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Post by Earl Purple on Feb 7, 2023 15:31:07 GMT 1
Yeh I don’t know if I can listen to that…oh wait is that the album with ‘Woman In Love’ that’s a tune! Ahh just looked at the track list the whole thing is basically a Bee Gees collab , maybe next time I’ll give it a go. If 1987 wasn’t so stacked might have seen some Bee Gees there but I doubt it will make the cut. Yeah, it's all written by the Bee Gees. It's very easy listening, but great. I think only Barry Gibb is actually involved but he wrote many of the more popular Bee Gees songs. It was the start of the period when the Bee Gees flopped with everything they released but wrote many huge hits for others. I was very much singles based until around 1994. I bought more albums in the years 1994 to 1998 than any other period. 1994 was also the year I moved to my own flat and got my own CD player. May have something to do with it? As well as where I was working.
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Post by raliverpool on Feb 7, 2023 20:31:50 GMT 1
So carrying on from last night ... 19 ABBA - Super Trooper - (FYI, for ABBA LPs I'm reviewing them based on the 2001 CD Remasters with the added non-album singles & B-sides which might improve or downgrade my view of said albums - In this case it added the excellent agit synth pop of "Elaine" & the hokey "Put On Your White Sombrero"). A very, very strong more mature sounding album let down by the dull Val Doonican like "The Way Old Friends Do". Of the non singles my fav track is Elaine. 4.5/5 (My 3rd Fav Album of 1980). 16 U2 - Boy - The Dublin quartet's debut album was produced by Steve Lillywhite. It is fair to say what they lacked in studio ability, was made up by their attitude, and unique sound in its embryonic phase. It is unquestionably a very solid album, but it all starts to feel rather one dimensional (in stark contrast to the next album I'll review below). That is fine if you love it, but not otherwise. The opener "I Will Follow" is by far the stand out not least as it is nearest to their finished recipe that would serve them so well as the decade progressed and they got better as (studio) musicians. 3.0/5 13 Blondie - Autoamerican (Again my review is based on the 2001 CD remaster with the extra tracks "Call Me" (Original Long Version); "Suzy & Jeffrey" (B-side to "The Tide Is High" single); "Rapture" (Special Disco Mix)). In stark contrast to U2's debut which I felt was too samey this album feels too much like a mixtape or random budget artist compilation. The aptly named opener "Europa" is an excellent piece of Krautrock. Besides rock and pop tracks it goes all over the map the Glenn Miller 40s sounding "Here's Looking At You"; the bluesy "Faces"; the closer 1960 musical Camelot torch song cover "Follow Me"; and of course the monster two hit singles the Paragons ska cover "The Tide Is High" and the rap/rock/disco fusion "Rapture". If the songwriting and performances had been much stronger I'd rate it as a classic, but unfortunately it all seems a little too flaccid & dull in places as the substance abuse & fatigue were taking their toll on the band. 3.5/5 12 Madness - Absolutely - The album starts off very strongly with the two huge hit singles followed by the excellent "ERNIE". But the Nutty Boy sound quickly becomes repetitive bar "Not Home Today"; the best non single cut "Take It Or Leave It"; and the closing third single "Night Boat To Cairo". Thankfully they would make better albums than this.... 3.0/5 11 David Bowie - Scary Monsters - A classic example of a quite brilliant Side 1 sounding like a stone cold 5.0 album; the opener of Side 2 "Teenage Wildlife" was a brilliant Springsteen like midlife crisis song, on the one hand lashing out at his pretenders “the fingerprints will prove that you couldn’t pass the test.” (he trashed Gary Numan as badly, as Madonna treated Lady Gaga) which with hindsight was a bad look; and yet the verses are full of neurotic self-doubt about how long he can maintain his place in music aided by the star of the album King Crimson guitarist (& future Mr Toyah Wilcox) Robert Fripp; but then sadly the album underwhelms on the remaining four tracks. Making it a 4.0/5 album.
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Post by raliverpool on Feb 7, 2023 20:57:54 GMT 1
9 Adam And The Ants - Kings of the Wild Frontier - Adam (Stuart Goddard) was to the 1980s what Marc Bolan (T-Rex) was to the 1970s. He was very charismatic and good looking; his early hit records were like nothing else around, and yet it got tired very quickly as the New Romantic (Glam Rock) scene moved on leaving him behind due to it musical sameness; his hammy try-hardness & paranoia.The three post punk/new wave singles are the best things on the album with "Ants Invasion" being the best of the rest. 3.5/5 5 Talking Heads - Remain In Light - This is regarded as TH's best album, but my favourite is their previous effort Fear Of Music. Musically it is all over the New Wave map with the uptempo first side; and the more introspective second half starting off with the 1-2 punch of "Once In A Lifetime" & "Houses In Motion" 4.0/5 4 XTC - Black Sea - My hometown's most famous act were still in their "Kaiser Ferdinand" (1977-82) phase as Andy Partridge has recently called it. This Steve Lillywhite production picks up from their 3rd album (& first very good one Drums & Wires left off). The four singles are superb especially the "(Beatles) Rain meets (Wings) Listen To What The Man Said homage" Tower Of London. I would argue whilst their previous album had higher peaks, this was their most consistent to date. Bassist Colin Moulding's "Love At First Sight" was the best of the rest. 4.0/5
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Post by raliverpool on Feb 7, 2023 21:22:03 GMT 1
Now for the top three ... an these are my genuine opinions: 3 Roxy Music - Flesh & Blood - I love Roxy Music. They released 8 album inside 11 years and never made worse than a 3.0 album .... However, I rate their 1980 album 8th out 8 of their back catalogue. The three singles are unquestionably the highlights with the New Romantic inspired "The Same Old Scene" being the stand out. However, the covers were questionable ... "In The Midnight Hour" just about pulls it off; but their cover of the Byrds "Eight Miles High" is DOA. But the real problem with the rest of the album is the other five tracks: "My Only Love" works as the sonic, sparse atmospheric gateway to their final album. The title track at least has an interesting riff; but the other three tracks are dull. A word not used before to describe the band's art-pop/rock music. 3.0/5 2 Bruce Springsteen - The River - I own the Springsteen Collection 1973-84 Album Box Set. For me the high point is unquestionably the 5 star 1975 Born To Run; closely followed by its follow up Darkness On The Edge Of Town. But for me this is a 20 track double album that does not work as a double album as it it becomes a bit too samey, and a bit of a chore to listen all the way through. Sure its highpoints the Title Track; "Hungry Heart"; "The Ties That Bind"; "Out In The Street"; Cadillac Ranch"; & the proto Bon Jovi power ballad "Drive All Night" are great, but this album's tinny production grates on my ears, especially on the less strong tracks. Hence 3.5/5 (instead of a killer 4.5/5 single album). 1 The Police - Zenyattà Mondatta - This excellent produced & engineered album starts hits the ground running with the first five tracks which are all great numbers. However, the last six tracks drop off in quality bar "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da"; & the proto Men At Work like "Man In A Suitcase". Fav non single track "Voices Inside My Head" 3.5/5
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Post by Earl Purple on Feb 7, 2023 21:42:21 GMT 1
Will Styx appear in the 1981 rundown with "Paradise Theatre" as that's one of my favourite albums of all time. There isn't a single bad track on it.
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Post by TheThorne on Feb 7, 2023 22:43:15 GMT 1
Will Styx appear in the 1981 rundown with "Paradise Theatre" as that's one of my favourite albums of all time. There isn't a single bad track on it. Hmm it will appear but I don’t think you will be happy with its position. Styx are a band I should like more than I do I really try.
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Post by TheThorne on Feb 7, 2023 22:44:49 GMT 1
Now for the top three ... an these are my genuine opinions: 3 Roxy Music - Flesh & Blood - I love Roxy Music. They released 8 album inside 11 years and never made worse than a 3.0 album .... However, I rate their 1980 album 8th out 8 of their back catalogue. The three singles are unquestionably the highlights with the New Romantic inspired "The Same Old Scene" being the stand out. However, the covers were questionable ... "In The Midnight Hour" just about pulls it off; but their cover of the Byrds "Eight Miles High" is DOA. But the real problem with the rest of the album is the other five tracks: "My Only Love" works as the sonic, sparse atmospheric gateway to their final album. The title track at least has an interesting riff; but the other three tracks are dull. A word not used before to describe the band's art-pop/rock music. 3.0/5 2 Bruce Springsteen - The River - I own the Springsteen Collection 1973-84 Album Box Set. For me the high point is unquestionably the 5 star 1975 Born To Run; closely followed by its follow up Darkness On The Edge Of Town. But for me this is a 20 track double album that does not work as a double album as it it becomes a bit too samey, and a bit of a chore to listen all the way through. Sure its highpoints the Title Track; "Hungry Heart"; "The Ties That Bind"; "Out In The Street"; Cadillac Ranch"; & the proto Bon Jovi power ballad "Drive All Night" are great, but this album's tinny production grates on my ears, especially on the less strong tracks. Hence 3.5/5 (instead of a killer 4.5/5 single album). 1 The Police - Zenyattà Mondatta - This excellent produced & engineered album starts hits the ground running with the first five tracks which are all great numbers. However, the last six tracks drop off in quality bar "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da"; & the proto Men At Work like "Man In A Suitcase". Fav non single track "Voices Inside My Head" 3.5/5
That s totally cool nothing in 1980 was a 5/5 for me but that will change ifrom now on.
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Post by TheThorne on Feb 8, 2023 9:46:29 GMT 1
So its 1981, a year I am much more familiar with but I struggled to get 100 albums I really like, so we will be off to a weak start but I do know that their are members who are fans of these acts, nothing here is bad just some records either didn't click with me or are not my favourite sound. So we are not going to mention the two albums that just missed as they were both huge disappointments and so is my #100 so we will start with that. Again I know this record has fans but there is a big split. 100 The Stranglers - The Gospel According to the Meninblack
I will start by saying they do have 2 albums on this list and the other one is much higher up. This record starts with the brilliant 'Waltzinblack' and then goes nowhere, its just weird it's not what you want from The Stranglers at all, poor singing, dodgy production, boring songs, yes they are experimenting and that and the first track is the only reason it made the cut. This was their 5th album and went to #8 in the UK but it is their worst seller of the 80s. 2/5
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Post by TheThorne on Feb 8, 2023 9:53:08 GMT 1
99 Toyah - Anthem
I went into this hoping I would like more, the two big hits on this are great but in general I don't really like Toyah but i'm afraid although some of it was ok, too much was skippable, I couldn't get more than 30 seconds on some tracks. But I tried it's just her voice.... This was Toyah's biggest hit album reaching #2 in the UK and as I said I will happily listen to '"I Want to Be Free" but not a lot else, we won't be seeing them again in these lists. Love the album cover though. 2/5
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Post by TheThorne on Feb 8, 2023 10:00:14 GMT 1
98 Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Almost Blue
Another act with two albums on the list. This is their country album and it's a big pass from me, if I wanted to list to this stuff I would listen to the real deal at the time like Merle Haggard, Hank Williams or Emmylou Harris, shocked I know those names?? Our car had a lot of country being played when I was a kid. But the main point is I don't want to listen to that kind of country music if I can help it so this was a double fail. But some tracks are good especially 'Good Year for the Roses' as it sounds more like a Elvis Costello than cod-country. But it did pretty well reaching #7 in the UK. 2.5/5
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Post by Earl Purple on Feb 8, 2023 10:09:47 GMT 1
His cover of Good Year For The Roses was really good but I'm not that keen on this project, and after that his career was patchy and never back to how it was at the time of Armed Forces.
I wonder if Trust will appear on this list. And I guess I'll see what you think of Imperial Bedroom when we reach 1982 but Punch The Clock is generally quite a good album albeit I only played one of the songs from it in HF and that one quite early on.
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Post by TheThorne on Feb 8, 2023 10:10:22 GMT 1
97 Todd Rundgren - HealingTodd Rundgren was one of the acts I really wanted to explore, YouTubers I follow are huge fans so I wanted to see what the fuss was about, I knew already he is a great producer. This was maybe not the best jumping in point, this album is very introspective, sort of singer.songwriter prog, he definitely seemed to be going through something. It's not for me at all and I can say now having heard his 1982 album, my expectations are now raised again. This just isn't what I expected. On his Wikipedia now and I thought he was a bigger deal, seems to be a bit of a cult artist. This his 9th album reached #48 in the US. 2.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Feb 8, 2023 10:18:03 GMT 1
96 Killing Joke - What's THIS For...!
After liking their debut album much more than I thought, this was more what I expected from early Killing Joke and thats not a good thing. This album like my parents might have said at the time is just a bit of a racket. It is heavy, loud and we can hear the first embroyos of what will be know as industrial on this album, they will get much much better at it. It's just too much for me, too oppressive I think is the word. Very hard to like but back when I listened to bands like MInistry I would have liked this a lot more. Their second album went to #32 in the UK. But it's ok 2.5/5
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Post by Earl Purple on Feb 8, 2023 10:20:05 GMT 1
I'm surprised Todd Rundgren didn't have more hit albums in the UK, but "Something / Anything" is probably the best place to start if you want to check out his music, that album from 1972.
1981 will have Meat Loaf's album "Dead Ringer" and Jim Steinman's "Bad For Good", but by now Jim Steinman is producing his own songs, whereas Todd Rundgren produced the "Bat Out Of Hell" album.
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Post by TheThorne on Feb 8, 2023 10:24:49 GMT 1
95 Cliff Richard - Wired For SoundEnjoy it while it lasts as we won't be seeing him again in the 80s but pretty sure his previous record woudl be ona 70s list. This has a graet singl ein 'Wired For Sound' and some decent pop but also a bit too much Christian feel pop and 'Daddy's Home' is one of the most cringe sonsg ever but it's fine. His 24th album it peaked at #4 in the UK and #132 in the US. 2.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Feb 8, 2023 15:09:21 GMT 1
94 Tenpole Tudor - Let the Four Winds Blow
The second album from pub rockers and really it's not very good at all. Not surprising this was their last record. It's passable to listen to but really there is no point, its just there and sounds like a collection of B sides. It didn't chart. To be fair this should be below Cliff. 2.5/5 a low one
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Post by TheThorne on Feb 8, 2023 15:14:08 GMT 1
93 The Beat - Wha'ppen?
That is the question? Another 2nd album that is not close to the level of their debut. The re-issued version includes 'Too Nice to Talk To; but I am only reviewing the originals and although this album has a lot of interesting sounds, it just doesn't have the tunes and hooks. It went to #3 in the UK as well but did not sell as well. 2.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Feb 8, 2023 15:23:22 GMT 1
92 The Replacements -Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash
Another band I was listening to due to online recommendations and in some ways even tho this is their debut it's maybe the wrong place to start again it's not going to be typical of their sound. This is a punk rock record through and through and it's not really for me but timing is everything and another day I would enjoy it more. But it still has a pop influence in it, you can see where pop/punk started in some of these tracks. The album didn't chart. 3/5
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Post by TheThorne on Feb 8, 2023 15:29:49 GMT 1
91 Kirsty MacColl - Desperate Character
This is Kirsty's debut album and it doesn't include her earlier singles but I can see why, Kirsty wanted a particular sound for this record and 'They Don't Know' would have been out of place. But this is not my favourite sound of Kirsty's I prefer her when she is a bit more indie or classic pop sounding rather than rockabilly pub rock. The hit on this though is very good. 3/5
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Post by TheThorne on Feb 9, 2023 18:22:53 GMT 1
90 Lindsey Buckingham - Trouble
First solo album from the Fleetwood Mac member and its alright, its no Stevie solo album, we will hear from her later. But if he is your favourite member of the band, this is pretty mcuh the sound you would expect and be pretty happy with it. Quite a few tracks are better than songs on 'Mirage' , we will get to that much later, but just as many a lot worse. It went to #32 in the US. 3/5
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