Know What He Said?

 

Got a lot of response to the Bruce Gilbert post last month. 

Let's see how fellow-Wirehead Graham Lewis does.

He Said was the name used by Wire member Graham Lewis for his solo releases in the 1980s.

Hail is the debut solo release by Lewis as He Said. It is a new beat classic with guest spots by Brian Eno & Angela Conway. It's a great example of post-punk / new wave's natural transition to synthetic electronics & glossier pop by the mid 80s. Here Lewis layers uniquely expressive crooning over killer rhythm tracks, animated with highly spatialized electronics & intricate dubbing reminiscent of Art of Noise or Kate Bush's inventive sampling as well as Afro-American dance music ala Prince or YMO.

 

He Said - Hail, Mute CDSTUMM29, 1986.
decryption codes in comments

Pump
Shapes to Escape
Kidnap Yourself
I Fall into Your Arms
Only One I
Com'era Dov'era
Flagwearing
Do You Mean That?
Pump (instrumental)
Pulling 3gs
Pale Feet
Only One i · II
To & Fro

 

 

 

1988s Take Care is an absolute revelation of late 80s synthetic soundcraft & hard grooving art-pop. Think Prince meets Scott Walker with Horse Rotorvator era Coil produced by Adrian Sherwood (with actual guest chops by Keith LeBlanc under the deft handling of Paul Kendall & Daniel Miller of Mute Records fame). Simply an incredible record that has arguably never received its just acclaim. 

 

He Said - Take Care, Mute 32XB-310, 1988.

Watch-Take-Care
A.B.C. Dicks Love
Could You?
Tongue Ties / Screen
Not a Soul
Halfway House
Get Out of that Rain
Hole in the Sky
He Said: She Said
A.B.C. Dicks Love (Soft)
Suzanne
Could You? (Too) 

 

 

 

Enjoy,
NØ