Get your motor running and head out on the highway for yet another thrilling instalment of Retro Cassette Fridays! This week I use my discerning taste and refinement and select our marvellous musical morsels according to which ones had the best pictures on the front. Let’s get into it.
The Party Boys
1987
This self titled album comes from a band that is described on the internet as a ‘supergroup’ and the jubilance and enthusiasm displayed on both the cover and in its contents would support that claim. Immortalised in more denim and leather than you’d find in a 1989 gay bar (I imagine), The Party Boys are very excited to be alive. Bloody stoked. The kind of party that The Party Boys would play at would be one where everyone gets naked and sets things on fire. According to my extensive research (a.k.a. Stuff Graeme Told Me) this band was made up of a rotation of different members from popular Australian bands like Mondo Rock, Sherbet, Skyhooks and The Angels, among others. I can’t help but feel like if such a thing were to occur today, it wouldn’t be nearly as awesome as this. It seems like everyone’s not taking themselves too seriously and just letting off some hot musical steam. They do a cover of ‘Gloria’ which doesn’t really hold a candle to the Patti Smith version, but is still pretty cool. My personal favourite is ‘Small Talk’ for its excellent guitar solo, but their number one hit was their cover of ‘He’s Gonna Step on You Again’. This album is a lot of fun.
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Shooting Rubber Bands at the Stars
1988
Next up, everybody calms down and puts their clothes back on for the melodies of Edie Brickell and her band of merry Bohemians. It turns out I totally know the opening number ‘What I Am’, which was their biggest hit, and I really like it. This lady has a voice that feels like a magical treacle dream. I feel like this album could be the soundtrack of some sort of 1990s teen lesbian romance. It’s simultaneously chilled out, pretty, catchy and full of feelings. Great stuff.
Deee-Lite
Dewdrops in the Garden
1994
The cover for this album looks like some sort of ‘My Little Pony’ acid trip nightmare- the band members appear to be ensconced in a dewdrop filled with pink and purple toadstools, butterflies and sunflowers, while outside of its watery world lies a menacing violet city skyline. I was not surprised to find that this is the band responsible for ‘Groove is In the Heart’ and its accompanying psychedelic video. This album is full camp, high energy club beats from the height of 90’s weirdness. When you listen to this album you should ideally be wearing fluorescent motorcycle goggles and an outfit made entirely of PVC.
Sophie Joske
