Customer Reviews

Play Deep

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Brits had their shot at 80's rock in the form of The Outfield, consisting of guitarist John Spinks, lead vocalist and bassist Tony Lewis, and drummer Alan Jackman. And with producer Rick Chertoff at the helm, he worked similar magic that he did on Cyndi Lauper's landmark She's So Unusual and The Hooters' Nervous Night.

The first single, "Say It Isn't So", demonstrates the sound, John Spinks's guitar, which at times sounds like the Edge's, harmony vocals by Lewis and Spinks, and a catchy rhythm guitar that occasionally reminds me of the Police. It's a wonder why this song didn't make it on the charts. The hooks are worthwhile and that feeling of being dazed by some kind of girl works: "I'm staring into a space that was filled by your face" and "I'm walking in the midnight sun once again"

Then comes "Your Love", a well-deserved Top Ten hit, which contains that memorable first line: "Josie's on a vacation far away..." Keeping an illicit affair going makes for the synonymous use of "lose" and "use", as in "I don't wanna lose your love tonight." The video for this song incorporated the painting of the album cover art.

"I Don't Need Her" starts with that churning Edge-like guitar before telling of conflicting love. "I'm so glad I don't need her" he says, but then, it comes down to "But in the end I just can't leave her/Can't leave her tonight."

The last single, "Everytime You Cry", is a swaying hold-those-lighter ballads, and one of my favourites on this album. A bittersweet ballad: "When you say goodbye, I die just a little bit-cry just a little bit more."

"61 Seconds" seems to be on one hand the numbing sensation of being the clockwork 9 to 5 man and how the scheduled and timely office world is defined by numbers, in this case the hands on a clock. "There's a clock on the wall/a mirror reflecting it all/just an imageless photograph/There's a space in a frame/Can you imagine a man with no name" 61 seconds is "all it takes for the nine-to-five man to be more than one minute late"

The catchy "Mystery Man" could've been another single, especially with that "In the middle of it all-<insert rest of lyrics here>" and repeat. This is an action spy song describing a secret agent on missions in various places and the protagonist is his contact.

However, "All The Love" became the third single, making the Top Twenty, and it's one of those "I should've..." songs of a dying relationship. The full title was "All The Love In The World" and when those words on the first night become the same words on that last day, they sound hollow.

The chorus rhythm of "Talk To Me" has shades of "All I Have To Do Is Dream" by the Everlys "Taking My Chances" is a slower number that veers towards filler. "Nervous Alibi" is a languid "Where were you out last night?" interrogations to a girl. He tells her "Don't you know I hate those clothes you wear/For I've seen men undress you/And with their eyes caress you/Another nervous alibi."

Yet another memorable group contributing to that unmistakable 80's sound on a debut album that succeeds despite the few filler tracks.

the first 8 songs on this CD are great and the last 2 are fairly good which is really amazing in my opinion. i already had their greatest hits and i think this is the better of the two.

Thoroughly enjoyable album, a few weak tracks but otherwise this sounds like an album The Police might have made and been quite proud of. But I'm knocking off one star (was tempted to knock off two stars) because the sound quality should be much better. I had this on vinyl years ago, and that was so much better sounding than this. The CD here almost sounds like it was recorded from an LP to cassette, and transferred from that cassette to CD. Someone needs to go back to the original tapes and create a remastered CD worthy of this music.

Let's put it this way, if you're tired of today's music (admit it, you are!), and you're aching for something from the past that you may have missed - this is the disc for you! It's the best COMPLETE album of the 80's. We all know "Your Love" (or you should anyway - "Josies on a vacation far away, come around and talk it over..."), but there are songs on this disc like "61 Seconds" and "Say It Isn't So" that are just phenomenal. I put this CD in my top three of all time (U2's "Joshua Tree" & Tom Petty's "Damn the Torpedos" are my other two). I don't know what else to say other than this band is one of the most underrated bands of the 80's and sadly, overlooked in the 90's. They are a very good, uplifting, rock band that needs to be given a new record deal so their new music can reach the masses.

As a fourteen year-old in 1986 when this album was released, I asked my uncle to buy me this cassette for the song "All the Love". It ended up being a huge bargain for my uncle, because he bought the tape for only one song, and I ended up loving all ten! I listened to the tape so much that I'm surprised it still plays. All the same, I bought it on CD and retired the cassette. I hate to use the same old cliches, but the music found here really is catchy and infectious, and once you hear it, it hooks you. After the last track, the mesmerising "Nervous Alibi", you reach for the "Play" button to start the whole CD over again. The '80s anthem "Your Love" was by far the biggest song from the CD, but to think that the entire CD is made or broken by this song is a mistake. But my rantings can only say so much. Do yourself a big favor and get this disc. Once you do, you'll want to hear the rest of them!

There will never be another "Play Deep"! If you are looking for positive, energitic, and fun rock -n-roll with loads of kickin' guitar playing from the most under-rated player in the last 15 years - John Spinks, and punchy vocal harmonies from one of the best rock vocalists alive today - Tony Lewis (comparable to Sting, Jon Anderson & Brad Delp), then look no further! This band incorporated everything they had been influenced by in the 70's and early 80's into "Play Deep". All of the best influences from "The Beatles", "The Cars", "The Police", and "early U2" can be heard shining though on this masterpiece! On top of all that, they managed to develop their own signature style that is unmistakeable even to this day. They are a unique band in a world of "sound-a-like" drones! This album produced 5 top 40 hits and is currently nearing triple platimum status! No reason any self respecting Rock fan should not own this CD!!! If you like it then you'll love the follow up CD to this called "Bangin'"! Which is also available hear at Amazon!

A great debut album from British trio featuring the top 10 hit "Your Love". When I first heard "Your Love" I was cruising through the city of Ottawa at Midnight, windows down, radio cranked and out of the speakers came this amazing song. I was blown away by it and the next day when I got to work at the Radio Station, low and behold the 45 came in that week. I played it over and over and had to get the full length. It took a lot of looking but I finally found "Play Deep", and it was indeed deep with great songs. I have bought everything they have put out since, but unfortunetely they have never reached this level again, close but not quite. "Play Deep" is one of my Island Cd's, I could listen to it over and over again. Give it a try if you like great rock with great hooks and lyrics about girls and love, not politics, war, murder etc.

The Outfield burst on the music scene in the mid 1980s with this high-energy album. Led by guitarist John Spinks and vocalist/bassist Tony Lewis, the Outfield quickly established themselves as one of the best bands of the 80's. John Spinks' guitar playing is phenominal, and Tony Lewis' incredible vocal range is displayed on all of the tracks of this album. The signature songs on this disc are "Say it Isn't so", which shows off Spinks' excellent guitar work, "Your Love", and "All the Love". The ballad "Every Time You Cry" is especially good, as is "I Don't Need Her". Each song combines the great guitar work of Spinks and the unparalleled vocals of Lewis. Listeners will be sure to enjoy the great mixture of insturmentals and vocals that this disc provides. Pick this CD up and enjoy a trip back to the 80's.

I'm sure when most people think of the Outfield, they think of some hit songs that received airplay in the mid-80's including "Your Love" and "Everytime You Cry". However, the rest of this recording should not be underestimated. There really isn't one weak song here and "I Don't Need Her" which received very little airplay may be the best song on the entire CD. If you are considering purchasing one of their Greatest Hits compilations, you may want to listen to some of the sample songs on this CD before doing so - its that good.

This was a solid hit wonder from the this band of this time in the 80's. Tony Lewis and company were great! This was a album that could be jammed to 10! This is a very good album! "Everytime you cry", and "All the love", are great cruising tunes and partying tunes! Totally Kool!