#412: Haircut One Hundred - Pelican West (1982)

Zack: Everything I knew about this album beforehand suggested to me that I would hate it. It’s a New Wave album. The band name sounds like the sort of thing a shitty band from the early 80s would think is a good name. And “Pelican West” is just two words mashed together randomly. I was ready to hate this album. But, much to my anti-dismay (just may?), it turns out that Pelican West is really good. Haircut One Hundred (seriously, that name is almost impossibly dumb) have a knack for mixing in enough jazz to offset the 80s cheesiness. It’s all the poppy danceability that the best New Wave singles have without the inherent one-noteness that makes albums made up entirely of those so boring 15 minutes in. Overall, the album itself was very fun and really blew away every other album from this genre that we’ve listened to, including the ones I didn’t totally hate like Duran Duran or A-ha.

Favorite Tracks: Kingsize (You’re My Little Steam Whistle); Lemon Firebrigade; Love Plus One

Emily: Obviously I picked this album solely because of the band name. It's absolutely ridiculous and could only come from a British early-'80s New Wave band that wasn't particularly successful. Turns out that, although both British and '80s New Wave, Haircut One Hundred was a little more successful than I thought they were (even though they burned out pretty quickly). Seriously - Pelican West reached #2 in the UK and #31 on the Billboard 200. After listening to the album, I kinda get why. It seems like they would be bad imitators of the more prevalent artists of the day since both the band name and album title are a few notches short of making any sense. However, this album does something a little different by fusing the New Wave synths, bleeps, and bloops with jazz-funk. It's a combo that seems a little off, but somehow totally works. Turns out Haircut One Hundred has more going for them than just a silly name.

Favorite Tracks: Lemon Firebrigade; Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl); Love's Got Me in Triangles

#411: Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters (1973)

Emily: Even though I've been writing about jazz at various intervals over the last 5+ years, I still struggle with the vocabulary to write about it. The adjective "jazzy" captures much of what I hear and feel about the music, but it doesn't really communicate that to an audience who hasn't heard it. Especially after attending a jazz festival this summer, though, jazz music in all of its variations is so much more about the vibe and the energy than the actual notes of music played. Head Hunters certainly embodied that. It's a jazz-fusion album that is smooth, funky, and totally engaging. It's the kind of music I'd want to hear at a jazz club, if I ever actually go to a jazz club. Does that actually do a good job of explaining what this album sounds like? Probably not, but that just means you have to listen to it for yourself.
Favorite Tracks: Chameleon; Sly; Vein Melter

Zack: We’ve run into jazz fusion before, but this was the most jazzy entry that we’ve had. It was quite exceptional. This particular entry merged a smooth variant of jazz with a dynamic funk sound. They were blended seamlessly, creating a dynamic listen. I need to listen to Head Hunters a few more times to really appreciate it, but on one listen it really popped out as an album I can play over and over again.

Favorite Tracks: Chameleon; Vein Melter; Sly