The Golden Age of Wireless

Thomas Dolby

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: March 1982
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000007O19
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #32,500 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

79 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars, but how about a deluxe reissue?, March 13, 2004

By	Tim Brough "author and music buff" (Springfield, PA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

If you're reading this, you probably know that "The Golden Age Of Wireless" was an amazing moment in the budding synthesizer new wave explosion. As anyone into the instrument could have told you at the time, Thomas Dolby was not just an incredible synth player, he had an amazing sense of keyboard construction and compositional skills. His credits before his solo career included Lena Lovich, Bruce Woolley and The Camera Club and (gasp) Foreigner! (Those are his keyboard washes that grace their classic "Foreigner 4" and the hit "Waiting For a Girl Like You.") So it wasn't like Dolby's debut came without a pedigree.

But the original "The Golden Age Of Wireless" album came with completely different cover art, different running order, a much better mix of "Radio Silence" and two other songs, "Urges" and "Leipzig." It wasn't until after an EP release of five songs for "She Blinded Me With Science" became a hit did the CD/Album as we know it come into existence. Even then, the versions of "Science" and "One Of Our Submarines" added to "Golden Age" are different, shortened edits. To this day, I am fascinated by both versions of the album and CD, and I keep wondering why, in this age when everything is being remastered, remixed and re-issued, this classic album hasn't been mined for the deluxe treatment?

First off, we need the album resequenced to replace the original mix of "Radio Science" and relegate the vaporized remix to a bonus track. Then replace "Leipzig" and "Urges" to their equivalent positions on the first issue of the album. Then, for more bonus tracks, the "She Blinded Me With Science" EP's remixes of the single, "Windpower," "Flying North" and "Submarines." It would, for me, take an already five star album of the eighties and truly do it justice for the influence that Dolby had.

And while we're at it, a DVD of the "Golden Age of Video" would be nice......

How about it Capitol/EMI?

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic !, July 27, 2000

By	JOHN SPOKUS (BALTIMORE, MARYLAND United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dolby never quite gets the credit he deserves. This is one of the best paced albums I've ever heard with great songwriting throughout. Truly an inspiration. There were actually FOUR different releases of this album (in response to another reviewer spotting two). This CD is the 2nd US LP pressing version with the different version of "Radio Silence". There were also 2 different UK versions, neither one has "She Blinded Me With Science" or "One Of Our Submarines". The first version adds "Wreck Of The Fairchild" (a very rare early single) and both contain "Urges" and "Leipzig", neither were ever on any US version. If you're a fan you'll want them all !

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant album of excellent music, August 18, 1999

By A Customer

It's too bad most people only know Thomas Dolby because of She Blinded Me With Science. This album is actually very different from his biggest hit, and every song is a masterpiece. Apart from his very distinctive keyboard work, most songs are performed with quite basic drum, guitar and bass arrangements, so to label this as your average early 80's synthesizer music would be a major mistake. The CD version of this album is in fact not the original - you should also try to get a hold of the vinyl one, which has the full length version of the beautiful Airwaves as well as a great instrumental called Wreck Of The Fairchild (while it doesn't contain She Blinded Me... and One Of Our Submarines). This, Dolby's first solo work, shows how accomplished and gifted a songwriter, keyboard player and producer he was already back in the early stages of his career. It is definitely one of the best albums of all time, with a very special atmosphere and intriguing sounscapes - and clever lyrics. Don't let yourself miss this one.