Second post for today, ladies and gents. Feeling a bit productive today. Below lies a recent favorite of mine, making its way into my latest DJ sets.
The Canadian synthpop/minimal wave band Rational Youth began in 1981 as a duo. Members Tracy Howe (ex-Heaven 17/Men Without Hats) and Bill Vorn released several singles and their debut record, Cold War Night Life in 1982. Soon after the record was released, Bill Vorn departed, marking the beginning of several lineup shifts that would occur over the following years. Several EPs and one more full length (1985’s Heredity, more of a Howe solo record under label intervention) followed before Howe retired the name for almost a decade.
In 1997, Howe reactivated Rational Youth, releasing one more record and touring for four years before playing their final show in 2001. Bill Vorn would join Tracy for the very first show, but could not return to the band full time, instead choosing to persue his interactive robotic work.
Uploaded below is the original Rational Youth LP, Cold War Night Life, released in 1982 by the original two-man lineup. This album was re-released in 1997 on CD with a few 12” bonus tracks, also generously uploaded below.
Rational Youth- Cold War Night Life CD
1. Close To Nature
2. Beware The Fly
3. Saturdays In Silesia
4. Just A Sound In The Night
5. Le Meilleur Des Mondes
6. Ring The Bells
7. City Of Night
8. Dancing On The Berlin Wall
9. Power Zone
10. I Want To See The Light
11. Coboloid Race
*DOWNLOAD LINK REMOVED* – mp3s now available through your favorite digital outlets!