Wednesday, 20 August 2025

The Young Rationals - Under Control (Mega rare 1984 US Private New Wave EP)

 

The Young Rationals were Massachusetts' answer to Donnie Iris and the Cruisers.
Nebbishy Steve Stone, who had the Buddy Holly look down pat, was a more charismatic frontman than most and a better songwriter than just about anyone else on the MA club scene, but thanks to Boston's fascination with terrible bands with zero songwriting talent, The Rationals didn't put the town under a wonderful hold.
Their songs had too much melody apparently.
Young Rationals debuted somewhere around 1983 with a delightfully goofy music video, "World's Collide" (sic), and followed it with an EP, "Under Control" (Recon, 1984), on what I think was drummer Tim Jackson's label.
(Jackson was also Robin Lane and the Chartbusters' drummer, and Robin's 1984 EP, "Heart Connection," is the only other record I have on the Recon label.)


Listen : A2. Under Control   &  A3. Evidence  

With the title track, Stone penned what those shitty Boston "legends" could only dream of writing -- the perfect 3 minute pop song.

The band split up shortly after the EP came out, leaving "World's Collide" unreleased for whatever reason.


Not the stuff I'm usually selling ... but a very interesting record !

Record : VG+
Cover : VG+ (see pictures)
Price : 20,00 Euros (+ expedition costs - by registered parcel - calculated by the Belgian Post office)
Payment : PAYPAL only to etienne.reyser@gmail.com
Contact : etienne.reyser@gmail.com  

2 comments:

imnotgod said...

Hi Etienne,

Thanks for the nice review of our Under Control album.
A friend recently sent me a link to your review. Sorry it's taken me so long to respond.
After many years, I've started listening again to these old recordings.
Even though there was hardly any interest in the music when it was released, the songs still sound good to me.
But what the hell do I know???

I've recently posted some of the Young Rationals earlier recordings, as well as my solo recordings from the late 70s.
Here are the links:
The Young Rationals - World's Collide
http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1537787962?ls=1&app=itunes
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/album/4FmlNJ7RNEEVg0gAdsgWLa

Watertown Blues - Dal Coda
http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1538389822?ls=1&app=itunes
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/album/20TejwnfJGPSDbA8rOmjQo

In the next month we'll be posting the Under Control album.
Thanks again for being a fan.

All my Best,

Steve Stone
Stone Media Productions
Providence, RI 02906
Cell 508.889.8669

imnotgod said...

Hi Etienne,

Happy for any mention on your blog.

Just put Under Control on several streaming sites.
I've added a few unreleased tracks.

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/20TejwnfJGPSDbA8rOmjQo

itunes :
http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1539884682?ls=1&app=itunes

Let's keep in touch.
Best,
Steve