''Strange Man, Changed Man'' is the debut studio album by English

power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and ch ...

musician

Bram Tchaikovsky Peter Bramall (born 10 November 1950 in Lincolnshire, England), better known by his stage name Bram Tchaikovsky, is a British vocalist and guitarist. He first came to prominence as a member of UK punk/ pub rock band The Motors, whom he joined ...

, released in 1979 by

Radar Records Radar Records was a UK-based record label formed in late 1977 by Martin Davis (managing director) who had previously worked at United Artists Records, and Andrew Lauder, who had previously been head of A&R at the UK divisions of Liberty Recor ...

Critical reception

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...

was critical of ''Strange Man, Changed Man'' in a 1979 review for ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the crea ...

'', dismissing the album as a mixture of "old-wave" and new wave clichés and likening Tchaikovsky to "a power pop Crosby, Crosby & Crosby." Retrospectively, Jim Green of ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference to ...

'' described the album as "an energetic mixture of

The Byrds The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...

Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originato ...

and, not surprisingly, The Motors", writing that in addition to "three fine singles... the rest of the material has also worn remarkably well."

Track listing

#"Strange Man, Changed Man" #"Lonely Dancer" #"Robber" #"Bloodline" #"I'm the One That's Leaving" #"Girl of My Dreams" #"Nobody Knows" #"Lady from the USA" #" I'm a Believer" #"Sarah Smiles" #"Turn On the Light"

Personnel

*Bram Tchaikovsky – guitar, bass, vocals *Mick Broadbent – bass, guitar, keyboards, vocals *Keith Boyce – drums, percussion *Nick Garvey – backing vocals, bass on "Lady from the USA" * Mike Oldfield – tubular bells on "Girl of My Dreams"

Charts

References

{{Authority control 1979 debut albums Bram Tchaikovsky albums Radar Records albums