Customer Reviews

ENGLISH GARDEN

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

 

 

That English Garden contains the MTV anthem "Video Killed the Radio Star" is most certainly the reason why this obscure gem has found its way onto CD. And yes, Thomas Dolby plays keys here and he does it quite well, but he was just another band member back then and MTV didn't yet exist.

Mr. Woolley is the real star on this one. His vocal style runs from strong belting to sweet falsetto and takes the already driving power pop/new wave tunes over the top. Tracks Flying Man and You Got Class are energetic and outstanding. In fact, class is what sets Bruce Woolley apart from similar acts of the time. When Woolley sings "Learning how to control myself, do the waltz and not rock and roll", you realize that, like Roxy Music, The Camera Club's vision of the future is well-steeped in the past (as implied by the original (American?) album cover). As a result, the album resonates with a melancholic longing that surfaces even amidst the uptempo numbers, but is especially evident in tracks such as "Dancing with the Sporting Boys" and "Get Away William".

Too bad the CD version chops the initial vocoded "I heard you on the wireless back in '52..." from the beginning of
"VKTRS". This, and the CD's substitution of a disco version of the once rocking "Goodbye to Yesterday" make the vinyl worth holding onto (The vinyl gets all 5 stars). If you were ever into The Cars or The Buggles, this CD may do it for you.

This nifty little record slipped under the radar in 1979. It is composed of tightly wound, keyboard driven new wave and an edgy sounding vocalist, just the kind of thing that everyone expected of the period's next charge of the British invasion. What set "Bruce Woolley and The Camera Club" (the US version of this album) apart was the pedigree. Woolley was a founder of the Buggles and a co-writer of two of their best known songs. The band also included a little known but inventive keyboardist named Tom Dolby.

Most of the songs here are pretty good, and Woolley takes those two signature songs and works them out in a way that suggest why he split from Horn and Downes...he rocks them instead of machinates them. With the exception of "You Are The Circus," the songs are a cut above most of drivel that was being released as "new wave" about as fast as companies could sign them. Unfortunately, Woolley didn't catch on, the band broke up, Dolby discovered science, and this record fell into the ranks of cult classics.

Bruce Woolley really out does himself on this one. Every tune on this lively CD is a favorite. From the legendary "Video Killed the Radio Star" to the quiet "Get Away William" this CD will keep you totally entertained evertime you play it. I have been a Bruce Woolley fan for over 20 years and I still love his timeless style.

This is a really great New Wave album, and Woolley deserves a lot more fame than he has. I was lucky enough to win a copy of the record in college, and -- though I'd never heard of Woolley or his music before -- the album quickly became one of my favorites. Unfortunately, the CD version differs on two of my favorite tracks (thus, only 4 stars rather than 5).

"Video Killed the Radio Star" is missing the spoken "intro" and the drum riff that leads into the song. Oddly, this robs the song of a significant amount of its charm and power, especially in the context of the album. Don't get me wrong, this is still a great cut, and way better than the better-known Buggles version. But it's even better when complete. The drum riff is really cool.

"Goodbye to Yesterday" is a completely different track from the one on the vinyl. It's a disco-laced version and nowhere near as good as the eerie ballad, which highlighted Woolley's soaring vocals. The original track was also a better segue into the "Goodbye to Yesterday, Reprise" which follows -- as the Reprise was a rocking, beat-driven contrast to the lilting original. On the CD, the Reprise and the disco cut -- both with driving drums -- are too similar. This makes that portion of the album less interesting.

I'm not sure why this happened, but it may have something to do with US vs. UK pressings. If so, I have to say I prefer the US version -- it's a more coherent and complete album.

Hopefully, when this album comes back into print, it will include the better versions of the songs (if only as bonus cuts). And, make no mistake, this album deserves to be in print. Unaltered, it's one of the best New Wave albums ever. And even in this version, it's pretty darn good.

Tight, energetic new wave pop, with echoes of the Cars and Roxy Music; every track is great, with several classics (Video Killed, Flying Man, English Garden). I've listened to this album I don't know how many times since a friend first taped me a copy back in 1979. (He won his copy from a radio station; I don't know if either or us would have ever heard it if he hadn't.) When I first heard the Buggles' version of Video Killed (after I heard Wooley's version) it sounded strange and wrong to me.

Pick up this album featuring the pre-Buggles 'Video Killed the Radio Star.' For those in the US who have heard the long out-of-print vinyl version, this album's version of 'Goodbye to Yesterday' is not the same, and some of the tracks sound like they were sourced from different tapes than others. Overall, though, the sound quality is quite good, and beats my old cassette of the vinyl by miles. Oh yes, and this album features a then little-known keyboardist by the name of Tom Dolby.

First off, anyone asking $200 for a CD is GREEDY. Anyone who pays that price is just FEEDING the greed machine. That said, I originally bought the LP after reading a lengthy and very positive review in Stereo Review Magazine, 'way back when. I was not dissappointed with my purchase, and still enjoy the LP, and the Open-reel copy I made of it. The Canada/US release("...Camera Club")is definitely better than the British ("English Garden") one, but this is niggling. At the time, I found it to be groundbreaking, something unlike anything I'd heard before, and waited in vain for the next release. I'm still waiting...One of these days I'll find a high-quality (CD-quality, not MP3) way to burn myself a CD of this way-under-rated classic.

I'm guess I'm way too late for the train in purchasing this awesome LP. This was one of my favourite LP's growing up.I see there is a new one for sale for $200.00. Who pays that much for piece of plastic? I might pay $20 bucks for the original LP if I run across it again but...jeez!

I always recall this album from its title, which is "English Garden"