In which I click the shuffle icon on the increasingly frustrating iTunes app and listen to the first five songs that pop up from the years 1976-85.
- "Promises Promises" by Eric Tagg (1982, Agharta)
Wonderful west coast music from Tagg as a sorta follow-up to his appearance on "Rit" by Lee Ritenour. Starts a bit like Rupert Holmes' "Him" but then comes back with a knockout chorus. That has to be Tom Scott on the too brief sax solo. Wish I'd had this Dream Walkin' album back in '82. - "San Ysidro" by Dave Grusin & Lee Ritenour (1985, GRP)
Not the best song from the Harlequin album, but far from the worst. A typical Ritenour cut in the Brazilian style that we also hear on Rio and Festival. Ritenour's solo is fantastic; Grusin's not so much. For the record, San Ysidro is in southern California, not Brazil. - "Loxodrome" by Steps Ahead (1982, Elektra Musician)
More straight-ahead than the group's usual fusion, this tune, written by bassist Eddie Gomez, features a wonderful piano solo from a young Elaine Elias before the inevitable bass solo. Saxophonist Michael Brecker gets a turn, too, and he tears it up as usual. - "Anywhere with You" by Rubber Rodeo (1984, Eat Records)
And our jazzy shuffle takes a left turn. This is a well-written New Wave ditty that reminds me of a cross between Men at Work and Blondie with an inexplicable slide guitar touch of country/western twang. Great chorus. Could only manage to hit #86 on the singles chart, but might have charted higher a year or two earlier. Maybe the world just wasn't ready for a New Wave/CW hybrid (if it ever was). - "The Sound of the Suburbs" by The Members (1979, Virgin)
Catchy pop punk from England. This could almost be a Go-Go's song save for the vocals. A very early Steve Lillywhite production, I can't find that this was ever released in the disco-crazed US, but peaked at #12 on the UK charts.
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