My Amazon Reviews: Walk The Moon "Talking Is Hard"

Pop is Easy
3 Out Of 5 Stars

Walk The Moon are a band that makes the kind of effortless pop that can make a power popper go green with envy. Almost every song here is perky, danceable and anchored with a mighty hook. You've likely heard the invincible single, "Shut Up and Dance." But fair warning; it's the best song on the CD. Like a lot of bands enamored by 80's new wave and synth pop, much of "Talking Is Hard" is very derivative, even though it's a lot of fun. It's jellybean music, all sugar and chewy.

As a genre album, you can't do much better. Walk The Moon remind me more than a little of Neon Trees, who also specialize in this sort of dynamo pop. Even when they try and scream one out ("Up 2 U"), you're still playing spot the influence, even though you're still digging the hook. "Work The Body" has a hand clapping goodness about it - it could easily be the follow-up single. The overall effect of the album is one of effervescence and cheeriness. When they ask "What do you spend your money on?" and respond in kind, "I hope it's something of value," they could easily be describing "Talking Is Hard." There's nothing heavyweight here, but it's all in good fun. "Shut Up and Dance," indeed.

     

My Amazon Reviews: Danny Wilson "The Best Of Danny Wilson"

Say 10 Hail Marys
3 Out Of 5 Stars

For a band that only recorded two proper albums, Danny Wilson (a trio as opposed to a single person, their name came from a Frank Sinatra movie), this "Best Of" holds together very well. Combining the best from their debut "Meet Danny Wilson" and the less well received "Be Bop Moptop," you get the best songs from each album.

American audiences will likely recall the signature hit, "Mary's Prayer." The remaining 10 songs showcase the band's sophisticated mixture of immaculate production and pop-craft, taking obvious inspiration from middle-period Steely Dan and following the trail of fellow travelers Prefab Sprout. Lead singer and songwriter Gary Clark has a pretty good blue-eyed soul voice, and the lyrics twist and turn in an enigmatic way (again, teasing out that Steely Dan influence). There's the moody "Broken China" - here in a live version - and the peppier "The Second Summer Of Love" from "Be Bop."

The only problem is that "Mary's Prayer" set such a high benchmark for the band that it became impossible to replicate the success afterwards. There are a couple of B-Sides here, including a chipper take on the standard, "Get Happy." Given the intricacies of their debut and the fact that "The Best of Danny Wilson" is a mere 11 songs, a couple more from the debut would have made this a more satisfying collection. Given that you can still find "Mary's Prayer" on the debut and any number of 80's compilations, I can only recommend this to the most ardent fans.

     

My Amazon Reviews: A Flock of Seagulls "The Best Of"

Haircuts and Attitudes
3 Out Of 5 Stars


One of the first new Wave acts to score a genuine hit single, these hairswooping seagulls did manage a couple of hits after their calling card of "I Ran." A Flock of Seagulls may not be remembered for much after that hit and the aforementioned hairstyles, but this collection does make an adequate case for the band as a competent singles machine. About as synthy as Duran Duran or the Thompson twins, lead singer Mike Score didn't have the charisma of Simon Lebon or Tom Bailey's pop sense, which is why the three US charting singles ("I Ran," Space Age Love Song" and "Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)") are all hear as is the "Wishing" extended mix.

That doesn't mean the rest of the batch is unlistenable. "Telecommunication" is a quick and snappy bit of synth rock, and "The Story of a Young Heart" is appropriately new romantic dramatic. I'd also chip in that "The More You Live The More You Love" was a should have been hit. They may no longer be required listening, but you can file "The Best of A Flock of Seagulls" along with your Wang Chung and Thompson Twins best ofs.

     

My Amazon Reviews: Phil Seymour "Phil Seymour Archives 1"

Precious to All
4 Out Of 5 Stars

The tragic solo career of Phil Seymour yielded a pair of solid power pop albums, a gem of a single, "Precious to Me," and a reminder of what he brought to the original Dwight Twilley Band. This expanded and remastered version of his solo debut spells it out in pretty much as pure power pop style as it gets. Released in 1980 on the ill-fated Boardwalk Records (Neil Bogart's resurgence after losing Casablanca and also home to Joan Jett's resurrection) before the label collapsed in 1985, leaving Phil's secopnd album to die on the vine. There's no denying, however, that this album was his turn to shine, and he gave it his all.

It's not like his old mates wandered off on him. Twilley contributes two songs, old band-mate Bill Pitcock drops one in as well. This reissue pumps up the bonus tracks, adding a remake of "Twilley Don't Mind's'" "Looking For The Magic" along with 8 demo mixes. But it is the original album that still sparkles. The remake of Bobby Fuller's "Let Her Dance" should have been a hit, along with a pumped up original called "Baby It's You." Add a pretty cool Elvis take on the King's "Trying To Get To You," and you'll get the old feel that "Sincerely" had in the 70's.

As fans are likely to remember, The Dwight Twilley Band did their best to bridge The Bealtes' love of American Music via Liverpool by taking it back to the Sun Studio Sound. On this, his best solo effort, Seymour pulls it off. Now that both his albums are back in print (including a great remix job on "Phil Seymour 2"), you need these both.

   

My Amazon Reviews: Scott Wilk and The Walls

Like Uranium Dynamite
4 Out Of 5 Stars

In 1980, the long lamented progressive rock station Starview 92 in Harrisburg/York started playing a great new wave ditty called "Radioactive." As a huge fan of Elvis Costello and The Attractions, I was trying to figure out why I hadn't heard this song on any EC album or B-Side. The answer was simple: the band was from Chicago. Scott Wilk and The Walls released this lost New Wave rave-up in the year of "Armed Forces" and did their utmost to pass him/themselves off as an American Elvis. The cover art screams 80's and the back cover photo of Wilk, wearing goofy glasses with the rest of the band in tight, fishbowl style close-up did nothing to deter the "Armed Forces" allusions. One thing, though. "Scott Wilk and The Walls" was a darn good album.

In addition to the previously mentioned "Radioactive," there was "Suspicion," a pure EC piece of paranoia that also picked up some localized airplay and even had a video made around it. Wilk's keyboards as sophisticated and nervy, there's a dark sense of humor that runs through many of the songs. Joe Jackson even gets a nod on "Instant This, Instant That," and producer Michael Omartian lays down a nifty piano solo on the final song, "Shadow Box Love." Yes, for those of you who follow such things, the same Michael Omartian who the same year delivered Christopher Cross's cheesy debut delivered a production job here worthy of Nick Lowe.

However, Chicago and Central PA must have been Wilk's lone pockets of fandom, as the debut stiffed commercially, and an argument with management and record label left Scott Wilk and The Walls high and dry, even with a large chunk of songs ready for a follow-up. (You can find these for download as "The Lost Session.") For those of us that can't get enough of the prime skinny tie new wave that was embodied by "This Year's Model" or "Look Sharp," "Scott Wilk and The Walls" is an absolute must. I've been waiting for this one myself a long time.