The Comsat Angels - 7 Day Weekend (CD)

All Music Guide

The Comsat Angels willingly became part of the '80s hit-making machine for 7 Day Weekend and lived to regret it. Aside from the exposure gained by the use of "I'm Falling" in the movie Real Genius, the piles of money dumped into numerous recording sessions and multi-format singles did little to improve the band's profile. With the sound overhaul also came the inevitable image update. Longtime fans might not have known what the band looked like until setting their sights on the cover of 7 Day Weekend, an odd development for such an artsy bunch. The failure of Land to break through the charts didn't dissuade the effort to hit the mainstream. There's slightly less use of synths, but it's generally a common rock record from 1985. At its worst, it sounds like bad Bryan Adams, usually during guitar solos. At its best, you can hear the drive of the band's first three records. Those moments are fleeting, most apparent on the spirited "You Move Me" and the funky "I'm Falling." Both songs are ju...st as good as any Simple Minds hit from the same period, but the Comsats don't seem as comfortable in their confines. Otherwise, 7 Day is washy by any band's standard. The piecemeal manner in which the album was recorded surprisingly doesn't lend a disjointed feeling, but a few of the choices for producers are undeniably baffling, including funk/RB master James Mtume and hard rock staple Chris Tsangarides, who was fresh from a YT session. Time hasn't been good to the record, but Connoisseur's 2001 reissue sounds excellent. It also adds a couple bonus tracks, including their version of the Rolling Stones' "Citadel." - Andy Kellman, All Music Guide Read more Less