Tag: 1988
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The Mission / Mission U.K., Children, 1988 on Mercury
Another band with a different name in the US—apparently there was already an R&B act out of Philadelphia called the Mission. (Note the coin/medal on the cover only has The Mission). The Mission (aka the Mission U.K.) started with two veterans from Sisters of Mercy, joined by Mick Brown from Red Lorry Yellow Lorry and…
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Tracy Chapman, Tracy Chapman, 1988 on Elektra
Its popularity has recently resurged, due in no small part to Luke Combs’ cover version and their duet at the Grammy’s but this record never went out of rotation for me. Technically I know it’s not true, but I like to imagine Tracy Chapman’s voice was still echoing around Boston from her busking days when…
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Sonny Rollins, Way Out West, 1957 on Contemporary
This was the first Rollins album with Ray Brown and Shelly Manne, and the first time he recorded with only bass and drums. I love this cover photo emphasizing the New York native was out west. My copy—direct from Craft Recordings—is the 2009 Original Jazz Classics reissue which was remastered back in 1988 and repressed…
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Katie Webster, The Swamp Boogie Queen, 1988 on Alligator Records
Webster started out as a session musician behind lots of Louisiana artists but then came back as a solo artist in the 1980s. This was her first album as a leader with distribution in the US on Alligator Records. Guests include The Memphis Horns, Kim Wilson, Robert Cray, and Bonnie Raitt. Great album. My copy…
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Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, Conscious Party, 1988 on Virgin
Third LP from Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, which included Stephen, Sharon and Cedella plus Ziggy, all children of Bob and Rita Marley (who also adds backing vocals). Guests include Jerry Harrison and Tina Weymouth. Chris Franz and Weymouth also produced. Loved this album when it came out – fairly certain I had a…
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The Pursuit of Happiness, Love Junk, 1988 on Chrysalis
Debut full length from Canada’s The Pursuit of Happiness, with their big hit “I’m an Adult Now.” Produced by Todd Rundgren and recorded at Utopia in the Hudson Valley. I love their lyrics in particular – “Consciousness Raising as a Social Tool” and “I’m an Adult Now” resonated even when I was 18 but resonate…
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Joy Division, Substance, 1988 on Factory
Posthumous collection of Joy Division singles put out in 1988 as a 1xLP and reissued in 2015 as a 2xLP by Rhino (a digital remaster). Substance was also used at the title for the New Order singles collection that came out in 1987 (with “1987” added). Still looking for a good clean copy of Unknown…
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Everything But The Girl, Idlewild, 1988 on Sire
This was the fourth EBTG album, released in early 1988 on Sire / Blanco y Negro Records. There’s a 2012 double CD reissue with bonuses but that has not been issued on vinyl. (The LP was reissued by Music on Vinyl in 2016 but as a single LP). I love Tracey Thorn and Ben Watts,…
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Joe Jackson, Live 1980/86, 1988 on A&M
Recorded across four different tours in the early 80s, this double LP live album includes three versions of “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” on four sides – including an a cappella version and an acoustic version. Great live album and surprisingly hearing three versions of the same song is actually really compelling and…
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Tom Waits, Big Time, 1988 on Island Records
Live album from Tom Waits, including performances from the 1987 tour, also available as a concert film on Amazon Prime / MGM+. Waits is joined by Willie Schwarz, Michael Blair, Greg Cohen, Marc Ribot, and Ralph Carney – and Kathleen Brennan and Waits co-produced. Most (all?) of the Tom Waits catalogue is being reissued these…
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Too Much Joy, Son of Sam I Am, 1988 on Alias
This was the second full length from Scarsdale New York’s Too Much Joy. I didn’t actually know them in the 80s so picked this up a bit on a whim (it sounded vaguely familiar but I couldn’t place it). Great LP of late 80s college radio alternative with some humor, as the title suggests. My…
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Living Colour, Cult of Personality (Official Live Bootleg), 1988 on Epic
Living Colour in their prime, recorded live at T.T. The Bear’s in Cambridge (right outside central square), and including a cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Talkin’ Bout A Revolution.” I’m not sure what an “Official Live Bootleg” is – this was put out by Epic apparently – but this is a promo edition with five tracks…
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Fine Young Cannibals, The Raw & The Cooked, 1988 on IRS Records / MCA
This was the second Fine Young Cannibals album following their self-titled debut. Roland Gift on vocals with the rhythm section of Andy Cox and David Steele (formerly of The Beat aka The English Beat). Many of the songs on the LP had already appeared on film soundtracks including three from the Barry Levinson film Tin…
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DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, He’s the DJ, I’m The Rapper, 1988 on Jive
Second album from the duo of Jeffrey Townes (aka DJ Jazzy Jeff) and Will Smith (aka The Fresh Prince), including “Parents Just Don’t Understand” which won the first Best Rap Performance Grammy in 1989. Not sure I even realized this at the time, but their first two albums came out before The Fresh Prince of…
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Neil Young & The Bluenotes, This Note’s For You, 1988 on Reprise
An unusual entry for Neil Young, to be sure, but one of my favorite Neil Young albums post-1980. Later credited just to Neil Young when Harold Melvin (of Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes) threatened legal action. The video for the title track was in heavy rotation on MTV, mocking various kinds of celebrity endorsements. There’s…
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Billy Bragg, Help Save The Youth of America (Live and Dubious), 1988 on Elektra
Billy Bragg live six song EP released to encourage US youth to vote in the 1988 presidential election. Includes “Chile, Your Waters Run Red Through Soweto” (written by Bernice Johnson Reagon of Sweet Honey in the Rock) and “There is Power In a Union.” Remember, when you elect a President, you are electing President for…
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The Robert Cray Band, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, 1988 on Mercury
Fifth full length from Robert Cray and co – sometimes referred to as The Robert Cray Band, other places just Robert Cray from the 1980s. This was their second major label record (on Mercury following Hightone and Tomato). It was not as successful as Strong Persuader which preceded it but there are some great songs…
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The Waterboys, Fisherman’s Blues, 1988 on Chrysalis / Ensign
The fourth studio LP from Mike Scott, Steve Wickham, Anthony Thistlehwaite, Trevor Hutchinson, Peter McKinney et al. Marked a bit of a shift toward Irish and Scottish music, but including covers of Van Morrison’s “Sweet Thing” and (briefly) “This Land is Your Land.” My copy – a Carrollton Georgia US pressing from 1988 – via…