This is usually considered to be one of Edmunds worst (or if nice, weakest) records.
A lot of criticism comes for the Jeff Lynne 80s production.
So, ELO, Jeff Lynne and 80s mainstream revivalists would criticise it less.
For some inexplicable reason, Dave Edmunds decided to shoot for mass success with the album “Information” (1983), enlisting Jeff Lynne of the Electric Light Orchestra to give him a contemporary, synthesized sheen. Since “Slipping Away” (#39 US pop 1983) was a minor hit and the album did okay (#51US Pop, #92UK), Edmunds brought Jeff Lynne back to produce “Riff Raff”, a record that essentially replicates the sound and style of ‘Information”.
It seemed like a good idea at the time
With the exception of 80s revivalists, it doesn’t now.
I thought this type of sound was awful then and I find it practically unlistenable now. Many a good song and great artist was ruined (at worst), or, had potential thwarted (at best), by that 80s mainstream sound.
On top of that it is 1984.
The “80s sound” didn’t really become mainstream until about 1982. Before that everything sounded like the late 1970s.
(This is a “derrrr” point but I will explain). Music, not surprisingly, doesn’t follow the Christian calendar or time periods defined as years, months or weeks.
For example, in musical history short hand, people love to say that Elvis was a 50s artist and the Beatles were a 60s band. Elvis started in 1954 (almost half way through the 50s) and the Beatles didn’t “dethrone” him (in the US) from the charts until 1964 (almost half way through the 60s) and then Elvis returned to the charts in 1968. Yet, the 50s was Elvis’ decade and the 60s were the Beatles decade. I assume we do that because that is when they first had their big impact but it also tends to make us lazy when thinking of musicians and music styles..
So, the 80s sound “started” in about 1982, perhaps 1983 and I have always had problems with it, especially when it was used to “update” old rock and old pop stars, like it is here.
I don’t care it if it paid dividends at the time, for posterity, it, more often than not, brings winces and disappointment.
I can understand the logic. You have to pay the bills and at the time the sound sounded new and inventive …
But …
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, but lose his soul?” -Mark 8:36”
Okay, that’s a bit much in this context but sometimes it feels that way.
Perhaps, when you are caught up in merging new sounds and technology you don’t know how they will effect your sound at the time or for ears in the future.
Co-Producer Jeff Lynne is (partially) responsible. Lynne, extremely talented and a lover of 50s and early 60s music should know better. Unfortunately, he also loves technology (look at the evolution of his band ELO)).
A mix of the wrong producer, and updating of sound with 80s technology spells disaster for a retro rocker and popper like Edmunds.
Edmunds tends to attract rock ‘n’ roll purists and Lynne as co-producer is too modern pop sounding, which was never going to work. The music sounds very ELO circa the “Secret Messages” album from 1983 (not surprisingly) also due, partially, to the presence of ELO keyboardist Richard Tandy.
Jeff Lynne co-produces five songs (songs one, two and four on Side One and songs two and three on Side Two) and they are all swamped by his overproduction and overuse of the Oberheim synthesizer. The vocals are also processed into an electronic-sounding mess. The rest are produced by Edmunds and come out a little better.
Edmunds is a forceful musical personality. His music, in this space, doesn’t always work but there is always something to redeem mistakes.
Here, with the exception of Tandy we have Terry Williams (on drums) and John David (on bass) who have been regular Edmunds sidemen (on and off) going back to his band Love Sculpture in the 1960s.
And, they have similar musical tastes to Edmunds.
Though the album comes out a little schizophrenic.
As the Trouser Press reviewer said, “… Edmunds inexplicably put himself in the hands of machine-pop mastermind Jeff Lynne, whose wholly inappropriate production and songwriting contributions make for baffling listening on Information and Riff Raff. Though neither album is as dreadful as Edmunds devotees would have you believe (each actually contains a couple of memorable tracks), they’re symptomatic of the malaise that dogged Edmunds’ recording career for much of the ’80s”.http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=dave_edmunds
Jeff Lynne isn’t solely to blame, Dave co produced and the songs he produced along arent that much better in sound. Edmunds would have been better sticking to his guns and producing the whole thing in his style as he did when he produced the Stray Cats, The Everly Brothers and the Fabulous Thunderbirds at around the same time. He created clean 50s and 60s retro sounds there, updated, but they were sparse enough to remain appealing.
There is a sort of bomp, bomp, bomp associated with the 80s sounds where synths were featured and there is a certain 80s retro fun to that. It is present here and is enjoyable on that level though over the course of the whole album in grates.
In any event, the album didn’t do well.
Edmunds wouldn’t make another studio album for six years (although he would release a live album in the interim and concentrate on producing for others).
Tracks (best in italics)
Side One
- Something About You – (Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland, Brian Holland) – First appeared on The Four Tops “Second Album” (1965) and was a #19 US Pop (#9 R&B) hit in the same year. This could be an ELO outtake. It does have a certain bop which is fun but ….
- Breaking Out – (Jeff Lynne) – being written by Lynne there is no surprise this sounds like ELO – not bad though.
- Busted Loose – (Paul Brady) – First Appeared on Irish folk rock popper Paul Brady’s album “Hard Station” (1981). This isn’t too bad … in i’ts repeated back beat it sounds like Status Quo if they were poppier and less hook driven
- Far Away – (Jeff Lynne) – boring
- Rules of the Game – (John David) – written by Dave’s bassist – boring
Side Two
- Steel Claw – (Paul Brady) – Another song by Irishman Paul Brady from his “True For You” (1983) album. Tina Turner also released a version on her “Private Dancer” (1984) album. This is a little better. Some good lyrics but it’s all muddy with an emphasis on the music not on the lyric.
- S.O.S. – (Jeff Lynne) – more ELO sound alike and quite catchy despite itself.
- Hang On – (Steve Gould) – First released by roots rocker Alvin Lee in 1981 this one would suite Dave perfectly, under different production circumstances.
- How Could I Be So Wrong – (John David) – a ballad. The first. It is trying for a 60s feel with deep soul gospel asides. It doesn’t work. Boring.
- Can’t Get Enough – (Dave Edmunds) – a 60s rocker in the “Tobacco Road” style. Not great but great fun and one of the best songs on the album.
And …
“Bad” or “weak” .. take your pick. But, because I love Edmunds … I’m keeping it.
Chart Action
US
Singles
1984 “Something about You” #18 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart (not the Top 40 charts)
Album
1984 #140
England
Singles
—
Album
—
Sounds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCtppC4lLAY
Something about You
Video clip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdwnE52wRzw
Breaking Out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCvRz7XsKdU
Busted Loose
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kunarG_-LGo
Far Away
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GkmAHtvpag
Rules of the Game
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY6Kx_y_QjU
Steel Claw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIMdypPcQy4
S.O.S.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kocxDXn3wFk
Hang On
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTa3QN5fW1U
How Could I Be So Wrong
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvVLAF1q5vk
Can’t Get Enough
mp3 attached
Others
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGu8AD5oCJk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-KjEiB2oTQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BMwPmS5hR4
Review
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riff_Raff_(album)
https://www.allmusic.com/album/riff-raff-mw0000840381
http://mcmaenza.blogspot.com/2014/08/dave-edmunds-riff-raff.html?_sm_au_=iVVR76tfTvRws1NF
http://www.thelogbook.com/music/dave-edmunds-riff-raff-i-hear-you-rockin/
I quite like this punters succinct review, which seems to sum up the album well though i prefer other songs, “So what the hell does a guy like Dave Edmunds need with synthesizers? You can put the blame for the many failings of this album squarely on the production of Jeff Lyne. He produced half of the tunes on this album, and they just reek of the 80’s with synthesizers and synth-drums drowning out Edmunds’ great voice and guitar. It’s just not a match that suits a guy like Edmunds very well. However, on the songs produced by Edmunds the sounds is much better with the guitar a lot further up front in the mix. “Steel Claw” is the best of the bunch, with “How Could I Be So Wrong” running a close second. I imagine Edmunds used that title a second time upon listening to the playback of this album”. https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/dave-edmunds/riff-raff/
Bio
http://www.keysandchords.com/an-interview-with-dave-edmunds.html
Website
https://www.facebook.com/DaveEdmundsOfficial
Trivia
- Personnel: Dave Edmunds – guitar, vocals / John David – bass / Paul Jones – harmonica / Richard Tandy – keyboards / Terry Williams – drums
- Notice how the front sleeve (on the US release above) accentuates with a colour box Dave’s strumming hand … he is quite the guitarist.
- In Europe the album had a different sleeve.
European sleeve
