| Author | Message | ||
     kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1593 Registered: 05-2005 |
Sweet mother of Christ, why did I suggest 1982? Was this the worst year for albums ever? The 80s were shite, dont let anybody convince you otherwise. Hex education hour - The Fall ( first by a country bloody mile!) Lou Reed - The Blue Mask The Associates - Sulk Elvis Costello - Imperial bedroom - Nebraska - Bruce Springsteen 2 X 45 - Cabaret Voltaire The Clash - Combat rock Orange Juice - You can’t hide your love forever Scritti Politti - Songs to remember John Cale - Music for a new Society - Dexys midnight runners - Too rye aye Just to clarify my remark about this being a bad year. Yet again I feel that, apart from The Fall and The Associates, all these artists produced much better work in previous years, or like OJ and Scritti never delivered a great album anyway - and to be honest many felt that Sulk, although great in parts was a tad disappointing. Can anybody really say that 1982 produced a landmark album? And dont say Thriller, I'm talking artistsic quality not record sales. | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 643 Registered: 08-2004 |
Great year for pop, '81 was better though R.E.M. - Chronic Town ABC - Lexicon Of Love Simple Minds - New Gold Dream Soft Cell - Non-Stop Ecstatic Dancing Talk Talk - The Party's Over Yazoo - Upstairs At Eric's Heaven 17 - The Luxury Gap Talking Heads - The Name Of This Band... Dead Kennedy's - Plastic Surgery Disaster Blancmange - Happy Families Warren Zevon - The Envoy ... I like Thriller & 1982 in equal measure. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1594 Registered: 05-2005 |
Jerry, Chronic Town dont count, its an EP. If you've got a live album in there, that says it all for me. Its all about opinions though, and if you are a fan of pop, which I am, but not soulless 80s pop, fair play to you. I had to laugh at what the Rolling Stones readers voted for amongst their albums of 82 - Tug of War by Paul Bloody McCartney. NME had Kissing To Be Clever by Culture Club at No20, in fact their whole chart was pretty poor and sums up how crud the year was. http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/1982.html | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1198 Registered: 03-2005 |
No argument from me, Kevin. Searching my own things I did find "Shoot Out the Lights" by R & L Thompson. And I'd give the Dream Syndicate's "Days of Wine and Roses" some credit (half of it is great) as well as Monochrome Set's "Eligible Bachelors" but everything else coming up was pretty mediocre or worse. Dusty Springfield's career-long worst album, "White Heat," was in 1982. | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 191 Registered: 07-2006 |
i'm with jerry....he's listed some of my absolute favourites <period> there....lexicon of love, new gold dream, upstairs at eric's. i love non stop, though the preceding lp was better in as much as it gets my nod for one of the best long players ever. also a massive h17 nut (shock horror i realise...), though the luxury gap came out in 83 it is indeed remarkable. sulk is also out of this world. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1533 Registered: 05-2005 |
I side with Randy in my faves of '82. Sulk by The Associates, being one of my favourite alums fo all time. Timeless, abstrtact and therwordly with a voice from somewhere unknown to mankind. Probably oneo fthe best post new wave basslines save for Barbarism Begins at the Home, in Michael Dempsey's 4 stringed wonder in Club Country. Monochrome Set Eligible Bachelors, nice one Randy, a masterpiece. I wish they would remaster the Set, and with the original covers etc unlike the comiplations they pui out. Was it out on Dindisc? Others... XTC - English Settlement. A fine double album, played it to death. A good example of the cover and packaging suiting the music down to a T. Roxy Music - Avalon. XTC - Waxworks and Beeswax. Happy Family - The man on your street Laurie Anderson - Big Science Orange Juice - Rip it up Don Fagan - Nightfly Haircut 100 = pelican west ABC-Lexicon of Love Blue rondo a la turk - Chewing the fat | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 192 Registered: 07-2006 |
jesus.....how'd i forget about avalon?!? heartstopping nonetheless. | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 645 Registered: 08-2004 |
That NME list is actally quite good. The lack of pretentiousness is refreshing. Marvin's Midnight Love is one of his worst. It is mired with digital production, he needs a band not a studio. Birthday Party's 'Junkyard' deserves recognition. I have to disagree with you Kevin. The Associates 'Fourth Drawer Down' (which somehow sneaks into NME's '82 list) & The Fall's 'Bend Sinister are their best albums, respectively. Your dislike of live albums is well documented, Kevin. The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads expands on the studio albums on several songs & therefore is essential. Nice sleeve too. Joe, yes, yes & yes. The Non-stop Erotic Cabarat is better than the Ecstatic Dancing remix LP. Like I say '81 was better. Apologies for the Heaven 17 mishap. ... & maybe Chronic Town can sneak in as a mini-LP? | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 617 Registered: 01-2005 |
I'll agree that 18982 was so-so, cetainly not as good as 1984, or 1980. 1.Richard and Linda Thompson - Shoot Out The Lights. 2. Kate Bush - The Dreaming 3. Au Pairs - Sense and Sensuality 4. Marshall Crenshaw - Marshall Crensahw 5. Talking Heads - The Name of This Band is 6. Elvis Costellom - Imperial Bedroom 7. Thomas Dolby - The Golden Age of Wireless 8. Lou Reed - The Blue Mask 9. The Dream Syndicate - Days of Wine and Roses 10. Roxy Music - Avalon 11. Gang of Four - Songs of the Free 12. Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes 13. Wall of Vodoo - Call of the West 14. Laurie Anderson - Big Science 15. The English Beat - Special Beat Service 16. Peter Gabriel - 4 17. Orange Juice - You Can't Hide Your Love 18. The Fall - Hex Enduction Hour 19. The Boss - Nebraska 20. Rachel Sweet - Blame It On Love 21. Rank and File - Sundown 22. Flipper - Generic Flipper 23. King Creole and The Cocnuts - Wise Guy 24. Bonnie Hayes and the Wild Combo - Good Clean Fun 25. X - Under The Big Black Sun | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1596 Registered: 05-2005 |
Jerry, I agree with you that Fourth Drawer Down is a better collection of songs than Sulk, but its not a proper album in the way that Sulk or the debut album were. Bend Sinister is ace, but Hex shades it for me. Spence , listened to Sulk this morning(the expanded edition from 2000) and what would have been side 1 just doesnt cut it for me, apart from No which is amongst their greatest songs. However,Side 2, from Skipping onwards is ace and also includes the Love Hangover/18 Carat... single. Maybe its just my imagination, but I notice that these threads about Best of 1980s really seem to divide opinion between the Yanks and the Brits. I have not noticed this with any other decade, certainly not as vehemently | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1200 Registered: 03-2005 |
Michael, I forgot Rank & File's "Sundown." That's a good one. I skipped the Wall of Voodoo album because the previous one was so much better. Perversely I don't have it on CD. I suppose I should have included the X album but again I like "Wild Gift" better. I haven't heard that Violent Femmes debut in far too long. I certainly remember "Blister in the Sun" but nothing else is coming to mind. I don't know if I want to get into the Brits v. the Yanks thing again. A decent number of the items on people's lists here will be found in my collection but I never listen to them. Does anybody actually still listen to "Big Science?" It seemed really edgy when standing in a bar filling up with drink, but actually sitting down and listening at home? "The Golden Age of Wireless?" Even "Avalon?" I just about wore out my copy of "Special Beat Service" but now? There are a bunch of things from this year that I have on vinyl and never bothered to get on CD, including the ABC album. I agree with Kevin's assessment of this period as one full of soulless pop. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1599 Registered: 05-2005 |
Regarding the Brits v Yanks - This could be pie in the sky on my part given that I dont live in America, but could MTV have a big part to play here? Stuff that was dismissed here in the UK as almost novelty (Thompson Twins, Flock Of Seagulls etc) was big in the States wasnt it, possibly because of wall to wall exposure on MTV? As I say, my perception of things could be totally incorrect. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1201 Registered: 03-2005 |
Actually you might be on to something Kevin. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1957 Registered: 03-2006 |
1. Talking Heads - Name of This Band...(per Jerry's special loophole) 2. Elvis C. - Imperial Bedroom 3. Marshall Crenshaw - s/t 4. Broooce - Nebraska 5. Richard & Linda Thompson - Shooting Off the Milkmaid's Udders 6. XTC - English Settlement Those six are amongst my favoritest records ever. However, after that, things get a little thin on the ground. But soldiering on... 7. Donald Fagen - The Nightfly 8. Violent Femmes - s/t 9. The Beat - Special Beat Svc 10. Lou Reed - The Blue Mask | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1958 Registered: 03-2006 |
Aw crap, didn't realize what all came out that year...I'm going to switch out the last two on my list and replace them with: 9. Prince - 1999 10. Squeeze - Sweets From a Stranger | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 618 Registered: 01-2005 |
Kevin, I agree with you and second Randy regarding the power of MTV back in 1982-83. The 'She Blinded Me With Science' video hit and subsequent 1983 ep sure played heck with the re-issue of "The Golden Age of Wireless" in 1983. Randy, I loved the cowpunk sound of Rank and File. If you can lay you hands on a copy of the Rhino Handmade cd "The Slash Years", it's well worthy picking up. I agree with you as well regarding "Wild Gift" being much better then "Under The Big Black Sun". I wish someone would re-issue Wall of Vodoo's Dark Continent. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1202 Registered: 03-2005 |
Michael, I have "The Slash Years." The reason it didn't come up on my search of 1982 is because I catalog it according to the year of the newest material, i.e. the second album. Ever listen to the Kinman brothers as Cowboy Nation? Excellent. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1387 Registered: 04-2005 |
Not the greatest year ever, but the top three rank high on my all-time list, and several others on the list still find their way on to my turntable (yep, have vinyl of all of these) with some regularity. It might be indicative of regional bias (or more likely, college radio) that 4 of the 10 were acts from California, where I was living at the time. Richard & Linda Thompson - Shoot Out the Lights Lou Reed - The Blue Mask Elvis Costello & Attractions - Imperial Bedroom Gang of Four - Songs of the Free Dream Syndicate - Days of Wine and Roses Roxy Music - Avalon Prince - 1999 X - Under the Big Black Sun Rank and File - Sundown Translator - Heartbeats and Triggers I see John Cale's "Music for a New Society" on several critic's lists (and Kevin's), and though I've long been a fan of Cale's, I never "got" that record at all. Maybe someday I'll understand it. And for some reason, I don't like XTC's "English Settlement" as much as their albums that came before it, but it would be #11 on this list. | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 193 Registered: 07-2006 |
like daggers through my heart randy!!! - this was the absolute golden age of pop. soul-less....soft cell? alison's voice on that yazoo record. dear me. sorry to be the little swat here again, but i think 1999 was from 1983. though i do love it. automatic, dmsr....'corvette is both one of the filthiest and most sweeping singles ever. i love xtc too but english settlement didn't hit the nail on the head like black sea and drums and wires did for me. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1537 Registered: 05-2005 |
Jerry / Kev man! No way is 4th drawer down Assocaiates best, NO WAY!!!! Plus it was a collection of their Friction days and not a 'proper' album. Its great, but is TOTALLY eclipsed by Sulk, sorry man, but this is one of my fave albums of all time - Sulk, and I have to defend it!! ;) Soft Cell were bollocks, sorry. English Settlement for me, was XTC turning into a perfect 'pop' band. Sense, being a real 'classic' single. The album has brilliant musicianship throughout and they displayed such powerful music, even tho most of the album was driven by acoustic instruments. Windpower was ok by Dolby, but I think he was pretty much throaway, like Flock of seagull shit and Thompson Twins. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 560 Registered: 10-2004 |
I whole-heartedly disagree with above assertions that 1982 was an age of soulless pop. For me it's quite the contrary, one of the most soulful eras pop ever produced. 1982 is also a hugely phenomenal year for me and my idiosyncratic (for this board, anyway) tastes. I had to physically stop myself from listing stuff that I love. My heart will always belong to the early 80s. REM - Chronic Town Sad Lovers and Giants - Epic Garden Music Thomas Dolby - Golden Age of Wireless XTC - English Settlement Kate Bush - The Dreaming Associates - Sulk Weekend - La Variete The Passage - Degenerates Cure - Pornography Cocteau Twins - Garlands Colin Newman - Not To Dexys Midnight Runners - Too Rye Aye Haircut 100 - Pelican West China Crisis - Difficult Shapes and Passive Rhythms Modern English - After the Snow Split Enz - Time and Tide The Passions - Sanctuary Happy Family - Man on Your Street Siouxsie - A Kiss in the Dreamhouse Eyeless in Gaza - Drumming the Beating Heart English Beat - Special Beat Service ABC - Lexicon of Love Gang of Four - Songs of the Free Culture Club - Kissing to be Clever Marshall Crenshaw - Marshall Crenshaw Swamp Children - So Hot Bauhaus - Sky's Gone Out Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast Bill Nelson - Love that Whirls Comsat Angels - Fiction Flock of Seagulls - s/t (ha! couldn't resist) Duran Duran - Rio | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 457 Registered: 09-2006 |
Though I usually bow out of these things I'll say that I listened to "Big Science" with great pleasure earlier this month...and even more so to "Home of the Brave" less than a week ago. | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 458 Registered: 09-2006 |
But that's just my nature...absolutely no offense to anyone following their own path, it's just that the way of the grouchy old curmudgeon/fart holds nothing for me... | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1204 Registered: 03-2005 |
Wow. Guess I hit a nerve. It was certainly unwitting. | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 459 Registered: 09-2006 |
Maybe more like half a one..."does ANYBODY listen to that anymore?" felt sort of like a challenge to me...  | ||
| Wolfgang Steinhardt Member Username: Berbatov Post Number: 71 Registered: 09-2006 |
missed: Flipper - Album Generic Gun Club - Miami Bad Brains - s/t for me 82 wasn't so bad at all because the belated german "post punks" had an interesting output that year: Trio s/t (the Da Da Da record) Malaria - Emotion Die tödliche Doris s/t Abwärts - Der Westen ist einsam 39 Clocks - Subnarcotic and a gem from Switzerland Liliput s/t (the Kleenex follow up and Greil Marcus favourite...) | ||
| frank bascombe Member Username: Frankb Post Number: 89 Registered: 01-2007 |
I'm with Hardin,on these (that's no surpise) as both big Costello/Thompson/Springsteen fans, the rest apart from Talking heads, The Fall leaves me cold | ||
| Stuart Wilson Member Username: Stuart Post Number: 60 Registered: 10-2006 |
Ice Cream for Crow, the Captain's swansong? | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1540 Registered: 05-2005 |
Jeff. I agree, personally it was a year of tremendous dscovery - '82. Probably is with a lot of the 80's, it gets swalowed up with the shite of the 80's, thet EVERYBODY seems to remember, New Romantics, id 80's crap. ;atye 80's dance with reverb the production style of the dey yadda yadda yadda. Your list is similar to what I was listening to then/now, you filled a few gaps, how could I forget China Crisis first album!, Colin newman. I remember '82 was a year of the single for me, some great singles: Orange Juice's I can't help myself shoulda been a top 10 hit. Happy Family - puritans. (The worst selling 4AD single ever!) probably shifte 1 unit - ME! Stranglers - Golden Brown, one of my all time faves. Prince - 1999. Violent femmes - Gone Daddy Gone. Dexys - Come on Eileen. Paul Haig/Steven Harrison - Soon. Hall and Oates - Maneater! ABC - look of Love. Madness - House of Fun. Fun Boy Thre - Our lips are sealed. Tears 4 fears - Pale Shelter. Afrika bambatta - Planet Rock The Clash - Roack the Casbah Marvin - Sexual Healing (another one of my faves all time) Donna - State of Indepndence FR David - Words | ||
| Stuart Wilson Member Username: Stuart Post Number: 61 Registered: 10-2006 |
Van Morrison - Beautiful Vision. I was on the dole in '82...don't remember buying anything, really... | ||
| Stuart Wilson Member Username: Stuart Post Number: 62 Registered: 10-2006 |
Attack! by the Revillos! I knew there must be something... I was crazy about Fay Fife... | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1600 Registered: 05-2005 |
CHRONIC TOWN DOESNT COUNT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!! | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 561 Registered: 10-2004 |
I DON'T CARE! Chronic Town is the best REM release. PERIOD. Not to mention one of my favorite recordings of all time. So I'm MAKING it count! | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 619 Registered: 01-2005 |
Jeff, You and I are simpatico reagrading Chronic Town as being the best REM release. I vividly remembering listening to it while packing my backpack prior to leaving my house for my Isle Royale National Park backpacking trip in July of 1983. I bought Murmur a few weeks later. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_Royale _National_Park | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 563 Registered: 10-2004 |
Michael, that's a wonderful memory to have attached to Chronic Town. Any memories I have of it have to do with Junior High, 7th-8th grade, for better or worse. It's an EP I've held in extremely high esteem ever since I bought it at the young age of 12. It was my first REM purchase, and I remember being really intrigued by the blue-tinted cover art, with the gargoyle from Notre Dame on the front and the strange band photo (with Stipe's face obscured by his curly bangs) on the back. There was something vaguely mysterious about it all, which I really dug back then. And the music... well, few things can hold a candle to "Gardening at Night." | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 623 Registered: 01-2005 |
Jeff, I bought just about everything on the 1982 Pazz and Jop poll that I didn't already have in 1983. It took me until July to work my way down to the ep's. Looking over it again, the only thing that might be stopping me from naming 1982 as being the best year of the 80's would be the lack of albums by the Go-Betweens and Robyn Hitchcock. |