Lucy Show

Re-issues can be a beautiful thing, especially when they draw attention to long-forgotten works of brilliance like this. Originally released in 1986, Mania was the second and final release by the London, UK quartet, and has long since been out of print. This reissue is well-timed given the lust for post-punk bands influenced by early ’80s production. The Lucy Show drew on the groundwork laid by bands like the Cure and Joy Divison, but injected it with pop hooks that gave them a sound closer to R.E.M. and Echo and the Bunnymen, with an even bigger sound thanks to the skills of legendary British producer John Leckie. "Million Things” stands out as one of the album’s strongest tracks, and it did enjoy some modest success on college radio at the time — it even got them on MTV. As a package, this release scores major points for the seven extra tracks, interesting liner notes by Big Takeover editor Jack Rabid, and even a video on the enhanced portion of the CD. For the younger music fan wondering what types of bands we can thank for the current wave of new wave and post-punk revivalism, this is a great asset indeed.