February 21, 2025 by A.S. Van Dorston

Revisiting favorite albums that are 40 years old this year.

I didn’t know it at the time, but the music I listened to between the age of nine and seventeen imprinted on my brain and permanently rearranged the neurons. No matter where our lives take us, we can never escape the music of our youth. For real, there’s neuroscientists who back this up!

It only took me all four decades to become comfortable enough to fully circle back to all of it, the good and the bad. The frustration and (teenage hormones) rage I felt at being constricted by corporate radio, MTV and crappy, limited options from the record clubs is still a memory, but faded over time, since I’ve been able to access almost any music instantly for over quarter a century now. Hence, I can listen to songs that I used to hate with a white-hot (again, teenage) passion and feel a stupidly fuzzy nostalgia. AOR, soft rock, even Phil freakin’ Collins, I’ll chug it all down like a 2 liter bottle of TAB.

Genre

This seems to be the year when Goth crossed over somewhat to the mainstream, with fully goth identified bands The Sisters of Mercy, Gene Loves Jezebel, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry and The Bolshoi with major releases, and at least 25 albums in this year’s list with identifiable goth elements, such as The Chameleons, The Cure, Killing Joke, The Cult, Savage Republic, The Damned, Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance and many more. Goth clubs are also proliferating in major North American cities.

Comeback

While Nico did release Drama in Exile (1981) in between The End (1974) and her last album, it was her weakest, while Camera Obscura was a return to her trailblazing ways. Sadly it would be her last.

Debut

The Jesus and Mary Chain is the only new band in the Lucky 13, who entered the world with a bang and a bzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. At number 18, The Sisters of Mercy have their debut album, though they’d been releasing singles and EPs for a few years.

Memoriam

“Philly” Joe Jones (Miles Davis Quintet, 62), Ricky Wilson (B-52’s, 32), Big Joe Turner (74), D. Boon (Minutemen, 27), Ricky Nelson (45), all left this mortal coil.

Rock ‘n’ roll as a genre was barely 30 years old, so body count was quite low still.

Underrated

Hüsker Dü’s Flip Your Wig is clearly the superior album over New Day Rising, yet no one seems to get that. Also, John Cale’s Artificial Intelligence was slept on for some reason. It’s top tier art pop and synthpop that deserves as much attention as Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, etc.

Disappointment

Of the albums I bought at the time, I’d say ZZ Top’s Afterburner. While it’s not their most critically acclaimed album, it was immensely popular at the time, but I didn’t really love any of the tracks, and felt kind of ripped off given my extremely limited funds at the time. I got AC/DC’s Fly on the Wall from a cutout bin for just a few dollars and was much happier with that, even though it’s also far from their best.

I wasn’t dialed into the entire catalog of The Clash until a couple years later once I got rolling with dubbing tapes like a maniac. Few bands rose to such great heights and fell so far down with a resounding splat as The Clash with Cut the Crap. Proof in the pudding how important Mick Jones was. And as great as some of the Big Audio Dynamite singles were, the albums would have greatly benefitted from Joe Strummer.

Surprise

A few albums that I had at the time dropped out of favor for many years, only to return to my listening routine stronger than ever. One such album was The Cult’s Love, which I dismissed as cheesy hard rock for a while. Of course I got more and more into that mix of heavy psych, hard rock and goth as years went by, and saw The Cult perform the entire album at The House of Blues in Chicago in 2009, and it was amazing.

The band that carried the globalist post-punk/dub/reggae/art punk/funk torch of The Clash best was Argentina’s Sumo. It’s just surprising that they never got big outside of Argentina.

Fester’s Lucky 13 – The Best Albums of 1985

1. The Chameleons – What Does Anything Mean? Basically (Statik)

It’s always felt strange that it took a college era deep dive into post-punk to find this band. Why should anyone have to dig like a hungry squirrel looking for it’s nut to find the best album of 1985? That’s so wrong. It’s not like the band isn’t accessible. The Chameleons’ style of psychedelic post-punk traces back to The Comsat Angels and Psychedelic Furs. The reverby production and majestic melodies have enough characteristics of Big Music to fill stadiums. “Perfume Garden,” “Nostalgia” and “One Flesh” are distinct and memorable, and probably would have benefitted from videos at the time. Sure, standouts like “Intrigue in Tangiers” and “On the Beach” don’t drop their pants and show you where the goods are like, say, Simple Minds, but they are enveloping, and unveil new layers over years of re-listens, their goth-tinged atmospherics an important precursor to dream pop. On top of that, reissues include the earlier single “In Shreds,” a real scorcher.

Post-Punk, Dream Pop, Goth | RYM #22 | Acclaimed #59 | AOTY #35

2. Hüsker Dü – Flip Your Wig (SST)

While Zen Arcade (1984) is usually the pick for the greatest Hüsker Dü album, it’s in some ways a cheat — the audaciousness of a double album within the post-hardcore punk scene will always get bonus points. But the lightning speed progression the band made from their debut Everything Falls Apart (January 1983) and Metal Circus EP (October 1983) was indeed awesome. However, Flip Your Wig is their tightest, most consistent group of songs, with only one throwaway in the the :46 second “The Baby Song.” How great is this album? Try picking just one or three favorites. It’s nearly impossible, because there’s at least a six-way tie. They chose the power pop leaning “Makes No Sense At All” for a single and video, but “Green Eyes,” “Divide and Conquer,” “Flexible Flyer,” “Private Plane” and “Keep Hanging On” are also classic. My only complaint is, again, Spot’s crap production. When you listen in a playlist with others, it sounds like someone threw the stereo into a cardboard box under the bed in the next room. These albums are begging for a remix/master.

Post-Hardcore, Indie, Power Pop | RYM #89 | Acclaimed #28 | AOTY #6

3. The Fall – This Nation’s Saving Grace (Beggars Banquet)

Like with Tom Waits, a woman’s creative input helped an ornery, grizzled, drunk street poet ascend to the top of his game for a few consecutive albums. In this case, it was Mark E. Smith’s marriage to lead guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Brix that inspired him. While all six of the first Fall albums are classics, it’s widely regarded that this is their peak, balancing noise, menace and surrealist lyrics with an injection of melody and hooks for an absolutely engrossing rock ‘n’ roll record. Check out the haunted house vibes of opener “Mansion” leading into the smash ‘n’ grab garage punkery of “Bombast”, then into possibly the album’s greatest track, “Barmy.” High praise, considering that the collosal groove of “Cruiser’s Creek” is here (though inexplicably not on early UK pressings). “Gut of the Quantifier” recalls the band’s early psychobilly/garage noir bangers that take The Stranglers into a back alley for a thorough work over. “I Am Damo Suzuki,” in tribute to Can’s one-time Japanese vocalist, is more sinister sounding than that band ever mustered. Punters feared them, bands like Swell Maps and Pavement wanted to be them, they were one of a kind, all the way through their entire 31 album catalog. This is the place to start.

Post-Punk, Art Punk, Garage Punk, Goth | RYM #12

4. Tom Waits – Rain Dogs (Island)

Two years after Tom Waits made a transformation from beat poet/drunk romantic to Beefheartian dadaist madman on Swordfishtrombones (1983), in partnership with his wife and songwriter Kathleen Brennan, he hits a career peak. Like many great unique artists like Dylan and Beefheart, not all the normals are going to get it. It’s a good sign you’re doing something worthwhile. But man, what a stellar managerie of all-star musicians he attracted — Marc Ribot, Chris Spedding, Ralph Carney, Robert Quin, John Lurie, G.E. Smith, Tony goddam Levin, Keith MFin’ Richards — all were digging the music that invoked evil carnies and clowns, noir detectives, and Leonard Cohen laid waste with alcohol, and wanted to be a part of it. Sure, Tom Waits is a professional musician, performer and entertainer, not an actual hobo. How is that a criticism? Ugh, normals. If anything, he spent many years crossing the line and indeed becoming his own characters in his songs, but probably thanks to his wife wringing him out and getting his eyes back on the prize, he became a truly innovative artist, and a national fucking treasure. Not sure if he’ll ever tour again, as it’s been a decade since his last album, so they really need to reissue the live film Big Time on blu-ray.

Singer-Songwriter, Experimental Rock, Blues Rock, Dark Cabaret, Beat Poetry, Jazz-Rock | RYM #2 | Acclaimed #2 | AOTY #4

5. R.E.M. – Fables of the Reconstruction (I.R.S.)

I’d been primed to be an R.E.M. fan over the course of five years, first hearing the “Radio Free Europe” single on KUNI in 1981, and tracks from the Chronic Town EP (1982), Murmur (1983) and Reckoning (1984). I bought this album the week it came out and I was not disappointed. It was the first R.E.M. album I owned, so it’ll always have a special place. I can see why the normals wouldn’t get it, as it was the band at their most obliquely mysterious. “Feeling Gravity’s Pull” sets the tone with an eerie minor key guitar riff, like the 13th Floor Elevators mixed with The Fairport Convention, a British folk rock group that shared with R.E.M. the producer Joe Boyd. The brilliant “Driver 8” reminded me of my truck drivin’ grandfather. My favorite track has been and always will be “Life and How to Live It,” a perfect example of Michael Stipe’s mumbled vocals making it impossible to parse what he’s singing other than the song title and other random fragments. And yet, the emotion comes through clear as a bell, with Peter Buck’s brilliantly mournful riff. “Can’t Get There From Here” is another genius track that sounds like nothing the band did before or since. In the box set reissue, Peter Buck called it a personal favorite — “It’s a doomy, psycho record, dense and atmospheric. It creates its own strange little world, illogical but compelling.”

Jangle Pop, Indie Rock, Folk Rock, Post-Punk | RYM #64 | Acclaimed #18 | AOTY #30

6. The Sound – Heads and Hearts (Statik)

I was robbed of the pleasure of knowing this album when it came out because no one fucking knew about The Sound in North America. It took me years to track down their albums, but once I did, they were immediate favorites. After an astounding run of three amazing albums on Korova, a label they shared with Echo & the Bunnymen, who arguably hogged all the promotional resources, their second act began on Statik, a small label flush with cash from a hit single by Men Without Hats. The mini-LP Shock of Daylight (1984) was a critical success, but for some reason reactions to the next one were mixed. The production by Wally Brill (Thomas Dolby, Icicle Works) is slightly less muscular and more shimmering, but has also aged well. The keyboard work is slightly more upfront than previous albums, but not obtrusive. It makes me wonder if American band The Call didn’t listen closely to this before recording Reconciled (1986). “Total Recall” is a fantastic song that would have been a thousand times more effective in John Hughes’ Pretty In Pink film instead of OMD’s “If You Leave.” “One Thousand Reasons” and “Temperature Drop” were fine picks for singles, the “Total Recall” inexplicably remained just an album track.

Post-Punk, New Wave, Big Music | RYM #228

7. The Cure – The Head on the Door (Fiction)

I played this tape so damn much that it became a soundtrack for some tough times, to the point that I kind of resented it. It took me quite a while to come back around to enjoying the entire album properly. I think that’s a tribute to Robert Smith’s songwriting — he communicates angst and despair so effectively that it becomes bonded with your experiences. Compared to their goth trilogy leading up to Pornography (1982), however, this sounds downright joyous. Check out “Push,” where the gorgeous guitar riff is somehow both melancholy and celebratory. What seemed at first like filler, like “The Baby Screams,” now obviously spills over with hooks. In addition to the timeless singles everyone knows, “A Night Like This” and the majestic “Sinking” gives this album enough substance to make it one of their best.

Post-Punk, New Wave, Alt, Goth, Jangle Pop | RYM #9 | Acclaimed #11 | AOTY #12

8. The Replacements – Tim (Sire)

As much as I would become obsessed with post-punk from 1978-82, 1985 was a perfect year to be 15-16 years old, with more bands speaking directly to teenagers. No one in The Replacements went to art school nor gave a rat’s ass about post-structuralism or Marxism. Tommy Stinson was only 12 when they formed, and as brilliant a songwriter as Paul Westerberg was, he had the arrested development (probably due to their horrific alcohol abuse) of a teenager. There were complaints about the production on their major label debut, but I didn’t notice at the time, though the recent Ed Stasium Let It Bleed mix does sound great. I just knew it had more meat and fewer jokey songs than Let It Be (1984), making it my favorite. “Hold My Life,” “Bastards of Young,” “Little Mascara” and “Left of the Dial” are forever linked to deep personal meaning. The latter song was the last one was the final tune I played on my radio show on public radio before I moved to Chicago in 1992, dedicated to my friend Kristen, who had just joined Hole. I’d never see her again, and that song evokes her even more than her own (uncredited) contributions to Live Through This. Seeing The Replacements play that song and others at Riot Fest in 2013 brought it all back. I was verklempt for sure.

Indie Rock, Power Pop, Jangle Pop, Punk, Heartland Rock | RYM #8 | Acclaimed #7 | AOTY #5

9. The Smiths – Meat is Murder (Rough Trade)

Opinions vary widely on The Smiths’ second official album, and my own has ebbed and flowed over the decades. The criticism that they’re depressing doesn’t count against it for Joy Division fans. On the other hand, the ennui of “Well I Wonder” and horror of the title track are indeed soul-crushing, especially intense when experienced at age 16. As a mostly vegan household, I think the latter is as important as any protest music and punk songs, but I definitely had to put those tracks on ice for months at a time, but came back for “I Want the One I Can’t Have,” “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore,” “Nowhere Fast,” and on my tape copy, the U.S. version on Sire, the epic “How Soon Is Now.” It has more great tracks than the more acclaimed The Queen Is Dead (1986), but the production isn’t quite at the same level. I can’t imagine 1985 without this, and it gets more playtime than everything except for the singles comps. Just try not to think about the excretable monster Morrissey has become.

Jangle Pop, Indie Pop, Post-Punk, Acoustic Rock | RYM #11 | Acclaimed #12 | AOTY #33

10. The Jesus And Mary Chain – Psychocandy (Blanco Y Negro)

In hindsight it’s easy to take this album for granted. It’s approach seems so simple and obvious — drowning/strangling surf/girl/group/Ramones melodic tunes in feedback. The Velvet Underground dipped their toe in this idea on a few tracks on White Light/White Heat (1968), but there’s something to be said for using pedals and effects to strike the perfect balance between irritating noise and pleasant white noise, and JATMC did it. And to their credit, just for one album before moving on. Legend has it live shows inspired riots in the UK. That seems absurd and I’m sure there’s missing context there, but whatever. No one’s going to riot at a JATMC show these days, but it remains a landmark.

Noise Pop, Post-Punk, Shoegaze, Brill Building, Goth | RYM #29 | Acclaimed #1 | AOTY #1

11. Killing Joke – Night Time (EG)

From all I’d read, it seems that Jaz Coleman is an intense entity, and probably completely insane. His dabblings with the occult lead him to believe the apocalypse was iminent and he f’d off to Iceland. The band grudgingly joined him to continue working on music, and any other band would have fallen apart from this ordeal. Instead, they emerged with their fifth album, and their most acclaimed. I personally still love the groundbreaking Killing Joke debut more, but you can’t argue with their apocalyptic, thunderous post-punk on the title track, “Love Like Blood,” “Multitudes” and of course THAT riff at the intro of “Eighties.” Sod it, it’s all awesome, and a wide range of fans agreed — Metallica covered them and Ministry wanted to be them. With their baleful demeanor, it’s no wonder why the goths jumped aboard, like motherless waifs hooking up with mates fresh out of jail.

Post-Punk, Goth, New Wave | RYM #18 | AOTY #28

12. Kate Bush – Hounds of Love (EMI)

When I heard this album in high school, I put it in the category of adult pop — songs I might appreciate when I’m older. I recognized her ambitious scope of sounds and arrangements, and the side-long suite, “The Ninth Wave” is about drowning to death in icy waters. That’s pretty metal. Yet I still didn’t feel I fully understood it when I revisited it in college. 40 years after it’s release, I recognize that’s what’s so amazing about it. The sounds may be experimental, but they’re pretty accessible, more so than The Dreaming (1982). And yet there remains mystery on the logic and meaning behind enough of the tracks that keep it sounding fresh every time. The brilliant use of “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” in a dramatic scene in Stranger Things a few years back transfixed a new audience of millions. As it should.

Art Pop, Prog Pop, Baroque Pop, Synthpop, Celtic New Age | RYM #1 | Acclaimed #3 | AOTY #7

13. Naked Raygun – All Rise (Homestead)

Hüsker Dü weren’t the only post-hardcore punk band making their mark in the Midwest. Chicago’s Naked Raygun were a pretty freewheeling arty post-punk band from 1980-83, then gradually became a more streamlined piledriving juggernaught with more whoa-oh’s than the Ramones and Misfits combined, and with Buzzcocksian melodic hooks. On their second full-length they were riding a peak, with “Home of the Brave,” “Knock Me Down” and “I Remember” being some of their most accessible, memorable tunes. I pity the fools who loved punk but never connected with this band, who remain legends in the Chicago punk scene.

Post-Hardcore, Hardcore Punk, Punk | RYM #371

Spotify Mix

The Chameleons – What Does Anything Mean? Basically (Statik) | UK
Hüsker Dü – Flip Your Wig (SST) | USA
The Fall – This Nation’s Saving Grace (Beggars Banquet) | UK
Tom Waits – Rain Dogs (Island) | USA
R.E.M. – Fables of the Reconstruction (I.R.S.) | USA
The Sound – Heads And Hearts (Statik) | UK
The Cure – The Head On The Door (Elektra) | UK
The Replacements – Tim (Sire) | USA
The Smiths – Meat Is Murder (Sire) | UK
The Jesus And Mary Chain – Psychocandy (Blanco Y Negro) | UK
Killing Joke – Night Time (EG) | UK
Kate Bush – Hounds Of Love (EMI) | UK
Naked Raygun – All Rise (Homestead) | USA | Bandcamp
The Cult – Love (Beggars Banquet) | UK
The Pogues – Rum Sodomy & The Lash (WEA) | Ireland
New Order – Low-life (Factory) | UK
Felt – Ignite The Seven Cannons (Cherry Red) | UK | Bandcamp
The Sisters Of Mercy – First And Last And Always (Elektra) | UK
X – At Home With You (Aztec) | Australia | Bandcamp
The Scientists – You Get What You Deserve! (Karbon) | Australia
The Icicle Works – The Small Price Of A Bicycle (Beggars Banquet) | UK
Opposition – Empire Days (Charisma) | UK | Buy
The Jazz Butcher – Sex And Travel (Glass) | UK
The Dukes Of Stratosphear – 25 O’ Clock EP (Geffen/Ape House) | UK
Rush – Power Windows (Mercury) | Canada
INXS – Listen Like Thieves (A&M) | Australia
Meat Puppets – Up On The Sun (SST) | USA | Bandcamp
Hüsker Dü – New Day Rising (SST) | USA
Game Theory – Real Nighttime (Enigma) | USA
Echo & the Bunnymen – Songs to Learn & Sing (Korova) | UK
The Wake – Here Comes Everybody (Factory) | UK | Bandcamp
Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians – Fegmania! (Slash) | UK | Bandcamp
The Dentists – Some People Are on the Pitch (They Think It’s All Over It Is Now) (Spruck/Trouble In Mind) | UK
The June Brides – There Are Eight Million Stories (Pink) | UK
Trouble – The Skull (Metal Blade) | USA | Bandcamp
Savage Republic – Ceremonial (Independent Project) | UK
China Crisis – Flaunt The Imperfection (Virgin) | UK
Sting – The Dream Of The Blue Turtles (A&M) | UK
Sade – Promise (Epic) | UK
The Damned – Phantasmagoria (MCA) | UK
Dicks – These People (Alternative Tentacles) | USA | Bandcamp
Prefab Sprout – Steve McQueen (Kitchenware) | UK
Scritti Politti – Cupid & Psyche 85 (WB) | UK
The Moodists – Double Life EP (Red Flame) | Australia
Big Black – Racer-X EP (Homestead) | USA | Bandcamp
Tony Allen & Afrobeat 2000 – N.E.P.A. (Never Expect Power Always) (Wrasse) | Nigeria
Cocteau Twins – The Pink Opaque (4AD) | UK
Dead Can Dance – Spleen and Ideal (4AD) | Australia
Cecil Taylor Segments II (Orchestra of Two Continents) – Winged Serpent (Sliding Quadrants) (Soul Note) | USA
Sumo – Divididos por la felicidad (CBS) | Argentina
Translator – Translator (Columbia) | USA
Dinosaur Jr. – Dinosaur (Homestead) | USA | Bandcamp
Martin Dupont – Sleep is a Luxury (Facteurs d’Ambiance) | France | Bandcamp
Cocteau Twins – Tiny Dynamine / Echoes in a Shallow Bay (4AD) | UK
Hawkwind – The Chronicle of the Black Sword (Flicknife) | UK
Passion Fodder – Hard Words From a Soft Mouth (Upright) | France
Shriekback – Oil And Gold (Island) | UK
Pentagram – Relentless (Peaceville) | USA | Bandcamp
Prince – Around The World In A Day (WB) | USA
Hoodoo Gurus – Mars Needs Guitars (Elektra) | Australia
Lowlife – Rain EP (Nightshift) | UK
Slayer – Hell Awaits (Metal Blade) | USA
Dead Kennedys – Frankenchrist (Alternative Tentacles) | USA
Philip Glass – Mishima (Nonesuch) | USA
Descendents – I Don’t Want To Grow Up (SST) | USA
The Essence – Purity (Midnight) | Netherlands
Laughing Clowns – Ghosts Of An Ideal Wife (Hot ) | Australia
The Loft – Once Round the Fair (Creation) | UK
Strawberry Switchblade – Strawberry Switchblade (Korova) | UK
Bryan Ferry – Boys And Girls (EG/Virgin) | UK
The Monochrome Set – The Lost Weekend (Blanco y Negro) | UK
The Three O’ Clock – Arrive Without Travelling (I.R.S.) | USA
Plasticland – Wonder Wonderful Wonderland (Pink Dust) | USA
Grace Jones – Slave to the Rhythm (Island) | Jamaica
Sonic Youth – Bad Moon Rising (Homestead) | USA | Bandcamp
The Waterboys – This is the Sea (Island) | Ireland
Minutemen – 3-Way Tie (For Last) (SST) | USA
Celtic Frost – To Mega Therion (Noise) | Switzerland
Nico + The Faction – Camera Obscura (Beggars Banquet) | Germany
Thin White Rope – Exploring The Axis (Frontier) | USA | Bandcamp
Legal Weapon – Interior Hearts (Arsenal) | USA
Brian Eno – Thursday Afternoon (EG) | UK
Raw Power – Screams From the Gutter (Toxic Shock) | Italy
Einstürzende Neubauten – 1/2 Mensch (Rough Trade) | Germany
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – The Firstborn Is Dead (Homestead) | Australia
Crime & The City Solution – Just South Of Heaven (Mute) | Australia
Talking Heads – Little Creatures (Sire) | USA
Simple Minds – Once Upon A Time (Virgin) | UK
John Cougar Mellencamp – Scarecrow (Riva) | USA
Wire Train – Between Two Words (415) | USA
Rites Of Spring – Rites Of Spring (Dischord) | USA | Bandcamp
Oingo Boingo – Dead Man’s Party (MCA) | USA
John Cale – Artificial Intelligence (Beggars Banquet) | UK | Bandcamp
Lime Spiders – Slave Girl EP (Big Time) | Australia
Accept – Metal Heart (Portrait) | Germany
Manilla Road – Open The Gates (Black Dragon) | USA | Bandcamp
Simply Red – Picture Book (Elektra) | UK
Jane Siberry – The Speckless Sky (Duke Street) | Canada | Bandcamp
Jeffrey Lee Pierce – Wildweed (Statik) | USA
Tuxedomoon – Holy Wars (Cramboy) | USA | Bandcamp

See full list here.

Breakdown: Genre Lists

As always, you can deep dive any of these these genres with the list search. While previously I had limited an album to one genre list, it didn’t accurately reflect the multi-genre nature of many of these albums. So this year an album will show up in multiple lists. I have a widget that automatically pulls from the database, so as albums are added and moved around in the future, this will reflect it.

Psych, Garage Psych, Paisley Underground

With bands like U2 and Echo & the Bunnymen disappearing for two years, this could have been an opportunity for these Liverpool psychedelic post-punkers to take over, building on the success of their hit single “Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream).” That never happened despite a conistently great batch of songs, like the anthemic “Hollow Horse,” which was a lost opportunity for a movie soundtrack crossover smash. That and the galloping “Windfall,” with it’s brilliant country-western guitar lick are definitely more invigorating slices of Big Music than the likes of Simple Minds. Ian McNabb’s guitar slashes and jangles on “Perambulator,” laying out riff after glorious riff. Every time I revisit this I’m stunned at how underrated and forgotten this album is. Those who like the idea of Suede digging deeper into Teardrop Explodes style psych need to hear this. Cherry Red released a 3CD deluxe edition with loads of B-sides, Peel Sessions, live tracks and covers of “Mr. Soul,” “Cold Turkey” and more.

Big Music, Psych, Post-Punk, Jangle Pop | RYM #707

When XTC, in Beatles fashion, stopped touring in 1982 and focused on their studio work, their productions got even more dense and detail oriented on Mummer (1983) and The Big Express (1984). Being that awkward time when new wave devolved and dissolved into the MTV era, the lack of obvious hits shrank their audience. If the band were concerned, they didn’t show it, as they were too busy having fun paying homage to 60s psychedelia under the pseudonymous name The Dukes Of Stratosphear. Incredibly it took years for some North American fans to figure out it was XTC. And to my ears, while yes, it’s a tribute to an era, they are also fresh out of the oven great tunes in their own right, with this EP becoming a leading light in the growing garage psych scene, a reminder that there is some unfinished business left to do with a style of music that was only fashionable for barely two years.

Psych Pop, Psychedelia | RYM #136 | AOTY #32

Bubbling under: Love And Rockets, Helios Creed, Green On Red, Ozric Tentacles, The Long Ryders, The 28th Day, The Windbreakers, Rain Parade, The Playn Jayn, The Chills, The Spikes, Screaming Trees, The Miracle Workers, Plan 9. | More

The Chameleons – What Does Anything Mean? Basically (Statik) | UK
The Cult – Love (Beggars Banquet) | UK
The Icicle Works – The Small Price Of A Bicycle (Beggars Banquet) | UK
The Dukes Of Stratosphear – 25 O’ Clock EP (Geffen/Ape House) | UK
Meat Puppets – Up On The Sun (SST) | USA | Bandcamp
Game Theory – Real Nighttime (Enigma) | USA
Echo & the Bunnymen – Songs to Learn & Sing (Korova) | UK
Savage Republic – Ceremonial (Independent Project) | UK
The Three O’ Clock – Arrive Without Travelling (I.R.S.) | USA
Plasticland – Wonder Wonderful Wonderland (Pink Dust) | USA
Thin White Rope – Exploring The Axis (Frontier) | USA | Bandcamp
The Fuzztones – Lysergic Emanations (ABC) | USA
Green On Red – Gas Food Lodging (Enigma) | USA

Psych Pop & Prog Pop

Former Soft Boys leader Robyn Hitchcock left behind his post-punk and Beefheart influences, and leaned into Syd Barrett worshipping psych folk. I loved his old band, but his solo work has plenty to offer.

Kate Bush – Hounds Of Love (EMI) | UK
The Dukes Of Stratosphear – 25 O’ Clock EP (Geffen/Ape House) | UK
Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians – Fegmania! (Slash) | UK | Bandcamp
The Dentists – Some People Are on the Pitch (They Think It’s All Over It Is Now) (Spruck/Trouble In Mind) | UK
Prince – Around The World In A Day (WB) | USA
The Three O’ Clock – Arrive Without Travelling (I.R.S.) | USA
Plasticland – Wonder Wonderful Wonderland (Pink Dust) | USA
Jane Siberry – The Speckless Sky (Duke Street) | Canada | Bandcamp
The Deep Freeze Mice – Hang on Constance Let Me Hear the News (Cordelia) | UK | Bandcamp
Tears For Fears – Songs From The Big Chair (Mercury) | UK
Todd Rundgren – A Cappella (WB) | USA
Dexys Midnight Runners – Don’t Stand Me Down (Mercury) | UK
Paul Roland – Burnt Orchids (Aftermath) | UK

Noir (Folk, Garage, Psych, Punk, Surf)

While these Perth punks have been at it since 1978, they never got the recognition for their trailblazing blend of garage punk noir/blues/swamp/noise that Nick Cave did via The Birthday Party and Bad Seeds. Probably because their catalog is as chaotically unruly as their music, with a confusing mess of Australian albums and EPs with track listings duplicated on American compilations. Even the nicely curated A Place Called Bad (2016) box set on Numero takes a bit of research to determine that the first part of the When Worlds Collide disc is this album. It features the gloriously lurching, drooling “Atom Bomb Baby,” “Demolition Derby,” “Murderess in a Purple Dress” and “Hell Beach.” Their influence is far-reaching, an obliquely coded map connecting The Cramps, Gun Club, Flipper and Scratch Acid to the grunge scene and Amphetamine Reptile noise rock.

Garage Punk, Garage Noir, Post-Punk, Punk Blues, Swamp Rock, Noise | RYM #530

The Scientists – You Get What You Deserve! (Karbon) | Australia
The Moodists – Double Life EP (Red Flame) | Australia
Laughing Clowns – Ghosts Of An Ideal Wife (Hot ) | Australia
Thin White Rope – Exploring The Axis (Frontier) | USA | Bandcamp
Legal Weapon – Interior Hearts (Arsenal) | USA
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – The Firstborn Is Dead (Homestead) | Australia
Crime & The City Solution – Just South Of Heaven (Mute) | Australia
Ed Kuepper – Electrical Storm (Hot) | Australia | Bandcamp
Wall Of Voodoo – Seven Days In Sammystown (I.R.S.) | USA
Plan 9 – Keep Cool And Read The Rules (Pink Dust/Enigma) | USA

Prog

With Moving Pictures (1981), Signals (1982) and Grace Under Pressure (1984), Rush were on a roll, and no one could fuck with it. Well, no one except Peter Collins, who was known for producing UK synthpoppers Nik Kershaw, Blancmange and uh, comedian Tracey Ullman? Such was the state of things in 1985. I just can’t fathom Rush listening to those artists, or even Collins’ most recent project with Gary Moore’s Run for Cover and saying, THAT thin, brittle sound, that’s what we want, eh! As much as some have complained about the synths on the previous two albums, they perfectly fit what the band was after. This one, not so much. And yet, the songwriting on all eight tracks is flawless, loaded with more melodic hooks than any other album in their deep catalog. Neal Peart’s lyrics some of the best he’s ever written, and Geddy Lee tracked some of his most expressive vocal performances, particularly on “Middletown Dreams.” It was my most highly anticipated album of the year, and I was chuffed at the time. But in hindsight, their neverending urge to push forward and try new technologies resulted in an irritatingly bright, busy, dated AOR gloss that mars one of the great Rush albums. It still remains a favorite for certain fans, and at least one band wanted to tap into that sound, Queensrÿche with Operation: Mindcrime (1988). That didn’t affect the audience roar of appreciation when they played “Marathon” for the first time in over 20 years on the Time Machine tour in 2010.

Prog, Pop Rock, AOR, Big Music | RYM #154 | AOTY #104

Rush – Power Windows (Mercury) | Canada
Omega – The Prophet (Rock Machine) | UK
Fates Warning – The Spectre Within (Metal Blade) | USA | Bandcamp
Black Hole – Land of Mystery (City) | Italy | Bandcamp
Slauter Xstroyes – Winter Kill (Monster) | USA
Robert Wyatt – Old Rottenhat (Rough Trade) | UK
Allan Holdsworth – Metal Fatigue (Enigma) | UK
Triumph – Stages (MCA) | Canada
Marillion – Misplaced Childhood (EMI) | UK
Prophet – Prophet (Total Experience) | USA
Kenso – Kenso III (King) | Japan
Watchtower – Energetic Disassembly (Zombo) | USA
Pendragon – The Jewel (Toff) | UK

Punk & Post-Punk

Aside from AC/DC and Rush, there wasn’t a lot of hard rock that caught my attention in the 80s. I was immersed in post-punk, post-hardcore, noise and indie rock, and jangle pop mainly. On The Cult’s second album they inhabited a nearly perfect balance between their gothy post-punk roots as Southern Death Cult, and their AC/DC inspired riffing on the Rick Rubin produced Electric (1987). The big, reverbed psychedelic guitar sounds would be a big influence on Janes Addiction, and both bands did achieve a level of stadium-level success that foreshadowed the impending popularity of Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains.

Post-Punk, Big Music, Goth, Hard Rock, Psych | RYM #95 | Acclaimed #29 | AOTY #72

Bubbling Under: The Sisters Of Mercy, X, The Scientists, Opposition, The Wake, Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians, The June Brides, Savage Republic, The Damned, Dicks, The Moodists, Big Black, Cocteau Twins, Passion Fodder, Shriekback, Lowlife, Dead Kennedys, The Essence, Laughing Clowns, The Monochrome Set, Minutemen, Thin White Rope, Legal Weapon. | More.

The Chameleons – What Does Anything Mean? Basically (Statik) | UK
Hüsker Dü – Flip Your Wig (SST) | USA
The Fall – This Nation’s Saving Grace (Beggars Banquet) | UK
R.E.M. – Fables of the Reconstruction (I.R.S.) | USA
The Sound – Heads And Hearts (Statik) | UK
The Cure – The Head On The Door (Elektra) | UK
The Smiths – Meat Is Murder (Sire) | UK
The Jesus And Mary Chain – Psychocandy (Blanco Y Negro) | UK
Killing Joke – Night Time (EG) | UK
Naked Raygun – All Rise (Homestead) | USA | Bandcamp
The Cult – Love (Beggars Banquet) | UK
The Pogues – Rum Sodomy & The Lash (WEA) | Ireland
New Order – Low-life (Factory) | UK

Goth, Darkwave, Coldwave

As a post-punk fan I was always open to the adjacent goth genre (it was always goth, not gothic rock), though often bemused by how many bands seemed to badly imitate The Sisters of Mercy. And yet I felt an affinity for goth more than ever as the decades piled up and the existential horrors of the world multiplied, and the full-length debut from The Sisters of Mercy gradually clawed it’s way up my lists like a reanimated corpse. After a series of highly regarded singles in 1983, the album was a rare instance of being highly anticipated, and met with positive response from both fans and critics without bending to any mainstream trends. Those compromises would creep in for their next album, as they eventually did for many bands in the mid-80s. But for now, it was a fairly pure, and I daresay innocent expression of an underground subculture that would soon morph into an almost mainstream phenomenon, with goth clubs popping up in most major American cities.

Goth, Post-Punk | RYM #26 | Acclaimed #36 | AOTY #26

Bubbling Under: Nico + The Faction, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Tuxedomoon, Clan Of Xymox, Glorious Din, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, Gene Loves Jezebel, Damon Edge, Chris & Cosey, Love And Rockets, The Bolshoi, Flesh For Lulu. | More.

The Chameleons – What Does Anything Mean? Basically (Statik) | UK
The Cure – The Head On The Door (Elektra) | UK
Killing Joke – Night Time (EG) | UK
The Cult – Love (Beggars Banquet) | UK
The Sisters Of Mercy – First And Last And Always (Elektra) | UK
Savage Republic – Ceremonial (Independent Project) | UK
The Damned – Phantasmagoria (MCA) | UK
Cocteau Twins – The Pink Opaque (4AD) | UK
Dead Can Dance – Spleen and Ideal (4AD) | Australia
Martin Dupont – Sleep is a Luxury (Facteurs d’Ambiance) | France | Bandcamp
Cocteau Twins – Tiny Dynamine / Echoes in a Shallow Bay (4AD) | UK
Lowlife – Rain EP (Nightshift) | UK
The Essence – Purity (Midnight) | Netherlands

Hardcore Punk & Post-Hardcore

Hüsker Dü were in the midst of one of the most impressive creative streaks of the era, rivalling a very different hometown artist, Prince, who was also releasing albums associated with other artists. Their debut album and the earthshaking EP Metal Circus in 1983, the colossal Zen Arcade in 1984, and now this in January 1985, with more to come. It ain’t perfect, as Spot’s production sounds like Golem trapped inside a tin can. Some of the hardcore punk songs are a retreat from the pioneering previous album, and “How to Skin a Cat” is complete garbage. But with one perfect song, “Celebrated Summer,” and the adrenaline rush of the rest, which sound like they were not crafted or tinkered with, but simply documented as they blasted out of a firehose, it’s a classic of the era. As always, their live shows at the time focused on songs not even recorded yet. Those would come in September, and would be even better.

Indie, Post-Hardcore, Hardcore Punk, Noise, Power Pop | RYM #23 | Acclaimed #6 | AOTY #2

Bubbling Under: The Effigies, Couch Flambeau, Government Issue, NoMeansNo, Black Flag, Really Red, Onslaught, Killdozer, S.O.D., SNFU, Black Flag, Zoetrope, Scream, Volcano Suns. | More.

Hüsker Dü – Flip Your Wig (SST) | USA
Naked Raygun – All Rise (Homestead) | USA | Bandcamp
Hüsker Dü – New Day Rising (SST) | USA
Dicks – These People (Alternative Tentacles) | USA | Bandcamp
Big Black – Racer-X EP (Homestead) | USA | Bandcamp
Dinosaur Jr. – Dinosaur (Homestead) | USA | Bandcamp
Dead Kennedys – Frankenchrist (Alternative Tentacles) | USA
Descendents – I Don’t Want To Grow Up (SST) | USA
Raw Power – Screams From the Gutter (Toxic Shock) | Italy
Rites Of Spring – Rites Of Spring (Dischord) | USA | Bandcamp
The Ex – Pokkeherrie (Pockabilly) | Netherlands | Bandcamp
Subhumans – Worlds Apart (Bluurg) | UK | Bandcamp
7seconds – Walk Together, Rock Together (BYO) | USA

Garage Rock

Many Americans may be surprised that there was another X that formed in Sydney the same time as L.A.’s version in 1977, and were in some ways better, if you preferred your punk more ferocious and feral. While the U.S. version were more prolific, the quality of their fifth album in 1985 took a steep dive in quality, while Sydney’s X were on just their second album after X-Aspirations (1980), and it was another banger. Driven by former Rose Tattoo Ian Rilen’s piano wire-strung bass, they share some characteristics with Motorhead in that they are associated with a scene (punk) but are also outsiders, basically playing stripped down, savage rock ‘n’ roll. Their guitarist Ian Crahe died of an OD in 1978 before the band had recorded anything, so singer Steve Lucas gamely took on the task to learn the instrument. Other changes occurred in the intermittent years, with the band relocating to Melbourne and in 1984, drummer Cathy Green brought a jazz background, teaching the band to swing a bit. Another way they evolved was introducing some horns, but in a bad-ass way in the tradition of The Saints and Hunters & Collectors, and they even have a ballad, “Don’t Cry No Tears” that managed to sound both mournful and threatening.

Punk, Post-Punk, Noise | RYM #965

X – At Home With You (Aztec) | Australia | Bandcamp
The Scientists – You Get What You Deserve! (Karbon) | Australia
The Dentists – Some People Are on the Pitch (They Think It’s All Over It Is Now) (Spruck/Trouble In Mind) | UK
Dicks – These People (Alternative Tentacles) | USA | Bandcamp
The Moodists – Double Life EP (Red Flame) | Australia
Hoodoo Gurus – Mars Needs Guitars (Elektra) | Australia
Laughing Clowns – Ghosts Of An Ideal Wife (Hot ) | Australia
Thin White Rope – Exploring The Axis (Frontier) | USA | Bandcamp
Legal Weapon – Interior Hearts (Arsenal) | USA
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – The Firstborn Is Dead (Homestead) | Australia
Crime & The City Solution – Just South Of Heaven (Mute) | Australia
Lime Spiders – Slave Girl EP (Big Time) | Australia
The Fuzztones – Lysergic Emanations (ABC) | USA

Hard Rock & Glam Metal

It’s often a safe assumption that bands that started releasing albums in 1970 were no longer doing their best material. Hawkwind kept on space truckin’ through the 80s, with no regards to such rules, releasing six albums in the 80s, including the exceptional Levitation (1980) and this one, featuring the return to their celebrated collaborations with fantasy author Michael Moorcock on lyrics, creating a cohesive concept album around the famous sentient sword Stormbringer.

Hard Rock, Space Rock, Heavy Metal, Prog | RYM #320

1985 was a weird time for hard rock, as you can see by the main list, with bands coming from primarily post-punk/goth background, space rock/psych, L.A. punk noir, 70s classic rock, power pop and glam metal. While Ratt were big sellers, and still holds up fairly well, an underground Detroit band that mixes some glam into their brand of power metal blows them away. Complete with hilariously awkward cover art, meet Seduce, a scrappy power trio who provide the grime that’s missing from the sleaze coming from their Sunset Strip colleagues. Their major label debut would strip away much of that grit and charm on Too Much, Ain’t Enough (1988).

I got the AC/DC album from the cut-out bin at the time, and for three bucks I’d say I got a decent value. The guitar tones on the title track are nice and nasty. “Shake Your Foundations,” “First Blood” and “Sink the Pink” are decent, certainly better than some deep cuts on For Those About and even Back in Black.

Bubbling Under: W.A.S.P., Magnum, Gary Moore, Triumph, Dokken, Y&T, Saxon, The Godz, Prophet, Fortune, Twisted Sister, Universe, Coney Hatch, Hammer, Vandenberg, Waysted, Alcatrazz, Pandemonium, King Kobra, Girlschool, Trash, Phenomena, Alan Vega, Y&T, Rough Cutt, Slade, The Firm, Darrell Mansfield Band, Pantera, Keel, Great White, UFO, Blue Öyster Cult, Night Ranger, Mõtley Crüe. | More.

The Cult – Love (Beggars Banquet) | UK
Hawkwind – The Chronicle of the Black Sword (Flicknife) | UK
Legal Weapon – Interior Hearts (Arsenal) | USA
Heart – Heart (Capitol) | USA
Seduce – Seduce (Psycho-Mania) | USA
Cheap Trick – Standing on the Edge (Epic) | USA
AC/DC – Fly On The Wall (Atco) | Australia
Streets – Crimes in Mind (Atlantic) | USA
Kix – Midnite Dynamite (Atlantic) | USA
Ratt – Invasion Of Your Privacy (Atlantic) | USA
ZZ Top – Afterburner (WB) | USA
Warlock – Hellbound (Mercury) | Germany
Q5 – Steel The Light (Music For Nations) | USA

Heavy Metal

While I enjoy some good, slow-moving, dirgey doom metal, Trouble infuse faster tempos from power and thrash metal, as well as some good old hard rock and proto-metal, with twin lead guitars inspired by Judas Priest and NWOBHM. The result is, along with their debut Psalm 9 (1984), one of the earliest instances of rock ‘n’ doom. Eric Wagner’s vocals have yet to reach their full strength as they would on the Rick Rubin albums, but his lyrics also bring a lot of attention and debate. With just a bit more overt biblical references than Black Sabbath, are they a Christian rock band? I’d say no, no more than Nick Cave and a million other writers in human history who’ve used the bible for literary inspiration. “As darkness sets, the agony begins / one of you will betray me with a kiss of death / pray that you may not enter into temptation / God give me strength, I`m going to be crucified.” While I can’t guarantee that a stripper hasn’t ever pole-danced to this music, it ain’t no party music . . just the best metal album of the year.

Traditional Doom Metal, Heavy Metal | RYM #51

How’s 14 years for a gestation period for an album? Formed in 1971 as fans of Blue Cheer, and inevitably Black Sabbath, the chaos that is the life of a drug addict like Bobby Liebling lead to the band’s belated debut. This probably was the best time, as this style of doom metal was still very underground, but at least they had some fellow travellers in Saint Vitus, Trouble, The Obsessed, Witchfinder General and Pagan Altar to share the struggle with and temper expectations of any world dominance in line with Sabbath, Maiden and Metallica. While one of their original classics “20 Buck Spin” get re-recorded here, the band refrains from revisiting one of their catchiest early numbers, “Forever My Queen,” which is the right choice as it would have sounded dated. Instead, it’s fresher material that solidify the band’s standing as one of the most important pioneers of doom metal.

Traditional Doom Metal, Heavy Metal | RYM #34 | AOTY #58

Bubbling under: ADX, Brainfever, Blitzkrieg, Fates Warning, Helloween, Omen, Exciter, Stormwitch, Loudness, Saint Vitus, Tyran’ Pace, Tröjan. | More.

Trouble – The Skull (Metal Blade) | USA | Bandcamp
Pentagram – Relentless (Peaceville) | USA | Bandcamp
Slayer – Hell Awaits (Metal Blade) | USA
Celtic Frost – To Mega Therion (Noise) | Switzerland
Accept – Metal Heart (Portrait) | Germany
Manilla Road – Open The Gates (Black Dragon) | USA | Bandcamp
Scavenger – Battlefields (Masusoleum) | Germany | Bandcamp
Griffin – Flight of the Griffin (Steamhammer) | USA
Seduce – Seduce (Psycho-Mania) | USA
Dio – Sacred Heart (WB) | USA
Possessed – Seven Churches (Relativity) | USA
Omega – The Prophet (Rock Machine) | UK
Iron Angel – Hellish Crossfire (Steamhammer) | Germany

Power Metal

There’s plenty of flaws in Wichita, KS based Manilla Road, from their rudimentary production and Mark Shelton’s nasal whine, to their distinctly unfashionable obsession with epic fantasy and mythology. It wouldn’t be surprising if they had an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons campaign going on after rehearsals. And that’s also what’s so damn charming about them, and why there’s such a devoted cult following who have raised their profile above literally over a hundred other possible contenders for the best underground U.S. heavy metal. I got to see them live before Shelton passed and maybe it was the adoration from the fans that influenced me, but I loved it.

Heavy Metal, Power Metal | RYM #31

Bubbling under: Virgin Steele, Anthem, Fates Warning, Vicious Rumors, Liege Lord, Scanner, Adramelch, Attacker. ” More.

Manilla Road – Open The Gates (Black Dragon) | USA | Bandcamp
Scavenger – Battlefields (Masusoleum) | Germany | Bandcamp
Griffin – Flight of the Griffin (Steamhammer) | USA
Seduce – Seduce (Psycho-Mania) | USA
Chastain – Mystery of Illusion (Shrapnel) | USA
Fates Warning – The Spectre Within (Metal Blade) | USA | Bandcamp
Helloween – Walls Of Jericho (Combat) | Germany
Omen – Warning Of Danger (Metal Blade) | USA
Hallows Eve – Tales of Terror (Metal Blade) | USA
Slauter Xstroyes – Winter Kill (Monster) | USA
Thor – Only the Strong (Viper) | Canada | Bandcamp
Agent Steel – Skeptics Apocalypse (Combat) | USA
Savage Grace – Master Of Disguise (Important) | USA | Bandcamp

Metal

Slayer can claim co-credit with Metallica for pushing heavy metal through a barrier into new territory known simply as metal. The utter savageness and chaos of their sound and grisly lyrical content was a huge influence on the development of death metal, as well as grindcore. This sound ain’t for everyone, and their next album with Rick Rubin would strip away extraneous noise to hone in on their power and groove, and ultimately more accessible. I may not listen to this a ton, but it’s such an important album that can’t be ignored. And also, FUCKIN’ SLAYER!!! \../

Thrash Metal, Death Metal | RYM #16 | AOTY #39

Bubbling under: Realm, Bathory, Pestilence, Destruction, Holy Terror, Sabbat, Carcas, Sadus, Razor, Forbidden. | More.

Kreator – Endless Pain (Noise) | Germany

1985 Metal

Avant, Experimental, Modern Classical, Drone

On their third album, Sonic Youth’s roots in the no wave scene were still showing as they gradually learned to rock. The build-up of the chiming “Intro” into the fantastic beginning of “Brave Men Run” was a good start, even if the song didn’t quite deliver the promise. “Society is A Hole,” “I Love Her All the Time,” and “I’m Insane” are all interesting noisy dirges, but the clear highlight here is “Death Valley ’69” with Lydia Lunch on guest vocals. It’s exciting, menacing, harrowing, all the things the kids are looking for in pop tunes in ’85, and a nice indication of Sonic Youth’s imperial period to come.

Noise, No Wave, Experimental, Drone | RYM #121

Tom Waits – Rain Dogs (Island) | USA
Philip Glass – Mishima (Nonesuch) | USA
Sonic Youth – Bad Moon Rising (Homestead) | USA | Bandcamp
Brian Eno – Thursday Afternoon (EG) | UK
Einstürzende Neubauten – 1/2 Mensch (Rough Trade) | Germany
Tuxedomoon – Holy Wars (Cramboy) | USA | Bandcamp
The Ex – Pokkeherrie (Pockabilly) | Netherlands | Bandcamp
The Deep Freeze Mice – Hang on Constance Let Me Hear the News (Cordelia) | UK | Bandcamp
Dif Juz – Extractions (4AD) | UK
Anthony Braxton – Six Compositions (Quartet) 1984 (Black Saint) | USA
Helios Creed – X-Rated Fairy Tales (Subterranean) | USA | Bandcamp
Art Zoyd – Le mariage du ciel et de l’enfer (Cryonic) | France
Savage Republic – Trudge EP (Fundamental Music ) | UK

Industrial & Noise

Steve Albini’s Big Black had not even released a full-length yet, but they were already sitting top of the heap of the quite fertile American underground noise rock scene. He takes the method-acting approach, becoming the horrible characters featured in the songs as he explores hatred, violence, misanthropy, all the things that will apparently be catnip to voters in decades to come. The toxic masculinity of the scene might have temporarily consumed him, but he eventually evolved into a better man, and you just can’t fuck with classics like “Deep Six” and Sleep!”.

Noise Rock, Post-Hardcore, Industrial Rock, Post-Punk | RYM #10

J. Mascis may have come from a hardcore punk background as the drummer in Deep Wound, but his focus on guitar with his new band had him digging deep into classic rock territory to learn the best way to rip your head off with riffs that sound as big and loud as their prehistoric creature namesake, Dinosaur. The Jr. was added a couple years later. He wouldn’t achieve the massive impact he was aiming for until his next album, but songs like “Repulsion” and “Bulbs of Passion” give a promising forecast of the distorted storm clouds of fuzz to come.

Noise, Indie, Post-Hardcore, Jangle Pop | RYM #434

German industrialist behemoths Einstürzende Neubauten are at peak powers on their third album. While their work with loud power tools that would destroy the stage their were performing on was legendary, this is a bit more musical and daresay lyrical, with Blixa Bargeld having been spending time playing with The Birthday Party and then Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Take that with a grain of salt though. While they were an influence on the likes of the more accessible Skinny Puppy and Nine Inch Nails, this album is still noisy, jarring, and frightening as fuck.

Industrial, Noise, Experimental | RYM #31

Bubbling under: Skeptics, Foetus Interruptus, Die Kreuzen, Membranes, Edward Ka-Spel, Bailter Space, Zeni Geva, Cosmic Psychos, Band Of Susans, Butthole Surfers, Thinking Fellers Union Local 282, Ministry, World Domination Enterprises, Stretchheads, Test Dept., Universal Congress Of, Nice Strong Arm, feedtime, CTI, Head Of David. | More

The Jesus And Mary Chain – Psychocandy (Blanco Y Negro) | UK
Big Black – Racer-X EP (Homestead) | USA | Bandcamp
Dinosaur Jr. – Dinosaur (Homestead) | USA | Bandcamp
Sonic Youth – Bad Moon Rising (Homestead) | USA | Bandcamp
Einstürzende Neubauten – 1/2 Mensch (Rough Trade) | Germany
The Ex – Pokkeherrie (Pockabilly) | Netherlands | Bandcamp
Couch Flambeau – The Day the Music Died (It’s Only A Record) | USA
Damon Edge – Alliance (New Rose) | USA
Propaganda – A Secret Wish (Island) | Germany
Helios Creed – X-Rated Fairy Tales (Subterranean) | USA | Bandcamp
NoMeansNo – You Kill Me EP (Alternative Tentacles) | Canada
Ryuichi Sakamoto – Esperanto (School) | Japan
Severed Heads – City Slab Horror (Nettwerk) | Australia | Bandcamp

Dream Pop & Shoegaze

While Lawrence Hayward is essentially a Television acolyte, with occasional detours into Dylan and Lou Reed worship, Felt’s catalog is surprisingly diverse. From spare instrumentals to the soaring organ driven majesty of “Primitive Painters” (with an assist from Cocteau Twins’ Liz Frazer), the fourth album of a planned ten is one of several highlights of the catalog. Produced by the Twins’ Robin Guthrie, there apparently was some criticism of the layered production which differentiates it from other Felt albums. This is not a bad thing, and I have not felt the need to seek out the 2018 remix. It’s also the last album to feature the brilliant lead guitar of Maurice Deebank, for those who can’t get enough of those Television inspired guitars.

Jangle Pop, Dream Pop, Post-Punk, Psych | RYM #109

The Chameleons – What Does Anything Mean? Basically (Statik) | UK
The Jesus And Mary Chain – Psychocandy (Blanco Y Negro) | UK
Felt – Ignite The Seven Cannons (Cherry Red) | UK | Bandcamp
Opposition – Empire Days (Charisma) | UK | Buy
The Wake – Here Comes Everybody (Factory) | UK | Bandcamp
Cocteau Twins – The Pink Opaque (4AD) | UK
Cocteau Twins – Tiny Dynamine / Echoes in a Shallow Bay (4AD) | UK
Lowlife – Rain EP (Nightshift) | UK
The Essence – Purity (Midnight) | Netherlands
The Loft – Once Round the Fair (Creation) | UK
Strawberry Switchblade – Strawberry Switchblade (Korova) | UK
Cocteau Twins – Aikea-Guinea EP (4AD) | UK
Dif Juz – Extractions (4AD) | UK

Ambient, Art Pop, New Age & Sophisti-Pop

While I was onboard with Siouxsie’s relatively mainstream pop sounds of Tinderbox (1986), I had problems with “Peek-a-Boo.” But with all the shit I’ve heard in the 33 years since, that song is, relatively, a masterpiece. After seeing a great performance by The Creatures in Barcelona in ’99, I decided I need to have all the Siouxsie & the Banshees albums, and I’m glad I did. Her influence has continued to spread and I hear them in Savages, Lola Colt, Rosegarden Funeral Party, Mere Women and many other artists.

Bubbling under: Thomas Dolby, Everything But the Girl, Microdisney, John Surman, Sade, Luxuria, Red Temple Spirits, The Style Council, Fields Of The Nephilim, Marc Almond, All About Eve. | More.

Kate Bush – Hounds Of Love (EMI) | UK
China Crisis – Flaunt The Imperfection (Virgin) | UK
Sting – The Dream Of The Blue Turtles (A&M) | UK
Sade – Promise (Epic) | UK
Prefab Sprout – Steve McQueen (Kitchenware) | UK
Scritti Politti – Cupid & Psyche 85 (WB) | UK
Dead Can Dance – Spleen and Ideal (4AD) | Australia
Bryan Ferry – Boys And Girls (EG/Virgin) | UK
The Monochrome Set – The Lost Weekend (Blanco y Negro) | UK
Grace Jones – Slave to the Rhythm (Island) | Jamaica
Brian Eno – Thursday Afternoon (EG) | UK
Talking Heads – Little Creatures (Sire) | USA
John Cale – Artificial Intelligence (Beggars Banquet) | UK | Bandcamp

Indie Pop & Jangle Pop

While The Jazz Butcher could loosely be associated with the literate jangle pop of Lloyd Cole & the Commotions, The Go-Betweens and Robyn Hitchcock, their lyrical wit is far from effete, as lead singer/songwriter Butch (Pat Fish) plays more of the class clown role, his humor wedged in between surrealism and snark. This mini-LP is their third, and arguably their peak, including David J. in their ranks in between stints with Bauhaus and Love and Rockets. The eight tracks cover a pretty wide range of styles including punk, funk, folk and country-western, while Butch’s lyrics tackle some heavy subjects, from politics, the nuclear arms race, and a very Kinks-like class satire on “Holiday.” One of their most lovely pop moments injects just the right amount of melancholy in “Big Saturday,” and the garage noir of “Walk With the Devil” are highlights, but there are no duds. Fire Records reissued the band’s entire catalog in three beautiful bookback sets, as well as individual albums on vinyl. This and their singles comp, Dr Cholmondley Repents: A-sides, B-Sides and Seasides (1985 singles include “The Human Jungle,” “Death Dentist” and “The Devil is My Friend”) are highly recommended places to start. Butch died too young in 2021.

Bubbling under: The Monochrome Set, Wire Train, The Woodentops, The Reivers, Green On Red, Salem 66, The June Brides, The Verlaines, Lloyd Cole & the Commotions, 28th Day, The Windbreakers, Rain Parade. | More .

R.E.M. – Fables of the Reconstruction (I.R.S.) | USA
The Cure – The Head On The Door (Elektra) | UK
The Smiths – Meat Is Murder (Sire) | UK
Felt – Ignite The Seven Cannons (Cherry Red) | UK | Bandcamp
The Jazz Butcher – Sex And Travel (Glass) | UK
Game Theory – Real Nighttime (Enigma) | USA
Echo & the Bunnymen – Songs to Learn & Sing (Korova) | UK
The Wake – Here Comes Everybody (Factory) | UK | Bandcamp
Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians – Fegmania! (Slash) | UK | Bandcamp
The Dentists – Some People Are on the Pitch (They Think It’s All Over It Is Now) (Spruck/Trouble In Mind) | UK
The June Brides – There Are Eight Million Stories (Pink) | UK
Prefab Sprout – Steve McQueen (Kitchenware) | UK
Translator – Translator (Columbia) | USA

Global, Reggae, Dub & Afrobeat

Tony Allen has always been in the background, but deserves co-credit along with Fela Kuti as the architect of Afrobeat. As the musical director of Africa ’70, and the drummer who literally created the rhythms, Tony Allen’s importance is colossal. He left Fela in the early 80s and this album is a flex, showing off what he can do while surpassing his former boss.

Tony Allen & Afrobeat 2000 – N.E.P.A. (Never Expect Power Always) (Wrasse) | Nigeria
Dead Can Dance – Spleen and Ideal (4AD) | Australia
Sumo – Divididos por la felicidad (CBS) | Argentina
Tenor Saw – Fever (Blue Mountain/Sprint) | Jamaica
Fela Kuti – Army Arrangement (Universal) | Nigeria | Bandcamp
Zazou Bikaye – Mr. Manager (Crammed) | France/Congo | Bandcamp
Dennis Brown – Revolution (Yvonne’s/Jet Star) | Jamaica
Herbie Hancock & Foday Musa Suso – Village Life (Columbia) | USA/Gambia
Francis Bebey – Akwaaba: Music for Sanza (Original Music) | Cameroon
Manu Dibango – Electric Africa (Polydor) | Cameroon
Hailu Mergia – Hailu Mergia & ?is Classical Instrumen (Kaifa) | Ethiopia | Bandcamp
Franco & Rochereau – Omona Wapi (Shanachie) | Congo
Cheb Khaled – Hada Raykoum (HOM) | Algeria

New Wave, Synthpop & Electropop

Of all the bands that seemed cutting edge to me that year, it was New Order. They’ve been exploring the juxtaposition of post-punk and synthpop since ’81, but kept things fresh and innovative without sounding like anyone else. There are plenty of critics of their lyrics and Bernard Sumner’s vocals, but they are extremely effective in communicating deeply emotional content that you just didn’t get from most synthpop. Even without vocals, “Elegia” was a masterwork. From perfectly accessible pop (“The Perfect Kiss”) a heavy brooder that would have done their mate Ian proud (“Sunrise”) and a surprisingly jangly tune, a moving tale of a soldier come back from war (“Love Vigilantes”) and you’ve got a classic, timeless album.

Synthpop, New Wave, Post-Punk, Alt-Dance | RYM #10 | Acclaimed #8 | AOTY #10

Kate Bush – Hounds Of Love (EMI) | UK
New Order – Low-life (Factory) | UK
The Wake – Here Comes Everybody (Factory) | UK | Bandcamp
China Crisis – Flaunt The Imperfection (Virgin) | UK
Prefab Sprout – Steve McQueen (Kitchenware) | UK
Scritti Politti – Cupid & Psyche 85 (WB) | UK
Martin Dupont – Sleep is a Luxury (Facteurs d’Ambiance) | France | Bandcamp
Shriekback – Oil And Gold (Island) | UK
Strawberry Switchblade – Strawberry Switchblade (Korova) | UK
Simple Minds – Once Upon A Time (Virgin) | UK
Oingo Boingo – Dead Man’s Party (MCA) | USA
John Cale – Artificial Intelligence (Beggars Banquet) | UK | Bandcamp
Jane Siberry – The Speckless Sky (Duke Street) | Canada | Bandcamp

Electronic, Space Rock, Kosmische

Hawkwind – The Chronicle of the Black Sword (Flicknife) | UK
Mark Shreeve – Legion (Jive Electro) | UK
Helios Creed – X-Rated Fairy Tales (Subterranean) | USA | Bandcamp
Ryuichi Sakamoto – Esperanto (School) | Japan
Severed Heads – City Slab Horror (Nettwerk) | Australia | Bandcamp
Art Zoyd – Le mariage du ciel et de l’enfer (Cryonic) | France
Hailu Mergia – Hailu Mergia & ?is Classical Instrumen (Kaifa) | Ethiopia | Bandcamp
Egberto Gismonti – Trem Caipira (EMI) | Brazil
Ozric Tentacles – Tantric Obstacles (Dovetail) | UK | Bandcamp
Cabaret Voltaire – The Covenant, the Sword and the Arm of the Lord (Virgin) | UK | Bandcamp
Nekropolis – Cultes des goules (Spalax) | Germany
Michael Rother – Süßherz und Tiefenschärfe (Polydor) | Germany

Pop Rock & Power Pop

By far the most mainstream album in this top 25, it was one of a few, along with ZZ Top and John Cougar Mellancamp, that I got pretty cheap at the time from the record clubs, but was left unsatisfied, coveting the more underground stuff I’d been hearing on KUNI. INXS, however, has withstood the test of time and cyclical trends, as a great album regardless of genre. They would hit a commercial peak with their next album, but the fifth album was INXS as their best, balancing their new wave past with funk and also their most rocking material with “Biting Bullets,” “Good + Bad Times,” “Red Red Sun” and that rollicking breakdown on “Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)”.

Pop Rock, New Wave, Funk Rock, Hard Rock, Alt Rock | RYM #314 | Acclaimed #73 | AOTY #42

This San Francisco band led by the enigmatic Scott Miller were loosely associated with the L.A. Paisley Underground, I supposed because of their jangle psych elements and association with The Three O’ Clock’s Michael Quercio, who produced some of their earlier work. On their second full-length produced by Mitch Easter, however, Game Theory are blazing new ground. With Big Star’s Sister Lovers as a launching pad (the album title references a song, and they cover “You Can’t Have Me”), they take a freshly original approach to power pop with melodies that are both strange but alluring, and a potent injection of both noisy guitar and synth effects that effectively sever the band’s ties from the 70s and the new wave 80s to become a band out of time, if not timeless. Miller’s liner notes written in the style of James Joyce’s Ulysses indicates how his literate lyrics could be engrossing for some, but too challenging for many. The result is they never got the recognition they deserved, despite a run of classic albums.

Paisley Underground, Power Pop, Jangle Pop, Indie | RYM #151

Opposition – Empire Days (Charisma) | UK | Buy
Rush – Power Windows (Mercury) | Canada
INXS – Listen Like Thieves (A&M) | Australia
Game Theory – Real Nighttime (Enigma) | USA
The Dentists – Some People Are on the Pitch (They Think It’s All Over It Is Now) (Spruck/Trouble In Mind) | UK
Sting – The Dream Of The Blue Turtles (A&M) | UK
Prefab Sprout – Steve McQueen (Kitchenware) | UK
Translator – Translator (Columbia) | USA
Prince – Around The World In A Day (WB) | USA
Hoodoo Gurus – Mars Needs Guitars (Elektra) | Australia
Bryan Ferry – Boys And Girls (EG/Virgin) | UK
The Three O’ Clock – Arrive Without Travelling (I.R.S.) | USA
The Waterboys – This is the Sea (Island) | Ireland

AOR, Soft Rock

Like a lot of AOR FM hits that made me want to put a spike through my skull as a pissed-off teenager, time has softened the hate, and often melted away into fond nostalgia. With Heart it’s more than that. They were just an awesome band, who sounded better than ever when I saw them thirty years after this album release, especially Ann Wilson’s powerhouse vocals. I realized at the show that these were solid tunes that were just a bit overplayed at the time. Compared to so much else that came out at the time, the production wasn’t really that bad, though still a bit dated. Coincidentally, at that same show at Northerly Island, Cheap Trick were the openers. I had dismissed their entire 80s discography for a long time, but my fandom won out and I appreciate at least half that album. So not enough to make my top 100, but still worth a listen.

AOR, Hard Rock | RYM #375 | AOTY #234

Bubbling under: Fortune, The Outfield, Coney Hatch, Stevie Nicks, Mr. Mister, Phil Collins, Mike + The Mechanics, Vandenberg, Saga, Roger Daltrey, Waysted, Graham Parker and the Shot, Robert Plant, Alcatrazz, Joe Lynn Turner, King Kobra, Trash, Phenomena, Pat Benatar, Rick Springfield, Y&T, The Firm, Eurythmics, Darrell Mansfield Band, S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe, Cock Robin, UFO, Jennifer Rush, Jeff Beck, Blue Öyster Cult, Night Ranger, Asia, Honeymoon Suite, Mick Jagger | More.

Rush – Power Windows (Mercury) | Canada
Heart – Heart (Capitol) | USA
Cheap Trick – Standing on the Edge (Epic) | USA
Pete Townshend – White City (Atco) | UK
Eurythmics – Be Yourself Tonight (RCA) | UK
Streets – Crimes in Mind (Atlantic) | USA
Kix – Midnite Dynamite (Atlantic) | USA
ZZ Top – Afterburner (WB) | USA
Robert Palmer – Riptide (Island) | UK
Icon – Night of the Crime (Capitol) | USA
Magnum – On A Storyteller’s Night (Polydor) | UK
Gary Moore – Run for Cover (Virgin) | UK
Prophet – Prophet (Total Experience) | USA

R&B, Soul & Funk

The Nigerian born, London based Sade Adu had the whole package — an amazing voice, beauty, an ace band, incredible production that was tasteful and not dated, as well as getting chart hits. She also influenced many artists, most of whom attempted similarly sophisticated sounds and ended up sounding gauche, with the exception of Massive Attack. Now there’s a stellar collab that should have been.

Sophisti-Pop, Smooth Soul, Jazz Pop, Progressive Soul | RYM #5 | Acclaimed #51 | AOTY #2

Not quite the album one might expect to be #2 in this category, a British post-punk band that went all-in with the sophisticated synthpop. However, Scritti Politti also take Prince’s innovations with the Minneapolis Sound and make it even more ambitious and progressive. Prince would have been pissed had they eclipsed him in the U.S. charts, but their success stayed across the pond. Prince, meanwhile, was still on a creative run, in addition to his own psych pop album, he wrote and record the entirety of the albums attributed to Sheila E. and The Family, the latter of which featured “Nothing Compares 2 U,” but sung by the blond-haired St. Paul (I coulda sworn that was just Prince in whiteface on the cover). It may not match Sinead’s raw emotion on her later cover, but it still should have been a hit. Prince assembled that album to “get that Duran Duran money.” Prince should have had all the money.

Synthpop, Sophisti-Pop, R&B, Synth Funk, Minneapolis Sound | RYM #238 | Acclaimed #31 | AOTY #28

Sade – Promise (Epic) | UK
Scritti Politti – Cupid & Psyche 85 (WB) | UK
Shriekback – Oil And Gold (Island) | UK
Prince – Around The World In A Day (WB) | USA
Simply Red – Picture Book (Elektra) | UK
Feargal Sharkey – Feargal Sharkey (A&M) | Ireland
Do-Re-Mi – Domestic Harmony (Virgin) | Australia
Manu Dibango – Electric Africa (Polydor) | Cameroon
Aretha Franklin – Who’s Zoomin’ Who? (Arista) | USA
Prince / The Family – The Family (Paisley Park) | USA
Dexys Midnight Runners – Don’t Stand Me Down (Mercury) | UK
Fishbone – Fishbone EP (Columbia) | USA
Willie and the Poor Boys – Willie and the Poor Boys (Passport) | UK

Hip Hop & Rap

The influence of N.W.A. has only grown over the decades. And the issues that both they and Public Enemy addressed with police brutality and racism have clearly not gone away 32 years later A hugely important and accomplished album. However, I listened to Eric and Parrish Making Dollars (EPMD) more than anyone other than PE. The groove, the funk, the boom bap. Irresistible. | Bandcamp

Bubbling under: Ice-T, Run-D.M.C., Salt ‘n’ Pepa. | More.

Mantronix – The Album (Sleeping Bag) | USA
Mark Shreeve – Legion (Jive Electro) | UK
L.L. Cool J. – Radio (Def Jam) | USA
Various – The Sugarhill Story 1979-1985 (Rhino) | USA
Newcleus – Space Is The Place (Sunnyview) | USA
Manu Dibango – Electric Africa (Polydor) | Cameroon
Run-D.M.C. – King Of Rock (Profile) | USA
Schoolly D – Schoolly D (Schoolly-D) | USA
UTFO – UTFO (Select) | USA
Doug E. Fresh – Oh My God! (Reality) | USA
World Class – The World Class Wreckin Cru (Kru-Cut) | USA
The Fat Boys – The Fat Boys Are Back! (Sutra) | USA
Too Short – Don’t Stop Rappin’ (75 Girls) | USA

Folk & Americana

I’m hot and cold with The Waterboys. U2 were one of my favorites at this time, and their third album seemed to be a pretty strong influence on the rootsy direction the Dubliners would take two years later on The Joshua Tree. Plenty of people rave about this being an all-time classic in a continuum of Dylan, Van Morrison and Springsteen. I can see it, but don’t always feel it, as I can never sit through the album at once because it’s just too meandering. Nevertheless, they wind up an impressive sounding bluster that sounds less dated than many of their contemporaries.

Big Music, Post-Punk, Jangle Pop, Folk Rock | RYM #20 | Acclaimed #15 | AOTY #8

R.E.M. – Fables of the Reconstruction (I.R.S.) | USA
The Pogues – Rum Sodomy & The Lash (WEA) | Ireland
The Waterboys – This is the Sea (Island) | Ireland
John Cougar Mellencamp – Scarecrow (Riva) | USA
Jeffrey Lee Pierce – Wildweed (Statik) | USA
New Model Army – No Rest for the Wicked (Capitol) | UK
Green On Red – Gas Food Lodging (Enigma) | USA
Danny & Dusty – The Lost Weekend (A&M) | USA
The Reivers – Translate Slowly (DB) | USA
Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit – The Rose of England (F-Beat) | UK | Bandcamp
The Knitters – Poor Little Critter on the Road (Slash) | USA
Jason & The Scorchers – Lost & Found (EMI) | USA
Camper Van Beethoven – Telephone Free Landslide Victory (IP ) | USA

Bubbling under: Mekons, Giant Sand, Michelle Shocked, John Hiatt. | More.

Blues, Blues Rock, Rock & Roll

Tom Waits – Rain Dogs (Island) | USA
Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit – The Rose of England (F-Beat) | UK | Bandcamp
Lonnie Mack – Strike Like Lightning (Aligator) | USA
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble – Soul To Soul (Epic) | USA
Albert Collins, Robert Cray & Johnny Copeland – Showdown! (Alligator) | USA
Jason & The Scorchers – Lost & Found (EMI) | USA
The Blasters – Hard Line (Slash/WB) | USA
The Robert Cray Band – False Accusations (Hightone) | USA
Patricio Rey y Sus Redonditos de Ricota – Gulp! (Del Cielito) | Argentina
Dire Straits – Brothers In Arms (Vertigo/WB) | UK
Molly Hatchet – Double Trouble Live (Epic) | USA
Koko Taylor – Queen of the Blues (Alligator) | USA
George Thorogood & the Destroyers – Maverick (EMI) | USA

Country, Country Blues/Psych/Rock/Soul

While Hüsker Dü and Minutemen got most of the attention as the two SST bands that released epic double albums the previous year, Meat Puppets would get their due a decade later when Nirvana covered three of their songs from the groundbreaking II (1984) on MTV Unplugged. While their third full-length doesn’t get he credit for a trailblazer as the previous one, it’s innovations are more subtle, incorporating jazzy guitar licks and languid pacing from the Grateful Dead into their unique desert rock. It’s the Meat Puppets album that I’ve listened to the most over the years, and still sounds fresh as a cactus flower.

Cowpunk, Indie, Country Rock, Psych, Post-Punk, Jangle Pop | RYM #45 | Acclaimed #35 | AOTY #51

Meat Puppets – Up On The Sun (SST) | USA | Bandcamp
Green On Red – Gas Food Lodging (Enigma) | USA
Danny & Dusty – The Lost Weekend (A&M) | USA
Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit – The Rose of England (F-Beat) | UK | Bandcamp
The Knitters – Poor Little Critter on the Road (Slash) | USA
Emmylou Harris – The Ballad of Sally Rose (WB) | USA
Waylon Jennings / Willie Nelson / Johnny Cash / Kris Kristofferson – Highwaymen (Columbia) | USA
The Long Ryders – State Of Our Union (Island) | USA
John Fogerty – Centerfield (WB) | USA
The Beat Farmers – Tales of the New West (Rhino) | USA
Lone Justice – Lone Justice (Geffen) | USA

Jazz & Jazz Fusion

Jazz had a tough decade in the 80s, which had more to do with what was fashionable rather than the talent pool, though young up and comers like the Marsalis brothers were a bit too conservative to inject much excitement. We had to rely on an old lion, the legendary Cecil Taylor to blow minds with his Experimental Big Band project for the ambitious Italian label Soul Note. Yes, it’s absolutely too overwhelming for anyone not open to avant-garde and free jazz, but just like out-there late 60s Coltrane, it’s a wicked palate cleanser, and you just get a feeling that your soul has been given a good scrubbing. Also, I’m personally more open to piano in free jazz because no matter how wild it gets, the tones keep an emotional anchor in Snoopy jazz in my mind.

Cecil Taylor Segments II (Orchestra of Two Continents) – Winged Serpent (Sliding Quadrants) (Soul Note) | USA
Laughing Clowns – Ghosts Of An Ideal Wife (Hot ) | Australia
Chet Baker & Paul Bley – Diane (SteepleChase) | USA
Herbie Hancock & Foday Musa Suso – Village Life (Columbia) | USA/Gambia
Anthony Braxton – Six Compositions (Quartet) 1984 (Black Saint) | USA
Lester Bowie’s Brass Fantasy – I Only Have Eyes For You (ECM) | USA
Manu Dibango – Electric Africa (Polydor) | Cameroon
Keith Jarrett – Standards, Vol. 2 (ECM) | USA
The Raybeats – The Lost Phillip Glass Sessions (Orange Mountain) | USA
Egberto Gismonti – Trem Caipira (EMI) | Brazil
Tomasz Stańko – AiJ (PolJazz) | Poland
Prince / The Family – The Family (Paisley Park) | USA
Allan Holdsworth – Metal Fatigue (Enigma) | UK

Non-Metal For Metalheads

Reuniting with her greatest creative partner John Cale, Nico continued to blaze trails on her last album before her untimely death a few years later. This is challenging stuff, though in one accessible moment, she injects even more ennui into “My Funny Valentine” than even Chet Baker.

Minimal Synth, Darkwave, Post-Punk, Goth, New Wave, Post-Industrial | RYM #476

Tom Waits – Rain Dogs (Island) | USA
Big Black – Racer-X EP (Homestead) | USA | Bandcamp
Martin Dupont – Sleep is a Luxury (Facteurs d’Ambiance) | France | Bandcamp
Sonic Youth – Bad Moon Rising (Homestead) | USA | Bandcamp
Nico + The Faction – Camera Obscura (Beggars Banquet) | Germany
Einstürzende Neubauten – 1/2 Mensch (Rough Trade) | Germany
Tuxedomoon – Holy Wars (Cramboy) | USA | Bandcamp
The Ex – Pokkeherrie (Pockabilly) | Netherlands | Bandcamp
The Deep Freeze Mice – Hang on Constance Let Me Hear the News (Cordelia) | UK | Bandcamp
Damon Edge – Alliance (New Rose) | USA
Chris & Cosey – Technø Primitiv (Rough Trade) | UK
Propaganda – A Secret Wish (Island) | Germany
Helios Creed – X-Rated Fairy Tales (Subterranean) | USA | Bandcamp

Live Albums

Iron Maiden – Live After Death (BMG) | UK
The Sound – In The Hothouse (Statik/Renascent ) | UK
Molly Hatchet – Double Trouble Live (Epic) | USA
Triumph – Stages (MCA) | Canada
Y&T – Open Fire (A&M) | USA
The Fleshtones – Speed Connection II: The Final Chapter (Live in Paris 85) (I.R.S.) | USA

Labels

Virgin (11)
Enigma (9)
Rough Trade (9)
WB (9)
Flying Nun (8)
SST (7)
Sire (7)
Creation (6)
Touch and Go (5)
A&M (5)
American (5)
4AD (4)
Sub Pop (4)

Singles

Kate Bush – “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)”
The Smiths – “How Soon Is Now?”
Madonna – “Into the Groove”
The Family / Prince – “Nothing Compares 2 U”
Prince – “Raspberry Beret”
The Cure – “Close to Me”
The Cult – “She Sells Sanctuary”
Talking Heads – “Road to Nowhere”
The Cars – “Tonight She Comes”
Tom Petty – “Don’t Come Around Here No More”
Hoodoo Gurus – “Bittersweet”
Translator – “Come With Me”
New Order – “The Perfect Kiss”

Bubbling Under: Shadow of Love, The Big Hush, Love Like Blood, West End Girls, Never, Take On Me, Life in One Day, So In Love, Lose Your Love Tonight, E=MC2, The Sweetest Taboo, Shake the Disease, Fortress Around Your Heart, Don’t You (Forget About Me), Everybody Wants to Rule the World.

Playlist: Tidal | Spotify

Videos

If even a third of these videos were shown more regularly on MTV, I might have liked it more. I didn’t have MTV at home so it was only limited time spent at my friend Mike’s house, and Friday Night Videos. Many I haven’t seen until this week on YouTube!

Movies

Having cut his directorial teeth with Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) and the Pythonesque Time Bandits (1981), Terry Gilliam produced his masterpiece of dystopian sci-fi black comedy with Brazil. His run would continue for four more movies, making him one of my all-time favorite directors.

Brazil – Terry Gilliam (sci fi, black comedy)
The Purple Rose of Cairo – Woody Allen (drama)
After Hours – Martin Scorsese (black comedy)
Kiss of the Spider Woman – Hector Babenco (drama)
The Breakfast Club – John Hughes (comedy)
My Beautiful Laundrette – Stephen Frears (drama)
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure – Tim Burton (comedy)
The Sure Thing – Rob Reiner (comedy)
Desperately Seeking Susan – Susan Seidelman (comedy/thriller)
To Live and Die in L.A. – William Friedkin (noir thriller)
Back to the Future – Robert Zemeckis (sci fi, comedy)
Legend – Ridley Scott (fantasy)
Crimewave – Sam Raimi/Coen Bros (thriller)

Bubbling under: Fright Night, A View to a Kill, Prizzi’s Honor, The Color Purple, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, The Goonies, A Room with a View, Cocoon, Weird Science, Clue, Tampopo, Witness, A Chorus Line, Perfect, The Man With One Red Shoe, Fool for Love, Vision Quest, Smooth Talk, St. Elmo’s Fire, Trouble in Mind, Young Sherlock Holmes, The Falcon and the Snowman, Out of Africa, Better Off Dead, Mask, The Last Dragon, Ladyhawke.

Television

A lot of TV was what my mom watched while I read and did homework, so I only really consistently watched the top few. Miami Vice was a Friday night ritual just like SNL was for Saturdays. His atmospheric, pastel and neon update of moody detective noir might have dated quickly, but it was a pretty original take at the time, and with a pretty good soundtrack.

Miami Vice
Saturday Night Live
The Golden Girls
Murder, She Wrote
Newhart
Growing Pains
Moonlighting
The Twilight Zone
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
The A-Team
Scarecrow & Mrs. King
MacGyver
Spenser: For Hire

Bubblin’ Under: Family Ties, Dallas, Dynasty, Who’s the Boss?, Kate & Allie, 227, Valerie, The Facts of Life, Mr. Belvidere, Street Hawk.

Books

Whil Haruki Murakami had been writing since he was running a jazz cafe in the early 70s, this is the first book to earn him acclaim outside of Japan once it had been belatedly translated to English in 1991. It flips between two storylines, one that’s a mix of sci-fi and crime noir, the other a surrealistic one about lost love. If he wasn’t influenced by the very new cyberpunk subgenre, it has remarkable similarities. The End of the World storyline about a librarian/dreamreader who reads dreams from skull of unicorns was reworked into his most recent book The City and Its Uncertain Walls (2023). I just finished it last month and thought it felt familiar. I thought I’d dreamt it.

Having grown up on sci fi and fantasy, Bruce Sterling became one of my favorite cyberpunk authors along with William Gibson. Five short stories set in the Shaper/Mechanist universe preceded the novel, and were added to later additions. His third novel is more hard sci fi/space opera, about an ancient moon colony and aliens. .

Haruki Murakami – Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (sci fi, surrealism)
Bruce Sterling – Schismatrix (sci fi, cyberpunk)
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. – Galapagos (literary, sci fi, satire)
Orson Scott Card – Ender’s Game: Ender’s Saga #1 (sci fi)
Gabriel Garcia Marquez – Love in the Time of Cholera (literary, magical realism)
Anne Rice – The Vampire Lestat (horror)
Margaret Atwood – The Handmaid’s Tale (sci fi, dystopia)
Rudy Rucker – The Secret of Life (sci fi, comedy)
Terry Brooks – The Wishsong of Shannara: Shannara #3 (fantasy)
Don Delillo – White Noise (literary)
Carl Sagan – Contact (sci fi)
Greg Bear – Blood Music (sci fi, cyberpunk)
Neil Postman – Amusing Ourselves To Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business (political theory)

Bubbling Under: Madeleine L’Engle, Cormac McCarthy, John Irving, Stephen King, Isaac Asimov, Art Spiegelman, Oliver Sacks, Patrick Süskind, Connie Willis, David Brin, Bret Easton Ellis, David Eddings, Robert A. Heinlein, Frank Herbert, Roger Zelazny, George R.R. Martin, Louise Erdich, Graham Greene.

Posted in: Bandcamp, Books, Features, Film, Listicles, Lucky 13, News, Rants, Reissues, Reviews, TV, Videos/Singles

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