Tag: New Wave
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Echo & the Bunnymen ‘Ocean Rain’ (1984)
Like any good cultural steward of teens who came of age in the mid-aughts I watched Donnie Darko on Halloween evening this past Friday after taking the kids trick or treating. It’s a fantastic film with a world-class soundtrack that adds so much depth to the film. At any rate, the movie opens up with…
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Kajagoogoo ‘White Feathers’ (1983)
Kajagoogoo carved out their spot in the very crowded 1980s new wave scene with a shimmering blend of synth-pop hooks and a fashion sense that perfectly mirrored their sound—colorful, sleek, and unmistakably of the MTV music video age. Their breakout hit “Too Shy” off White Feathers embodied the era’s obsession with styles and weird ass…
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Thompson Twins ‘Into The Gap’ (1984)
The Thompson Twins crystallized their new-wave trance pop vision with Into The Gap. It was the album the trio would forever be known for and saw them hit both their commercial and creative zenith in one fell swoop. Known for their sleek synth-pop sheen, the group blended Tom Bailey’s knack for indelible hooks with Alannah…
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Bananarama ‘Bananarama’ (1984)
Doesn’t get more 80’s than this. Bad ass band name, bad ass perms, bad ass single (“Cruel Summer” is so good), and just a damn good time all around. Is it just me or is the instrumentation of “Cruel Summer” this incredible mix of 80’s synth-rock with the West Coast G-Funk that Dr. Dre would…
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Midnight Oil ‘Diesel And Dust’ (1987)
I was taking a sauna with my dad earlier today and got to chatting about some of his favorite bands from the 80’s. He mentioned Midnight Oil as one of those bands that sort of flew under the radar commercially in Minnesota at the time but one that he always connected with on both a…
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Elvis Costello ‘My Aim Is True’ (1977)
Juggling a day job as a data clerk at Elizabeth Arden, Elvis Costello squeezed recording sessions for My Aim Is True into six four-hour sessions, tracked on a shoestring budget with little time for polish. The urgency bleeds through in every note. Backed by the American country-rock band Clover—who were blissfully unaware of the sardonic…
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Kraftwerk ‘The Man-Machine’ (1978)
The Man-Machine took me some real time to get into. I kind of regretted my decision to listen to this album about halfway through the opening track “The Robots”. The whole thing felt incredibly plodding, like it was struggling to find its purpose for existing. But the longer the song went on the sheer audacity…
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Kate Bush ‘Hounds of Love’ (1985)
Hounds of Love is a perfect example of when artistic ambition meets the pop music framework. Showcasing her chameleonic vocal range—from guttural growls to ethereal whispers—Bush pushed the boundaries of pop with lush, experimental production and deeply evocative storytelling. But where it gets really special is the prog-rock concept album nature of it all (which…
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The Killers ‘Hot Fuss’ (2004)
The Killers’ Hot Fuss remains one of the most electrifying debut albums in alternative rock history, a record that blends the grandeur of synthesizer-driven melodies with the grit of heavy, intricate guitar work. Tracks like “Mr. Brightside” showcase the band’s technical prowess, with its instantly recognizable riff being deceptively difficult to play (seriously that thing…
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The Voidz ‘Virtue’ (2018)
When Julian Casablancas returned with The Voidz’s 2014 debut album Tyranny, it was a a surprising shift considering his earlier solo work and his garage rock career with The Strokes. The band focused surprised many critics with its focus on dystopian themes and sonic complexity that could be described as a polished sci-fi pop sound.…
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Hall & Oates ‘Private Eyes’ (1981)
Hall & Oates’ Private Eyes epitomizes the duo’s signature yacht rock sound—a smooth blend of pop, rock, and soul that captures the essence of early ’80s radio. The album features some of their most iconic tracks, including the title song “Private Eyes” and “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do),” both of which showcase…
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Dan Hartman ‘I Can Dream About You’ (1984)
I Can Dream About You is a quintessential 80’s album that perfectly captures the era’s vibrant energy and cheesy earnestness. Blending pop, rock, and synth elements, Hartman’s powerful voice cascades over arrangements whose bias for danceability hides some pretty excellent melodic choices. If you close your eyes and listen closely you can hear the influence…
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Prefab Sprout ‘From Langley Park To Memphis’ (1988)
Shiny and glittery, Prefab Sprout’s third album From Langley Park To Memphis is a trip down memory lane into the world of late 80’s sophisti-pop. This entire album is a colorful collection of immaculately produced New Wave pop songs that sparkle at every turn, a catchy and fun ride that makes you want to tuck…
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Oingo Boingo ‘Dead Man’s Party’ (1985)
Oingo Boingo’s 1985 album Dead Man’s Party is a unique experience from start to finish, capturing the eccentric nature of the band and all of their quirky provocativeness. I’ve been running a ton during 2024 (my New Year resolution is to hit a Vo2 Max over 50) and this album is a slam dunk pick…
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No Doubt ‘Tragic Kingdom’ (1995)
The backdrop of No Doubt’s third album Tragic Kingdom reads somewhat like a soap opera– keyboardist and principal songwriter Eric Stefani left the band in the middle of the sessions after struggling with the fact he was being asked to include other band members in the songwriting process, and shortly after that bassist Tony Kanal…
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New Order ‘Power Corruption and Lies’ (1983)
New Order was formed by the former band members of Joy Division following the abrupt suicide of their lead singer Ian Curtis. With their new project they retained many of the things that made Joy Division a post-punk cult favorite (namely the repetitive drones and seemingly detached vocal style) while introducing more synth-pop and dance-rock…
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DEVO ‘Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!’ (1978)
Despite being labelled a joke band whose deadpan humor and absurd live show featuring over the top science fiction references made them a fixture in the early American New Wave scene, Devo’s genesis was born of more serious circumstances. Their band name came from the concept of “de-evolution” (an idea that mankind had begun to…
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The Police ‘Synchronicity’ (1983)
By the time The Police released their fifth (and what would turn out to be their final) album Synchronicity in 1983, the band was arguably the most popular and well-regarded band in the entire world. The trio of Sting (vocals/bass), Andy Summers (guitar/keys), and Stewart Copeland (drums) were fresh off recording 1981’s Ghost in the…
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Haircut One Hundred ‘Pelican West’ (1982)
Besides bragging rights only I truly care about, one benefit of listening to an album a day for 14 straight months is the exposure you get to music that some of your favorite artists clearly took inspiration from. Which brings us to Haircut One Hundred, a British New Wave act from the early 80’s that…
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Blondie ‘Parallel Lines’ (1978)
Blondie’s Parallel Lines is a study in evolution. Originally a punk rock band with their self-titled debut in 1976, Blondie managed to break out of the underground in the US and make the jump into the Top 40 with the release of Parallel Lines. Adopting elements of New Wave and dance pop, while still retaining…
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Duran Duran ‘Rio’ (1982)
Duran Duran’s second studio album Rio is somewhat of an amalgamation of what made the 80’s so insane. There is samples of crackling ice cubes, cigarettes being lit, background vocals of people yelling, saxophone solos, synthesizer leads, disco beats aplenty, and utterly bizarre lyrics– lead vocalist Simon Le Bon gushes over a woman who is…
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Crowded House ‘Crowded House’ (1986)
Australian pop rock band Crowded House’s self-titled debut features one of the best New Wave songs of all-time “Don’t Dream It’s Over”, which has been featured in a wide variety of 80’s media. The song is a wonderful little treatise on nostalgic longing that can be applied to a variety of life events– for me…
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Television ‘Marquee Moon’ (1977)
Television’s Marquee Moon was a landmark album in music history despite receiving little in the way of commercial popularity, similar in that sense to Beach Boys 1966 album Pet Sounds. Its influence on the musical direction that would follow in the 1980’s is vast and wide-ranging– the stripped-down production of the album that gave clear…
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Phoenix ‘Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix’ (2009)
If you went to college in the late 2000’s there was no escaping Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. This was one of those glittery boppy Indie rock albums that was custom-made for the coming-of-age college demographic, fun and carefree and subtly sophisticated in the sort of way that made you feel like a child and adult all…
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Prince ‘Purple Rain’ (1984)
No artist impacted the sound of the pop music in the 80’s more than Prince. His unique blend of virtuoso musicianship (his guitar solo on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” in 2004 is an absolute masterclass), unrivaled instinct for unique harmonic elements, and prolific writing capabilities that saw him release forty studio albums during his…
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A Flock of Seagulls ‘A Flock of Seagulls’ (1982)
When you think of 1980’s New Wave music the song “I Ran (So Far Away)” is pretty much required to pop into your head. A Flock of Seagulls, the British rocker’s debut album, was a defining moment for New Wave as a whole and is chock full of all the things that make the genre…
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Harry Styles ‘Harry’s House’ (2022)
Members of boy-bands going on to illustrious solo careers is somewhat of a rare bird. You have some standout examples like Michael Jackson (Jackson 5), Justin Timberlake (*N Sync), and George Michael (Wham!) who went on to be megastars that made people forget they were ever anything but a solo artist, but in general it’s…
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Roxy Music ‘Avalon’ (1982)
Roxy Music had long moved past its early 70’s art rock phase with Brian Eno by the time the early 80’s rolled around, but the band’s deep and rich history of avant garde synth pop is still present underneath all the wonderfully manicured pop sheen found littered throughout Avalon. From the sultry saxaphones to the…
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Fine Young Cannibals ‘The Raw & The Cooked’ (1989)
Fine Young Cannibals 1989 release The Raw & The Cooked is a soul album in the way you’d envision an 80’s New Wave soul album to be. In other words, it’s an eclectic mix of sounds and styles that incorporates breakbeat, New Wave, dance, and rock elements filtered through the gravitational pull of Motown soul…
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Cyndi Lauper ‘She’s So Unusual’ (1983)
Cyndi Lauper is an icon in nearly every sense of the world. Her wild hairstyles, feverishly flamboyant in all their neon glory, is a distinct calling card she’s continued to this day ever since introducing punk fashion into the pop mainstream. Her work as an advocate for the LGBTQ community during a time when it…
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Huey Lewis & The News ‘Fore!’ (1986)
Huey Lewis & The News occupy a spot in music history as one of the quintessential 80’s power pop bands. They had this folksy charm that was undeniable– from the classic rhythm & blues and doo wop influences, to the gorgeous soft rock chord progressions, to the full band sound. Everything about Huey Lewis was…
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The Weeknd ‘After Hours’ (2020)
The Weeknd’s brand of dark and brooding R&B was a revelation for the genre in the mid 2010’s, breathing new and fresh life into a storied but somewhat stale industry. On After Hours The Weeknd took those R&B roots and pushed everything a bit further– delving into dream pop and synth-driven instrumentation, crafting a semi-concept…
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Robert Palmer ‘Clues’ (1980)
Robert Palmer’s transition from blue-eyed soul singer to New Wave artist was just getting started on Clues, and the album as a whole sits in this distinctly 80’s space of being multiple things all at once. You have the old-school Rolling Stones esque classic rock thump of “Sulky Girl” sandwiched in between the synth pop…
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Billy Idol ‘Rebel Yell’ (1983)
There’s nothing like Billy Idol’s vocals on Rebel Yell‘s title track. It’s what got me into Idol in the first place. It’s a perfect new wave punk song. Idol’s manic and uncontrolled primal energy, the undeniably hooky guitar lead line, how the overdriven guitars punch through in the chorus, the absolute shredfest of a solo.…
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The Clash ‘London Calling’ (1979)
There are three bands that stand alone in the Holy Trinity of punk rock. Those bands are the Ramones, the Sex Pistols, and The Clash. All three have combined to inspired literally hundred of thousands of kids to pick up guitars, start their own bands, and express themselves musically. All three have had a massive…
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