Ian Dury: New Boots and Panties!! (1977)

Ian Dury died in the year 2000 at age 57. At age 7, Dury contracted Polio. We are lucky to have a vaccine against Polio today. Don't let the anti-vaxxers sway you into believing that vaccines are poison. Vaccines are a scientific and public health triumph. A couple of parents of my childhood friends suffered through Polio, and carried the burden with them for the rest of their lives. Irresponsible anti-vaxxers ought to be held accountable if Polio ever makes a comeback in North America.

As a result of Polio, Dury was disabled and it left him with a quirky stage presence, albeit one that he tried to hide. That, combined with witty lyrics--sung with a thick Cockney accent, and backed by a rock, punk, and even pseudo-disco music--made the whole enterprise interesting and appealing, though I am not sure how long that could have been sustained.

Once again, the original UK pressing differs from the Canadian pressing. In this case, I think the domestic version, which I have, is better because it contains the single, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, which is not on the UK pressing.

The Durutti Column: Greetings Three (1986)

The Durutti Column are known as Durutti Column on this EP. You know, without the the. All I can say is that this is fabulous. In 1986, this EP was released in Italy in two different editions, and then in 2017 in Europe. So, this is the non-laminated edition from Italy. It has four tracks:

Florence Sunset
All that Love and Maths Can Do
San Giovanni Dawn
For Friends in Italy

So, it's very Italian in theme.

The Durutti Column: The Return Of The Durutti Column (1979)

Sometimes, the date on the record differs from the date of release. This LP was dropped in 1980, but the date of the record is 1979. I've stuck with the date on the record.

Imagine entitling your first record as The Return Of The Durutti Column. Since the band's name is a reference to the Spanish Civil War, it makes some sense.

This record is truly enthralling, magical, mesmerizing or, as Allmusic says, "a quietly stunning debut, as influential down the road as his labelmates in Joy Division's effort with Unknown Pleasures." [source]

About Vini Reilly, I just read this:

Ex-Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante calls him "the greatest guitarist in the world". Joy Division's late Ian Curtis – about whom Reilly wrote the beautifully mournful The Missing Boy – was a fan, and Reilly's shimmering sound has surely inspired music from the Cocteau Twins to chillout. When Morrissey was looking for a guitarist who could possibly fill the shoes vacated by Johnny Marr, for his first post-Smiths album, Viva Hate, Reilly's angel fingers played on the likes of Suedehead and Every Day Is Like Sunday. [source]

That is some high praise.

Discogs offers some interesting information about this record:

First released in January 1980 in a sandpaper sleeve, inspired by Situationist Guy Debord's book 'Mémoires', which was housed in a sandpaper cover to destroy other books on the shelf. The sandpaper sleeve was assembled by members of Joy Division, A Certain Ratio, and others. While Ian Curtis did the glueing, the other members of Joy Division watched a porn movie in the same room. There were four editions of the sandpaper sleeve (total edition of 3600): FACT 14 sprayed (in black or white) and with 7"; no spray but with 7"; no spray and no 7"; or The Return Of The Durutti Column sprayed in black but without 7". Initial pressings are on dark red translucent vinyl. Some sandpaper copies included a flexi disc with two instrumental tracks by Martin Hannett.

Reissued in July 1980 in a black sleeve, with a painting by Raoul Dufy. The black sleeve editions come in textured and untextured versions. There are two versions of this album.
- The first and third pressings each have five tracks on the B side: the track "In 'D'" is actually a different mix of "Sketch For Winter" (matrices A1/B1 and A3/B3)
- The second pressing (matrix A2/B2) has six tracks on the B side: track B1 is new and uncredited, track B5 ("Beginning") is labeled as track B1 and track B6 is the different mix of "Sketch For Winter", labeled as "In 'D'". This configuration is also found on Italian and Japanese vinyl pressings, as well as on the CD that was part of FACD 224.

The first Japanese edition (JAL-1) has 10 tracks with new / uncredited track as B1 but the inner sleeve lists In 'D' A and In 'D' B. Same audio content as FACD 14 and FACT 14 A2/B2.

Both Japanese CD editions and FACD 14 credit In "D" but have Beginning and In 'D' (= Sketch For Winter (Version)) rolled into 1 track with overall track length of 4:10 (incl. 6 second silence). Same audio content as JAL 1 and FACT 14 A2/B2.

14.000 copies were pressed until 17 July 1981. 

I have a Canadian pressing, which matches the first and third pressings.

Duran Duran: The Wild Boys b/w The Wild Boys (Wilder Than Wild Boys Extended Mix) & (I'm Looking For) Cracks In The Pavement (1983)

Misheard lyrics always crack me up. I've had a few myself, but I never ever thought that Hendrix was singing "kiss this guy." Anyway, when this song came out, a good friend of mine thought that they were singing "Choir Boys" in the opening chant. I really have no idea how he came up with that, but I cannot listen to Wild Boys without remembering that. Anyway, this is a Canadian 12" single. There are far better Duran Duran songs.

Durran Duran: New Moon on Monday b/w New Moon On Monday (Remix) & Tiger Tiger (1983)

My copy of this 12" single is a UK pressing. I am pretty sure that I had never seen the video for the track until now. How can that be?

"Shake up the picture the lizard mixture
With your dance on the eventide"

It's not a bad track.

Duran Duran: Union of the Snake b/w Union Of The Snake (Single Version) & Secret Oktober (1983)

I am not sure that I understand this song. The video is effective, even though I prefer the more scandalous Duran Duran videos. I have a common Canadian version of this 12" single.

Duran Duran: Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983)

The Reflex, The Union of the Snake, and New Moon on Monday were the big three singles from this record. I suppose Allmusic gets it right in its review: "Although they may have turned their songwriting down a notch in order to succumb to the pabulum of synthesized pop, they didn't relinquish every aspect of their genius, and when they do deliver, it's bright, energetic, and effectual." [link]

Duran Duran: Carnival (1982)

Carnival contains four remixed tracks. Apparently, it was released in a limited edition, but I have no idea how many copies that equates to. I really wish they would say how many copies are in limited editions. I mean, theoretically, the limited edition could have 900,000 copies. The tracks, on the Canadian release, are:

Hungry Like The Wolf (Extended Remix Version)
Girls On Film (Extended Night Version)
Hold Back The Rain (Extended Remix Version)
My Own Way (Remix Version)

By the way, I have no CDs of Duran Duran.

Duran Duran: Rio (1982)

Once again, there are several versions of this release depending on which country it was sold in (my copy is a Canadian pressing). And, once again, there is sex, especially in the video of Chauffeur which features lingerie, nudity, and implied female bisexuality. It must have been awesome to have been in this band.

It seemed like whenever I tuned on the TV to watch any of those video hits shows, Hungry Like the Wolf  (a blatant rip off of the style of Raiders of the Lost Ark) was always being played. I think it is fair to say that it was all downhill from here for Duran Duran. They had a few OK tracks here and there, but the first two records were clearly the strongest.

Duran Duran: Duran Duran (1981)

Punk or punk/new wave is often used to describe this band, but I would say they were primarily new wave or new romantic, but with a top 40 feel. In other words, they were in no way a college rock band, at least to me. But, sometimes, labels are difficult to get right.

Back in the day, I was more interested in music that was a little stranger and less commercial, and I can say that I was not a fan when Duran² burst onto the scene. I thought they had some OK songs, but I never bought any of their records new. Instead, I picked up everything I own for very very cheap here and there. I never paid more than $2 for any of them.

Duran Duran made the most of music videos and sex. Just have a look at the uncensored version of Girls on Film, especially the last minute, or so.  It was an adolescent's dream, though hard to see at the time. You should be able to view it here or here or here. It's definitely NSFW.

The Canadian pressing of the debut record from Duran Duran differs from the original UK pressing. I just cannot understand why record companies mess around with releases in different markets. Instead of To the Shore, Planet Earth was used as the lead off track. There are other differences that I can't be bothered describing.

Dumptruck: For the Country (1987)

Dumptruck is (was is probably more accurate) a band from Boston. For the Country is the third record from the band. I have to admit that I know very little about them. I think this is a record that I acquired for very little money, though I can't remember. I certainly did not buy it new. I suppose you might call this band college rock or 80s indie rock. They probably should have been more famous.

The Dukes Of Stratosphear: You're a Good Man Albert Brown (1987)

This very cool 12" single has four previously-released tracks from the XTC side-project. These are:


You're A Good Man Albert Brown (Curse You Red Barrel)
Vanishing Girl
The Mole From The Ministry
My Love Explodes

I have seen a copy of this in a record store exactly once, and I bought it.

The Dukes Of Stratosphear: Psonic Psunspot (1987)

My copy of Psonic Psunspot is a UK import on purplish marbled vinyl. It was released in a limited edition of 5000 copies. You would probably have to pay $35+ to get a copy of this record today. I would have been much happier if the "limited edition coloured vinyl" label had been placed on the shrink wrap rather than directly on the jacket, but you can't have everything.

Psonic Psunspot is simply fantastic. Sometimes, I think the Dukes were better than XTC, and it's too bad that they only released two records.

The Dukes Of Stratosphear: 25 O'Clock (1985)

The Dukes Of Stratosphear was an XTC psychedelic side-project. 25 O'Clock was the first release, a mini-album (or EP) of six amazing tracks. By the way, I have the compilation CD Chips from the Chocolate Fireball: An Anthology, which includes tracks from the first and second Dukes record. 25 O'Clock is truly awesome. Allmusic's review is bang on, and I agree with everything they said. I have seen copies of this record recently for around $25.

Dream Warriors: Ludi (1991)

I can't remember when or where I picked up this UK 12" for Ludi by King Lou and Capital Q. It's a pretty good track.

Ludi (Double Trouble Alternative Mix)
Ludi (Drop Out Mix)
Very Easy To Assemble But Hard To Take Apart (Generation Gap Mix)

Dream Warriors: And Now the Legacy Begins (1991)

This is another record from the era when vinyl was "dead." And, it's a good one. From Allmusic:

"Part of the slew of grand early-'90s hip-hop releases that avoided tough criminal posing for inventive, witty lyrics and arrangements, And Now the Legacy Begins is a hilarious, entertaining rollercoaster of a record. That the Warriors themselves were Canadian shows that north of the US border isn't all Rush tribute bands, as the duo plays around with any number of inspired samples and grooves, from jazz to harder-edged beats, with style and skill."

I guess I can agree with that, though the comment about Rush tribute bands is rather insulting to all of the great Canadian bands and singers (like: Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, The Guess Who, Tragically Hip, Black Mountain, Plants and Animals, Japandroids, Do Make Say Think, Teenage Head, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Rheostatics, Wolf Parade, Metric, Broken Social Scene, Sloan, The Band, Arcade Fire, Blue Rodeo, Daniel Lanois, Cowboy Junkies, Ron Sexsmith, Rufus Wainwright, the list goes on and on). I wonder if that was mere ignorance or an attempt at humour. If they wanted a real dig, they should have mentioned Nickleback, perhaps the worst Canadian band of all time.

Anyway, this is an import from Europe. My understanding is that this record was never released on vinyl in Canada.

Dream Warriors: My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style (1991)

Growing up in Canada in a certain era meant that you knew the TV show Definition. If you are of a later vintage, you know Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. In both cases, a debt is owed to Quincy Jones for Soul Bossa Nova, which was used as the theme in both. The Dream Warriors, a Canadian jazzy hip hop group, heavily sampled this tune for My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style. I think it's no coincidence that they employed the word Definition, as an homage to that TV show. I am sure that Mike Myers was also aware of the history of this track from a Canadian's perspective. I wonder if Jim Perry ever heard this song.

Oddly, this pressing is a US pressing. I've never seen a Canadian pressing. Here are the tracks on the 12" single:

My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style (Soul Bossanova Mix)
My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style (Echo Mix)
My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style (Empty Mix)
U Never Know A Good Thing Till U Lose It


If you look closely, you will see a cameo in the video from Maestro Fresh Wes.

Drastic Measures: Drastic Measures (1980)

It's somewhat sad that the best-known track from this record is the cover version of Teddy Bears' Picnic. There are better tracks on the record, but I guess this one caught on. Nash the Slash makes an appearance on this record, which is noteworthy.

If you visit Tony Malone's website, you can stream tracks from this record.

I think that Drastic Measures released only one record. That's too bad.

The Dramatics: The Best Of The Dramatics (1974)

This was a free record, found in a box somewhere. I have listened to it only a couple of times. The funny thing for me is the song The Devil is Dope. Today, dope would be regret as a good thing. You know, like "that's dope, man." But, that is not what the band had in mind, I think.

"Where am I? I smell fire..."
"Burn... burn... burn..."
"Fire... fire... fire..."
"What have I become?"
"Why do you think they call it dope, dope?"
"It's gettin' hot..."
"Oh... no..."

Satan is his name from hell he came
Some call him Lucifer
But he hides his horns in many different forms
But still is Lucifer

[chorus]
The devil is dope - out of control!
The devil is dope - out to get your soul!
The devil is dope - out of control!
The devil is dope - The devil is dope!

He plays tricks, begins with kicks
So beware, my brothers and sisters.
Next thing that you know, you gotta Jones... Look out!
Here comes the pusher.

Brothers and sisters you better beware

While you're gettin' high,
Lucifer is pullin' you down lower;
He'll make you a slave,
Then put you in your grave...
And close the door..

Don't you help your pusherman..
Or you'll wind up six feet under!
You think you're superfly,
But you're getting much too high...

Dr. John: The Sun, the Moon & Herbs (1971)

I have to admit that I know very little about Dr. John (just what I read on Wikipedia and elsewhere). But, first things first: I would have written it as The Sun, the Moon, & Herbs. It's a pretty interesting record. If you read the credits, you will find a few familiar names, like Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton. Check out this weird track:

Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show [Dr. Hook]: The Best of Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show (1976)

By 1975, Dr. Hook dropped the longer name -- Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show -- and went ahead with the shorter name of Dr. Hook. I think that the longer name was better. After all, once they dropped the longer name, the music they made rapidly veered toward the unlistenable. Sometimes You Win, the last record I am familiar with (I use.d to own a copy), was a crime against humanity, despite what the reviewer at Allmusic says

One Christmas season, I picked up a copy of a Dr. Hook record (I can't remember which record) to give to my sister. Oddly, I found it on a rack of records in a local hardware store. We had no record shop at that time, but some stores had a very small collection. I had heard the track Only Sixteen, on the radio, but I had no idea if my sister liked it. It turns out that she loved the record. Later, she went mad, collecting every record from the band she could find. We ever wrote a letter to the Dr. Hook fan club.

Anyway, she gave all of her records away one year, without telling me, including every record that Dr. Hook ever released. I found an excellent copy of this one in a thrift shop years later, and brought it home. I am not a huge fan, but I guess the record brings back some memories. I am not sure that the music has aged well.

My dad was obviously a bit mystified by the band. I think he liked the mellower songs, like Only Sixteen and Sylvia's Mother. I recall him asking, somewhat incredulously, why they couldn't sing more songs like those, and not these other weird tunes, like Penicillin Penny and Freakin' at the Freakers Ball? I guess they liked to mix it up. Personally, I preferred the wordier stuff. In truth, if I ever saw other early Dr. Hoo record for cheap, like, say a dollar, I might be tested to buy them.

Some copies of this record carry the additional title of Revisited.

The Doors: Greatest Hits (1980)

This collection was dropped in 1980. It contains the band's biggest tracks, but misses The End, which is  the ultimate Doors track. In any case, you get 

Hello, I Love You
Light My Fire
People Are Strange
Love Me Two Times
Riders On The Storm

Break On Through
Roadhouse Blues
Not To Touch The Earth
Touch Me
L.A. Woman

My pressing is Canadian and probably worth 20 bucks. For the second best Doors track, I chose Riders On The Storm.

The Doors: Full Circle (1972)

Full Circle is the 8th Doors record and the second released after the death of Jim Morrison. By the way, we visited Morrison's grave in the Père Lachaise Cemetery when we were in France in 2009. It is a rather unimpressive grave, but it was interesting to see. It might sound disrespectful when I say that The Doors were Jim Morrison, but that's sort of the way I feel. Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore are certainly talented musicians, but Jim was larger than life to many people. I guess we should give the band props for trying to keep it going.

Although I think the record got fairly good reviews, it doesn't really do that much for me. Verdilac is a memorable track, but the rest doesn't really do anything for me. Also, the album cover is wacky.

The Doors: The Soft Parade (1969)

This is the original Canadian gatefold release of The Soft Parade, the fourth album from The Doors. The track everyone knows from this record is Touch Me. I ignored The Doors for most of my life. I listened to my share of classic rock radio, and I felt saturated with the band, so much so that I never really wanted to own any. I never owned any Doors CDs. On the other hand, I thought that the use of The End in Apocalypse Now was genius.

The Soft Parade is mediocre. It has some good tunes, but I can't say it's a great record. I am sure that this was a lawn sale pickup, but I can't remember when. The cover is a little worn, but the vinyl is fine and it sounds OK.

The Doobie Brothers: Toulouse Street (1972)

I don't really like the Doobie Brothers, but this came to me for free one day, so I kept it. It has a few recognizable tunes, including Listen to the Music. Parts are OK and parts are dumb, like Jesus is Just Alright. Only just? No self-respecting rock band would ever pen those lyrics.

Lonnie Donegan: Puttin’ on the Style (1978)

This was free (found in a box at the side of the road). I listened to it once. I kept it because of the long list of interesting guest musicians:

Elton John
Jim Keltner
Ringo Starr
Albert Lee
Brian May
Ron Wood
Rory Gallagher
Nicky Hopkins

Donegan is known as the King of Skiffle. I have no idea if it is good, but lots of other musicians, including Mark Knopfler, Paul McCartney, Roger Daltrey, Jack White, Al Stewart, and Brian May cite him as an influence or have paid tribute to him.

Thomas Dolby: Aliens Ate My Buick (1988)

I think this record is far better than Allmusic suggests, but I accept the criticism that Dolby failed to keep up with the times. Had this come out three years earlier, it might have fared better. Still, I do like all of the songs (even Hot Sauce, the George Clinton track). There is a good deal of humour in Key to Her Ferrari (featuring Robin Leach), My Brain is like a Sieve, and Airhead.

Thomas Dolby: Music From The Film Gothic (1987)

I have never seen Gothic, the film about the writing of Frankenstein. Apparently, it was directed by Ken Russell and stars Gabriel Byrne, Julian Sands, and Natasha Richardson in her film debut. I would include Frankenstein in a list of my favourite novels, so perhaps I should see this film since it concerns that novel and Percy and Mary Shelley.

The soundtrack has some interesting pieces, some of which sound a little too much like film music. It's a curious record, but it has never driven me to see the film and I don't listen to it very often. I'm hard pressed to even decide if this sounds like a Dolby record, apart from, perhaps, The Devil is an Englishmen, which is available on Youtube in an extended mix:

Dolby's Cube [Thomas Dolby]: May the Cube be With You b/w Googooplexus & Club Creature Caviar (1985)

Though I know I have this 12" single, I cannot find it anywhere, so there is no photo. I saw it a while back, but it now eludes me. I think it must be misfiled. A photo will appear when I find it. [Update: I found it]. George Clinton and Lene Lovich appear on this record. It's a pretty cool track.

This is straight from Wikipedia:

"Beginning in 1983, Dolby collaborated with a number of artists in an occasional studio-bound project called Dolby's Cube. The project had no set line-up, and was essentially a forum for Dolby to release material that was more dance-oriented. Dolby's Cube released a single in 1983 ("Get Out of My Mix"), another in 1985 ("May The Cube Be With You"), and performed soundtrack work for the film "Howard The Duck" in 1986. Collaborators in Dolby's Cube at various junctures included Lene Lovich, George Clinton of Parliament-Funkadelic, Francois Kevorkian, and Lea Thompson."

I have nothing to add, except to say that perhaps this is a bit dated. 

Thomas Dolby: The Flat Earth (1984)

The track most people are likely to know from this record is Hyperactive. I remember listening to that track way too many times. The video is great too, but it appears not to be on Youtube, though there is a mangled version of the video for the 12" mix. The video does not sync up with the lyrics, and that irritates me, so I can't post it here.

This record, like his first, is truly amazing, and it's a pity that so many people have not heard it, or have only heard the aforementioned single.

The live version of Hyperactive from the Old Grey Whistle Test is very good.

Thomas Dolby: Blinded by Science (1983)

This EP was released after The Golden Age of Wireless. Since later pressings of The Golden Age of Wireless were altered to include She Blinded my With Science, there is really no reason to own this record, since most of the songs are available elsewhere. I have it anyway. I'm not sure why, but Youtube has a deficiency of official Thomas Dolby videos.

Thomas Dolby: The Golden Age of Wireless (1982)

Original pressings of this record did not include the famous single, She Blinded Me With Science. I have a Canadian repress from 1983 that includes this song, which was a hit from the Blinded by Science EP released in January of 1983. I guess the record label decided that they could increase sales of the LP by including that song, rather than risk people not purchasing an EP.

The Golden Age of Wireless is a fantastic record even without that song. I really love the sound on the record. There are so many great tracks, like One of Our Submarines, but it's hard to choose a favourite. The odd thing is that copies of this record are easily found at affordable prices. Go get one.

And a live track:

Do Make Say Think: & Yet & Yet (2002)

Do Make Say Think hail from Toronto, but if I didn't know that, I would have assumed that they were from Montreal and part of that Godspeed scene. The truly odd thing is that Allmusic gives this record 2.5 stars, which makes it the lowest rated Do Make Say Think record on that site, and yet (& Yet) this is my favourite record from the band.

Divine Fits: A Thing Called Divine Fits (2012)

Divine Fits is a modern day supergroup, comprised of Britt Daniel (Spoon), Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade), Sam Brown (New Bomb Turks), and someone called Alex Fischel. So far, they only made one record, and this is it. It's pretty good, but I might be biased, since I am a huge fan of Spoon and Wolf Parade.

Dire Straits: On Every Street (1991)

There comes a time when a band has to call it a day. For the Rolling Stones, that should have been 1983. I think it's a bad idea to overstay your welcome. Dire Straits should have called it quits after Brothers in Arms. Nevertheless, I have to say that, despite the weak patches in this record, there are a few good tracks. I don't mind Calling Elvis, Heavy Fuel, When it Comes to You, and The Bug. After six years, though, expectations were running high, and this record doesn't really make the cut and it can't match anything the band had released previously.

I have the subsequent live album, On the Night on CD. I have no idea if that was ever released on vinyl. Vinyl copies of On Every Street, released in the era of the death of vinyl, are hard to find, so I am happy to have a copy of this one.

There's an official Dire Straits Vevo channel on Youtube, but they don't like Canadians :(

Dire Straits: So Far Away (1985)

This is a ten inch record which contains So Far Away and Walk of Life. Discogs explains that the version of So Far Away is the LP version The CD veins is 1:12 longer. 

Dire Straits: Brothers in Arms (1985)

I've always been inclined to believe that the release of this record coincidentally with the continued rise of MTV (despite the scathing message contained in Money for Nothing) and the widespread adoption of compact discs made this album far more popular than it otherwise might have been. It's a solid record, but I was stunned to see it turn Dire Straits into a huge act.

While visiting a friend for a weekend way out near Kingston back in 1986, or so, I was surprised to discover that her father had a copy of this record on cassette. When the previous generation likes your music, it makes you pause to think. I wondered if it was uncool to like Dire Straits. Perhaps the band had jumped the shark? Anyway, her father popped in the cassette on a drive to a restaurant, but it was on side two, and he complained that he needed to flip the tape to hear the "good tunes." I've always preferred side two. Brothers in Arms, the title track, is awesome, for example.

Some tracks on the LP are shorter than the CD and cassette versions, which I suppose is understandable, given the limited space, but they really should have released this as a double record.

Dire Straits: Alchemy - Dire Straits Live (1984)

Alchemy is a double live record, offering live versions of some seminal Dire Straits tunes. If you are a Dire Straits fan, you will need no convincing. I bought this new when it came out, somewhere.

Dire Straits: ExtendeDancEPlay (1982)

Allmusic, a site I sometimes love and sometimes hate, referred to this EP (and the title track specifically) as "the closest thing to exuberant rock & roll this seemingly humorless band had ever attempted." The same reviewer, in the same review, referred to Love Over Gold as "ponderous," [link] despite the fact that the original reviewer of Love Over Gold assessed that record 4 out of 5 stars and said that the album was "fully engaging." [link] It makes one wonder what goes on at Allmusic. Besides, how many rock bands could be called humorless? I would say most. It's simply a dumb thing to say.

In any case, there is no question that this EP is a lighthearted effort and it is fun.

Dire Straits: Love Over Gold (1982)

I bought this record because I really liked the track Industrial Disease, which had received plenty of airplay on the radio. Imagine my surprise when, upon listening to the record, I found that Industrial Disease wasn't even the best song on the record. Love Over Gold commences with what must be regarded as the best Dire Straits song of all time - Telegraph Road. It's an epic 14 minute+ track. Of course, a 14 minute tracks isn't going to leave room for too many other songs, so the album only has 5 songs, but they are all good ones. Check out the unembeddable fan video for Telegraph Road.

I suppose this record announces the end of the blues-rock thing they were doing, but on this record at least, that is fine with me.

Dire Straits: Making Movies (1980)

It's hard to rank my favourite Dire Straits records, but I would say that Making Movies is probably my favourite. I don't think there is a bad song on the record. Highlights for me are the epic Tunnel of Love, Romeo and Juliet (one of my all time fav Dire Straits songs), Expresso Love, Skateaway, Solid Rock. It's really an awesome record with some great guitar work, as usual, from Mark Knopfler. If you are not familiar with the album, check out these tracks:

Dire Straits: Communiqué (1979)

Allmusic complains that Communiqué was rushed to the market quickly; only nine months had passed since the release of the debut record. And, they argue that the songs are not as good. I might agree that this album is not quite up to level of the debut, but it is still a good record. I wonder if Allmusic would change the review in hindsight now that some years have passed. There are, after all, some really fine tunes on this album.

I bought my copy of this record at the now-closed Sunrise Records on Yonge Street, just north of Dundas, in 1985 or 1986.

This version of Once Upon a Time in the West is twice as long as the original studio version.

Dire Straits: Dire Straits (1978)

No money in our jackets and our jeans are torn
Your hands are cold but your lips are warm


Of course, everyone knows the fantastic track Sultans of Swing from this record. (As an aside, I really hate it when radio stations cut off the ending of this song, just the way I hate it when radio stations cut off the ending of Higher Ground, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' cover of the Stevie Wonder tune. Why can't they just wait until the song is over? On the other hand, I rarely listen to the radio, so it doesn't matter anymore).

The debut record from Dire Straits is a truly great record from start to finish. When I first heard this record, I assumed that the rest of the songs wouldn't be as good as that track, but I was wrong. There is not a bad song on it. To me, this is the best Dire Straits record, and this the best track:

The Diodes: Action Re-Action (1980)

The most well-known track from this Canadian band's third record is probably Catwalker, which, to my ears at least, does not really sound like punk, which The Diodes are supposed to be. They really sound like a pop band on this record, or maybe a punky new wave band. This album is probably the weakest of the band's offerings, but I like it. It is, in fact, immensely more enjoyable than Difford and Tilbrook. Oh, and I like the cover of this record.

Dexys Midnight Runners: Too-Rye-Ay (1982)

The first bizarre thing about this record is that is it credited to Kevin Rowland & Dexys Midnight Runners. I file it under D. After all, the band's previous record was credited to Dexys Midnight Runners. I suppose that the branding change may have to do with the fact that almost the entire lineup changed. Anyway, I'm not sure the new name stuck, because everyone I know refers to the band as Dexys Midnight Runners. Yes, that right, Dexys with no apostrophe. Later, the band became know as Dexys, again with no apostrophe. That's also bizarre.

Anyway, this is a really good record. Apart from the huge hit, there's a competent cover of a Van Morrison tune.

Difford & Tilbrook: Difford & Tilbrook (1984)

This record is totally unremarkable, which is surprising since Difford & Tilbrook wrote some fantastic songs with Squeeze. Apart from the vocals, this record sounds nothing like Squeeze. Worse, it sounds like boring 80s fluff. I was disappointed the first time I heard it, and the intervening years have not ameliorated my opinion.

Devo: Butch Devo and the Sundance Gig (2014)

As you can see, this is a picture disc. It was released on Record Store Day in 2014 in a limited edition, originally with a DVD. It's a pretty good recording of Devo's concert at the closing of the Sundance Film Festival a couple of decades ago. It's got a good selection of songs, like Jocko Homo, Girl U Want, Uncontrollable Urge, etc.

Howard Devoto, Jerky Versions Of The Dream (1983)

Howard was the leading force in the Buzzcocks, Magazine, and Luxuria. Jerky Versions Of The Dream is his only solo record. I guess he had too many other things to do. I'm not sure if it's as good as the music he released with his bands, but I think it's really interesting and cool. I've always like his voice.

This is probably the weakest track on the record, so, naturally, there's a real video:

Devo: Here To Go (1985)

The jacket tells us that this is a "SPECIALLY-PRICED 4-CUT MAXI SINGLE." Mine is also a promotional copy, with that ugly gold stamp on the front.

Here is the track listing:

Here To Go (Go Mix Version)
Here To Go (Here To Dub Version)
Shout (LP Version)
Shout (E-Z Listening Version)

Devo: Fresh b/w What We Do (2010)

I have read that some Devo fans hate the album from which these tracks were pulled, but I think it's not too bad. This was a Record Store Day release in 2010 on blue vinyl.

Devo: Shout (1984)

This is a stinker of a record. It's difficult to believe that this is the best they could do. It's an utter failure.