Song#: 2006
Date: 08/11/1984
Debut: 93
Peak: 56
Weeks: 9
Genre: Synthpop, New Wave
Pop Bits: This Liverpool band made waves with their self-titled debut album and the spacey Top 10 hit "I Ran" (#9). Their second album of sci-fi synthpop, Listen, didn't do as well and the band regrouped to figure out a new path. For their third effort, they ditched the sci-fi references and went for a more conventional concept with The Story of a Young Heart. This first single actually did well at Rock getting to #10, but the band's sound and look seemed to have run its course with Pop listeners and the song failed to reach the Top 40. It would also be the band's last charting single. After some personnel changes and a move to the US, the band would release Dream Come True in 1985. It flopped and with that went the band.
ReduxReview: When an artist has a very specific sound and look, their moment in the sun is usually brief. What typically happens is that the artist gets trapped in what made them popular, and then listeners quickly tire of that exact same thing. So the artist has to change it up in hopes that something new will keep people interested. It almost never works and the artist fades after a short, shining moment. The Gulls kind of got stuck in that vicious cycle. They quickly lost some ground with their second LP and when they tried to change the formula a bit for the third one, few people were interested. It's actually too bad. I liked Story and thought it was better than Listen. It was a more mature effort that tried to separate them from their quirky sci-fi shtick. The problem they had was the lack of a song strong enough to break them through a second time. This particular song was solid and did a good job of retaining their signature sound, however it was inevitably going to get compared to "I Ran" and this tune wasn't nearly that hooky or cool. Although their career didn't last all that long, they certainly made a mark and are remembered still today.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: Band co-founder and leader Mike Score continued to keep the band going over the years despite being the only original member remaining. A new line-up recorded an album to little notice in 1995. Later in 2000, they recorded a version of the 1992 Madonna hit "This Used to Be My Playground" for a 2000 Madonna tribute collection. The Gulls original line-up did get together for a performance on the 2003 TV show Bands Reunited. That gig led to a few tour dates, but it wasn't long before Score was once again on his own leading the band.
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