Customer Reviews

Bright Lights

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This is a fabulously packaged multimedia CD devoted to an obscure power pop/punky group from the first wave. Disclaimer: I helped record some of the material here, and briefly did their live sound.

The Flashcubes began as a dyed-blonde punky outfit in 1976, the center of the local Syracuse NY scene. The dominant country-rockish scene just hated them. I mean -hated- them. They were fun and in your face. They are and were DIY-ers, and put out their first single on their own label (and this compilation). Sadly, it was the unrepresentative "Christy Girl", which is a slow, pleading ballad; It was to their repertoire what "Good Riddance" is to Green Day. The next single, "Wait til Next Week", was stronger, but maybe the moment had passed without anyone noticing. In '79 they changed personnel, replacing their punk heart with a more skilled musician, and recorded an album worth of demos that went nowhere. We did get to open for Pat Benatar at Toads in New Haven (whoop-de-do!).

The standout track is cut #20, one of the '79 studio sessions, "Fourth of July". It ought to be a staple of AOR stations' independance day marathons, played somewhere around 10:45 pm. It's haunting, chiming, resonant, and goes to a deeper emotional level than anything else here.

The rest is a pleasant snapshot of the '77-'80 springtime of pop punk, before it collapsed with the raising of the drinking age from 18 to 21. Because it's from Syracuse, it's not as cynical as the NY, LA, or SF punks; maybe that was a commercial weakness!

Bassist Gary Frenay has released "Jigsaw People" and "Armory Square", also carried by Amazon.
"Bright Lights, Small City" is more juvenile, but I like it best :-).

The Flashcubes were basically screaming out for an official release - having never assembled an actual album in their day (the late 70's), this compilation is basically a debut and a greatest "hits" at the same time. For the most part, the music within is power pop that owes just as much to the Ramones as the Raspberries, keeping it fresh and usually uptempo if not always stunning. There are more than a few moments here that will find the playlists of any true pop fan, and considering this is a compilation of various underground recordings, the production is pretty awesome. Great pic of Joey Ramone and Rick Nielsen holding a "Christi Girl" vinyl single in the liners, also.

Best Tracks:
"Its You Tonight" - A "new" track by the band's best songwriter, Gary Frenay, this album opener contains all the elements for great pop - nice vocals, clean guitar work, and a catchy chorus.
"Christi Girl" - The debut single, also found on "D.I.Y. - Come Out and Play" (Rhino records). Sounds like a Paul Stanley ballad without any sappy strings or other Kiss cheesiness.
"Wait Till Next Week" - Another early Cubes song that should have given the Knack a run for their money. Jittery singalong chorus.
"No Promise" - The best song the Raspberries never wrote. Great guitar work throughout.
"I Wanna Stay All Night" - Another gem from Gary Frenay, this is by-the-book power pop with another killer chorus. How did this band NOT get signed in the late 70's?

In 1977, the Flashcubes were a blast of power pop relief for Syracuse kids hungry to cut loose from the grip of disco and the fumes of California rock. For those of us who lived through all that, this CD brings back great memories. For anyone else, it's a window on an exciting time when live music mattered and bands honed their skills in small clubs packed with kids from town and local colleges. For about three years, the Flashcubes ruled upstate New York. The music here is still crisp and fresh, with great hooks and tight harmonies. "No Promise" is a song that could have been a huge hit, and there's not really a bad song here. "Got No Mind" is a high-speed live Ramones-type song that ends the disc, with a fade out as the band goes straight into a full throttle version of "Dizzy Miss Lizzy." This CD is well worth it. Now we need a live Flashcube CD from that era that includes those great covers including "Soldier of Love" and "Every Time You Walk In The Room."

What a great band...in a "just" world they would have been top forty regulars, multi-million sellers, and headlining arenas across the nation...but alas, it didn't happen. However, that does not take away from their musical talent, songwriting skills, and genuine rabid popularity by their fans. I am one of them, forever. I discovered them on the Rhino Power Pop compilation from the early 90's...they had one song on it..and yet, it HOOKED me in for life to the 'Cubes! I sought every piece of music and tidbits I could find on the band and their history. They are in my TOP 10 MUSIC ARTISTS of all-time for sure...and that is no small feat! They join my fave artist like the Stones, Beatles, Buddy Holly, Marshall Crenshaw, Oasis, Crowded House, and a few others...the Flashcubes are the real deal. If you are reading this...and you love great rock n roll...music that deserves to be heard by the masses, then get something by them NOW !! Here is a great place to start..."Bright Lights" is the unofficial first album...after this one, get "Brilliant", get the Frenay and Lenin solo stuff...shell out a couple extra bucks for the LIVE IN JAPAN one...and pray that they will continue to record music and play live for many years to come!God bless the Flashcubes !! Leather Beatle Boot

These guys were -- and thankfully still are -- a great band. This collection is a great representation of their history, but you can get their newer records also, all of which are dripping with their infectious hooks and harmonies. All great musicians as well, they really can pull it off live.

Most importantly, The Flashcubes were A BAND, in that they mixed together the different tastes and skills of the members in a combination that was their own.