# I like Thomas Dolby. What else might I like?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [February 9, 2014, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868 "2014-02-09T00:11:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2014, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868/21 "2014-02-10T15:00:14Z")
[Wake Up!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON-Ef6zwTUg)
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### Author:  [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2014, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868/22 "2014-02-10T16:05:37Z")
I could take or leave the smash hit “Cars,” but I loved the rest of Gary Numan’s \*\*\*The Pleasure Principle \*\*\*album. That one’s well worth a listen.
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### Author:  [@Hoops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoops)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2014, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868/23 "2014-02-11T07:20:14Z")
**Split Enz** has been mentioned more than once; I recommend [Time And Tide](http://www.amazon.com/Time-Tide-Split-Enz/dp/B000007UGF).
Also check out Jane Siberry. She’s a Canadian artist, not too well known in the States. Try [No Borders Here](http://www.amazon.com/No-Borders-Here-Jane-Siberry/dp/B000000NEH/ref=sr_1_13?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1392103094&sr=1-13&keywords=siberry). If you like _The Flat Earth_, I think you’ll like this quite a bit.
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### Author:  [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2014, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868/24 "2014-02-11T11:15:23Z")
Give _The Age of Plastic_ by the Buggles a go. It really is a well-produced and evocative album, IMHO.
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### Author:  [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2014, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868/25 "2014-02-11T12:45:57Z")
Talking Heads or Tom Tom Club
Kate Bush
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### Author:  [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2014, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868/26 "2014-02-13T02:04:31Z")
Already love Loreena McKennitt, Talking Heads, and Tom Tom Club (Byrne somehow found one of the best batteries in the business). “I Scare Myself” on Dolby’s _Flat Earth_ sent me back to Dan Hicks and I dusted off _Last Train to Hicksville_ for the first time in about 25 years; till remember most of the lyrics.
Did nobody mention Brian Eno?
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### Author:  [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2014, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868/27 "2014-02-13T03:34:31Z")
> [@Stormcrow](#):
>
> For that matter, to continue in the glossalalia vein but getting much more modern, you should try a listen to Sigur Ros. It’s more rock, but with lots of atmospheric musicality. And then to follow the Icelandic trail from Sigur Ros, you could listen to some Bjork - at times she seems to be inventing her own language, but she’s singing in English. Theoretically from Iceland, possibly from another planet… 🙂 She’s got the clever lyrics, great production (everything from synth dance-pop to orchestral dance-pop, to dance-pop created using nothing but human voices as instruments - all of it extremely smart and inventive).
I always liked The Sugarcubes. (The band Bjork was in before her solo career.)
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### Author:  [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2014, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868/28 "2014-02-14T03:53:23Z")
How about recordings younger than my children, born in '89? Sigur Ros yes, Bjork yes, but Sugarcubes no.
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### Author:  [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2014, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868/29 "2014-02-14T08:28:00Z")
LCD Soundsystem - electro dance, clever lyrics.
Spoon - more guitarry than synthy, but amazingly consistent high quality output.
Darwin Deez - Clever, catchy songs - Radar Detector being my favourite.
St Vincent - new album is hotly anticipated, the album she did with David Byrne is very good too.
MiM
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### Author:  [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2014, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868/30 "2014-02-14T08:53:11Z")
I don’t know music very well, but I’d say Fatboy Slim, and Moby.
_(Here is [the Moby song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDHMjO7UbMo))_\*
\*_Not actually by Moby_
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### Author:  [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2014, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868/31 "2014-02-14T11:33:00Z")
This Mortal Coil - mostly electronica/dream pop covers of the likes of Tim Buckley and Alex Chilton, or original instrumentals.
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### Author:  [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2014, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868/32 "2014-02-14T12:42:34Z")
For goofy pop there’s always **Men Without Hats**. “Rhythm of Youth” was a decent album for its time; if you liked “The Safety Dance” you’d probably also like “Living in China” or “Ideas for Walls” which are all much of a muchness.
Also, Yaz (or Yazoo, depending on which country you’re in) had a phenomenal album in [Upstairs at Eric’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upstairs_at_Eric's). A bit gloomier than Dolby but I loves me some Alison Moyet.
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### Author:  [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2014, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868/33 "2014-02-14T16:09:02Z")
> [@Gyrate](#):
>
> For goofy pop there’s always **Men Without Hats**. “Rhythm of Youth” was a decent album for its time; if you liked “The Safety Dance” you’d probably also like “Living in China” or “Ideas for Walls” which are all much of a muchness.
>
> Also, Yaz (or Yazoo, depending on which country you’re in) had a phenomenal album in [Upstairs at Eric’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upstairs_at_Eric's). A bit gloomier than Dolby but I loves me some Alison Moyet.
I read that as ‘Men at Work’. Which is another good choice. Especially since their two albums are slickly produced and hold up well (IMHO). Another 80’s album that holds its value is Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s album, _Welcome to the Pleasuredome_
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### Author:  [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868/34 "2014-02-14T18:01:35Z")
Human League is a band that hasn’t been mentioned yet but might fit the bill. Also Ultravox.
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### Author:  [@AnthonyElite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnthonyElite)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2014, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868/35 "2014-02-14T18:50:19Z")
> [@dropzone](#):
>
> Since the thread on _The Golden Age of Wireless_ some months back I’m back to listening to it, but much more to _The Flat Earth._ What I am enjoying and looking for are:
>
> - Clever lyrics
> - Good musicians
> - Outstanding production values for the time (old is fine if it was recorded and remastered well)
> - A soundscape I can get lost in when I listen with in-ear earplugs, the closest I can get to direct brain injection
>
> Who else is fun and good?
I just wanted to say that I’m touched I inspired some interest in Thomas Dolby, as I love his music dearly.
Give Depeche Mode a try. I would start off with Violator. It is a solid album start to finish, and as my friend Bryan once said “the album could easily be about a romance, or drug addiction, but incredibly it’s both.”
Very well produced, also.
Another crisp favorite of mine would be Duran Duran - Rio
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### Author:  [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2014, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868/36 "2014-02-15T03:10:15Z")
Jesus fuck, you people are stuck in the 80s! 😉
I see your 80s and raise you 70s Krautrock: Can! Amon Düül II! The synth paradise of Kraftwerk! English lyrics by people who don’t speak English! 😃
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### Author:  [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-like-thomas-dolby-what-else-might-i-like/680868/37 "2014-02-17T21:46:41Z")
I remembered this question from last week and it came to mind while listening to another album since I thought “This almost seems like Thomas Dolby”.
It was David Bowie’s _Black Tie White Noise_.
One of his other 90s albums, _Earthling_, also has some tracks that sound like they could be Thomas Dolby songs. Little Wonder and Dead Man Walking.
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