Yachts – Look Back in Love (Not in Anger) // I Can’t Stay Long (Radar Records) 1978. Ah, The Yachts. One of those dapper British bands of the late 1970′s that gets overlooked a lot nowadays. Which is kind of sad really when you consider that both Yachts albums, 1979′s S.O.S. and 1980′s Without Radar are great. S.O.S. in fact, is a bonafide new wave classic and both songs from this 7inch are from that album. Probably the most famous song by the Yachts is Suffice To Say from 1977, which I believe was a minor hit for the band in the UK and later appeared on the Stiff Box Set, where I was introduced to the band. Suffice to Say sets the template for the band, at least on their first album. It is a farfisa driven tune with incredibly self-important and sarcastic lyrics delivered in the most wry way imaginable by singer John (J.J.) Campbel. Later songs seemed to follow that format with Look Back in Love (Not in Anger) being a really good example. By their second album The Yachts had started to expand their sound but in the process became a bit more generic. The first one is really the one to own as this 7inch will indicate. It’s all very humorous and tongue in cheek. The Yachts were similar to The Monochrome Set, although they never scaled that bands’ epic heights.
Hardcore Podcasts
September of 2010 I put together eight Hardcore Podcasts. You can check them out here if you are interested. For more insight into how I came up with the years 78-90 for the First Wave you can read about The Hardcore Superiorty Myth.
That first album just floored me – it was so tremendously catchy and yet so deeply cynical.
There are few albums I love more than SOS. I think it only came out on CD in Japan, many moons ago. I used to get a lot of hits on my blog when I posted songs like “Love You, Love You”. Cynical, cynical, cynical, through and through!
I remember them well in Liverpool in the late 70s and still have the excellent Suffice to Say on vinyl. Henry Priestman is now solo and playing in Sheffield tonight.