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80's iconic artists

The Dream Syndicate announced today that they have signed a new record deal with ANTI- which is the label for Jeff Tweedy, Billy Bragg, and others. They will release their first new album in 29 years in the next few months. The new Feelies album is fun and Love Tractor is currently in the studio. Now if only we could get Let's Active, Guadalcanal Diary, the Connells, and the Hoodoo gurus to release some new stuff. Am I too nostalgic? Probably. Is this music going to change the course of world history? Maybe. The reality is that with the daily assault of negative news of one sort or another, it is refreshing to have the simple pleasure and release of new music by artists you respect that bring back memories of the past and creative directions for the future- regardless of musical genre, style, or era.
maxnewid
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
10,487 posts
 

The Feelies were in the movie Something Wild, playing at Melanie Griffiths characters High School reunion. They have always reminded me of another artist associated with the 70's/80's---Jonathan Richman.

Graham Parker really burst onto the scene in the late 70's, putting out great first two albums, with a good band including Brinsley Schwartz. His third had the hit "Local Girls", and it was all downhill from there. His 90's albums are terrible. Some people have only so many good songs in them

loomisjohnson
2,021 posts
 
Bdp, I half agree with you on Graham Parker. His records declined significantly after his recognized masterpiece, squeezing out sparks, tho I felt it was less an issue of losing his songwriting muse and more  his struggling to find a right musical setting--he went, unwisely, from tough bar band to glossy new wave. He continued to write classics (wake up, you can't take love for granted), but also alot of filler-- he really needed an editor. I did start to lose interest in the 90s--the records were more lackluster than bad, but the odd gem like long stem rose and she wants so many things are fantastic--check em out 
maxnewid OP
449 posts
 
I agree with you that Squeezing Out Sparks is a classic. Two other artists of this era who have continued to release quality work are Robyn Hitchcock and Lloyd Cole. I think Cole in particular has been underappreciated.
loomisjohnson
2,021 posts
 
I love Hitchcock too, but he's another guy that puts out too many records. His latest, BTW, is vg
maxnewid OP
449 posts
 
You are probably right about Hitchcock. Unfortunately, a lot of the contemporary rock and roll artists I like could probably use a good editor. Guided By Voices and Brian Jonestown Massacre come to mind. At their best, both of those groups release compelling music. At their worst, they produce cacophonous vanity projects only memorable for how bad they are. 
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