FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS   -   Fine Young Cannibals

YEAR:  1985
LABEL:  I.R.S.
TRACK LISTING:  Johnny Come Home,  Couldn't Care More,  Don't Ask Me To Choose,  Funny How Love Is,  Suspicious Minds,  Blue,  Move To Work,  On A Promise,  Time Isn't Kind,  Like a Stranger
BONUS TRACKS:  Johnny Come Home (Extended Mix),  Suspicious Mind (Extended Mix)
IMPRESSIONS:  This album means driving to college listening to this album on a battery-operated tape recorded sitting on the passenger seat of my 1975 copper Ford Granada.  It was the video I saw on late-night MTV that got me.  "Johnny Come Home":  the jazz-tinged minor-key single with the driving, heavy beat.  It was out to the Echelon Mall to pick up a copy of the LP on a swing-by during my commute to Glassboro State College.  Then it was the spectacular cover of Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds" that captured my heart.  And by the way, for some odd reason the cd release cover shown above recoloured the upper quadrant of the cover brown instead of its original blue found on the vinyl record cover.  The blue is superior.  After all, there's a song on the album (and it's second single) called "Blue"!  And for the record:  the band's second huge blockbuster album "THE RAW AND THE COOKED" left me cold.  No sir, I didn't like it.
MY FAVOURITE TRACKS:  Johnny Come Home,  Funny How Love Is,  Suspicious Minds,  Blue,  Move To Work,  Time Isn't Kind,  Johnny Come Home (Extended Mix),  Suspicious Minds (Extended Mix)
GUEST ARTISTS:  Jimmy Somerville  (backing vocals on "Suspicious Minds")
FACT SHEET:  FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS is Fine Young Cannibals' first album.  Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger left the English Beat to form General Public so remaining members Andy Cox and Dave Steele advertised on MTV for a new lead singer.  What they got was soul singer/actor Roland Gift and Fine Young Cannibals was born.