Thompson Twins “A Product of…Participation” 1981. T Records (the band’s own label). Thompson Twins’ debut LP is way more experimental pop/post punk in sound than their later, more popular new wave synthpop releases. Some ska and African/world beat influences (see especially the opener “When I See You” for ska and both “Slave Trade” and “Oumma Aularesso (Animal Laugh)” for the African sounds, the latter a rearrangement of a traditional Sierra Leone song). Some tracks could have been on contemporary Talking Heads or B-52 records like the weird and rhythmically driving “Make Believe” (it’s a great track). There’s even some dark jangle-pop on “The Price” that feels Cure and Smiths-esque. Thompson Twins released a couple of singles from A Product of… in the UK (there were other singles that were originally stand-alone releases but appear on later reissues of the LP): “Perfect Game,” the aforementioned “Oumma Aularesso (Animal Laugh)” and “Make Believe.” The track “Politics” (very Talking Heads sounding) was released as a single in Germany. With most of my knowledge of Thompson Twins originating with their later, new wave/synthpop work, it’s pretty wild to hear the band’s origins with a way more challenging and experimental sound.

The Radiators From Space “TV Tube Heart” 1977. Chiswick Records. Punky power pop from Ireland. Think a mashup of the Ramones,  the Buzzcocks and some mod-ish Jam-like sounds, too: 50’s/60’s-inspired pop sensibility with a snotty garage sound. The band formed in Dublin in ’76 (and have been dubbed Ireland’s first punk band); they shortened their name to The Radiators in 1979 with their second LP release Ghostown. They broke up in 1981 and Radiator frontman Philip Chevron went on to join The Pogues as their lead guitarist. (The band reunited in 2003 and were active until Chevron’s death in 2013). TV Tube Heart was the band’s first LP; three tracks that all skew power pop were released as singles: the opener “Television Screen” —  the first and only punk record to make the Irish top 20 – “Sunday World” and “Enemies.” My top picks are the harder punk-leaning rippers: “Press Gang” and “Contact” and the tightly-wound “Electric Shares.” It’s a fantastic record and a shame The Radiators aren’t as well known as their first wave contemporaries.

Pop Tarts “Age of the Thing” 1988. World of Wonder/Funtone USA Records. Very 80’s, very dancey synthpop. Think a mixture of New Oder, Pet Shop Boys, Fine Young Cannibals with  dashes of *early* Ministry, Nitzer Ebb and Paula Abdul. I know nothing about Pop Tarts (plenty about the breakfast/snack of course): turns out it was a short-lived project put together by World of Wonder producers Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey; WoW is most notable for managing RuPaul and producing RuPaul’s Drag Race, plus a slew of other shows and films and the production company has won several awards over the years.

Age of the Thing was the first of just two LP’s (the second is Gagging on the Lovely Extravaganza, 1992, upon which RuPaul produced a couple of the tracks). It’s a fun, very danceable album though it does feel a bit generic in the disco-synth-dance genre. The opener “Money Success Fame Glamour!” has an EBM/industrial edge as does “Elected!” but that track also has some metal-shred moments and some light “rap” (it’s not really rap). The vocals on “Cherry Red!” (and some others) is very reminiscent of Pet Shop Boys’ singer Neil Tennant’s deadpan tone and other tracks could be pulled directly from a New Order record (“Ultra Brite” among others). I’m not sure I have a top pick as the LP does start sounding the same after awhile, though it’s a perfect example of the disco-synth sound of the latter half of the 80’s that evolved the simpler synthpop style of the early 80’s with more musical influences, sampling (for instance I think they lifted the riff at the intro to “Off Your Mind (Can’t Get ‘Em)” directly from INXS’ “Need You Tonight”) and better technology. There isn’t much available to link from Pop Tarts Age of the Thing – but one of the links below is from a very FYC-meets Pet Shop Boys track “Another Grey Day in London!” which is a pretty bland dance pop song, and according to the YouTube caption it “was their first music video to be broadcast on MTV. Fenton Bailey filmed and produced the music video.”