• News
    • Essential Tracks
  • ReviewsAlbum Reviews
    • Albums of the Week
  • Features
    • Beginner’s Guide
    • Blueprint
    • Celebrate the Catalogue
    • Greatest Hits
    • Hall of Fame
    • Interviews
  • Columns
    • Da Art of Storytellin’
    • Endless Playlist
    • Full Disclosure
    • Left of the Dial Top of the Charts
    • Out of Range
    • Pop Life
    • Remake/Remodel
    • Shadow of the Horns
    • Treble Roundtable
  • Lists
    • Best Of
    • Treble’s Top 10
  • Podcast
  • Videos
  • About
Adams and the Ants
Feature, Treble's Top 10

10 Essential New Romantic Albums

By: Jeff Terich

The mere mention of the term “New Romantic” is likely to force one to imagine bleached-out MTV clips, nouveau glam make up, and Simon LeBon’s ubiquitous mug. A British music movement of the late ’70s and early ’80s, New Romanticism had everything to do with image. Spawned in large part from Bowie and Roxy Music-themed nights at Billy’s and The Blitz, organized by Steve Strange and Rusty Egan, New Romantics cast off the increasingly boring fashion of punk in favor of something more dazzling and colorful. It just so happened that a lot of these fabulous young men and women were making some splendid music as well, likewise inspired by Bowie and Roxy Music, but with an increasing embrace of synthesizers and the slightest touch of disco.

New Romantic didn’t last long, its last hurrah fizzling sometime in the mid-’80s. But for half a decade or so, a cluster of glamorous Brits released some outstanding music. These are ten of greatest New Romantic albums to have been born of that short-lived, but highly dramatic movement.

David Bowie – Scary Monsters
(1980; RCA)

David Bowie, technically speaking, was not part of the New Romantic movement, and his album Scary Monsters might not necessarily be considered a staple New Romantic album, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t one. Having been one of the primary inspirations for the movement as a whole, Bowie is essentially the patron saint of New Romantic, and in 1980, he even began to blend in with the theatrical club scene. The garish makeup on his album cover, weird clown outfit and videos from the era seem perfectly natural up against the likes of Duran Duran or Visage. But in “Ashes to Ashes,” he went and made a breathtaking new wave single that stands as the most sublime moment in the movement’s history, even if it wasn’t necessarily created by one of its own.


Adam and the Ants – Kings of the Wild Frontier
(1980; CBS)

Adam and the Ants always had more of a punk streak than many of their New Romantic contemporaries, which is most blatant in their debut album Dirk Wears White Sox. But even after adopting the foppish dandy pirate look (which was my Halloween costume in 2003), the band still had a bit of a punk rock edge, made entirely fresh through their Burundi beat style. Kings of the Wild Frontier, the band’s first great album, is as much about fashion as it is about attitude, but those elements don’t overshadow the songwriting, which is top notch. On “Antmusic,” “Killer in the Home,” “Physical (You’re So)” and the title track, in addition to its nine other tracks, Ant, guitarist Marco Pirroni & Co. tread an entirely undiscovered country in new wave, and one whose unique qualities still sound remarkably novel.


Japan – Gentlemen Take Polaroids
(1980; Virgin)

Maybe the weirdest, sleekest and most unabashedly arty band here, Japan didn’t have a lot of hit singles, but they’re responsible for some truly breathtaking works of atmospheric `80s pop. Having begun life as a trashy glam rock band with Adolescent Sex (a name we should all feel guilty Googling), Japan eventually dropped most of their most heavily Roxy Music-inspired techniques for something more ethereal and strange. Gentlemen Take Polaroids, while not completely abandoning that Roxy Music influence, is Japan at the peak of their powers, stretching out their songs into epic lengths and allowing them to slowly unfold and evolve in a way that Talk Talk would later take to more extreme conclusions. That their fashion was as elegantly eccentric only cemented their importance in the New Romantic canon.


Ultravox – Vienna
(1980; Chrysalis)

Originally fronted by John Foxx, and punctuated with an exclamation point, Ultravox had undergone a transformation of sorts following their Brian Eno-produced debut. Foxx left the band to pursue his own solo synth-pop career, and the band in turn toned town their trashier glam and punk leanings in favor of a more sleek and streamlined sound that still borrowed from the likes of Roxy Music and Kraftwerk, but in a much more sophisticated and accessible package. Based on the arty, sartorial cover photo and the chilly krautrock electronics of leadoff track “Astradyne,” Vienna initially gives off an air of fashionable detachment. But the thing about Vienna is that it rocks surprisingly hard, the band’s punk and glam roots showing in the faster paced numbers like “New Europeans,” “Passing Strangers” and “Sleepwalk.” But amidst all the harder edged, uptempo numbers is the immaculate title track, an ethereal and gorgeous island of romantic serenity.


Visage – Visage
(1980; Polygram)

The most important band in the New Romantic movement, if not the most famous (that one’s Duran Duran, hands down), Visage has concrete ties to the movement’s command center and ground zero, Blitz. It was at this London club where Steve Strange donned his flashy makeup and curated club nights, and subsequently, the iconic frontman launched Visage, a band whose members also played in Magazine, Ultravox and Siouxsie and the Banshees, among other notable acts. Their self-titled debut is a stellar mixture of Kraftwerkian iciness and glam rock style, and likewise contained “Fade to Grey,” a perfectly sinister and just plain perfect electro-pop single that lived several lives on the UK charts. But there’s a wide range of styles at play here, from the punky “Tar” to the disco-funk exercise “Moon Over Moscow.”


The Human League – Dare!
(1981; Virgin)

The Human League, contrary to popular belief, were sort of terrifying in the late ’70s. Their debut album Reproduction finds the halfway point between Suicide and Kraftwerk, and the single that followed, “Being Boiled,” only sounded slightly more human. And then Dare! happened. The public at large, previously unaware of the band’s eerie beginnings, took to its massive single “Don’t You Want Me,” which I’m happy to say was #1 on the UK charts the week I was born. But it just so happens the entire album is a work of pop brilliance. Using synth for good rather than evil (at least aesthetically speaking), The Human League took a more glamorous approach and splashed into a more commercial, accessible sound. They happened to be exceptional at it, and though I have a fondness for their darker material, there’s no question that this is their best album.


ABC – Lexicon of Love
(1982; Mercury)

Just about every New Romantic band was fronted by an outsized personality of some kind, be it the puckish Adam Ant, dreamboat Simon LeBon, or the mysterious and trend-setting Steve Strange. ABC’s Martin Fry opted more for the affected crooner style, becoming the dramatic loverman his band’s tales of romance so fiercely demanded. He also happened to be one of the only members of the band to stick around throughout their career, which outlasted many of their peers. Still, the band got it right the first time around on Lexicon of Love, blending lush production, courtesy of Trevor Horn, with bold songwriting and just enough funk to keep the dancefloor filled. The album came loaded with hits, notably “Poison Arrow” and “The Look Of Love Pt. 1,” but its deep cuts, like “Many Happy Returns” and “Show Me,” offered thrills beyond its obvious attractions.


Duran Duran – Rio
(1982; Capitol)

Duran Duran’s reputation largely stemmed from their good looks and strong use of the music video medium, which yielded the table-flipping adventure of “Hungry Like the Wolf,” the sailing trip of “Rio,” and even a pair of videos that were rarely aired because of their racy content. However, whether it’s their headlining quality or not, the dudes had chops, and sophomore album Rio is the pinnacle of said pop skills. The style and drama are all there, even amplified from their excellent debut, but pushed to greater limits, which can be heard catalyzed through the epic sax solo on the title track or the dark and bizarre grooves in the closing masterpiece “The Chauffeur.” So, while Duran Duran certainly had the looks to have young female fans lining up outside their dressing rooms, and the cinematic knowledge to impress art-house friends in posh condos, they also penned some of the best tunes of the ’80s.


Roxy Music – Avalon
(1982; Warner Bros.)

One of the chief inspirations for the movement as a whole, along with David Bowie, Roxy Music’s ’70s canon can be heard seeping through the surface of just about any album here, albeit through glossier, more synth-heavy filters. So, for their final album, Roxy Music followed through on that influence by making a dreamy sophisti-pop album of their own. Avalon finds the glam rock legends abandoning their harder rocking, bombastic tendencies and embracing a sexy, streamlined approach, which yielded some great singles in “More Than This” and the smooth seduction classic title track. It’s a strong album on the whole, though, and dance-heavy highlights such as “The Space Between” sound more relevant than ever, given how liberally Destroyer and Cut Copy have borrowed from them recently. Oh, and this was also on our Top 10 Sex Albums list, so cheers to Roxy Music for that.


Talk Talk – It’s My Life
(1984; EMI)

Talk Talk ended in a very different place than where they began, their 1991 masterpiece Laughing Stock capping a career that, when viewed as a whole, reveals an impressive display of artistic evolution. Before taking the plunge into abstract post-rock art, however, Talk Talk was a damn good synth-pop band with a slight flair for the dramatic and a focus on atmospheric and ethereal compositions. It’s My Life, boasting some outstanding highlights like the amazing title track, “Dum Dum Girl” and “Such a Shame,” is a portrait of the band beginning to hit a stride, mastering a genre only a few years before reinventing it altogether.


You might also like:

David Bowie

Celebrate the Catalog: David Bowie

Coldwave

Hold on to your genre: Coldwave/Minimal Wave

10 Essential Sophisti-pop albums

10 Essential Sophisti-pop albums

 

Feb 22, 2012Jeff Terich
Interview: Porcelain Raft10 Albums That Would Make Great Films
Home 10 Essential New Romantic Albums
February 22, 2012 Feature, Treble's Top 10ABC, Adam and the Ants, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Japan, Roxy Music, Talk Talk, The Human League, Ultravox, Visage
Album of the Week
Diat Positive Disintegration review Album of the Week

Album of the Week: Dïat – Positive Disintegration






The Australian/German post-punk group emerges from cold storage with a compelling, stellar set of gloom.

Category: Album of the Week, Album Reviews

Top Stories
  • Moving Forward in a World of Anxiety: A conversation with Hell
  • Ministry to play early material on Wax Trax! Experience tour
  • 10 Essential Bristol Albums
  • Martin Gore, GAS, Tim Hecker to play Moogfest 2019
  • Stereolab announce tour, reissues
  You Might Also Like  
 
News

David Bowie to release new single for Record Store Day

<!-- AddThis Sharing Buttons above -->
<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='https://www.treblezine.com/david-bowie-to-release-new-single-for-record-store-day/' addthis:title='David Bowie to release new single for Record Store Day' >
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_1"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_2"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_3"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_4"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_compact"></a>
<a class="addthis_counter addthis_bubble_style"></a>
</div>"The Stars (Are Out Tonight" b/w "Where Are We Now?"<!-- AddThis Sharing Buttons below -->

 
News

R.I.P. David Bowie

<!-- AddThis Sharing Buttons above -->
<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='https://www.treblezine.com/27284-rip-david-bowie/' addthis:title='R.I.P. David Bowie' >
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_1"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_2"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_3"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_4"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_compact"></a>
<a class="addthis_counter addthis_bubble_style"></a>
</div>Rock legend dies at 69.<!-- AddThis Sharing Buttons below -->

 
Best Of, Lists

The Top 100 Post-Punk Albums

<!-- AddThis Sharing Buttons above -->
<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='https://www.treblezine.com/top-100-best-post-punk-albums/' addthis:title='The Top 100 Post-Punk Albums' >
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_1"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_2"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_3"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_4"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_compact"></a>
<a class="addthis_counter addthis_bubble_style"></a>
</div>100 albums that transformed punk into a dark, experimental art form.<!-- AddThis Sharing Buttons below -->

 
News

Watch the new David Bowie “No Plan” video

<!-- AddThis Sharing Buttons above -->
<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='https://www.treblezine.com/33412-david-bowie-no-plan-video-new-ep/' addthis:title='Watch the new David Bowie “No Plan” video' >
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_1"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_2"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_3"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_4"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_compact"></a>
<a class="addthis_counter addthis_bubble_style"></a>
</div>Watch the eerie new video for "No Plan."<!-- AddThis Sharing Buttons below -->

 
News

David Bowie confirms new album, Blackstar

<!-- AddThis Sharing Buttons above -->
<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='https://www.treblezine.com/26155-david-bowie-new-album-blackstar/' addthis:title='David Bowie confirms new album, <i>Blackstar</i>' >
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_1"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_2"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_3"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_4"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_compact"></a>
<a class="addthis_counter addthis_bubble_style"></a>
</div>New single "Blackstar" out on November 20.<!-- AddThis Sharing Buttons below -->

 
News

Beyoncé breaks all-time VMA record with her 2016 wins

<!-- AddThis Sharing Buttons above -->
<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='https://www.treblezine.com/31659-beyonce-breaks-vma-record-2016/' addthis:title='Beyoncé breaks all-time VMA record with her 2016 wins' >
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_1"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_2"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_3"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_4"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_compact"></a>
<a class="addthis_counter addthis_bubble_style"></a>
</div>This year’s VMAs belonged to Beyoncé. At the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, Beyoncé took home six awards, including Video of the Year for “Formation,” as well as Best Female Video for “Hold Up,” Best Long Form Video for her Lemonade visual album, and Best Choreography for “Formation.” The wins tonight added up to an […]<!-- AddThis Sharing Buttons below -->

 
Column, Treble Roundtable

Treble Roundtable: Worst-Ever Concert Experiences

<!-- AddThis Sharing Buttons above -->
<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='https://www.treblezine.com/treble-roundtable-worst-concert-experiences/' addthis:title='Treble Roundtable: Worst-Ever Concert Experiences' >
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_1"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_2"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_3"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_4"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_compact"></a>
<a class="addthis_counter addthis_bubble_style"></a>
</div>Festival freakouts, American bro-downs, venue disasters and an Election Night special.<!-- AddThis Sharing Buttons below -->

 
Feature, Treble's Top 10

10 Essential 10th Albums

<!-- AddThis Sharing Buttons above -->
<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='https://www.treblezine.com/10-essential-10th-albums/' addthis:title='10 Essential 10th Albums' >
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_1"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_2"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_3"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_preferred_4"></a>
<a class="addthis_button_compact"></a>
<a class="addthis_counter addthis_bubble_style"></a>
</div>Ten tenths, from artists who proved their longevity with these (mostly) late-career triumphs.<!-- AddThis Sharing Buttons below -->

  • News
  • Album Reviews
    • Album of the Week
  • Features
    • Interviews
    • Best Of
    • Celebrate the Catalog
    • Hold On To Your Genre
    • Treble’s Top 10
  • Columns
    • History’s Greatest Monsters
    • Remake/Remodel
    • Perversity
    • Pet Grief
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • About Us
2018 © Treble Media