Customer Reviews

Turn Back the Clock

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When we look back at the music of the 80s, it's easy to snub our noses at them and say, what mindless pap! Well, if you do, you're missing the point. For instance, Johnny Hates Jazz offers nothing spectacular and certainly they won't be included in the hall of fame. What they did offer us on this CD is melodic tunes, songs that one can hum along with. Their arrangements were imaginative for that period, and their songs stay in your head. Today's music is so non-musical (on the large part) that one forgets what true melodies are like. "Shattered Dreams" is pop gold. What a neat little hook and an energetic, lovely arrangement. All of the songs are enjoyable to listen to and a refreshing change of pace from today's boy bands who made every song sound like they were in the middle of orgasm. These guys knew how to do it right and further evidence how we managed to overlook a lot of these guys from the 80s.
RECOMMENDED.

This album is like the novel TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (or Salinger's THE CATCHER IN THE RYE) in that one product is sufficient to convert and leave you wanting more. TURN BACK THE CLOCK is frequently outstanding, always charming, and bears testiment to the consistent and coherent songwriting sensibility of lead singer Clark Datchler.

Erasure deservedly won the BRIT AWARD for best group of 1998. If not them, it should surely have been a tight finish amongst Johnny Hates Jazz, Fairground Attraction and Fine Young Cannibals. Each collaboration possessed an individual and infectious pop quality all their own and each group produced a strong, accessible and popular LP that year. Unlike Erasure, the latter three were not prolific.

Unbelievable, singer Clark Datchler wrote all the hits! The smart lyrics are warm, gentle and sincere. The title track "Turn Back the Clock" declares a touching duality about the emotional satisfaction of visiting the past. The experience is a memory of better times and a reflex comparison to the present; we are moved by all the differences between now and then, yet our recollections though full of longing enables appreciation and then a moment of happiness because of it in the present. What is so appealing is Clark's confident, likeable and understated vocal which hints of American and British accents. He manages his versatile range and articulation to each song's benefit. "Shattered Dreams" remains a radio favourite and JHJ's biggest hit.

Many interesting people became involved in JHJ. Listen carefully for Kim Wilde in "I don't Want to be a Hero". Anne Dudley, formerly of Art of Noise and recent Oscar winner for THE FULL MONTY, arranges strings. Other notable helpers included Julian Mendelsohn and Bob Kraushaar mixers for Pet Shop Boys and The Communards.

Johnny Hates Jazz put out one more original album and some singles but without Clark. Expectedly, Clark Datchler followed up with 2 solo projects called "Raindance" and "Fishing for Souls". These, however, are more smooth adult contemporary outings. You'd think so with Humberto Gatica, currently working with Celine Dion, behind the production. Calvin Hayes and Mike Nocito made up the rest of JHJ. I think one of them appears in the credits of a Spice Girls' album. Phil Thornalley sang for the second JHJ album. He wrote the haunting JHJ track "Me and My Foolish Heart" which Clark used in wooing a record deal at the start. Thornalley is back in the limelight having teamed up with lovely Natalie Imbruglia for "Torn".

Although, we wait for something new from Clark, in the end, this one album is excellent value and unrepeatable.

It just great this cd is still available for buying. I agree with the other reviewer about the MELODIES in this album. If you think about it, it is quite difficult to make a good melody, a kind of melody you can hum and that won't get out of your head. Nevertheless, this is not a simple album. The songs are very well polished and the production is great. What kind of music is this? I would say kind of new romantic with jazzy and easy listening with a pop flavor. Better then, it is refined pop. If you like Pet Shop Boys, ABC, Brian Ferry and in general good VERY MELODIC compositions with great style and a great voice, with no doubt buy this album. This is not a dancey album but it isn't also a boring album, it is an album for hearing and enjoying. You won't be dissapointed at all.

Turn Back the Clock by Johnny Hates Jazz contains the right combination and elements of jazzy-pop and blue-eyed soul/r&b influences.Johnny Hates Jazz was the last of the termed or coined "New Romantic" bands to emerge from the eighties (ABC, Matt Bianco,Roxy Music,even the female fronted band Romeo Void).Though, Roxy Music and ABC were doing this type of music years before, Johnny Hates Jazz was able to pick up where they left off ! The best tracks are Shattered Dreams (faintly reminiscent of Sade), Don't Let It End This Way (reggae-like rhythm), I Don't Want To Be a Hero(great dance tune), Turn Back the Clock (mushy but true ballad). This is not only a c.d. for 80's nolstagia buffs to collect but also anyone who still enjoys suave and sophisticated adult-contemporary pop with a blend of blue-eyed soul and r&b...

This album is a true melodic pop masterpiece. All ten tracks are outstanding, all containing catchy hooks and choruses and magnificent melodies. An essential pop album in my book. This album is definitely a rare breed...I only wish there were more like it. My favorite track is "Don't Say It's Love," followed by "What Other Reason," "Shattered Dreams," "Don't Let It End This Way," and "Different Seasons." The other five are great too. All smooth and emotional. Brilliant. You can't go wrong with this purchase. Once again, pure melodic pop BLISS.

I loved this album and hated to see them break up after one-two albums. They had pop that was ahead of its time. I still love and listen to Shattered Dreams. I'm sure those members have some 15 homes or so now from the royalties and continous heavy airplay of that song to this day! I still hear it in some stores, even Walgreen's! I also Like Turn Back the Clock, Don't Say It's Love and the rest of the album. The songs are keyboard heavy, but the focus on the melodies and rhythms are the same as any typical bare bones live band. Shattered's dramatic percussion breakdown is so peerless done and its different chord changes match well to a sports car going across some difficult curves on a mountain road. It's a good driving album to hear in your car, as I have heard it sometimes. Some critics didn't like it and I despised the cold reviews given to the album. Shattered even gave George Michael's One More Try (which was No. 1) some competition as it went to No. 2 in the US and was stuck there in June 1988. If only it got to No. 1, because it was played so heavy at the time! Don't Let It End This Way, Heart of Gold and I Don't Want To Be A Hero have some funky grooves to them! I was surprised that the album didn't sell well in 1988, maybe 200,000 or so. I'd still get this album if it's in the stores on CD. Very well done pop and they had a clean and polished image for the album cover.

I'll start by saying this album was brilliant in 1988 and continues to be brilliant today. I still regularly listen to the album which is choke full with exceptional tunes. Johnny Hates Jazz consisted of the highly talented signer songwriter Clark Datchler along with Mike Nocito and Calvin Hayes who were primarily producers but with a great deal of musical talent. Combined they were magic.

The stand-out songs are obviously "Shattered Dreams", most people would instantly recognise it, along with "Don't Says It's Love", the sublime "What Other Reason" while "Turn Back the Clock" literally does take me back to my youth. The music is glossy while notably lacking the over synthesised sound of the 80's. The highly charismatic voice of Clark Datchler puts the icing on the cake and stands this album head and shoulder above most from the 80's.

An essential purchase in the 80's, an essential purchase today.

This is a highly polished collection of well written songs from the clean-cut Johnny Hates Jazz. Think Spandau Ballet, When In Rome, ABC. Pleasant and easy to listen to. A great addition to your collection if you like 80s pop music.

Why does Johnny hate jazz so much? We may never know, but one thing I know is that this is a brilliant album from a brilliant pop band. This group is no Alphaville, but they're still brilliant.

I put this cd in to test for skipping and not only did the CD play perfectly, but it was a testament to music from the 80s that does not sound dated.
Most of the 80s hits were synth-heavy songs that either sound like toys by today's standards or just plain ol' dated.
Not so with JHJ. Except for the fact that this album came out in 1988 and for the drums it could have been made today. Now while Shattared Dreams is the hit that makes the 80's oldies lists, other songs that are wonderful are Turn Back The Clock, What Other Reason and Different Seasons. Ok those are ballads. Here are some fun uptempos: Don't Say It's Love and I Don't Want To Be A Hero.