Now in the "holy shit are we really doing this" category...

First album I bought for myself... when I was a tween... was Songs from the Big Chair

Went through a long period of time thinking that this band totally sucks.

Then more recently have fallen in love again with their first three albums. The Hurting, in particular.

You've made me go look up this track that was the b-side on the 'Shout' 45 I bought myself back in the day >>



I think I had recently seen Mad Max III Beyond Thunderdome and the way this sounded to me at the time reminded me of clanky post-apocalyptic desert dystopia.
It rearranged my 9-year old brain a bit. Creepy but cool.

I also remember seeing this video (below) when it was new and thinking 'yeah, that IS a good song.'



I still get a funny mix of happy and sad when I hear it. It brings me back.

Not crap! I think they started as a mod band.

All about Head Over Heels for me.




NOT CRAP

Some good radio singles. The Seeds of Love is peak '80s over-production to a comical degree.

Adore this band, or their first two albums at least. Way higher batting average on those albums than a whole lot of other bands.

Yeah, easy to lump this band in with lots of other 80s synthy pop/rock but they're way better than most of their contemporaries.
The lyrics to "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" are bleak. It's a very well-crafted song.
Not crap.

Those first couple records are very well done and have some great songs.

penningtron wrote: Fri Oct 11, 2024 5:03 pm Some good radio singles. The Seeds of Love is peak '80s over-production to a comical degree.

Yes on both counts.

"Serious" to a comically pompous extreme; yet hard to deny the level of craft involved.

A lot of undeniably great songs, although I rarely listen to them.

Nc I guess.

M.H wrote: Sat Oct 12, 2024 5:49 am

penningtron wrote: Fri Oct 11, 2024 5:03 pm Some good radio singles. The Seeds of Love is peak '80s over-production to a comical degree.

Yes on both counts.

"Serious" to a comically pompous extreme; yet hard to deny the level of craft involved.

When did that come out, ‘89? Not a lot of bands doing that pull out all stops takes on retro flower power music at that point, although XTC certainly comes to mind.