XTC - English Settlement (1982) - €10,00

English Settlement is the fifth studio album by the English band XTC, released on 12 February 1982, and their first double album. The album reached No. 5 on the UK Album Chart for an 11-week chart stay, and No. 48 on the Billboard 200 album chart for a 20-week stay. Its music style marked a turn toward more pastoral pop songs, with more use of acoustic guitar and fretless bass.  The record spawned three UK singles: "Senses Working Overtime" (No. 10); "Ball and Chain" (No. 58); and "No Thugs in Our House".

For English Settlement, XTC became their own producers. Bandleader Andy Partridge figured: "We did a couple of albums with Steve Lillywhite as producer and Hugh Padgham as engineer and we twigged that it was Hugh who was getting all the great sounds and we were making the music, so what did we need Lillywhite for?"
He also believed that "if I wrote an album with a sound less geared towards touring then maybe there would be less pressure to tour." Padgham was thus given a producer credit alongside XTC.

Compared to the band's previous albums, English Settlement showcased more complex and intricate arrangements. Song lengths were longer and subject matter covered broader social issues. Much of the new material featured acoustic instruments, a reflection of Partridge's newfound interest in 12-string guitar, Guitarist Dave Gregory also bought a Rickbenbacker 12-string and began contributing to the group as a keyboardist.
His first piano contribution was on the introduction of "Respectable Street" (from 1981's Black Sea), and for the English Settlement sessions, he played keyboards on the outtake "Blame the Weather", which was relegated to a B-side.
Some people think the song "English Roundabout" was inspired by a Swindon landmark known as The Magic Roundabout, but Colin has refuted this claim. It is a rare example of popular music written in the unusual 5/4 time signature.


Side A
A1.  Runaways   (4:33)  
A2.  Ball And Chain   (4:30)  
A3.  Senses Working Overtime   (4:50)  
A4.  Jason And The Argonauts   (6:05)  
A5.  Snowman   (5:12)

Side B
B1.  Melt The Guns   (6:31)  
B2.  No Thugs In Our House   (5:09)  
B3.  Yacht Dance   (3:54)  
B4.  English Roundabout   (3:48)  
B5.  All Of A Sudden (It’s Too Late)   (5:19)


XTC

• Colin Moulding – lead vocals, backing vocals, fretless bass, Fender bass, mini-Korg synthesizer, piano, percussion
• Andy Partridge – lead vocals, backing vocals, electric guitar, semi-acoustic electric 12-string guitar, semi-acoustic electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mini-Korg synthesizer, Prophet V synthesizer, anklung, alto saxophone, percussion, frog noises
• Dave Gregory – Prophet V synthesizer, electric 12-string guitar, mini-Korg synthesizer, backing vocals, percussion, electric guitar, nylon-string Spanish guitar, fuzz-boxed 12-string guitar, semi-acoustic electric 12-string guitar, piano
• Terry Chambers – drums, electronic drums, percussion, backing vocals

Additional personnel

• Hugh Padgham – backing vocals on "Ball and Chain"
• Hans de Vente – backing vocals on "It's Nearly Africa"

Technical

• Hugh Padgham – producer, engineer, mixing
• XTC – producer, mixing
• Howard Gray – assistant engineer
• Ken Ansell – artwork
• Art Dragon – illustrations
• Allan Ballard – photography

Notes
Release: 1982
Genre:  New Wave
Format:  LP
Label:  Virgin Records
Catalog#  204446
Prijs:  €10,00

Vinyl:  Very Good
Cover:  Very Good

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Slik - Slik (1976) - €10,00

Slik were a Scottish pop group of the mid-1970s, most notable for their UK number 1 hit "Forever and Ever" in 1976.
Initially glam rock, the band later changed their style to soft rock/bubblegum.
It was the first band with whom singer and guitarist Midge Ure began to experience musical success, before joining new wave band Ultravox.

Slik is the only studio album of 1970s Scottish teenybop band Slik.
Following the Bay City Rollers style, plus the ballads and pop of the time, Slik released two hit singles before the album, "Forever And Ever" in 1975, and "Requiem" in 1976, which oriented the band to the success and recognition in their native Scotland.
At the end of 1976, punk rock emerged, and bands of the latter genre became popular, decreasing the popularity of established progressive or glam groups bands like Slik. Possibly for these reasons, the album was not well received.

Don't ever let anyone -- Midge Ure included -- tell you that Slik is formulaic pap, the sound of two seasoned songwriters (Bill Martin and Phil Coulter) jerking the strings of their latest puppet dynasty. From the glorious beginning that is "Forever and Ever" to the knucklehead funk of the closing "Dance-arama," to the mournful, moping "Requiem," and on to the shocking island bop of "Bom Bom," Slik is unadulterated pop joy, not to mention one of the finest accomplishments in Ure's entire career.
True, there are hints of the songwriter's past activities on board -- "Don't Take Your Love Away" borrows its harmonies and vocal refrains from the Bay City Rollers, which speaks volumes for Slik's own chosen audience.
But a spunky version of the Everly Brothers' "When Will I Be Loved" has more in common with Dave Edmunds and Rockpile than it does with the tartan terrors, while even more challenging vistas await. Of the two band originals on board, Billy McIsaac's "Darlin'" echoes the kind of tender little ballad which would occupy the later 10cc, while Ure's "Do It Again" can't make up its mind whether it's a cheeky Beatles pastiche or a faithless Rutles cover.

The band continued until early 1977, when Jim McGinlay left the band, being replaced by Russell Webb (later in The Skids and Public Image Ltd.), and the new line-up left the 1970s disco, soft and pop rock-oriented genre, moving to punk and changing the name to PVC2.
The band released one single, "Put You in the Picture". Shortly afterwards, they disbanded, and Kenny Hyslop, Billy McIsaac and Russell Webb formed The Zones.
Midge Ure moved to London and worked with Rich Kids, along ex-Sex Pistols Glen Matlock and future Visage bandmate Rusty Egan.


Side A
A1.  Dancerama - 5:46 
A2.  Darlin - 4:06 
A3.  Bom-Bom - 3:19 
A4.  Better Than I Do - 4:50 
A5.  Forever And Ever - 3:35

Side B
B1.  Requiem - 4:55 
B2.  Do It Again - 2:53 
B3.  When Will I Be Loved - 4:03 
B4.  Day By Day 
B5.  No We Won’t Forget


Companies, etc.

• Produced For – Martin-Coulter Productions Ltd.

Credits

• Design – Foster & Knowles
• Photography By – Allan Ballard, Terry O'Neill 
• Producer – Phil Coulter

Notes
Release: 1976
Format: LP (gatefold)
Genre:  Glam Rock
Label:  Bell Records
Catalog#  SYBEL 8004
Prijs:  €10,00

Vinyl:  Very Good
Cover:  Very Good

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Kiki Dee Band - I´ve Got The Music In Me (1974) - €10,00

Pauline Matthews (born 6 March 1947), better known by her stage name Kiki Dee, is an English singer born in Little Horton, Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire.
 Known for her blue-eyed soul vocals, she was the first female singer from the UK to sign with Motown’s Tamla Records.

Elton John's most interesting discovery since he formed Rocket Records is Kiki Dee, a singer with the potential to do for British pop-rock what Olivia Newton-John has done for pop-country. With her second album, she has earned commercial success, but artistic success remains a matter of potential.
Kiki's principal strength is not her voice but her enthusiasm. She is so spirited that she sometimes reminds one of a post-adolescent Suzi Quatro. Like Suzi Q., whenever talent fails, Dee trusts that energy to get her through. Unlike Quatro, however, Kiki has some vocal talent to go with her lack of inhibition.

Kiki is really only a rocker by inclination. A certain pushiness characterizes everything she attempts. But most of the material on this album is closer, both in arrangement and composition, to the neo-MOR love songs of Newton-John, Anne Murray and even Helen Reddy. She is occasionally masterful at this sort of thing, as the success of the title cut (which is in the Top Ten as I write) proves. When she attempts something more adventurous -- such as her original "Water" and "Little Frozen One" -- she manages to sound vaguely like Joni Mitchell, but without Mitchell's incisive vision.

Rather than intelligent and sensitive lyrics as "Little frozen one, I know you could be fine/ But nobody told you you still got so much time" seem sententious and pretentious. In this, she is more reminiscent of Bernie Taupin, Elton's lyricist, than Mitchell.
She fares better with the songs of Bias Boshell, the band's keyboard player. Boshell wrote five of the album's nine tunes, but he tends to be long-winded. (Even "I've Got the Music in Me" clocks in at five minutes here.) Still, if his songs are in some sense overblown, they are lyrically and melodically simple and straightforward, which is a great advantage to Dee, who is at her best when she is crudest.

The group, which is fine onstage (perhaps having benefited from a long tour with Elton) is little more than competent here. On "I've Got the Music," however, they shine. Guitarist Jo Partridge, in particular, is shown to good effect.
If Kiki Dee were capable of restricting her attempts to reasonable lengths and topics without straying into the sentiment and bathos which prevail too often on this album, she would make an extraordinarily pleasant addition popular singing. Her inclination, I think, is to cut loose and rock. But it is unfortunate that that instinct is expressed so infrequently on I've Got the Music in Me.

This is Kiki Dee's second album on the Rocket Label and it fantastic. Kiki Dee can definitely rock and her voice is superb! The title track, "I've Got the Music in Me" was deservedly a hit and she also belts it out on the amazing songs, "You Need Help" and "Step By Step" which are also great rock songs.
Kiki Dee shows her diversity with some atmospheric songs such as "Water" which is beautifully haunting.
This excellent reissue includes singles which were released during the same time period and they fit perfectly on this album. "Simple Melody" is a gorgeous song and "How Glad I Am" is another excellent rock song. Kiki Dee never has received enough credit for her albums and it is marvelous that EMI has seen fit to remaster and reissue the majority of her work.
This is a classic 70s album that has aged extremely well. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Kiki Dee is a gifted artist and this is one of her superb albums.


Side A
A1.  I’ve Got The Music In Me - 5:00 
A2.  Someone To Me - 3:49 
A3.  Step By Step - 4:29 
A4.  Water - 4:07 
A5.  Out Of My Head - 4:18

Side B
B1.  Do It Right - 6:08 
B2.  Little Frozen One - 4:36 
B3.  Heart And Soul - 4:34 
B4.  You Need Help - 5:49


Credits

• Acoustic Guitar, Mellotron, Harmonium – Bias Boshell (tracks: B1)
• Backing Vocals – Barry St. John (tracks: B3, B4), Billy Lawrie (tracks: B4), Cissy Houston (tracks: A1), Clive Franks (tracks: A5), Gary Osborne (tracks: B4), Irene Chanter (tracks: B3, B4), Joshie Armstead (tracks: A1), Jo Partridge (tracks: A5), Kay Garner (tracks: B3, B4), Maretha Stewart (tracks: A1), Paul Vigrass (tracks: B4), Stuart Epps (tracks: A5)
• Bass Guitar – Phil Curtis
• Conductor – Del Newman (tracks: B2), John Barham (tracks: A5, B1, B3), Richard Hewson (tracks: A1)
• Congas – Barry Morgan (tracks: A3)
• Drums – Peter Clarke (tracks: A1), Roger Pope (tracks: A2, A3, A5 to B4)
• Engineer – Phil Dunne
• Glockenspiel – Jo Partridge (tracks: A5)
• Guitar – Jo Partridge
• Harpsichord – Bias Boshell (tracks: A3)
• Organ – Bias Boshell (tracks: A4, A5), Mike Deacon (tracks: A1)
• Percussion – Roger Pope (tracks: A1)
• Piano – Bias Boshell
• Producer – Gus Dudgeon
• Producer [Assistant] – Clive Franks
• Steel Guitar – B. F. Cole (tracks: B2)
• Synthesizer – Bias Boshell (tracks: A4, B3, B4)
• Tambourine – Gus Dudgeon (tracks: B3), Jeff Titmus (tracks: A3), Roger Pope (tracks: A5, B1)
• Vocals – Kiki Dee

Notes
Release: 1974
Format: LP
Genre:  Pop
Label:  The Rocket Record Company
Catalog#  Roll 4

Vinyl:  Very Good
Cover:  Very Good

Prijs: €10,00

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Cherry - Cherry (1982) - €10,00

Cherry Wijdenbosch (Djakarta, 28 juni 1951) is een Nederlands zangeres van Indonesische en Surinaamse afkomst.

Wijdenbosch werd in 1978 benaderd door Simon Been om een beginnende band genaamd Braak, bestaande uit musici die voorheen Lenny Kuhr begeleid hadden, bij te staan met haar vocalen.
Afwisselend zou Wijdenbosch songs met de band ten gehore brengen, dan weer zanger Hans Kosterman of Simon Been.
Tot in het najaar van 1981 hield deze samenwerking stand, toen na een afmattende tournee om de LP "Suite voor een hypochonder" Been en Wijdenbosch besloten als duo Cherry verder te gaan.

Cherry behaalde diverse successen. Kenmerkend waren de zwoele jazzy stem van Wijdenbosch en de soms erotische, dan weer kritische teksten van Been. Een titelloze mini-LP viel op bij Frits Spits en "Vang me" werd Steunplaat en daarna een hit.


Side A
A1.  Elke Keer - 4:25
A2.  Vang Me - 3:22
A3.  Zoals ‘t Hoort - 4:07
A4.  Geschift - 2:00

Side B
B1.  Jokken - 3:22
B2.  Leren Is Voor Helden - 4:53
B3.  Cola Met Citroen - 4:01

Opgenomen:  Wisseloordstudio´s Hilversum 

Notes
Release:  1982
Format:  10″ mini LP
Genre:  Nederlandstalig
Label:  Vertigo Records
Catalog#  6423554

Vinyl:  Goed
Cover:  Goed

Prijs: €10,00

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Janet Jackson - Dream Street (1984) - €10,00

Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer.
A prominent figure in popular culture, she is known for sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records and elaborate stage shows.

The ninth and youngest child of the Jackson family, she began her career with the variety television series The Jacksons in 1976 and went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, including Good Times, Diff'rent Strokes, and Fame. After signing a recording contract with A&M Records in 1982, she became a pop icon.

Dream Street is the second album by American musician Janet Jackson, released on October 23, 1984, by A&M Records.
More pop than her debut album's "bubblegum soul" feel, the album wasn't the runaway success that Janet's father Joseph thought it would be, peaking at number one hundred forty-seven on the Billboard 200 in 1984.
The album did have one modest hit for Jackson, the top ten R&B single, "Don't Stand Another Chance", produced by brother Marlon. Also, the video for the song "Dream Street", her first music video, was shot during the shooting of the TV show Fame.

A listen to Janet Jackson's Dream Street brings to mind remembrances of the then-teenaged singer's appearances on American Bandstand, shyly answering questions from host Dick Clark, as well as her short stint as a regular on the syndicated series Fame.
The first single, "Don't Stand Another Chance," was a family affair, produced by brother Marlon Jackson with vocal ad-libs by Michael Jackson.
It was a Top Ten R&B hit during the summer of 1984. The extended 12" mix rocks, showcasing outstanding synth work by John Barnes. Other standouts are the smeary Minneapolis funk cut "Pretty Boy" produced by Jesse Johnson, and both "Hold Back the Tears" and "If It Takes All Night" are prime examples of pleasing '80s pop.


Side A
A1.  Don’t Stand Another Chance - 4:14
A2.  Two to the Power of Love - 3:06
A3.  Pretty Boy - 6:32
A4.  Dream Street - 3:52

Side B
B1.  Communication - 3:12
B2.  Fast Girls - 3:18
B3.  Hold Back the Tears - 3:14
B4.  All My Love to You - 5:44
B5.  If It Takes All Night - 4:09


Personnel

• Beth Andersen – background vocals
• John Barnes – associate producer, drum programming, keyboards, Moog bass, Moog synthesizer, programming, rhythm, rhythm arrangements
• Arthur Barrow – arranger, bass guitar, keyboards
• Steve Bates – engineer
• Chuck Beeson – art direction
• Pete Bellotte – producer
• Bill Bottrell – engineer, mixing
• Sam Emerson – inlay photography, photography
• Dino Espinosa – background vocals
• Michael Espinosa – background vocals
• Tito Espinosa – background vocals
• Gary Falcone – background vocals
• Mitchell Froom – arranger, keyboards
• Brian Gardner – mastering
• Steve Hodge – engineer
• Jackie Jackson – background vocals
• Janet Jackson – duet, lead vocals
• Marlon Jackson – drum programming, drums, producer, programming, rhythm, rhythm arrangements, background vocals
• Michael Jackson – background vocals
• Tito Jackson – background vocals
• Jesse Johnson – producer
• Marva King – background vocals
• Harry Langdon – cover photo
• Peter Martinsen – engineer, mixing, remixing
• Peggy McCreary – mixing
• Jonathan Moffett – drums
• Giorgio Moroder – producer
• Melanie Nissen – design
• Cecille Parker – stylist
• Anthony Patler – keyboards, rhythm, rhythm arrangements
• Greg Phillinganes – keyboards, Moog bass, Moog synthesizer
• Joe Pizzulo – background vocals
• Brian Reeves – mixdown engineer, mixing
• Cliff Richard – duet, vocals
• John Philip Shenale – arranger, keyboards
• Jeremy Smith – engineer, mixing
• Julia Tillman Waters – background vocals
• Maxine Willard Waters – background vocals
• Richie Zito – guitar

Notes
Release: 1984
Format:  LP
Genre:  Pop Soul
Label:  A&M Records
Catalog#  AMLX 64962

Vinyl:  Very Good
Cover:  Very Good

Prijs: €10,00

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Ian Dury & The Blockheads - Laughter (1980) - €10,00

Laughter is the third studio album by Ian Dury & The Blockheads; released in 1980, it was the last studio album Dury made for Stiff Records.
It was also the last studio album he made with The Blockheads, until 1998's Mr. Love Pants.

The Blockheads had undergone a significant personnel change since the previous album, Do It Yourself. Chaz Jankel, who played keyboards and co-wrote most of that album's songs, had left in the wake of a stressful tour. Jankel's place on guitar was taken by Wilko Johnson of Dr. Feelgood.
Johnson (real name John Wilkinson) had considered retiring from the music business until he was asked by Davey Payne and Dury, old friends from their pub rock days, to join The Blockheads. The new-line up first appeared on the 'I Want To Be Straight' single, which was released before the album, and reached number 22 in the UK pop charts.

Although Ian Dury was becoming harder to work with, the production of Laughter had started out as a relaxed affair, without the presence of Jankel and Dury. Rehearsals commenced in early 1980 at Milner Sound in Fulham, after keyboard player Mick Gallagher had returned from an American tour with The Clash. The group was, at that time, on hiatus after the gruelling promotional tour in support of Do It Yourself. Spurred on by recording commitments, Dury took over the rehearsals to form the basis of his new album and brought in Wilko Johnson, all without consulting the rest of the band.
At that time Dury was an alcoholic, and also addicted to Mogadon, a brand of sedative.
Coupled with his bad reaction to celebrity, and his bouts of depression, these addictions caused him to be cantankerous, confrontational, argumentative and controlling.
Although these traits had come out during the recording of the group's previous album, they were at their peak during the record sessions for Laughter.
Attempts to question Dury's judgment would cause explosions of defensiveness and aggression. He also insisted on synchronising the instruments to a click-track, which aggravated a number of the musicians, especially Wilko Johnson. To make matters worse, guitarist Johnny Turnbull suffered a head injury and was afflicted with mood swings. He eventually had a nervous breakdown.

The album was preceded by the single "Sueperman's Big Sister", intentionally spelt wrong so to avoid any copyright issues with DC Comics. The 7" release included an exclusive track "You'll See Glimpses", while the 12" included the album's final track "Fucking Ada".
The single, Stiff Records' 100th, employed the label for Stiff's very first (Nick Lowe's "Heart of the City") with the track names crossed out and the correct titles and artist (for "Sueperman's Big Sister") written in, as if by biro. Laughter was released the same month, November 1980, but the album was not well received by critics and its sales were mediocre.
The "Soft As a Baby's Bottom" tour to support it, however, was a sell-out success. Stiff and Ian Dury parted ways afterwards and he signed a short-lived deal with Polydor Records without The Blockheads.

A number of Laughter's songs appear to deal with Dury's personal problems and demons. Although he always denied that "Delusions Of Grandeur" was about himself, most who knew him at the time felt certain it was. Others, such as "Uncoolohol" (about alcoholism), "Manic Depression (Jimi)" and "Fucking Ada" (both about depression) also seem to make clear references to his troubles at the time. "Hey, Hey, Take Me Away" is confirmed to have been about the time he spent at Chailey's Special School while stricken with polio.
In an interview years later, Dury admitted of the album: "I called it Laughter to cheer myself up."


Side A
A1.  Superman’s Big Sister - 2:29 
A2.  Pardon - 2:38 
A3.  Delusions Of Grandeur - 2:42 
A4.  Yes & No (Paula) - 3:06 
A5.  Dance Of The Crackpots - 2:35 
A6.  Over The Points - 4:06 

Side B
B1.  (Take Your Elbow Out Of The Soup You’re Sitting On The Chicken) - 2:32 
B2.  Uncoolohol - 3:04 
B3.  Hey, Hey, Take Me Away - 2:26 
B4.  Manic Depression (Jimi) - 3:51 
B5.  Oh Mr Peanut - 3:28 
B6.  Fucking Ada - 5:56


Personnel

• Ian Dury - vocals

The Blockheads

• Wilko Johnson - guitars, backing vocals
• Johnny Turnbull - guitars, backing vocals
• Mick Gallagher - keyboards, synthesisers
• Norman Watt-Roy - bass
• Charley Charles - drums
• Davey Payne - saxophones, harmonica, flute

Additional Personnel

• Don Cherry - pocket trumpet
• Will Gaines - tap dance on "Dance of the Crackpots"
• Ray Cooper - percussion
• Ivor Raymonde - strings

Technical

• Ian Horne - sound engineer, mixing
• Richard Wernham - assistant engineer
• Chris Killip - photography
• Ray Gregory, Brain Love - album design

Notes
Release:  1980
Format:  LP
Genre:  Post-punk
Label:  Stiff Records
Catalog#  SEEZ 30

Vinyl:  Very Good
Cover:  Very Good

Prijs: €10,00

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