System 56 - Retrospective: 1982-84 (2003)

So glad to have stumbled upon this band since I'm always on the lookout for obscure early 80s new wave that I missed way back then. If stations like WLIR or KROQ had picked up on this band, they could have gotten some well-deserved exposure. Super melodic and catchy synth rock, their sound reminds me of A Flock of Seagull and even Big Country at times. The only thing to be aware of is that since these guys never got a major contract, a lot of these recordings sound somewhat rough--not total studio polishing here, so the fidelity isn't the best.