Pelican West

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.

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.

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

Does what it says on the package.

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.

3+ Stars (9/15)

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

bien ochentoso, sonido agradable

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

88. forgettable

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.

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.

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.....

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.

Solid

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

Very 80’s about all I got to say

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.

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

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.

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

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

Not my steez

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.

OK, I guess

Decent listen

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

fine but far too long

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.

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

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

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.

Lekker funky en chill, maar niet super geweldig

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

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.

щось веселеньке але ніяк не запам'ятовується

Fun, forgettable

Fun

Interesting, and not awful

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

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)"

Nice

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.

7/10

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

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

5/10

Lemon Firebrigade is a tune.

2.5 but rounding up.

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

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

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

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

Ok

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Nothing special here. I liked Milk Film, though.

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

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

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.

Good music.

Not that into 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.

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.

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.

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.

Not too bad. Low 3/5.

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.

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

It’s fine. I guess.

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

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

Bass and percussion was great

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

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!

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Very enjoyable / listenable

This was nice

Fun early 80’s album

I remember these guys. Fun easy listening and tight.

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.

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.

Cool.

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

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

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

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

3.5

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

Unexpected but enjoyable

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

A wild effort from an 80s nostalgic act.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Successful New Wave.

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.

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

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.

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

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

Oh yeah pretty fun. Jammed to this

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

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.

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.

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

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

Pretty good New Wave album but got repetitive after a few tracks

3.5/5 - I love the 80s, I love feeling like I'm watching an episode of Supermarket Sweep - it's a win win. Standout tracks: - Kingsize (You're My Little Steam Whistle) (5/5) - I restarted this twice bc I didn't want it to end - October Is Orange (Day 1 & 2) (4/5)

Some decent tunes, never heard of the band.

First time I'd heard of this band. A few decent songs but sounded too much like a poor man's talking heads.

Now here’s a record I expected to hate but is actually packed with very danceable pop songs Too long but fun

This sounds exactly like you'd expect an album from a British new wave group of the early 80s to sound. I wonder if their band name might have inspired all of those "number" band names from the next decade: Sum 41, Matchbox 20, Blink-182, and the like. :-)

Nie uważam, aby to była zła płyta, ale nie wierzę, że naprawdę zasługuje na miejsce w top 1001. Przyjemny pop, lekko funky, czasami te kompozycje robią szalone serpentyny, ale no nie wiem… trudno mi dać więcej niż 6.5 równane w dół. Brakowało mi jakiejś innowacji. Siły. Czegoś co nie brzmi jak Duran Duran. 6.5/10.

Don't know what I expected really, but this is certainly what I should have expected. The released singles were the standout tracks. But I'm not sure whether it was because I knew them or not, but they seemed to have a noticeable amount more life and oomph in them. On the whole not a bad album, but not something I'll be looking out for. 3

Everyone knows the singles, the rest was of a similar level of quality and energy. I really enjoyed listening to this and will play it again very soon and lose all my credibility.

it was fun to listen

The guitarist is hella funky. The Duran Duran comparison is justified.

These guys are great

A bit of several other 80s sound in here, dexys, Depeche, Duran, etc, pretty good primer.

This one certainly brings back the 80s. I am familiar with the hit songs here, but have never listened to this album as a whole. While a bit too poppy for my tastes it is still a funky/jazzy fun listen.

Old wave bye bye

Not bad! I pride myself on knowing a lot of 80s music but had never heard of these guys before. They had a bit of a weird ‘sitcom theme’ sound at times but still fun.

Never heard of these guys. Got like a new wave / big band jazz vibe from. Not great but not awful.

First three songs were insane but the novelty kinda wore off after that. Still crazy rhythm guitar work

This was ok, but way too long of an album for the same sounded song over and over.

Wasn’t earth shattering and could have been shorter

another "meh" background listen. my interest faded after 1st 30 minutes. to be fair, until that point it wasn't bad-interesting sound & very up tempo. just too long & got boring. 2.5 stars

a bit too cutesy for me

An album with a really interesting and unique sound that unfortunately fell short

3/5

Ok, new wave done pretty well. Really enjoyed the first track and a few others. The brass on Boy Meets Girl is fantastic, it's probably overused elsewhere on the album in what is an 80s touchstone of excessive sax. Main issue is the tunes definitely got boring after a bit. Or maybe a little annoying? Or maybe because my morning driving around places while listening to it got progressively more annoying. And strange. Milk Film?? And strangely twee. Calling Captain Autumn? Love Plus One is a fantastic brass riff trapped in a shit song. King Size is banging. Fantastic Day is great of course and played a lot over the years. Lots of songs that would be great sprinkled about a playlist. A bit much all at once. Again, yeah definitely better than Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet, both of whom were many times more successful despite this limitation. Kudos to the book for pointing out Nobody's Fool which isn't on the album but I've listened to it 4 times today and caught myself humming it when I wasn't. really grown on me. Banger.

Pretty cool

A good time. Nothing more or less. Energetic rhythm guitar, funky basslines, and great sax playing throughout. Although exciting and new for the US, not necessarily for everyone else. Paradoxically, it's when they stick to this tried-and-true jazz fusion that I find myself enjoying the record more. Really didn't need the pop sensibilities. I'll give it props for taking an efficient journey on a well-trodden path. I certainly prefer when the Japanese do it. At least that way you don't have some British bloke in your ear. I hate to punish a fun record for being uninventive. There are certainly worse crimes; however, it's a notable one in an "all-time" list. Rating: 7.4 Favorite Song: Kingsize

Seems almost out of its time with a simplicity that's almost 60s-like. They've got some good energy and a nice sound - but it does fall a bit into the "background music" category, loosing my interest a bit.

Sérstaklega fínn rytmagítar og Lemon firebrigade er mjög gott stöff. En ég fæ mig samt einhvern veginn ekki til að toga hana upp í fjarka. Við skulum segja að hún endi í 3,4.

Okay, this album KILLS me because the instrumental writing is sooooo good (especially in beginning of album). Engaging, great rhythm and variety of instruments. But then the vocals absolutely ruin it and take it to some sad pop world. Would be much improved without vocals in my opinion lol. Anyways, without vocals I would give it a 4 but they brought it down to a 3 for me. There were some really nice groovy instrumental bits. The marimba and brass in Love Plus One dancing over the groove laid down, bongo and winds in Lemon Firebrigade followed by fun brass fanfare.

Enjoyed it at first, but the less it changed the more annoying it got

Whoa. I wonder which one got the 100th haircut? That’s the big story. My money is on the yellow tie man. He’s really chewing the scenery in the middle here. Apparently this is new wave that people think shouldn’t be part of this list. Classic inclusion. Someone should make a NEW list and only include albums I like. I’m in full support of that. This is actually kind of fun. The jazz interlude, the upbeat guitars. Sounds like Devo featuring jazz. That is absolutely a compliment. This is Sims menu music with La La La’s. El Terriblé. Please move on. Oh he says the song title right away. I do hate ambiguity. Cut right to the heart of the matter. Especially when you’re dissecting such hard hitting issues as citrus based fire brigades. Elevator music with cool bass sections. I somehow don’t hate this all that much. This week on Odd Company, trouble is afoot when little Abner firebombs the school’s utility shed. Will Mama serve some parental justice or will she join in on the fun in the name of a united ireland? All that and more on Odd Company this Friday night during ABCs primetime weeknights! I don’t like this song but the saxophone is fairly cool. It’s less 80’s pop saxophone and more jazzy. Why is this so good? Reminds me of Gang of Four. Missed opportunity to call your band “Gang of Six” considering there are indeed, six fellas here. I’m available for consult gents. This song was boring. We’re so back. Firstly. The song is called Baked Beans. While as a food all beans are abhorrent, the concept? Funny. The song? Incredibly fun. Snow-y-y-oh-oh. Why must this be so back and forth. This sounds like death. A slow death. This is playing quietly on the radio next to your deathbed while you flatline. You realize the last strains you’ll make are against the confines of a bed you never asked to be in. Let the darkness envelope you. This is excellent. Once again we have flashed from a melodramatic stench pile to the aromatic, blossom-laced shores of this funky ass jam. Too many stink based words in this track review. I want to sincerely apologize to the good barbering crew down at the pelican haircut lounge. Is this Creed? Am I about to watch an Al Snow comeback package? No. We’re back in the doldrums. Excuse me is Captain Autumn there? Yes I’ll hold. Uh huh. Are you Australian? Oh no. That’s strike 1. This was a fun closer. Nothing crazy. Boys. I have to hand it to ya. This was a good time. One second we’re buying cable knit sweaters, the next we’re going a fall photoshoot, and after that, we’re hitting up Long & McQuade for a quick bass lesson. This is the best autumn ever. Let me know if you’re ever in town again, and maybe I’ll be the 101st haircut. 3.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl), Lemon Firebrigade, Kingsize (You’re my Little Steam Whistle), Baked Beans, Love’s Got Me in Triangles

Haircut 100 were the archetypal Smash Hits band back in the early eighties - clean cut young men with boy next door good looks, and I’m afraid to say I was a little bit dismissive of them as lightweight disposable tinkly bonk pop. The lyrics didn’t make any sense as far as I could tell - why was he so worried about going down to the lake, for starters? Anyhoo, aside from the singles which instantly take me back to that halcyon summer of 1981, the rest of this album is surprisingly good. It’s much more in a Latin jazz funk style than I was expecting with slap bass, horns, marimbas and tinkly pianos. I would happily listen to a couple of tracks from this on a sunny evening with a cocktail in hand and not give two hoots about why he is singing about green escalators. Favourite-shirt-tastic!

Quite pleasant, a little bit jazzy, a little bit funky. Cozy cafe/pub music, I'm not being ironic. I like it. Probably above 3 but not enough to get a 4. Love "Lemon Firebrigade".

In the 80s there was a particular strain of preppily dressed music critic who were convinced Nick Heyward was a genius. Turns out they still walk among us.

Nice sidebar to music of those times.

A pretty fun album that could’ve done with being a couple of tracks shorter or a bit more variance. It did get very samey by the end

Pretty funky, but cool.

I enjoyed this one, even if it is a little 'generic British new wave' as others have said. I can see this being a great album to throw on for a Satruday morning while baking or something. It's got some great bass lines, which unfortunately are offset by the cheesy 80s sax that is prominent in a lot of it. I'm not sure I'd actively seek this out, I mean I'd definitely pick Duran Duran or Talking Heads over this, but if I randomly saw the album somewhere I'd probably buy it. 3/5

Enjoyably cheesy

not sure how many boundaries this breaks but i had a good time with it. the on the dime genre switches are pretty compelling & the horn parts were fun!

Nothing mind-blowing here, some pretty smooth & rhythmic new wave with that signature 80's sax. Some fun was had.

I have no idea how this is an essential album. Not good or bad enough to be memorable.

Sort of like Duran Duran, but unyieldingly cheery. It was fine for a while but got grating.

Yep, this is certainly music that I listened to. Reminded me of Duran Duran. Wait… what did I just listen to? It’s gone already? I mean, it was fine, but it’s another one to add to the pile of albums that were fine but were forgotten as soon as I finished listening. Favorites were Love Plus One, Fantastic Day, and Snow Girl.

Liked this one. Don't remember too much of it, but it was fun

Oh wow. Another 80s British new wave album. There is nothing interesting I can say about this album. It's fine. It's not the worst thing I've listened to this week, but it's not great either. The style is pretty interesting... for like 3 songs. Then the album gets repetitive. Still, the style isn't bad, so the album is far from infuriating. The singing is there. It's not bad, but it also doesn't interest me. The writing exists too. It's a bit repetitive, but it could be worse. The songs are decent. None of them really stick out to me much. I wouldn't call this album bad, but I also just don't really feel anything special with this one. Still, it's okay. Low 3/5, bordering on 2.

Duran Duran with a bit more punch. I like the powerful sax and the funky beats. The drum sound is pretty solid with some decent fills and intros, the guitar tones vary throughout which makes it a little more interesting. Not really sure how else to sum this up. It’s not what I listen to, but I’d rather listen to this than a full Duran Duran album. Given the right mood I would go back to this one, but I don’t consider it essential. Outdated and mediocre, not enough difference between songs so 3.

I thought this was fine, there was enough going on to keep things interesting.

Ultimately I can't say I love the genre much, but what these lads have done with it is class. Equal parts corny and horn-y

Good. I’ll listen again when I’m more in the mood for something like this.

This is a high three. It's a fun, groovy, fast album with some really fun stuff in there. That intro track is killer, along with some of the instrumental songs. Only issue is that every song blends with one another, not much variety really.

Was more enjoyable than some New Wave bands. Still not my favorite era but there’s some kitsch value some days.

A pina colada in a cheeky part of London was melted down into the shape of a saxophone and this is what it sounded like.

Pretty fun listen. First time through it was sort of a blur, somewhat indistinguishable songs. Second time through the production stood out, a few songs and moments. The intro to Milk Film was pretty cool, like Vampire Weekend. The outro to King Size was pretty sick too. It sounds like these guys were into jamming and they had to sort of work to get their songs organized. I bet they were great live in a small bar. Some British terms and lyrics that can take you out of the groove, like “you’re my little fab one” Some pretty bad tunes as well. 35 minutes would have been more appropriate.

Was between 2 and 3 stars on this. Went with 3 because even though it kinda sucks it's pretty fun to have on in the background. Great inscrutable band name and album title. Who the hell are these guys? Has a real Wham-lite vibe...just confidently and unabashedly goofy. So much sax on this album. Every song is so corny and lame that it's pretty endearing, even if not very good

An interesting mix of genres that sometimes is very funky and at other times sounds very calypso-like. It didn't mange to grab my attention super well, but it was an alright listen Standouts Lemon Firebrigade 3/5

some songs are great, very fun sound, others a bit boring, very era-typical sound

Very fun! Not likely something I would return to repeatedly though

Never heard this before, it was fun!

Fun and upbeat but ultimately not that memorable. Favorite song was Love Plus One. 5/10

Definitely a fun groovy album. I could see really having a nostalgic spot for it if I was around at the time. Puts me in mind of the Talking Heads meets Echo and the Bunnymen. Fun, but didn't stand out. Album cover: (B-)

This was not bad, and I can see why some people may love it. There was a lot of great saxophone on this album and I was really feeling that. Unfortunately a lot of the songs felt like Talking Heads but less good? My favorite was "Love's Got Me In Triangles". The sax was amazing. "Calling Captain Autumn" is a good example of a song that has a lot of Talking Heads energy but isn't as good. The saxophone comes on the track and distinguishes it from Talking Heads, but it can't carry an entire album by itself. 6/10 (9/10 for the saxophone player).

Love plus one is a great song that I play a lot. The rest sounds kinda like that but if this was twenty minutes of pop bliss I could kind of see the justification of it being on this list. But it's not.

It’s like Duran Duran and English Beat had a baby. I wish the songs had more sax though.

Okay white boys! Surprisingly funky.

The singles are great, but I can see why they didn't really do much after this album. The rest of the songs are more-of-the-same filler, in the main. A lovely reminder of that time, and a sound that really reflected what was happening in British music at the time, but the 3 stars are mainly for the (admittedly brilliant) singles.

I'm unlikely to ever score this kind of music highly as it's not to my taste, although 3 stars can be seen as a positive score for this album. I thought it was alright/listenable. Haircut 100 have nothing on Electric Haircut though.

there are a couple of good songs on here, it is all very 80s from the style of music to the album cover. It was ok but I probably won't be coming back for another listen

3.5/5. I enjoyed this. Some songs ware better than others, but overall, I'd say this is a pretty fun album.

I was 16 when this came out and me and most of my mates looked like these boys. Music from the 80s is much maligned but I can tell you coming of age, listening to and going out dancing to this sort of music was ace! It was all quite joyful and a bit frivolous but great fun too. If you wanted to be a bit more serious you had The Bunnymen and New Order to keep you in line. I’m not sure if this would be an album I would necessarily say you HAD to listen to but one you SHOULD listen to as it’s good fun and will make you smile and it might just make you dance around your living room as it did with me! Enjoy!

Gear: Dunu SA6 Artwork: 👔👔👔👔👔 Production: 🤯🙂👌 Music: 🎶🌞💖 Rating: 👔👔👔(👔)/5

i feel like i've heard this before

Classic 80s album. I knew the hits but that’s all.

Better with a few listens

Incredibly 80's

This was fun, but I'm not sure I'd ever listen again.

Disco morphed to new wave pop

A very funky and very 80s album. I enjoyed listening but did find it a bit repetitive, and was feeling a bit over it by the end. Other people commented on the similarity to Duran Duran and I agree. Lemon Firebrigade had this buzzing background noise which sounded just like my phone vibrating. I legit spent half the song constantly looking back at my phone to see if someone was calling me lol. Favourites: Love Plus One, Kingsize, October is Orange

*chicka-dun chicka-dun* That riff guitar beat drove the whole album. But I’m not going to lie, it had me moving and grooving. At times I thought I was listening to the Talking Heads, at other disco. The album didn’t have enough variation and the lyrics left me wanting. Other than that, this wasn’t bad.

3.5/5

I didn't expect much but its actually ok.

Britisk new wave poprock, groovy

Early 80s pop/alt. Love Plus One has a nice horn section near the end. Lemon Firebrigade is a pleasant tune, jazzy. Calling Captain Autumn is also nice. Enjoyable listen although not much variation.

I enjoyed this. If definitely felt very 80s club scene. I don't think I could listen to this album again in full, it definitely isn't enough to my taste for that, but if I was in the 80s, and dancing in a club there's a few songs I'd definitely enjoy hearing.

I thought this record was a lot of fun, however, a bit repetitive at times (mainly the drumming with it's typical "boom-tsk-bap-tsk", for lack of a better term). I also find the singer has a pretty limited range, but I loved the rest of the instrumentation. The bass player is fantastic and kept me involved, the horns I really enjoyed, the guitar is super funky and fun. Overall, it's a solid record, but when comparing to the other records found throughout this list, it doesn't hold that same "wow" factor that others can make me feel. 3/5

Oh cool another British pop band. I did kind of dig the sound but most of it blended together.

Funky '80s pop album. Explores all kinds of disparate musical sounds too, very tropical and danceable. Didn't find much worth saving but this one's alright. Favorite tracks: Lemon Firebrigade, Love Plus One. Album art: Six guys, no burgers or fries in sight. They're laying down on a bunch of leaves, probably talking about the last day of high school tomorrow. Framing is kind of cool. 3/5

Pleasant fun pop although rather dated.

These guys knew their funky New Wave lane and definitely stayed in it. I appreciate Love Plus One for being reminiscent of Steely Dan in its chord progression. It’s New Wave. It’s hoppy. There’s some bland filler, but it’s good by me. Me likey.

cool

Not bad for new wave. 3/5

I like when it sounded like the Persona soundtrack. Favourite track: Lemon Firebrigade.

I would definitely listen to this when no one else is around. A ya yayaya YA ya ya. Three stars.

Repetitive guitars but over all not bad.

Thoroughly enjoyed this. Was excellent as background music while working in the shop. Not sure if it's a "sit down and listen" kind of album.