One record at a time: 471. Yello - Solid Pleasure

During my adolescence I took music very seriously and any artist who showed even a hint of frivolity was dismissed without a second thought. Fortunately, as I matured, I learned to appreciate playfulness in music, which led me to discover Yello in 1992 through their "Essential" compilation. My relationship with the band has had its ups and downs and I still fell like I should enjoy them more than I actually do, but by the time I acquired this record eight years ago, I had definitely become an admirer.

According to Discogs, this Vertigo pressing was made for the German market and dates back to the album’s original release in 1980. At that time, Yello consisted of Dieter Meier, Boris Blank and Carlos Perón. While the band are probably best known for their Fairlight driven pop hits, this album predates such milestones and relies on analogue synths, electric guitar and live drums

The opening track, "Bimbo" must have been quite a revelation for listeners forty-five years ago. Boris’s fluid bassline bubbles along as Meier’s distinctive vocals are manipulated in fascinating ways. On "Night Flanger" the precision of the drumming is exceptional and I found myself musing over which drum machine would have been available to the band in 1980 - before realising that everything was live.

"Downton Samba" introduces Latin rhythms - a theme that would become a recurring motif in Yello’s work - but it is the trio of "Magneto," "Massage" and "Assistant’s Cry" that truly reveal the inner workings of Boris Blank’s computer-like mind. Side one closes with the familiar ode to the stapler, "Bostich," though this album version is brief and lacks the depth of the more well-known "N’Est-Ce Pas" single version.

Side two begins with "Rock Stop" which never quite wins me over; no matter what effects or synths you add to a twelve-bar blues loop, it always sounds the same. "Coast to Polka" is more my style, and "Blue Green" hints at the sonic fireworks Boris Blank would later unleash on albums such as "Stella" and "One Second."

"Eternal Legs" sounds at least a decade ahead of its time, and its coda, "Starztrigger," pulses with the energy of early industrial techno. The final track, "Bananas to the Beat" is one of those irreverent songs I struggled with in my youth. Refusing to take themselves too seriously, Yello invite us to dance and enjoy the ride. Perhaps the best sign of how much I have enjoyed this record is that time seems to fly by; it is over before I know it. 3/5