China Crisis - Autumn in the Neighbourhood (10 Year Anniversary Edition) (2025)

So the new trend here seems to be reviewing recent releases. I figured on writing about this new album by an older established band from the 80s that I just got the second time they played my own town. It's not even on a major and seems to be a self-production, but this band is still worthy to talk about just by the power of their songwriting.

Now China Crisis never really had the fair shake from critics they deserved, maybe because they were too subtle to have anything that leaped out at you, unlike the edgier bands from the 80s that were more the rage. But then so what? What made them popular was their inventive melodicism and reflective lyrics. And having Walter Becker of Steely Dan produce Flaunting the Imperfection gave them plenty of tips and tricks as far as writing memorable pop songs. It's what made singles like "Black Man Ray" so great.

They still have it on this album. Although more mellow than they were originally, the classic songwriting is still there with the same hints of Steely Dan and also some light country as well. Imagine Donald Fagan or Paul McCartney (maybe I mention the latter because of the accent?) being backed by some tasteful steel guitar... The lyrics are still as well-done as ever, even as sometimes disappointment rears it's head as it does in "Fool" it doesn't become bitter or jaundiced in an Elvis Costello or Cathal Coughlan way. It's a laid-back and often beautiful album by a veteran pop-band, maybe done much better than other comeback records by similar artists.