92. PLAY DEEP by The Outfield

Those of us who came of age in the 1980’s surely have the Picasso-esque album cover of this 1985 record, along with lead singer Tony Lewis’ boyish voice and boyish looks, seared into our psyche. Sadly, Lewis died on October 19, 2020. So, I thought I would honor him by featuring The Outfield’s debut record, especially considering the influence this collection of songs had on many awkward teens of the MTV generation. “Play Deep” is one of those albums that can almost be considered a Greatest Hits compilation in and of itself - almost every single song has the hook, the melody and the vibe of a hit single. The big hits are pretty much the first 4 songs, followed by ‘All the Love’ and ‘Talk to Me.’ Of those first 4, ‘Your Love’ (“Josie’s on a vacation far away…”) will, hopefully, bring back some great memories. And, if this is your first time hearing this album, enjoy the experience of an almost perfect power pop record.