Best of A Flock of Seagulls [Jive]

Though now considered little more than a punchline, thanks largely to singer/songwriter Mike Score's appallingly goofy haircut, Liverpool's A Flock of Seagulls were actually a more than credible technopop band whose success during the early days of MTV paved the way for a number of other seemingly uncommercial bands. This compilation is an excellent precis, limiting 1984's STORY OF A YOUNG HEART to its two good songs and ignoring 1986's abysmal DREAMS COME TRUE entirely. Aside from a dance mix and a 1985 single, the rest of the 12 tracks come from the band's two excellent early albums. Besides the hits "I Ran," "Space Age Love Song" and "Wishing," the set includes the excellent post-punk bash "Telecommunication," the creepily atmospheric "Nightmares" and "DNA," the wistful "Transfer Affection," and the manic "It's Not Me Talking"--all first-rate synthpop.