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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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Peter Case, The Man With The Blue Postmodern Fragmented Neo-Traditionalist Guitar, 1989 on Geffen
This was Case’s sophomore album as a solo artist, follow his 1986 self-titled debut. I’m a sucker for anyone cribbing album or song titles from Wallace Stevens and love this album. Guests include Los Lobos, T-Bone Burnett and Ry Cooder, alongside folks like Benmont Tench, Jerry Scheff, David Hidalgo, David McKelvy, Jim Keltner, and Steven…
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The Woodentops, Well Well Well, 1986 on Upside Records
Collection of singles (the CD release included the subtitle “The Unabridged Singles Collection”) from UK band The Woodentops, released on Upside Records (in the US) via a license from Rough Trade in the UK. The label on this record lists the band as “The Wooden Tops” though the cover keeps the band as one word…
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Emmylou Harris, Thirteen, 1986 on Warner Brothers
Harris counted this as her 13th studio album, ignoring Gliding Bird which came out on an independent label. It was produced by Harris and her then-husband Paul Kennerley and recorded in Nashville. Guests include VInce Gill, Rodney Crowell, and Carl Jackson. Tracklist includes covers of Bruce Springsteen’s “My Father’s House” (from Nebraska) and Merle Haggard’s…
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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…
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Adam Ant, Friend or Foe, 1982 on Epic
This was the debut solo album from Stuart Leslie Goddard, better known as Adam Ant, following on three albums as Adam and the Ants. The single “Goody Two Shoes” reached number 1 in the UK and number 12 in the US. Lately I’ve been hearing “Desparate But Not Serious” all the time on Sirius XM…
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The Del Fuegos, Smoking In The Fields, 1989 on R.C.A.
Fourth and final studio album from Boston Massachusetts’ own The Del Fuegos, recorded after Warren Zanes and Woody Giessmann left the band. Recorded in Woodstock NY and produced by David Thoener. The first three Del Fuegos albums were on Slash Records – this was their only one on R.C.A. The Del Fuegos reunited in 2011…
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Timbuk 3, Greetings From Timbuk 3, 1986 on I.R.S. Records
Debut album from Pat MacDonald and Barbara Koyman MacDonald, the husband and wife duo better known as Timbuk 3 (sometimes written Timbuk3), featuring their most well known single “The Future’s So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades.” Such great songwriting on this and all their albums – people sometimes think of them as a one-hit wonder…
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Haircut One Hundred, Pelican West, 1982 on Arista
The debut album for UK New Wave band Haircut One Hundred, founded by Nick Heyward, Les Nemes, and Graham Jones, joined here by Blair Cunningham on drums. Lead single “Love Plus One” was a top 10 hit in the UK and a top 40 hit in the US. The LP was produced by Bob Sargeant…
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The Brains, The Brains, 1980 on Mercury
Self-titled debut album from Atlanta’s The Brains, including a song later made famous by Cyndi Lauper, “Money Changes Everything.” The Brains would only go on to one more full length LP, Electronic Eden. Both were produced by Steve Lillywhite. Various members went on to play in other Atlanta bands, including the Georgia Satellites. Tom Gray…
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Bruce Cockburn, Waiting for a Miracle: Singles 1970-1987, 1987 on True North
Collection of singles from Canada’s Bruce Cockburn, whose career ranged widely from folk to what we might call world music to rock. Cockburn was a Berklee School of Music dropout before being a dropout from Berkelee was de rigeur. I first found Cockburn via “If I Had A Rocket Launcher” and his association with various…
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Gene Loves Jezebel, Immigrant, 1985 on Relativity / Situation Two
Gene Loves Jezebel were twin brothers Jay Aston and Michael Aston, delivering post-punk with a goth-adjacent feel – most well known in the US for “Desire.” This was their second album, following Promise. Later they had a follow hit with “The Motion of Love” from their fourth album The House of Dolls. Relativity was a…
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The Honeydrippers, Volume One, 1984 on Es Paranza
Robert Plant’s early 80s group dedicated to reproducing the sound of R&B, which had a big hit with a cover of “Sea of Love.” The title, Volume One, turned out to be aspirational as it was their only LP. The lineup, however, includes (in addition to Plant): Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Paul Shaffer, Nile Rodgers,…
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Wall of Voodoo, The Ugly Americans in Australia, 1988 on I.R.S. Records
Live Wall of Voodoo recorded on their 1987 tour in Australia, primarily at The Palace in Melbourne. The cover painting is by Robert Williams (aka Robt. Wms.). This was their last output on I.R.S. and basically the end of their label support – after this things were self-released or reissues. My copy—via Vinyl Destination in…
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The Romantics, Strictly Personal, 1981 on Nemporer
Third album from The Romantics, who originally came out of Detroit MI. Look at the new wave style here – matching pink leather suits and bolo ties. Did not reach the same heights as their self-titled debut and “What I Like About You” but continues in that same sound. Nemperor was a label founded by…
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Flesh for Lulu, Long Live The New Flesh, 1987 on Beggars Banquet / Capitol
Third full-length album from Brixton London post-punks Nick Marsh, James Mitchell, Rocco Barker, Derek “Del Boy” Greening, and Kevin Mills—and their first on Beggars Banquet/Capitol. (Capitol in the US, Beggars Banquet in the UK). The lead single “I Go Crazy” was featured in the film Some Kind of Wonderful and became a minor hit. This…
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Cactus World News, Urban Beaches, 1986 on MCA
This was the debut album for Cactus World News, with a different cover in US and UK editions- this one is the US cover. They were an early 80s band in Dublin, and had the good fortune to have Bono produce their first single “The Bridge” (a re-recording of which is on this album). What…
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T-Bone Burnett, Trap Door, 1982 on Warner Bros.
Most people think of T-Bone Burnett these days as a Grammy-winning producer associated with Americana and roots music, but has also long been a solo artist releasing music since the 80s. This EP was Burnett’s first release on Warner Bros, after leaving Takoma. Rhino released a compilation including this EP and the companion EP Behind…