Customer Reviews

Reach the Beach

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Fixx is my favorite band. I have been a fan since the debut LP. I have followed their entire career. I don't say these things to validate my rating of Reach The Beach. A 5-star rating does get thrown around quite a bit on Amazon, but in this case, I am rating within the Fixx catalogue. The Fixx is a band that many people definitely don't get. For those of us who do get The Fixx, we understand what a unique and truly great band they are. Reach The Beach is the band's ace in the hole. Solid production, excellent well-thought lyrics, imaginative and creative songwriting, crisp and exciting execution, memorable singles - it's the complete package. Don't let the off-kilter album tracks fool you into thinking they're filler - listen closely to every track. Even the extremely-overplayed classic single "One Thing Leads To Another" deserves unlimited credit for it's intelligent lyrics and ingenuity, via a simple-yet-memorable melody with the strength to stand the test of time. Make no mistake, The Fixx are smarter than most bands out there (to this day). Reach The Beach is a prime example of their originality and superb musicianship. A must-own for anyone who loves a good challenge, and a classic CD in their collection.

This album changed my life. It was the first album I ever purchased that felt like one complete work of art from beginning to end, not just a couple of good songs and some filler. Even if "One Thing Leads To Another" is the only song you know from this band, you should still pick this up. Every song is brilliant. "The Sign Of Fire" is my favorite, but "Outside" still gives me chills 18 years later! An absolutely stunning album.

The remastering job on this sounds exceptional, but it's the bonus tracks that make this a worthwhile purchase. The slightly longer version of "Saved By Zero" was often the version that I heard on the radio in the 80's (remember listening to the radio?). "Deeper and Deeper" of course is here in the definitive long version, but it's the extended version of "One Thing Leads To Another" that is the real catch. Clocking in at a whopping 8 minutes, this extended version rides one of the 80's best grooves into sweet bliss. If you remember the original album at all, then this bonus version should push you over the edge and into this very worthy purchase. You know you want it!

In a time when music all sounded like a soundtrack to a film version of Orwells 1984, very few bands stood out. The so-called second British Explosion that occurred in the early 80's was a sham. Most of these bands made throwawy LPs that did little for anyone who looked for a decent bonafide reason to like this new wave. Duran Duran were exceptional musicians making mostly mildly remarkable music. Culture Club did little to shed the stigma of 'packaged muzak' (not a swipe at them, just a fact of the time), Gang Of Four already made their mark and left us, XTC were creating music that in another time would have been Beatles frenzy material and the band that would dominate the next 20 years were still struggling with their christian beliefs on October and had only begun to record their masterpiece of War. In this huddled mass of Import bands, one band stood out. A band that musicians could sink their teeth into and lovers of great music could get excited about too.

"Reach The Beach" is an unheralded masterpiece that STILL has not been given its due respect. The funny thing is, this band just got better after this release (see "Phantoms"). BUt on to the cd at hand....

Sure this cd has the only two high charting singles of their career (at least here in the states), but this album is from beginning to end....incredible. From West-Orams beautiful guitar work to Cy's cold, yet still very emotional vocal delivery...this cd still holds up after almost 20 years. It has everything you could want in an album....good stories, emotional rescues, uplifting climaxes, magical instrumental breaks, dynamic song delivery, heartfelt vocals, technically brilliant guitar work and near King Crimson level musicianship all around.

Every single song is a standout here, not one minute of dead music space.
I dare anyone to listen to this cd and not fall in love with it!!

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In 1995 A friend of mine shoved an old cassette tape into my hand and said 'just put this on will you'.
It was one of those moments that, as you get older become more and more rare.
That moment when you hear something for the first time and it seems to fill a gap in your quest for something new or different, sonically.
I was in fact listening to Reach the Beach, and track after track played with no thought to hit the FF button once. I was hooked.
I was struck by the intelligent, brittle strat playing of guitarist Jamie West-Oram, the wonderful sweetness of that compressed and agile sound is in my mind totally underated. I have since seen him play session for various other well-knowns, but he carries a distinct sound that belongs to him, and him only (how many other non-lead guitarists of today can boast that?).
There is a sense that the keyboard player doesn't do much, with most of the sounds used for simple effect or as an underlying wash. But this is thoughtful playing with some interesting techniques employed to change the sounds in realtime.
Most of the upfront sound is carried by guitar, drum, and bass. The bass player, again an underated musician. locked dead tight to the drums but he plays with real confidence and fluidity.
Cy's vocals can at times be harsh to the ears but there is a real sense of conversation in the lyrics, almost as if he needs to sing because the music is there in the background.
Now it may be that if you visit this bands music you'll just hear the slightly dusty production of an eighties band. But if you wind this up or listen to it through headphones, I promise you that you'll find some hypnotic gems that for some reason the UK audience just didn't take to.
Maybe this was the record companies fault, maybe they just didn't know where The Fixx fitted to be able to market them properly, but when they toured the States it was a different story altogether.
They became much bigger there then in the UK.
If you want something that is vibrant, has width and depth, feels slightly unsafe, but is totally radio friendly try it out, and if you can get hold of it, 'Reach the Beach' captures The Fixx at their most agile, spirited and 'tuned in' as a band.

There are classic 80's albums that do not age at all...like "London Calling" or "Purple Rain". They would have been great in any era.
Then you have albums like "Reach The Beach", which is an example of the best " 80's music" . It has all the hallmarks of that era's sound...the nervy, plucky guitars; the dry drum sound, the bouncy synth chords or that keyboard "wash" of sound acting as background wall paper.
I probably haven't listened to this album all the way through in over fifteen years, yet I found myself immediately recalling every lyric, guitar lick or synth punctuation. With ease.
I remember loving the record upon it's release; it has some killer singles on it. Namely "One Thing Leads to Another" and "Saved By Zero" but the album cuts are fairly strong as well. I love it still, and appreciate it more.
An excellent choice for remastering, which has been immaculately done.

Don't let anyone tell you touring incessantly doesn't help album sales. The Fixx are scheduled to play here in Salt Lake City soon, and seeing their name on the billboard got me to pull out my old copy of this album. Holy Cow, this is a great album! Very few albums in my collection do I like EVERY song on, and this is one of them. From the first "One Thing Leads To Another" to the last "Outside", the Fixx just personify the best tones and hooks of the Eighties (although I'd like this album anytime). Oh, by the way, guys in Fixx; I went out immediately after hearing this album on my old cassette copy and bought a brand-new copy of this album on CD! Keep touring and rocking!!

I am not sure why the Fixx was always so despised by critics. They made smart, energetic, moving music and I think they are one of the best 80's bands. This release is thier best. Dark and moody, the tunes stay with you a long time. I still love to listen to this cd.

I've been listening to this group for 18 years, every album (cd) they have produced is top-notch! including Reach The Beach. There is not a song on this cd that doesn't still send a chill up my spine or get me excited even after 18 years. "Outside" features Cy Curnin's lyrics that pry open your soul, and Jamie West-Oram's unique style in a guitar solo that reaches "Inside" and stirs every emotion. All of the songs on this cd can be interpreted in more ways than one. Critics will be critics and don't know there ear from their elbow when it comes to music. This cd and every cd they have made before and since are worth every penny! Don't forget to see them in concert, if you like the music on the cd's their live performance is 10 times better.

The Fixx were easily my favourite "80s" band and still are. Reach The Beach, their second album, is one of their best ones. A poor man's Duran Duran? Gimme a break! The Fixx is a band for the "intelligent" man, rich or poor. Their lyrics reflected this, along with the music itself, which always had an interesting atmospheric quality to it, with Jamie West-Oram's unique guitar sound playing a big part in the picture. Jamie is a very underrated, underappreciated guitarist, unfortunately. I may as well say the same for the whole band. Reach The Beach is a masterpiece, but I just can't figure out why MCA deleted their third album, PHANTOMS, which was every bit as good as Reach the Beach,(maybe better?).