Lonely Boys - Hold Me

Remember classic hits from the 80s like "Forever Young", "Sounds Like A Melody" or "Big In Japan" which have brought the mere synthpop sounds into another musical dimension, giving them a brand new look, so fresh and sparkling with multitude of  innovative tones. All these songs are from the debut album by a German trio Alphaville which at this time consisted of Marian Gold (vocals), Bernhard Lloyd (keyboards) and Frank Mertens (keyboards). Unexpectedly, just after the album was released Frank Mertens (real name Frank Sorgratz) left the band, and the main reason for his decision was that he wasn't able to deal with a huge popularity and success that came on Alphaville in 1984. But fortunately he had to complete his contract signed with the record company WEA Musik GmbH so he composed several new songs which were released on his solo singles in the next few years. I used the word "fortunately" deliberately because among these songs the one, titled "Hold Me", is a true musical gem. He recorded it with his girlfiend Martina Richter (vocals) and Felix Lille (keyboards, guitars) and released it under the moniker Lonely Boys in vinyl on two formats : as 7inch single (WEA 248 810-7, with b-side track "Lonely Boy") as well as 12inch maxi ( the extended version ), It;s a shame but this record never was successful.

Twilight Ritual - The lost synthpop gem from Belgium

I have just discovered the song that I can listen many times in a one day and I haven’t enough of it at all. The title of the song : „She Told Me Lies”, the author : a Belgian band Twilight Ritual. This song was recorded about thirty years ago but it laid in hiding until year 2002 when it was released on band’s compilation album „The Factory Scream” (Micrart MCD 8504). How can I describe this song? Simply, synthpop in the purest of all possible shapes.  

Gold Zebra - Apart Again

Canadian synth-pop came to some signifence over last few years. A true representative of this music genre is Gold Zebra, a man female duo from Montreal, popular mainly on a local music scene, but I think it deserves to achieve much more success in the future. As for today, the band's masterpiece is the self-titled album "Gold Zebra" which was recorded between years 2010 - 2013 and finally released on 22 April'2014 by Montreal-based music label Visage Musique ( catalogue number : VM13 ), now it's available to download under this link : http://goldzebra.bandcamp.com/releases. The album consists ten tracks worth to listen in whole, my favourite one is titled "Apart Again" with video filmed for it in the desert.

Blancmange - Semi-Detached

I just received on my box an e-mail advertising the forcoming brand new studio album by an English synth-pop duo Blancmange. This album is meant to be their’s fitth one, it will be entitled „Semi-Detached” and it’s due to realese on 23rd of March 2015 by legendary independent label Cherry Red Records.I must say that I was quite a big fan of this band way back in early 80s as they were storming UK single and album charts with hits like „Waves”, „Living On The Ceiling”, „Don’t Tell Me” or especially „Blind Vision” and albums „Happy Families” (London Records, SH 8552) and „Mange Tout” (London Records, SH 8554) . Unfortunely, the lack of bigger success caused their split-up in 1987, but around the year 2010 both band’s members Neil Arthur and Stephen Luscombe reunited and almost a quater of a century after their third album „Believe You Me” (London Records, 820301-1) was released, they recorded and published in 2011 their fourth studio album „Blanc Burn” (Proper Records Ltd, PRPCD075). They created much darker sounds on it than on their previous records, but the same or more interesting nad intriguing. So let’s wait and see what this new album will bring. 

The Vyllies - Can You Hear The Witches Laugh?

The Vyllies was an all-female band from Switzerland, active in years 1983 - 1988. It comprised of Ilona Prism (bass, vocals), Ursula Nun (keyboards) and Manue Moan (vocals) who first met at the University of Lausanne. During its career they released two studio albums : "Lilith" (1985, Out Of Tune Records DT 275-09) and "Sacred Games" (1987, Out Of Tune Records  DT 276-09), as well as several singles and mini-LPs : "The Vyllies" (1984, Creep Records CREEP 06), "Velvet Tales" (1985, Out Of Tune Records DT 274-4), "Ahia" (1986, Fun After All Records FAA 103) and "Now We Fall" (1987, Out Of Tune Records P-124). They also toured successfully in Switzerland and other European countries, sometimes as a support to such bands like Minimal Compact, Sex Gang Children or The Gun Club. They created and polished their unique style, a mix of gothic rock, dark wave with melodic synth sounds. My favorite song of this band is "Give Me A Name" from their first album "Lilith".

Curt Smith feat. Sophie Saillet (SO) - Seven Of Sundays

I think that songs performed by male/female duets can be both an enormous success or a complete disaster. Recently I listened to one of the duets which should be classified as a success. The song I mean is entitled "Seven Of Sundays" an was recorded by Curt Smith (co-founder of Tears For Fears) and French artist Sophie Saillet nicknamed SO.   This track is coming from Curt's third solo album "Halfway, Pleased" (XIII BIS Records, 70022640643), released in 2008.

Marcie's Still Waiting - Sophisticated And Elegant

Today’s post is about a German band Marcie’s Still Waiting. Formed in 1984 by Rainer Spachmann (vocals, keyboards, guitars), Rainer Winschermann (saxophone, recording, mixing), Thomas Dobber (bass) and Frank Behnke (keyboards) it released in his short-term life only two EPs : “A Mysterious Song” (Wishbone Records, WM 85001) in 1985 and “Mirrors And Daydream” (Roof Records, RR 134 578)  in 1986. But in 2012 Winschermann’s indie record label Mollycat released a compilation   CDr  titled  “Marcie’s  Still  Waiting  in the  80ies”  (Mollycat, MCD 12049) featuring  songs  from  band’s  first  EP   “A Mysterious Song” and six unpublished tracks which were recorded back in 1986. Another compilation album was released in October 2014 entitled "From East To West" (Dead Wax Records, DW 006) and comprises four songs from "A Mysterious Song" EP, four songs from "Mirrors And Daydreams" EP and five unreleased songs from the in-between period. Their music can be classified as new wave, dark wave, cold wave touched by nostalgia and melancholy. In my opinion Marcie’s Still Waiting  is  one of the most underrated bands and should achieve much more recognition. My personal choice are two tracks “Sleep” and “Unique World". For more info please visit band's site on facebook 

 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marcies-still-waiting/195374707180197

 

 

 

 

Frazier Chorus - Synthpop Velvet Anarchists

Frazier Chorus was a four-piece group from Brighton ( south England ), active in years 1986 - 1996, with band members Tim Freeman, Kate Holmes ( later in another synthpop star Client ), Chris Taplin and Michele Alardyce. They released three albums and several singles which achieved moderate chart success. Their first two albums "Sue" ( Virgin, V 2578 ) from 1989 and "Ray" ( Virgin, VFC 2654 ) from 1991 were created by complete band and released by Virgin Records. The third album "Wide Awake" released by small independent label Pure Records in 1996 was more a solo project of the charismatic band leader Tim Freeman. Frazier Chorus's music is classic synthpop with elements from shoegaze and dreampop. A little gem in their songlist is a cover of The Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the UK" made in soft, polished and almost etheric style. My personal choices from their albums are songs : "Dream Kitchen", "Forgetful" and mentioned above "Anarchy in the UK".

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eleven Pond - Sitting On Chairs

An American synth-pop band Eleven Pond was formed in 1985 in Rochester, NY with original line-up : John Gallea (music, bass, synths), James Tabbi (lyrics, lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Lyle Wells (electric guitar), Dan Brumley (synths, vocoder). In 1986 they self-released their debut studio album „Bas Relief” (Game Hen Records 500-92686) . Material on their second album titled „Assemblage” was recorded in 1987 but it was never officcialy released till year 2013.  In 2009 an independent record label Dark Entries Records re-released their first album „Bas Relief” (Dark Entries DE-01) which was remastered with cooperation with band members. It was an impulse for John Gallea to reform the band and to play several reunion shows in 2011. They also recorded new songs which were self released by band on their new album „Love&Madness”. The track „Sitting On Chairs” is coming exactly from this album. 

More about the band on :   http://elevenpond.bandcamp.com/ and on their Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/ElevenPond