Graham Parker: The Up Escalator - 1980
By 1980, Graham Parker's 1975-76 thunder had been stolen, somewhat unfortunately, by Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson. Why, there were also "new wave" groups like The Jags who were clearly influenced by an artist who was the unsung original pioneer of the new wave.
Parker had the respect of the cognoscenti, however, and also from within the industry, including Bruce Springsteen, who features on his song, Endless Night on here. The Cars, also, I would argue, were influenced by Parker. This is a great album of new wave rock - tuneful songs, a sneering delivery of cynical lyrics, a hint of white reggae every now and then and r'n'b pub rock.
The album starts strongly with the storming No Holding Back, the bluesy and catchy Devil's Sidewalk, the rocking Stupefaction and then the Joe Jackson meets early P.I.L. meets Department S rock/reggae tinges of Empty Lives. A classic Parker song.
Then the old ""side one" ends with a magnificent Parker heartbreaker of a street tough ballad in The Beating Of Another Heart. Best track on the album. How material like this got largely overlooked at the time, and now, is beyond me. The Boomtown Rats and Blondie, however, had number one hits. No justice. Nothing against those artists, both of whom I like, but Parker deserved as much success for songs like this. I close my eyes and its 1980 again.
The old "side two" starts with Graham duetting with Springsteen on the latter's Endless Night, a rocker that was probably a reject from his The River album from the same year. Paralysed is another upbeat, soulful piece of new wave rock in the same vein as the rest of the album.
Back in 1980 I always played "side one" more than "side two", which was a shame because there some equally good stuff on there, such as the quirky, rhythmic Manoeuvres and the once more River-era Springsteenesque Jolie Jolie. Love Without Greed ends this excellent album in similar fashion.
