Anger Into Passion - Common Bond

Several bands don't have a listing on Discogs.com. One such band is Christian rock/new wave outfit, Common Bond. Through my aimless browsing of Youtube I stumbled upon a song called 'Tarry' and was really taken by it. I mean, I didn't know what the guy was saying half the time but he had this kind of nice shrillness and power to his voice which really worked. Upon some research I dug up Common Bond.
Formed in 1987 somewhere in the US, Common Bond was one of the few Christian rock bands with heavy new wave influences during the era.
They released only two records, and their second, 'Anger Into Passion' is a pretty decent effort. Now, my experience in the Christian rock scene is limited to some stuff by 'Jars Of Clay' and I honestly don't have a problem with Christian themed songs. Some are really good.
Common Bond was made up of Steve Durham on guitar, Chuck Cummings on drums and Kenny Samuels on bass and lead vocals. I shit you not when I say that Kenny bears a striking resemblance to a certain Simpsons character.

Three songs stand out for me here. The first and favorite is 'Tarry'. Such a good, catchy song. The guitar makes its mark with a catchy series of slaps between verse lines. It's simple and underlying during the chorus but works and the drums fit nicely. Kenny's vocals are very up to par. The thing about Christian rock bands is they actually care about what they're singing like terrorists care about homemade explosive devices. You can tell that he feels a lot of passion about what he's singing here. I must also hold my hands up and say that it took six listens before I realized I had no idea what the word 'tarry' means. It actually means to delay, if you're interested so I'm guessing this song has a lot to do with Kenny's dismay at the faults he sees in himself and how he wants to correct them maybe with the help of a girl but also that God knows all and everything they do will be known to him.
The next track, 'See The World' has more of the same, including a clapping sound evident in 'Tarry'. It also features a punchy bassline and Kenny this time telling us about how he wants to convince others about how strong his faith is and he hates when others try to bring him down, especially with the way they view the world.
The last 'Walls Of Doubt' is a slower, shorter affair with some vivid imagery and an obvious message that is Kenny encourages a person to embrace God and break down the walls of doubt that hold them back.
These are just some cool tracks that you can obtain just to say you do own some Christian rock and have another genre on your Ipod.
As for Common Bond and Kenny Samuels, well I'd hate to even imagine how difficult that haircut was to maintain.

Here is a link to the songs on youtube
'Tarry'
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuA4dng534Q)
'See The World'
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2p4GpRPW6I)
'Walls Of Doubt'
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UVTUH7puG8)
and the lyrics are below
"Tarry"

Oh, when the night it calls my name
And day feels like a game
And passion, just a word that I know
That I use from day to day

And I will tarry
And we will carry everything to God in prayer
And I will tarry
And we will carry everything to God in prayer

And when my words, they seem to be marked
By profit and gain
While looking through the dimmer glass
I try to wipe away the haze

But I will tarry
And we will carry everything to God in prayer
I will tarry
We will carry everything to God in prayer

Hold on
Tighter
Never let me go

And when I hate myself one more time
You love me again
While looking through a dimmer glass
You wipe away the haze

And I will tarry
And we will carry everything to God in prayer
And I will tarry
And we will carry everything to God in prayer, yeah, yeah
Woah, oh, oh
Woah, oh, oh
Woah, oh, oh, woah, oh, oh
Woah, oh, oh
Woah, oh, oh
Woah, oh, oh, woah, oh, oh
Woah, oh, oh
Woah, oh, oh
Woah

"See The World"

Always asking people
Do you know the one?
But they just smirk and stare at me
As my heart falls down
To the sullen floor
And my faith begins to falter

Oh, oh
Go

My parents said
(This is the real world, boy)
You’ve got to use your common sense
As my heart falls down
To its deepest depths
And my tears begin to fall

And I'm crying
I see the world through your eyes
I’m crying
I see the world
And I'm crying
I see the world through your eyes
I’m crying
Whoa, whoa
Yeah, yeah

Some people take me for
Some self-righteous fool
Now you know I’m not like that
Some people take me for
Some T.V. preacher’s tool
Now you know I’m not like that
I’m not like that

And I’m crying
I see the world through your eyes
I’m crying
I see the world
And I’m crying
I see the world through your eyes
I’m crying
I see the world

The tears that I cry
They’re not mine, no, they’re yours
The tears that I cry
They’re not mine, no, they’re yours, Lord, they’re yours, Lord, they’re yours, Lord, they’re yours,
Lord
They’re yours, whoa
Tears are falling down
These tears are falling down
These tears are falling down
These tears are falling down
Tears are falling down
Tears are falling down

"Walls Of Doubt"

Hey, when I look in you eyes I know what you’re thinking
It’s just like the sixties to me
You paint it all black

It’s alright
Run if you want to
But I see you coming through
Another wall of doubt

You hear the voice in your heart
You get that longing
It goes far beyond all the words
The vain arguments

It’s okay
Long for your lover
You’ll find he’s standing out
Beyond your walls of doubt

Love
Love puts to rest
All of the questions
Love
Find it and see
The doubts will go fading away

All of the hours of the day
There’s something strange growing
The seed of laughter and light
The way down inside

It’s alright
You can let go now
Love is a master’s plough
Crash down the walls of doubt
Love is the master’s hand
Crash down the walls of doubt
Love is a master’s plough
Beyond the walls of doubt
Love is the master’s hand
Crash down the walls of doubt
Love is the master's plough
Crash down the walls of doubt
Love is the master's plough
Crash down the walls of doubt

Nightstalking - Broken Silence

A neat find from the Vinyl Obscurity blog and one of my favorites. Here's the link to the entry where I found it.

(http://vinylobscurity.blogspot.com/2010/08/broken-silence-nightstalking-7-1984.html)

Broken Silence, according to this source were formed somewhere in Canada, featuring Edward Kay on lead vocals and Jim Lysowycz on guitars, synthesizer, etc. though both shared duties.
Nightstalking was released in 1984 and was apparently very underground although these guys probably had a small following in the Canadian dark wave scene. Just look at them!
What happened? God knows. There was probably in-family murder involved but I wouldn't be surprised if these two can be seen lurking in an alley somewhere in Ontario.
'Nightstalking' is a cool, gloomy dark wave tune that flows along like a zombie anthem with simplistic, dark synthesizer notes and Kay's brooding vocals. It definitely has a dark theme and a music video would probably just be Kay singing cut in with clips from 'Night Of The Living Dead'.
The B-side, 'Through The Glass' is a real treat too and could be better than the A-side with it's lighter, more mainstream new wave tone, faster synth and cool lyrics. With this one, I'm getting a vibe of people's submission to higher powers, religion, government, etc. At least 72% of 80's songs have this topic, I swear.

 

Well it's cool. Shame these guys didn't do more. I heard there was another single but I have yet to find a trace of it. Anyone who has any information, come forward now! I want to hear more!
Here are links to good quality postings of these two tracks
'Nightstalking'
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QZHZFeb_p8)'Through The Glass'
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61c6KfV714c)
And the lyrics.

"Nightstalking"

Nightstalking
(Nightstalking)
Nightstalking
Nightstalking
Through the shadows
Through the dark
Thoughts aren't concentrated
Nightstalking
Burning past the footsteps
Jerry-rig a home
Voices in the distance
On the midnight run

(Feeling nothing, feeling everything)
(Night unfolding, flowing endlessly)

(Driven by desire)
Fire in the night
Trying to save the stronger
Nightstalking
Indistinct visions
Past the headlight where
Step into twilights
Fade a disappear

(Feeling nothing, feeling everything)
(Night unfolding, flowing endlessly)

(Nightstalking)

Into the darkness
I can't tell you where
Past all explanation
Nightstalking
Closing in on something
Vivid and remote
Something implosion
Reaching overload

(Feeling nothing, feeling everything)
(Night unfolding, flowing endlessly)

Nightstalking
(Nightstalking)
Nightstalking
(Nightstalking)
Nightstalking
Nightstalking
Nightstalking
Nightstalking

"Through The Glass"

(Think)
(Move)

I can't stop it
Look in through the glass
I can't touch it
Look in through the glass
No love relation
Just beyond your grasp
I can't catch it
You've got to move so fast
The power
The intensity
So affecting
You can feel the heat
The rhythm
Of the big machine
Domination
Under the wheel

Sensations
So outside, outside
Estrangements
On the other side

The signal
Just coming out of synch
The big lie
And the double think
Shades of meaning
Hard to understand
They can self-spin
Another sleight of hand

Sensations
So outside, outside
Estrangements
On the other side

(Other side)

Sensations
So outside, outside
Estrangements
On the other side

Can't stop it
Look in through the glass
Can't touch it
Look in through glass
No love relation
Just beyond your grasp
Can't catch it
You've got to move so fast
Submission
To a far sighting
Subversion
Of your humility
Hidden bondage
Extended energy
Falling movement
Like homeography

Sensations
So outside, outside
Estrangements
On the other side
Sensations
So outside, outside
Estrangements
On the other side

Bitter Heart - Seona Dancing

Okay, first post right after the introduction. Let's get right to it. Seona Dancing.
Formed in 1982 by two students in their final year of college in London, Seona Dancing was a new romantic duo who by all accounts were pretty damn cool. A misty eyed Ricky Gervais provided vocals with David Bowie inspiration and Bill Macrae worked synthesizer, piano... whatever.
When I think about it, Macrae kind of looks like an extra from Pokemon with that gravity defying haircut. It's also strange to think that that's an overhead shot and the two are standing way, way too close together to achieve it.
Anyway I'm thinking 'Bitter Heart' was their second released single in 1983 after 'More To Lose' which I'll cover at a later date. It peaked at #79 in the UK and stayed in the top 100 for three weeks but garnered zero attention.
Here is a link to the very poorly posted music video
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXhSqmfRTfY)
The Wikipedia synopsis of this strange and cheap video is "A girl in a wedding dress who was about to get married has just had her husband leave her, after which she becomes angry and destroys most of the objects in the room".......
That... pretty much sums things up actually.
Ricky sings very well it must be said and the lyrics are good, the chorus being a catchy one I can't get out of my head. Macrae hammers pipes in the background yet somehow manages to also man his synthesizer which is evident throughout and is played with gusto as Ricky tells us about how he's going to end the angered cries and twisted joys that rage in a bitter heart. Basically, the relationship sucks so he's letting it go and he doesn't care what you think.
The B-side 'Tell Her' is not a song I enjoy in all honesty but this one is a keeper. It's a nice and sadly overlooked tune by a man who later went on to win several awards and gain national fame as a comedian with a great sense of humor.

Personally, I love it and it's sad that after no chart success, these two split up after only two singles. I think Macrae runs a record shop at current but I like to think he gets his piano out now and again and remembers when times were good and he was occasionally crowded by Pokemon fans.

Here is a link to a good quality version of 'Bitter Heart'

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Tw8CDB3u8)

and the lyrics are below.

"Bitter Heart"

You're losing out, now
You scowl and shout
Irrational accusations as I turn my head
Your threats and trials
My carven smiles
Revolts you in your torturous insecurities

With pleasured last goodbyes, I break the noise and we silently fly apart
I'll end the angered cries and the twisted joys that rage in a bitter heart

Go on, hit me, do
I won't hit you
You'd love that too much, 'cause it means that they'd all hear
Tell them you're free and
Tell lies of me
I'm out of range now so there's nothing more to fear

With pleasured last goodbyes, I break the noise and we silently fly apart
I'll end the angered cries and the twisted joys that rage in a bitter heart

With pleasured last goodbyes, I break the noise and we silently fly apart
I'll end the angered cries and the twisted joys that rage in a bitter heart

Introduction

Welcome person who has too much time on their hands.
Well you'd have to to be, reading this but who cares. You're still cool because this is a very special blog.
The reason you're here is because you love the 1980s music scene. No matter how many boring rap videos your friends show you they can't compare with Simon Le Bon hunting through the swamp in 'Hungry Like The Wolf'. The fact is you're not weird. You're in fact one of the lucky few who is tuned in with what music actually sounds like and you are enlightened enough to know that Justin Beiber just cannot compete with somebody like Nik Kershaw.
Trust me, I know what I'm talking about here. Being a teenager who loves the New Wave and synthpop scene that was prevalent during the 1980s I know that it can feel musically isolating sometimes but there are a network of us out there who enjoy this amazing stuff. And if you're reading this and you're somebody who lived through the 80s, then more power to you and I invite you to follow along and discover some things you maybe haven't heard before. That is the purpose of this blog. To document albums, singles and the songs they have that I like both mainstream and sadistically obscure. I'll also cover music beyond the 80's that has spawned from the work done at that time on the odd occasion including modern tracks by 80's artists and tidbits from the modern synthpop and futurepop scenes.
This blog itself was heavily inspired by two other blogs which I recommend you check out
http://vinylobscurity.blogspot.com/ - A true treasure trove of obscure music, and the tracks I like, I myself will post on
http://www.rare80s.com/ - Quality if fleeting site with some comedy and down-loadable tracks
I'll try to include all the information I deem necessary when I post links to videos that are important, links to good quality listening opportunities, the lyrics (some painstakingly listened to and written by me), images ect...
So enjoy. Look around. I aim to post at least once a week and maybe more. Obviously some posts will be short and some long. I hope to give whoever follows some new music to get their hands on in an easy to digest format. Please comment if you like a post at all. I'll provide answers to questions as soon as I can.

Yours sincerely
22ndWave