electropop essentials is the L.A. version of new wave

This is an anthology called Electropop Essentials.

It's interesting to an Easterner because this captures more the new wave songs that got airplay on the West Coast as opposed to here...and some of those acts we missed are quite good....it came out in 1999 and has the usual mega-hits but it goes for some really favored (by me anyway) acts that never got the spotlight but did good or great work...

Here's the rundown...

1. yello--oh yeah
2. visage--fade to grey
3. talk talk--it's my life
4. eurythmics--sweet dreams
5. the fixx-saved by zero
6. soft cell-sex dwarf....MY GOD I JUST REALIZED I DIDN'T PUT NON-STOP EROTIC CABARET ON MY BEST ALBUMS OF THE EIGHTIES..IT SHOULD BE IN THE TOP TEN...THIS IS ONE AMAZING ALBUM FROM BEGINNING TO END...MARC ALMOND IS A GOD, AS THE FRENCH WILL TELL YOU...HOPE HE IS ON THE MEND...HE ALMOST DIED A WHILE BACK IN HORRID MOTO ACCIDENT I THINK....
7. devo--jocko homo....GOD I LOVE THIS ONE
8. wall of voodoo--can't make love....who but wall of voodoo could make a song about bisexual datelessness a (west coast) hit...i love this song...wall of voodoo e.p. b-sides are awesome if you hunt them out..."THERE'S NOTHING ON THIS SIDE" IS GREAT....
9. blancmange--blind vision...a great band who made awesome vids but an annoying song
10. heaven 17--(we don't need this) fascist groove thang...a very uneven band...silly song
11. kraftwerk--showroom dummies...Kraftwerk makes everything good in the way brad pitt makes everything bad
12. the normal--warm leatherette...i like grace jones's version. IF YOU NEED A PERFECT SONG FOR A LET'S LAMPOON THE EIGHTIES PARTY...THIS IS IT...BECAUSE ALL YOU CAN THINK IS "NOW'S THE TIME ON SPROCKETS WHEN WE DANCE!"
13. wire--i am the fly. wire just does it for me. even when they're not great they're outre enough to keep my ear interested. they understand texture and keep changing it. this isn't really a good track though.
14. magazine-- a song from under the floorboards.
15. japan--gentlemen take polaroids. this is totally schlock but i like it. it's such a dated sound.
16. bronski beat--why. go jimmy!