030. Michal David - Non Stop

When you go somewhere abroad it’s always nice to return with a souvenir as a memento of your travels. Rather than opt for a poorly moulded piece of plastic tat, or an ‘hilariously’ branded t-shirt, I think it’s much more fun to take a gamble on some indigenous music. While the adage, ‘never judge a book by its cover’ does hold some truth, when you can’t speak in local tongues, appearances and intuitions are the only tools at ones disposal.

In a dusty record shop off Old Square in central Prague, I picked up Michal David - Non Stop. Why? Because if he’s playing a keytar, it HAS to be good. David’s weapon of choice is the Roland SH-101, a powerful and sexy ‘80s analogue. During the 1980s, David quickly climbed to fame in Czechoslovakia, though by 1989 was seen as a yes-man to the Communist regime which was to rapidly lose state control. 1989 famously marked the Czech Velvet Revolution, which produced a relatively blood-free transition from Soviet controlled Communism to Democracy.

The piece lifted from this album is Zastav Můj Čas, a funky up-tempo number full of poppy goodness. As to they lyrical content one can only speculate based on the musical feel of the song. Perhaps this is a blatant piece of Communist propaganda, all profits going to the state. Or maybe this is a ‘look at me now, I bet you didn’t think I had that in me, did you?’ song. Either way, I’m not entirely sure I do want to know what he’s on about. If I did, that would destroy the magic. For now I’ll just imagine he’s singing the praises of state controlled capitalism.

Michal David - Non Stop: Zastav Můj Čas
[Supraphon : 1113 3554 H]

Music Antiquariat, Prague, Czechoslovakia: Kč 0.50

007. Depeche Mode - Construction Time Again

Construction Time Again marked Depeche Mode’s third full LP release. At this point, the popier, mainstream cadence of the first two albums was starting to be replaced by a thicker, darker, industrial and inherently more dramatic quality. The progeny of this sound would ultimately come to be so strongly associated with the band. Recorded six years before the fall of the Berlin Wall, the cold war leaves its mark etched across the album; a muscular, sledge hammer wielding man focuses the attention on the artwork, reverberating with soviet iconography, while the perils of nuclear destruction and evils of unfettered capitalism are dealt with lyrically. The standout track has to be Everything Counts which was the first single released from the album. To this day it remains a firmly established highlight in live sets. While DM had yet to find full swing, this marks the start of their upward momentum.

Depech Mode - Construction Time Again : Everything Counts
[Mute : STUMM 13]
(1983)