Tag: 1986
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Michelle Shocked, The Texas Campfire Tapes, 1986 on Mercury / Cooking Vinyl
This was the debut album for Michelle Shocked, purportedly recorded by Cooking Vinyl founder Pete Lawrence on a Sony Walkman at an unplanned performance at the Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas. Shocked herself has called it a “bootleg” and says it was released without her permission: My music career began as the Bootleg Poster Child.…
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Howard Jones, One to One, 1986 on Elektra
Howard Jones was one of my first concerts I saved up for and bought tickets to myself. I don’t think he was the first, but he was certainly an early one. I especially loved his early-80s output: Human’s Lib and Dream Into Action. One to One was his third studio album – for some folks…
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Various Artists, Atlantic Blues:Guitar, 1986 on Atlantic
Great two-LP set of blues guitar greats recordings on Atlantic, including: Blind Willie McTell, Mississippi Fred McDowell, John Lee Hooker, Stick McGhee, Texas Johnny Brown, T-Bone Walker, Chuck Norris, Guitar Slim, Cornell Dupree, Big Joe Turner, Al King, Mickey Baker, Ike & Tina Turner, B.B. King, Albert King, John Hammond Jr, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.…
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Laurie Anderson, Home of the Brave, 1986 on Warner Bros
If I planned these posting further in advance (i’m just working through records as I add them to my collection), I would have planned this one for the 4th of July. The film Home of the Brave is a concert movie (see below) but the album is studio versions of songs from the film. There…
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Bronski Beat, Truthdate Doubledare, 1986 on MCA Records
This was Bronski Beat’s second full lengthy, after the mega success of The Age of Consent – and the first after Jimmy Somerville departed (to form the Communards). “Hit That Perfect Beat” was the big single. Despite Somerville’s departure (he was replaced by John Foster), it’s much in the same vein. I still really like…
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Robert Cray, Strong Persuader, 1986 on Mercury.
Robert Cray, Strong Persuader, 1986 on Mercury. Labels say The Robert Cray Band, front cover just Robert Cray. Either way a solid guitar driven blues album
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Everything But The Girl; Baby, The Stars Shine Bright; 1986 on Blanco Y Negro / Sire.
Everything But The Girl; Baby, The Stars Shine Bright; 1986 on Blanco Y Negro / Sire. Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt’s third LP as EBTG – great album
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The Waterboys, Self-Titled LP, 1986 on Chrysalis.
The Waterboys, self-titled LP, 1986 on Chrysalis. In the UK, this came out in 1983 (on the Chicken Jazz label) , and was followed later by the 1984 self-titled EP (five songs). In the US, the EP came out first and this LP followed in 1986. Still sounds fresh to me – could come out…
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Peter Case, Peter Case, 1986 on Geffen.
Peter Case, Peter Case, 1986 on Geffen. Self-titled debut album – great version if Pair of Brown Eyes as well as strong originals Produced by T Bone Burnett and Mitchell Froom
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Billy Bragg, Talking With the Taxman About Poetry, 1986 on Elektra.
Billy Bragg, Talking With the Taxman About Poetry, 1986 on Elektra. Title comes from a Mayakovsky poem printed on the inner liner – I appreciate much more now than I did at 16. Subtitled “The difficult third album” I think it may be his most successful and approachable
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Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Johnny Copeland: Showdown!, 1986 on Alligator Records.
Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Johnny Copeland: Showdown!, 1986 on Alligator Records. One of Alligator Records’ most successful releases.
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Paul Simon, Graceland, 1986 on Warner Bros.
Paul Simon, Graceland, 1986 on Warner Bros. Gotta be in my top 20 albums of all time. The tremendously talented Paul Simon and an equally talented group of South Africa. musicians and singers, including Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Youssou N’Dour Still know every word and every note – rare to find this LP in good…
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Various Artists, Live! for Life, 1986 on I.R.S. Records.
Various Artists, Live! for Life, 1986 on I.R.S. Records. Benefit album for the AMC Cancer Research Center in Denver- executive producer Miles Copeland (brother of Stewart and Ian, founder of IRS Records). Great mid-80s (mostly) live compilation – not a single concert but a collection of unreleased tracks via Soundtracks, Beverly MA
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R.E.M., Life’s Rich Pageant, 1986 on I.R.S.
R.E.M., Life’s Rich Pageant, 1986 on I.R.S. Key soundtrack to my high school years – fourth full length from Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Bill Berry, and Mike Mills. Fall on Me, Cuyahoga, Swan Swan H, even the closer which is a cover of a 1969 Clique single – not a bad note on this LP…
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Run D.M.C., Raising Hell, 1986 on Profile
Run D.M.C., Raising Hell, 1986 on Profile My copy is a 2017 reissue by Get On Down Run D.M.C.’s third album,, produced by Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin – the first Platinum and multiplatinum hip hop album. Walk this way, You Be Illin’, It’s Tricky, so many key songs. Via Soundtracks, in Beverly MA
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The Golden Palominos, Blast Of Silence (Axed My Baby For A Nickel), 1986 on Celluloid.
The Golden Palominos, Blast Of Silence (Axed My Baby For A Nickel), 1986 on Celluloid. Third GP album, with Anton Fier, Bill Laswell, Nicky Skopelitis. Syd Straw (and others) on vocals, T-Bone Burnett guest guitar on a few tracks, Bernie Worrell on Hammond Organ, Matthew Sweey, Peter Holsapple, Peter Blegvad. via Deep Thoughts in Jamaica…
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The Alarm, Knife Edge, 1986 on I.R.S. Records
The Alarm, Knife Edge, 1986 on I.R.S. Records Another 80s 12″ single with B side Caroline Isenberg and two live tracks from BBC Radio One. Via Deep Thoughts, Jamaica Plain
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Violent Femmes, The Blind Leading the Naked, 1986 on Slash
Violent Femmes, The Blind Leading the Naked, 1986 on Slash Not as coveted as Hallowed Ground or the Self-titled album, but lovely vintage VF anyway Via Record Exchange, Salem MA
