The new album by The Fixx, "Beautiful Friction", is out today - it's fantastic. They've never sounded better, IMHO.

First single is "Anyone Else", and they released a very cool and powerful video for it. Love the imagery of the gay wedding in front of the Westboro Baptist crazies. They are touring now, and I'm really hoping they make it to DC.

any other fans out there? If so, I highly recommend picking up the new album.

Been a fan since the release of the initial album Shuttered Room.
(Particularly the guitarist Jamie West-Oram)

However, at first listen, this doesn't resonate.
Sounds like they're trying be U2-Too or something.
Wondering what the rest of the album is like.


Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records

[Edited 7/17/12 17:03pm]

I like this.

If I just heard this new song I would never would have guessed it was The Fixx.

I listened to the rest of the CD and there are some very good tracks that harken back to their 80s prog rock synth sound that made them famous.

Hope to catch them out on tour

theAudience said:

Been a fan since the release of the initial album Shuttered Room.
(Particularly the guitarist Jamie West-Oram)

However, at first listen, this doesn't resonate.
Sounds like their trying be U2-Too or something.
Wondering what the rest of the album is like.


Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records

hmmm.. I guess if you compare it to the early stuff like Shuttered Room and Reach the Beach it's a bit different. It's more in line with albums like "Ink" or "Calm Animals" overall, I'd say. A more straightforward rock approach.

But there are things on the album that are more reminiscent of their earlier stuff, as well.

Worth checking out in my humble opinion i've been playing it all day and really enjoying it.

I always thought The Fixx was an under-rated band. Reach the Beach was one of my favorites way back when, and they had all the right elements--melody, rhythm, modern sound, lyrics, hooks...

theAudience said:

Sounds like their trying be U2-Too or something.

it does, doesn't it?

Good looking out. I've been a major Fixx fan since the early 1980's so its good to hear something new from them.

Also i love the album cover. It looks like it could be from the same person that did some of their earlier ones.

JoeyC said:

Good looking out. I've been a major Fixx fan since the early 1980's so its good to hear something new from them.

Also i love the album cover. It looks like it could be from the same person that did some of their earlier ones.

It is! good catch

Since we never talk about the Fixx, how about a fix?

NoVideo said:

The new album by The Fixx, "Beautiful Friction", is out today - it's fantastic. They've never sounded better, IMHO.

First single is "Anyone Else", and they released a very cool and powerful video for it. Love the imagery of the gay wedding in front of the Westboro Baptist crazies. They are touring now, and I'm really hoping they make it to DC.

any other fans out there? If so, I highly recommend picking up the new album.

Totally digging this right now, purchased it. LOVE the FIXX i can go on for weeks about how the 80's bands, so many of them, are still DOING IT better than ever, just because its not their "hey-day" doesnt mean good records arent being released. So many great 80's bands/singers are releasing work this year or already have, some late last year, i think we need a "sticky" for 80's artists still going! But i have always dug the FIXX, from the very beginning, they were that odd band that no one could pin point which was the great thing about that decade, you had such diversity. Some of my faves from them "secret sseperation" such an under appreciated HIT SINGLE, and i think people forget that the fixx turned out quite a few hit singles, even into the 90's having a number one rock song with "Driven Out" in the days of grunge for a band like the FIXX to be accepted still says alot. But other classics for me "Deeper and Deeper" "Hollywood Ending" a great song from "Want that Life" and so many others. Thanks for the Reminder on this NOVIDEO im on their list and yet i somehow missed the date? ive been getting bombarded by other bands with emails, like Simple Minds, Roxette, etc...that are all touring and have new records out or on the way.

lastdecember said:

Totally digging this right now, purchased it. LOVE the FIXX i can go on for weeks about how the 80's bands, so many of them, are still DOING IT better than ever, just because its not their "hey-day" doesnt mean good records arent being released. So many great 80's bands/singers are releasing work this year or already have, some late last year, i think we need a "sticky" for 80's artists still going! But i have always dug the FIXX, from the very beginning, they were that odd band that no one could pin point which was the great thing about that decade, you had such diversity. Some of my faves from them "secret sseperation" such an under appreciated HIT SINGLE, and i think people forget that the fixx turned out quite a few hit singles, even into the 90's having a number one rock song with "Driven Out" in the days of grunge for a band like the FIXX to be accepted still says alot. But other classics for me "Deeper and Deeper" "Hollywood Ending" a great song from "Want that Life" and so many others. Thanks for the Reminder on this NOVIDEO im on their list and yet i somehow missed the date? ive been getting bombarded by other bands with emails, like Simple Minds, Roxette, etc...that are all touring and have new records out or on the way.

Excellent post, well-said! I've always thought The Fixx was one of the most underrated bands of the 80s, and they were very hard to peg. They really had a distinct, unique vibe. "One Thing Leads To Another" is really such an odd song to be such a massive hit; it's brilliant and not really commercial in the normal sense at all, yet it went to #4 on the singles chart. "Secret Separation" is one of their strongest singles - a classic pop/rock tune. It's truly a brilliant song. They had a string of great albums, into the 90s with "Ink", "Elemental" and more recently "Want that Life".

It seems they are getting a bit more attention w/ the new album, they've been doing a lot of press and the new video was featured on Huffington Post, so hopefully it will do well for them. They are a great band.

2 great singles from the "Calm Animals" album:

A deep track from Reach The Beach...



...Outside




Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records

....

Since we're in that mood, here's another favorite:

The Fixx -"I Will"

...

Another good album track from the "Phantoms" album:

NoVideo said:

any other fans out there? If so, I highly recommend picking up the new album.

This sounds better than the latest by Prince, Lenny, Billy Corgan, etc etc.

Maybe the secret to putting out some cool new music is to... not try so fucking hard

I"m a casual fan of their music. I'm not too big on the new single. As someone mentioned, it sounds really different than their older stuff. I liked their more new wave rock stuff, whereas this has a more conventional U2 sort of sound, which I find boring.

breese said:

NoVideo said:

any other fans out there? If so, I highly recommend picking up the new album.

This sounds better than the latest by Prince, Lenny, Billy Corgan, etc etc.

Maybe the secret to putting out some cool new music is to... not try so fucking hard

Well-said!

The entire album is pretty outstanding.

NoVideo said:

theAudience said:

Been a fan since the release of the initial album Shuttered Room.
(Particularly the guitarist Jamie West-Oram)

However, at first listen, this doesn't resonate.
Sounds like they're trying be U2-Too or something.
Wondering what the rest of the album is like.

hmmm.. I guess if you compare it to the early stuff like Shuttered Room and Reach the Beach it's a bit different. It's more in line with albums like "Ink" or "Calm Animals" overall, I'd say. A more straightforward rock approach.

But there are things on the album that are more reminiscent of their earlier stuff, as well.

Worth checking out in my humble opinion i've been playing it all day and really enjoying it.

Don't worry, i'll definitely be checking it out.

Thanks for posting about it.

Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records

NoVideo said:

breese said:

This sounds better than the latest by Prince, Lenny, Billy Corgan, etc etc.

Maybe the secret to putting out some cool new music is to... not try so fucking hard

Well-said!

The entire album is pretty outstanding.

Well the comparisons to those artists i cant really understand, actually Lenny's latest was one of his best in ages, I think alot of older bands (ex.Duran Duran, Roxette, Simple Minds, etc...) all are putting out great new records and have been, but we (alot of us) have gotten sucked into that age-ism thing and we shut the door on them, thinking, "u guys are 50 years old, how can u possibly have great music still?"

lastdecember said:

NoVideo said:

Well-said!

The entire album is pretty outstanding.

Well the comparisons to those artists i cant really understand, actually Lenny's latest was one of his best in ages, I think alot of older bands (ex.Duran Duran, Roxette, Simple Minds, etc...) all are putting out great new records and have been, but we (alot of us) have gotten sucked into that age-ism thing and we shut the door on them, thinking, "u guys are 50 years old, how can u possibly have great music still?"

Totally agree on the Duran Duran, that album was stellar. And I too think that the Lenny was his best in a very long time.

I do love Lenny and Black and White America really is his best since 5. But it does sound like he's trying, whereas this single Fixx song sounds effortless. So good on them.

breese said:

I do love Lenny and Black and White America really is his best since 5. But it does sound like he's trying, whereas this single Fixx song sounds effortless. So good on them.

Agreed, I do think Lenny was going for a bit statement

NoVideo said:

breese said:

I do love Lenny and Black and White America really is his best since 5. But it does sound like he's trying, whereas this single Fixx song sounds effortless. So good on them.

Agreed, I do think Lenny was going for a bit statement

The thing is i hear people mentioning a U2 comparison but im not hearing it, i know u2 is mentioned because they are "the make a statement" band and anytime someone speaks its gotta be U2-like, but as far as sound, vocally on the single i would compare it easily to Jim Kerr of Simple Minds by far who ironically were making statements before U2 were.

lastdecember said:

NoVideo said:

Agreed, I do think Lenny was going for a bit statement

The thing is i hear people mentioning a U2 comparison but im not hearing it, i know u2 is mentioned because they are "the make a statement" band and anytime someone speaks its gotta be U2-like, but as far as sound, vocally on the single i would compare it easily to Jim Kerr of Simple Minds by far who ironically were making statements before U2 were.

Yeah I think I understand perhaps why folks might say that about the first single, it has a bit of an anthemic, stadium-rock quality, but The Fixx have been doing stuff like that for a long time. "Driven Out" comes to mind

So anybody else had the chance to listen to this album? It's growing on me every time I play it.

Tour dates are announced:

Aug 06 SEATTLE, WA The Triple Door
Aug 07 PORTLAND, OR Music Millennium (In-Store)
Aug 09 BEND, OR Drake Park Mainstage
Aug 10 RICHLAND, WA Towne Crier
Aug 12 ROCHESTER, MN Mayo Park
Aug 14 LAS VEGAS, NV Hard Rock Cafe on The Strip
Aug 17 SANTA CRUZ, CA Santa Cruz Boardwalk
Aug 18 DENVER, CO Hard Rock's Rock The Block
Aug 22 ST. LOUIS, MO The Old Rock House
Aug 23 MILWAUKEE, WI Shank Hall
Aug 25 SKOKIE, IL Backlot Bash
Aug 26 ESSEX JUNCTION, VT Champlain Valley Fair
Aug 28 ALLENTOWN, PA The Great Allentown Fair
Aug 30 MADISON, CT The Madison Beach Hotel
Sept 01 FALLS CHURCH, VA State Theatre

I will be at the 9/1 show!!! Cannot wait.

Also wanted to share something cool w/ the song "Anyone Else". (well, at least I think it's cool, lol).

I DJ on Friday nights in D.C. I posted the video for "Anyone Else" on our event's page because I thought folks would enjoy it. Coincidentally, there was a Westboro Baptist protest of the AIDS conference in DC last week. The organizer of our event put together a counter-protest that far outnumbered the Westboro Freaks. He took some pictures, and we showed them Friday night at our weekly event w/ "Anyone Else" blasting over the speakers. Perfect song for it. It really was an amazing moment, "Anyone Else" blaring through the club while several hundred people looked at those who stood up for love and acceptance in the face of hate and fear. I thought it was beautiful.

Here's the clip if anyone is interested: