Johnny Hates Jazz - Turn Back the Clock (1988)

Ye gads. Why do I have this record? I remember. I had a very specific reason. I read about them in Keyboard magazine when this album came out, and one of them said that their main synth was the Casio CZ-1000. I had (still have, but it needs to be overhauled) a CZ-101, which is a miniature version of the 1000, but otherwise produces all the same sounds and has all the same controls. Well, it turns out the guy was either lying, mistaken, or not clear enough. Maybe he meant that they used the CZ-1000 while working on songs, but not to do the actual recording, because they really used one of those super-systems like the Fairlight or the Synclavier. I don't feel like picking up the jacket to look at it, because what's the point?

Everything that was bad about much 80s music: the extreme polish, over-reliance on electronics (and I say this as someone who is a fan of electronic music), over-emphasis on the surface quality of the music--lacking any real depth or soul...you name it, this album epitomizes it all.

Ripping results: one artefact on track one that I might be able to dig out if I worked on it, but as I said, what's the point?

The radio hit from this one was track one: "Shattered Dreams." This album has an unbelievably high sales rank at Amazon, in the 54,000s. Further proof that the masses have no taste. It garners a 5-star rating from 21 customer reviews. You people disgust me.

Disagree? Feel free to leave another one of those irrefutable "you suck" comments, but it will have no effect. Because I've listened to the album, and I know who really sucks.

Amazon has sound samples of the full album, if you really want to hear it.



P.S. They also have a stupid group name.