Lost/Forgotten Album #338

[Jon]

Our second album in the current series of albums released by artists before they hit it "big" comes from The Motels and their 1980 release, Careful. Yes Scott, there is a nekkid boobie on the cover. Actually, there's a few.  

This album did reach #45 on the US charts, but it was their next release, All Four One, that broke big in the US, reaching #16 on the charts and receiving a gold certification. Careful did not receive a certification in the US but did reach gold status in Australia as did their first album released in 1979.  

What's interesting is that the followup to this album, Apocalypso, was rejected by the record company and reworked and released as All Four One. It was finally released in 2011. 

Allmusic.com review:

With their second release, the Motels make steps toward a more seamless style of new wave-inflected pop. Careful kicks off with the perky, sax-driven "Danger," and there are more hits than misses. The lyrics still lean toward the darker side as on the moody, watercolor melody of the title track, but there are also moments that are pop gems like the Europop-styled "Bonjour Baby," the midtempo rock of "Days Are O.K. (But the Nights Were Made for Love), which features the album's catchiest hook, and the uptempo "Cry Baby." Martha Davis, with her distinctive vocals, is still the band's trump card, but this time around the band gives her a little more backing.

NOTE: For some reason, the last track is skipping like crazy. The CD this is taken from has only been played once so I have no idea what's going on. So, even though the song is included on the player, I have also added the song from youtube. 

Careful

1. Danger
2. Envy
3. Careful
4. Bonjour Baby
5. Party Professionals
6. Days Are O.K. (But The Nights Were Made For Love)
7. Cry Baby
8. Whose Problem?
9. People, Places And Things
10. Slow Town

Availability: The Culture Factory version runs around $9 and there's also the BGO version (featured here) that also includes the first album and runs around $12.

[Scott]

I own this as well... I'm a big Martha Davis fan.... especially the early 80'stages Martha. You see her in the Suddenly Last Summer video?

[Jon]

Why, yes. Yes I have.

[RJhog (Admin)]

I could've sworn you featured The Motels before.  But I can't seem to find it, so maybe not.  I think what most people, including myself, think of when someone mentions The Motels is the amazing voice of Martha Davis.  One of their big hits, Only The Lonely, is one of my favorite 80's songs and it always makes it onto my 80's playlists.  

Since it seems as though they have not been featured in this forum before, even though it seems to me that they have, but they haven't, I guess this is the first time I've heard a complete album.

I hear straight up pop, new wave and some aggression (like on Envy and Cry Baby).  Glimpses of some nice guitar work. What I don't hear is a straight up hit.  Which is probably why this was not the album that made them.

A nice Sunday afternoon listen, none the less.  I really thought you had featured them before, but I guess not.  I just thought you did, but I guess not...

[Scott]

I have the Culture Factory edition of this album, so I’m using that instead of podsnack, you know, because they sound better…

I won’t repeat my fascination with the 1982-84 edition of Martha Davis, sultry!!!! But I do like this band, so much better than the hits, although those are good to! The songwriting is strong, though one could make a poppy new-wave argument they can also cut loose and rock.

The band sounds more late 70’s European than early 80’s LA, that would change a bit, but the album is still a fine foreshadowing of what was to come - see the guitar work on the frenetic Cry Baby. If you want a starter album go for All Four One or Little Robbers, both are very strong albums! Still, I will play this on occasion and listen to it loud, theres cool layering in the songs and they do grow on you.

Nice work Jon!!