The Lost Boys: Hard-To-Find ’80s LPs (Paul Carrack’s “Suburban Voodoo”)

“The Lost Boys: Hard-To-Find ’80s LPs” gives you exactly what the title implies: a rare or out-of-print album or EP from the ’80s in its entirety. Some will be from CD, but most will have been lovingly transferred from pristine vinyl culled directly from the Analog Kid’s vast collection. Whatever album I choose, it will be one that you can’t easily find for sale on Amazon or in the iTunes store. Death…by stereo!

Paul Carrack may not be a household name in the United States, but you definitely know his music. He was a member of Ace, Squeeze, Roxy Music, Roger Waters’ Bleeding Heart Band, and Mike + The Mechanics. He has also released some great solo albums, and today the Analog Kid blog’s Lost Boys series features Carrack’s excellent 1982 album Suburban Voodoo.

After leaving Squeeze in late 1981, Carrack hooked up with Nick Lowe to form the band Noise To Go. Noise To Go was formed to back both Carrack and Lowe on their individual solo efforts, and Lowe ended up producing Suburban Voodoo as well. The single “I Need You” cracked the Top 40 in the United States, and it remains one of my favorite songs of the ’80s.

Carrack would go on to great success with Mike + The Mechanics, and I will certainly never forget his tenure as the keyboardist in Roger Waters’ Bleeding Heart Band. I saw Waters on the Radio KAOS at the Erwin Center in Austin in the fall of 1987, and Carrack opened the show with a solo piano version of “Tempted.” He also took lead vocals on many of the Pink Floyd songs, including a smooth soulful version of “Money.”

Suburban Voodoo has been out of print on CD for years, so the version below is from a recent vinyl rip of my original LP. Be sure to check out the bonus tracks for a sampling of some of Carrack’s best work!

Paul Carrack: Suburban Voodoo

Epic Records, 1982

Vinyl rip courtesy of the Analog Kid

1. “Lesson In Love” (Carrack)

2. “Always Better With You” (Carrack)

3. “I Need You” (Carrack/Lowe/Belmont)

4. “I’m In Love” (Carter/Lowe)

5. “Don’t Give My Heart A Break” (Carter/Lowe/Carrack)

6. “A Little Unkind” (Carrack)

7. “Out Of Touch” (Difford/Tilbrook)

8. “What A Way To Go” (Carrack/Lowe/Belmont/Eller/Ceiling)

9. “So Right, So Wrong” (Carrack/Lowe/Belmont/Eller/Ceiling)

10. “From Now On” (Lowe)

11. “Call Me Tonight” (Carrcak/Spenner)

12. “I Found Love” (Hubbard)

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Bonus Tracks!

The first rule of The Analog Kid blog is that if you write about a song on the Analog Kid blog, you share the song on the Analog Kid blog.

Ace: “How Long” (Carrack)

From the album Five-a-Side

Anchor Records, 1974

Squeeze: “Tempted” (Difford/Tilbrook)

From the album East Side Story

A&M Records, 1981

Mike + The Mechanics: “Silent Running” (Rutherford/Robertson)

From the album Mike + The Mechanics

Atlantic Records, 1985

Paul Carrack: “Don’t Shed A Tear” (Friedman/Schwartz)

From the album One Good Reason

Chrysalis Records, 1987

Roger Waters & The Bleeding Heart Band: “Money” [Live] (Waters)

From the 12″ single The Tide Is Turning (After Live Aid)

EMI Records, 1987