Favorite 80s albums

[ArtieRollins]

What are your favorite 80s albums and do you have any recommendations you would like to share.

I start out with this beauty made in 1986 by a band who seems to be either known for their early synthpop/new wave material or their later jazz driven albums Spirit of Eden (1988) and Laughing Stock (1991).

Somehow their 1986 album The Colour of Spring seems to have been stuck somewhere between and have over the years ended up as almost an "forgotten" classic which is a shame since its just as good as their two final albums.

Artist: Talk Talk

Album: The Colour of Spring 

Release Date: 1986

Genre: Pop Rock/Prog Rock/New Wave

Track Listing:

01. Happiness Is Easy (6:30)

02. I Don't Believe in You (5:02)
03. Life's What You Make It (4:28)
04. April 5th (5:51)
05. Living in Another World (6:58)
06. Give It Up (5:17)
07. Chameleon Day (3:20)
08. Time It's Time (8:14)

The Colour of Spring were a huge step from their earlier releases and the once synth driven sound of their past were now long gone and with a much larger budget the band went along with an small arsenal of talented guest musicians such as Steve Winwood and Robbie McIntosh to create one of the finest pop albums ever made.

You had a fine mix of hits like Life's What You Make It and early hints of what to expect in the near future with songs like April 5th and Chameleon Day.

Not to take anything away from their two first album, but I think this is their first true classic.

A perfect 10/10 where there are no fillers, instead you have 8 fantastic pieces of music.

Highlights: Life's What You Make It, Living in Another World, 

, 

, Time It's Time and

. Edited June 24, 2014 by ArtieRollins

[CrockettFan333]

I agree with your list. 

I would add "Peter Gabriel - So".

[Matt5]

The Phil Collins and Huey Lewis albums from that time were great 

[Ingrid Indigo]

Depeche Mode - Music For The Masses

Tears For Fears - The Hurting

Gary Numan - Telekon, Dance, The Fury

John Foxx - Metamatic, The Garden

 

 

@Artie, why did you mark tracklist as a spoiler?

[ArtieRollins]

Artist: Genesis

Album: Duke

Release Date: 1980

Genre: Pop Rock/Prog Rock

Track Listing:

01. Behind the Lines (5:31)
02. Duchess (6:26)
03. Guide Vocal (1:35)
04. Man of Our Times (5:34)
05. Misunderstanding (3:13)
06. Heathaze (5:01)
07. Turn It On Again (3:50)
08. Alone Tonight (3:56)
09. Cul-de-sac (5:05)
10. Please Don't Ask (4:01)
11. Duke's Travels (8:40)
12. Duke's End (2:08)

I have never understood the "hatred" Phil Collins has gotten over the years.

He took over as Genesis new vocalist and leader back in the 70s when Peter Gabriel decided to go solo, and at first it seemed like an almost impossible task and soon also Steve Hackett followed and to make things even worse suddenly punk came onto the scene declaring war against the "rock dinosaurs" and everything that sounded too "artsy".

Genesis had now gone from making classics like Foxtrot (1972) and Selling England by the Pound (1973) to end up as an "doomed" trio that the critics loved to bash, and even though the "new" Genesis had an uneven start whith ...And Then There Were Three (1978) it did have some great songs and proved that they should not be underestimated.

 

Its sequel Duke (1980) were the sound of three fantastic musicians who seemed to have found themselves again, and it almost reminded me of an debut album with its warmth and power.

Not unlike Rush and their album Permanent Waves (1980) Duke also had a great mix of 70s prog along with more radio friendly and shorter pop songs and anyone who has ever doubted Phil Collins as an artist should play this album VERY loud, then come back and tell me he is the worst singer/drummer of all time.

The man plays drums like a wildman and sings like never before.

The whole album brings back fond memories of classics like Selling England By the Pound and it may not be a full-blown masterpiece, but it does have 12 great songs and might just be one their finest album.

Highlights: Behind The Lines, Duchess, Man of Our Times, Heathaze, Turn It On Again and Duke's Travels.

Edited June 24, 2014 by ArtieRollins

[ArtieRollins]

Gary Numan - Telekon

John Foxx - Metamatic, The Garden

Great albums.

Always liked John Foxx and the earlier days of Ultravox.

They had so many good tunes like Hiroshima Mon Amour, I Want to be a Machine, My Sex and Dislocation.

A bit sad how Foxx never got the recognition he deserved back in the early 80s, instead some nasty critics tried to make it out that he was copying Gary Numan, and if I remember correctly Gary tried to explain to an interviewer that if it were not for John and his early days at Ultravox he probably would not do electronic music at all.

 

My favorite version of Hiroshima Mon Amour has to be this live version, very different but so beautiful.

From 1977 I think, and beside maybe Kraftwerk or David Bowie/Brian Eno this must have been pretty mindblowing to hear live back then.

[James]

I'd say this:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnE1OAXvelc

[ArtieRollins]

Artist: XTC

Album: Skylarking

Release Date: 1986

Genre: Pop Rock/Psychedelic Pop

Track Listing:

01. Summer's Cauldron (3:19)

02. Grass (3:05)

03. The Meeting Place (3:14)

04. That's Really Super, Supergirl (3:21)

05. Ballet for a Rainy Day (2:50)

06. 1000 Umbrellas (3:44)

07. Season Cycle (3:21)

08. Earn Enough for Us (2:54)

09. Big Day (3:32)

10. Another Satellite (4:15)

11. Mermaid Smiled (2:26)

12. The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul (3:24)

13. Dying (2:31)

14. Dear God (3:34)

15. Sacrificial Bonfire (3:49)

 

XTC were a british rock band who was active from 1976 to 2005. 

In the beginning they enjoyed some success with a couple of hits in the late 70s and early 80s, but the big breakthrough never came even though they had a "surprise" hit with Dear God in the mid 80s.

They were known for being a great live act and had a reputation of often outplaying the bands they were supposed to open up for such a Talking Heads and The Police.

But as they began climbing the charts and together with longer and tougher tours it had ended up having a bad effect on their bandleader Andy Partridge who began suffering from stage fright, and in 1982 the band decided to quit as an live act and instead continue as an full time studio band.

After the release of three classics in a row with Drums & Wires (1979), Black Sea (1980) and English Settlement (1982), XTC were in search for a new sound and even though albums like Murmur (1983) and The Big Express (1984) had its moments, they were no near the quality of their predecessors.

A year after having released their great 60s psychedelic tribute/parody album 25 o'clock (1985) under the name of The Dukes of Strasophear the band suddenly found themselves in Todd Rundgren's studio back in Woodstock, New York making what would become an instant 80s classic.

 

Think of The Beach Boys, The Beatles and The Kinks and there you have Skylarking.

It takes on life's full circle dealing with everything from childhood memories, romance, work, relationships, god and death and is full of varied songs that range from sweet ballads to big band orchestral pieces and clearly showcases the magic that is Todd Rundgren.

There isn't one weak track to be found and even though Andy Partridge as usual dominates with 10 of the 15 songs, I have always found myself to enjoy Colin Moulding's tunes a bit more.

Anyway, I cannot think of a better XTC album to start with than Skylarking.

A couple of months ago it was given a brand new remastered version and I have to say that it does sound even better than the 2001 CD version and is a must have for any serious music fan out there.

It's strange how XTC is never played on the radio, well at least not in Norway.

They have an incredible album catalog filled up with songs that would fit perfectly to the radio format but instead they seem to have ended up as one of the finest musical treasures of the 80s.

Highlights: 

, 

, 

, 

and Sacrificial Bonfire.

 

 

[Vicefan7777]

These are the albums/cassettes I remember blasting out of my boombox in the 80's.  And I have fond memories of several neighbors knocking on my doors to turn the damn music down!  

 

ZZ Top---Eliminator 

 

Phil Collins---No Jacket Required

 

Madonna---Like a Virgin

 

Miami Vice Soundtrack

 

Micheal Jackson---Thriller

 

Def Leppard---Pyromania

 

Stevie Nicks---Bella Donna

[Vincent Hanna]

That Duke - Genesis album is great..been listening to it all day..

[ArtieRollins]

Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen (1985)

Their 1985 release is my second favorite Prefab Sprout record right after the masterpiece Jordan: The Comeback which probably was recorded in the late 80s and released in 1990 so I guess it doesen't count as an true 80s album.

Still Steve McQueen does pack some serious heavy musical muscles that still holds up almost 30 years later on, and was produced by the great Thomas Dolby who always seems to add that little extra ingredients to create an almost perfect pop formula.

Bonny

Apetite