This is apparently the first time that General Publics first two albums have been re-issued on Vinyl in time for them to play the Lost 80's US Tour alongside such musical bedfellows as Animotion, Wang Chung, Musical Youth and A Flock Of Seagulls. General Public were a sort of 80's supergroup featuring Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger from The Beat, Mickey Billingham and Stoker from Dexy's Midnight runners and Horace Panter from The Specials with guest guitarist Mick Jones from The Clash, Vin Gordon and Michael Rose from Aswad etc on paper a very cool line-up. This debut spent 39 weeks on the Billboard chart in the US.
I remember a couple of friends playing me the album in the 80's, but don't recognize any of the music... They claim to be New Wave as the A-side opens with Hot You're Cool that has total state of the art 80's production, like a slice of prime 80's pop, cocktail bar jazz funk at the student disco.
Tenderness is sappy boyband sophisto pop plea for a little Tenderness, begging you to show them your softer side, while they hang out in clubs with Curiosity Killed The Cat and Belouis Some as you get seduced by that lonesome trumpet.
Anxious has a scratchy intro to the almost spoken word tale of the strife of life, what gets your anxious feelings being soothed by the super smooth lite reggae lilt, gently skanking along Anxiously getting progressively dubby more gated as Vin Gordons Trombone puts the pressure on.
Never You Done That should really have exclamation marks after never and that, you stole a Fine Young Cannibals song while getting on your knees in the endless search for some love.
Burning Bright drowns in 80's reverb gated synth drums, loping guitars leading us on a journey that's all over the album cover, they want you to hear there music From H Block to Springbok it's... From Monterey... Maine To Moscow it's all the rage and they want to put a stop to all the torture, pain, prison beatings of oppressive regimes that we all need to unite to overthrow. As General Public's mission is clear Burning Bright as that beat exploded we all unite.
The B-side's opening lecture is As A Matter Of Fact we are in need of Bright sunny calypso tinged pop tune, making statements of intent, hoping to make a better world full of soul boy guitar dancing around the vocals, as they teeter between blue eyed soul and cod rap.
Are You Leading Me On? with that bassline, or The Beat style vocals as Dave asks if it will ever happen or are you already taken, as the heavy middle section helps make his intentions clear, as he continues the questioning begging to be told to sod off.
Day-To-Day they are in a big hurry to get rid of the day to day struggle, the hand to mouth existence while extolling the virtues of disco funk for Casuals.
Where's The Line? Somewhere between the funky beats with a Caribbean twist, searching for a line to cross between lust and love that the brass section seems to suggest they are in the former camp.
The album closes with the bands theme song General Public some easy going dubby shiny pop for everyone to join together as one, be they Black White rich or poor we all stand together, join the movement man the barricades, get more equality, together gently getting the message of love across.
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