Enjoy The Silence

I picked up a couple of LPs at a charity shop the other day, again both heavy on the synths.  The first was Depeche Mode's 1990 album Violator.

Depeche Mode - Violator (1990)

This album, their seventh, was the one that pushed them from relative success in the UK to worldwide recognition, going gold in the UK and triple platinum in the US.  This copy was a bargain at just 50p as it's an incredible album and in excellent condition.  Top tracks -

Spotify:  Depeche Mode – Enjoy The Silence            Depeche Mode – World In My Eyes

Next was this:

The Electric Moog Orchestra - Music From Star Wars (1977)

Selections from the Star Wars soundtrack as performed on Moog synthesisers?  For 50p?  How could I resist?  The Electric Moog Orchestra specialised in making electronic versions of John Williams' music.  Other soundtracks covered include Battlestar Galactica and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.  Here's some blurb from the back cover:

Amazing.

Spotify:  The Electric Moog Orchestra – Star Wars (Main Title)

              The Electric Moog Orchestra – Imperial Attack (from "Star Wars")







I Feel Love

I didn't get to a car boot sale yesterday, but here are the last two LPs bought the previous Sunday.  Firstly this, bought for 50p:

Donna Summer - I Remember Yesterday (1977)

Donna Summer's I Remember Yesterday was her fifth album and features probably her most famous song as the final track; the Morodor-produced I Feel Love.  Of the four singles from the album released in the UK this was the biggest success, staying at no.1  for eleven weeks.  Here are the Spotify links for this track, plus another of my faves:

Donna Summer – I Feel Love                    Donna Summer – Black Lady

Lastly, bought for £1.50 was Souxie & The Banshees' Nocturne:

 

Souxsie & The Banshees - Nocturne (1983)

This live double LP was recorded over two successive nights at the Royal Albert Hall in the autumn of 1983, with the Cure's Robert Smith filling in for the recently-sacked John McGeoch.

 

It includes two Lennon & McCartney covers; Helter Skelter and Dear Prudence.  The latter was recorded in the studio the same year and released as what turned to be their most successful single, charting in the UK at no.3.

 

Spotify: Siouxsie And The Banshees – Dear Prudence - Live At The Royal Albert Hall

 

             Siouxsie And The Banshees – Sin In My Heart - Live At The Royal Albert Hall

 

 

Synthesis

Two more LPs bought on Sunday both make use of the synthesiser.  As the 70s progressed, the synthesiser became a more and more popular instrument, and both of these albums were recorded during this decade.

The first is Paul McCartney's McCartney II, which I got in excellent condition for £1.50.  I was anxious to hear this as it's been remastered this year and has thus been written about quite a bit.

Paul McCartney - McCartney II (1980)

Recorded in the summer of 1979 at his farm on the Mull of Kintyre, this album is an odd collection of synthpop, blues and more recognisable McCartney-esque ballads.  And some other stuff that defies brief description.  The experimental use of a synthesiser throws up instrumental tracks like Frozen Jap which many seem to hate, but this is one of my faves.  Another couple of great pop efforts are the early electronica of Temporary Secretary and the UK chart no. 2 hit Coming Up.

Not available on Spotify, here are some youtube links, including the video for Coming Up which features Macca and Linda in a variety of guises.

Frozen Jap:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b-TplCXNx4

Temporary Secretary:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdqZccgaXyU

Coming Up (video):  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDBkySeyiDo

The next album is pure synthesiser through and through:

Jean Michel Jarre - Oxygene (1976 France, 1977 rest of world)

This cost me £1.  French composer Jarre reached number 2 in the UK charts with this, his biggest success to date.  It features six tracks named Oxygene parts I to VI.  Part IV is probably the most well known track from this suite of analogue synthesised instrumental music.  In the UK it was used as the theme to an 80s medical programme called 'Where There's Life', which is certainly where I first heard it!  Here's the link:

Spotify:  Jean Michel Jarre – Oxygène, Pt. IV

Rok Da House

Sunday was fine and sunny, and I came away from a local boot sale with six LPs.  The first two took me back to my early teens; some late 80s commercial house:

Various - Best of House Megamix (1987)

Various - Best of House Vol. 4 (1988)

These are from a compilation series released by Serious Records and I got them for £1 each.  Volume 4 features eight 12" mixes of tracks including Bomb The Bass, Raze and The Beat Masters Featuring The Cookie Crew.

The Megamix is two sides mixed by The Bovver Boys and Double Trouble.  I'm not ashamed to say that when I got these on the turntable on Sunday afternoon, some uncoordinated yet energetic dancing took place in the privacy of my living room.

See Side A part 1 here:  http://youtu.be/rYoX2Awbskk

and Side A part 2 here:  http://youtu.be/XAwTKkk9Q8k

Side B Part 1 here:  http://youtu.be/3Jl3YteYAKA

and Side B Part 2 here:  http://youtu.be/27ad7K05ovs

Pop art

Following on from Wednesday's post, I got two more LPs at last Sunday's boot sale.  The first is the Pet Shop Boys' debut Please.

Pet Shop Boys - Please (1986)

I've been looking for a vinyl copy of this for ages, and it's in excellent condition and was only £1.  I tried to pick out a couple of fave tracks but couldn't as it's all so fab, so here's the Spotify link for the whole thing:  Pet Shop Boys – Please

Lastly I got Pastiche by The Manhattan Transfer for £1:

The Manhattan Transfer - Pastiche (1978)

The Manhattan Transfer are a vocal harmony group originally formed in New York in 1969.  Pastiche is an album of cover versions in various musical styles including jazz, motown, pop and ballads.  It's a heck of a mixed bag; unfortunately this particular album isn't on Spotify. However, this track appears there on a greatest hits:  Manhattan Transfer – Four Brothers

I didn't get to a car boot sale today due to lack of transport, fingers crossed for next week!

Americana

Sunday's boot sale was a big one, no doubt due to the glorious weather.  There was a fair bit of vinyl to flip through and I came home with four LPs.  The first was America's uninspiringly named third album Hat Trick (50p).

America - Hat Trick (1973)

Uninspired name, yes, but not a bad effort, although not as good as the later album I have of theirs, Hearts.  Hat Trick wasn't a huge seller compared to some of their other releases, perhaps because the songs are more chilled and less rocky.  I like their harmonic, California sound.  Funnily enough all three members were born and grew up in the UK, sons of American airmen stationed here, and British mothers.  They recorded their debut album in London and only moved to California for the recording of their second (Homecoming).  Fave tracks:

Spotify:  America – Wind Wave            America – Rainbow Song

Next I got Creedence Clearwater Revival's Hits Album (1981) for £2.  It's one of a staggering 14 compilations released over the years, compared with just seven actual studio albums.  I guess they're radio favourites the world over, so their greatest hits comps sell very well.

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Hits Album (1981)

These guys are actually from California as the cover would suggest, although their sound is more Southern bluesy country-rock.  With 20 tracks crammed onto one disc I was spoilt for choice but here are a couple of faves:

Creedence Clearwater Revival – Fortunate Son   Creedence Clearwater Revival – Born On The Bayou

I'll post the other two albums later this week.