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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…

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…

Sinéad O’Connor, The Lion and the Cobra, 1987 on Chrysalis / Ensign

This was Sinéad’s debut album and is still just astonishingly great. The spoken word intro in gaelic by Enya before “Never Get Old” is Psalm 91: For He…

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…

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…

Tim Finn, Escapade, 1983 on A&M

Tim Finn’s better known as one of the co-founders of Split Enz, and later member of Crowded House. This was his debut album as a solo artist, originally…

The Communards, Red, 1987 on London / MCA

The Communards were a duo of Jimmy Somerville (formerly of Bronski Beat) and Richard Coles, a classically trained musician. They put out only two albums: a self-titled debut…

Talking Heads, Slippery People / Making Flippy Floppy (Remixes), 1983 on Sire

Great 12″ single with remixes by David Byrne and John “Jellybean” Benetiz of two songs from the Speaking in Tongues album. May be technically a double-A-sided single (labeled…

Timbuk 3, Eden Alley, 1988 on I.R.S. Records

Timbuk 3 was the stage name for the duo of Pat MacDonald and Barbara K. MacDonald (nee Barbara Kooyman, aka Barbara K), as it evolved out of Pat…

The Clash, Sandanista!, 1980 on CBS Records

The Clash’s fourth album, released in 1980 on CBS Records, distributed by Epic in the US. Sprawling, six-sided 3xLP collection that truly is all over the map, including…

Midnight Oil; 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1; 1982 on Columbia

The fourth full-length from Midnight Oil, released in 1982 on Columbia in the US and CBS in the UK and Australia. The album reached #3 on the Australian…

Phantom, Rocker & Slick; Phantom, Rocker & Slick, 1985 on EMI America

Self-titled debut album for Phantom, Rocker & Slick (I’ll forgive them for the lack of an oxford comma) from 1985. Slim Jim Phantom (drums) and Lee Rocker (vocals,…

Syd Straw, Surprise, 1989 on Virgin

Syd Straw’s career started as a backup singer for Pat Benatar, and fronting Golden Palaminos on a couple of their albums. This was her solo debut, with MIchael…

Duke Ellington, The Intimate Ellington, 1977 on Pablo Records

Recorded in NYC between 1969 and 1971, with a variety of players. Includes “Moon Maiden” with just Ellington singing and accompanying himself on Celeste, and also some great…

Toto, Tovo IV, 1982 on Columbia

Toto came together as a group of studio / session musicians, including Jeff, Steve, and Mike Porcaro with Steve Lukather and David Paich. This was their breakout album,…

Laurie Anderson, Big Science, 1982 on Warner Bros.

I posted another Anderson album last week – Home of the Brave – but this was her major label debut in 1982. The songs here are a subset…

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…

The Clash, Give ‘Em Enough Rope, 1978 on CBS / Epic

The follow up to the self-titled debut, and the first with Topper Headon on drums. It was actually the first Clash album released in the US – the…

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…

David Bowie, Tonight, 1984 on EMI America

Bowie’s follow up to Let’s Dance, produced by Bowie with Derek Bramble and Hugh Padgham, with many of the same musicians, but also with contributions by Iggy Pop…