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View Full Version : Album Club, November 2019: Thomas Dolby - 'The Flat Earth'



Album Club
01-11-2019, 01:05
The Album Choice for November comes courtesy of Ian (Ian 7653) with Thomas Dolby's 'The Flat Earth'. As always please listen to the album in its entirety before you comment and vote.



Thomas Dolby 'The Flat Earth'

https://i.postimg.cc/rFGQmYM9/flat-earth.jpg


This is one of my favourite albums from the 80's. I bought it on the strength of the fantastic Hyperactivity and wasn't disappointed. From the first track I was sold and really liked the rest of it. For me it's one of those rare albums that doesn't have a duff track, a blend of rock, soul and jazz all in an arty sort of way. The album moves around a lot in style but is all linked together by very tight musicians and that typical 80's energy. Hyperactivity is the Highlight but there are other gems too. I hope you like it.

YouTube link

https://youtu.be/kuRfg8fJAf8

Spotify link
https://open.spotify.com/album/0H5Yo2A9J1cWggemke95Kp?si=XGz85BKTQVeHu_IGgaRe0A


Wikipedia link
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flat_Earth

Audio Al
01-11-2019, 04:57
:) Well what can I say other than , YES I like this :) , Not a artist / band I have had a intrest in previously , Have listened to the whole album ( At low volume as its 4.30 am ) will listen again later today at my normal volume ,
Its a 8 out of 10 from me , can't score it higher as I am not sure if its their best work

Thanks for posting , If its good a normal levels I will buy a LP vinyl version Thanks for posting this and expanding my musical horizon, :)

Barry
01-11-2019, 22:00
:)

Thanks for posting , If its good a normal levels I will buy a LP vinyl version Thanks for posting this and expanding my musical horizon, :)

That's what the Album Club is all about! :)

Audio Al
01-11-2019, 22:08
That's what the Album Club is all about! :)

Wow really :eek:

Barry
01-11-2019, 22:16
Wow really :eek:

Yes - the Album Club was intended to introduce recordings to Members that might have passed them by, as well as introducing more obscure and arcane items.

Glad you enjoyed it.

Ashmore
06-11-2019, 10:43
I feel like an old Gumby writing this. Not my kind of thing. Starts well enough but from Screen Kiss onwards I’m reminded of everything I don’t like about popular music of this era, the notable exception being Hyperactive, which is excellent. 5

ijrussell
06-11-2019, 15:01
I bought this when it came out in 1984. Excellent example of early 80s electronic experimentation. His previous (debut) album, The Golden Age of Wireless, is also worth listening to. 8/10

Ian7633
06-11-2019, 15:15
I bought this when it came out in 1984. Excellent example of early 80s electronic experimentation. His previous (debut) album, The Golden Age of Wireless, is also worth listening to. 8/10

I bought this album and Joe Jackson's Night and Day at the same time, I think I just alternated between them for about a month before going back to other stuff lol.

AJSki2fly
07-11-2019, 10:57
I think this is about the 5th or 6th time I have listened to this album, initially when it first came out, I think my best friend has a copy of it along with a couple of others.

Musically and creatively it is a good album, but I get the same feeling now as I did back then which is slight disappointment. It is to do with the production, sadly IMO drum machines, electronic drum kits and sequencers were somewhat overused at the time, and for me this left many records produced lacking something. I find this the case with several of the tracks on The Flat Field although it is not as bad as some records from other artists at the time. I did check and a drummer was used but I suspect mainly using electronic drums, which would explain the particular sound, I know many artists used them as it seemed to be the norm and sound of the times.

I like all the track although one or two are slightly pretentious or maybe its deliberate tongue in cheek lyrics and effects, perhaps I should have another listen.

So having said that it is an album I will probably buy, that is I can find a good copy on vinyl at a reasonable price.

I noticed that some other reviews like it, on a similar vain/feel you could try Nik Kershaw's - The Riddle (1984), maybe slightly more pop feel but a good one IMO, it reached 8 in the charts.

So on this basis I have given it 8/10

YNWaN
07-11-2019, 11:23
‘Aliens Ate My Buick’ is another popular one by Thomas Dolby and probably the most well known.

Alex_UK
07-11-2019, 12:43
Well, I had the singles on 7" at the time (still have them actually) but never the album on Vinyl, (though I do have Aliens Ate My Buick) though I have two editions on CD/FLAC, and I Scare Myself is a regularly used "Hi-Fi Test Track" as I know it so well (and love it.)

It's certainly very much of its time - unmistakably 1980s! That's no bad thing, at the time I loved the synth sounds that were emerging (so much so that I saved up and bought a Casio CZ-101 synth of my own - it was on 27th November 1986 and I remember exactly because I passed my driving test in the morning and bought the synth in the afternoon to celebrate.) Anyway, I digress...

Not quite a 10 as I don't love every track but it is definitely a 9 from me and one that will continue to "spin" for many more years to come. Good choice Ian! :thumbsup:

AJSki2fly
07-11-2019, 12:49
Listening to Thomas Dolby reminded me of not only Nik Kershaw - "The Riddle" but also Howard Jones - "Human's Lib" (1983) this is a classic, with some great Tunes, some more pop than others, but all very good, also sounds as if more real drums used, however in Wikipedia it sites this as used Oberheim_DMX drum machine (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oberheim_DMX) must have been one of the better ones.

Alex_UK
07-11-2019, 12:51
PS - He also produced one of my favourite albums of all time - Steve McQueen by Prefab Sprout - if you've never heard that and liked this give that a go too. :)

His list of collaborations is astonishing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Dolby#Collaborations_and_connections), actually! :eek:

HackneyRF
07-11-2019, 14:58
Good choice Ian. I really enjoyed that! Played it a couple times now. I'm not really familiar with Thomas Dolby apart from his singles. Some of the sounds/instruments anchor it in the 80's on occasion but overall a cracking record. A strong 8/10

Edward
07-11-2019, 16:41
Bit confused on albums etc. Tidal has a single and a Collectors Edition. Anyway listened to the Collectors Edition and liked what I heard. Def shades of Prefab Sprout in there but more classy. All tracks nicely done with excellent range.

Did not dabble in Thomas Dolby when he was at his height. Pity.

8/10

Good choice!

Ashmore
07-11-2019, 20:16
I had the same trouble - the complete album isn’t on Tidal. (I use Spotty too, so played it from there)

gninnam
09-11-2019, 20:02
Loved TD from the first time I heard him and bought his first album.
Listened to this one a year or so ago and had another listen after this thread started.
Found it to be of its time but very well put together.
As said above the production and the various instrumentalist were vary good but some of the lyrics seemed a bit trite..

Enjoyed it the second time around but it was more background music while I was stripping wallpaper :)

Tim
09-11-2019, 23:40
Sorry Ian, didn't like it in the 80s, like it even less now.

I couldn't play it all, so I won't vote and skew the figures.

Interesting to know the Prefab Sprout thing though, used to like them and have 'From Langley Park to Memphis'

Barry
10-11-2019, 01:18
This is new to me, and although I had heard of Thomas Dolby, I hadn't heard any of his output.

Very much of the '80s, a decade in which, surprisingly, I liked the pop music, this album exemplifies that sound very well: synthesisers, drum machines, and not a guitar to be seen or heard! From the get-go, this album grabs your attention and you are off on a bit of a roller coaster ride. At times it can pall a bit, but just when your attention is starting to flag, a track comes along which surprises you and makes you listen attentively again.

I particularly liked the first track and a later track called(?) "I scare myself", (as performed by Dan Hicks). It's not the sort of album I would rush out and buy now, but I did enjoy the nostalgia of the '80. So for that trip down memory lane I'll give it 7/10.

Discopants
16-11-2019, 23:07
I played this for the first time last week at work with a pc and headphone setup. Was a bit of a fractured listening session but I liked a couple of tracks and thought the album was interesting, and different.
I thought I should give it another go to be fair but that was another fractured session at work. Then I got to the weekend and listened at home. What grabbed me was the complexity and depth of the material. The Spotify syream quality is superb. The musicianship is excellent the production too. I was originally thinking 7 on first listen but I've played the album 5 times this week and I like every track. Every time i play it I notice something different going on, be it interplays, or dialogue or instruments.

The name Thomas Dolby had no recognition for me but I think i can remember 2 of the tracks as singles back in the day.

It's grown on me so much this past week that I'm going to explore more of Mr Dolby and give this a firm 10 out of 10.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Discopants
17-11-2019, 07:50
Very much of the '80s, a decade in which, surprisingly, I liked the pop music, this album exemplifies that sound very well: synthesisers, drum machines, and not a guitar to be seen or heard!
.

Try listening again Barry , there is guitar on every track I think. Its beautifully played and very prominent on your favourite track “scare myself”. I just checked the album notes and its Kevin Armstrong.

Edit possibly no guitar on Mulu The rainforest.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Spectral Morn
18-11-2019, 13:05
‘Aliens Ate My Buick’ is another popular one by Thomas Dolby and probably the most well known.

Aliens Ate My Buick is brilliant.

10 out of 10 for me, I love Thomas Dolbys music.

high.spirits
21-11-2019, 16:03
I tried to like this album however the further I got into the tracks the more I realised I really do not enjoy this style of music.
Probably why I missed it and many more of this style back in the day. 5

system7
18-11-2020, 17:05
I have always loved Thomas Dolby:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO9Y_vLYHs0

I have always felt Leipzig calling. Maybe too many personal misty bus-queue mornings. But sheer poetry. :lol:

"One of our submarines" was a goodie too. Guess I am "Hyperactive".too.