The Golden Age Of Wireless - Remastered & Expanded (Incl. Bonus DVD) [IMPORT]

Thomas Dolby

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 24, 2009)
• Original Release Date: June 30, 2009
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: 101 DISTRIBUTION
• ASIN: B00288AXL8
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #14,213 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Flying North (2009 Digital Remaster)

2. Commercial Breakup (2009 Digital Remaster)

3. Weightless (2009 Digital Remaster)

4. Europa And The Pirate Twins (2009 Digital Remaster)

5. Windpower (2009 Digital Remaster)

6. The Wreck Of The Fairchild (2009 Digital Remaster)

7. Airwaves (2009 Digital Remaster)

8. Radio Silence (2009 Digital Remaster)

9. Cloudburst At Shingle Street (2009 Digital Remaster)

10. One Of Our Submarines (2009 Digital Remaster)

See all 19 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Introduction (Live)

2. Europa And The Pirate Twins (Live) (2009 Digital Remaster)

3. Windpower (Live) (2009 Digital Remaster)

4. One Of Our Submarines (Live) (2009 Digital Remaster)

5. Radio Silence (Live) (2009 Digital Remaster)

6. New Toy (Live) (2009 Digital Remaster)

7. Urban Tribal (Live) (2009 Digital Remaster)

8. Flying North (Live) (2009 Digital Remaster)

9. Jungle Line (Live) (2009 Digital Remaster)

10. Puppet Theatre (Live) (2009 Digital Remaster)

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The Golden Age Of Wireless was Dolby's first album, recorded using primarily borrowed studio time and featuring musicians paid with funds raised by session work with other artists. A while after completion, it was picked up by EMI for the UK and by an EMI partner in the US resulting in anumber of variations before it's final release. This release has been restored to its original sequence, remastered and with the addition of a few peripheral songs and rarities along with the individual song notes, should help tell the complete story.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something substantial from the 80's., July 18, 2009

By	Dingleberry (NM) - See all my reviews

Kraftwerk may have beat him to it but I would posit that Thomas Dolby made a equal contribution to the foundation of modern electronic music.

With this, his first release, Mr. Dolby created a more feeling and emotional sound than his German counterparts and, despite its age, it retains absolute relevance in today's musical scene. Here you have a record with no weak spots and a ton of innovation. The songs are warm, imaginative, passionate and the melodies are irresistible. No cold, hard beeps and burps here.

This remastered re-release finally restores the album to it's original, (U.K.) vinyl running order which is no small thing. The flow of the songs into one another was always part of the enjoyment of TGAOW and the previous CD release was a disaster in this respect. 'The Wreck Of The Fairchild' was omitted and the other tracks were mixed up for no good reason.

The remastering was overseen by Thomas Dolby personally and, as you would expect from someone who produces his own as well as others releases, it is superb.

In addition to the basic album, this expanded edition includes no less than ten bonus tracks. In the case of 'She Blinded Me With Science' you have one of Mr. Dolby's most well known hits accompanied by it's original B-side, 'One Of Our Submarines' - which, for me, is the better song of the two and an absolute classic. Both of these songs were added to the previously mentioned first CD release.

The rest of the tracks are by no means just filler. 'Urges', 'Leipzig' and 'Urban Tribal' are early Dolby tracks that hold their own against the basic album. After that you still have four demos (three of which are non album tracks) and an alternate version of 'Radio Silence' to explore.

As if that wasn't enough, the second disc is a DVD containing a live concert from 1983.

The CD booklet contains new recollections by Mr. Dolby of the songs' inspiration and creation.

All in all this is a wonderful package and an absolute bargain (especially if you order it from Amazon.co.uk rather than here). Be warned that the CD booklet comes with a white square measuring an inch and a half on the front, bottom, left corner containing some German writing. Due to German regulations covering DVDs, the square has to be there to indicate it's viewer rating. As this is required in Germany, and this release was only made in Germany, it had to be printed on all the CD covers. So, even if you live in the U.S. you're going to have that on the cover.

If you haven't heard 'The Golden Age Of Wireless' before, watch and listen to some of the tracks on youtube. The videos haven't aged as well but the music is timeless.

5.0 out of 5 stars Completely Satisfied, November 4, 2009

By	Gilbert Hernandez - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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I'm completely satisfied with my purchase...I wouldn't hesitate to make another purchase from this seller...

5.0 out of 5 stars Most intelligent synth pop album of the '80s, September 30, 2009

By	Joshua D. Whitehouse (San Francisco, CA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Golden Age of Wireless is considered one of the most thoughtfully written album of synth pop songs from the '80s. It's ironic that "She Blinded Me With Science" was the largest hit in the States because it feels like the silliest song on the album and can't compete in terms of the better songwriting of "Europa" or "Cloudburst on Shingle Street". The concert DVD included is fun (I remember it the first go around, a sure sign of aging!) and the music CD contains many bonus tracks, a couple which were demos that didn't make the album and some that are acoustic or demo versions of songs that were on the released album. These are interesting because they do show his talent at song writing w/o all the f/x and sonic candy that though, done incredibly well, seemed gimmicky. Worth owning for Thomas Dolby fans and those that are riding the return of the '80s synth pop music wave.