Best Psychedelic Furs Album

Book of Days is massively underrated for sure - "Torch" is one of their best songs ever, period, and the overall darkness and moodiness of the record was a return to form.

sorry, john, but the phrase "return to form" is copyrighted by paul maccartney (or is it dylan?)

this thread could easily morph into "Defend the Indefensible: Keith Forsey"

talk talk talk is the obvious classic, s/t the only-slightly-less-obvious classic, mirror moves the underrated wild card, forever now better than sell-out complaints suggest (but still the weakest of the four). i'm voting for mirror moves just to keep it from being too lopsided.

I love _Talk Talk Talk_; and _Psychedelic Furs_ has a great gritty intensity and energy. But I also think _Forever Now_ and _Mirror Moves_ have some great stuff on. As has been said above, _Book of Days_ is also top, and I used to really like _World Outside_ too. Hmmm, I think I'm going to spend the rest of the say listening to the Psychedelic Furs, so thanks for starting the poll!!

Oh god how did I come to this thread so late. "Psychedelic Furs" is like the batsignal to me... sigh...

TALK TALK TALK ftw obviously, but BOOK OF DAYS is awfully close. Alfred, if you haven't heard it you really must. And know going in it's a serious grower. If you're bored the first time and it all sounds the same, it's working.

"Run And Run" alone... hell, the opening and first verse verse of "Run And Run" alone should be enough to keep FOREVER NOW from ignominy, though I understand the disappointment in the Rundgren move, and "Love My Way" is a really sorry single for the Furs to be known by. Still, "Run And Run." I haven't listened to it in probably two years and I still remember the guitar solo note for note.

But the real dark horse here is MIDNIGHT TO MIDNIGHT. Look past the unfortunate production and there's a seriously great raft of songs there - maybe even their best collection front-to-back. And if I could get the search to work right I'd post my back-in-the-days rants to that effect...

The X factor in all this: Vince Ely. I can't prove it, but note that when he came back so did the Furs ("All That Money Wants," BOOK OF DAYS).

Oh, and BOOK OF DAYS gets my vote. In a sane world, it would have been their ACHTUNG BABY.

PS - how weird is it that there is now only one degree of musical separation between Richard Butler and Axl Rose?

One song from <i>Forever Now</i> I haven't seen anyone make note of is "Only You and I." Best song on that record, no question. It's always the one that pops in my head and makes me want to hear the whole record, and I'm always slightly disappointed.

(props to "Run and Run," though)

haha your primitive tags are no good here

Ha, I forgot to hit the convert button.

"Sleep Comes Down" is quite good too.

Now I need to hear Book of Days.

I went with the debut, easy. Talk Talk Talk would be second; Forever Now third. My hunch is that they're one of those bands that got progressively more bland and less interesting with each subsequent album, but I can't say I've actually been keeping up with the last however-many-albums-I-haven't-kept-up-with.

"So Run Down"
"Into You Like A Train"
"All Of This And Nothing"
"She Is Mine"
"Dumb Waiters"
"Pretty In Punk"

COME ON PEOPLE THIS IS REALLY KIND OF OBVIOUS

If only it was "Pretty in Punk"

It should be noted that the Rapture do a fantastic version of "Dumb Waiters," and that I think some emo band somewhere should have long figured out that covering "All of This and Nothing" would be a good idea (if not necessarily a good end result).

Is there a collection of B-sides anywhere? I am particulary looking for the song Aeroplane. Their version of "Mack the Knife" as well.

I had several fantastic 7" that I got rid of (don't ask.) It still kills me.

"Aeroplane" is on the Forever Now re-issue (yet another reason to buy the album) and on that B-side comp.

"She Is Mine" is a great song, but I've always hated the line "I had to pay a muscle man, to get me off the floor"...I mean, Richard Butler?!...his own granny could probably snatch him up in one hand...

Isn't it self-deprecation? Butler's voice reeks of irony.

Talk Talk Talk

still in my top 200 all-time.

Is there a collection of B-sides anywhere?

Allmusic.com is your friend. _B-Sides & Lost Grooves_ has "Aeroplane" but the Furs weren't much of a b-side band. That comp is mostly alternate versions. "Mack The Knife" is on the reissue of their debut.

I'll probably get skewered for this, but I absolutely adored his Love Spit Love albums and solo album as well. LSL is one of those artistic stretches that really works for me, the grungey guitars with Richard's smoky vocals, and lyrically I feel they're strong as well.

I actually saw LSL on their first tour, small club date. Fun time, he seemed relaxed!

the first LSL album was fuckin' awesome

the second one considerably less so

Some of these albums are £4 in Virgin at the moment. Having lived this long without them, I assume they are not for me, but some of you might be interested.

Having lived this long without them, I assume they are not for me,

Never a safe assumption. I am frequently going back to things I had dismissed years ago only to find they sound wonderful today.

My hunch is that they're one of those bands that got progressively more bland and less interesting with each subsequent album, but I can't say I've actually been keeping up with the last however-many-albums-I-haven't-kept-up-with.

For shame. BOOK OF DAYS, xhuxk.

PS J0hn D. OTM wrt LSL

I love the S/T one the most.

Yeah, that's about it.

Results!

Not suprising, but I still love the S/T more than Talk Talk Talk!!!

They're both great to have.

I'm not sure about Todd Rundgren's influence on the 3rd?

Might as well revive this one as it was all recent -- <A HREF="http://www.ocweekly.com/music/music/all-of-this-and-nothing/27439/";>me on the package tour they're heading up this year</A>, though not just that.

Ha, that would happen to me.

Proper format.

I'm delighted you were able to strike such an ambivalent note! Your notes on The Fixx are spot-on, especially since in recent weeks I've gotten the chance to listen at work to Casey Kasem's original broadcasts of "American Top 40" -- "Stand or Fall" and "Secret Separation" really do sound of and apart from their time.

Thanks! I hadn't thought about them in years and then seeing I'd have to review them made me reflect on their very odd position at the time.

I saw them three times (oh, add that one to the 3x thread) and the second tour was best, as was Talk Talk Talk.

Take one look at the success of the Police tour this year if you need proof of the appeal.

Oddly enough, I saw the Fixx open for the Police on the Synchronicity tour. Not the most invigorating live act in a large-outdoor-venue context. Whereas when I saw the Furs at Darien Lake Fun Country... well, y'all know how I feel about the Furs...

bump for so did Alfred ever check out Book of Days?

No!

http://www.hauntingmids.com/forum/Smileys/default/morrisseycryingce7.gif

Send it to me!

Just found the 12" for House at my local Used Emporium. Fantastic version. Can't seem to find the mp3 anywhere though. Does anybody have a link to the 12" Full Version or am I going to have to do it myself? I desperately need to purchase Book of Days too. I had given up on them by then but did fall in love with Until She Comes a bit later.

Which version are you referring to? There's a few different versions on the 12" according to Discogs: http://www.discogs.com/Psychedelic-Furs-House/master/82397

http://www.discogs.com/Psychedelic-Furs-House/release/804424

The 'Long Version' from the b-side of that 12". I mistakenly called it 'Full Version' above. I did find an mp3 today though, so now I don't have to record it myself. The 'Flashback Mix' is terrible on that single. I guess the 'Single Version' could be good but I can't see how it can top the longer mix.

Recently found all five CDs in an ugly box for $19 brand new at HMV! (Only owned the first two on vinyl previously.) Some day I'll make it as far as M2M, if i need to.

I think I still find an ecstatic udertone in a lot of the songs on the first album (and maybe the second) that is somehow missing from most other (less poppy? more post-punk?) post-punk bands of the time?

Ecstatic nihilism maybe

Anyone seen them live lately? Worth going to?

Here's a setlist from their NYC show last fall. From a review I read of a gig from last weekend, the set is very similar.

1. Love My Way
2. Heartbeat
3. Like a Stranger
4. President Gas
5. The Ghost in You
6. In My Head
7. All of This and Nothing
8. Believe (Love Spit Love cover)
9. Pretty in Pink
10. No Easy Street
11. Sister Europe
12. It Goes On
13. I Don't Want to Be Your Shadow
14. Heaven
Encore:
15. She Is Mine
16. Forever Now

Songs 11-16 represent an unbroken string of awesomeness.

so i'm going to see The Psychedelic Furs tomorrow night 7/12/2013. anyone seen them lately, are they any good these days?

puts on All of This and Nothing, should have played this weeks ago.

I saw them a few years ago, they were fun. The Butler boys were still really into it. Felt very much a nostalgia show, but that's OK.

Taking sides: stupid vs love.

I won't even try to find the right superlative for All of This and Nothing, it's simply essential

^^^ I should've written that line

these always rule but this one's a real public service

What's everyone's view on Love Spit Love?

I adore both albums unreservedly.

I haven't listened to either LSL album in a long time, but I love "Fall On Tears" (from the second album) as much as any Furs song.

I, too, love "Until She Comes".

might quibble about the order of 2-4 but there's almost nothing between them to me. the album experience for the first 3 must be quite different depending on US/UK because of the weird and obviously wrong tracklistings chosen in the US

The re-sequencing of the first album especially is...bizarre.

1st LSL is very very good iirc, second one much less so

...well, no, though, looking up the Trysome Eatone track listing -- "Long Long Time" is real good, "Fall on Tears" is real real good, and "It Hurts When I Laugh" is real good -- if I can remember all those melodies from a very minor album all these years later, that speaks in their favor to me

1st LSL is very very good iirc, second one much less so

Love Spit Love is brilliant. It's Richard reclaiming his lyrical crown and working with a band that nails the unique vibe he generates. Richard Fortus' touches with cello and mandolin and the sort of circus organ of Jon Brion creates a sound that is both aggressive and comforting. Their cover of "How Soon Is Now", a track that some days I could name as my single favorite song ever, is wonderful.

"Book of Days", damn, this song.

SHE'S 24 AND FEELS IT
LIKE A WASTED YEAR
FOR EVERY DAY THAT PASSES
SHE IS LEAVING ONE DAY
ONE DAY NEVER COMES

THIS ROAD IS POISON

I mean, I’m on the record re: Book of Days...

I ended up picking up "Book Of Days" and "World Outside" and really rate them. It's not surprising that not many even know them, all it takes is one bad album and the rats flee the ship and miss out on later excellent work (Gang Of Four, Killing Joke, etc.)