Every generation has spawned its share of “one hit” wonders. These “one hit” wonders are fairly abundant commodities in the sphere of pop music. It is the “one album” wonders that are extremely rare. They are differentiated by their ability to drive success that hinges around their artistry (which manifests itself in the form of a very high-quality and cohesive album) as opposed to an ephemeral fad that hinges almost entirely around a single song. Johnny Hates Jazz were one such “one album” wonder. Their rapid rise up the singles charts and album charts globally suggested that they were poised for greater success. One cannot deny that their landmark album “Turn Back The Clock” was one of the most perfect albums of the 80s – right up there with Tears for Fears’ “Songs from The Big Chair“, a-ha’s “Hunting High and Low“, Wham’s “Make it Big“, and Michael Jackson’s “Bad“. The album’s appeal stemmed from the music’s contradictory elements – an uplifting and generally uptempo mood blended with an underlying melancholy that permeated through most of the lyrics on the album. It is fair to say that fans were hoping for more from these musical geniuses. Sadly, the Johnny Hates Jazz story ended almost soon after it began. The resurrection of this talented band also seemed highly unlikely. Fortunately, with the new album “Magnetized“, it is fair to say that those who hoped for more from Johnny Hates Jazz definitely had their hearts in the right place. The band did have more to offer – just 25 years later.
There are some inherent risks and uphill challenges that a one-album wonder faces when returning after a hiatus of 25 years – especially in a business that is fairly unforgiving of long gaps (to the best of our knowledge, only the sultry Sade gets away with this!) in musical output. First, there is an expectation for the band to put out one killer single that rivals the single that put them on the map to begin with. For Johnny Hates Jazz, that single was “Shattered Dreams“. Whether it is fair or not, there is an unspoken expectation for the band to put out a “Shattered Dreams” of 2013. Second, the band’s legacy revolves solely around one album. As a result, all it takes is one lackluster album to dilute that legacy. Third, the band is undoubtedly under pressure to retain all the elements of their landmark album. That is a tall order that does not account for the fact that 25 years have passed and that the band’s members may have evolved artistically in the interceding years. One listen of the album “Magnetized” would suggest that Johnny Hates Jazz was very well aware of all these risks and challenges. That might have more than a little to do with the fact that this album has released over a year and half later than it should have. It appears that each song has been scrubbed and polished several times during the period of delay. Fortunately, it has not been in vain. At this point, many might wonder if “Magnetized” is the true sequel to “Turn Back The Clock“. Fortunately, for the band, and fans, it most definitely is. More importantly, the band has delivered on all its artistic expectations (however lofty those expectations might have been) and a little more.
The album opens with its title track “Magnetized“. For those hoping for a “Shattered Dreams” of 2013, “Magnetized” is that song. The song is an invigorating cocktail of lead singer Clark Datchlerās smooth vocals, a soaring melodic chorus, a mid-tempo beat, and a layered production with that same glaze of pop brilliance that has allowed the āTurn Back the Clockā album to stand the test of time. The songās āMiddle 8ā³ is nothing short of delectable ear-candy. One listen of the song is all it takes for its infectious chorus to stick in oneās head.
Do we only live, to die
Or is it that our hearts are magnetized
And our worlds collide,
For a reason
Do we only live, to die
Or is it that our hearts are magnetized
Going round and round
Like a season
Release You” embodies that unusual blend of intense sexiness with a melancholic lyric. This song absolutely belongs to the playlist for a cocktail party (despite the lyrics). It could also double up as the last slow dance track of the party. Every second of the song oozes romance without being even remotely sappy. “Goodbye Sweet Yesterday” possesses many of the elements that make “Release You” a great song. Its finest moments are on its Middle 8. Songs such as “Ghost of Love” and “Road Not Taken” (a re-recorded version of a song on Clark Datchler’s solo album “Tomorrow“) veer closer to the adult contemporary flavor that characterized Clark Datchler’s recent solo work. It is safe to say those songs are more Clark Datchler than Johnny Hates Jazz.
There are a few songs on the album that suggest that Johnny Hates Jazz was not attempting to create a sonic replica of “Turn Back The Clock“. In fact, with these songs, the band has expanded on the notion of the quintessential Johnny Hates Jazz sound. On “You Belong To You“, the band makes its first foray into rock territory. On “Lighthouse“, the band emulates Pet Shop Boys-esque vocals layered over an indie electronic rock/pop sound. Both these songs are uptempo and sound nothing like the uptempo songs on their milestone album. “Never more” showcases the band venturing into British band Keane’s piano-driven adult alternative territory. Interestingly enough, the band manages to pull off these artistic experiments rather successfully – with “Lighthouse” and “Never More” being candidates for future singles. These songs do not sound like those by a band that is trying hard to be contemporary. They seem to have made this transition with relative ease.
The album’s closer “Eternal” is its heart-wrenching moment. Nothing on “Turn Back The Clock” came even close to being the achingly beautiful track that “Eternal” is. This down-tempo track with its lush string arrangements is inherently escapist – but it is a melancholic escapism that is bound to leave the listener longing for more. If there is one person that absolutely needs to hear this track, it is British screenwriter and director Richard Curtis – known for films such as “Notting Hill”,”Bridget Jones’ Diary” and “Four Weddings and a Funeral”. Curtis absolutely needs to feature this song in his next romantic comedy. “Eternal” has all the ingredients of a modern romantic classic. Clark Datchler has outdone himself as a vocalist on this song.
In a nutshell, this album has more than delivered on expectations. Johnny Hates Jazz has dug into the same creative well that made them superstars. Through “Magnetized“, Clark Datchler has definitely re-emerged as the fantastic vocalist that he is. The youth from his voice hasn’t slipped away. Not one bit. He still hits the high notes with absolute ease. 25 years has undoubtedly not chipped away at production maestro Mike Nocito’s ability to create a dreamy soundscape of sophistication that each of the songs on “Magnetized” drift through. Its a shame this album did not happen sooner and probably happened almost two decades later than it should have. But as the saying goes “better late than never”. This is a fantastic return for the band and an essential expansion of their musical legacy. Johnny Hates Jazz is not a band that is trying to ride the nostalgia wave. One cannot help but hope that this album will usher a second era of musical awesomeness from the duo. 2013 has undoubtedly been quite a year for new albums by veteran artists but it goes without saying that “Magnetized” leads the pack in terms of quality. In fact, it just might be the year 2013’s “pop album of the year”.
STAR RATING: 5/5

Broadcasting Worldwide
The music of Johnny Hates Jazz is a regular staple on our global radio broadcast. That includes material from the band’s “Tall Stories” and “Magnetized” albums. We are an American internet radio station that broadcasts worldwide. The station features an eclectic mix of current pop and rock music from both sides of the Atlantic alongside hits, forgotten gems, and rarities from the last three decades. In addition to new music by new artists, we also feature newer material by veteran artists such a Johnny Hates Jazz, Duran Duran, Tears For Fears, a-ha, INXS, George Michael, Simply Red, Simple Minds, and Depeche Mode.
Give us a spin when you get a chance.
We just might become your alternative of choice!
I’ve been a HUGE fan of this band from the very first time I heard “Shattered Dreams” and own all three (that’s right, THREE) of their albums. It’s hilarious, as well as highly disrespectful to Phil Thornalley, for the band to try to retcon “Tall Stories” out of existence, as it featured the same number of original JHJ members as “Magnetized”. “Turn the Tide” is one of my top five favorite JHJ songs. Much success to Johnny Hates Jazz AND to Phil Thornalley!
@Jamon: Thank you so much for your comment. “Turn The Tide” is a personal favorite of mine too and we play it fairly regularly on our radio station. Interestingly enough, Phil Thornalley did help out a little on the “Magnetized” album. I believe some of the recording was done in his personal studio. I think Phil has done very well for himself and has lived from achievement to achievement writing hits for other artists. I just hope Johnny Hates Jazz goes back on tour and hopefully plays in America real soon. Just out of curiosity, how did you discover our radio station/blog? We’re curious to know.
Thanks for the reply. I actually found your story through Google while searching for more back story on “Tall Stories”. To be honest, I became a little obsessed with trying to educate fans of the existence of the record, as I have become a huge fan of it. Phil is an amazing talent and I guess I kinda took it on myself to preach the gospel. I love the band in all its incarnations.
@Jamon: I am guessing you know that Phil was meant to be the original frontman of Johnny Hates Jazz. He couldn’t because of his commitments for Robbie Nevil’s album in the mid-80s (the album that yielded the hit single “Cest La Vie”). Clark Datchler has just lost his solo contract at the time and hence he tried by emulating Phil’s vocals on “Me and my foolish heart”. I guess when Clark left, Phil taking over was a no-brainer. He is one talented dude. It is virtually impossible NOT to love “Turn The Tide”. Have you listened to our station? We might be one of the few radio stations that features tracks off the “Tall Stories” album. Give us a spin when you get a chance!
I was aware of Phil’s history with the band. Like I said, I had done a lot of research into JHJ’s post-Datchler era. I’ll definitely check out your station. Hit my website when you get a chance. I just posted the first video from my upcoming Duran Duran-inspired solo record. You might dig it. š
I first heard of JHJ in 2016 via the streaming service Pandora, and I cannot evoke memories of my freshman year without JHJ, and especially this album, playing in the background. But this is probably one of – if not the – most enduring album of all time, which simply refuses to get old. Each of the tracks has held up unbelievably well, with tracks like ‘Ghost of Love’ and ‘Eternal’ in particular triggering the same tears as when I heard them for the first time. Also, the title track is probably my most listened to song in the past decade. The wonder and amazement I felt when hearing that song for the first time still has yet to be replicated…
@Sammie: Thank you so much for your comment. So did you actually discover songs from the Magnetized album via Pandora? This is obviously a fantastic album and a worthy follow-up to “Turn Back The Clock” (I am not including “Tall Stories” here because Clark Datchler was not involved in that record). I agree that the tracks have held up well 11 years later. “Eternal” is so beautiful. Nothing that JHJ recorded in their commercial prime comes close to the poignant beauty of “Eternal”. The title track has some echoes of the band’s signature hit single “Shattered Dreams” without sounding like a rehash of that song and I think this title track was a critical pre-requisite for a second chapter for this band. Honestly, until I’d heard Magnetized, I was unsure as to whether these guys still “had it”. Did you listen their 2020 album “Wide Awake”? Just out of curiosity, how did you discover our radio blog?
I did actually discover “Magnetized” by means of Pandora! It was the fall of 2016, I was in the parking lot of a grocery store while scrolling through Pandora (I didn’t join Spotify until the following year). At the time, I’d just entered high school and was crazy for ’80s pop music in general, and I had a station for each individual artist I was into, which included Duran Duran, a-ha, and other basic 80s new wave stuff. I had remembered a certain very funny band name I’d read months prior when playing my Spandau Ballet station. In a bout of curiosity, I decided to start a Johnny Hates Jazz station and the first song that came on wasn’t even from the ’80s: it was indeed ‘Magnetized.’ Other tracks on the album soon followed.
I didn’t think it would be the start of a lasting connection, only my means of curiosity because of that very funny name. But my connection to JHJ only grew; with Magnetized and Turn Back the Clock both getting heavy rotation through most of 2017, especially the former. When I look back to that specific time in my life, it basically comes with memories of ‘You Belong to You’ this, ‘Man With No Name’ that. No wonder I call that era the ‘Magnetized generation.’ I did also enjoy the classics like ‘Heart of Gold’ and ‘Dont Say Its Love’ and even spun a few of Clark’s solo tracks for good measure – ‘Broken Spirit’ and ‘Crown of Thorns’ still appear on many of my playlists.
The thing about Magnetized is that it’s one of a handful of albums where my favorite track has varied over time. For instance in 2017 it was ‘Lighthouse,’ by 2021 it had become ‘Nevermore,’ while now I’d opt for ‘Goodbye Sweet Yesterday’ (even though I have no intention of actually parting with my sweet yesterdays, as this comment indicates).
To this day JHJ remains the best discography I have ever heard (THAT INCLUDES TALL STORIES, which has been growing on me as of late, even though in the early days I had a love/hate relationship with it lol) and it’s surprising that at 22 I already consider myself a seasoned fan.
I hyped “Wide Awake” in anticipation of it coming out and a drawing of mine actually appears in the “Spirit of Love” video. More on that in the post about that album…
I became aware of this blog because of an old JHJ interview that’s still up on youtube from when ‘Magnetized’ was still in the works.
@Sammie: First, a HUGE thank you for taking the time to write this incredibly thoughtful comment. Now, before I dive into the essence of your comment, I am trying to wrap my head around the fact that are you ONLY 22 AND a Johnny Hates Jazz fan!! I can guarantee you that if Clark Datchler or Mike Nocito from JHJ read this comment of yours, they would fall off their chairs in shock. I know this because I was still in my 20s when I interviewed them while they were in the midst of their recording sessions for the āMagnetizedā album. When I let that slip in the conversation, they completely paused the direction our conversation was going in to try and make sense of the fact that I was in my 20s (and that was over a decade ago). If they read your comment now, they would be in more disbelief than they can handle. This is actually incredibly cool and hats off you for having good taste in music.
I am so glad Pandora facilitated your discovery of Magnetized. I am a big fan of Pandora and was part of the early adopted in the 2000s. Back then, the founder, Tim Westergren used to do these town hall meetings to introduce the concept of Pandora and solicit feedback in real time. These were great and it would always attract a very cool and interesting audience. I attended two of these ā one of them was in a classroom at MIT in Boston and then at the Somerville Theatre in the Boston area a few years later. Several artists/bands that have become staples on our online music radio broadcast (you know weāre NOT just a music blog right? We broadcast worldwide!) are acts (noteworthy examples include Kemopetrol and Samantha James) that we discovered in the early years of Pandora. My only hang-up with Pandora was that in a given listening session, I did not necessarily experience the stylistic variation that represents my range of tastes. So, on a given day, my station was sound like an 80s station and on another day, it would sound like a traditional R&B station. In my IT-based marketing class at business school, my professor indicated that Pandora was doing what it set out to do from a technological standpoint ā and while that might annoy some listeners, at least Pandora is transparent about it. I would have also liked a memory bank for a listenerās experience to ensure that a song does not repeat too often. I know this is a memory resource hog and would required Pandora to invest in a LOT MORE data infrastructure ā and it might not have been viable economically speaking.
Just out of curiosity, what drew you to 80s pop?
Johnny Hates Jazz was undoubtedly a slow-burn love affair for me that grew over time. When they hit the big leagues with the āTurn back the clockā album, I had moved overseas with my mother and the only hit they had in that country was āShattered Dreamsā. As a result, I just assumed they were a one-hit wonder with a quirky band name and left it at that. When I returned to the US for college, I stumbled across the āTurn back the clockā song which I thought was pleasant but not earthshattering. Years later, I was putting together music for a retro house party, and that is when I accidentally stumbled on to āDonāt say itās loveā (this continues to be my favorite JHJ song of all time). Needless to say, I was baffled by how wrong I was about this band. This song made them larger than life in my head and that music video for the song is one of the classiest videos (filmed in Zuma Beach in California) Iāve watched in a long time. The rest is fairly predictable. I ended up discovering the āTurn back the clockā and āTall Storiesā (with Phil Thornalley at helm) albums in their entirety and fell in love with this bandās music right around the time that I discovered they were back in the studio. I was confident they could not recreate the magic of the past until I heard a rough clip of Magnetized during their sessions that they posted on Facebook. As soon as I heard the clip, I knew they were on fire and that is when I made the request for the interview via their management and fortunately, it materialized.
I am not terribly surprised that your favorite track from Magnetized keeps changing. I mean, in all fairness, that album leans into a few different music sensitivities and contexts so that makes perfect sense.
Great to see that you participated in the āSpirit of loveā crowdsourced video. Very cool! I have to go back and watch it.
Once again, just wanted to remind you that weāre NOT just a blog. Weāre a 24/7 online music radio station that broadcasts worldwide. Weāre not an 80s station but at least 20% of the music that we play on a daily basis was released in the 80s and this 20% does not include newer music by bands such as JHJ, a-ha, Spandau Ballet, and Duran Duran. The new stuff by these bands falls into a different bucket that gets played every day. Feel free to tune in via https://www.radiocremebrulee.com/listen-live. And if the station does NOT meet your expectations, please send us some feedback so that we can improve our playlist strategy. We know that you folks have way better instincts than we do on what makes a playlist work.
Last, but not least, thank you once again for that thoughtful comment!
Well, with the question of how my 80s thing came to be, you’ve triggered my amazingly detailed memory once again.
My interest in retro music altogether was rooted in 2015 when I was a huuuge Queen fangirl and barely had an ear for anything else, save for probably Van Halen and Journey. That phase had the hallmarks of the “I think I’m cool because I like classic rock” trope. Later on, as I heard more 80s songs while out and about (a few enlightened people at my middle school set the morning video announcements to background music by the likes of Tears for Fears and Men Without Hats) I increasingly grew captivated and sunk the Queen ship soonafter (despite having another Queen phase some time later)
I started with the basic 80s stuff that would probably end up in a google search for 80s music, then developed a concentration with new wave and ultimately sophistipop including “Turn Back the Clock”. At the time I would get so fervently into genres that deep exploration was the norm, even when I eventually transitioned from Pandora to Spotify.
The fact I’m still listening to JHJ over all the other eighties stuff I enjoyed in my early/mid Teens speaks volumes about their longevity. For example, ‘Take On Me’ has gotten stale but ‘Shattered Dreams?’ Not even close. JHJ has even held up longer than my following of Eurovision which encompassed the rest of high school. After all, in 2017 I did state on a social media site I don’t use anymore that “the first time I listened to ‘I Dont Want to Be a Hero’ I experienced a spiritual enlightenment.”
I consider JHJ a starting point and the textbook example of knowing good music when I hear it. Seems quite fitting, then, that I would go on to get into several bands Clark has expressed admiration for; I had a teensy little Beatles thing around the time of “Spirit of Love”, my 2nd Queen phase in 2021 was followed by an exploration of Genesis, and the prog phase that ensued thereafter led me to explore bands like ELP and the Moody Blues. Genesis and Yes are the only bands so far who have even come close to replicating JHJ’s infuence on me. (I might be the only one alive who gets great joy finding connections between things I loved in different eras.)
@Sammie: There is so much in here that I did NOT think I could do justice to as quickly as I would like to so I figured I would respond with a voice note. Here is a link to it: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/57iwlygtn2a1xfpgysjvr/New-Recording-29.m4a?rlkey=imtabopk8lpkww35ni9rny0xy&st=8jwdee51&dl=0
If you have any trouble listening to it, please let me know and I will respond with a text comment. Thank you once again!
Overall, I find my situation unique just as much now as I did during my original run with JHJ; most self professed 80’s diehards, regardless of age, don’t bat an eye to the comeback material but there I was, a young’un of 15 in California, blasting ‘Lighthouse’ on repeat like no tomorrow! My disconnect with my generation lies in the fact that I see potential in anything and everything.
more on the wide awake page
@Sammie: I think there is a big difference between 80s diehards that were at least adolescents in the 80s versus those that discovered music from the 80s retrospectively. For the former category of people (and I am sure there are plenty of exceptions in this group), the music is largely about nostalgia and about the youthful moments and milestones tied to the sonic backdrop that the music was an integral part of. Part of the reason there is an attachment to that music is also because that music was the soundtrack to the musical monoculture of the time. Sadly, newer music by artists/bands that rose to prominence in yesteryear goes largely ignored by the music industryās few and incredibly influential gatekeepers – and it never becomes a significant part of todayās musical monoculture. The exceptions in this category are those that look beyond the moments and culture tied to this music and can look at the music for its own musical merit. These are the folks that enthusiastically welcome new music by artists/bands from yesteryear ā and do not succumb to the ageism that seems to have become far too commonplace in music curation. The second category of 80s aficionados include people such as you and me ā folks that were either NOT alive during that decade or were born in that decade or immediately after. We donāt have any moments in our lives that coincide with the release of this music but this music is still woven into our personal lives (sadly, NOT our communal lives).
While I acknowledge that your disconnect with your generation stems from your ability to see potential in everything (this is a GREAT thing!), do NOT underestimate the impact of how many peopleās tastes are molded by this notion of a ābandwagon effectā (i.e. āI like this piece of music because others do and say we I should like it too!ā ). This phenomenon is very pervasive and it is what gives influential opinion-shapers their power.
Last, but not least, we had a listener from Scranton (PA) discover Johnny Hates Jazz through the song “Magnetized” and thought these guys were a new band. Clark Datchler was quite amused when I shared that with him.
Once again, thank you for humoring my questions/comments with your unique and differentiated insight. I hope Clark Datchler from Johnny Hates Jazz reads your comments some day. If I cross paths with him again in person (I sincerely hope I do, he is super interesting to talk to), Iāll show this to him.