Customer Reviews

Mosaic

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Let me indulge readers in an alternative perspective of Wang Chung. The other reviews here seem to rubberband between worshipfulness and thrashing. How about a more reasonable, more objective view? I remember seeing the video for "Dance Hall Days" from their 1984 album "Points On The Curve" as my first exposure to Wang Chung. I was unaware at the time that they already had a previous album.

In 1985, I was aware of "To Live And Die In L.A." and saw the video for the title track (and later the film by William Friedkin--The Exorcist, The French Connection).

In October 1986, "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" was inescapable, and to a 13 year old kid like myself the video was unique and the song was infectious. "Let's Go" was the second single/video, and I was sold. I saw Jack and Nick at an in store signing at Sound Warehouse in Aurora, Colorado in March 1987. The third single, "Hypnotize Me" was also good, and was used in the film "Innerspace" with Dennis Quaid and Martin Short.

All eight songs on Mosaic are well produced and arranged. If you didn't like the New Wave sound of the 1980s, then you probably won't like "Mosaic". I thoroughly enjoy the punk/New Wave sound, so 20 years later, I still enjoy "Mosaic". "A Fool And His Money" I think of as being the weakest track. Otherwise, "The Flat Horizon, "The World In Which We Live", "Betrayal" and "The Eyes Of The Girl" are all solid numbers. Unfortunately, "Mosaic" would prove to be the pinnacle of Wang Chung's career.

In 1989, I was quick to buy their next album "The Warmer Side Of Cool", which may surpass "Mosaic" artistically. However, by 1989, many popular artists of the 1980s were being snubbed by radio and MTV/VH1, and so Wang Chung disappeared from view.

I have "Strictly, Inc." with Jack Hues and Tony Banks (of Genesis) from 1995 which received no recognition. Then their Greatest Hits was released in 1997 with a new track "Space Junk" which I felt showed great promise, but there was to be no new album.

In June 2005, after I thought they'd vanished into the annals of pop music history, Jack and Nick showed the world once more that they are trained experts at their craft when they performed on the television show "Hit Me Baby One More Time" covering Nelly's "Hot In Herre" with the precision of a surgeon. There was talk of a new Wang Chung album (which I'd snap up in a minute), but alas, a year has come and gone and no new album.

And so those of us who appreciate Jack and Nick's vision have to deal with derision from anti-80's music snobs who are in no position to judge music they weren't old enough to experience the first time around or who were old enough, but preferred hair bands or the fledgling, underproduced rap music of the day.

I give "Mosaic" four stars because I never felt Wang Chung were allowed to reach their true potential, but what they did leave behind is pure melodic New Wave/romanticism that no one seems capable of duplicating 20 years later. It was another time and another place 20 years ago, and while there is a new Neo-New Wave music crowd burgeoning, I haven't heard anything remotely similar to what Wang Chung were able to devise.

It's more than likely that the single Everybody have fun tonight..." is the one most people will be familiar with but this album was one of the classic 80's albums (and there were such a lot...).

I managed to get this on CD last year after having it on vinyl for ages and then losing it. Wang Chung never got the recognition in the UK that they had in the US, I remember a reviewer of "Points On The Curve" writing them off as too American, and that was with the class "Dance Hall Days" on there as well.

The uptempo songs such as "Everybody...", "Hypnotise Me" (English spelling) and "Let's Go" are all worth the money, but my favourite song on here is "Betrayal". This ballad is a moving song about a guy who married his child-hood sweet-heart and has realised that she's betrayed him with someone-else while he's been out working all hours trying to get enough money to live. A familiar story to many people I think...

Wang Chung always sounded to me like they were having a good time and just wanted others to share in their fun. Go on, you know you want to...

Sure, Michael Jackson, Culture Club and Wham sold more! But what song is more of an indictment of the decade than "Everybody Have Fun Tonight"?

Wang Chung, anyone?

I like World music, I like classical music, I like alternative pop and prog-rock but I have a guilty indulgence in 80's pop. I always have. From the innovative new wave (Tears For Fears) to the simple girly pop (early Janet Jackson), man craves something to listen to and sing along to. My obsesion with 80's pop has waned somewhat since my enthusiasm 2 years ago so I picked up the Wang Chung record at the op shop for 20c to satisfy my interest. Here's what I think:

1) Everybody Have Fun Tonight- A pop masterpiece. Goes down well as a retro favourite at parties. listen and try hard not to have fun.

2) Hypnotise Me- Not bad. A well constructed, pounding synth 80's pop tune.

3) The flat horizon- One of the highlights of the album. Good instrumentation. Great tune.

4) Betrayal- WC moving into ballad territory but it actually works! The lyrics (often a shortcoming of 80's pop) are intriguing.

5) Let's Go- A good choice for single #2. Let's go baby, let's go baby come on! Leave the worries of life behind you and dance to this pop-rock gem! Retro gold!

6) Eyes of the girl- Ho-hum filler

7) A fool and his money- Ok but nothing special

8) The world in which we live- A social commentary! Yes from Wang Chung. Makes a profound statement about the immorality of man and how individuals can make a difference. I didn't count on WC dropping the f-word and s-word together!! "the world in which we live is run by people who ... everybody". An unpleasant surprise coming from the seemingly inncuous WC! But still a highlight of the album. Song comes off inventive and 3 dimensional.

I bought this in cassette form when it came out in '86-'87. I played it so much that when I wanted to play it a year ago it would not play anymore. So, I bought the cd and it still sounds great. You can only beat the price if you buy it used!

i used to have this on record. i was thrilled to finally find it on cd. this whole album is great.

I'd be willing to bet that a lot of 'professional' reviewers don't care much for 80's music in general. Interesting how 'Americanized' this English duo was... NOT. Grunge 'alternative' listeners will probably not apply here.

Anyway, for those of you who liked 80's pop, and aren't looking for something deep, I find Chung's Mosaic to be a really great album. Most people know "Everybody have fun tonight", but some of the other highlights are: "Hypnotize me", and "Let's go" - both fun songs to jam to. Awesome bass lines, cool synth sounds and big horns kick in at the right times.

This was clearly designed as a party album, although there are a few slower tracks on it. Worth a listen - or a buy, good stuff!

If your to buy one Wang Chung album make this your choice. Every song on this album are great to listen to from begining to end. This album contains alot of great instrumentation, and it's especially shown on the song "The Flat Horizon" which in my opinion is the greatest song off the cd. But all in all every song is great to listen to.

It's almost impossible to avoid the fact this album starts with a bang with it's best know song that also doubles as Wang Chung's signiture hit "Everybody Have Fun Tonight",a song that if I hadn't owned the 45 since I was six years old and had it's music and lyrics memorized to a tee I would'nt have bothered buying this. Now myself being an album lover as opposed to being into individual hit singles it always interests me to see how a pop ALBUM as opposed to a pop SINGLE can work. And trust me a pop album can work,anytime and in any decade if done well. Now this album is absolutely nothing like any of the other Wang Chung albums before it. Produced by J.Geils Band singer Peter Wolf this, as with all their music the sense of songcraft is high and the basic framework is intact but the production is absolutely polished to a near perfect sheen and therefore the soul/pop elements of their sound are puffed up to a huge degree. In fact the majority of this album doesn't exactly follow the excitable,uptempo pop/funk/rock sound of the lead off song and focuses more on moodier pieces all taken at more of a medium tempo such as "Hypnotize Me","The Flat Horizon","Betrayal" and "Let's Go". Every area of the sound on these songs is spoken for,either with instrumentation or vocal fills so the empty spaces are not quite prominant as it would be in most new wave style pop. And perhaps it was just as well. By the mid 80's the new wave sound was on the wane as most of the bands developed either a soul-funk and/or an adult contemporary oriented sound by the end of the decade as the sounds that would later become known as alternative rock began to outshadow them commercially. This elegancy and more obviously dance/R&B oriented music also showcases more singers and musicians than usual such as Michael McDonald's presense on the more edgy funk of "A Fool With No Money". Some of the songs do catch a little more fire such as the somewhat Motown/Chicago inflected rhythm of "Eyes Of The Girl" and the vibrant,polyrhythmic "head" style funk groove of the more topical "The World In Which We Live". It may be a bit more streamlined and glossy than earlier Wang Chung albums but that doesn't make it any less important;just different and maybe a bit more obviously radio friendly. Lucky it does so in a way that's very appealing to listen to.

Only 8 tracks worth of music!! Every one knows the big hit "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" one of the bigest party tunes of 86. Other greats from this disc are "Hypnotize Me" and "Let's Go." This album is not the best of 86 or of the 80s in genral, but you have to take it at face value. If your looking for political rock or some deep album, forget this album!! You want mindles, fun, fluffy, pop music, then this is for you! Wang Chung it baby!!!