“Wave News”? Must be a German thing. Gotta love that sweet colored vinyl. We’ll definitely keep this “limitierte auflage” compilation because it’s a crazy mixed bag of “new generation” music from 1980 and ’81, released in ’82. I split the foldout in two so you can get a good look a whats-his-face from Depeche Mode. What is he, thirteen? Sporting that look I doubt he made it to lunch before being mistaken for a girl. My favorite track is definitely “Disco Man” by The Damned, followed closely by “Countdown” by U.K. Subs. Mary says she got this at a record store in D.C.

Tracklisting from Discogs.com:

A1	Depeche Mode	New Life (3:42)
A2	Damned, The	Disco Man (3:18)
A3	Max Meldau	Shutdown (3:46)
A4	Lovely Previn	From A To B (3:13)
A5	Eyeless In Gaza	Faceless (3:11)
A6	Jo Broadberry & The Standouts	Footsteps In The Dark (3:26)
A7	China Doll	China Doll (3:18)
A8	Medium Medium	Hungry, So Angry (3:56)
B1	Au Pairs	Inconvenience (2:55)
B2	Fad Gadget	Pedestrian (3:14)
B3	Dead Kennedys	Too Drunk To F… (2:39)
B4	Thomas Leer	Letter From America (4:36)
B5	Exploited, The	Hitler’s In The Charts Again (2:36)
B6	Eddie Maelov & Sunshine Patteson*	Another Teardrop (3:46)
B7	Bloodless Pharaos	Bloodless Pharao (6:09)
B8	UK Subs	Countdown (4:55)

• Artist: Heaven 17
• Title: Height of the Fighting (He-La-Hu)
• Year: 1982
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: ?
• Keeper: Yes

Here’s another 12 inch from those former Human League-ers, Heaven 17. “Height of the Fighting (He-La-Hu)” is pretty enjoyable, but I can’t really remember the mixes on the other side. Even if you don’t dig this early electronic music, you gotta love the cover art by Jill Mumford.

• Artist: Heaven 17
• Title: (We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang
• Year: 1981
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: A cut-out bin somewhere in DC
• Keeper: Yes

Today we have a 12 inch single from Heaven 17. Who knew the founding members were two guys who split from Human League? Not me. Actually, I know very little about the band; this one belongs to Mary. Their debut single “(We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang” is some solid dance music with “overtly political lyrics” that got it banned from the BBC. “The Decline of the West” on the flipside is a pulsing instrumental bit of dark electronica. I like both cuts, so very synth.

Wikipedia can tell you more about Heaven 17.

Tears For Fears - the hurting

• Artist: Tears For Fears
• Title: the hurting
• Year: 1983
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1983 – Somewhere in Germany when she was an exchange student
• Keeper: Yes

Mexicans have taken over my sound system! Now, I can’t stop playing Plastilina Mosh. But I did manage to squeeze in this oldie. I gave the hurting by Tears For Fears a couple plays but I can’t remember much about it. “Mad World” is definitely my favorite song. Mary bought this in Germany when she was an exchange student. So, for her it’s tied up with the fond memories of that experience. She rates it an 8.

• Artist: OMD (Ochestral Manoeuvres In The Dark)
• Title: Telegraph
• Year: 1983
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1983 – Somewhere in Fairfax, VA
• Keeper: Yes

Long overdue, here’s the latest record: “Telegraph” by Ochestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, better known as simply OMD. I didn’t expect to like this very much despite the fact that I bought an OMD record myself way back when, but I have to say I do. This single is an almost eight minute “extended version” of the song with a variety of cool synth sounds and vocals that remind me of Alvin and the Chipmunks, or maybe 999. My favorite bit is the chime sound prominent in the early part of the song. The flip side is a drum-less instrumental titled “66 and Fading” that sounds like the band’s name.