I Want Candy
Artist: Bow Wow Wow

For many in America, "I Want Candy" was their first introduction to young Annabella Lwin and the band Bow Wow Wow. The song, a cover of a Strangeloves hit, barely scraped the Top 50, but became an enduring new wave classic. The song gave its name to the band's 1982 release, which was mainly a compilation, but included a couple new cuts produced... Read More

Visage/The Anvil
Artist: Visage

Polydor combined Visage's first two (and best) albums, Visage and The Anvil, on one cassette in the early '80s. It's not a bad way to collect all of this music at once, but the packaging and sound are a little shabby, and since it's out-of-print and quite rare anyway, it's best to go for the collection. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide Read More

This Is the Ice Age
Artist: Martha & the Muffins

It all came together on this album for Martha and the Muffins. Working with a new producer, a young Daniel Lanois, and a new bass player (Daniel's sister, Jocelyne), the band seemed to have the freedom to produce their sound their way. And it worked in a big way. From the first track, the incredible "Swimming," ato the fantastic closer "Three... Read More

Complete Madness
Artist: Madness
Community Score: 8.00

The 16-track compilation The Complete Madness compiles all of the group's early singles -- from "The Prince" to "House of Fun" -- and adds a handful of classic album tracks and concert favorites like "In the City," "Bed and Breakfast Man," and "Madness." It's thorough and a thoroughly entertaining collection, encapsulating exactly why Madness... Read More

Presents the Rise & Fall
Artist: Madness

Madness Presents the Rise & Fall marks the band's most mature effort and artistic statement. Completely devoid of their early ska influence, they paint a picture of British life in the spirit of the Kinks' Village Green Preservation Society. Though it was never released in the U.S., several tracks were later placed on the compilation Madness,... Read More

White Feathers
Artist: Kajagoogoo

"Too Shy" was one of the flimsiest singles of the new wave era, a cloying and catchy bubblegum tune disguised as synth-pop. Kajagoogoo never quite matched those heights again -- in fact, they rarely even came close. Their debut album White Feathers is filled with similarly lightweight synth-pop like "Magician Man," "Ooh to Be Ah," "Eronomics,"... Read More

True
Artist: Spandau Ballet
Community Score: 10.00

By 1983, with the new romantic movement they'd sprung from a rapidly fading memory, the members of Spandau Ballet showed they had no intention of traveling the same path. Always ambitious, the British quintet really got down to business: Gone were the kilts, frilly shirts, and makeup -- as well as the sometimes chilly electronics of their first... Read More

Madness
Artist: Madness
Community Score: 10.00

Madness is a U.S. compilation released to capitalize on the success of "Our House." Aside from handful of earlier singles like "Night Boat to Cairo, " "It Must Be Love, " "Cardiac Arrest," and "House of Fun, " the collection's real focus is on material from the previous year's Madness Present the Rise and Fall, which wasn't released in America.... Read More

Fresh Fruit in Foreign Places
Artist: Kid Creole & the Coconuts
Community Score: 10.00

Musical gumbo of esoteric lilting, jazzy, laid-back disco, an acquired taste. ~ Bil Carpenter, All Music Guide Read More

Off the Coast of Me
Artist: Kid Creole & the Coconuts
Community Score: 10.00

Mixing disco, Caribbean music, and strains of big-band jazz, Kid Creole engages in a self-deprecating dialogue with his backup singers, The Coconuts, who dismiss him as "Mister Softee" and plead, "Can You Get Me Into Studio 54?" on this hilarious debut album. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide Read More

The Luxury Gap
Artist: Heaven 17
Community Score: 10.00

After creating a marvelous electronic debut, Glenn Gregory, Ian Marsh, and Martyn Ware decided to tamper with their winning formula a bit on Heaven 17's 1983 follow-up to Penthouse and Pavement. The result, which added piano, strings, and Earth, Wind, & Fire's horn section to the band's cool synthesizer pulse, was even better, and The Luxury Gap... Read More

A Flock of Seagulls
Artist: A Flock of Seagulls
Community Score: 7.80

The Liverpool quintet A Flock of Seagulls first gained attention in the dance clubs with "Telecommunication," included on this debut release. The band benefited from heavy play on MTV and quickly became known for their outrageous fashion and lead singer Mike Score's waterfall-like haircut. However, their self-titled debut is an enjoyable romp... Read More

I Just Can't Stop It
Artist: The English Beat
Community Score: 9.32

I Just Can't Stop It was a late arrival onto the checker- boarded scene, The Specials, Madness and The Selecter had all beat The (English) Beat to the punch, but luckily this wasn't a race. Besides, the band had already primed the pump with a trio of Top 10 singles -- the double A-sided "Tears of a Clown"/"Ranking Full Stop," "Hands Off She's... Read More