josef K, Fire Engines, and Orange Juice and the later, more commercial Tropicanapop acts, Culture Club, Duran Duran, and especially Wham!, and can also be seen as the missing link between these two movements. This pop is bouncy, funky, but in most cases also damn cleverly put together (Milk Firm, Lemon Firebrigade). It's a 3,5* album, I'll put it at 4
I thought I wasn't familiar with this group, but I'm only familiar with the first song on this album, which is on my Liked Songs playlist. Very early 80s sound. The album cover made me laugh because I went through the fisherman sweater phase about that time as well
typical example of the time. nothing exceptional
80er Disco Feeling mit einem Hauch 70er und etwas Agency Feeling. Das bekannteste Stück ist „Love Plus One“. Der Rest ist hörbar aber auch nichts besonderes; und dann Track 10 und die Wavenote des Albums glänzte mit „Love me in Triangeles“ und einem Song der auch von den Housmartins sein könnte „Surprise Me again“.
Very pleasant
No complaints for this record. Enjoyed it then & still enjoy it now.
Funky album mit richtig tighter Gitarre, gefällt mir gut
Funky fun, surprisingly enjoyable!
Get freaky on some funk. I don't mind that shit
At times it was typical 80s new wave junk, but at other times it was funky 80s Hong Kong vibe which I really dug
i wanna give this a five just because it’s so much fun but it doesn’t have enough bangerz, but it does i just need to spend more time with it. it reminds me of the best devo stuff and a bit of Madness. i really loved this. i hope this doesn’t haunt me the way magazine did. 4. very strong 4.