Tag: 1980s
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Squeeze, Sweets From a Stranger, 1982 on A&M
Fifth studio album from Squeeze, this one including Don Snow, John Bentley, and Gilson Lavis alongside Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook. and featuring “Black Coffee in Bed” with backing vocals from Elvis Costello and Paul Young. Lover the overlay flap on the front – “When it comes to Squeeze, they can’t be called ‘critics’” –…
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Townes Van Zandt, At My Window, 1987 on Sugar Hill
Van Zandt’s eighth studio album and only one recorded in the 1980s, originally released on the bluegrass label Sugar Hill. I never miss a chance to pick up a Townes Van Zandt record in good shape. Recorded at Jack Clement’s studio in Nashville (“Cowboy Arms Hotel and Recording Spa”) and produced by Clement and Jim…
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Camouflage, Voices & Images, 1988 on Atlantic
Camouflage were a synth-pop trio from Bietigheim-Bissingen in West Germany (near Stuttgart). Voices & Images was their debut album and included “The Great Commandment” which was a hit in Germany and broke through to the US. My copy via Pitchfork Records in Concord NH, has the gold promo stamp and a hype sticker listing the…
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Heaven 17, The Luxury Gap, 1983 on Virgin
Heaven 17 included Martyn Ware and Ian Criag Marsh who had been founding members of The Human League – Glenn Gregory took the place of Philip Oakey to make Heaven 17. This was their second studio album (and best selling album) – with the single “Temptation” being the best known hit. My copy, via Pitchfork…
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JoBoxers, Like Gangbusters, 1983 on RCA
I had not actually heard of JoBoxers but took a flyer on this one just based on the sheer 80s new-waveness of the cover – the hair, the braces, the hats: vaguely Depeche Mode, vaguely Dexy’s Midnight Runners. They were a UK new wave band, who toured opening for Madness – their debut single “Boxerbeat”…
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Steve Earle, Guitar Town, 1986 on MCA Records
Earle’s debut album from the mid-eighties – note the proud “Digital Recording” stamp on the cover (where now you’d see “All Analog” promoted). Topped the country charts, and the title single made #7 on the country singles charts. I think Earle’s really matured into a wonderful elder statesman of a certain kind of roots /…
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Wham!, Make it Big, 1984 on Columbia
This was the second studio album from the duo of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley – the first, Fantastic!, didn’t make much of an impression in the US, but this album was unavoidable in the mid-80s. “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” seemed to come on MTV every hour for a year. “Careless Whisper” maybe…
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The Replacements; Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash; 1981 on Twin/Tone
This was the debut album of Minneapolis’ own The Replacements, in all its ragged glory. Somehow – likely because of how I acquired them – I’d always thought that Stink! (the EP) came out before Sorry, Ma – but it was the other way ’round. I don’t usually by CDs these days, but this reissue…
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Willie Dixon, Mighty Earthquake And Hurricane, 1984 on PA USA
Though one doesn’t normally think of Dixon as an eighties artist (he started putting out recordings in the late 50s) he was still making great music into the 80s before passing in 1992. He also toured behind his album well into his 60s. The band here includes Freddie Dixon (bass), Jimmy Tillman (drums), John Watkins…
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The Time, The Time (Self-Titled), 1981 on Warner Bros.
This was the debut LP from Morris Day and co, though they started playing together in the early seventies under different names. The band here still includes Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who went on to become a well-known producing duo, and guitarist Jesse Johnson who made some solo releases. While most folks know The…
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Rush, Exit . . . Stage Left, 1981 on Mercury
Like many, I found Rush as teen (or maybe pre-teen?) and was immediately hooked by the aggressive musicality and complexity and the allusive nature of Peart’s lyrics. Even the album title here is a reference to Snagglepuss (as well as a reference back to All The World’s a Stage?). Still holds up as an amazing…
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Ry Cooder, Borderline, 1980 on Warner Bros.
Cooder’s 9th studio solo LP, with John Hiatt, Jim Keltner, Jesse Harms, George Pierre, Bobby King, Willie Green Jr., Reggie McBride, and Tim Drummond. Produced by Cooder with Leslie Morris. Personally I don’t quite love this one as much as 1978’s Jazz, but it is a really sold album including a cover of John Hiatt’s…
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Various Artists, A Very Special Christmas, 1987 on A&M
Long before Maria’s “All I Want For Christmas” came this wonderful compilation to benefit Special Olympics International with a whos-who of mid-late 80s artists covering holiday songs: This is holiday music I can get behind – though Christmas in Hollis does have a certain earworm quality I still love it. Artwork by Keith Haring, of…
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Sly & Robbie; The Sixties, Seventies + Eighties = Taxi; 1981 on Mango
Great collection of songs produced by Sly Dunbar & Robbie Shakespeare, whose production company and label were both called Taxi, released on Mango which was an Island Records subsidiary focused on Caribbean artists. Great covers of Herbie Hancock’s “Watermelon Man” and the Lennon-McCartney “I Should Have Known Better” as well as some more traditional ska…
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Ry Cooder, The Slide Area, 1982 on Warner Bros.
Ry Cooder is a long time favorite who still has a tendency to fly a bit under the popular radar (though musicians do tend to love him). This 1982 album I guess you’d call sort of mid-career though he’s still active so hard to say what that means – his 10th full length LP. Includes…
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Dire Straits, Alchemy – Dire Straits Live, 1984 on Warner Brothers
Wonderful 2xLP live album of early 80s Dire Straits. Recorded in London at the Hammersmith Odeon over two nights in July 1983. Great versions of “Romeo and Juliet” and “Sultans of Swing.” There was also an accompanying film (on VHS, later reissued on DVD and Blu-Ray). My copy – hype stickered as being on Quiex…
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Simon & Garfunkel, The Concert In Central Park, 1982 on Warner Bros
One of the best live albums from one of my favorite duos. Good variety of tempos and tunes, enough stage banter to feel live but no so much that you feel the need to skip ahead. Wikipedia correctly recognizes it as “the” concert in central park – recorded in front of a half million people…
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Violent Femmes, Violent Femmes (box set), 2024 on Craft Recordings
This was one of my favorite albums of the 1980s (it came out on Slash Records in 1983), and I’ve been looking forever for a decent copy on vinyl. This box set, as you’d expect from Craft, is amazing. It includes a newly remastered version of the self-titled album itself, plus additional LPs of demos…