Though this is way, way down on my list of favorite DE LPs for all the reasons you mention, I have to say that “Slipping Away” and (especially) “Information” sounded great on the radio in the summer of 1983, especially between hits by the likes of Loverboy and Men Without Hats.
Jeff Lynne has ruined more records for great artists than anyone I can think of. I will admit that several of those awful records have been commercially successful, but I can never understand why. His production is immediately recognizable and instantly grating. I’ve never been able to figure out why the ELO records are so good and everything else he touches is leaden garbage. It’s almost as if he is trying to wreck everyone else’s stuff…
Yeah, interesting. I guess that he never worked with anyone who wrote a song as great as "Strange Magic" or "Do Ya." I do like some of his Tom Petty work, though, and I liked George's "Got My Mind Set on You" and Orbison's "You Got It."
Excellent analysis of this album, which is indeed a 'curio'. As a huge Edmunds/Rockpile fan at the time, I remember being a bit shocked with the '80s sound of it, but I tried to keep my mind open and for the most part enjoyed it. Haven't played it in years, I'll be pulling it out for re-assessment thanks to your piece!
I just spun it and found it less '80's-sounding' than I remembered, and had forgotten about the J. Geils cover "Wait" - great call and a good version, though not really an improvement over the original way-greasier take that opens J. Geils' debut album.
Overall, a curio and nowhere near the top of Dave Edmund's catalog for me, but a decent album that I enjoyed hearing again!
Just cleaning out some old Substacks and I don’t know how I missed this one. Just shared it with my cousin Mike, a Rockpiler of the highest order. Thanks for bringing Edmunds’ 80s LPs back to my attention.
Though this is way, way down on my list of favorite DE LPs for all the reasons you mention, I have to say that “Slipping Away” and (especially) “Information” sounded great on the radio in the summer of 1983, especially between hits by the likes of Loverboy and Men Without Hats.
Oh for sure, and yeah especially Information, which still sounds great.
Jeff Lynne has ruined more records for great artists than anyone I can think of. I will admit that several of those awful records have been commercially successful, but I can never understand why. His production is immediately recognizable and instantly grating. I’ve never been able to figure out why the ELO records are so good and everything else he touches is leaden garbage. It’s almost as if he is trying to wreck everyone else’s stuff…
Yeah, interesting. I guess that he never worked with anyone who wrote a song as great as "Strange Magic" or "Do Ya." I do like some of his Tom Petty work, though, and I liked George's "Got My Mind Set on You" and Orbison's "You Got It."
Excellent analysis of this album, which is indeed a 'curio'. As a huge Edmunds/Rockpile fan at the time, I remember being a bit shocked with the '80s sound of it, but I tried to keep my mind open and for the most part enjoyed it. Haven't played it in years, I'll be pulling it out for re-assessment thanks to your piece!
Ah, let me know how—or if—it holds up!
I just spun it and found it less '80's-sounding' than I remembered, and had forgotten about the J. Geils cover "Wait" - great call and a good version, though not really an improvement over the original way-greasier take that opens J. Geils' debut album.
Overall, a curio and nowhere near the top of Dave Edmund's catalog for me, but a decent album that I enjoyed hearing again!
To my ears the production sounds especially jarring relative to the loose, earthy sounds that he and Lowe got with Rockpile.
Definitely a long way from Rockpile. Solid players but not a band in the same way they were either.
Just cleaning out some old Substacks and I don’t know how I missed this one. Just shared it with my cousin Mike, a Rockpiler of the highest order. Thanks for bringing Edmunds’ 80s LPs back to my attention.
Thanks, Dennis, for reading and spreading the word!