Eighties Bias, Or Just Good Taste?
by Jeff Raspe

Please don't tell me I'm falling into "the big chill".

Maybe it's because I'm hurtling towards middle age, maybe it's because I'm longing for the music of my formative years, maybe I just don't know "what's the matter with kids today", maybe I'm just looking for music that has something to say to me. Or maybe I'm just lucky enough to find music that isn't being force-fed to the masses by major labels, radio monopolies, and research. And maybe it's just a coincidence that it's being made by the artists who meant something to me.

Almost all of the artists I'm about to mention have released new records in the last year or so. Good records. Records that should have been heard. Records that should have been played on the radio. But, as we all know, radio sucks. And it's not like these are a bunch of "no-names" or "one hit wonders" from the 80's...these were big artists in the infancy of "alternative". Do the programmers of today not care? Do they only listen to the records that they can be "rewarded" for playing? Or do they simply not know the history of the format they claim to be programming?

U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind;
the only record in the list to be a "hit" in 2001. And it's a damn fine record.

REM - Reveal;
not one of their "classics", but better than you'd be led to believe.

Echo & The Bunnymen - Flowers;
also not on par with the "classics", but better than the last couple of releases.

"Crystal" from New Order - newordergetready;
okay, this isn't out until October. But from what I hear it's amazing. [It is. -Ed.]

Ian Hunter - Rant;
best record he's made in over 10 years.

Graham Parker - Deep Cut To Nowhere;
also best album in years.

Waterboys - A Rock In The Weary Land;
Mike Scott reprises the finest Irish band of the 80s.

World Party - Dumbing Up;
import release that's worth the search.

Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Global-A-Go-Go;
former Clash co-frontman kicks the butt of those half his age.

PJ Harvey - Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea;
there are "should-have-been-hits" on this.

Blake Babies - God Bless The Blake Babies;
reunited and it feels so good.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - No More Shall We Part;
typically depressing/typically beautiful.

Depeche Mode - Exciter;
should be a bigger hit than it's being allowed to be.

Lloyd Cole & The Negatives - The Negatives;
popsongwriting has never been so overlooked.

Joe Jackson - Night & Day II;
part 2 of his classic '82 record.

Frank Black & The Catholics - Dog In The Sand;
everyone claims they loved the Pixies, maybe people didn't realise this is the same guy?

Glenn Tilbrook - The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook;
one of the finest songwriters of our time, in case anyone didn't notice. Formerly of Squeeze.

©2001 Jeff Raspe

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