Back in time

21 September 2022

Artist: JOHN CALE (80)
Active: Since 1957 (starting with The Velvet Underground)
Albums: 16 solo studio LPs and multiple
collaborative albums and soundtracks

Anniversary LP: MUSIC FOR A NEW SOCIETY
Released: 21 September 1982 – 40 years ago today

AllMusic/Mark Deming: “The aural chaos and intense paranoia of John Cale’s “comeback” albums Sabotage/Live and Honi Soit seemingly left him with very few places left to go, short
of setting back-issues of Soldier of Fortune to music. 1982’s Music for a New Society was, from
a musical standpoint, a remarkable about-face, sounding calm, spare, and spectral where his
last few albums had been all rant and rage; the arrangements were dominated by Cale’s open, languid keyboard patterns, and there was far more aural “white space” in their framings than he had permitted himself since The Academy in Peril.” Score: 4.5/5.

Single/clip: Close Watch

Full album stream on Spotify.

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JOHN CALE: Bio – Discography