Let’s review the ground rules here. The Mystery Date song is not necessarily something I believe to be good. So feel free to rip it or praise it. Rather the song is something of interest due to the artist, influences, time period… Your job is to decipher as much as you can about the artist without research. Who do you think it is? Or, Who do you think it sounds like? When do you think it was recorded? Etc…
If you know who it is, don’t spoil it for the rest. Anyone who knows it can play the “mockcarr option.” (And I’ve got a hunch at least one of you know this one.) This option is for those of you who just can’t hold your tongue and must let everyone know just how in-the-know you are by calling it. So if you know who it is and want everyone else to know that you know, email Mr. Moderator at mrmoderator [at] rocktownhall [dot] com. If correct we will post how brilliant you are in the Comments section.
The real test of strength though is to guess as close as possible without knowing. Ready, steady, go!
[audio:https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/MysteryDate051311.mp3|titles=MysteryDate051311]
When it started, I thought it sounded like a more rockin’ Tommy Tutone. Then the singing began, with a clear British accent (plus a reference to Freddy and the Dreamers, to boot). But I still think it’s kinda cut from the same new-wave-era power-pop cloth as “867-5309.”
Oh, also this song is pretty good.
I know this one, so I’ll comment on it without giving anything away. First of all, the album (which is pretty easy to find, and cheap) is one that tends to be overlooked/ignored by genre fans, which I think is a bit odd. It’s not great all through, but the first three songs, including this one, are very good. Fans of this type of music tend to have tastes that run more towards derviative harmonies and less towards something that rocks a bit more, as this song does. That’s what I like about it. I believe this song also got some notoriety for the “Freddie & The Dreamers” shoutout, which I thought was kind of neat.
I’d never heard this song until today, pudman13. Maybe it never crept into our airwaves in Philadelphia. I have passed this album up in used bins countless times. It seemed so bad on so many levels, but I do dig this song.
Oats, you have hit the era and made at least one other key observation.
That’s pretty meaty opening. All this skinny tie talk has brought at least something up. Dunno who it is though.
I seem not to have this anymore, but I figured out what it was. The vocal at first sounded Stingy to me, and I see now that there is a distant Police connection. And I agree this sounds skinnytierrific.
CORRECT, re: “distant Police connection.”
Really? British accent?
I did not immediately recognize this at first but was able to figure it out with a little help. I’m surprised not to know it better, given when it came out. The singer’s stylings tend to remind me of Bob Weir only in a new wave-y setting, which is a little weird.
Something about it reminds me of Thin Lizzy.
Does “distant Police connection” mean they were signed to IRS?
I believe there’s some distant tie to Thin Lizzy, but you may not want to read too much into that.
No, I do not believe they were signed to IRS.
Thanks to those of you who have been playing the mockcarr option or otherwise keeping your knowledge of the band to yourself. I look forward to continued contemplation and head scratching.
The Stingy vocal popped out at me at first as well (early raw Sting voice sound, that is). I would say early 80’s. But this is a little more towards rock than pop on that scale.
I will guess from the recording/arrangement that this is a 3-piece band. The short guitar solo is probably an overdub (over the rhythm guitar track) but it is presented as one guitarist.
Does this band’s name include a reference to dangerous furniture?
Is this from Peter Noone’s (of Herman Hermit’s fame) foray into New Wave, The Tremblers?
I also heard a Thin Lizzy kind of vibe but with a different lead vocalist.
I am curious to hear who it is. Not a bad track.
It’s not a bad song. The British accent seems like an affectation, like this band is from the midwest or maybe Cali. It’s a nice lively recording, so while it seems perhaps cut from the same cloth as the Plimsouls, the production stands up a bit better, less dated. So I’m going to say this is maybe early 80’s, American band with Anglophone leanings. Maybe from San Fran or LA? But I could be completely wrong, I have no idea what this is.
Very early ’80s, as early as one can get, in fact!
Yes, it is the work of a trio.
No furniture that I’m aware of.
Really interesting guess, although innnncorrect!
I’m bad at math, but the gist of what you say is about 67% right, if I’ve properly retained the details behind the band’s make-up/geography/etc.
I thought about Thin Lizzy, too. Actually, I thought about Pride Tiger, who try very hard to sound like Thin Lizzy and do a decent enough job of it. I have to listen to it again, but I liked it.
I don’t know who Pride Tiger is or if there was a connection, but it’s not Pride Tiger.
The Tremblers put out a nice rocking little album. I recommend it, as long as you’re not expecting a towering work of staggering genius.
I am thinking I’ll await tomorrow night’s Saturday Night Shut-In to announce the identity of our Mystery Date – or maybe I’ll open the phone lines and let one of you call in!
I’ll I know is that when Mr Mod reveals the title and artist I will be purchasing the song/album post-haste.
Damned Power Pop nerds! The Americans always adopt a Brit accent so you can’t use that to help. The lyrics reference Chicago and the whole thing is so studied it has to be American. The choppy guitar and kind of silly lyrics remind me of Stewart Copeland’s Klark Kent project, but it is definitely not him on drums.
Good song and a good teaser for Sat Night Shut-in; I’ll listen for it this weekend.
We were finally able to get the Rock Town Hall Contest Line set up for tonight’s episode of Saturday Night Shut-In (beginning at 6:00 pm EST). I’ll be opening the line in hopes of finding a Townsperson who can identify our Mystery Date!
I had to Google this one as it seemed like something I should already have. If it’s the “great” band I’m thinking of I have only their album after this, which is distinctly Shoes-y where this has the Thin Lizzy flavor. Thing is: not a trio…so I could be barking up the wrong tree.