Customer Reviews

New Clear Days

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It says rather a lot about the interest in this band that there are actually more "best of" compilation CD's available twenty year after their recording career began (three) than full-length studio recordings (two) released during the duration of that career. "New Clear Days", their debut, still rates above any compilation, and the bonus tracks included with this release make it a worthy addition to any collection. The first track, "Spring Collection" sets the pace (which could be described as heavily caffeinated) and introduces the mix of a very confident rhythym section and sardonic lyrics. "Turning Japanese" is of course the song everyone recognizes by now (ESPN's morning radio show even played it after Ichiro Suzuki's debut with the Seattle Mariners) and is indeed the class of this CD. "Cold War", "America", and "Trains" revert back to the first track in terms of style, and "Bunkers" uses a punk energy and reggae beat not dissimilar to some of the Clash's earlier work, released not long before this album. "News at 10" and "Somehow" set the table nicely for "60 Second Interval" and "Waiting For The Weekend", two obvious tracks calling for release as singles. "Letter From Hiro" was the closing song on this album's original format, and like "Turning Japanese" borrows from Japanese music (the bass guitar "solo" that begins this song's fadeout confirms how wonderfully recorded this instrument was throughout the entire CD; every nuance, from the percussive striking of the strings with a pick to the muted, sustained tones generated from the use of the sponges found on the bridge of Steve Smith's Rickenbacker 4003 is partial testimony to the care shown in the engineering of this recording...further evidence can be found in the "channelling" of individual instruments a la the 1960s to enable appreciation or each musician's performance...a good headphones experience, in other words). The "bonus tracks" included after "Letter From Hiro" include previously unreleased songs, a live track of an early crowd favorite ("Here Comes the Judge"), and a single version of "Waiting for the Weekend", which features additional lead guitar work and a more pronounced second rhythym guitar than the album version, making this track the best of the extra tracks (if not better than the album version familiar to Vapors fans who may already have this album in its previous CD format). All-in-all, this album is a pleasant and competent example of the amorphously-termed "New Wave" from the early 1980's that MTV helped to bring to the forefront of American popular music...just as it was dying out in Great Britain.

Why isn't this band here today? I'm trying not to be nostalgic, but the pure pop melodies, the seering guitars and mature, thoughtful lyrics add up to so much more, and deserve to be so much more than a forgotten album from 1980. There is so much good music on this album besides Turning Japanese that it is difficult to understand how this band, and David Fenton particularly, could have just faded away. This is a great album; a seminal new wave record.

The company releasing this CD and the Magnets CD I must give my utmost acknowledgement as they put everything by the Vapors on these two CD's. Before these were released I had three other Vapors CD's that filled in gaps but this CD and Magnets are now the only Vapors CD's you will need.

The New Clear Day cd features the British release that included two songs, Cold War and America not found on the US edition, but also this cd includes Prisoner that was on the US edition but not the British! Bonus tracks include the single remixes and B-sides such as the fantastic songs Here Comes the Judge (live) and Billy, and the single remix of Waiting for The Weekend is also fantastic and included here. Also included is Talk Talk and Wasted, and Sunstroke. I couldn't have done it better, simply a must have.

The Magnets CD is the same story. This also features the singles except it doesn't inlude the Spiders single, which to be honest is very similar to the original, only hardcore Vapor fans can hear slight differences. So my advice is to get these two Vapors CD's and your mission accomplished. Though if you are really a completist, David Fenton, the lead member who composed most of the songs, did release a single after the band brokeup in 1983, tracks are Fresh Air and Buried in Snow, but to be honest, not up to his normal par.

I've loved this album from the day I bought it in the summer of 1980! David Fenton had a knack for writing clever and quirky Pop/New Wave songs, and this album is loaded with them. Apart from their big hit "Turning Japanese" (a song I can STILL listen to over and over and not get tired of even 22 years later!), some of the standout tracks here are "Letter From Hiro" (my personal favorite), "Sixty Second Interval", and the great "Waiting For The Weekend", certainly a song myself and countless other people can relate to!

"New Clear Days" really set The Vapors apart from other New Wave bands of the late 70's and early 80's, but unfortunately, they never achieved more than a cult following, despite the success of "Turning Japanese". They released only one other album "Magnets" in 1981 before disbanding; who knows, maybe greater success would've found them had they stayed together. But even though their career was brief, they put together a classic album, and this is it!

Finally got around to purchasing "New Clear Days" on CD, having had multiple vinyl copies over the years. Think my college band(s) covered 3 songs off this, never "Turning Japanese" though. Unlike many of their contemporaries, the Vapors still sound fresh and contemporary 30 years on--I never really noticed how much the bassist cops his tone and riffs from the Jam, which isn't terribly surprising as Bruce (the Jam's bass player) help get them signed. Why they weren't more popular, I'll never know, there isn't a duff moment to be found anywhere on this disc and the follow-up album "Magnets", while darker in places, was first rate as well. If all you've heard of these guys is "Turning Japanese", do yourself a favor and check out the rest of the songs, like "Bunkers", "Trains" or the flat-out amazing "Letter From Hiro" and be sure to get the import version, as it has a few different songs from the U.S. edition, as well as live numbers, single edits/remixes.
P.S. It constantly throws me off that this is the English version of the album, rather than the U.S. version--different songs, slightly different order. All the U.S. tunes are included in the extras. "Magnets" seems to be the same as I remember the vinyl version, 'though.

I consider this recording (I have this version and the original LP) an essential one, definitely one I'd like to have if I had to choose just a few to take a long on a long boat journey.

Kudos to "Johnny Sideburns" (Alpharetta, GA, USA) for a great review, I don't have much to add, except I agree with Chuck Potocki (Highland, Indiana) That "Letter from Hiro" is my favorite and "60 second interval" my next favorite.

The Vapors released a great New Wave debut album in 1980 in New Clear Days. Everybody has, of course, heard Turning Japanese. It's the one song that forces The Vapors into "One-hit wonder" status, which is unfortunate.

After some variable success with several singles and the resignation of their manager, The Vapors were turned off by the "machine" and called it quits.

New Clear Days is a hidden classic of '80s new-wave. If you're a fan of that genre, do yourself a favor and pick this up. Turning Japanese is, of course, infectious. The other tunes to look out for here are "Sixty Second Interval", "Letter From Hiro", and "Bunkers".

There really aren't any throw-away songs. This album rocks from start to finish. My only regret is having taken so long to pick it up. Now I need to go find "Magnets", their second and last album.

I bought this in '80, I don't get tired of it.....simply put this is THE record from the late 70's - early '80's New Wave period....w/ the bonus trax the power and beauty of the original is greatly enhanced......sweep this up NOW!!! These bands are gone!!!! The kiddie bands today don't hold a candle to The Vapors' level of playing or songwriting....melodic, poppy, catchy, heavy and beautiful...Here Comes the Judge says what the Vapors were all about.....this cd/record is in my top 5 of all time for this period along w/ the remasters of Machine Gun Etiquette by the Damned, 999's 1st, Buzzcocks Singles Going Steady, Jam Box Set (ok, I'm cheating) and Undertones A's and B's.......good luck!!

If you've only heard Turning Japanese, you've been short-changed. Nearly every song on this album is just as catchy with the driving "punk" rock style of the era. The version with the bonus material is especially cool! This album always picks me up and puts me in a great high-energy mood!

The Vapors were essentially a one-hit power-pop or new wave (depends on how one defines the two labels) band. Their hit single, "Turning Japanese", is a vibrant power-pop song that is also not out of place playing in a discotheque. However, it does not accurately the Vapors' debut album "New Clear Days", which is a nice slab of hard-edged power-pop, which much of the pop-music-listening public is unaware of. I was pleasantly surprised when this reissue appeared in 2000 with nine additional tracks, most of which are well-worth listening to and greatly enhance the album. I didn't realize until the reissue appeared that the UK and US versions of "New Clear Days" had a different track order and content. The two tracks on the UK version and not the US one are "Cold War" and "America" and hold their own with the rest of the tracks on the US version. Another bonus track is the single version of "Waiting For The Weekend" (one of the Vapors' best songs), which is different enough from the album version to warrant its inclusion and I enjoy listening to both versions. Some of the bonus material were originally b-sides to singles released from the original album. The band are proficient instrumentalists; the melodic, trebly (characteristic of the Rickenbacker bass guitars used by the Vapors' bassist), and busy-but-not-overly-so basslines are especially noteworthy. I don't know if a sufficient number of well-recorded live tracks exist, but if they do, a live album will also be worthwhile.

As some of you are aware, at least 4 compilations of Vapors music have been released, which is intriguing considering that the Vapors released only two original albums ("Magnets is the 2nd). The compilations, one of which comprise the two original albums without their bonus material, are presumably shameless cash-ins to leverage interest in the "Turning Japanese" single. Those interested in acquiring all officially-released Vapors music can do so by purchasing this album and the reissued "Magnets" album. Personally, I regard "Magnets" as a mediocre follow-up to "New Clear Days" (but I give the Vapors credit for attempting new musical styles with "Magnets"). This expanded reissue of "New Clear Days" provides the best Vapors music and for most listeners will suffice. Two of the compilations include some of the bonus tracks on this reissue, which made them more interesting than the usual run-of-the-mill compilations. However, except for the Magnets material, the "New Clear Days" reissue includes all tracks from those compilations. I strongly recommend this excellent reissue to anyone who likes power-pop or vigorous rock with strong melody. [From a collector's viewpoint, I suspect this reissue will be discontinued in the near future and, if/when it does, I surmise this reissue will rise dramatically in market price, so get it while you still can!]