Pelican West

Nope

Pants

Not blown away by this

This one was a little rough, even though I am apologetic to these cute little new-wave British bands I cannot justify rating this highly. It just falls off completely after like the third song, and it goes on far too long.

This is Yacht Rock done very poorly. Ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-yah indeed.

I laughed when i saw this album on here. What have cheesy, cheeky pop chappies got to do with influential albums? Actually its not bad. Aside from their singles, i was surprised by their musicianship

The voice initially throws me off. Like a less interesting version of the smiths at times. this kind of driving funky bass is something that doesn't vibe with me. there are a few tracks i quitre enjoyed though. not sure how often i would listen to this, but i wouldn't always skip a track if they show up in shuffle.

Many songs sounded like the soundtracks to 1980s-era sitcoms.

Never heard of this band, and got nothing from this

Yeah, that was NOT needed to be listened to by anyone, anywhere, at anytime. Another band that could be named the Hoovers. Because they really suck. 1

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 lot more fun than I was expecting. I could imagine myself driving my imaginary Chrysler LeBaron in South Beach groovin' to this.

Not very memorable

Very Duran Duran vibes but not as good so pretty mid.

Hmmm I almost want to like this one more, but it really just blends together for me? It feels not quite distinctive enough.

A surprisingly good time for an album I knew nothing about going in! Funky fresh sophisti-pop jams to vibe out to.

Half the people in the reviews were calling this generic new wave, whatever the hell that means, and it seemed like it’d be another uninteresting britslop contribution from the list makers This was actually cool as hell. Generally great vibes, a singer who kinda took a back seat and let the music shine, and some awesome instrumentals with the horns doing their thang and some nifty rhythm guitar. Loved so much of this that I even started listening to the bonus tracks!

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

Very breezy, fresh, and inoffensive, this album would be an ideal beach listen. Despite the fun instrumentation and cool bass I felt like they could've done a lot more with this setup, so I don't think they're a 4. But they are a well enjoyed 3.

Interesting listen

80s cheese. Catchy

The instrumentation was great, though it was dragged to the depths of hell because of the vocals. Favourite Track(s): Kingsize Least Favourite Track(s): Favourite Shirts, Baked Beans, Milk Film, Calling Captain Autumn

I spent the first half of this album thinking it was from 1992, because that was the date of the re-release, and being utterly baffled at how out of time it sounded. Then I read that it was actually released in 1982 and everything made sense.

there was so much good here and also so much annoying

This was fun but also completely left my brain almost immediately.

Freaky Styley era Red Hot Chili Peppers by way of Duran Duran. I hate prominence of that damn 80s sax but overall better than expected. 3/ 5

2.33

Not a fan of this one. A midpoint between new wave and jazz that was too long and did not work.

Fun new wave. Dancey and rhythmic. The horns make it more interesting.

Fun 80s music. Not something I really need to hear again but I totally get why someone would love this if it was part of their teenage years

Fun album but it does NOT belong on this list.

I’m just not an 80s kinda gal

Nothing special here. I liked Milk Film, though.

it occasionally had some stuff going on Will I listen to again: 10%

Bought this when it was first released on vinyl. Pulled it out of my record stack recently and it sounds even better than I remember. Not a bad or filler track in the bunch.

Pelican West is like diving headfirst into a glittery pool of 1982 sunshine — all polo shirts, perfect hair, and pure pop joy

не впечатлен.

Not much to say. 6/10

bayonne sunset type beat

Dope

I enjoyed the energetic guitar riffs. Fresh sound.

That first song was a great opener. I thought I was about to hear a great record but the next few songs were a bit of a let down. The second half was much better. Brit new wave with jazz fusion sax flourishes and cool drums, it was a fun album.

7/10… sophisti pop/ new wave

Good music.

Not that into it.

Another banger discovery that I might not have found without this project! It makes the mediocre and bad albums worth it!

I am whelmed by this album.

This feels Peak 80s. Synths, Sax, plucky guitars to chorus chords and high voiced singer. It's Cheesy but i kinda like it. Don't really stand out to me but nothing

The first half of this album sounded less like early 80's British New Wave and more like mid-70's Japanese City Pop, and I really enjoyed that part. The second half featured more vocals and traditional verse-chorus-verse-chorus song structure; I liked this half much less. All in all, however, it was a solid listen - especially as a background soundtrack while doing something else. A solid 3 stars that easily could have been bumped up to 4 if it weren't for the somewhat less-than-stellar second half.

The album cover pretty much gives it away - this is soft-pop pablum and not worth the time.

Classic 80’s sound. More horns than I would have expected.

Quite enjoyable, some new wave jingle and a lotta sax. High 2s.

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.

Great album if you're looking to bring a little funk to your dentist's waiting room. A couple smooth basslines and fun vocal moments but I couldn't get into the mood for it overall.

Sounds like a mario kart soundtrack audition that didn't make the cut to be the actual mario kart soundtrack. I kinda think it'd be better without the vocals, but it was alright. The jazzier parts were kinda fire. This is the ultimate Yacht Rock. Dude on the sax is a lil nasty tho I'll give him that. I don't think the album cover helps their case. Kinda feels like these guys heard the smiths and thought "These Smiths guys are onto something here, but what if we swapped out the instrumental with the Donkey Kong soundtrack". Jokes aside though, they're great musicians on the instruments, and some of the songs have great grooves, but again. The vocals steal the show often in a way that doesn't make the song better. I'm somewhere between a 2 and a 3 on this one. Was a fun listen.

5/10 Painfully twee, albeit with some "classic" singles. The sound of early 80s o music, no doubt

Yet another new wave band I've never listened to. Do we really need 400 new wave albums from the late seventies/early eighties? The music itself is OK with good melodies and funky rhythms, but the use of horns is not well done and the saxophone should never have been used. It's obnoxious. 2.5/5.0: Mixed

Started out promising (sort of a poor man's version of Talking Heads) but faded quickly. Not bad instrumentally but I can't get past those 80s Brit vocals.

Funkier than I expected.

Incredible instrumentation and tight funk and ska songs. The production and interestingly the stereo mix of the songs (their left/right mix) is really good, one song has a car go from one ear to the next, lots of sounds on one side or the other to sound very immersive. They really shine on those parts, like "King size (You're my little steam whistle)", "Baked Beans" and "Lemon Firebrigade". I actually like their biggest song "Love Plus One " the least. I think "Calling Captain Autumn" is my favorite I would totally play "Favorite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)(12" Version)" in a new wave set Got some Joe Jackson vibes, particularly in the singing

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.

A little Duran Duran. A bit of Clash. Some disco and Island groove and maybe even a little Culture Club. It's a weird cocktail.

The first I listened, I was pretty bored. The second listen was more enjoyable, but inconsistent. I was an 80s kid, so I don't have an aversion to New Wave, there just want much that stood out on this one as being very noteworthy. One if the few I've encountered that I cannot understand why it belongs in this list, but hey others seem to enjoy it.

I believe that the person who put this on this list as never listened to that album. First of all they feel like what a door to door encyclopedia salesman must have felt like. The sound is trying really super hard to be cool, (which is the most obvious way to do that), but it is also 1982, disco has been here for a decade at least, and is in fact at the end of its rise. The straight white boys are not helping. I blame this band especially, though they are not all white, and I don't know them enough to know that there all straight, but the absence of joy is really giving me Crypto Bro energy. There are very few bops, all front loaded. The album would have been ok with like 5 tracks on there. But it's not, it's long, it draaaags, and refuses to say anything of substance ever. The back half is a mix between the worst of Chic and the terrible writing of Depeche Mode. ("Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, oh Yeah, Calling Captain, Autumn" Hell no.) I would not know the sound of this band from a thousand others, cause it's as bland as this type of music can get. The worst offenders : the baseline that are mostly flat or very reminiscing of other bands, but most of all the saxophone on every song. It's not even good sax, (good sax, is always and forever sexy sax) it sounds like lazy sax cause they have the charisma of the toothbrush you keep for bathroom cleaning. After this album, I am unsure if the starting thoughts have any validity to them. Has any of them ever met a girl?

Forgetable.

Alt for pænt. Funky Duran Duran vibes. Det er ikke et kompliment.

Fun stuff, positive, great beats, it took me back with a big smile

Correcto

This was fine, unobtrusive early English New Wave with a touch of funk, but I'm not sure I really needed to hear this before I died. At least I knew one song off of the album, "Love Plus One."

Enjoyed this more that I would have expected. Not sure it needs to be on this list, but as filler material it's good.

Did you ever put a record on the turntable at the wrong speed, listen for a minute because it sounds kinda funny and interesting, but then after about 1 minute lose interest. That situation pretty much sums up this.

Stuck in eternal 80s hell. Bad hair. Bad shoes terrible music awful blues.

Early 80s Britain was bleak. Thatcher, Cold War paranoia,, economic and social failings of the state and all of it destined to get worse before it got better. Ripe times for something joyous and fun and light then. 40-something years on ithe album sounds dated and of it's time and but the current geopolitical shitshow being what it is it surely invites an update?

So very eighties. Fairly middle of the road with a couple of nice ska moments.

I do like the opening track, Favourite Shirts. The rest of the album has its moments, but overall feels drawn out and dated.

Haircut 100 came up with one great musical idea and squeezed it dry

How is something this lame so long?

Fun!

GTFO with this. Look, I mean no offense to this album in particular. But this list has let me down time and time again with its repetitiveness, and it honestly takes out a lot of the thrill of finding new, left-field interests. Some positives here; the songs are easy, somewhat catchy, solid guitar throughout, and a few Beatles influences that poke through from time to time. But overall, it's highly forgettable.

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.

Not too bad. Low 3/5.

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.

прикольный, немного не мой стиль, но танцевать и топать ножкой заставляет. оч понравились там пару песен, в принципе очень неплохой альбом.

Sounds so much like the 80s

It felt like they were having fun. That’s nice.

Haircut 100! Really? It’s actually not as terrible as I expected but come on.

sounded like squeeze to me, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

It’s fine. I guess.

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.

Dad- 5 Mom- 6 Mike- 4 Lori- 4.5 Michael- 6 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg-5.1

Some weird stuff, but not as bad as other albums on here

Веселый, но какой-то совсем неинтересный и безликий ньювэйв. Лучшая песня - Love Plus One.

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.

This album made my little 80s girl heart happy! Great choice for a Friday night dance party. It made me nostalgic in a joyful way. I really like Nick Heyward’s voice; it’s so charming and warm. The musicianship is very good. I especially enjoyed the different instruments blending various genres into the band’s specific sound. I heard so many similarities to my favorite 80s new wave bands. The album did suffer from sameness a bit, but it really didn’t bother me as much as it does with some artists or bands. Overall, it’s a solid album I’d definitely dance along to again.

Like a budget Duran Duran

I don't really know how great this is as an album, but holy hell is it fun. It is, unfortunately, really one note, despite all of the instruments. The same sounding songs are what end up hurting the album the most for me. I was having a lot of fun listening to it, but by the 5th song, I realized that I had heard everything that was already going to be on the album, and there were still 10 more songs to go. I do wish that this album was a little better, because it is a lot of fun. Adding in one or two songs with a slower tempo would have made a world of difference. Favorite Song(s): Love Plus One, Love's Got Me in Triangles

Really enjoyed this one, a banger debut album.

Shiny funk-lite pop that doesn’t really do it for me. Not sure what makes this album essential listening.

Bass and percussion was great

Don't hate it. Fairly generic britpop but the horns get jazzy.

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.

Just another mediocre new wave album that's only in the book because of the author's bias towards British 80s bands that like horns. At least the bassist was solid.

I've never heard of this band, but I've definitely heard their big song. The album is a fun listen. Its definitely got some talking heads, Police, & Blondie influences (or is Haircut 100 influences of those bands? not sure which came first). Having me listen to a 3 hour long extended cut 40th anniversary album was unnecessary, but I did it!

17 songs of this is 15 too many. It’s not awful, it’s just too much of it. Rounding down to 2 because they named a song “milk film”.

Super 80’s. This is the nondescript 80’s style background music I would expect to be in something like one of the Police Academy flicks or Weekend At Bernie’s. Admittedly, it was pretty catchy and an enjoyable listen. Love those horns 3.5⭐️

Decent new wave (jangle pop?) 3 stars....mainly because it reminds me of Talking Heads.

this was super fun!! sounded pretty talking heads-inspired which is always a good sign

Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) 3.5 Love Plus One 3.4 Lemon Firebridgade 3.4 Marine Boy 3.2 Milk Film 3.3 Kingsize (You're My Little Steam Whistle) 3.4 Fantastic Day 3.2 Baked Bean 3.5 Snow Girl 3.3 Love's Got Me in Triangles 3.4 Surprise Me Again 3.2 Calling Captain Autumn 3.3 Score: 3.341666667

Much more solid than I expected. Liek happier Cure, but funkier and with horns.

Delightfully polished. For once I'm actually enjoying the voice of the 80's brit pop group.

I enjoyed this and there are some songs that I'll come back to in the future, but I don't think that's true for the whole album.

++: Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl), Lemon Firebrigade, Marine Boy, Snow Girl, Love's Got Me in Triangles, Calling Captain Autumn +: Love Plus One, Kingsize (You're My Little Steam Whistle), Baked Bean +-: Milk Film, Fantastic Day, Surprise Me Again 7,6/10

Interesting and well played but not exactly groundbreaking

Et album som er litt over alt. Til tider masete, men også morsomt og fengende.

Meh, didn’t really stand out for me.

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!

You didn’t know white boys could bongo like this

This was unexpected pure musical joy!

First track is a vibe

80's sound utilizing a wide range of instruments. Wasn't for me at all

Love the saxophone and horns - always a very welcome thing for me on a pop album. I wanted the choruses to be more memorable, though.

There is nothing unique about this

безумно хороший альбом, поднявший мне настроение нью-вейв всегда держит отдельное место в моем сердце особенно заставил улыбаться клип на fantastic day. раньше все было таким простым и живым

One of those albums where you just nod your head and afterward, turn it off and forget about it.

mi è piaciuto molto il basso in quasi tutte le canzoni

Très connoté année 80, pas mal mais il y a mieux

Pretty groovy, liked the overall vibe of this one. Wouldn’t probably go back to it so frequently, but it was enjoyable for a first listen.

Fun Brit pop album. Had not heard of them previously, but a fun album that was apparently one of just two full releases from the band. Super catchy, funk- and dance-inspired songs. The two songs I picked off this album are the opening track, "Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)" and "Marine Boy." The big hit is "Love Plus One," which was good but more repetitive than I'd like--plus "Marine Boy" has some heavy yacht rock-like sax and I really enjoy that.

A bit boring. I suppose somebody likes it...

Very enjoyable / listenable

Really not into this. Maybe in a different mood I'd feel more charitable, as disco and pop are normally right up my alley, and I love Duran Duran. But I couldn't wait for it to end, and it took A WHILE.

This was nice

It was very 80s and good

Pretty average 80's synth pop.

drei bis vier

Haircut 100 is a name I’ve seen pop up on 80s compilations for as long as I can remember, and I always enjoyed the few tracks I’d heard. But beyond that, I honestly assumed they were just another one hit wonder from the decade, and to be fair, they probably are. But after listening to this album, I can definitely see why it had its moment in the spotlight when it first came out. It’s a great blend of new wave, sophisti-pop, jazz, and funk. That might sound like it would be some musically dense, artsy record, but it’s actually the opposite. It’s lighthearted, bright, and breezy, with a beat and rhythm section that gives the whole thing a super danceable energy. If you’re into 80s new wave and want something a little off the beaten path, this one’s definitely worth checking out. It feels like a forgotten classic that deserves a bit more love.

Fun early 80’s album

I remember these guys. Fun easy listening and tight.

Very Flock of Seagulls esque.

Es un poco monótono pero es bastante animado. Hay mucha música y poca letra, y eso no me acaba del todo. Me parece así como de jazz que está muy bien. Sin más

More Joe Jackson than Duran Duran - I like it. Upbeat and good instrumentation.

Very unremarkable 80s pop funk. I'd never heard of them before, and I'd never missed not having them in my life.

Not my bag at all.

Pretty great new wave for its era. I liked the wider array of instruments they used, and the jazzy sound of some songs. While it isn't going to appear in my regular rotation or anything, it was a refreshing listen.

snow girl omiljena na albumu nije nesto sto bih slusala inace

Really good 4.8

Brilliant. Absolute high end jingly jangly pop, start to finish. New fav.

Cool.

*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!

New to me and I enjoyed the party the first time through.

It's weird. These guys are about 85% of the way to being Squeeze, who I really like. But I didn't enjoy this at all. Hits some kind of stylistic allergy I have but will not bother trying to describe.

3/5 - I probably didn’t need to hear this, but I enjoyed the singles, especially Fantastic Day. Their sound was overall pretty tight with the horns, and the songs were light and summery. Enjoyable but really dated. I guess they were bigger in the UK, because I hadn’t heard of them.

good album. a bit long and repetitive but still enjoyable

Boppy saxy

if talking heads and a less melancholy tears for fears had a baby it would be this band. bit too heavy on the horns though, gets repetitive

Kind of basic new-wave pop. There are some catchy moments on here, but overall I'm struggling to find anything incredibly memorable about this album.

I didn’t think I had heard of this band before, but then I remembered I had heard Love Plus One years ago on a Billboard top hits album. This album seems a bit long with 17 songs. Most of the songs sounded the same. This album did not keep my interest.

Like, not totally my thing

Ik weet niet of het per se nodig is om een volledig album van iets wat duidelijk een one hit wonder was in deze lijst te steken. 2.4

I don't have a lot to say about this. It's perfectly inoffensive 80s new wave pop music. It's played very well... there's nothing particularly stand out on it and it just exists for its 40 odd minute length and then it ends. If you like your 80s pop with a bit of white boy funk and lots of sax (just don't bother @c1ydefrogemon ) then this is for you, but I found it severely lacking decent hooks. It's not an era of music I know loads about but as a comparison, **Duran Duran** would release _Rio_ about 3 months after this and that has some genuinely classic pop tracks on it. I've listened to this twice to try and get a grasp on it... I won't be returning for a 3rd

Fun early 80's dance music without a great deal of depth. Still a fun listen.

Nope. Stop the Britpop. This is album #980 for me, and I can not do more British pop. This isn't even different Britpop. This is just more of the same, but less popular.

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.

Poppy but with good funky arrangements and horns Fairly forgettable lyrics

Didn’t know this band even though I grew up at that time. Enjoyed this album! Very enjoyable.

me gustó, al principio me hizo acordar a soda pero después ya no, los temas en donde esta muy presente en bajo me encantaron

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.

Another classic ‘what the fuck is this doing on the list, Robert Dimery?’ Moment. It’s not terrible, but they barely made a splash even in the UK, so why are they here?

This was a surprise. Pelican West is pure escapist joy — all complex bass, nimble guitars, and brass flourishes that scream “hey, we really love black music, okay?” It’s got that unmistakable ‘80s vocal tone — all breathy earnestness from guys who probably owned at least two pairs of boat shoes. The songwriting’s surprisingly clever, and for a debut (and only) album, it holds up. They were never going to be sexy or dangerous, but that was kind of the point. Just a warm, funky breeze from the friendliest corner of the yacht.

Good, not bad, not my cup of tea

some nice sounds on here

I enjoyed this sound in general but it was a bit of a slog, quite long.

3.5

3 - wouldn’t say it’s essential but it was a fun 80s album

Unexpected but enjoyable

Haircut 100 are Orange Juice with sax breakdowns and fluffy cloud pop hooks. It’s clean-cut jazz funk pop, nonsensical lyrics (albeit with an impressive list of vaccines), and very little substance. Fantastic Day was my favourite song when I was about 8 and everything on here is pretty much geared toward the indiscriminate ears of pre-teen girls and grandmothers. There is no way this is essential listening because it’s just not that good.

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

Mediocre British New Wave? On this list? Nooooo, surely not?!?

Zzz meh

Heard a couple of songs from the album before but completely forgot about them. The album is quite interesting, doesn't sound like yet another copy of the same 80s new wave vibe. That said it isn't groundbreaking either and no songs really stood out to me 3/5

Love this album. It’s fun!

A wild effort from an 80s nostalgic act.

habs nicht ganz angehört :(

One of my early favs.

Bit funky

Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)

Wasn’t my tempo. Didn’t get through the whole album, as I wasn’t in the mood for it. It sounded musically good

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

Seemed rather boy band-ish to me. Maybe my granddaughter would like it.

Another downy-soft new wave album to throw onto the pile. Some catchy tunes but nothing that really appeals to me.

These white boys can jam

Cover 5 This doesn't belong here. An ok album but no way a must listen.

This album was actually pretty enjoyable from what I remember, maybe higher than a 3 but I forgot to rate it and don’t really wanna go back to listening again.

Jazzy pop. Pretty decent.

didn't finish it, but great cleaning music

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.

It's fine. They've got their own voice and it's all rather twee. Nothing I'll ever revisit, mind.

Sorry, but this is just plain boring to me. 2 stars or D.

Name I don't recognize. Album name and cover I don't recognize. Not usually a great sign, but this album is quite a party. These guys can play some real funk. I'm surprised, but I'll definitely be coming back to this one. Okay, coming back at the end of the album to say that it really kinda wears out its welcome by the end.

now where have i heard this before....

As someone who loves 80s music, particularly New Wave and Pop, I honestly could not recall Haircut 100, but after hearing this album, it is a gem. New Wave, Pop, and Soul, it has the kind of saxophone and guitar that makes the 80s proud. I am genuinely surprised they were not bigger over here in the U.S., but after reading the band broke up after this album, I can see how they missed out on what MTV could have done for their long term career. If they had released an album in 1983 or 1984, I could have see them with a music video or 2 in constant rotation and a spot on the tour of Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, or even American bands like The Cars.

Yeah, pass on this one I'm afraid.

It was indeed not a fantastic day because the generator gave me this abomination to listen to today.

I didn’t skip any songs

Cool, very 80s. Reminds me of talking g heads.

Bilo je barem 100 boljih ovakvih bendova ali i ovo je sasvim podnošljivo. Meni daj bilo šta s ovakvim basom i saksofonom i preživjet ću.

Straight up 80s. Makes you move.

Not as fun as want an 80s album to be. Some of the music lent too easy listening and the lyrics felt a little uninspired

I was on the fence to give it 4 stars or 3. I really enjoyed "Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)", "Love Plus One" and "Fantastic Day" but the others were too similar to the rest to make it a 4 star album

I liked it 🤷

I was impressed by the instrumental work here.

It was a bold strategy to make an album that’s basically the same song recorded 17 times.

In a world full of unmemorable albums this one really doesn’t stand out.

Really fun and totally enjoyable, but very formulaic. Pop and post-punk grooves with superb bass!

The saxophone on this album makes me feel like I’m in a dental waiting room. Cheesy with a side of new wave. At times, worthy of a terrible tropical oasis party held by Boomers. Would not revisit, though it’s not the worst I’ve heard on this project.

Some music captivates you; some music holds you captive. My rating will let you know what this album did to me. Also, was it mandatory to sing like *that* in the 80s?

Love it

Welp, that was very 1982. Loved the basslines on a few tracks, and the energy, but this didn't quite bump above a 3 for me to fall into the "add to my digital library" ranks. Fun times, but nothing too memorable.

funky stuff

Successful New Wave.

doesn't deserve to be on this list

Dorlig

Good band from the 80’s. Good sound, and music. Love the use of brass instruments

Date Reviewed: 6/13/25; Rating: ★★★☆☆ Right from the start, it is apparent this album is from the 80s. It has a very consistent upbeat and dreamy feeling to it, with lots of groove woven in. The vocalist brings a New Wave influence to what is otherwise a surprisingly funky album. The bongos are a nice touch that fit shockingly well and might have defined the band's style, but I know too little about them to say for certain. How you feel about bongos and saxophone might determine whether you enjoy the tracks. It seems they were included in nearly every song. Many of the lyrics were not comprehensible as telling any particular story, but rather it seems the lyricism and vocalizations were more used as a means to paint broad ideas and set general moods. Your pop staples such as love and bright sunny days are centered, but across the album there is not much of a progression of a singular story. The similar feel across songs does lend itself to a smooth flow from one to the other and the pacing lets this one sit comfortably in the 'bright background music' camp for me. Overall, quite unique but also poppy and catchy in overall feel. I might not seek it out, but it would be good for a car ride/summertime atmosphere.

Maybe not horrible, but definitely not good

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.

yet another british sort of 80s new wave album, except this one is not complete ass. its actually a bit of fun... whatever

One of my favorite albums of all time that I listen to at least once every couple months. 10/10

Sehr in Richtung the duran duran mit hauch the smiths (zumindest der sänger) aber mit anderen Elementen und mehr Inspiration aus anderen genres. Vorallem das Saxophon ist nice. Nicht jedes Lied trifft und das Album streckt sich ein bisschen aber overall ziemlich gut. 3/5

-so it’s a bit like new wave but with Masayoshi Takanaka-style lounge. very up my alley on paper.. honestly not everything on here was interesting to hold my attention but the songs I did like were phenomenal. that first track omfg -one of the times i will give an album extra points just for being a Big Vibe -Favorites are Favourite Shirts, Kingsize, and Fantastic Day

Guilty pleasure for me.

Fun Listen. I think for some warm summer days where the music can fade into the background, could be a great match for this album. Nothing too serious. It flows smoothly. (3.5/5.0)

I wish I could review this album solely off one song, cause if I could then Lemon Firebrigade would get a perfect 5/5. That song is so heavenly and enjoyable and it has a bunch of cool ideas through together in a really creative way and it also has this magic ability to sound timeless. Like a lot of this album for better or worse sounds of its time, super 80s. But LF sounds like it could be an indie pop hit. Seriously though the album did feel like it was alittle bloated. It felt like there was plenty of filler on this album. But that being said the songs that I liked on this album I LOVED. It just wasn’t like chalk full of hits.

Really groovy listen. Sounds very similar to XTC and Duran Duran. I really liked the bass throughout this record. The songs don't necessarily stick but they were enjoyable nonetheless. I was weary when I saw it was gonna be a British 80's New Wave album, but the ones I've had have all been pretty nice so far. Nothing special but nice.

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.

Looking at this record, I thought this was going to be another Dexy Midnight Runner. And.. its not too far off. It's certainly fixed in 80s British Indie pop. However, there are really cool and fun musical elements to this. I really love the jazz and funk elements. Really engaging percussion on some songs. The music is lighthearted and campy. I did not mind having this on while I cooked breakfast this morning. This was a welcomed surprise!

Brilliant album!

Such a fun pop sound for totally inappropriate lyrics now. Probably then too but don’t remember being shocked at the time.

p494. 1982. 1 star. The epitome of bland, crap UK early 80's pop. It's like punk never happened. Every track sounds the same, the lyrics are shite, and that chittering guitar gets annoying REALLL soon. WTF is this doing on the list? "Is it down to the lake I fear". What's so fucking scary about the lake, eh?

It was fine. Not great, but fine.

Super consistent, but that might be its biggest problem. It sounds like a lot of these could be TV theme songs.

Haircut 100’s Pelican West has some postpunk DNA, but it’s ultimately drowned in unbearable production and bad songs. Garbage.

Very fun, funky and listenable. Aged pretty good. No standout, evergreen singles. Would listen again 7/10

For the first time every I have literally nothing to say about an album. It's fine, I guess. Not sure it needed to be included in this list, especially considering how many and much better 80's New Wave album are already on the list. Key tracks: Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) Surprise Me Again

soort van wham/duran duran light... verwaarloosbaar

Jangly jangly pop, love it, a few gems in there too

Crack musicianship and gorgeous production quality. These guys were clearly fans of Chic, Earth Wind & Fire, etc. and, like those acts, the songs here come across as excuses for the grooves, rather than the point. So it ends up feeling like 15 variations on a theme. It is, though, a super fun theme played and recorded very well.

Not sure that Haircut 100 is more important than Squeeze. There are a couple of good tracks otherwise this would be 1 star.

Had never heard of this band. Absolutely loved every single track

half duran duran half mario kart music

Good, solid 80's britpop. Certainly can see the ska influences all over the rhythm section of this album. A genuinely fun listen. Not fantastic, but very good.

Very fun!

nice funk, drags on a bit but enjoyed for the most part

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

Oh yeah pretty fun. Jammed to this

I really dig this!

british people really make me laugh man ... what a crazee bunch

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

This is pretty 80's from the get go. Really digging the music though just the voice that's kinda getting to me. Lemon Firebrigade is a fun little number. I liked this better than I expected. Not bad.

Heeft niet echt indruk gemaakt

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

Þarna voru mörg element sem mér þykja skemmtileg. Djassskotið 80s popp með hressum blásturshljóðfærum en mér fannst þetta samt aldrei ná nægilega vel saman. Allt varð eiginlega eins. Ekki leiðinlegt en heldur ekkert sem stóð upp úr. Mun gleyma þessari fljótt.

That was a jam! Very bright, fun and feel-good! I especially loved the brass!

My youth!! Remember the girls all wanted to dress like them...of its time!

I have no real complaints, it just kind of got old.

If you want sunny 80s pop, these are the guys for you. But that’s all your gonna get. I seem to be giving a lot of albums a standard 3 points, but that kinda makes sense. Most albums, like this one, are just…ok.

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

picks: lemon fire brigade, love plus one, fantastic day

Who knew that I only disliked 80s pop because it’s missing a horn section? This rocks.

You mean to tell me there were 99 haircuts before this

More British bias nonsense. Not the worst of the list but turned off at the start of song 6. Not needed on this list. 4.5/10 (2.25/5)

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!!

Sehr lüpfigi burschte. Alles druf usgleid zum vorwärts mache und biz gas geh. Aber immer mit einere hand im hosesack und daher au biz gechillt und gmüetlich. 3 erfreuti Gazelle

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

Very fun, and seems quite wholesome. It definitely has a strong 80s vibe, which is usually a turn off for me. All in all, I liked this, but not super much.

Nothing to note.

Pretty solid, particularly the first few tracks. Liked the funky elements.

Pretty fun poppy new-wave album. Not greatest ever, but still worth the effort

Perhaps it is not something that is targeted towards me but listening to the album made it seem like one song played for 70 minutes. A single break from the funk came with Surprise Me Again, which took things a little lower which would have been an appreciated thing more often.

I admire some of the jazzy/funky elements but dear god this music has the edge of a butter knife. The lyrics are wet trash. I heard pieces of Duran Duran, Robert Smith on one occasion, and a sprinkle of Nile Rodgers on guitar. Generic British New Wave with some decent instrumentals. 2/5.