The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

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Your mustskippables

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The Human League’s third album, Dare, is still a thing of wonder. A perfect marriage of synth adventuring and pop sensibility. But there’s one track that much as I love the album I have to SKIP SKIP SKIP. Because whatever residual affection I might have had for it in the early eighties has been worn away by nigh on 40 years of passive absorption as the only League track that anyone ever plays on radio/every single 80s documentary etc. Luckily it’s tucked away as the last track on side 2, the best place for a mustskippable. We’re not talking about an album with a slightly below par track. We’re talking about a real ‘next’ moment for you.

So, albums you love with tracks you cannot bear. We may have been there before but what the hell it’s the middle of January.

Happy Birthday, Your Madge

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Yes, Madonna celebrates a big birthday today. Dunno what the general opinion of her music is on here, but I’ve always liked her (she was the first pop star I had on my wall at the age of 7 or so; I think I thought she was “pretty” which I guess when you’re 7 is as far as it goes) and you can’t deny she’s had some excellent records.

Over on the Twitts there is a top 5 thing going on; I’m not suggesting we do that here (it’s an interesting read, mind), but it’s certainly worth some celebration.

Here’s probably my favourite (from around the time I put the poster up). A fantastic record, with some fantastically unsubtle innuendo.

Who will be the 90s musically?

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After the sad events of this year I would like to propose the following are their decades musically: 1960s – The Beatles 1970s – David Bowie 1980s – Prince

Disclaimer: this is an arbitrary exercise and should not be taken as any final assessment of stature. But…

Their imperial periods are all neatly within these decades. We do cut off just before Scary Monsters…and there is the late rally, but pretty well DB is the seventies. I’ve been thinking who else can rival Prince for the 80s crown? Really only three: Jacko, Madonna and Springsteen. Jacko – two albums – two monsters yes – but hardly an imperial period. And you lose Off the Wall. Madonna – her best work straddles the mid-80s to 2000 – as strong in the 90s as the 80s Prince – you have to lose Diamonds and Pearls, the squiggle album – er that’s about it. Otherwise in the 80s we get 9 albums in 10 years almost all of which are of the highest possible quality. Springsteen – lots of great stuff over four albums (River, Nebraska, USA, Tunnel of Love) but like Madonna he’s as good in other decades.

So two questions:

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