BE-BOP DELUXE
"Sunburst Finish"
1976 Harvest

Another one of those groups that got minimal recognition that I was fortunate enough to be introduced to during my college era was Be-Bop Deluxe. Fortunate because the roomie that played this album---well, this music was not in the typical vein of taste for him. Without this simple twist of character on his part I probably never would have heard of this band, as I have been the person introducing this group to everyone I know.

The main character and driving force of the band was Bill Nelson, a supreme guitarist and excellent writer (listen to the lyrics and you will see---uh, hear the genius). Since the break-up of the band he has put together collections of what I would call “studio cuts”---samplings, but nothing to the magnitude of completeness as in his work with Be-Bop Deluxe. This probably due to the lack of the work of Andrew Clark (the keyboardist), which could be seen in the difference of Be-Bop Deluxe in their first albums vs. the last few albums. The total sound.

"Sunburst Finish" was the album I first heard and what a way to be introduced to a band. Starting Side One with a very fast paced Fair Exchange that totally rocks (and it does it at an extremely high warp speed with all the fantastic guitar work that is Bill Nelson’s trademark). Then it turns the tempo down with Heavenly Homes and gives you Ships In The Night, one of those tunes that makes you want to get up and move in a very defined dance.

As said earlier that Bill Nelson is a lyrical genius, which can be seen through all his work (even those “studio cut” LPs), but it really hits home with Crying To The Sky. It is probably my most favorite song of the LP, of Be-Bop Deluxe, of Bill Nelson ...need I say more? This is the one and only “slow” song on the LP...yes it is slow and I am not being sarcastic. Its melodic lead guitar work intertwining with the lyrics almost makes me want to cry.

Side One ends with Sleep That Burns and this tune would if it could.

Side Two gives you Beauty Secrets that starts out with acoustical guitar work (which makes me wonder if they were around that they would definitely be good on MTV Unplugged). Then another one of my favorites Life In The Air-Age that with a twist of the first word became the title of their live LP release (“Live In The Air-Age”, which is my second most favorite Be-Bop Deluxe LP). Then the lyrics still come at you with Like An Old Blues and Crystal Gazing, the second song with acoustic guitar on a flanger and an small symphonic backing.

And what would all this be without a return to the pounding, hard pace of Blazing Apostles? What a song to end with.

What an album...and yes it is on my Top 100 List.