Customer Reviews

Anthology

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Even in the '80s, I didn't know a soul who appreciated this band as I did in my teen angst, new wave way. Sure, "Turning Japanese" was great fun, but the Vapors' effect was really a cumulative one. You need to hear a number of songs (preferably taking in _Magnets_ as well as _New Clear Days_) before passing judgment on these guys: Letter from Hiro, News at Ten, Trains, Sixty Second Interval, Magnets... it's purely random that Vapors aren't considered classics of the era.

As for the Jam complaints: you'll hear Jam moments here, but that's hardly anything to get pissy about. The overall tone and *style* of the Jam v. Vapors are different enough that comparing them is a bit ridiculous. Rather like asserting that you can't have fun listening to Madness because The Specials were so good. Who cares? They're both good.

Not sure what John Aizlewood was listening to in the 1980's but the Vapors rate with ANYONE as true masters of the Post Punk/New Wave era. 1. Turning Japanese is NOT about masturbation (see sleeve to similar anthology called 'Vaporized' ) 2. of all the great albums of the 1980's (and there were 100's), this rates in my top ten. I think about this album in the same light as Regatta de Blanc by the Police or the Pretenders first album or Joe Jackson's Big World or Elvis Costello or U2's Boy, or some of Peter Gabriel's work - The Vapors were masters and remain completely undiscovered. Don't miss this if you liked music in the 1980's even slightly.

Jam? I may be dated at 50, but I never noticed them (or much else on the pop scene during this period). In 1980, the Vapor's first album was essential, discrete, high-energy, disaffected British youth punk. I loved it then and still do. Makes me feel 16. I had been looking for this CD for years and finally found it. Thanks Amazon.com.

I was listening to the Vapors' first album when it was originally released. I was always blown away with how tight their songwriting is. The vocals and the guitars don't waste a note. It is some of the sharpest pop songwriting of the 80s or anytime. It's too bad they are dated with their early-80s, "new wave" sound. What a shame. I would have liked hearing them mature and do more albums. What ever happened to the principle songwriter. Man, he is talented.

I agree with the above review. I think Turning Japanese is a great song, but the weakest one on either of the two albums. They may be Jam-esque, but that should be a good thing, not a bad thing. Maybe you had to be young, white, middle class, and cynical to enjoy their sound, but I honestly think the music is fantastic and the lyrics are much much better.

I've always enjoyed this band. Sure they got pigoened-holed with "Turning Japanese", but I found both of their albums very appealling. This is one of those CD's I can't take out of my player, which is the highest compliment indeed.

This is the greatest CD ever. I simply love it. Every word of every song. Too Cool.

the quality drops off pretty fast afterwards. Some of the songs are decent. "News at 10", "Waiting for the Weekend", and "Spring Collection" show off the bands considerable pop hooksmanship, but the quirky humor that made "TJ" so memorable is pretty much absent in the rest of the Vapors' work. If you like new wave from this period compare "New Clear Days" and "Magnets" to the Cars' first two albums, and you can see why one group went on to megastardom and one to obscurity.