Pelican West

Iconic ‘80’s. A fun, nostalgic listen. I’m fine waiting another 20 years before I listen to it again.

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.

Seriously? One of the top 1000 albums I need to listen to? Nope. Poppy Trash.

Meh it was ok. Standout song: Love plus one

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

Pretty standard surf rock

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!

Nice sweaters on the cover also enjoyable music

Had never heard of this before and didn't really know what to expect. I kind of enjoyed it at first, but as it went on it kind of got old. I dont love sax heavy music which didn't help.

It hits that 80s sound to a T.

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!

I know this doesn’t make sense but this album is hyperpop to me. I enjoyed it. Not too familiar with the scene but I can hear XTC and Orange Juice in there. October is Orange and Marine Boy are favorites.

We really liked this but can't really remember why. Four stars.

3.5 nice discovery for me

Pleasantly 80's. 3.5 stars.

Saxy

This is new wave and that’s never totally been my thing. Sure there are some bands that are in this era, especially ones that matured beyond it like Tears For Fears that I really enjoy, but most of the time it’s stuff like this that just isn’t fully developed, or at least constructed well. This has a lot of elements that I should like, fast paced, guitars, slapping base, saxophone, and brass section, hell even the drums aren’t that bad. That said, it never really fully comes together to create something special or even significant. Two stars

Fun, boppy British New Wave album. Nothing too remarkable. Easy to digest. Fun stuff.

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

I had totally forgotten about listening to this record. I guess that says all you need to know.

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.

The more of this list I listen to, the more I embrace 80s pop.

Love “Fantastic Day,” though the rest was a bit samey

Annoying

God bless the guitarist’s wrist

This is a baffling inclusion not because it’s bad but because it’s just sort of there. It’s inoffensive, a little loose and fun, I think I recognize the hit? But is it some ground breaking 80s hidden gem? No? It’s an interesting blend of jazzy and island music with pop that doesn’t sound embarrassing but I probably could do without it.

It's a great album. Very funky, played by people who knew how to play. The singing is ok and the songs themselves are great. A very fun album. 4.5/5

Much better than expected. Favorite fact I saw about them was that they say around one day coming up with band names for hours and went with the one that made them laugh the most. Haircut 100 is an awesome band name. Really, really good bass player. Reminded me of Duran Duran.

The vocals are classic new wave--goofy and mostly interolable. The music is a little more on the funk side. Then there is some goofy use of horns and flutes and such. Love Plus One sounds like something that Puff Daddy would have covered in the 90s. Lots of cheesy 80s white guy saxophone peppered throughout this. Jesus, this is a slog. Got to Captain Autumn and don't think I can do this. This song along takes this album from a loft 2 to a 1.

Day801 - seems like they were a one hit wonder for a reason

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.

Felt like generic 80's music. Didn't really do anything for me.

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!

Kind of sounds like if The Cure were asked to cover Duran Duran at a garden party in The Hamptons. The mix and muscianship are actually really good, but it just ends up being pretty forgettable inoffensive 80s pop that isn't quite sure where it wants to be

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.

not the 80s i would reach for

Does what it says on the package.

not my cup of tee

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.

Not for me

So painfully unremarkable. So average.

Wildly maximalist production. Woodwind. Brass. Funk. Ska. Disco. Drum circles. The kitchen sink. Is this considered New Romanticism? Ultimately it's all quite interesting but not really in a way that leaves me craving further listens.

80’s New Wave ⭐️Fantastic Day

3+ Stars (9/15)

No thank you, I'm good

Fun, breezy, but bland album by a bunch of preppy Brits. I remember owning this album on vinyl when it came out. Yet I hadn't remembered any of it other than the first two songs, especially the all-time great "Love Plus One." It gets tedious in the second half but it's agreeable enough though those Chic-style funk guitar riffs sure get old. There are countless numbers of new wave era artists and bands that should be on this list instead of this one.

Went in blind.. kinda like if early XTC favored smooth jazz instead of a punkier sound. Starts off pretty funky and fun but they keep going back to the same bag of tricks, gets tiresome. Can see why theyre considered one-hit wonders, definitely best in small doses. By the end I was wishing for the love of God they'd stop palm muting and put down the saxophone

More of a 2.75

C’est le genre d’album qui est pas renversant ni spécialement distinct ou unique, mais que tu passe assurément un bon moment dessus

Want more punk

bien ochentoso, sonido agradable

More Brit pop from the 80’s, yay

Funky, hits of future styles 2

80's! not the worst of the 80's at least there were no synths in the songs I listened to

Of all the bands from the 80s this is one of them. So very boring. This is what ChatGTP would give you if you asked it for an 80s sound.

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.

88. forgettable

there were some really fun songs, 4.5

no, just no...this deserves to be on a list of albums your corpse should 'listen' to when you're dead. How is this even on here?

Had some cool grooves but nothing that special, kinda a knock off duran duran. Also, this is where I'm going to complain that there are no Electric Light Orchestra albums on this list. Discovery, A New World Record, and Out of the Blue are more essential than any album I've gotten this week.

Listened Before? N This album really does it for me! Up-tempo new wave with horns? Hell yes! It's just a shame they didn't make more music in the 80s before the singer left. Cool that they're back together now and I'm grooving on their new stuff as well. Amazingly done. Added to Library? Y Songs added to playlist: Love Plus One

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

Am I cool enough for this album? Probably not. But I enjoyed it anyway. Their new wave pop sound was catchy and fun. Yes, it was really eighties-sounding with the synth, but I enjoy that kitschy area by Haircut One Hundred. And the saxophone made for some good bops. Far from the worst album on this list.

While this album has new wave elements, it definitely leans more sophisti-pop, complete with jazzy-funk sounds. As I listened to this, I heard the sounds of a lot of different bands who did similar sounds dancing around, all mixed in here. There wasn't anything really wrong with this, but once again, just another pretty underwhelming album in the grand scheme of this project.

Took me back

I'm awarding 3 stars for Nick Heyward et al. There's nothing too serious about this album, instead enjoyable jangly pop and lightweight jazz funk. Wear your favourite shirt and yellow jumper and have a fantastic day.

Fabulous 80’s vibe. Plenty of sax and a few bangers. A 3* but hey let’s go Plus One…

In 1982 I was sitting on the 'cool' (to me and my mates) side of the common room listening to Status Quo, ACDC and Zep, and this album was derided as worthless. I (we) were wrong. It's actually an enjoyable jazz-slanted and fun way to spend 40 mins. It's still not getting more than 3* though. My 17yo self would be proud I've not cashed out completely.

Relentlessly update 80's pop. A bit of an overload and whilst many of the tunes are catchy none are troubling my best of 80's playlist.. Not quite sure how included on this list as feels quite generic.....

Pelican West I very much enjoyed this, an extremely agreeable album of relatively undemanding early 80s slick jazzy disco pop funk, with a great, breezy sound and feel, showcasing what a good songwriter Nick Heyward is. Favourite Shirts and Love Plus One are an excellent opening pair, Fantastic Day is another great track, I really like Snow Girl and Calling Captain Autumn too, and although it occasionally meanders into some aimless slap bass jam cul de sacs, it’s never less than enjoyable, maintaining a great frothy, bouncy charm. And when the bass isn’t slapping the playing is exemplary, showing the clear influence of Berneard Edwards and the grooves of disco in general. As good as Favourite Shirts, Love Plus One and Fantastic Day are, it does however feel like it's missing one or two more killer tracks to really elevate it to a solid 4, and his vocals aren’t always the strongest. But as snapshot of sleek, effervescent early 80s disco-funk-pop it is excellent, evoking Jacuzzis, babycham and other bubbly things, so much so it lands as a 4 for me. 💇💇💇💇 Playlist submission: Favourite Shirts (Girl meets Boy)

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.

Bongos and horns, that’s the way I remember Haircut 100. Love Plus One was their big hit and top track on the album. Pelican West is jazzy and fast paced with some island flair. If you like these guys, check out The Rippingtons. (3.45*s) Not a huge playlist, looks like this is their best album.

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

It was...below sub par. I'm not mad about it, but I realized just now I don't really remember the music. I remember I listened to it, but nothing stuck out.

Singles are still great and the rest of the album is decent.

Nice 80s fun times

Enjoyable 80’s

Stort album for saxofon lydeffekten på synthesizere

Aldrig hørt om før, det var et ret sjovt lyt men ikke noget særligt. Er new wave overrepræsenteret på listen? Det er umuligt at sige.

Welp.. Another generic new wave album..

Solid

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.

on m'a parlé d'un duran duran lowcost..... non ??? ya quand même une différence même si à certains moment en plissant les yeux (les tympans) j'arrive à l'entendre. Et vu que j'avais des attentes je suis un peu déçue du coup

This sounds like XTC tried to make a Talking Heads tribute album as a weekend project

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.

Mediocre English new wave. 2.5/5

This is kinda lame to me.

Very 80’s about all I got to say

Favorite Song: Love Plus One

This is definitely better than the "Crap, ANOTHER Britpop band from this guy's youth!?!?" thought I started with. Truth is, if they had a different singer OR if the singer changed his tone/delivery, this could be a great great band. But, as it stands, he almost never changes and the singing firmly places this in the 80's British pop scene. And that's boring. The drums are quite good with what my wife called "Sheila E. drums". Lot's of cool fills and flairs. The bass is bangin'! It's Level 42 bass at times. That alone raises the bar on the whole album. I listened a few times and added a couple of songs to my library. Oddly enough, I find the singles to be the worst songs on the album. "Love Plus one" is musically boring and lyrically juvenile I'd say "Kingsize" is the best song here. This album deserves a 3 because it's not world-shaking or musically unique. I don't think they really influenced anyone or introduced new concepts. It's good for what it does... But the singing just pins this down to its decade and is boring quickly. I can't picture a day when I'd choose to come back t this whole album.

New Wave 🤮

I didn't really expect the horns on this, but digging the vibe. Really fun bass lines, too. Not terrible for an '80s album!

Good stuff, much more than the one hit wonder I remember. Some Elvis Costello vibes.

I do my best to finish every album but I just could t do it.

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.

Fun little 80s pop record. Nothing significant really about it but it offers what we've come to expect from pop records in the 80s - upbeat rhythms, pleasant sounding vocals, and routine social topics. Not a bad listen, but one I likely won't return to intentionally.

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.

132/1001 First listen. Never heard of this band. What a bad name. This sounds okay, just nothing to hook me in. Too many horns? 4/10

This was pretty cool. Haircut 100 is kind of at the collision of Brit pop, early indie and funk. And these touchstone get the best songs here to a place that reminds me of Talking Heads and The Smiths. The jangly, funky take on indie generally works really well actually. I do think Haircut 100 are a little less interesting than either of the other bands I mentioned. But Favorite Shirt, Lemon Firebrigade, Kingsize, Milk Film and others are pretty great songs. I think the sound works best when the funk influence pushes things into a *slightly* manic place. The jittery sound on a lot of my favorites here *is* similar to a lot of what I love about Talking Heads. There are also some great sax parts, cool jazz influences, and some moody sections throughout that add a little depth. Although, despite this, I do think several songs kind of slip out of the anesthetic and get somewhere that's a little more vaguely indie flavored Brit pop. Snow Girl is a good example of a song I'm not crazy about. But the best songs here are cool enough that I am glad I listened to this.

i like it, but i think it's a little too long. 3/5

This album is pretty fly for some white guys. Was going to give it a 3 but it was way too long for my taste.

Did this album need to be an hour long? I don’t think so. Did I enjoy this entire album? Definitely a yes there!

Very smooth 80s style, felt partly like yacht rock. Thought I'd hate it, kinda liked it.

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.

Nein. Nein, nein, nein. So gar nicht.

Bor, das hat Spaß gemacht. Wirklich so ehrlicher Spaß mit dem ich nicht gerechnet hatte. Bonuspunkt für Surprise Faktor.

Not my steez

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

I mean it's a fine new wave record I guess

Its a vibe, sometimes. Listened to this on a run and it didnt annoy me. Its not terrible but not amazing.

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.

Not really for me stylistically, and it sits in the middle of a road of overly happy Tears For Fears using Talk Talk’s gear. Dancy, catchy and fun, but that’s about all for me.

Not sure how many generic pop albums can be on this list. The same guitar riffs on almost every song and bass lines left over from the disco era.

I didn’t know I needed British new wave in my life. Groovy fun album.

Classic New Wave sound. Singer at times sounds like the frontman for Duran Duran.

I'm bouncin im groovin im havin funnnnn i love funk pop Faves: Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl), Lemon Firebrigade, Calling Captain Autumn

The instrumental popped off- unexpected but great!

I love this album. I feel this album does not get talked about enough when 80’s music is discussed.

I get the feeling that this is one of those bands that were beloved in the U.K., but granted little more than a shrug from American audiences. They dropped "Love Plus One" on us and that was enough. This spot should have gone to INXS.

Didn’t make it through. Not essential

OK, I guess

Fun 80s tracks

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.

A pretty boring and repetitive but funky new wave album. All the songs just kind of sound the same with little to no variation 5/10 Favourite: Boy Meets Girl Least Favourite: Kingsize

Decent listen

Really liked so.e songs some not really. Sounded quite inequal.

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 absolutely LOVED this album! Such a fun sound of new wave synth pop and a heavy funk-jazz influence. I have a great appreciation for the sax solos. Bass lines are super funky and add a cool dance-y element to the music. Super fun. Listened to it twice-through back to back. My favorite song was "Lemon Firebirgade" but "Snow Girl" was a close second.

I didn’t expect these Hwite boys to have so much funk…

Have I heard better songs & albums? sure yeah. Did I want to skip any song on here? Absolutely not. Underrated horns, underrated band.

This was maybe the weirdest album we’ve had on the list yet. It’s a British (duh) band I’ve never heard of (not surprising) that somehow traveled 10 years into the future and returned to make a single album that captured every pop song sound from 81-91. The only problem is there was nothing that stood out as exceptional.

Extremely down the middle 80s new wave stuff. Did very little for me.

Meh. Some of these songs sound like theme music for a 1980s daytime talk show. Some others are bit funky in a good.

Agradable, pero no es nada memorable.

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?

Not bad for 80's New Wave, but it is still 80's New Wave.

Pretty average new wave

A huge variety of instruments here (although an excessive amount of tenor sax). I bet this would have been a heck of a live concert back in the day— lots of energy.

some meh city pop

Loved the singles way back and still do, but the remainder of the album is a bit too lightweight and poppy for me. Look out for Nick Heyward’s later solo albums. They’re much, much better.

A few weak tracks, but the singles are good fun.

My ratings are based solely on vibes, there is no critical thinking here. That said, this was pretty funky and fun. I’ll never listen to it again.

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

This was really nice. Sort of like good montage music from the 80’s

Really good. 4.5

65

2/5

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.

Unexpectedly one of the less upsetting ‘80s albums I’ve gotten recently. Surely won’t keep it in rotation, but didn’t hate it or anything

A proper 80s record this one. Sounds pretty dated now but it's fun.

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.

That opening song is actually amazing 🤩 Bass line was fab loved the vocals. Very funky album Best- favourite shirts 5/5

Started out strong but finished kind of weak. Still, enjoyable and more interesting than your standard 80s album.

I have never heard of this band before, and while nothing about them is particularly terrible, I never want to hear them again.

A few great songs but overall a little bland. Nice production and good instrumentation

Not great, but dancy and fun. Very 80s.

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

I thought Pelican West was pretty decent. I was honestly expecting my 700th album to be a bit more of a big, well known one but this one was still one that I'm alright with getting even if it does feel anticlimactic. As for the album itself, it's more or less just your typical 80s new wave album with everything you would come to expect from the genre, it has the synths, the bass, the vocals and even the saxophones. I thought it sounded pretty decent and catchy but i still felt that this album felt a bit weak and could also get pretty repetitive. Even still, i didn't really hate this album even if it was an odd way to celebrate myself hitting 700 albums. Best Song: Lemon Firebrigade Worst Song: Baked Beans

I applaud it for being different but still not for me

2.5 ish.

VERY 80s I LOVE THE 80s

NO shade on these lads but this list is so lacking in non-white music. Not a bad album, just a bit tired of the same stuff. Nope changed my mind after Love Plus One - crap.

You know how I love saxophone. The instmental is stunning. Not my style, but great

Why do 80s bands all have great instrumentals and awful singers? Favorite track was October is orange

Sounds like The Smiths with some disco funk. Decent album, nothing too memorable or special. I like the sound of the band and all the instruments but nothing too interesting

Strong 3. Surprising enjoyable, came in with low expectations. Might register and move to 4

Most of it was pretty boring but some was okay.

Wow they are fucking kidding right? How in the holy hell did this lame ass shit make it onto this list. I am 655 albums in but it’s crap like this that makes me question continuing on.

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.

I can see why people might like this. It's bright and upbeat, and musically interesting: that new wave blend of jazz-funk and pop. Unfortunately I hate all these things and find it bland, soulless and overlong.

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

This album makes me feel like I’m at a beach party in the 60s/70s. Disco dance vibes. Idk who captain autumn is but he seems like a groovy guy.

Pretty fun

3.5, it had its moments and was decent cooking music.

fine but far too long

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!

Pelikanye West Just leaving this here as a gut punch after you finish the album

I liked it way more than expected at times. Still not for me

Grew in me

Just when I thought I was working out what new wave meant. This is new wave? Is mayonnaise new wave?? A kinda fun record, 80s pop and boy am I a sucker for a saxophone.

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

It's bright, it's bouncy and it just doesn't know what the hell it wants to be. Ska? Funk? Disco? Why are there congas here? Is this Jazz? There's horns and horns and horns. I will say the musicianship is great. It's just too much going on and there's no identity here. It's shimmery, it's breezy, it's very 80s. And normally I like that but it doesn't land. Giving it a 3 cause I'm glad I listened to it, the musicianship and the ambition.

pretty good songs, just not my style

PosaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaVASOS

I listened to this while waiting in a reception area. It passed the time really quickly and was pretty fun :)

wasn't expecting this to be so good

Not bad for not really being my cup of tea but the horns get me sometimes.

Fun

Pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this since I hadn't heard of the band. Reminded me of Duran Duran but more funky! The album was quite long though and started to feel a little samey

A sunny, good-vibes listen, Pelican West leans hard into jazz-funk grooves and infectious ’80s sax.

Again, this is not an album I needed to listen to before I die.

Lame boring sameness

Lekker funky en chill, maar niet super geweldig

Isn't this a one hit wonder band?

i liked it, impressed not my fav but still my style

They look like the local PWI acapella group It sounds like good old school dancing music Not quite good enough for me to add any of the songs, but I was tapping my foot the whole way through

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.

it's fine but not really my thing? I like similar bands but this wasn't doing it for me.

jazzy rock album with lots of sax, upbeat the whole time

Groovy

Ew. Who thought it was a good idea to have such a disastrously oversaturated photo as the album cover? Anyways, there's only one thing this album could be and that's new wave - a conclusion drawn entirely from the choice of attire and year of release. Blammo. On the money, though I'm genuinely surprised that this album qualifies as new wave - only the vocal style is characteristically new wave. I'm also quite surprised by the reception on this site - it almost makes me feel like I listened to a completely different album. Anyways, this is quite good. There's a pleasing, lustrous production to this music that I can't get enough of. Funk/jazz aren't usually my cup of tea when it comes to music, though the two genres are paired quite well here. I liked pretty much all of this album, though whether it's 4-star worthy is up in the air. Funk and jazz are pleasing genres when done correctly, though that appeal is only superficial - they're generally pretty unambitious and restrictive genres. I'll have to wait and see if I return to this somewhere down the line before I consider amending my rating to a 4. "Favourite Shirts" is a vaguely familiar tune, though it could just be because of the influences it apes. Regardless, it's a decent tune and a good homage to the 60s/70s. That lead guitar is especially good. "Love Plus One" is another good tune. The bassy sound is quite nice, and I like the xylophone in the background. Some good sax numbers too, and I also appreciate the vocals. "Lemon Firebrigade" has gorgeous funk sound. Book time. Released at their creative peak, though that's about it. Wikipedia says that this album charted well in both the UK and US, had three big singles and has a solid critic backing. I liked this, so I shall graciously save it from the album shredder. I cosign this inclusion.

Love the horns. Love the groove.

Pleasant enough new wave, but not particularly memorable. Not a fan of this production style either.

I have been cutting my own hair for nearly 6 years. might not yet be at haircut #100 the trick to cutting your own hair is to accept mediocrity that isn't the trick when it comes to music.

All the new wave stuff on this list is at least pretty decent, but there’s a lot of it. Put this one on the lower end of the curve, but it’s still pretty decent. Maybe not enough guts or something. I don’t know.

щось веселеньке але ніяк не запам'ятовується

Fun, forgettable

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.

Funk/Jazz 2,4

Holy shit? I saw this billed as “new wave”…NO. This is like red hot jam band yacht rock jazz pop. They are ripping with bass and horns and funky guitar licks. I mean it’s white boy funk but still funky as hell! I was really surprised by this. It’s got some of the 80s polish but has a lot more in common with Earth Wind and Fire than DEVO. Blown away and surprised, I gotta say this album really jammed. Screw it, I really liked it.

80s to the core again. Nothing noteworthy.

Early 80s pop that just wasn’t that astonishing or good. Never even heard this one

Fun

Clearly know their way around a pop hook but the sickly sweet “sophisti-pop” sound is a turn off.

Is this 1001 crap British new wave albums you must hear before you die? Seriously, I’ve had a wildly disproportionate number of albums from this garbage genre. 2 stars only because it’s not unintelligible.

Interesting, and not awful

The best of the lighter side of new wave. Nice production, good songs.

Simpa New wave

Never heard of this group before, much less this album. It seems like an album full of tracks that are just recordings of this group jamming in a studio session, which is nice in its own way. There's great technical musicianship on display throughout the whole album. Instead of math-rock, it's like 80s-inspired math jazz. Standouts were "Favourite Shirts" and "Kingsize (You're My Little Steam Whistle)"

New Wave drivel. Overuse of horns doesn't help.

Nick Heyward seems like a cross between Liam Gallagher and Jon Lovitz's Annoying Man.

PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PELICAN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN WEST PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN

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.

Dull, and the singer is quite poor. Some great basslines though.

Nice

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.

A fun, and fairly unorthodox 80s pop offering for the time in terms of the songs not relying as closely on vocal hooks. The funky bass, saxophone and optimistic tones employed throughout are a delight; they're nothing overly sophisticated or virtuosic, but in this case they don't need to be to capture my interest. This is maybe a record where I'd struggle to single out one particular track or two as my favourites, but there aren't any notable dips throughout. This was close to getting four stars from me - it's not quite purchase material, though.

This album is mediocre and fun. It is fun because the instrumentation is very vivid, with the horns playing some very uplifting melodies and the rhythm being quite energetic. There are also some interesting solos here and there, like the jazzy piano solo in 'Marine Boy'. But is super mediocre because the vocals are super bland, the lyrics boring and all the songs are way too similar and they don't do anything interesting towards the end of the album. I listened to this thrice, and it was getting worse with each time, so I'm going to stop before I start disliking it.

I really enjoyed this one! I’d previously heard the hits from it but never thought to seek out the album. It’s go so much groove and the musicianship is excellent!

Big meh tbh. It's fine and pretty catchy but it's all so samey, there are no standout tracks here. I don't hate it but there were more interesting offerings from the 80s than this, surprised it made the list

This was a nice surprise. I usually don’t enjoy this era of Trevor Horn sounding pop, but thought this was great the whole way through. It does remind me more of the Orange Juice pre-Smiths style jangle. The first half was better but even the worse songs were pretty good. The B-sides and Nick Heyward’s first solo album were pretty solid too. The album cover ties it all together nicely into an underrated gem. Rating: 4.8

7/10

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

Ganz nett, aber recht uninteressant

two days of peak albums that sent me eight miles high followed by another facade of the new wave scene. ig ill love it its giving me the impression of this "we have __ at home" meme but its talking heads. like, british teenager (to record labels): can you press more talking heads album? record labels: we have talking heads at home. talking heads at home: 3/5

People have tried time and time again to be as good as Talking Heads, and every time their sound gets imitated I remember that their sound and style is simply too uniquely theirs for any other band to ever pull off.

If yesterday's album was very very 70s in every way, then today's album is pure 80s britpop af in every way. It's not bad and it's not very good either. Just okay, liked some of the songs and enjoyed listening to it. 2/5 —————————————— Liked: — Lemon Firebrigade — Marine Boy

Typical new wave, nothing particularly ear-catching.

Jazzy, funky pop, easy 80s listening. Not sure why it's on this list though

pretty good rock ish?

This should be on the list of 1001 Mid British Albums It Literally Doesn’t Matter If You Hear Before You Die

This is almost the definition of inessential; what is Dimery thinking? Bubblegum 80s pop that didn't even stand out among its contemporaries at the time. A low two.

5/10

Cornier than Iowa, this is the Talking Heads x Kenny G mash up you don't know you needed (you didn't). XTC for band geeks, Orange juice for yuppies, it's all smooth funky artifice, a disco mirrorball synthpop sax jam session. It oscillates wildly between fun and God awful, even within each song, even simultaneously - very confusing.

Classic 80s

Really enjoyed this and felt a bit guilty about it. Fave Tracks: Love Plus One, Lemon Firebrigade, Marine Boy 4/5

Lemon Firebrigade is a tune.

2.5 but rounding up.

Fun but of it's time, no real standout tracks except for favourite shirts

It's a bop but altogether not very interesting. Another Brit biased choice.

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.

This seems very much in line with something I WOULD like but it’s just not doing it for me. It’s got a nice blend of snappy rock with just tinges of funk and reggae influence; bouncy horn blasts; pop songwriting that isn’t too shallow. I guess it’s just a little too polite? I probably won’t be thinking about it much after a few days. I like the track “Baked Beans” which reminds me of “Electric Avenue” or Big Audio Dynamite (I think this was recorded around the same time as Eddy Grant’s album, I’m not sure which came first). But the rest of it wasn’t enough to bring it up to a 3.

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 know them mainly for Love Plus One which is a song I quite like. The album as a whole was nice light fun

Much 1980s.

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

I didn't really get the appeal if I'm honest - it isn't bad as such, but nothing really that stayed with me. I already recognised Fantastic Day, and I found quite nice - love's got me in triangles, surprise me again, and favourite shirts. 2.5 rounded up to 3

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.

The white pullover sweaters say it all. We need a new category for bands that fall between 80s New Wave and easy listening. Lite Wave?

meh

The first three songs are three of my favorite songs of all time. Already had 10 tracks saved to playlists. And yet, somehow, I’ve never heard the whole thing. This is better than most people understand.

god forbid a white boy get a lil funky

Totally fine! Poppy, a little funky, but mostly just fun.

Ok

Favorite Track: Baked Beans

So many early 80's British albums. They all sound the same. This is to New Wave what Candlebox was to Grunge.

I enjoyed this album a lot more than I expected. Deep cuts indeed.

80s pop is my guilty pleasure

Pleasantly surprised by this. Really nice sounding instrumentation and easy to listen to vocals. Will be checking out more of them at some point!

Kinda good kinda shit

All songs sound the same Typical 80s new wave sound. Feel free to skip it

Very standard 80’s new wave sound. I didn’t know this band or album existed, and I probably won’t remember them after having listened to this.

Very Duran Duran…didn’t love it and didn’t make it through a lot…

I have never heard of these fellas before but first impression - so far so good. On the whole, I thought this was interesting, some of the songs resonated better than others.

It's ok but not really standing out for me.. kinda weirded out by it being on the list tbh