Various Artists - Just Say New Wave (1996)

A Sony compilation of obscure New Wave songs from the late '70s and early '80s, many bands originally on San Francisco's 415 Records label.

Tracks:

• China - Red Rockers (1983, #53 pop, #19 rock)
  A great New Wave song. Could have been a bigger hit with the right promotion.
• Chamber of Hellos - Wire Train (1984)
  With bouncy synths, this sounds very typical of a New Wave piece, but doesn't warrant repeated listenings.
• Never Say Never - Romeo Void (1982, #27 rock)
  One of the few songs on this compilation I'd heard before; this version is censored for sensitive ears. Contains the classic lyric "I might like you better if we slept together." It also contains some horrid saxophone playing.
• Der Kommissar - After the Fire (1982, #5 pop, #4 rock)
  The video for this song was on heavy rotation on MTV when it was released. I was never a fan of this tune, but I liked the band's other stuff.
• Video Killed the Radio Star - Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club (1979)
  You've probably heard the Buggles' version of this song - the two don't differ much, except that this version has guitar.
• Computer Games - Mi-Sex (1979)
  Lots of synths and computer sounds, but not much melody. I'm sure it wasn't intended, but this track comes off as a novelty song.
• Everywhere That I'm Not - Translator (1982)
  Without synths, this song seems out of place on this CD. This band sounds a lot like the Plimsouls.
• Different Kind of Girl - The Beat (1979)
  Also known as Paul Collins Beat because there was a British ska band also known as the Beat at the time. That story of the band name is more interesting than this song.
• Funky But Chic - David Johansen (1978)
  This song is not what I would consider New Wave. Wants to be a combination of disco and punk, I guess. It's really a rock and roll song straight from The New York Dolls playbook with a disco bass line. I gotta admit it's catchy.
• I Only Want to Be With You - The Tourists (1979, #83 pop)
  The Tourists would later morph into Eurythmics. This is a guitar-heavy straight ahead cover of the Dusty Springfield cover. Annie Lennox's vocals are strong, as always.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I bought this CD online just for the version of Video Killed the Radio Star, which I had never heard until I listened to it on this CD.