This Week's Forgotten Gem of the '80s - Then Jerico's "Let Her Fall"

Perhaps the most unfortunate thing about much of the British pop/rock that followed the massive rise of Duran Duran is that little of it combined guitar, keyboards and dance beats at anywhere near the level that huge band reached. Then Jerico stands as a very welcome exception to that generality, rising up during the second half of the '80s to fill that particular void so evident after the fade of new wave. It's also too bad that this group's solid handful of anthems made very little noise in the States, but I must admit it's not at all surprising.

1987's "Let Her Fall" plays on the strengths of lead vocalist Mark Shaw, but what really makes the track work is its ability to rock genuinely and sound a tad bit dated at the same time, a rare feat indeed. Much of the credit for that nifty trick must go to the group's active, aggressive guitars that provide a perfect balance for the band's unabashedly big production. If we could all go back now and adjust our music playlists from two decades ago, I have no doubt that music like this would find a way to reveal itself like a gleaming emerald amidst brown dirt. Luckily for us, the aging process affords us plenty of opportunity to access the wisdom hiding in such hindsight.

• Sample or download "Let Her Fall" here.
• Duran Duran Artist Profile
• Top Duran Duran Songs of the '80s

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Rhino