TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Mar 30, 2023 7:32:01 GMT 1
85 Sonic Youth - Confusion Is Sex
I never expected to actually enjoy their debut album, I was expecting an unlistenable noise, very pleasantly suprised, not saying it's not like noise in places but it's good noise. Kim Gordon sounds crazy on most of this. 3.5/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Mar 30, 2023 7:38:04 GMT 1
84 X - More Fun in the New World
I have the fourth album from the LA punk band and I foynd it to be much more accessible than their previous entry. Som ereally good songs but also a lot of generic early punk as well but with a bit ofa rockabilly feel as well. The best on this was what I was hoping for when I cecked their records out but I still struggle with most punk rock in this era. The album reached #86 in the US. 3.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Mar 30, 2023 7:45:04 GMT 1
83 Billy Joel - An Innocent Man
Few major stars are as love/hate for me as Billy Joel. I can go from loving a song 'Tell Her About It' to hating 'The Longest Time". I get what he was doing on this looking back to 50s and 60a sounds but too many tracks I had to skip after a minute. But what I like I really like, its a funny one. This was his ninth album and reached #2 in the UK and #4 in the US and sold close to 8 million worldwide. 3.5/5 but could have been a 4, if it lost a couple of tracks.
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Post by TheThorne on Mar 30, 2023 7:50:53 GMT 1
82 Meatloaf - Midnight at the Lost and Found
My favourite album so far from Meatloaf, I have heard his 1984 entry and this is still better. What I like about it is maybe what some Meatloaf fans don't. It's not so OTT, ok only one track is as quality as his best singles but overall I just found this easier to listen to without it annoying me. It reached #7 in the UK and totally flopped in the US. 3.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Mar 30, 2023 7:57:00 GMT 1
81 Elvis Costello and The Attractions - Punch the Clock
Also doing well in 1983, my favourite album from Elvis Costello in the 80s so far. This was his eighth album and it maybe would have just been another Costello album, if it didn't include two of his best songs that elevate the record "Everyday I Write the Book" and "Shipbuilding". It reached #3 in the Uk and #24 in the US. 3.5/5
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Post by Earl Purple on Mar 30, 2023 11:29:51 GMT 1
My favourite Billy Joel album will always be The Stranger, one of my favourite albums of all time but was 1977 so missed this, but An Innocent Man was commercially far more successful in the UK. I'd suggest you do the 70s backwards at some point, so start with 1979 then 1978 and 1977 etc.
You'll also get the earlier Elvis Costello albums of course, and yes Punch The Clock was his best 80s album. I did consider Shipbuilding as my non-single but chose what I thought would be the more accessible "(What's So Funny About) Peace Love And Understanding" from Armed Forces, and which obviously did well enough.
I did play "Everyday I Write The Book" in the first double-elimination round.
And you'll get "Bat Out Of Hell". Not sure how you could like Midnight At The Lost And Found more than that, I'm more a fan of Jim Steinman than Meat Loaf, but there was something lacking in Dead Ringer as a whole. When you get to 1989 you must add "Original Sin" by Pandora's Box onto your list.
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Mar 30, 2023 13:03:15 GMT 1
My favourite Billy Joel album will always be The Stranger, one of my favourite albums of all time but was 1977 so missed this, but An Innocent Man was commercially far more successful in the UK. I'd suggest you do the 70s backwards at some point, so start with 1979 then 1978 and 1977 etc. You'll also get the earlier Elvis Costello albums of course, and yes Punch The Clock was his best 80s album. I did consider Shipbuilding as my non-single but chose what I thought would be the more accessible "(What's So Funny About) Peace Love And Understanding" from Armed Forces, and which obviously did well enough. I did play "Everyday I Write The Book" in the first double-elimination round. And you'll get "Bat Out Of Hell". Not sure how you could like Midnight At The Lost And Found more than that, I'm more a fan of Jim Steinman than Meat Loaf, but there was something lacking in Dead Ringer as a whole. When you get to 1989 you must add "Original Sin" by Pandora's Box onto your list. of course not, i am only talking about the 80s albums 'BOOH' is the best without doubt of what I have heard. But yes working backwards would be a good way as I will lose the will, doing 1970-1973 yeh I can add Pandora's Box, although I have 137 albums for 1989 as it is!
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Post by Earl Purple on Mar 30, 2023 14:09:00 GMT 1
The early 70s would have progressive rock albums of course e.g. Yes and Wishbone Ash, Led Zeppelin, The Moody Blues and also art-rock: David Bowie, Roxy Music etc.
You might decide 100 is too many though, maybe 50 or even just 30.
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Mar 31, 2023 19:08:34 GMT 1
The early 70s would have progressive rock albums of course e.g. Yes and Wishbone Ash, Led Zeppelin, The Moody Blues and also art-rock: David Bowie, Roxy Music etc. You might decide 100 is too many though, maybe 50 or even just 30. The whole point in doing this , is to give me something to do that continues to keep me shut out from the world. I am managing to survive quite happily without knowing what is happening in the news, apart from major stuff like The Budget. If I still need to keep it out 2024 I will do 70s! This whole task + my usual stuff + 2023 albums means listening to around 1300 albums plus all the albums from 2023 which I have played 93 so far and then srill listen to new tracks as well. No time to doom scroll!!
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Apr 1, 2023 9:22:19 GMT 1
80 ABC - Beauty Slab
First up this album is not the disaster it was made out to be, its just 'Lexicon Of Love' was so perfect anything would be a disappointment after that. And if this was their debut instead of their 2nd album, I am sure it would have still done well. The singles are good and yes its a different sound but good for them for not just repeating themselves. It reached #12 in the Uk and #69 in the US 3.5/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Apr 1, 2023 9:31:12 GMT 1
79 Kajagoogoo - White Feathers
The debut album from the Engish new wave band and for 5 mins, we thought they were going to be proper huge. 'Too Shy' is pop perfection straight off, there is nothing that even comes close, in fact one of the singles that follows it is one of the worst songs on the album "Ooh to Be Ah". There is a lot of promise though and I think if they hadn't been thrown in at the deep end with a UK #1 single, they might have gone on to be a great band but things will rapidly fall apart. This album reached #5 in the Uk and #36 in the US. I don't think we will see them again here. 3.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Apr 1, 2023 9:37:22 GMT 1
78 Metallica - Kill 'Em All
Their debut album and I can hear straight away why they made such an impact on Heavy Metal. I have heard a couple of these tracks in passing as I used to listen to the MFR Rock Show, yes those halycon days when local radio had specialist shows, yes that did happen. It was way too heavy for me then but now it's different, I almost enjoy this but I think this will be my least favourite of their 80s albums. It has been in and out of the US charts peaking #66 in 2016 and #120 in 1988 but over the last 40 years has sold over 4.5 million in the US alone and although never charted in UK, it has sold over 100,000 copies. 3.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Apr 1, 2023 9:46:38 GMT 1
77 The Go-Betweens - Before Hollywood
I missed their debut but here is the second album from the Australian indie band. I have meant to go back and listen to their old stuff for years, having only know their 1988 album '16 Lovers Lane' with the radio hit 'Streets Of Your Town', we will see that much later in the year. I had to go on YouTube for this one. I liked this way more than I expected, I hear The Cure, Joy Division, yes but also The Clash and modern reference points like Belle & Sebastian and jangly C86 indie like Woodentops or Wedding Present. So I dunno Post-punk meets folk-rock?? Anyway it's great. Never charted but did reach #2 in the UK indie charts. 3.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Apr 1, 2023 9:53:40 GMT 1
76 Bonnie Tyler - Faster Than the Speed of Night
One to please certain readers, this was her fifth album and her first hit in the Uk after having limited success in other terrtories. And when she does, she did it big time. Produced by Jim Steinman, you can guess already where this record goes and yes it is filled with epic rock anthems including her most famous song "Total Eclipse of the Heart". A couple of songs here are done better by other artists but she does a great job as well. It reached #1 in the UK and #4 in the US. It was going to be a 3, but I think over exposure of that single was a factor so I will be nice. 3.5/5
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Post by Whitneyfan on Apr 1, 2023 10:49:23 GMT 1
I think my favourite Kajagoogoo songs are 'The Lion's Mouth' and 'Big Apple'.
'Ooh To Be Ah' is a really forgettable song.
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Post by TheThorne on Apr 2, 2023 8:43:39 GMT 1
75 Robert Plant - The Principle of Moments
Back in 1983 I barely knew who Led Zeppelin were never mind Robert Plant, think I knew 'Stairway To Heaven' and that was about it, so 'Big Log' was really my first new encounter with anything related to them, a great song. His second solo album is a pretty decent record but I can see now where it is lacking the input of his Led Zep collaegues. It reached #7 in the UK and #8 in the US. 3.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Apr 2, 2023 8:51:22 GMT 1
74 Cheap Trick - Next Position PleaseThere is and will be a lot of Cheap Trick on these lists but this their seventh album is their best of the 80s so far although we are still way off their 70s records like 'Heaven Tonight' or 'In Color'. But this is the aound we want from them, they have been all over the place until now. But at this point not sure anyone really cares anymore as the album only reached #61 in the US, it's going to take something special to get Cheap Trick back to the public conscience. 3,5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Apr 2, 2023 8:59:59 GMT 1
73 The Romantics - In HeatNow another one of those new wave bands I discovered pretty late again in the download era. I instantly loved their big hit Talking in Your Sleep" but I couldnt understand why, that's because I alraedy knew the Bucks Fizz versiom, on eof their best songs imo. But this was the original and its a great little Cars-esque song and the album is more of the same, need to check out more. This was their fourth album and reached #3 in the US. 3.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Apr 2, 2023 9:14:42 GMT 1
72 The Chameleons - Script of the Bridge
One of those bands you used to see mentioned in Melody Maker but I never ever heard until listening to this now. The fact it was #3 for RYM for 1983 I felt I had to check it out. This was their debut album and yes I think it is worth the kudos, it still sounds very fresh for 1983 maybe as this sound is very much back in indie circles right now. Its post-punk yes but also ha hints of goth as well, you can hear Psychedelic Furs, Joy Division, Cure, Echo & The Bunnymen but also similiarities to new acts like Big Country and The Alarm. This is where I again learn something I never knew they were a UK band, I always associated them with college rock so maybe they were a bigger deal in the US. I can see why they never got big though so far as although the album is good, there isn't any singles. We will see with future releases if they have a lost single. The album reached #11 in the UK indie charts. 3.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Apr 2, 2023 9:23:06 GMT 1
71 UB40 - Labour Of Love
Another album that was a 3 but somehow sneaked a little higher. This was their fourth album and their biggest seller. It is a covers album and features their biggest US hit "Red Red Wine". The record is full of great songs but some down really fit with a band from the Birmingham, who you don't feel had the same experiences. That's really the issue where you listen to Bob Marley you believe every word, hear you don't its just fake, well done fake but fake, And I think that has always been my and many others issue with UB40. Also I think has taken 40 years for me to be able to play 'Red Red Wine' as I was so sick of that song. Anyway the album reached #1 in the Uk and '39 in the US and sold over 2 million worldwide. 3.5/5 (being generous)
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