Este é um grupo inglês formado em 1979 (UK) e que teve relativo sucesso na Europa, tendo inclusive feito vários shows no Leste Europeu ainda na época em que poucos se aventuravam para além da cortina de ferro comunista. Inclusive tiveram algumas músicas no topo da lista de alguns destes países como Polônia e a antiga Iugoslávia. Tendo como destaques e como dupla de compositores seu líder e vocal Sal Solo e o baixista Mick Sweeney. O grupo foi inserido no movimento NEW-ROMANTIC do início dos anos 80 junto a grupos como Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet e Flock of Seagulls, sendo, porém, mais dark, denso e explorando muito bem o visual de vampiro de boutique de Sal Solo junto à onda fashion que acompanhou todo o movimento e foi um dos chamativos da banda.“Night People” é o debut da banda, de 1981, tendo alcançado a posição 66 na parada inglesa. Foreward abre instrumentalmente o disco, climática e dark. Guilty é o hit radiofônico e presença certa em pistas de dança dos anos 80, com o falsete característico do vocal, baixo marcante e o riff de guitarra super bem manjado. Segue com Run Away que é agitada e demonstra toda a capacidade vocal de Solo - abusando de agudos - e com os backings precisos de seus membros, porém, sem estar entre as mais fortes deste trabalho. A Guerra Fria entre a então URSS e os EUA à época é tema muito interessante de duas músicas: A) Every home should have one, onde a letra discursa sobre o grampo em telefones nos lares de indivíduos, a espionagem e a falta de individualidade. B) Tokyo foi lançada como single e cita as 2 grandes potências como nações impotentes para deter o avanço tecnológico e mercadológico da indústria nipônica. 623 é um instrumental breve em que Solo utiliza uma pianola de mão e teve um clipe interessante valendo-se de um filme de terror em preto-e-branco. Or a movie explora o tema da solidão nos tempos modernos com grande arranjo coletivo e traz um som de relógio num tic-tac em seu início e fim. Inside outside foi o terceiro single do trabalho e tem ótimos vocais de apoio e parece também remeter à liberdade dos sonhos numa dura fase da sociedade. No violins, no sympathy tem um refrão muito bom e excepcional harmonia. Dois grandes petardos são Soldier com seu refrão de guerra, grande apoio vocal (de novo) e trabalho de bateria. A curiosidade fica por conta da introdução via teclado cuja harmonia lembra o tema de 2001 de Kubrick...A melhor do disco é justamente a última: Protector of night é dark, com excelente arranjo, retratando algo como um pesadelo e Solo em uma interpretação gutural, digna de nota. Tranquilamente poderia ser o tema de abertura da série “Salem”, ao invés da proposta pelo xarope Marilyn Manson.
A banda durou apenas 3 discos (até 1985) e vários singles, tendo destaque em países como Portugal, Israel...e alguma presença na parada do Reino Unido através da já citada Guilty, Is it a dream (top 20) e Never again. Uma banda que poderia tranquilamente ter avançado mais década adentro, não ficando a dever nada a seus compatriotas de movimento. Teve pelos menos os dois primeiros álbuns lançados por aqui. Indico este álbum a quem curte bandas como o The Mission, Sisters of mercy e afins... Minha cópia é portuguesa da época.
A All Music Guide (AllMusic), através de seus usuários, deu 4 (em 5 estrelas) a este álbum. Fonte: https://en.wikipedia.org. Foto1,2: acervo pessoal, Foto3: Jay Myrdal (internet).
Para quem curte os anos 80, indico o Projeto AutoBahn (SP) com muita coisa sobre a música e a mídia da década em http://www.autobahn.com.br/index.html
English version:
This is an English group formed in 1979 (UK) and had relative success in Europe, and even made several shows in Eastern Europe still at a time when few had ventured beyond the Communist iron curtain. Even had some songs at the top of the list of some of these countries like Poland and the former Yugoslavia. Having as highlights and mainly composers vocal Sal Solo and bassist Mick Sweeney.
The Group was inserted into the NEW-ROMANTIC movement of the early 80´s with groups like Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet, but more dark, dense and exploring very well the vampire figure of Solo next to the boutique fashion wave that accompanied the entire movement and was one of the band´s eye-catching.
"Night People" is the 1981 debut album of the band, having achieved the position #66 on english charts. Foreward opens instrumentally the album, darkly and climatic. Guilty is the radio hit, a right presence in dance floors of the decade with the characteristic falsetto vocals, bass and the easy-led guitar riff. Follows with Run Away that is stirred and demonstrates all the vocal ability of Solo (treble abusing) and with the precise backing-vocal of its members, however, without being among the strongest of this work. The cold war between the USSR and the USA at the time is a very interesting theme of two songs: A) Every home should have one, where lyrics speak about the individual home´s clip on phones, espionage and the lack of individuality. B) Tokyo was released as a single and cites the 2 great powers as nations so powerless to stop the technological advancement and marketing of Japanese industry. 623 is a brief instrumental in which Solo utilizes a hand-piano and had at the time an interesting clip using a horror movie in black and white. Or the movie explores the theme of solitude in modern times with great collective arrangement and brings a sound of a clock ticking in its beginning and end. Inside outside was the third single from work and has great backing vocals relating to such freedom of dreams in a tough stage of society. No violins, no sympathy has a very good and exceptional harmony chorus. Two big firecrackers are Soldier with his war chorus, great backing vocals (again) and drum work. Curiosity is an introduction via keyboard whose harmony reminds me of Kubrick's 2001 theme ... The best of the album is just the latest: Protector of night is dark, with excellent arrangement, portraying something as a nightmare and Solo in a throaty interpretation, worthy of note. Easily could be the open theme for the serie "Salem", instead of the proposal by Marilyn Manson syrup… The band lasted only 3 albums (until 1985) and several singles, having featured in countries such as Portugal, Israel and some presence in the United Kingdom charts with already cited Guilty, Is it a dream (top 20) and Never again. A band that could easy have lasted more years though the decade, owing nothing to their new-romantic pals. They had at least the first two albums launched in Brazil. I nominate this album to anyone who´s into bands such The Mission, Sisters of mercy and the likes ... My copy is a portuguese one (from Portugal).
Allmusic guide (AllMusic), through its users, gave 4 (5 stars) to this album. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org. Photo1,2: personal collection, Photo 3: Jay Myrdal (internet).
The Group was inserted into the NEW-ROMANTIC movement of the early 80´s with groups like Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet, but more dark, dense and exploring very well the vampire figure of Solo next to the boutique fashion wave that accompanied the entire movement and was one of the band´s eye-catching.
"Night People" is the 1981 debut album of the band, having achieved the position #66 on english charts. Foreward opens instrumentally the album, darkly and climatic. Guilty is the radio hit, a right presence in dance floors of the decade with the characteristic falsetto vocals, bass and the easy-led guitar riff. Follows with Run Away that is stirred and demonstrates all the vocal ability of Solo (treble abusing) and with the precise backing-vocal of its members, however, without being among the strongest of this work. The cold war between the USSR and the USA at the time is a very interesting theme of two songs: A) Every home should have one, where lyrics speak about the individual home´s clip on phones, espionage and the lack of individuality. B) Tokyo was released as a single and cites the 2 great powers as nations so powerless to stop the technological advancement and marketing of Japanese industry. 623 is a brief instrumental in which Solo utilizes a hand-piano and had at the time an interesting clip using a horror movie in black and white. Or the movie explores the theme of solitude in modern times with great collective arrangement and brings a sound of a clock ticking in its beginning and end. Inside outside was the third single from work and has great backing vocals relating to such freedom of dreams in a tough stage of society. No violins, no sympathy has a very good and exceptional harmony chorus. Two big firecrackers are Soldier with his war chorus, great backing vocals (again) and drum work. Curiosity is an introduction via keyboard whose harmony reminds me of Kubrick's 2001 theme ... The best of the album is just the latest: Protector of night is dark, with excellent arrangement, portraying something as a nightmare and Solo in a throaty interpretation, worthy of note. Easily could be the open theme for the serie "Salem", instead of the proposal by Marilyn Manson syrup… The band lasted only 3 albums (until 1985) and several singles, having featured in countries such as Portugal, Israel and some presence in the United Kingdom charts with already cited Guilty, Is it a dream (top 20) and Never again. A band that could easy have lasted more years though the decade, owing nothing to their new-romantic pals. They had at least the first two albums launched in Brazil. I nominate this album to anyone who´s into bands such The Mission, Sisters of mercy and the likes ... My copy is a portuguese one (from Portugal).
Allmusic guide (AllMusic), through its users, gave 4 (5 stars) to this album. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org. Photo1,2: personal collection, Photo 3: Jay Myrdal (internet).
