Tag: 1981
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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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Prince, Controversy, 1981 on Warner Bros.
Prince’s fourth full-length album, which he wrote, produced, and played most the instruments on. (André Cymone gets co-writing credit on “Do Me Baby” on some later versions, but is not credited here – plus backing vocals for Wendy & Lisa, Bobby Z for Drums and Lisa and Fink for keys on some tracks). I love…
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Daryl Hall and John Oates, Private Eyes, 1981 on RCA
I thought of this as an early Hall & Oates record, until I checked out their discography, which goes back to 1972’s Whole Oats. Turns out it is their 10th full length studio record! It was the source of the hit singles “Private Eyes” and “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do).” The album…
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Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Almost Blue, 1981 on Columbia
Recorded in Nashville, this is Costello’s covers album of country greats – including Hank Williams and George Jones. I love Costello in his Americana / roots / country incarnations, and I love cover records, so this is among my favorites from him. My copy via Academy Records in New York City.
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Depeche Mode, Speak & Spell: The 12″ Singles, 2018 on Mute
Reissued box of singles by Rhino / Sire / Mute. The singles: “Dreaming of Me,” “New Life,” and “Just Can’t Get Enough” all came out in 1981, the same year as Speak & Spell the band’s debut album. This reissue from 2018 also includes a flexi-disc with “Sometimes I Wish I Was Dead” (which was…
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Depeche Mode, Live at Crocs Night Club Rayleigh Essex 27th June 1981, unlabelled bootleg, 2018
Per discogs, this seems to be a 2018 Spanish pressing of a bootleg that first appeared in the UK in 2006. Track A6 is listed just as “Boys” before being renamed “Boys Say Go!” on the album Speak & Spell. Someone’s uploaded it to YouTube: You can listed to (and download) a soundboard at dm/live…
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Stray Cats, Stray Cats / Pin Up, 1981 on Arista
This was their debut album – after forming in NY they moved to the UK and this was first released there in early 1981. It wasn’t released in the US until after Built for Speed, which included six of the tracks from this debut. Produced by Dave Edmunds and the band. The cover and spine…
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James Blood Ulmer, Free Lancing, 1981 on Columbia.
A happy and accidental find at Academy Records in New York. Ulmer had played on several Ornette Coleman releases before going out on his own – this was his third solo LP and first on Columbia.
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The Replacements, Unsuitable for Airplay: The Lost KFAI Concert, 2022 on Twin/Tone.
Recorded live at the 7th St Entry on January 23rd, 1981 and released on vinyl as part of Record Store Day in April of 2022, this was also included (on CD) as part of the Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash box set. Paul Westerberg, Chris Mars, Bob Stinson and Tommy Stinson in…
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Eurythmics, In the Garden, 1981 on RCA
Many folks know Eurythmics only through a small set of hits – Sweet Dreams most notably, maybe a few others – but their output is really outstanding across the board both together and separately. Though Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox recorded together under earlier band names, In the Garden was their debut LP under the…
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Stephane Grappelli / David Grisman, Live, 1981 on Warner Brothers.
Great combo of two talented musicians: Grappelli on Violin and Grisman on Mandolin. Recorded at the Berkelee Center for the Performing Arts in Boston. Misty, Sweet Georgia Brown, and Satin Doll. My copy found at Vinyl Destination in Lowell MA
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Carly Simon, Torch, 1981 on Warner Bros.
Carly Simon, Torch, 1981 on Warner Bros. One of the earlier entries in the “contemporary singers do the American songbook” genre – very solid outing
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Fiddle Fever, Fiddle Fever, 1981 on Flying Fish.
Fiddle Fever, Fiddle Fever, 1981 on Flying Fish. Is Fiddle Fever transmissable? That’s an awful lot of fiddles. They put out two LPs plus a Best Of CD
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Pretenders, Extended Play, 1981 on Sire.
Pretenders, Extended Play, 1981 on Sire. Label’s a bit off center on this one (see photos). Extended Play came out six months before Pretenders II, but had Message of Love and Talk of the Town plus a live version of Precious from their debut album via Residency Records, Salem MA
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The Blasters, The Blasters, 1981 on Slash.
The Blasters, The Blasters, 1981 on Slash. Their second album but first on Slash records- Border Radio, American Music, Marie Marie. via Residency Records, Salem MA
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The Ohio Players, Tenderness, 1981 on The Boardwalk Entertainment.
The Ohio Players, Tenderness, 1981 on The Boardwalk Entertainment. Later Ohio Players, after some of the founders departed – but still a solid disco era funk/soul LP Via Residency Records in Salem
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Ultravox, Rage In Eden, 1981 on Chrysalis
Ultravox, Rage In Eden, 1981 on Chrysalis Fifth full length from Ultravox with Midge Ure , Billy Currie, Chris Cross, and Warren Cann. Cover bleeding by Peter Saville Classic early eighties new wave / synths via Deep Thoughts, Jamaica Plain
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Japan, Assemblage, 1981 on Hansa.
Japan, Assemblage, 1981 on Hansa. Collected tracks from their first three Hansa releases: Obscure Alternatives, Adolescent Sex, and Quiet Life, before the went to Virgin. Not necessarily the band you think of covering I Second That Emotion and All Tomorrows Parties . . . My copy seems to be a German pressing via Deep Thoughts,…