Ultravox! [Import]

ultravox! [import]

Track Listings

1. Dancing With Tears in My Eyes

2. Reap the Wild Wind

3. All Stood Still

4. Slow Motion

5. Distance

6. Voice

7. Ingenuity

8. Ideals

9. Vienna

10. Give It All Back

11. Future Picture Forever

12. Silent Cries

13. One Small Day

14. Hymn

15. Lament

Future Picture,Ultravox,New Romantic,New Wave,Pop/Rock,Post-Punk,Rock/Pop,Synth Pop

Ultravox! [Import]

Average customer rating:

very good compilation
Good Introduction (from a formerly trusted friend)
Ultravox at their best
Ultravox - The Island Years

The Island Years
Ultravox
Manufacturer: Umvd Import
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Systems of Romance
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Quartet

ASIN: B0000255OT
Release Date: 2001-09-20

Tracks:

Dangerous Rhythm
My Sex
I Want To Be A Machine
The Wild, The Beautiful & The Damned
Life At Rainbow's End (For All The Tax Exiles On Main Street)
Young Savage
Slip Away
Rockwrok
Hiroshima Mon Amour
Distant Smile
Man Who Dies Every Day
While I'm Still Alive
Slow Motion
Quiet Men
Cross Fade
Just For A Moment

Customer Reviews:

very good compilation.......2006-08-14

tracking the john foxx era, this set resembles the old vinyl package released as three into one way back in the day. (the three being: the debut LP, ha!ha!ha! and systems of romance.) listening to these songs again makes one realize just how great a band ultravox was. unlike almost all their contemporaries (not to mention the hundreds of artists unwittingly influenced by them) their sound has not dated badly. in fact, they sound amazing all these years later. i do not think eno's production is the primary reason for that either. these songs just happen to be really, really good. hiroshima mon amour is the stand-out among many terrific entries.

highly recommended!!

Good Introduction (from a formerly trusted friend).......2005-05-12

I'd love to give this CD 5 stars, and in many ways it deserves 5 stars (the material was so far ahead of its time and so influential on artists ranging from Gary Numan to all of the New Romantics movement, the compilation is so wonderfully inclusive, the sound and mastering job is so good), but the gems here are all slightly flawed by the elements that clearly date this material in the late 70s and early 80s.

But gems they are, even with the flaws. John Foxx's vocals tread dangerous melodic curves effortlessly. The musicianship is wonderfully tight and often inspired. The hooks (both melodic and from production values) stick in the head and draw me back to the tracks repeatedly.

"I Want to Be a Machine" is a great example of both the album's weaknesses and strengths. It begins with an acoustic guitar backed vocal that could easily be a lost track from David Bowie's "Hunky Dory" album (in melody, lyrics and vocal delivery), and initially the song could be dismissed as derivative homage to Bowie. Then, in the second chorus, the bass line and electric guitar kick in with a force rarely achieved on recent recordings. Eno's production work turns the chorus into an awesome hook (more than a little reminiscent of Pink Floyd's "Welcome to the Machine" but in a very positive way), and Foxx's vocal control as he rides over the instruments is gorgeous, and the entire song is redeemed.

"Life at Rainbow's End" combines the humor and wit of Foxx's lyrics and delivery with a melody that is instantly catchy yet able to hold up to repeat listens.

"Hiroshima Mon Amour" still stands as a blueprint for the best of what OMD, Human League and all the other New Romantics would later produce. And of course "Dangerous Rhythm" is absolutely iconic synth-pop.

All in all, a must have for fans of smart and sophisticated synth-pop.

Ultravox at their best.......2005-05-08

I've been waiting a long, long time for the best of the John Foxx era of Ultravox to become available on one CD. The selection covers almost all the songs from this era in Ultravox's history and brings back memories of listening to the old vinyl versions I've had for years. The sound quality is wonderful also. A very reasonable price for some classic post-punk/New Wave songs. John Foxx deserves more credit for his contribution to this genre of music.

Ultravox - The Island Years.......2002-11-05

Finally, most of the John Foxx-era Ultravox tunes are available on one CD. The Island Years features all the great, long-unavailable early tunes.

Average customer rating:

The ultimate art rock band
Lost Classic
Best Synth Album of the 70's
A forgotten masterpiece
Wistful and Alienated; An Overlooked Masterpiece

Systems of Romance
Ultravox
Manufacturer: Umvd Import
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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HA! HA! HA!
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ASIN: B000025WXM
Release Date: 2004-08-09

Tracks:

Slow Motion
Can't Stay Long
Someone Else's Clothes
Blue Light
Some Of Them
Quiet Men
Dislocation
Maximum Acceleration
When You Walk Through Me
Just For A Moment

Customer Reviews:

The ultimate art rock band.......2007-02-02

How incredibly great to hear this album again after all these years. And on a decent stereo this time around! The music sounds incredible, this is the mother lode -- this album is fantastic, perfect, powerful, creative, beautifully produced and makes you dance around the room AND think. Maximum acceleration...

Ultravox ought to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And by that I mean the ONLY version of Ultravox worth listening to, that being the John Foxx era. Incredible music. Literally perfect. You have a heard a thousand excretable imitations of this music. This is the real thing, the source of the Nile, a piece of the True Cross.

Taut, focused, experimental. It just doesn't get better than this. Truly original and creative. Early Roxy Music and the all-too-brief John Foxx era of Ultravox bookend the 70s. Undeservedly unknown. You must hear this.

Lost Classic.......2006-01-18

This album was so different from everything Ultravox did I am guessing people just ignored it. Too bad, it is brilliant. The songs are full of energy and enveloped by an atmosphere that is magical. A masterpiece from beginning to end.

Best Synth Album of the 70's.......2005-09-08

This is my favorite John Foxx era Ultravox Album. I played this repeatedly for over a year back in 78/79'. Back then i was getting into those bands who were trying out the new synth sounds like 'Human League' & 'Devo' & who along with 'Ultravox' were among a select few bands taking punk into a whole new direction & a whole new feel without being New Wave & overly radio friendly. That would be left to Gary Numan i suppose. Long droning synth lines might sound passe & quaint nowadays with Trance/IDM using complex programming to give intricate soundscapes but sometimes less is more & in the hands of those who know what they're doing it can really bring out a powerful atmosphere in the music, just take 'Slow Motion's' opening drone which lifts to a Roxy Music like Chorus. John Foxx's lyrics are alway's interesting and imaginative & the whole album seems very introspective and perhaps even depressing to me. At least it would be if you go purely on the lyrics alone. But the music saves the songs from being too maudlin & is beautifully executed. For the most part the album is upbeat, save for 'Just for a Moment' & 'Dislocation'. Simple synth lines, quick sharp guitar licks (check out 'Blue Light') & Mr Foxx's distinctive voice. Everything on this record sounds crisp and sharp. Great car music for my money on those long trips. Remember that this was released in 1978 and what else back then was sounding anything like this rock/synth mix back then, not a whole lot. It's definitely up there in my top 10 favorite albums. Give it a listen why don't you and it may become one of yours too.

A forgotten masterpiece.......2004-01-23

Sometimes one stumbles across a 'forgotten' album by accident, listens to it, and wonders why it didn't get the huge ground breaking success it truly deserved. 'Systems of Romance' is one such album.

In my quest for having a complete collection of Ultravox albums I also bought (when I could find them) back catalogue recordings on vinyl of their previous incarnation with John Foxx. That 'Systems of Romance' was the last album I found was a rather cruel twist of fate.

Ultravox mk1 were very much 'arty' and experimental, leaning more to bands like early Roxy Music, David Bowie and to a lesser extent The Velvet Underground. The first album - 'Ultravox!' was pure 'art rock' weirdness, whereas their second 'Ha! Ha! Ha!' succumbed more to the influence of the then current Punk/New Wave movement.

With 'Systems of Romance', their third and final album with John Foxx, they seemed to say to hell with everything and all that was around at the time. Locking themselves away in Germany with some primitive synths, electronic musical equipment, guitars, bass, drums and the guidance of the late lamented German producer Conny Plank they came up with a master piece.

The year was 1978. Punk was still spewing bile, Disco was big and only bands like Kraftwerk were allowed to make electronic music. Then along came this album....

From the opening strains of 'Slow Motion', Systems of Romance proves its significance. Fat synth lines cavort with drums, guitars and the 'extremely English' vocals of John Foxx. It sounded totally unique, and only when Gary Numan (a fan of this album) came along a year later with 'Are Friends Electric?' and 'Cars' did this electro crossover musical style become accepted.

Every track on this album is worthy of a listen. `Quiet men' and `Dislocation' are pure electronica, whereas `Some of Them' is pure New Wave. Others fall somewhere between these two. The mix here is dancey, uplifting, surreal and at times very dark. That Ultravox can move so easily between different musical styles and instruments yet still retain their signature sound proves what a unique band they were.

The stand out tracks amongst a collection that is already superb can be picked simply because of the influence they had on the forthcoming New Romantic movement.

Slow Motion:

Rich with heavy, fat synths, neurotic guitars and a disjointed drum pattern. Foxx's vocals fly high above this to make a compelling, weird, yet strangely catchy song.

I Can't Stay Long:

Driving, rhythmic, lush synths and mournful guitar. A strangely moving song with some brilliant vocals and lyrics. Also quite surreal in places: `I want to glide the long green light of a July afternoon, sliding down a vague conversation'. Lyrically beautiful.

Quiet Men:

Kraftwerk like, also similar to pre `Dare' Human League. Strangely danceable, catchy and infectious. Must have influenced early Depeche Mode, Soft Cell and OMD.

Dislocation:

Bowie like vocals, eerie electro music, thunderous synth. Not the sort of song to listen to in the dark........

When You Walk Through Me:

Great Warren Cann drum pattern, Robin Simon's guitar also shining brightly. Strange rhythm, great vocals and unsettling lyrics.

Just For A Moment:

Haunting, eerie, creepy, downright disturbing electro track with beautiful short piano piece in the middle. Foxx's vocals have been `treated' to make it sound even weirder. The sort of song that leaves you with a shiver down your spine.

John Foxx has a fantastic voice that is both emotional and powerful, as well as embodying `English eccentricity'. His lyrics are artistic, at times moving, at others surreal; all the while painting a lush landscape of imagery that is both light and dark. A line from `I can't stay long' sums up his lyrics perfectly - `Everywhere seems to be, just a flicker, from a silent screen'.

Robin Simon's guitar style is unusual, moving and powerful without ever resorting to standard rock clichés. His playing on this album is revelatory, eccentric, pure genius. He later went solo, and also played in Howard Devoto's Magazine. He should have gone on to be a guitar great.

Billy Curry brought in keyboard skills, violin, viola, and classical music training. He fused `pop' with his classical style and made it work, such as interjecting the short, beautiful piano piece into the disturbing `Just for a moment'. On other songs he added lush synthesized strings, or fat, rumbling, quirky analogue synth sounds.

Chris Cross' bass playing is simplistic, yet rhythmical and at times unusual. It is also worth noting that the bass synthesizer lines were played by him. He creates a backbone to which the band can attach themselves to.

Warren Cann is like Chris in that his drum lines are simple yet unusual. Note as well in the fade out of `When you walk through me' he used the same drum pattern again in the fade out to `Reap the Wild Wind' a few years later! He also deserves recognition for the electronic drums and rhythms, using primitive programming and ingenuity. The `drums' on `Dislocation' are in actual fact a synthesizer being looped onto tape!

Overall this album is quite simply ahead of it's time. Had it been released in 1981 maybe it would have gone huge, but sadly it was just too advanced for 1978's listening ears. Comparisons with Midge Ure era Ultravox are unfair, though in all respects Systems of Romance set the blueprint that Ultravox mk2 would use to have greater success.

The quality of recording and mixing is excellent as well as unique, as can be expected with Conny Plank producing. Sadly it sounds as if Island simply dumped it onto CD without any re-mastering. One wonders how much better it could be with some modern technology bringing out the best of an already brilliant album.

Whatever, this is a must have for anyone interested in the early pioneers of electronic fusion. To listen to it one can hardly believe this was released in 1978, and the creativity, songwriting and musicianship shine through. A true gem.

Wistful and Alienated; An Overlooked Masterpiece.......2003-10-10

Quite simply, this it the finest album that Ultravox produced.
Recorded in 1979, it is best understood in the context of its contemporaries, and it owes more to Eno, < > era Bowie and Cluster than it does to the overwrought pomposity Ultravox produced once Midge Ure joined. John Foxx, the original lead singer, has a voice lacking Ure's power, but it is far more expressive and is the perfect timber for Foxx' laments about the Alienation of Post-war European urban life. Foxx has the ability to occupy a moment, especially in "Dislocation" with the chant echoing the rhythmic motions of of a swimmer and recalling the detatched quality of being cocooned in water while swimming.
Far more dependant upon synths than the punkier and more abrasive "Ha-Ha-Ha", it has a distant coolness and ethereal sense of longing which has after 24 years, the quality of still sounding new.

"Systems" lacks the baroque Poppieness of "Vienna" and is a far more introspective and less melodic. Though the melodies, including the sweeping Synth in Slow Motion and the ostinato in "Quiet Men" are eminently hummable and infectious.

I first heard this record while living alone in New York in 1979, having just been dumped by my girlfriend and spent the Summer working nights. It was the the perfect soundtrack for wallowing-for beneathe the angst of "Dislocation" with it's pounding pipe rhythm was the glimmer of hope of "Just for a Moment".

Tracks:

I'm Alive
Revelation
System of Love
Perfecting the Art of Common Ground
Great Outdoors
Closer I Get to You
No Turning Back
True Believer
Unified
New Frontiers
Ingenuity
There Goes a Beautiful World
Give It All Back
Who'll Save You

Album Description

Collection from Arena Records features 14 tracks including 'I'm Alive', 'Revelation' & 'New Frontiers'. 2003.

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