New Order’s ‘Substance 1987’ Is Even More Essential on Re-issue
This is the complete story of how New Order assimilated US underground dance sounds and determined the direction of indie music for many years to come.
new wave
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark’s ‘Bauhaus Staircase’ Shines
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark have honed their craft at creating towering, majestic synthscapes with bold analog melodies and shimmering sci-fi flourishes.
Cyndi Lauper Found Her Tribe of Oddballs, Mistifts, and Weirdos with ‘She’s So Unusual’
Cyndi Lauper’s debut, She’s So Unusual, stands the test of time: it’s an eccentric, weird record that revels in a subversive and quietly revolutionary oddness.
Howard Jones’ Artistry Is Given Its Due in Comprehensive New Set
Howard Jones isn’t just a trendy pop warbler but a gifted singer-songwriter who understands the craft behind the perfect pop song better than most.
‘Clics Modernos’ at 40: Charly García’s Problematic Post-Modern Masterpiece
With Clics Modernos, Charly García veered away from overt political commentary in favor of taking it to the dance floor. Puzzled fans – even the album cover screamed post-modernism – didn’t hold back their outrage.
The Pretenders Are Still in Fighting Shape on ‘Relentless’
The title Relentless encourages expectations of a youthful, hard-rock Pretenders album, but it’s dominated by lost-love ballads and slow-burn confessionals.
Retrofuturism: How the Alt-Right Learned to Love Depeche Mode
For Richard Spencer and today’s alt-right, ‘80s British synthpop bands like Depeche Mode satisfy their retrofuturist cultural fantasies.
The Cure’s ‘Wild Mood Swings’ Indulges the Glories of Genre-Jumping
The Cure’s ebulliently eclectic masterpiece ‘Wild Mood Swings’ is misguidedly maligned. What is more tantalizing than music that exalts eclecticism to such stupefying heights?
The 10 Most Memorable Non-Smash Hit Singles of 1984
A singular confluence of classic rock, New Wave, and indie rock experimentation made 1984 a captivating musical brew. All but two cracked the Billboard Top 40.
Talking Heads’ ‘Speaking in Tongues’ at 40
Speaking in Tongues captures Talking Heads at the zenith of their funk freakout and just before a big gray suit would change everything. It’s an art-pop funk masterpiece.
Philosophy and Pop Harmonize on Scritti Politti’s ‘Songs to Remember’
In Scritti Politti’s Songs to Remember, Green Gartside comically challenges hegemonic structures in a perfect harmony of philosophy and pop.
Nuovo Testamento’s ‘Love Lines’ Is an ’80s New Wave Italo Extravaganza
Who knew the music of mullets, wrap-around shades, and bodysuits could be so compelling? Nuovo Testamento’s Love Lines succeeds and transports the listener.