CAPTAIN SENSIBLE reissues on Cherry Red!

CAPTAIN SENSIBLE/Women And Captains First (+ bonus tracks)

When Captain Sensible briefly stepped away from his duties as bassist/guitarist in Punk legends THE DAMNED and decided to record a solo album, the last producer anyone expected him to work with was Tony Mansfield.  Not that there was anything wrong with Mansfield: he was an enormously talented songwriter, guitarist, producer and musical visionary.  The real issue was that the good Captain was in a PUNK band and Mansfield was best known at that time for fronting Synthpop band New Musik!

What people didn't take in to account at the time was that the Captain was a superb Pop songwriter and whether his tunes were fuelled by slashing guitars or blipping synths, it was the song that mattered. And judging by Women And Captains First, Mr. Sensible's gamble paid off... in spades!

The album's big UK hit out of the box was a cover of "Happy Talk", originally from the soundtrack of South Pacific.  An odd choice, but a brilliant single.  Captain is in fine form, vocally and Mansfield's production lets the synths do the talking... but without taking it to Human League/Soft Cell territory.  It's jolly, it's happy and it still sounds wonderful, overblown and fun.

The album's opener, the funky rappy "Wot", managed to creep into U.S. radio (including L.A.'s KROQ) and helped build the Captain a fanbase who probably had never heard a single note from The Damned. The song was also a decent sized hit in the UK.

Elsewhere, the album is as eclectic and the Captain is eccentric.  There's a healthy dose of great Synth-based pop ("Brenda", "Martha The Mouth" and "Croydon"), some poppy Punk-inspired rave-ups ("Yanks With Guns"), Dixieland swing ("Nobody's Sweetheart") and so much more. This Cherry Red reissue adds bonus tracks from the single b-sides (ranging from experimental to Pop to Psychedelic) plus the previously unreleased instrumental gem "Joe Meek" (why this was never released remains a mystery!).  This is a treat from beginning to end. To be honest, it may be TOO eclectic for some listeners, but you'll end up coming back and listening to it over and over eventually...

CAPTAIN SENSIBLE/The Power Of Love (+ bonus tracks)

After the success of Women And Captains First, Mr. Sensible bowed out of the Damned and pursued his solo career, heading back into the studio with Mansfield for a second album that would capitalize on the success of his debut.

The Power Of Love was not as eclectic as Women... and, on many levels, is actually a better album for it.  The anti-war hit, "Glad It's All Over" continues in the same Synth vein as the debut, although the song has more depth, musically and lyrically, than any of his solo recordings up to this point.  While the album didn't have any singles as popular as "Happy Talk" or "Wot", The Power Of Love is a great, cohesive Pop album filled with delectable little Pop nuggets that demand to be heard.

"It's Hard To Believe I'm Not", "It Would Be So Nice", "Thanks For The Night" and "The Power Of Love" are guitar pop gems that are hook-filled and instantly hummable. "Stop The World", "I'm A Spider", "Royal Rave-Up" and "Secrets" are synth-dominated slices of pop pleasure that won't leave your head for days afterwards.  The Captain even shows his sweet side on "I Love Her" and "I Love You", two songs that are quite pretty and touching... but you're really not quite sure if ol' Cappy is being sincere or taking the piss!  Either way, they are classics.

The bonus tracks on this Cherry Red reissue are excellent additions, including the non-album singles "There Are More Snakes Than Ladders", "One Christmas Catalogue", "Come On Down" and "Revolution Now" plus the odd B-sides. Another must-have for any '80s pop collection... or ANY pop collection for that matter!

FREUR/Get Us Out Of Here & Doot-Doot

FREUR/Get Us Out Of Here & Doot-Doot (2 on 1)

From All Music Guide:

"While Karl Hyde and Rick Smith may have finally achieved success as dancefloor favorites Underworld in the nineties and noughties, they are surprisingly quiet about their ‘80s musical outlet, Freur. While their silence speaks volumes about how they feel about their past, Freur’s fan base has remained loyal and passionate.

The band didn’t achieve the fame they deserved, but they were one of the most unique and memorable bands of the era. Using electronics as a starting point, Freur cleverly mixed guitars, piano, percussion and other instruments into their melting pot, creating an atmospheric and experimental sound that was just as organic as it was processed. Never over baked, the quintet’s songs were layered with melodies that walked the tightrope between haunting and beautiful. While they are best remembered for the track “Doot Doot” (and using a squiggle for their name), the band had so much more to offer and this release containing both of their albums is proof that they made a delicious pudding.

Their 1983 debut album, Doot Doot, opens with the title track, a wonderfully gentle slice of ear candy that is not easily forgotten once you’ve let it sink under your skin. There is really nothing like it. Not quite a ballad, it is soothing without being maudlin, dark without being gothic and romantic without being sappy. The rest of the album strays from the title track’s musical formula, but they are all equally intriguing and melodic. “Tender Surrender” and “Whispering” have beautiful melodic choruses that will send chills up your spine. The singles “Runaway”, “Matters Of The Heart” and “Riders In The Night” are odd slices of pure twisted pop that should have been hits. The album reveals its secrets listen after listen and never overstays its welcome.

The real attraction on this two-fer is the first CD appearance of the seldom-heard sophomore album, Get Us Out Of Here, originally released in 1985. This second album picks up where Doot Doot left off, but then takes the music in a slightly harder direction. There’s nothing quite as unique as “Doot Doot”, but the band expands on their sound, adding echoes of soul, Celtic and rock music into the mix. Anyone looking for a carbon copy of their debut will be disappointed, but those wanting to hear the band expand on their sound will have plenty to love. The melodies aren’t quite as pretty, but they are certainly hook-filled and playful. “Look In The Back For Answers”, ‘The Devil And The Darkness”, “Emeralds & Pearls” and “The Piano Song” are a few of the real highlights.

Though this was the final Freur album, the sound of Get Us Out Of Here hints at the direction the band would take when they re-merged a few years later as Underworld, releasing the album Underneath The Radar. "- Stephen SPAZ Schnee

GARY MYRICK & THE FIGURES/Reissues reviewed!

GARY MYRICK & THE FIGURES/Gary Myrick & The Figures (+ bonus tracks)

From All Music Guide:

"During the Punk, Power Pop and New Wave heyday of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, Los Angeles gave birth to some of the finest bands of all three genres. From X, The Germs, The Dickies and Social Distortion to The Knack, The Plimsouls, 20/20, The Go-Go’s and The Last, there were so many exciting bands treading the boards in Southern California. But of all the acts that emerged during this time, there were two unique outfits that used the energy of the scene but took the music in a different direction: Jules & The Polar Bears and Gary Myrick & The Figures. Both Jules Shear and Gary Myrick were immensely talented songwriters, but neither of them chose to stick to the “simple, short and sweet” formula that their contemporaries had been so successful with. Of the two, Myrick seemed the most likely to achieve commercial success.

The Texas-born guitarist formed The Figures in the midst of the Power Pop/New Wave explosion, inking a record deal and releasing their debut album in 1980. Their self-titled debut album was an amazing slice of audio energy and excitement that still sounds fresh and invigorating nearly 30 years later. With Myrick’s skillful guitar playing (he NEVER overplays), top notch songwriting skills and the band’s tight dynamic, this was one heck of musical statement.

While the album was one of the most impressive debut albums of the ‘80s, Myrick and co-horts crafted a slice of wax that was unique and, ultimately, hard to categorize. Was it Power Pop? Well, it certainly IS melodic but not sweet and sugary. Is it New Wave? Well, it certainly IS unique but not quirky or bathed in neon colors. Gary Myrick & The Figures was an album that stood virtually alone in a sea of records that were released during this era. There were shades of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Blues, Post-Punk, Power Pop, Punk and New Wave but not enough of each genre to easily classify the album.

“She Talks In Stereo” was a big radio hit and should have been the track that pushed the band to the top of the charts, but it wasn’t meant to be, I suppose. Other highlights off the album include the lead track “Living Disaster”, “Ever Since The World Began”, “Meaningless” and the epic “She’s So Teenage”. Not a bad song in the bunch. The only real disappointment is the fact that the album didn’t do better than it should have!

The excellent Wounded Bird CD reissue adds nine live tracks that prove that the band’s sound was not manufactured in the studio. Normally, I avoid live recordings at all costs, but even I’ll admit these are essential cuts from an exciting era in music history."-Stephen SPAZ Schnee

GARY MYRICK & THE FIGURES/Living In A Movie (+ bonus tracks)

From All Music Guide:

"Their 1981 sophomore album, Living In A Movie, is a different ball of wax. Where their debut was drenched in adrenalin and sweat, Living In A Movie sounds like it’s bathed in darkness and paranoia. It’s not so much a case of the ‘sophomore jinx’ as it is the sound of a band whose bubble has been burst and they’ve been left alone to make sense of everything. While not the equal of the debut, this second album has plenty going for it. .

From the lead track, “I’m Not A Number” (another radio hit for Myrick), Living In A Movie twists and turns in directions previously only hinted at on their debut album. While still unclassifiable, the album veers closer to a jagged Post-Punk edge as it moves away from the hooky tunes of the previous year. The energy is still evident, but the album is bathed in more shadows than light.

Highlights include “Romance”, “Penetrate My Heart’ and “No Crisis”, which is about the only track that comes close to sounding like the first record, but perhaps that’s not a bad thing? If Myrick and the boys had made a carbon copy of the debut, then the results would have probably sounded forced and fake.

On it’s own, Living In A Movie is a fantastic off-center musical trip that never gets dull. Compared to the debut, it’s a less frantic ride but still reaches the same destination. The Wounded Bird reissue adds four bonus live tracks previously only available on a promo 12” single. Of those four tracks, “Fame Is Dangerous” is unavailable elsewhere."-Stephen SPAZ Schnee

BOTH TITLES AVAILABLE NOW!