Here Comes the Reign Again: the Second British Invasion

Dorsum in the early on- to mid-80s, a second wave of British artists brought their music across the Atlantic Ocean, xx years subsequently the Beatles, Rolling Stones and the Who invaded America. At its acme in the summer of 1983, 20 of the summit forty singles (including 7 of the top 10 singles) were by British artists, breaking the previous tape of fourteen set in 1965.

Unfortunately, many of these acts, who could have relied solely on their music, stressed their style in the new frontier of MTV. Wearing makeup and futuristic hairstyles and clothes, they were a New Wave of artists that made their mark with 1 hit song, only to fall by the wayside as another act replaced them.  Nearly disappeared as quickly as they came across the sea. They're now relegated to 80s nights on mainstream radio, and the songwriting and craftsmanship are taken for granted.

That's what makes Andrew Curry's newest compilation, Here Comes the Reign Once again: The Second British Invasion, and then memorable. For all that's said almost the 1980s – John Hughes movies, leg warmers, Wham!, and Frankie Goes to Hollywood – several talented unknowns from the Uk released some amazing music. Some were hits, some barely skipped across the bottom of the Hot 100. And like today'due south underground pop, it doesn't get its due props. Songs such as General Public's "Tenderness." The Blow Monkeys' "Excavation Your Scene." Madness' "Our House" – all one-striking wonders, some with such talent that the public merely heard one or two of their songs.

Back-scratch and his cadre of indie-popular artists appreciate those artists and the contributions they made to music, with a stunning tribute that spans 27 cuts. His success with his commencement anthology, Drink a Toast to Innocence: A Tribute to Lite Rock, was so successful that he's been able to entice more mainstream musicians – Freedy Johnston, Rachael Yamagata and Chris Collingwood – to contribute songs.

Here Comes The Reign Again: Different takes on many classics

Many of the songs remain true to the original, with plenty variations in instrumentation and vocals that information technology doesn't sound like the song that you heard ad nauseam in 1984. Linus of Hollywood takes most of the R&B out of Paul Young's "Everytime You Go Away," making it sound like a pop jewel.  The Davenports perform a similar operation with Wham!'south "Freedom," taking the bubble mucilage from the vocal and juicing it with some testosterone to transform information technology into a power pop record. Minky Starshine knows not to mess with True; it's ane of the near faithful interpretations, but without Tony Hadley's mellow vocals it sounds more modern.

Others have a 180-degree turn on their estimation. Yamagata somehow makes Civilization Gild'southward' "Do Y'all Actually Want to Hurt Me" fifty-fifty more haunting, slowing information technology downward and using merely a piano as an accompaniment. Corin Ashley strips Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's "If You Leave" of its synthesizers, using merely a ukelele, and the consequence is even more than charming than the original. And Graham Alexander turns Tracy Ullman'south "They Don't Know" on its caput, slowing it down, irresolute the point of view to the man's, and it'south not the same vocal anymore. It's like listening to a new vocal entirely – similar Ken Stringfellow'southward spooky rendition of "Digging Your Scene."

Lesser-known hits

Curry does give us a few lesser-known gifts. Yaz barely fabricated their mark in the U.s.a., simply the Wellingtons perform a beautiful rendition of "Only Y'all." And Steve Eggers of the Nines wasn't satisfied with doing Talk Talk's hit "It's My Life"; instead, he has unearthed their little known single, "Life'southward What You Make it," and reminds usa that the group was non a one-pull a fast one on pony.

There's just enough mixture of truthful interpretations and fresh takes on these songs that make Hither Comes the Reign Again so intriguing. Curry has called his songs and artists advisedly, and it's articulate that each artist respects the era – seeing through the AquaNet and "Frankie Say Relax" shirts and finding melody and pregnant in the songs of my childhood. And I do not take that for granted.

1. Chris Collingwood – Life In A Northern Boondocks 04:12
2. Jim Boggia & Pete Donnelly – Goody Two Shoes
3. Mike Viola – Everybody Wants To Dominion The World
4. Big-Box Store – Kids In America
5. Secret Friend – W End Girls
6. Minky Starshine – True
7. People On Holiday – Cruel Summertime
8. Linus Of Hollywood – Everytime You Go Away
9. Kelly Jones – Something About You
10. The Wellingtons – Only You
11. TeamMate – Tenderness
12. Chris Toll – Don't Yous Desire Me
13. Tracy Bonham – Sugariness Dreams (Are Made Of This)
14. Cliff Hillis – Wouldn't It Be Good
15. Eric Barao – Tainted Dear
16. Freedy Johnston – Promises, Promises
17. Rachael Yamagata – Do You Really Desire To Hurt Me
18. David Mead – Salve A Prayer
19. Mike Doughty – Relax
20. Taylor Locke – Dancing With Myself
21. Ken Stringfellow – Earthworks Your Scene
22. The Davenports – Freedom
23. Graham Alexander – They Don't Know
24. Eytan Mirsky & Alyson Greenfield – No Ane Is To Arraign
25. The Corner Laughers – Our Firm
26. The Nines – Life'southward What You Make It
27. Bleu – Don't You (Forget About Me)

Buy "Here Comes the Reign Again" from Bandcamp

taylorfece1936.blogspot.com

Source: https://hooksandharmony.com/album-review-comes-reign-second-british-invasion/

Share this post