Shattered Dreams

In late 2013, I started working on Shattered Dreams: Sophisti-Pop Classics, Influences and Beyond 1982 – 1992. The title is self-explanatory and the chosen songs are from a widely-cast net. My aim was to create a (virtual) themed multi-disc compilation that I would feel compelled to buy if it existed as a real life box set – something like Oh Yes We Can Love: A History Of Glam Rock. There are a number of diversions throughout but I think most of them make sense. It consists of 110 tracks across five separate parts which will be uploaded every Wednesday throughout November 2016.

Part 1 primarily focuses on the early years – 1982 and 1983 – with a lot of material that I deem influential on the classic sophisti-pop sound that would follow later in the decade. The closing track is from 1984 (in every sense of the word).

01 Roxy Music – Tara
02 Haircut 100 – Love Plus One
03 Animal Nightlife – Love Is Just The Great Pretender
04 Thomas Leer – All About You
05 Pale Fountains – Thank You
06 White and Torch – Parade
07 Simple Minds – Glittering Prize
08 The The – Uncertain Smile
09 H2O – I Dream To Sleep
10 David Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto – Forbidden Colours
11 Culture Club – Colour By Numbers
12 The Stranglers – European Female
13 XTC – Wonderland
14 Lotus Eaters – The First Picture Of You
15 Aztec Camera – Oblivious
16 Nick Heyward – Whistle Down The Wind
17 JoBoxers – Just Got Lucky
18 Orange Juice – Rip It Up
19 Belle Stars – Sign Of The Times
20 Kajagoogoo – Big Apple
21 Carmel – Bad Day
22 Eurythmics – Julia

 

Part 2 of Shattered Dreams concentrates on 1984 and 1985. It starts with some jazzy and soulful undertones before more uptempo synth sounds kick in. There’s some long-buried melancholia courtesy of Brian Atherton which was beamed into my bedroom via Gerry Ryan’s 10.00pm to midnight show. The spirit of Howards’ Way is rekindled in the final quarter with some exceptionally smooth sounds,

01 Everything But The Girl – Each And Every One
02 Tracie – (I Love You) When You Sleep
03 Swansway – Soul Train
04 Matt Bianco – Whose Side Are You On
05 Sade – Hang On To Your Love
06 Kane Gang – Closest Thing To Heaven
07 Private Lives – Living In A World (Turned Upside Down)
08 Blue Nile – Tinseltown In The Rain
09 Associates – Those First Impressions
10 Icicle Works – Love Is A Wonderful Colour
11 Talk Talk – Such A Shame
12 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Talking Loud And Clear
13 The Light – Contrasting Strangers
14 Heaven 17 – …(And That’s No Lie)
15 David Bowie – Loving The Alien
16 Bryan Ferry – Don’t Stop The Dance
17 Talking Heads – The Lady Don’t Mind
18 The Colourfield – Thinking Of You
19 Fine Young Cannibals – Blue
20 Stephen TinTin Duffy – Icing On The Cake
21 Go West – Goodbye Girl
22 Dee C Lee – See The Day

 

Part 3 of Shattered Dreams is set during 1985 and 1986. We kick off with a big sound before slipping into some perfect pop courtesy of one of the best bands never to make it. Then there’s a number of songs taken from difficult second / third / fourth albums. Plus a melancholic movie memory that finally speaks.

01 Big Sound Authority – This House (Is Where Your Love Stands)
02 In Embrace – Shouting In Cafés
03 Level 42 – Leaving Me Now
04 Prefab Sprout – Appetite
05 Big Dish – Slide
06 China Crisis – Arizona Sky
07 Lloyd Cole and The Commotions – Cut Me Down
08 Furniture – Brilliant Mind
09 It’s Immaterial – Driving Away From Home (Jim’s Tune)
10 Hipsway – The Honeythief
11 Curiosity Killed The Cat – Down To Earth
12 Johnny Hates Jazz – Me And My Foolish Heart
13 Style Council – Have You Ever Had It Blue
14 Double – Captain Of Her Heart
15 Cock Robin – The Promise You Made
16 Cutting Crew – I’ve Been In Love Before
17 View From The Hill – No Conversation
18 Belouis Some – Jerusalem
19 Paul Young – Wonderland
20 Dream Academy – Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
21 The Lover Speaks – No More I Love Yous
22 Simply Red – Holding Back The Years

 

Part 4 of Shattered Dreams starts off with a 1986 solo hangover before immediately launching into the cream of smooth pop from 1987 and 1988. I call that era “my supermarket years”; many hours spent collecting trolleys, sweeping floors and pulling pallets. All soundtracked by these songs on an endless loop over the tannoy. Turning rebellion into pocket money.

01 Feargal Sharkey – You Little Thief
02 Black – Sweetest Smile
03 Climie Fisher – Rise To The Occasion
04 The Christians – Ideal World
05 ABC – King Without A Crown
06 Danny Wilson – Girl I Used To Know
07 Wet Wet Wet – Wishing I Was Lucky
08 Squeeze – Hourglass
09 Breakfast Club – Right On Track
10 Ward Brothers – Cross That Bridge
11 Hothouse Flowers – Love Don’t Work This Way
12 Blue Mercedes – I Want To Be Your Property
13 Bradford – Skin Storm
14 Microdisney – Singer’s Hampstead Home
15 Sandie Shaw – Nothing Less Than Brilliant
16 Bourgeois Tagg – I Don’t Mind At All
17 The Adventures – Broken Land
18 Julia Fordham – Happy Ever After
19 Basia – Time And Tide
20 Scritti Politti – Oh Patti (Don’t Feel Sorry For Loverboy)
21 Breathe – Hands To Heaven
22 Communards – For A Friend

 

Part 5 of Shattered Dreams waves goodbye to 1988 and says hello to the 1989 – 1992 period. A time of revolution and transition with a number of indie crossovers that had great potential. There’s the long-lost Indian rubbing shoulders with the Flake Man while surrounded by the sitar sounds of Coatbridge. They could never be blue.

01 Simon Le Bon – Grey Lady Of The Sea
02 Hue and Cry – Ordinary Angel
03 Love and Money – Strange Kind Of Love
04 The Bible – Graceland
05 Frazier Chorus – Dream Kitchen
06 When In Rome – The Promise
07 Brother Beyond – Be My Twin
08 Waterfront – Cry
09 Then Jerico – Sugar Box
10 Living In A Box – Room In Your Heart
11 Tanita Tikaram – Cathedral Song
12 Swing Out Sister – You On My Mind
13 Halo James – Could Have Told You So
14 Blow Monkeys – Springtime For The World
15 Tears For Fears – Advice For The Young At Heart
16 Railway Children – Every Beat Of The Heart
17 Graham Stokes – Only The Love (The Flake Theme)
18 Deacon Blue – Twist And Shout
19 Brian – You Don’t Want A Boyfriend
20 EG and Alice – Indian
21 Ten Sharp – You
22 Beautiful South – Old Red Eyes Is Back