51. The Outfield--Play Deep

 #51: The Outfield--Play Deep (1985)

Top-Notch Tracks: "Your Love," "Say It Isn't So," "Everytime You Cry," "All the Love"

Album Depth: "61 Seconds," "Mystery Man," "I Don't Need Her," "Taking My Chances," "Talk To Me"

Weak Link: "Nervous Alibi"

Stand-Out Lyrics: "I'm not the one to tell you what clothes to wear. I'm not the one who talks about your hair."--"Everytime You Cry"

"Sixty-one seconds is all it takes for the nine to five man to be more than one minute late."--"61 Seconds"

"You got me all screwed up, so much I can't turn 'round."--"Say It Isn't So"

"He's on a mission in Mozambique. The room is wired and I just can't speak."--"Mystery Man"

"I only live for today, but I'm one day behind."--"All the Love"

"Josie's on a vacation far away. Come around and talk it over."--"Your Love"

The Outfield--Play Deep

Album Cover: 5 Out of 10. Meh. I neither love nor hate this album cover.  

Comments: When it comes to considering 80s music, The Outfield usually gets left on the bench. They're not rock enough to be considered hard rock. They're not edgy enough to be considered alternative. They're too guitary to be considered adult contemporary. They're too poppy to be considered new wave. They're an English band with an American name who didn't have much success in England. 

If it weren't for the visceral opening wail of "Josie's on a vacation far away" from the song "Your Love," The Outfield might have fallen through the cracks and never be heard on the radio again. (It's one of the few opening vocal refrains that can compete with the power of Steve Perry.) 

"Play Deep" was released in November of 1985, just as I was getting into the swing of my two years of pernicious asceticism, so I was initially unaware of its existence, although I may have heard a song or two off of the album in passing. By the time I got home from my mission, The Outfield's second album, "Bangin'" had been released, and the song "Since You've Been Gone" was in heavy rotation on the music video station. (Back before it became a reality television station.) And that's when I became a fan of The Outfield.

Actually, my two favorite songs by The Outfield are from that second album, "Bangin'." (The songs: "Since You've Been Gone," and "Bangin' On My Heart.") I very seriously considered that album for my Top 60.  In fact, I went back and forth between "Play Deep," and "Bangin'," and at one point included both albums. But, in the end, I had to make room for more Billy Joel albums (somebody has to!), so I had to leave "Bangin'" off the list. While "Play Deep" doesn't have those two songs on it, it has better depth and a nicer album flow. (Album flow: when one song is ending and you can just feel what the next song is. It's a great anticipatory delight.)

Unfortunately, there won't be any reunions for The Outfield. Guitarist John Spinks passed away in 2014, and lead singer Tony Lewis died in 2020. But, before passing, Lewis released a solo album in 2018 called "Out of the Darkness." Just moments ago I listened to the initial song off of the album, "Into the Light," and it is a surprisingly great song! (It was a little odd to see Lewis without his trademark curly mullet.) This song is yet another reason why we shouldn't discourage these talented musicians from creating more new music. They might be able to play deeper than we expected.


Up next: Bring out your dead.



Comments

  1. darenolsonMarch 28, 2021 at 4:08 PM

    Do you know what you discover when you play this album in the morning when you're getting ready for work? You discover that your wife REALLY likes The Outfield. And not in an oh-this-sounds-good-what-is-it way. But in an I-can-sing-along-because-I-know-all-the-lyrics way. Because the group came out with this debut album when I was living in Katrineholm, Sweden, I was only somewhat familiar with their work, but enough to be really excited when SNL did a let's-make-fun-of-the-80's skit in which Josh Hutcherson (of The Hunger Games fame) lip-synced this song.(https://youtu.be/ucS9LlF6f0Q) However, Julie was still in high school when this album was released, so she's got lots of good teenage memories attached to this album--probably more than a few of them involving dances and choir tours and dates and all that other fun high school stuff that she likes to reminisce about with her sisters. All I know is that the album sounds great, and even though it brings up zero memories for me, it's now going to be on the playlist for those out-of-town trips with Julie.

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