The Sound Of Today Volume 2 (Arcade, 1986)

Review
The Sound Of Today Volume 2 was released as a 28 track double LP and cassette by Dutch label Arcade in 1986. The slimmed-down CD version contains 14 songs. Missing from the silver disc are Tears For Fears’ Shout, Killing Joke’s Love Like Blood, Lloyd Cole and The Commotions’ Lost Weekend, Dead Or Alive’s Lover Come Back To Me, The Romantics’ Talking In Your Sleep, The Stranglers’ Skin Deep, The Style Council’s You’re The Best Thing, Alison Moyet’s Love Resurrection, ABC’s Poison Arrow, King’s The Taste Of Your Tears, Fine Young Cannibals’ Johnny Come Home, Bronski Beat’s Smalltown Boy, Level 42’s Love Games and Paul Young’s Come Back And Stay.

The selection spans 1982 to 1985. We start with a belter; Culture Club’s righteous Church Of The Poison Mind. Nik Kershaw’s bouncy Wide Boy is next; sadly it’s not the 7″ remix but the slightly inferior version from The Riddle album. Forever in synth are Depeche Mode and Yazoo with People Are People and Don’t Go; again it’s a missed opportunity as we get the longer LP mixes. The oldest track is next; Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark with the stately procession Joan Of Arc Part 2 a.k.a. Maid Of Orleans. I remember it being released during The Big Snow of January 1982. China Crisis Hanna Hanna seems to be the 7″ mix; more echo on the vocals, less on the marimba and the “city full of sharks” line without the rude word. Meanwhile Simply Red’s Money’s Too Tight (To Mention) is one of two songs from Now That’s What I Call Music 5. As heard on Picture Book.

The More You Live, The More You Love is a cynical world-view from A Flock Of Seagulls. The tighter 7″ can be found on Teldec’s seminal Power Of Love. The psychedelic haze of Bring On The Dancing Horses is next, all dreamy Mac in a dreary mac. The local talent muscles in next; Golden Earring’s no-nonsense rock When The Lady Smiles. Another Vince Clarke moment – with Feargal Sharkey as The Assembly on the haunting Never Never. And one from the Now That’s What I Call Music 4 CD, UB40’s ultimate-laden If It Happens Again. The other Now 5 track comes from Howard Jones; the positive stomp of Life In One Day. Lizardly it’s XTC, the mysterious and foggy Wonderland from their pastoral departure Mummer. First heard very early one June morning in 1983. It was softly playing from a radio in a strawberry field with the dew still on the fruit.

Favourite tracks
XTC – Wonderland

Culture Club – Church Of The Poison Mind

Lest we forget
China Crisis – Hanna Hanna