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Bruce Hornsby and The Range, The Way It Is, 1986 on RCA Victor
Multi-platinum debut album for Hornsby & the Range, including the title track as well as “Mandolin Rain.” The Range included David Mansfield, George Marinelli, Joe Puerta, and John Molo – Huey Lewis guests on “Down the Road Tonight” and produced three tracks. I imagine some people now know this as the track sampled in 2Pac’s…
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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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Marshall Crenshaw, Marshall Crenshaw, 1982 on Warner Bros.
Debut album from Marshall Crenshaw, including the song for which he is best known “Someday, Someway.” The followup sophomore album (Field Day) was produced by Steve Lillywhite but did not do nearly as well, though he did go on to work with T-Bone Burnett and appear in the films Peggy Sue Got Married and La…
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Big Country, The Crossing, 1983 on Mercury
Debut album by Scotland’s Big Country, which charted at number 18 in the US, and contains the song “In a Big Country.” Produced by Steve Lillywhite and recorded in London and Oxford. The opening of that track – “In a Big Country” – is just indelibly etched in my early 80s memory. I’m sure they…
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The Smiths, The Smiths, 1984 on Rough Trade
Masterful debut album by Morrissey, Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce aka The Smiths. Produced by John Porter and recorded at multiple studios in Manchester and London in 1983. Yes, I still listen to The Smiths even if Morrissey is problematic. This is a fantastic debut – not necessarily my favorite single Smiths record,…
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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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Kiss, Destroyer, 1976 on Casablanca
This was the fourth full length for Kiss, with the Gene Simmons, Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley line up, supported by Dick Wagner on three tracks. (Sadly Ace passed this week). This is the first vinyl record I remember holding and listening to – I loved “Beth” and the Casablanca label – but I’ve…
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Bauhaus, Mask, 1981 on Beggars Banquet
Second studio album from Bauhaus and their first on Beggars Banquet (In The Flat Field was on 4AD), with a cover drawn by Daniel Ash, across a gatefold and on the labels. The first five Bauhaus records are are perfect – as is the singles collection 1979-1983 and most of the bands that followed in…
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ZZ Top, Fandango!, 1975 on London Records
Fourth release from Texas blues band ZZ Top, Fandango! included an A side with live songs (from The Warehouse, in New Orleans) and a B side of new studio recordings. A Fandango is a dance originating in Spain and Portugal – which wikipedia tells me “is used as a synonym for ‘a quarrel’, ‘a big…
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Cyndi Lauper, She’s So Unusual, 1983 on Portrait
Lauper’s debut solo album, She’s So Unusual had four top-five singles: “Girls Just Want To Have Fun,” “Time After Time,” “She Bop,” and “All Through The Night.” A number of the songs were covers – “Money Changes Everything” by The Brains, “When You Were Mine” by Prince, “All Through The Night” by Jules Shear, and…
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Various Artists, The Best of Music and Rhythm, 1983 on PVC Records
Shortened single-LP version (there’s a 2xLP version as well, PVC 201) of a record released to commemorate and benefit the WOMAD festival (World of Music and Dance). Peter Gabriel founded WOMAD as an organization in 1980 and the 1982 festival was the first. The festival for which this LP serves as a benefit was held…
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U2, R.O.K., 1981 on Island Records
Punny title (you too, are ok or U2 are ok) aside, great early EP for the European market from U2. The live tracks on the b-side are from their appearance at the Paradise in Boston in March 1981 – about 8 years later my freshman dorm room would be a block away. This was the…
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Randy Newman, Little Criminals, 1977 on Warner Bros
Randy Newman’s fifth studio LP and his highest charting, in part due to “Short People,” which was also a hit single. Produced by Lenny Waronker and Russ Titelman, with supporting players including Waddy Wachtel, Joe Walsh, Glen Frey, J.D. Souther, Tim Schmit, Klaus Voorman, Jim Keltner, Willie Weeks, and even Ry Cooder on mandola on…
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XTC, English Settlement, 1982 on Virgin/Epic
This was the fifth XTC studio album, out on Virgin Records in the UK and Epic in the US. The band stopped touring after this LP and became more of a studio only group. Interesting midpoint between “Making Plans For Nigel” (1979) and “Dear God” (1986). Includes “Senses Working Overtime.” Still looking for a 2xLP…
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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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John Mayall, The Latest Edition, 1974 on Polydor
I collect lots of John Mayall – this followed the era of Mayall moving to the US in the late 60s, and the band here includes Larry Taylor, Red Holloway, Soko Richardson, Hightide Harris and Randy Resnick. Lots of jazz/fusion influence here with saxophone. Mayall is wearing a cast on the cover. Mayall passed unfortunately…
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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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Billy Joel, An Innocent Man, 1983 on Columbia / Family Productions
Billy Joel’s ninth studio LP, with the title track, “Uptown Girl,” and “The Longest Time” as big hits. Toots Thielemans joins on harmonica on “Leave a Tender Moment Alone.” Some people might put Billy Joel in the “guilty pleasures” column – I probably did in 1983 – but I’ve really come to appreciate him. Guess…