4 Rare 80s Albums [Part 116] New Wave, Power Pop

Here we have four more obscure but very good new wave music from our beloved decade.

My favorite of all is the Victims record that has been on heavy rotation recently. It dates mid-eighties and the three piece all are sporting mullets and OP-ish gear on the cover. it has a charm about it though, with its sporty plucked new wave keyboards and high pitched guitar overlays. The title song is strong as is "tokyo waits", but on side 1, the rest of the songs are pretty standard faire. side two starts decently with 'oh no'. the chorus is repeated often, but this is the charm. 'whispering walls' is another strong track that reminds me of Robert Hazard & the Heroes. on several tracks, the music sounds pretty much straight out of miami vice opening

My second fav. here is The Elavators. They were a new wave group from the Northampton, western Massachusetts Pioneer Valley area that gigged around Boston and made an excellent, but overlooked LP, ΓΓé¼┼ôFrontline,ΓΓé¼┬¥ in 1980.

Produced by guitarist (ex-Sparks), ΓΓé¼┼ôFrontlineΓΓé¼┬¥ was recorded at Sound City, in Van Nuys, California in late ΓΓé¼Γäó79- early 1980. The Elevators sounded a lot like The Cars. ΓΓé¼┼ôFrontlineΓΓé¼┬¥ featured a group with a strong, heavy drum sound (William Benjamin), and tight, vibrant bass from Jerry Ellis. The guitars (Zonder Kennedy, John Clark) and keyboards (Tom Myers) were catchy and effective, just like on ΓΓé¼┼ôThe CarsΓΓé¼┬¥.

Unit 5, "Scared Of The Dark" is also a very solid record. Some members of this Akron, Ohio group were in an early incarnation of the Waitresses; Unit 5's vocalist, Tracey Thomas, however, is more from the school of Debbie Harry than the late Patty Donahue. The band plays sprightly, slightly synthesized pop with craft and dedication, making Scared of the Dark easy to like.

Threshold was formed by Toni Guccione Biggs after she finished working on the Caligula: The Music soundtrack for which she wrote We Are One - Caligula Love Theme.


Enjoy and seed.

The Elevators - Frontline [1980]

The Victims - Silent Dreams [1985]

Threshold - St [1982]

Unit 5 - Scared Of The Dark [1981]