Tag: 1980s
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Alter Boys, Soul Desire, 1987 on Big Time Records.
Alter Boys, Soul Desire, 1987 on Big Time Records. I always felt like they ought to be from Minneapolis but they were indie rockers out of NYC. Produced by Andy Shernoff of The Dictators right as the label folded so never got the promotion it deserved.
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Level 42, World Machine, 1985 on Polydor.
Level 42, World Machine, 1985 on Polydor. The sound of the mid-80s. There is something about you, baby, so right. Actually a really solid album not just that monster single.
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Various Artists, Urgh! A Music War, 1981 on A&M
Various Artists, Urgh! A Music War, 1981 on A&M Great collection from the turn into the 80s – mine’s a 1987 or later reissue based on the barcode and labels. Live performances – there was a movie version too. The Police, Wall of Voodoo, OMD, Oingo Boingo, XTC, Go-Gos, Echo & the Bunnymen, Gang of…
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Joy Division, Closer, 1980 on Factory Records.
Joy Division, Closer, 1980 on Factory Records. This is the 40th anniversary reissue on clear vinyl pressed at Optimal GmBH
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Madness, Complete Madness, 1982 on Stiff Records
Madness, Complete Madness, 1982 on Stiff Records Italian pressing of a greatest hits compilation. Total coincidence and not election commentary.
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Kraftwerk, Electric Cafe, 1986 on Warner Brothers
Kraftwerk, Electric Cafe, 1986 on Warner Brothers Another early selection for me from Columbia House Record Club. In very good shape considering how much I played it back then and how long I’ve had it.
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Robyn Hitchcock, Groovy Decay, 1982 on Albion.
Robyn Hitchcock, Groovy Decay, 1982 on Albion (original UK pressing). Hitchcock’s second solo album with Sara Lee from Gang of Four and Anthony Thistlewaite from the Waterboys, produced by Steve Hillage
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Sarah McLachlan. Touch, 1989 on Arista.
Sarah McLachlan. Touch, 1989 on Arista. Once stood in line behind McLachlan in a Pottery Barn at University Village near the UW. Been a fan since picking up this LP in 1989 (came out in 1988 in Canada )
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Rush, Moving Pictures, 1981 on Mercury
Rush, Moving Pictures, 1981 on Mercury One of my early selections in the Columbia House Record Club. Still my favorite Rush album and one of my favorite prog rock albums.
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Various Artists, The Big Time Syndrome, 1987 on Big Time.
Various Artists, The Big Time Syndrome, 1987 on Big Time. Label sampler with Love and Rockets, Alex Chilton, Dumptruck, Jazz Butcher Conspiracy, Dream Syndicate, Redd Kross, The Pastels, Exploding White Mice, Love Tractor, The Lucy Show, and Boston’s own Christmas Love label samplers and this one I’ve had since 1987
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Thompson Twins, Side Kicks, 1983 on Arista.
Thompson Twins, Side Kicks, 1983 on Arista. In the UK this was “Quick Step & Side Kick”, with a different track order but the same tunes. I always assumed the song was called “We Are Detectives” but it is “Detective,” singular. Great songs here: Judy Do, This Is Where We All Fall Out, Love On…
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The Pogues: Rum Sodomy & The Lash, 1985 on Stiff Records.
The Pogues: Rum Sodomy & The Lash, 1985 on Stiff Records. Second album from the celtic punk band fronted by Shane MacGowan. Produced by Elvis Costello
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Elvis Costello Featuring the Attractions and Confederates, King Of America, 1986 on Collumbia.
Elvis Costello Featuring the Attractions and Confederates, King Of America, 1986 on Collumbia. Costello working with T-Bone Burnett (and of course many others) following a series of tours in 1984-1985 Americana Elvis Costello is one of my favorite Elvis Costellos, and this is a great place to start- Indoor Fireworks, Brilliant Mistake, Don’t Let Me…
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Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Architecture & Morality, 1981 on Epic / Dindisc
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Architecture & Morality, 1981 on Epic / Dindisc Third OMD album, with Sealand, Joan of Arc, and Souvenir This I’ve had since the mid 80s
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U2, Joshua Tree, 1987 on Island Records
U2, Joshua Tree, 1987 on Island Records I still remember buying this very copy the day it came out, at Down in the Valley store in Richfield Sounds as good today as it did in 1987
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94 East, Minneapolis Genius (The Historic 1977 Recordings), 1985 on Hot Pink Records
94 East, Minneapolis Genius (The Historic 1977 Recordings), 1985 on Hot Pink Records Six songs from the beginning of Prince’s career My copy direct from Pepe Willie’s stash, or so Down in the Valley tells me 😉
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Bob Stanley & Pete Wiggs: The Tears of Technology, 2020 on Ace.
Bob Stanley & Pete Wiggs: The Tears of Technology, 2020 on Ace. Compilation covering 1978-1984, really mostly focused on 1979-1982 – critical years in the early “new” synthesizer era: Human League, Soft Cell, The Teardrop Explodes, China Crisis, OMD – lots of gems here
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Prince and the Revolution, Around the World In a Day, 1985 on Paisely Park
Prince and the Revolution, Around the World In a Day, 1985 on Paisely Park The follow up to Purple Rain – recorded largely in the Flying Cloud Drive warehouse in Eden Prairie, before Paisely Park was built in Chanhassen