Customer Reviews

Golden Section Plus

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

On his third solo CD from 1983, ex-Ultravox man John Foxx pretty much discarded the experimental synth sounds that isolated lovers of melodic new wave, and went for a full force synthdance album, featuring thumping drum machines, swirling synth sequences, muted, melodic new wave guitar licks, and of course, bored, monotone vocals. Remember the perfection that was Peter Godwin's "Images of Heaven?" Well, this CD has images of that. It's like Depeche Mode, Ultravox, Book of Love, Erasure, OMD, and every other group that comes to mind in that bunch all rolled into one. This is my favorite Foxx CD. After hearing it, I was immediately compelled to hunt down all the 12" dance mix singles that were spawned from it. Foxx's 1985 "In Mysterious Ways" album is a pretty good follow-up, although not quite as strong as this one.

I first bought this album when it came out back in 1983 and it's been in my system ever since. Perhaps John wears his influences on his sleeve on this record more than on any other, but at least the end result is an excellent variety of well-written, well-produced, effective and affecting pop songs.

I'll pick out three tracks for special mention: "Someone" could easily have been a hit in the US, with its themes of love, friendship and religion. "Ghosts on Water" is probably the album's stand-out track, beautiful in its chilly mystery. And the atmosphere created by its wonderful production makes "Twilight's Last Gleaming" a great song for lovers.

John always included lots of new material with his singles, and those tracks are tacked on the end here. Some of them, e.g. A Kind of Wave" and "A Woman on a Stairway" are so good that they should've been included on the album in the first place.

This is by far the outstanding Foxx CD. Two of his best and under-appreciated tracks are found here - Your Dress and Endlessly. It is a shame the 12 inch version of the latter is absent. However, the bonus tracks are a delight. The Lifting Sky is outstanding and while a little light, A Kind of Wave is a delight.

To be honest, I bought this CD more to round out my John FOXX collection than because I particularly liked it. Boy, am I an idiot! Since I got this a few weeks ago I have been playing it constantly. The songs on this album are easily up there with the artist's best work, ULTRAVOX included, and the production is simply superb. My Wild Love is a roaring dance/rock anthem that is possibly FOXX's best song. Other highpoints include Walking Across Thin Ice With Tigers, The Hidden Man and the much underrated single Endlessly. Strangely, the bonus tracks are almost the same as those on The Garden CD but they work better in this company. Yes, there are a few derivative moments [Sitting at the Edge of the World is way too Strawberry Fields] but if you can put that aside there is much to be really excited about on this exceptional album.

I've always enjoyed listening to the LP version of The Golden Section, so I just had to buy this CD version. John Foxx's songs are even better to listen to like this! John Foxx deserves much more attention then he gets/got. How anyone could not get caught up in such wonderful songs, such as "Endlessly", "Your Dress" or "My Wild Love" is beyond me. The Golden Section should be a must have for anyone who appreciates well crafted, intelligent music.

I was almost 20 when I've been listening for the first time to this album in 1983. I was already "Ultravox addicted" at that time, and John Foxx was representing a sort of mith for the fans. This is a gorgeous album, combining electronic soounds with melody, dance music with experimentalims. This music is part of the history of neo pop and dance, supported by an authentic capability to play with invention.

A most welcome CD reissue of this electro classic from the height of the new romantic era. A solid dance beat permeates the entire album and the feel is definitely European. Excellent remastering and a few rare bonus tracks too. The only complaint I have, as always, is the omission of 12" mixes such as 'Endlessly' and 'Like A Miracle'. Something to look forward to in the future?

Update Oct 24, 2001 :
After repeated listening, I realize there are quite a few fillers on the album, although the standout tracks are very good. Hence I took away one star. It's still better than 'In Mysterious Ways' though, in my opinion.

Simply and honestly the only "New Romantic" album ever made.

The Golden Section is one of the greatest and most unsung song collections (it seems a little silly to call this a mere "album" - like all John Foxx albums, it is more of a musical manifesto than just another "album") of the entire 1980s. This record contains a variety of musical approaches which are significantly different from Metamatic and The Garden, although there is a very conscious feel of musical development through all three albums.

The English lyrics of The Golden Section are amongst the most beautiful and poetic I have ever had the privilege of hearing set to music. As far as I am concerned, John Foxx put every other modern songwriter into the shade with this record. Over the last twenty five years, John Foxx has quietly and consistently produced a very impressive and beautiful collection of songs and lyrics. He is a poet who lives in the modern world and yet sees hope and beauty in that modern world.

There are songs on this recording which defy description. "My Wild Love" is a song about a love - real or imagined - which is almost holy for the subject. "Your Dress" is a song of devotion to a lover and the ideal of love. "Like A Miracle", perhaps the most beautiful song on the entire album, is a song which conjures up many things in my mind and I cannot really explain these things - hence the need for songs like this one! "Like A Miracle" has haunted me ever since this album was released. It represents some sort of musical ideal for me.

I won't go on. All the songs speak for themselves.

I humbly invite you to consider buying this sublime and beautiful album.

This is a nice work. In my opinion is better than the previous album, it is smoother and mature. I prefer it to the following "Mysterious ways".