Rubik's 80s Mis (Volume 54)

Welcome to Volume 54 of a series of shows on White Lion Radio called Rubik's 80s Mix, a show that features classic hits from a classic decade......the 1980s.

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Track List

Feargal Sharkey - A Good Heart
Marrs - Pump Up The Volume
Blondie - Atomic
Culture Club - Do You Really Want To Hurt Me
David Bowie - China Girl
Ultravox - Vienna
Duran Duran - The Reflex
New Order - Blue Monday
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
Kim Wilde - Chequered Love
Sydney Youngblood - If Only I Could
Alison Moyet - Love Resurrection
Limahl - Never Ending Story
Blancmange - The Day Before You Came
Michael Jackson - Another Part Of Me

Classic Albums Reviewed And Rated Day 5

Throughout this month we are going to take a look at albums regarded as classics from the 80s and one or two from the late 70s and give you our comments, and our rating of each album.

Each day, during November, we will focus on one album.

To rate the albums we rate each track on the album as either 3 (Outstanding), 2 (Good), 1 (ok) and 0 (Hate it). Those points are totalled up and then divided by the maximum points the album could get (EG 10 tracks would equal 30 points, 10 x 3). Then times the figure by 100 and that gives you your percentage rating. This is a very good indicator of how you rate an album.

Today we turn to 1980 and the debut solo album by ex Ultravox front man John Foxx, called "Metamatic". An album that still remains cold and clinical today in a positive way. Clearly John wanted to go into a more electronic direction than the rest of Ultravox wanted too, and as such he left the band. The fact that Ultravox were dropped from their record label didn't help either. Was it a good move?, well yes, I would say. "Metamatic" is an album I listen to on a regular basis and I believe no one has released an album quite like it since.

The lead single from the album was the track "Underpass" (One of my all time favourite tracks), which reached number 31 in the UK singles chart. "Metamatic was released shortly after the single and reached number 18 in the UK album chart. A further single "No-One Driving" was released in March 1980, which reached number 32 in the UK singles chart.

The minmal approach to this album I have always found fascinating and the songs are well crafted.

Our track recommendations are the 2 singles mentioned above, as well as, "Plaza" and "He's A Liquid". If you have this album in your collection and have listened to it for a while, dig it out, as you will be surprised at how good it is.

Our overall rating for this album is 66/100

The album is available from Amazon here

Classic Albums Reviewed And Rated Day 4

Throughout this month we are going to take a look at albums regarded as classics from the 80s and one or two from the late 70s and give you our comments, and our rating of each album.

Each day, during November, we will focus on one album.

To rate the albums we rate each track on the album as either 3 (Outstanding), 2 (Good), 1 (ok) and 0 (Hate it). Those points are totalled up and then divided by the maximum points the album could get (EG 10 tracks would equal 30 points, 10 x 3). Then times the figure by 100 and that gives you your percentage rating. This is a very good indicator of how you rate an album.

For todays classic album, we go back to 1979 and the album "Replicas" by Tubeway Army, an album that is massive in my life as it was the album that first got me into electronic music. Seeing Gary Numan (Tubeway Army) performing "Are Friends Electric?" on Top Of The Pops in May 1979 blew me away, I recall at the time, I thought I was watching something alien, new sounds, new instruments, deadpan vocals, it grabbed me immediately, the rest, as they say, is history. Surprisingly though "Replicas" isn't a totally electronic album, it features a lot of guitars, but it was the way he made use of synthesizers that was pure genius, a unique album. The single "Are Friends Electric?" took several weeks to climb the UK singles chart before it reached number 1, where it stayed for 4 weeks. The album rocketed to number one in the UK album chart in July 1979.

The album features just 2 singles, "Are Friends Electric?" and "Down In The Park", the latter was the first single released off the album but wasn't a hit.

Our track recommendations are the 2 singles and "Me I Disconnect From You", "The Machman" and "You Are In My Vision". You won't be surprised to learn that there are no tracks that I dislike, an album I regard as a classic and it has aged really well.

Our overall rating for this album is 76/100

The album is available from Amazon here

Classic Albums Reviewed And Rated Day 3

Throughout this month we are going to take a look at albums regarded as classics from the 80s and one or two from the late 70s and give you our comments, and our rating of each album.

Each day, during November, we will focus on one album.

To rate the albums we rate each track on the album as either 3 (Outstanding), 2 (Good), 1 (ok) and 0 (Hate it). Those points are totalled up and then divided by the maximum points the album could get (EG 10 tracks would equal 30 points, 10 x 3). Then times the figure by 100 and that gives you your percentage rating. This is a very good indicator of how you rate an album.

For todays classic album, we go back to 1981 and an album most electronic/synthpop lovers will, I am sure, have in their music collection, it is of course "Dare" by The Human League, which was released in 1981 and reached number 1 in the UK album chart. This album was the first under the new version of the band led by Phil Oakey, following an acrimonious split with other founder members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh. The album featured 4 brilliant singles, "The Sound Of The Crowd", "Love Action (I Believe In Love", "Open Your Heart" and the number one single "Don't You Want Me".

Regarded by many as the ultimate synthpop album and rightly so, our track recommendations are all 4 singles, as well as, the tracks "Darkness" and "Do Or Die". There are no tracks that we dislike, almost pop perfection.

Our overall rating for this album is 76/100

The album is available for under £4 from Amazon here

Classic Albums Reviewed And Rated Day 2

Throughout this month we are going to take a look at albums regarded as classics from the 80s and one or two from the late 70s and give you our comments, and our rating of each album.

Each day, during November, we will focus on one album.

To rate the albums we rate each track on the album as either 3 (Outstanding), 2 (Good), 1 (ok) and 0 (Hate it). Those points are totalled up and then divided by the maximum points the album could get (EG 10 tracks would equal 30 points, 10 x 3). Then times the figure by 100 and that gives you your percentage rating. This is a very good indicator of how you rate an album.

For todays classic album, we go back to 1982 and the debut album by Talk Talk, called "The Party's Over". Talk Talk were a very underrated band and this album demonstrates why. It is a true synthpop classic with not a single weak track on the album.

Our track recommendations are the the tracks "Today", "It's So Serious" and "Another Word". All the tracks on the album we rate as 3 (Outstanding) or 2 (Good). Pretty much a flawless album and if you don't have it in your music collection, get it, you won't be disappointed.
Surprisingly this album only made number 21 in the UK albums chart.

Our overall rating for this album is 77/100

The album is available from Amazon here

WLR Review And Rate Classic Albums During November

Throughout this month we are going to take a look at albums regarded as classics from the 80s and one or two from the late 70s and give you our comments, and our rating of each album.

Each day, during November, we will focus on one album.

To rate the albums we rate each track on the album as either 3 (Outstanding), 2 (Good), 1 (ok) and 0 (Hate it). Those points are totalled up and then divided by the maximum points the album could get (EG 10 tracks would equal 30 points, 10 x 3). Then times the figure by 100 and that gives you your percentage rating. This is a very good indicator of how you rate an album.

Ok, on to our first classic album, which is "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) by David Bowie, this is our favourite Bowie album and is a solid album from start to end, it was released in September 1980 and reached number 1 in the UK albums chart. The album included the singles "Ashes To Ashes", "Up The Hill Backwards", "Fashion" and of course the title track "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)".

Our track recommendations are the singles listed above, with the exception of "Fashion" (rated good not outstanding). The album contains no tracks we hate.

Our overall rating for this album is 60/100

The album is available from Amazon here

A WLR Chart Show - A Countdown Of Our 15 Favourite Kraftwerk Tracks

A bonus show for you this month, we countdown our 15 favourite 15 Kraftwerk tracks

The Godfather's of Electronic music need no introduction, they have been one of the biggest influences for so many electronic bands and still, to this day are inovators, as they continue to present their 3D concerts around the world.

As fans of the band since 1978/1979 we thought it would be a good idea to present to you our favourite 15 Kraftwerk tracks.

Sit back and listen to the masters at work.

Listen to the show on Mixcloud

Listen to the show on Hearthis.at

We won't spoil the show by posting a playlist.