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What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

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What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

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Old 03-22-13 | 02:02 PM
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What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

One of my favorite subgenres.

Possible contenders:
OMD: Architecture and Morality
Human League: Dare
Depeche Mode: Some Great Reward
Ultravox: Vienna
Gary Numan: The Pleasure Principle
ABC: The Lexicon of Love
Yaz: You and Me Both

I think I'd choose Vienna as my favorite.

Others?

Duran Duran is not synth pop, IMO.
Old 03-22-13 | 02:15 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

Some good ones there. I like these also

Human League : Reproduction
A Flock of Seagulls : A Flock of Seagulls
New Order : Power, Corruption & Lies
Pete Shelley : Homosapien
Old 03-22-13 | 02:20 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

New Order gets my vote.
Old 03-22-13 | 02:26 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

Old 03-22-13 | 02:27 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

Ultravox: Quartet.

Edit: oh, and Simple Minds: New Gold Dream
Old 03-22-13 | 02:38 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

From that list, I would take the OMD and Yaz albums.
Old 03-22-13 | 02:42 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

Originally Posted by Ky-Fi
Simple Minds: New Gold Dream
Oh yes. Good one. Sparkle in the Rain is awesome too.
Old 03-22-13 | 02:44 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

Old 03-22-13 | 02:45 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

Originally Posted by Ky-Fi
Simple Minds: New Gold Dream
Absolutely. That's the winner.

Also a contender: Howard Jones' Humans Lib
Old 03-22-13 | 02:48 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

Originally Posted by CRM114
I have a hard time labling New Order as synth pop becuase they were a much broader band than just that one genre. However, either "Temptation" or "Blue Monday" is likely the ultimate synth pop single, so yeah, they're in.
Old 03-22-13 | 03:06 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

Yeah Temptation is probably the ultimate synth single. Much better than monster hit Blue Monday.
Old 03-22-13 | 03:43 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

a-ha - Hunting High and Low
Kajagoogoo - White Feathers
Ministry - With Sympathy
Blue Nile - A Walk Across the Rooftops

I'd classify Duran Duran's first LP as synthpop for sure although these terms are a bit sketchy to begin with.
Old 03-22-13 | 03:51 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

I'm not sure how much it qualifies as synth-pop, but Tears For Fears - The Hurting is a motherfucker.
Old 03-22-13 | 03:53 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

Either OMD's Architecture and Morality or Junk Culture.
Old 03-22-13 | 03:57 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

Originally Posted by cdollaz
I'm not sure how much it qualifies as synth-pop, but Tears For Fears - The Hurting is a motherfucker.
Yes it is.
Old 03-22-13 | 04:22 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

For Depeche Mode I'd nominate Music For The Masses over Some Great Reward, although both are great albums.
Old 03-22-13 | 04:26 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

Does it have to be European? Otherwise I'd choose any of the three masterworks by Strange Advance.
Old 03-22-13 | 04:57 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

John Foxx - Metamatic
Old 03-22-13 | 05:11 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

I'm skipping the European bit since I'm not well versed in Euro-synth-pop and go with...

Ministry's

Old 03-22-13 | 06:06 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

Originally Posted by Supermallet
For Depeche Mode I'd nominate Music For The Masses over Some Great Reward, although both are great albums.
That's too late. 1987. Music for the Masses was their "Joshua Tree". The big crossover album. Their best albums are Construction and Some Great and I'd vote either of them as best early-mid 80s European synth pop album.
Old 03-22-13 | 07:24 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

Originally Posted by CRM114
That's not a synth-pop album.
Old 03-22-13 | 08:14 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

Originally Posted by statcat

I'd classify Duran Duran's first LP as synthpop for sure although these terms are a bit sketchy to begin with.
I would too, and it's one of the best, IMO.

Another one that I would put in the category is The Fixx's first album, Shuttered Room. I love that whole album.


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Old 03-22-13 | 08:42 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

Yes,the first 3 Fixx albums are all great.
A couple of guys I did not see mentioned here(shame on all of you)
Thomas Dolby-The Golden Age of Wireless
Howard Jones-Humans Lib
Old 03-22-13 | 10:02 PM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

Either Architecture and Morality (that'd be my vote) or Some Great Reward (close second).
Old 03-23-13 | 12:57 AM
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Re: What is the ultimate early-mid 80s European synth pop album?

Alphaville- Forever Young
Soft Cell- Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
Re-Flex- The Politics of Dancing
Thompson Twins- Side Kicks


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