Tag: 1985
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Scritti Politti, Cupid & Pysche 85, 1985 on Warner Bros
Second album from UK band Scritti Politti, with their breakout single “Perfect Way.” Originally a lefty punk band (the name being a reference to the writings of Gramsci) they’d gone quite pop by 1985. (The LP came out on Virgin in the UK). One of the other major singles / hits was “Wood Beez (Pray…
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Aretha Franklin, Who’s Zoomin’ Who?, 1985 on Arista
From the 90s (Mazzy Star) back to the 80s: Aretha Franklin’s very eighties Who’s Zoomin’ Who?. She actually put out a number of albums in the 80s, but this is the only one I remember. Look at the glorious 80s neon fashion on that cover. The man on the inner sleeve is Franklin’s father, The…
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Loudon Wainwright III, I’m Alright, 1985 on Rounder
Loudon Wainwright may be better known at this point as dad to Martha (Wainwright), Rufus (Wainright), and Lucy (Wainwright Roche) but he’s also a prolific musician in his own right, putting out more than two dozen solo albums. This was his ninth album and third on Rounder Records, and was produced by Richard Thompson who…
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Love and Rockets, Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven, 1985 on Beggars Banquet
Debut album for Love and Rockets, though “Ball of Confusion” preceded it as a single under that band name. I always called this “Seventh Dream of a Teenage Heaven” but clearly it isn’t. Daniel Ash, David J, and Kevin Haskins crafting just a fantastic and new sound here after Bauhaus split in 1983 and after…
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Echo & The Bunnymen, With Our Best Suits On, 2024 on Dear Boss.
Said to have been recorded live in Gothenburg, Sweden on April 24th, 1985 and purportedly broadcast on FM radio., though Setlist.fm has them in Gothenburg on the 25th of April. Dear Boss. (with the period included) is a label focused on putting out radio broadcasts from the EU based on EU copyright law (and sometimes…
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The Smiths, Meat is Murder, 1985 on Rough Trade / Sire
Released on Rough Trade in the UK and Sire in the US, this was the second studio album from the Smiths. The US version of the LP included “How Soon is Now?” which did not appear on the UK edition. but was issued as a single. The version I knew growing up was the US…
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Weird Al Yankovic, Dare To Be Stupid, 1985 on Scotti Bros.
This was the third studio LP from Weird Al, produced by Rick Derringer. Mixture of paradoes and “style parodies” which don’t copy specific songs but a generalized look and feel – like “Dare to be Stupid” which is in the style of Devo. Apparently he approached Prince about doing a parody of “When Doves Cry”…
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R.E.M., We Are Having a Heavenly Time!, 1985 on P.F.M.
Bootleg recording from R.E.M.’s September 26th, 1984 gig at Durham North Carolina’s Page Auditorium (on Duke’s campus). Also available in the Internet Archive – R.E.M. Live – 1984-09-26 Page Auditorium. It was recorded by the mobile unit of Reflection Sound Studios and then bootlegged, with this notation on the rear cover: “This Fan Club album…
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Prince and the Revolution, Live, 2022 on NPG Records
Released in 1985 as a VHS live movie, this was issued on 3xLP vinyl by NPG records in 2022. It was recorded March 30th, 1985, at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse NY. Fantastic live set from the Purple Rain era which was also broadcast in Europe as part of Rockpalast. There was also a DVD…
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The Power Station, Some Like It Hot And The Heat is On (12″), 1985 on Capitol
The Power Station were a kind of supergroup, pairing Andy & John Taylor (Duran Duran) with Tony Thompson (Chic) and Robert Palmer (who was later replaced by Michael Des Barres). Production by Bernie Edwards (also of Chic). Love the extended version on the A-side – the “The Heat Is On” on the B-side isn’t fully…
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a-ha, Hunting High and Low, 1985 on Warner Bros.
Debut album from Norway’s a-ha, fronted by Morten Harket, with Magne Furuholmen and Pål Waaktaar-Savoy. “Take On Me” with its animated video is the song everyone knows, but there’s a lot of great songs in the record (and their other records!). Definitely more than a one-hit wonder. My copy—via A1 Records in NYC—is a 1985 pressing…
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Tears for Fears, Songs From The Big Chair, 1985 on Mercury
Sophomore album from Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, following The Hurting. Hard to imagine trying to follow up that record, but this went to number one in the US. “Shout” and “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” fueled that success. They’ve been touring again in support of The Tipping Point but I’ve not managed to…
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Charlie Sexton, Pictures for Pleasure, 1985 on MCA
Sexton was a guitar wunderkind from Austin who was 16 when this came out. A poster of the album cover is seen in Ferris Bueller’s bedroom, and John Hughes used “Beat’s So Lonely” in Some Kind of Wonderful. Sexton would go on to play in Bob Dylan’s band (including on some recordings) and produce other…
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Figures, In a Chalk Circle, 1985 on Twin/Tone
On this release, Figures was Jeff Waryan, Jay Peck, Steve Brantseg, and Steve Fjelstad. (There’s an earlier LP credited to Jeff Waryan solo that is titled Figures). Waryan was also in Fingerprints and supported many other area bands at the time. An underappreciated Twin/Tone band from the 80s. My copy—via Cheapo Records in Minneapolis MN—includes…
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The Waterboys, This is the Sea, 1985 on Ensign / Chrysalis
This was the third studio album from The Waterboys, produced by Mike Scott and Karl Wallinger with John Brand and Mick Glossop. Includes one of my favorite Waterboys songs “The Whole of the Moon” but the entire album is wonderful. It’s a bit hard to see in the photos but the Waterboys emblem / logo…
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The Replacements, Tim, 1985 on Sire
This was The Replacements’ fourth studio LP and their first on major label Sire as opposed to Twin/Tone. It was also the last with Bob Stinson. It’s one of my favorite albums of all time: “Kiss Me On The Bus,” “Waitress in the Sky,” “Bastards of Young,” “Swingin Party,” and “Here Comes a Regular” are…
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The Long Ryders, The State of Our Union, 1985 on Island Records
Second album from LA alt-country / traditionalist rockers The Long Ryders, following up 1984’s Native Sons, and their first on a major label. The album was recorded in the UK, actually in Chipping Norton in the Cotswolds – far from the landscape with which they’d normally be associated. It was produced by Will Birch (who…
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Bob Dylan, Empire Burlesque, 1985 on Columbia
I know some people don’t love mid-eighties Dylan, but I really do. He’s working here with Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Howie Epstein (from the Heartbreakers) as well as Mick Taylor, Sly Dunbar, and Robbie Shakespeare, plus a wonderful set of backing vocalists. The big single here was “Tight Connection To My Heart” which got a…