What was the best New Pop album (80-85)?

Had a hard time deciding for myself, but chose "Tin Drum" while I also considered "Rio" and "Cupid & Psyche".

tin drum followed by sulk. or vice versa.

I voted Tin Drum as well, even though I like Gentlemen Take Polaroids a bit more (because I don't like "Ghosts"...)

The opposite for me, but "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" is good enough I am kind of disappointed it apparently didn't appear in enough 1980 critics' lists to get into the Acclaimed Top 3000.

Interestingly, Kid Creole and the Coconuts and Grace Jones do not seem to be mentioned on the following thread (though I bet Til Tuesday and Missing Persons and Berlin and Information Society are):

American records that were viable '80s *New Pop*?

i think i'd go for tin drum too. (dont really count the new order one as new pop)

this list, holy CRAP

morelike "jew" pop amirite?

i dont know, i dont understand the words that you type

Sorry Geir, but no way are UB40 new-pop, I'd lump them in with the 2-tone crew, much the same could be said for Dexy's too.

I've got my doubts about a few others, EBTG and Style Council fine in their way, but too earnest to be new pop and David Sylvian's Different Trees a different sort of beast altogether, more avant-pop than new pop.

Four obvious ommissions (to me anyway),Love and dancing by The League Unlimited Orchestra, Duck Rock by Malcolm Mclaren, Who's Afraid of the Art of Noise and Uh! Tears Baby by Win, New Pop's last hurrah.

However bearing that in mind, Sulk gets my vote.

were win ex-fire engines people? i have still yet to hear that

Yes, they were Davey Henderson's attempt to do what other spiky post punk acts had done a couple of years previously. Their single You've got the power was apparently #1 on the Scottish charts and sold enough copies to easily get into the UK top 40 but a lot of the sales were discounted due to regional bias and so missed out. After that they were kind of doomed to failure.

Both their albums are out of print unfortunately. I've seen the Cd of Uh!Tears Baby go for £150+ on ebay, though Freaky Trigger is usually quite affordable.

Just remembered another couple of ommissions, A Secret Wish by Propaganda and anything by Adam Ant.

It was on an advert for McEwans lager at the time, in Scotland.

I can't do this! Tears for Fears, Orange Juice, Soft Cell, New Order circa "Age of Consent"?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I had to go with Dare.

i voted for new order. though i love lots of stuff up there. or at least the singles from lots of stuff up there if i didn't or don't play the album a lot.

Rio gets my vote.

I went with ABC. Second place: probabaly Yazoo.

Didn't Aztec Camera have too many guitars to be "new pop," though?

Long time favorite High Land Hard Rain for me.

It was on an advert for McEwans lager at the time, in Scotland.

Yes, it was based on the myth of Sisyphus pushing a boulder up a mountain.

I've a 4 track promo cd from Mcewans which has an edited version of You've got the power, and tracks from Hipsway and a couple of others, which make pushing a boulder up a hill sound like a good option.

Youtube have the McEwans lager advert in question.

Oops, I probably should have gone with the Pysch Furs (but I wouldn't have thought of them as new pop, either. At least not til later, when they got more synthesized and stuff. Best album is the debut, which is definitely too punk for new pop, right?)

Talk Talk Talk was my second choice.

Say, why aren't A Flock Of Seagulls included? Don't they even remotely count as New Pop? (I would have seriously considered voting for their first album if it was listed above.)

i too felt compelled to vote for sulk. nice list nonetheless.

Yeah, A Flock of Seagulls debut would've been a shoo-in for me, too. Nothing up there even comes close.

Didn't Aztec Camera have too many guitars to be "new pop," though?

They belonged to the Postcard label, which was a part of the scene. And their first album also had quite a bit of latino rhythms, which was kind of Culture Club/Haircut 100-like.

As for Grace Jones and Kid Creole & The Coconuts, I saw their albums in the Acclaimed list and I was in doubt about both (not mainly because of nationality), but chose to include them as they used lots of synths and relied on the same mixture or "black" and "white" styles that sort of defined New Pop.

Say, why aren't A Flock Of Seagulls included?

Because they aren't on enough critics lists throughout history to be part of the Acclaimed Music list. I used that one for reference.

Personally I find there are lots of New Romancic/synthpop albums from the same era that are way better, but the candidates here weren't decided by my own taste (or "Gentlemen Take Polaroids", "Quickstep And Sidekick" and every Depeche Mode albums would all have been on the list)

"I'd lump them in with the 2-tone crew, much the same could be said for Dexy's too"

Say what? I voted for Dexy's, though I love Nightclubbing too.

Searching For The Young Soul Rebels, I mean.

I'd absolutely not lump Dexy's with the 2-Tone crew. The entire early 80s Northern soul revival was very much a New Pop thing.

I was in doubt about UB40 though, although I don't feel they fit in with the 2 Tone scene either. I mean, weren't Musical Youth New Pop either?

I hadda go with Tears For Fears, it was one of the first albums I discovered outside of top 40 - it was shocking when it actually became a hit!

Forever Now and Mirror Moves (as I said on the other thread) are more "New Pop" than Talk Talk Talk (which is really post-punk).

I agree that "Forever Now" is more New Pop than "Talk Talk Talk". "Mirror Moves" isn't on Acclaimed Music.

I decided. Songs from the Big Chair it is.

i went for lexicon. i guess i've only heard a handful of these albums a couple of times but i guess lexicon works best for me.

Okay, but why is Low-Life listed as being by Joy Division?

New Order circa "Age of Consent"?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Power Corruption & Lies IS a choice, man. Vote for it! :)

Oh, I know! I was listing all the mindboggling choices. New Order came in second. :(

Because they aren't on enough critics lists throughout history to be part of the Acclaimed Music list

Damn funny-haircut hatin' critics!

Okay, but why is Low-Life listed as being by Joy Division?

Typo.

A Flock of Seagulls aren't on the list for good reason: they have like three decent songs in their entire catalog.

Actually, a whole album's worth and change.

Dunno. That album contained mainly a couple of good songs. Plus "Wishing (A Photograph Of You" - their best song - wasn't on the album. Neither was "The More You Live The More You Love" which is also one of their better efforts.

I'm referring to the first album and most of the second. Add "The More You Live, The More You Love" and you have a very strong case for their near-greatness.

Very hard list, but I went for Desxy's first as its probably my fave album of all time. Feel a bit bad tho, as in a way its one of least representitive of the era - i.e. no synths!

Second place for me would have been a hard choice between Dare, Penthouse And Pavement, The Lexicon Of Love, Sulk, and Cupid & Psyche '85. And that would be almost impossible, so in a way I'm glad I didn't have to make it...

I woiuld also have added More Specials to that list if it could have been included, which arguably it should have been seeing as Dexy's were!

Feel a bit bad tho, as in a way its one of least representitive of the era - i.e. no synths!

There were no synths in Haircut 100's debut album either. Not that it is represented here (two good singles wouldn't be enough to be in a list of critically acclaimed list), but I still see Haircut 100 as a very typical New Pop act. In spite of their lack of synths.

damn i'm very close to voting for simple minds, quick someone talk me out of it

Why? Not that I voted for it, but "New Gold Dream" is a great album and their dreadful later output shouldn't take that away from them.

Out of loyalty I feel I should pick "Tin Drum", but then again "Cupid & Psyche" also has the loyalty/length of time loving it vote... and then again theres a few other awesome things here. I might have to abstain from this one.

Where's "The Head on the Door"? It was always in the New Pop charts in The Hit.

I'd absolutely not lump Dexy's with the 2-Tone crew

From the 2-Tone website: It would have been interesting to see how the identity of the label might have altered had 2 Tone signed and released records by Elvis, UB40, Dexy's Midnight Runners & Bad Manners, all act's rumoured at one time to having been offered or seeking a deal..

"The Head On The Door" good point. I feel like The Cure were a bit too established as postpunk by then, but obviously "Head On The Door" is no postpunk album.

If there is one undeniable New Pop album by The Cure, then "Japanese Whispers" is it. Although that one isn't in the Acclaimed Music list (sort of not even an album proper, although those 8 songs - even the b-sides - are so great that for me it is one of their best albums).

I don't know anything about this 'new pop' but the Prefab Sprout album is my favorite of this bunch though Blue Nile, Soft Cell and New Order trail by a very close margin with shout outs to several other quality efforts. Surprised there's no Dazzle Ships.

"Dazzle Ships" didn't make it to the Acclaimed list. I know it is an ILM favourite of sorts, but it was still generally considered a failure by the critics and fans alike at the time (and I agree)

The results are in. And I have to say it's a surprising winner.

close race

uhhhhhhh

WTF

So when the UB40 critical re-evaluation starts and they get front covers of Mojo, top NME best albums ever and get a brit lifetime achievement award, we all know it started on ILX!

UB fucking 40, you guys are taking the piss, aren't you?

roflz.

That's what happens when there's a choice of so many albums.

oh my god who's responsible for this seriously??

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2/Princess_Wire/balaclava.jpg

"WHO'S RESPONSIBLE - YOU FUCKING ARE!"

haha.

So when the UB40 critical re-evaluation starts and they get front covers of Mojo, top NME best albums ever and get a brit lifetime achievement award, we all know it started on ILX!

"Labour Of Love" wouldn't have been in the nominations hadn't it been for the fact that it has already gotten a bit of critical acclaim.

Who by? Q magazine?

Shame on you ILM !

Who by? Q magazine?

By XGau amongst others:
http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/061024/A596.htm

NEW POP SAVIORS UB40:
via AMG: Although UB40 relies on standard reggae arrangements, this is their most enjoyable album as a result of the inspired vocal performances and the genuine joy they have for the music. A must-own for reggae fans.

Rebel Yell - Billy Idol 1

haha ILM be lovin UB40 no credibility

I went Scritti, always a loser I guess...

Oh, this is bullshit - even for a Geir poll.

(I VOTE DAZZLE SHIPS)

Poll fatigue, methinks

You saying ilxors don't love UB40?

Buttez otm, this thread is surprisingly lacking in OMD

The picks are as objective as they can be, as they are all Top 3000 items at Acclaimed Music, which in turn is based on more or less all critics lists from then and now.

Did UB40 top any of those lists though?

No one voted for The Blue Nile WTF?!?!

I had poll fatigue so I didn't weigh in. But I thought someone else would step up for them!

I should have voted in this, but I have no idea what I would've voted for. Japan or Simple Minds, probably.

Now for the Geir best UB40 poll ;)

Geir did you ever do that poll?

No, why? It's "Labour Of Love" anyway ;)

still funny

^what he said