Boa

I’ve been thinking about diving deep into this band's entire discography lately. I only know them on a surface level, so I figured it was time to actually do the work.
(There used to be an old, failed deep-dive thread about one specific Boeing album, so I didn't want to stir up that ghost again.)

What’s your take on Boy? I’m working my way through them chronologically. I just finished their early eighties era—which felt like that sweet spot where they finally transitioned out of raw punk into something fresh. It resulted in a surprisingly punchy 🙂 new wave sound, but with a twist. They managed to dodge that slimy, overly romanticized nonsense and all that cheap, tacky garbage I usually associate with the eighties, new wave, and the South.
They’ve got that gritty rock guitar energy mixed with dark synth elements, some funk rhythms thrown in for good measure, and the lyrics actually possess a sense of intelligence and cynicism.

Someone uploaded their debut 1981 album to YouTube, so if you haven't encountered them yet, feel free to give it a spin. You probably already know their big hits, but I bet the younger crowd hasn't even heard of them.
Something tells me I might have heard them playing somewhere in Los Angeles back in the day. 🤔

The lyrics can get pretty bizarre at times; I wouldn't be surprised if people have strong opinions on them. 🤷

Since I’m still stuck in their early years, I have no idea how my perspective will shift once I hit the later albums.
By the way, I just sat through their 2007 "circle" album, which is basically just covers of their old hits, and honestly? It’s totally inferior to the originals. They butchered some great tracks—take "mountain village," for example; they turned it into some kind of... reggae(?) mess, stripping away all that rock grit and eerie synth vibe. I’m not a fan of these re-recordings; they lack the raw edge of the first versions.

wiki (EN)
wiki (US)
Couldn't find an official homepage... it's a bit of a shame when a band doesn't have one.

Honestly, doing that duet with Bruce Springsteen was pure bliss—just total peace

Boa was—well, let's just say they were back together for a moment—definitely one of the most compelling bands outside the old Southern sphere.
I know they earned quite a bit of respect from international critics 🤔 and while they experimented heavily, they always managed to maintain a distinct identity.
Regarding the eighties, it wasn't all just kitsch, neo-romanticism, or that sort of syrupy excess. All of that was just part of the era's charm—a stark contrast to what people call today's technology, or rather, today's music 😁
As for the lyrics, I have to admit some of them still strike me as a bit... disjointed? But that’s just Boa for you; I can forgive almost anything given how skillfully they blended funk with much heavier, more aggressive genres back then.
I think I still have that old Sony Music cassette of *Rhythm of Passion* tucked away somewhere; my dad used to keep it playing in the car constantly 😍

So, I finally sat down and listened to Rhythm of Passion. Honestly? It left me feeling pretty lukewarm. Just a total letdown. 🤔

Boa - All Your Kisses 🙂

SO BEAUTIFUL - BOA (1983)
I honestly can't find the right words to express just how much I love the band Boa 🙏 🙏 🙏

placidjackal36 said:So, I finally sat down and gave *Rhythm of Passion* a full listen. Honestly? My impression is lukewarm at best—bordering on cold. It’s... well, it's a bit of a disappointment, I guess. 🤔

That’s the thing about Boa—they aren't just stuck in one repetitive, boring rut. Every single album they put out feels like something fresh, though I suppose there's still always that certain something... you know, that signature "boovski ruho" vibe running through it all. 🙂

steelharbor26 said:Boa — All Your Kisses 🙂

Such a beautiful track—Boa (1983).
Words can't quite capture the depth of my appreciation for the band Boa—it’s honestly difficult to put into words just how much their music means to me. 🙏 🙏 🙏

👍 I have a soft spot for them—honestly, they aren't exactly my top tier right now—but there’s something about revisiting them that just hits right. It serves as a necessary little reminder of those better days when you actually had bands that were truly, genuinely ahead of their time. 🙂

I remember a day just like this one. Back in the late seventies, we were playing at some college music festival at a student union center. The bassist from Boeing showed up with this beat-up Fender that had a warped neck, and those guys would've been totally screwed if we hadn't lent them a truss rod. Later on, we headed over toward them, somewhere south of the stadium near the new Branimirov... For that era, they were playing some really weird music.

Dennis Collins38, looks like you actually know your stuff. Can you give me the lowdown on how students reacted back then? Who were they actually lining up to see?

It’s honestly quite charming how you’ve approached this—sitting down with such academic rigor to dissect someone’s entire discography. You’re treating it like some high-stakes scientific research project rather than just listening to music. 😁

OT: Boa has some truly brilliant moments... 😍

It would be some kind of art rock inspired by The Cure. They really pushed their production standards to a new level when they moved to Sweden. The lyrics just can't keep up with the music.

Nah, I'm not buying it. 😁
I honestly can't wrap my head around anything they've done since the debut. That first record was an absolute riot, but everything else? It just misses the mark for me. It feels way too polished, maybe even a bit saccharine if I'm being blunt. The debut had this raw, twisted energy that really grabbed you, whereas the rest... just doesn't hit.
At this point, I don't even have the energy to dig through their newer stuff. In my mind, it's always going to be Boa from 1981 😁, and frankly, I couldn't care less about the rest.

If you haven't heard it, here’s why that first album is worth your time.
On Target
Million
Night Shadows
Mountain Village
The Table
Living off the Dark

There's more where that came from, go do your own digging.

I’ve spent some time listening to all six tracks, and honestly, "Night Shadows" is the only one that really grabbed me. There’s something about those bass lines in "Mountain Village" that feels solid, though the track itself doesn't quite stick in my mind as much as I hoped it would.

Personally, I find myself leaning more toward The Cure when it comes to that specific vibe. I wouldn't call myself a die-hard superfan, but I can certainly appreciate their work—I actually happen to own every single one of their albums, purely by chance 😳.

brightridge59 said:I listened to all six tracks and only "Night Shadows" really hits for me. That mountain village track has some decent bass lines, but it doesn't exactly grab my attention.

In that specific vein, I actually prefer The Cure. I wouldn't call myself a massive superfan, but they're easy enough to listen to (I happen to own their entire discography 😳).

Is it because of the lyrics? They’re pretty cryptic to me; I stumbled upon a debate online where someone mentioned sexual assault. I can't quite tell what they're actually getting at. 🤷

She knows she's alone and it's dark
A single face on the glass slides down the vault
She knows her midnight secrets
Her voice from the distance whispers ???

And this time it's actually happening to her
And it's happening to her for the first time

The nightlife, all the neon signs are alive
And her portrait from the wall comes for her
She knows she's young and tender
A comic book hero lies upon her

And this time it's actually happening to her
And it's happening to her for the first time

The nightlife, all the neon signs are alive
A hand through the window calls her out

She knows she's an obedient child
Her body is already falling into the brightly lit city

And this time it's actually happening to her
And it's happening to her for the first time

Hopefully, I caught all of that correctly. There was one part I couldn't wrap my head around. I missed the scan of the album cover.

Larry Walker24 said:that duet with Bruce Springsteen is pure bliss

Am I really the only one who thinks this track is a masterpiece?😕

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJNmI...ext=1&index=96

To one is absolutely perfect for me!!! 👍

placidjackal36 said:Is it because of the lyrics? I’m finding them a bit confusing; I actually stumbled upon a discussion online where someone mentioned sexual assault. I honestly can't quite figure out what they were referring to. 🤷

Well, the lyrics definitely have a spooky vibe—it feels a little stalkerish and just radiates this intense paranoia, though there's also a sense of being fully aware of that fear. 😁 Maybe even a slight fascination with it. 😳

To me, it feels more like an exploration of the fear of assault rather than the act itself. 😕

The melody really stuck in my head, if I do say so myself. It has such a great rhythm, and I absolutely love the atmosphere they created.

And this time it's actually happening to her
And it's the first time it's happening to her

I think there's some sort of addition at the end that I don't quite grasp, especially since it repeats when the line repeats. I tried searching for the lyrics online, but I couldn't find anything.

Alright, I tracked down a scan of this.

The resolution is pretty garbage, but if you mess around with the settings a bit, you can actually make out the lyrics. I figured I’d post the correction here so people stop circulating the wrong version online.


Night Shadows

She knows she's all alone in the dark
A single face against the glass descends
She knows her midnight secrets
Her voice whispers "Night" from afar

And this time
it's actually happening
And for the first time
it's happening to her...

The nightlife, where all the neon signs come alive
And her portrait from the wall reaches out for her
She knows she's young and tender
A comic book hero lies upon her

And this time
it's actually happening
And for the first time
it's happening to her...

The nightlife, where all the neon signs come alive
A hand through the window calls her outside

She knows she's a good girl
Her body is already falling toward the glowing city

And this time
it's actually happening
And for the first time
it's happening to her...

Larry Walker24 said:Is it just me, or is this song actually good?😕

Check this out on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJNmI...ext=1&index=96

I'm pretty sure that was the last track from The Cure! This sounds like it’s from around '93 or '94, give or take.

placidjackal36 said:There’s plenty more where that came from—go dig around.

Seriously, go hunt down some old live recordings. They sounded miles better on stage than they ever did on their studio albums. I caught them at a few shows back in the day, and the difference is night and day... honestly. That original bassist was an absolute beast—everything after he left? Total garbage.

Listen, I stumbled upon something absolutely incredible the other day. It immediately triggered some serious Depeche Mode vibes, but with a distinctly American twist. From what I can gather about the band's history, I have a hunch it might actually be them—specifically, it sounded just like Dave Gahan's vocals.
If anyone out there happens to know what I'm talking about, please, for the love of god, let me know.
It feels like a more recent release, though I can't say for certain. I've spent way too much time scouring through YouTube trying to track it down, but nothing has turned up yet.

I am genuinely stuck here. Any leads would be greatly appreciated.