Fun fact! The Fixx's music video for Are We Ourselves is cited as the first music video to feature a mobile phone in it. A modified Motorola KR999. Neat!
With 1984's Phantoms, the band began to decline in popularity, losing traction in both sales and chart placement. Their previous album would be the last to chart in the UK, and as for this new record, while it would land in the top twenty in the US and Canada, this would still be a considerable drop from its predecessor which broke the top ten. In further comparison to 1983's Reach The Beach, which reached platinum status in the US and Canada, Phantoms would only push enough units to reach gold.
Despite this, the album did churn out a couple of solid hits. This included Are We Ourselves, which landed on the Billboard Hot 100 at number fifteen, and carried over to the Top Rock Tracks where it smashed the number one spot. This was followed by Sunshine In The Shade, which peaked on the Hot 100 at sixty-nine, and also hit the Top Rock Tracks, reaching number thirty-seven. The third single, Less Cities, More Moving People would head over to Club Play Singles charts, where it stalled at sixty-eight.
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In comparison to the previous album, Phantoms is definitely weaker. It has decent music, but its more direct synth pop sound dampers the once predominant vocals of Cy Curnin. Whereas his voice used to come across as haunting and deep, here he's just belting out lyrics.
That's not to say that the album doesn't have good songs. Sunshine In The Shade, and Our We Ourselves definitely stand out, and it's understandable why these were the hits. As for the rest of it though, it does kind of fall flat.
I'm not going to lie; this was a bit disappointing. Especially on the heels of Reach The Beach, which I considered perfect. It makes me wonder if I got caught up in the moment with that album, and it really wasn't as good as I initially thought. Sadly, I can definitely understand why the band saw a steady decline with this one. While listening to it, I actually found myself thinking, "Why is this still going?" It just felt long.
As 1984 turned into 1985, The Fixx contributed the track, A Letter To Both Sides for the Chevy Chase film, Fletch. They'd then return to the studio in November of that year to begin work on the material that would become 1986's Walkabout. I've already Retro Spun that album. So, tomorrow I'll actually be wrapping up the band with their final 80's entry, 1989's Calm Animals.
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And now, 31 Days Of Halloween!
When your dad tells you that he's going to watch a movie that you aren't allowed to see, the best thing for you not to do is sneak behind the couch and try to take in a viewing. I made this mistake with Poltergeist as a kid. The mirror scene absolutely horrified me, and that was enough for my young eyes. It wouldn't be until many years later that I would give it another go. Eh, it wasn't that scary.
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