Tag: vinylcollection
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Billy Joel, Glass Houses, 1980 on Columbia / Family Productions
Billy Joel’s 7th studio album, produced by Phil Ramone. The house on the cover is was Joel’s own home in Cove Neck, Long Island. A harder rocking Billy Joel here, with “You May Be Right,” “It’s Still Rock and Roll To Me,” and “Don’t Ask Me Why” – lots of big hits – a Billboard…
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The Power Station, Some Like It Hot And The Heat is On (12″), 1985 on Capitol
The Power Station were a kind of supergroup, pairing Andy & John Taylor (Duran Duran) with Tony Thompson (Chic) and Robert Palmer (who was later replaced by Michael Des Barres). Production by Bernie Edwards (also of Chic). Love the extended version on the A-side – the “The Heat Is On” on the B-side isn’t fully…
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Peter Gabriel, Ein Deutsches Album, 1980 on Charisma
This is the German language version of the third album Gabriel put out as self-titled (“Peter Gabriel”) but popularly known as Peter Gabriel III or “Melt” – listed in this case as Ein Deutsches Album (a German album). The songs: I love alternate language versions of albums and wish more people did them. My copy—via…
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a-ha, Hunting High and Low, 1985 on Warner Bros.
Debut album from Norway’s a-ha, fronted by Morten Harket, with Magne Furuholmen and Pål Waaktaar-Savoy. “Take On Me” with its animated video is the song everyone knows, but there’s a lot of great songs in the record (and their other records!). Definitely more than a one-hit wonder. My copy—via A1 Records in NYC—is a 1985 pressing…
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Thomas Dolby, Blinded By Science, 1983 on Harvest.
An EP or “Mini LP” by Dolby with the 12″ single versions of songs from The Golden Age of Wireless. The version of “Airwaves” here (5:20) is the full length version as opposed to the 3:35 version that appeared on the US version of album. My copy—via A1 Records in NYC—is a US pressing on…
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Fine Young Cannibals, The Raw & The Cooked, 1988 on IRS Records / MCA
This was the second Fine Young Cannibals album following their self-titled debut. Roland Gift on vocals with the rhythm section of Andy Cox and David Steele (formerly of The Beat aka The English Beat). Many of the songs on the LP had already appeared on film soundtracks including three from the Barry Levinson film Tin…
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Indigo Girls, Indigo Girls, 1989 on Epic
Sophomore album from Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, with their massive breakout hit “Closer To Fine.” Michael Stipe guests on “Kid Fears” and Hothouse Flowers guest on multiple tracks including “Closer to Fine” (which recently had a revival as it appeared in the movie Barbie). My copy—via A1 Records in NYC—is a promo copy labelled…
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The Smiths, Strangeways Here We Come, 1987 on Rough Trade.
Fourth (and final) studio album from The Smiths, produced by Stephen Street, Morrissey, and Johnny Marr and recorded at The Wool Hall in Beckington, Somerset. On constant repeat in my late 80s experience. Strangeways was a prison in Manchester (now Manchester Prison) – The Smiths had previously used the Salford Lad’s Club for the cover…
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The Fun Boy Three, The Fun Boy Three, 1982 on Chrysalis
The Fun Boy Three (Terry Hall, Neville Staple, and Lynval Golding) were a spin-off / outgrowth of The Specials. This was their debut, self-titled album with guests Bananarama on four tracks, including a cover of “It Ain’t What You Do (It’s The Way That You Do it),” Also features “The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The…
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Bob Dylan, Oh Mercy, 1989 on Columbia
Dylan’s 26th studio album, produced by Daniel Lanois and recorded in New Orleans. “Political World,” “Where Teardrops Fall,” and “Everything is Broken” make a great opening trio on side 1 – but really a great album overall. My copy—via Waterloo Records in Austin TX—is a Carrollton GA pressing with original inner sleeve from 1989.
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Sting, Bring On The Night, 1986 on A&M
Sting’s first solo live album, a 2xLP set recorded over multiple nights of a tour in 1985. Sting was touring here with Branford Marsalis, Darryl Jones, Kenny Kirkland, Omar Hakim and others – basically a killer jazz band. The band is incredibly tight and the energy of the shows is wonderful – even on songs…
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Dire Straits, Making Movies, 1980 on Warner Brothers
Released on Vertigo in the UK but Warner Bros in the US, this was the third full-length from Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits. Produced by Jimmy Iovine and Mark Knopfler. David Knopfler left the band during the recording of the album and reportedly Mark re-recorded all this guitar parts. There was a box set of…
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Tears for Fears, Songs From The Big Chair, 1985 on Mercury
Sophomore album from Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, following The Hurting. Hard to imagine trying to follow up that record, but this went to number one in the US. “Shout” and “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” fueled that success. They’ve been touring again in support of The Tipping Point but I’ve not managed to…
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Charlie Sexton, Pictures for Pleasure, 1985 on MCA
Sexton was a guitar wunderkind from Austin who was 16 when this came out. A poster of the album cover is seen in Ferris Bueller’s bedroom, and John Hughes used “Beat’s So Lonely” in Some Kind of Wonderful. Sexton would go on to play in Bob Dylan’s band (including on some recordings) and produce other…
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New Order, Confusion (FAC93), 1983 on Factory
This was the sixth single from New Order, put out by Factory in 1983 as a follow up to “Blue Monday.” Produced by and co-written with DJ Arthur Baker, it charted well in the UK – though clearly nothing could match up to the massive success and influence of “Blue Monday.” My copy—via Waterloo Records…
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John Hiatt, Bring the Family, 1987 on A&M
John Hiatt’s eighth studio album and his first on A&M. What a fantastic songwriter! Actually paid for by Demon Records in the UK, but picked up after being completed by A&M in the US. Guests include Ry Cooder (doing harmony vocals on “Have a Little Faith in Me” as well as electric guitar and sitar…
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Pat MacDonald and The Essentials, Essentialist Propaganda, 1983 on Counter-Pop
Pat MacDonald would go on to be one half of Timbuk 3 with his wife Barbara Kooyman, listed here as Barbara K. MacDonald. “Too Much Sex (Not Enough Affection” from this EP also was later on Eden Alley in 1988. Pat MacDonald and The Essentials put out one full length album and this EP, which…
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DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, He’s the DJ, I’m The Rapper, 1988 on Jive
Second album from the duo of Jeffrey Townes (aka DJ Jazzy Jeff) and Will Smith (aka The Fresh Prince), including “Parents Just Don’t Understand” which won the first Best Rap Performance Grammy in 1989. Not sure I even realized this at the time, but their first two albums came out before The Fresh Prince of…