![]() ![]() In both his technical skill and his use of effects to pair his guitar alongside the synths, Reynolds is the man responsible for elevating A Flock of Seagulls beyond mere pleasant synth-pop, turning singles “I Ran (So Far Away)” and “Space Age Love Song” into futuristic-sounding, heart-on-sleeve epics (even if Mike Score’s lyrics didn’t necessarily match the outsized emotions of the music). While the band made use of synthesizers more often than their contemporaries in the early ‘80s music scene in Liverpool did, the guitar work of Paul Reynolds is easily the most distinct thing about the band. Perhaps the most curious thing about the reputation of A Flock of Seagulls (both the band and the album) is how they’re held up as the example of synth-pop from the era. While calling A Flock of Seagulls a masterpiece would be overselling it, the album is a stunning example of pop songcraft and proof that the group’s brief dominance of MTV and the pop charts wasn’t entirely a fluke. Yet, beneath the garish image, there was–for a little while, at least–some substance to the band that bears itself out on their debut. ![]() Even now, with critical re-evaluation reaching some of the acts of the era that previously seemed destined to be remembered as one-hit novelties, the Seagulls are still either a punchline, cultural shorthand for the most anachronistically ‘80s things one could conceive of. Even with the revival of all things ‘80s that started in the early 2000s and still seems to be going on, most would probably only regard A Flock of Seagulls as a joke involving weird haircuts.
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