| Author | Message | ||
     Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 548 Registered: 01-2005 |
It's a new month so here we go with another Best of. Lot's of peaks, debuts and comeback albums. 1. Go-Betweens - Liberty Belle 2.Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians-Element of Light 3. Throwing Muses - Throwing Muses 4. XTC - Skylarking 5. The Triffids - Born Sandy Devotional 6. R.E.M. - Lifes Rich Pageant 7. Randy Travis - Storms of Life 8. This Mortal Coil - Filigree and Shadow 9. Steve Earle - Guitar Town 10. Elvis Costello - Blood and Chocolate 11.Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds-Your Funeral,My Trial 10. Peter Gabriel - So 12. Dwight Yoakum - Guitars, Cadillac, etc. etc, 13. Talk Talk - The Colour of Spring 14. Sonic Youth - Evol 15. The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4 16. Stan Ridgeway - The Big Heat 17. The Church Heyday 18. Paul Simon - Graceland 19. The Velvet Undeground - Another View 20. Til Tuesday - Welcome Home Embarrased to say I don't have and I need to get: The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead New Order - Brotherhood Cocteau Twins - Victorialand They Might Be Giants - They Might Be Giants Paul Kelly - Gossip Felt - Forever Breathes The Lonely World | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 501 Registered: 08-2006 |
Nice year, Michael. If these albums could walk into a bar (in the US, natch), they're all nearly old enough to drink. 1. V/A - The Indestructible Beat of Soweto 2. Husker Du - Candy Apple Grey 3. Elvis Costello - Blood and Chocolate 4. New Order - Brotherhood 5. The GBs - Liberty Belle... 6. XTC - Skylarking 7. Robert Cray - Strong Persuader 8. The Costello Show - King of America 9. Paul Simon - Graceland 10. Pat Metheny/Ornette Coleman - Song X 11. Prince - Parade 12. The Velvet Underground - Another View 13. The Feelies - The Good Earth 14. Camper Van Beethoven - S/T 15. Bruce Springsteen - Live 1975-1985 | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1328 Registered: 04-2005 |
Looking at lists of albums that came out, '86 was a really good year--better than I remembered. 1. Go-Betweens - Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express 2. Elvis Costello & Attractions - Blood and Chocolate 3. Feelies - The Good Earth 4. R.E.M. - Lifes Rich Pageant 5. XTC - Skylarking (I don't think I put this on my '87 list) 6. Robyn Hitchcock & Egyptians - Element of Light 7. The Costello Show - King of America 8. Paul Simon - Graceland 9. Sonic Youth - Evol 10. Hunters and Collectors - Human Frailty Bubbling under: Husker Du - Candy Apple Grey Throwing Muses - s/t Triffids - Born Sandy Devotional | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 503 Registered: 08-2006 |
Thinking about it a bit more, I remember '86 for two distinct reasons: 1. "Indestructible Beat..." and "Graceland" introduced me to African music, for which I'll always be grateful to both. 2. It was, in hindsight, Elvis Costello's best year and his last great year. Putting out two stylistically opposed but excellent records was a coup. But while I've enjoyed some of what he's done since, I'd argue he hasn't approached the end-to-end quality of either album since. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 533 Registered: 10-2004 |
1986 was a tremendous year for music: 1. Go-Betweens - Liberty Belle 2. XTC - Skylarking 3. Smiths - Queen is Dead 4. Felt - Forever Breathes the Lonely Word 5. Microdisney - Crooked Mile 6. Momus - Circus Maximus 7. David Sylvian - Gone to Earth 8. Siouxsie - Tinderbox 9. The Church - Heyday 10. Cocteau Twins (w/ Harold Budd) - Moon & Melodies 11. Chameleons - Strange Times 12. Slayer - Reign in Blood 13. Love & Rockets - Express 14. Depeche Mode - Black Celebration 15. The Fall - Bend Sinister 16. Robyn Hitchcock - Element of Light 17. Wolfgang Press - Standing Up Straight 18. Cocteau Twins (again) - Victorialand 19. Killing Joke - Brighter than 1000 Suns 20. Colin Newman - Commerical Suicide 21. New Order - Brotherhood 22. Sneaky Feelings - Sentimental Education 23. Eyeless in Gaza - Back from the Rains 24. Louis Philippe - A Date with Venus 25. Metallica - Master of Puppets 26. Kraftwerk - Electric Cafe 27. Jazz Butcher - Distressed Gentlefolk | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 549 Registered: 01-2005 |
Jeff, Is Circus Maximus a good starting point for someone who has zippo albums by Momus? I should add The Feeliies - The Good Earth and The Indestructible Beat of Soweto to my need to get list. Rob, what album do you think is Costello's best since 1986? All This Useless Beauty maybe? | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1778 Registered: 03-2006 |
1-2. The two Costellos 3. GBs - Liberty Belle 4. Paul Simon - Graceland 5. Paul Kelly - Gossip 6. XTC - Skylarking 7. Steve Earle - Guitar Town 8. Insufferable Beaters Off of Soweto 9. They Might Be Giants - s/t 10. Da Boss - the live thang Michael, I'm hurt you didn't ask me - I thought I was the prime Costellover on the board - but I'll answer anyway - I think Brutal Youth is pretty great, and if not his best, his most satisfying since '86. I would agree with Herr Rob, though - that was a helluva year for Mr. Declan McManus. What an unbeatable, knockout combo...Helluva year for music, too, apparently. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 535 Registered: 10-2004 |
Michael - if you're interested in discovering Momus, you first need to figure out which era is right for you. Momus has been somewhat of a chameleon over the years, shifting his sound gradually from album to album. He's done gothic-folk, Pet-Shop Boys disco, and lo-fi "analogue baroque." I have no idea what his current stuff sounds like. But, ultimately, Circus Maximus is my favorite Momus record. I'd describe it as sounding a bit like a darker Nick Drake updated for the mid 80s. The songs are based around Momus' busy, almost jazzy acoustic guitar, with odd, minimal bits of synths and percussion overdubbed to add a bit of atmosphere. It's stripped down, but his guitar playing is so full and sophisticated (and energetically played) that the minimal arrangements aren't an issue. It's a pretty album, musically, though *very* wordy. Momus had just graduated from University before making it, and was apparently bursting with philisophical ideas that he just had to cram into his songs. The lyrics are amusing and clever, showing a preoccupation with poking fun at the bible. His next album, "The Poison Boyfriend," is more filled out musically, thought it's also a bit more difficult. Still great, though. After that, he went techno, which resulted in the great "Tender Pervert," and the mixed, "Don't Stop the Night." I can't really recommend much after that, though. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1329 Registered: 04-2005 |
Michael, you didn't ask me either, but I think Costello's best since '86 is "When I Was Cruel" by a nose over "Brutal Youth" (with a bonus nod to last year's Toussaint collaboration). I hate to say I have never been able to warm to "All This Useless Beauty," an Attractions album in name only. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1493 Registered: 05-2005 |
Really struggled to put this lot together - not the best year. Bend sinister - The fall The queen is dead - The smiths Life's rich pageant - REM Blood and chocolate - Elvis Costello King of America - Elvis Costello Liberty bell & the black diamond.. - The go-betweens Born Sandy Devotional - The trifids Candy apple grey - Husker Du Infected The the Manic pop thrill - That petrol emotion | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1781 Registered: 03-2006 |
"Cruel" and the Toussaint disc are up there, Kurt, and it is close between them...BY, though, to me, seems to have fewer duff tracks, but it's just a smidge better...On the other hand, the great songs from "Cruel" are mighty f-in good, like "Alibi" and "Daddy, Can I Turn This?", so, I dunno... | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 550 Registered: 01-2005 |
L.K. and Kurt, please accept my apologies for not asking you your Costello opinions! I'm still picking up some of his 80's work, remember I only got True Blue a couple of months ago. I still have to pick up double disc reissue of King Of America. If B & C is mostly about the Costello and Cait break-up, what's the main theme of King of America? I still find it amazing that the Steve Earle, Dwight Yoakum and Randy Travis debuts were all released within a week or so of one another. They really shook up the establishment of Nashville. Steve is still writing great material, and Dwight has proved multi-talented with his acting roles. Too bad Randy never again reached the heights of Storms of Life. Maybe Nashville got to him somehow and he found it easier to write the standard Nashville pablum. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1116 Registered: 03-2005 |
In addition to the great things I see on other people's lists I offer: Giant -- Woodentops Cowboyography -- Ian Tyson In the Pines -- Triffids. My database says BSD is a 1985 album. Blah Blah Blah -- Iggy Pop Rooms of the Magnificent -- Ed Kuepper Psychocandy -- Jesus & Mary Chain Stuff -- Alex Chilton. Ok, this is kind of cheating because it's an antho of sorts. Kaleidoscope World -- Chills Kicking Against the Pricks -- Nick Cave. This is what turned me onto Cave in the first place and it remains Exhibit A of "how to do an album of covers." Of the albums listed by others, there are so many favorites. "Bend Sinister" was my introduction to the Fall and has always been my favorite full album of theirs. "The Good Earth" introduced me to the Feelies. Victorialand was a great step toward subtlety by the Cocteaus. Liberty Belle . . . well nowadays it battles with "Spring Hill Fair" as my favorite Go Betweens album. I only recently loaded "Skylarking" into iTunes and had totally forgotten how richly textured it is. I've mentioned "Manic Pop Thrill" before. I haven't heard "Commercial Suicide" in probably just about 20 years! I should pull it out and have a listen. "Forever Breathes the Lonely Word" must rank up there in Felt's top 3. I'm delighted that Michael remembered "The Big Heat." And there are a bunch of things I never heard such as Hunters & Collectors (I think I gave them the CD booth test once and that was it). I still don't have "Crooked Mile." Anyway, I can't agree with Kevin on 1986 being "not the best year." I think it was a killer year. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1494 Registered: 05-2005 |
Randy, I based my thinking that 86 wasnt the best year on the fact that nearly every one of the artists in my list made better albums than the ones they released that year. Thats not to say they are bad albums mind you. The fact I struggled to list 10 says it all for me about 1986. BSD was released in the UK in 1986, and Psychocandy was released in 1985,otherwise it would have been a shoe in for my list. I suppose the most famous occurence of differences between UK and US release dates was London Calling by The Clash. Released in late 79 in the UK and early 80 in the US - Rolling Stone even made it their best album of the 80s didnt they? | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1117 Registered: 03-2005 |
Ah, I see where the discrepancy comes on "Psychocandy." There is one song appended on the US release which is copyrighted 1986. I always enter all my CDs into my database using the year of the newest thing on the disc. And my database is just wrong on BSD because, sure enough, both issues of it have the year 1986 on them. OK, I love "In the Pines" but BSD obviously goes onto the list too, so there're two Triffids releases there as far as I'm concerned. | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 161 Registered: 07-2006 |
some candy talking was 86 i think. i have the same reissue. my favourites from 86 are all listed above too....parade, liberty belle, forever breathes the lonely world, life's rich pageant. with a very special mention going the way of bananarama's "true confessions". J. | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 162 Registered: 07-2006 |
the queen is dead too i guess...though it's probably my least listened to smiths record. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1365 Registered: 05-2005 |
1 R.E.M. – Life’s Rich Pageant 2 The Go-Betweens - Liberty Bell 3 The Triffids - In The Pines 4 Husker Du – Candy Apple Grey 5 Prince - Parade 6 Paul Simon - Graceland 7 The Triffids - Born Sandy Devotional 8 Beastie Boys – License To Ill 9 Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – Live 1975-85 10 Elvis Costello - Blood And Chocolate 11 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Kicking Against The Pricks 12 The Feelies – The Good Earth 13 Peter Gabriel - So 14 BAD – No 10 Upping St 15 Billy Idol – Whiplash Smile 16 Elvis Costello - King of America 17 Crowded House – Crowded House 18 The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead 19 Talking Heads – True Stories 20 Slayer – Reign In Blood | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 504 Registered: 08-2006 |
I'm a bit late in responding, Michael, but I'm with LK. I like "Brutal Youth" the best, although like almost everything Costello has done the last 20 years, it's overly long and contains filler. The high points are pretty high, however. I like "When I Was Cruel," too, but parts of it felt like EC doing an EC imitation. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1388 Registered: 05-2005 |
I didn't really buy many albums in 1986. I have difficulties with this thread when we talk about faves of the year (albums mostly) as I was always on catch up from years previous due to lack of funds. And, I'd mostly be listening/liking new stuff on tapes from friends, the library or Peel. So, that said, the following is a list of the music I was into in '86, not just albums, sometimes singles, sometimes just artists: The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4 The Smiths - The Queen is Dead Tuxedomoon - Ship Of Fools Momus - Circus Maximus & Nicky, the Momus sings Jaques Brel 12'' e.p. William Burroughs - The Doctor is on the Market The Happy Family - This Business of Living (an LTM tape) The Mighty lemon Drops - Happy Head The SMiths - The Queen is Dead Go Betweens - Liberty Belle Robert Cray - The Strong Pursuader New Order - Brotherhood Artists I would of been listening to at the time: The Close Lobsters, a bit of The Wedding Present, The Blue Aeroplanes, Billy MacKenzie and Paul Haig bootleg (live in Edinburgh), local bands to me I would enjoy, the Poppies (PWEI), they sounded like The Buzzcocks, more than the Soup Dragos did, so that was great, Pig Bros, a really powerful tribal real alternative group, The Noseflutes, Rumblefish ( Iwas to later play iin), Blue Ox Babes (ex Dexys and really wonderful), The Very Things, The Wild Flowers, The Room, The Bodines, Biff Bang Pow. And loads o one off stuff from t he late great Mr Peel show too, too many to mention. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1367 Registered: 05-2005 |
Spence, I only heard six or seven of my list in 1986. I got the rest - and replaced copy tapes and vinyl with CDs - in later years when I could afford them. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 508 Registered: 08-2006 |
Me, too, Padraig. I was in college in '86 - and broke, natch - so I probably heard only about half my list during the year in question. The other half were late acquisitions. Chances are, I would've hated Ornette Coleman back in '86, wouldn't have understood "Indestructible Beat.." and, I'll admit it, probably would have found "Liberty Belle" a bit too mannered. Time widened my taste, as well as my bank account. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1369 Registered: 05-2005 |
Time widened my belly. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 510 Registered: 08-2006 |
Heh, mine, too, but I wasn't going to mention that... | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1390 Registered: 05-2005 |
Pad, sure, if I was to look at it retrospectively my cream of 1986 would be a whole diff ball game, ther'd be quite a lot of additions... | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1118 Registered: 03-2005 |
Spence I thought we WERE just naming our favorites that came out in the specified year. Certainly some of the best of my list were not heard by me until later and it's kind of hard to remember who I was listening to 21 years ago. But if the list is supposed to be what we were listening to then, here's what I know and the rest will have to be lost to time: The Fall -- Bend Sinister. I discovered this band this year with this album. And this is still my favorite Fall album. Cocteau Twins -- Victorialand (also "Moon & the Melodies," I seem to remember them coming out at nearly the same time). I discovered the Cocteaus the previous year. Nick Cave -- Kicking Against the Pricks (with "Your Funeral, My Trial" a runner-up because nothing on there is quite as awesome as the title song). I discovered Nick Cave this year. In 1986 I was all Fall, Cocteaus and Cave. Iggy Pop -- Blah Blah Blah. Bowie civilizes Iggy. XTC -- Skylarking. At the time I thought this was very well done but that it lost its sparkle after the first few songs. Stan Ridgway -- Big Heat. I was a big Wall of Voodoo fan so this album was a must. The Feelies -- The Good Earth. This is how I discovered the Feelies. I had no use for REM; for me the Feelies were much better at the same game. That Petrol Emotion -- Manic Pop Thrill. This was another favorite of this year but weirdly I never thought of buying another. Alex Chilton -- Stuff. I discovered Alex this year with this antho. Jesus & Mary Chain -- Psychocandy (which, of course, was first heard by me in '86 when it was released in the States with the added song) Woodentops -- Giant. I discovered them this year in time for them to dissolve. Housemartins -- London 0, Hull 4. Cheery harmonies applied to earnest lyrics, a sure success with the long-time Hollies fan. There's even harmonica! Monochrome Set -- Volume, Contrast, Brilliance. This is how I discovered this band but, again weirdly, I didn't get anything else by them until I started mopping up their records around 2000. Other things I was listening to that have fallen off the radar: Colin Newman's "Commercial Suicide," Siouxie & the Banshees' "Tinderbox," The The's "Infected," Violent Femmes' "Blind Leading the Naked," Kate Bush' "Whole Story" -- I'm totally over her --, OMD's "Pacific Age," Smithereens' "Especially For You" -- every song is a "name that tune" exercise. I also got Talking Heads' "True Stories" that year and realized that "Little Creatures" was not a fluke and Joan Armatrading's "Sleight of Hand" put me off her. I am certain I would have loved "Liberty Belle." The Go Betweens provide (for me) the ideal synthesis of modern sensibility and 60s pop discipline. I think I would have liked the Ed Kuepper album too. I'm pretty sure I discovered the Saints' "Prehistoric Sounds" around 1986. I loved (and still love) that album. I doubt that I would have gotten the appeal of the Triffids though because I did pick up "Calenture" the next year and didn't get it. Felt probably would have worked for me; I think I would have conceived of them as kind of a super guitaristic Cocteau Twins. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 538 Registered: 10-2004 |
Yeah, Spence, I too have been approaching these lists by listing everything I like now that was released that year. Following in Randy's footsteps, were I to list my favorites of what I was listening to *then* (mind you, I was 11 in 1986), it would look like this: Slayer - Reign in Blood Metallica - Master of Puppets Motorhead - Orgasmatron Megadeth - Peace Sells but Who's Buying? Exodus - Bonded by Blood (this may be from '85) Celtic Frost - To Mega Therion Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time Iron Maiden - Live After Death Samhain - November Coming Fire ...and these pre-'86 releases were in heavy rotation: Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath Motorhead - Ace of Spades Slayer - Hell Awaits Motorhead - Overkill Suicidal Tendencies - Suicidal Tendencies Misfits - Misfits (comp released around this time) Anthrax - Spreading the Disease Kiss - Hotter than Hell Black Sabbath - Paranoid So, you get the idea. I didn't cross over into the realm of post-punk/new wave/indie pop/etc.. until mid-1987, when I was 12. So you can see why in the interest of being slightly more relevant to the tastes on this msg. board, I tend to list my current favorites of what was released in a particular year. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1332 Registered: 04-2005 |
Man, you were a hardcore metalhead, weren't you, Jeff? | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 539 Registered: 10-2004 |
I was. I lived and breathed metal. I read Hit Parader obsessively. I had hair down to my shoulders and could always be seen in a Maiden or Metallica shirt. Requisite comb could always be found in back pocket to maintain proper hair featherage throughout the day. Because I was only 11, some people mistook me for a girl! I used to gaze respectfully at the older, teenaged metalheads hanging out in the parking lot near the local Mexican food dive, longing for the days when I would could be among them. Little did I know that within a year's time I would leave all that behind to become a "pussy new waver." | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1392 Registered: 05-2005 |
Jeff, what! No WASP!!!!!!!!!!??????? | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 540 Registered: 10-2004 |
WASP? Pshaw! They were pussies! Although I did have a thing for 70s-era Kiss, so go figure. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1396 Registered: 05-2005 |
Jeff, funny given your curly perm pedigree, that you ended up being into clever sophisticated POP!! I mean how could you go from Slayer to The Happy Family!!??? You obviously did, and effortlessly, for which I applaud thee!! PS You must be a wicked guitarist! | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 541 Registered: 10-2004 |
Slayer to the Happy Family? Not quite as difficult as one might first imagine. I think how I went from Slayer to Blue Nile is a bit more mystifying. Ha! But if there's one constant among my tastes over the years, even back to the metal years, it's that I've never been interested in middle of the road, bland, Emaj - Amaj - Dmaj type stuff. (But switch any one of those chords to a minor key, and then we're talking...) |