Various Artists [Elec-Trax, 16 Synth Pop Classix] Here's one of my very best Electric / New Wave / Synth Pop albums i own, each time i play this i realize how very much this music is incredible, the only weakness of this disc is the fact it's not a double disc set, it mixes well known hits with less well known songs that should have done better, and in retrospective it's good to have them on a compilation like this, many people consider Synth Pop to be KraftWerk or Tubeway Army, but it's much deeper than that, and much broader too, it bleeds into many other genres, most notably the New Wave and New Romantics movement, the late Seventies were a brewing cauldron of many different genres coming to fruitition [Punk / Disco / Synth etc], and this gave way to a great Eighties filled with new fresh ideas.
The cover booklet for this album is brilliant, it shows what you can really do if you go beyond the ordinary and use your imagination, a picture of a bald but beautiful girl, almost in a trance, very modern, with thin white vertical lines, and and electricity going through her ears, nice modern lettering for 'Elec-Trax', altogether a great package, and this album has appeared in my 'disc of the month' four times so far, it's a pity the booklet / back insert doesn't credit the Photographer / Art Director for their work.
Well in listening to this fantastic album again, i was so impressed with tracks 1-2, 4-6, 8, 11, 13 & 16, well i guess that's most of them!, i must admit that the very best track is track 2 'We Are Glass' by Gary Numan, i thought i would just briefly explain what i found fantastic about each track,
2 Gary Numan [We Are Glass] the mechanical chugging throughout the whole piece, the soaring synths during the chorus.
4 Japan [Quiet Life] the singer slowly moaning 'the quiet life' [3:07-3:34].
5 Classix Nouveaux [Is It A Dream] the fanfare synths [0:19+, 1:22+, 2:40+ & 3:08+], and the intense higher chorus singers [1:50-2:11].
6 Spandau Ballet [To Cut a Long Story Short] the drum and bass middle section [1:38-1:51], and when the singer sings 'questions questions, give me no answers' [2:15+].
8 Korgis [Everybody's Got To learn Sometimes] it's those synths right at the end, that sound like a heavenly chorus [3:14+ & 3:40+].
11 The Assembly [Never Never] and again the tick tock of the wooden block synths throughout the whole piece.
13 Mobiles [Drowning In Berlin] the opening recorder synth, with the lazy guitar strum intro [0:00+ & 1:02+], and the fairground wurlitzer with the German vocals [2:05-2:54].
16 A Flock Of Seagulls [Wishing, If I Had A Photograph Of You] the very ending note as the piece crashes out its finish! [5:27].
1 Tears For Fears [Mad World] the tick tock of the wooden block synths throughout the whole piece.
4 Japan [Quiet Life] the singer slowly moaning 'the quiet life' [3:07-3:34].
5 Classix Nouveaux [Is It A Dream] the fanfare synths [0:19+, 1:22+, 2:40+ & 3:08+], and the intense higher chorus singers [1:50-2:11].
6 Spandau Ballet [To Cut a Long Story Short] the drum and bass middle section [1:38-1:51], and when the singer sings 'questions questions, give me no answers' [2:15+].
8 Korgis [Everybody's Got To learn Sometimes] it's those synths right at the end, that sound like a heavenly chorus [3:14+ & 3:40+].
11 The Assembly [Never Never] and again the tick tock of the wooden block synths throughout the whole piece.
13 Mobiles [Drowning In Berlin] the opening recorder synth, with the lazy guitar strum intro [0:00+ & 1:02+], and the fairground wurlitzer with the German vocals [2:05-2:54].
16 A Flock Of Seagulls [Wishing, If I Had A Photograph Of You] the very ending note as the piece crashes out its finish! [5:27].
Here's Gary Numan singing 'We Are Glass' on YouTube.
