Ultravox, a game changer in my music taste

How Ultravox sneakly but with steady progression made its way into my full attention, how this band whom seemd like a ghost ship, cloaked in mystery and purple fogg. The band in all seriousness cought my full serious attention as part of the soundtrack of the Netflix series "13 Reasons why" which i binged and was fully engunlfed by it despite its horrific but important topic. One scene is made many more stronger by being backed up by the powerfull hounting song "Vienna". I have since then listened to most of their albums from debute up until Lament, i know they have more albums but i focus on the Foxx Era and Midge era up until Lament.

Listening to Lament as i write this. This album is a fine way of showcasing what really atracts me to Ultravox, what makes me reurn to them and fanboy, 30 years past thier prime, to me they are among the most ressonant and strongesy sounding bands of the 80s. They created on Lament the perfect fusion of post punk and new wave, their intellegence in arrangemnts on songs like "Man of Two Worlds" a song that really displays Billy Curries genious as a melody composer and arranger. Hes the mastermind of Ultravox. But the entire band as a single unit is one of the strongest forces of ambience in the scene in 80s music. Dark, industrial, sinister, and romantic.

I wonder why New Romantic is so rediculed as what Ultravox to me as how they pressent it, The style of New Romantic that Ultravox plays is complex, experimental and have touches of the lushness that makes them equals to Japan and the Stranglers if i were to compare them to contemporary art punk/ experimental new wave bands. If anything New Romantics is an honarary title which should be acknowledged rather then shunned.


Edited by Icarium - September 04 2021 at 11:35

A genious fretless-bass playing by Criss Cross on this song

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ViMPgA4ji5U

I beleeve some of the magic stems from the way Midges warm yet sometimes heavy guitar melts together with Billys synth and keyboard, with auper precise drummin by Cann and the cool bass by Cross, but Midge brought a element of being a very addapt guitarist, whom could make it soar like a musical siren, i also like the scotish intonation and the sound of hes voice.

Listens to U-Vox (1986) suprisingly i like it, some spooky synths, more bounce stil very experimental and atmospheric gold

Edited by Icarium - September 05 2021 at 01:29

Very  good band ..I preferred the Foxx lp's.....this is still my favorite track and lp.....

Lewian wrote: I don't think Ultravox is ridiculed; they are widely acknowledged as innovative and influential. They have been part of my musical upbringing, so I enjoy quite a bit of their material, too (although they haven't featured among my favourite bands). My favourite song of them is All Stood Still. There is some more derivative New Romantic music by other bands, I can only imagine what you call "ridiculing" is directed at them.

I will back you up on the adjectives innovative and influentual, I would add adventerous and they got from 1980 until Lamen a swagger and confidence, which i also reccognize in brave bands as Tears for Fears and Killimg Joke, they know what they are doing, and with no hessitation, which is how I devide innovators and followers. Innovators leaps from song section to song section, without pause, both knowledge of the rules applied and how to leap over the rules. Bands like Ultravox, Killing Joke, Tears for Fears etc dared to, and asked for no direction.

ULltravox does explore and arragange music with swagger, daring and confidence in their abilities, "When Scream Subsides" a song that combines post-punk and new wave, a showcase of their comand of tone, creating tension and release, from 1, 50 min is a section which very well displays their command of tone, neat interwoven instrumentation, fantastical soundscapes https://open.spotify.com/track/6YmZVV7cKzPhvoYj3WqNA4?si=r_y_B7iwQS6wO_UjdshKhA&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

Edited by Icarium - September 06 2021 at 11:14

I wonder if John Foxx and Midge Ure have ever been in an elevator or room together, would iy be an akward silence?

Edited by Icarium - September 08 2021 at 13:12