Level 42: Heaven In My Hands (1988)

Here we have three version of the titular track, plus Gresham Blues. I am sure that I have never played this 12" single.

Level 42: Staring at the Sun (1988)

I pick this up in a $1 bin or a thrift shop ages ago and never played it. I'm wasn't even sure I have ever heard any of the tracks on the record. But, then I looked for an accompanying video on youtube and realized that I had heard Heaven in My Hands. But, here's a different song.

Level 42: Running in the Family (1987)

Although I purchased this record when it came out, I had already started to lose interest in the band. Allmusic says this:

"By Running in the Family, Level 42 had almost completely thinned out their early jazz-funk and soul roots in favor of a radio-friendly keyboard pop with a light R&B vibe. The sound lies somewhere between Kool and the Gang and early Tears for Fears. But if early fans might have felt betrayed by the new direction, the band's newfound aptitude for attention-grabbing hooks and airtight instrumental polish attracted more than enough new fans to replace them." [source]

Yes, I agree. Lessons in Love and the title track were big hits, if I remember correctly. I don't mind those songs, but it's a step down from World Machine.

Level 42: Something About You (1985)

This is probably Level 42's biggest hit. There is a cool car in this video. This 12" has the US Remix, the Sisa Mix, and Coup D'etat (Version).

Level 42: World Machine (1985)

World Machine is probably the Level 42 record that I know best. It's the only Level 42 album that I have on CD. I suppose the song that everyone knows is Something About You. That's not a bad track, but I like some of the other tunes better. As I mentioned before, the record company played games with this release, messing around with the tracks. I usually hate that (there are exceptions). I shoudl alos say that I like this album art. I think it's the best cover since the band's debut.

Level 42: A Physcial Presence (1985)

This is a double live record. Hot Water and The Chant has Begun appear on this record, in live form. This is the second time Level 42 fans got to hear these songs, which makes it doubly weird that the record company threw them on Wold Machine. This is a pretty good live set.

Level 42: The Chant Has Begun (1984)

In addition to The Chant Has Begun (Power Mix), this UK 12" single contains Almost There and The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up) (Upfront Mix) (Ill Bread But With Jam). The Chant has Begun is my favourite Level 42 track.

I remember when the bombs started falling on Baghdad on January 16, 1991. The DJ on the radio station I was listening to at the time played this track. It seems appropriate:

Old men with their protocol
Lead us off to war
Sometimes we don't even know
What we're fighting for
Marching to the beat of their drum, yeah yeah

Level 42: Hot Water (1984)

This UK 12" single contains an extended version of Hot Water, which is pretty funky, plus an extended version of Standing in the Light.

Level 42: True Colours (1984)

Two of these tracks appeared later on some pressings of World Machine. Why? Why? Why? I hate it when record companies mess around with releases. My Canadian pressing contains both of these recycled tracks: Hot Water and The Chant Has Begun. I already had them on this LP, so why would the idiots at the record label feel compelled to reissue them? I also have the German-made so-called "US Version" CD of World Machine, which also has these previously-released tracks. Why screw with the records?

In any case, True Colours is a pretty good record, and, for me, it introduced a more pop sound which might have been exactly what this band needed.

It's nice to see colours spelled correctly :)

Level 42: Standing in the Light (1983)

This is the album where Level 42 made a conscious switch to real pop songs. I think the band hits its stride on the subsequent record, but this is OK, though I rarely listen to it.

Level 42: The Pursuit of Accidents (1982)

Level 42's second LP, The Pursuit of Accidents, dropped in 1982. I'd say that it is not quite as good as the first, but it's pretty good. I'm not as big of a fan as I used to be, and I prefer the later stuff.

Level 42: Turn It On (1981)

Turn It On appears on the band's eponymous debut, previously mentioned. This Canadian 12" single contains Turn It On b/w Starchild.

Level 42: Level 42 (1981)

"To Everything? To the great Question of Life, the Universe and everything?"

"Forty-two," said Deep Thought, with infinite majesty and calm.”

I've heard that Level 42 took its name from Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Other explanations have been posited, but I like the Adams idea best.

I have always thought that I was a casual fan of Level 42, but then I realized that I have a fairly large number of Level 42 records. I am not quite sure how that happened, but it might have had to do with an old friend who listened to little else, apart from UB40. Most people who refer to this band as jazz-funk fusion, at least in the early years. To be honest, I like some of the band's later work better.

The bass work of Mark King is quite amazing, you will have to admit.