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Personal
Favourite Eighties Records
Many
critics consider the eighties the decade taste forgot - which
is true. But to say the eighties sucked musically would be wrong,
wrong, wrong. On the surface there were diabolical bands in existence,
from the Hollywood Glam scene to the countless disposable pop
acts that should be locked away in Hell forever. Underneath the
surface bubbled several innovated and highly creative artists
in Metallica, The Pixies and Faith No More. Also, the transition
from the amateur electronic sound of the early eighties progressed
at an alarming rate and by the decade end, the Ibiza dance scene
became the second "Summer Of Love" in 1988, a revolutionary
time for music. Although not album-based, the dance tracks around
this time paved the way for the nineties electronic scene to
prosper in the likes of Underworld and Orbital. Meanwhile, Industrial
was taking post-punk sounds and twisting dark shapes into the
likes of Skinny Puppy and Ministry whilst the rap scene with
Public Enemy and RUN DMC as forbearers was a genuinely exciting
time for a genre becoming a mainstream phenomenon - which in
turn spawned Dr Nelly, Jay-Z and their ilk well into the nineties.
The following albums proved how diverse and vibrant the music
scene could be when it wanted.
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1 |
The Pixies -
'Doolittle' (4AD
1989) |
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 With
off-kilter lyrics, unique dynamics coated in pop melodies, without
The Pixies and 'Doolittle', there would be no Nirvana, PJ Harvey
and god forbid! - Bush. As with some bands, like The Velvet Underground
before them, The Pixies have built a mythical and critically
acclaimed reputation in the passing years since the band's split
in 1993. During their existence, The Pixies were a minor cult
act, admired by the UK press but largely ignored by the record
buying public. Some key events made The Pixies into a hugely
significant player in the alternative scene afterwards; Kurt
Cobain admitting to ripping off The Pixies songs, the 'Death
To The Pixies' compilation in 1997 raising interest and the highly
publicised re-formation in 2003 that gained both media column
inches and sold out concert tours. Now that newly acquired fans
are devouring the back catalogue, the four studio albums have
held up well to scrutiny, with 'Doolittle' remaining the career
high point, rammed full of the finest songs in The Pixies back
catalogue in Debaser, Monkey Gone To Heaven and Wave Of Mutilation,
this is almost like a Greatest Hits package, packed full of influential
alternative classics. From the vicious assault of the anything
but 'Tame' to the other extreme of throw-away pop of 'La La Love
You' this is the most exciting, the most melodic and most admired
Pixies album. |
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2 |
Metallica -
'Master Of Puppets' (Music
For Nations 1986) |
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 Often
cited as Metal's finest album, released at the height of thrash
in 1986 alongside Slayer's 'Reign In Blood'. Steeped in tragedy,
respected bassist Cliff Burton was killed in a road accident
during February 1986, as 'Master Of Puppets' provided a fitting
swansong to his memory. When heard in quick succession with the
preceding 'Ride The Lightning', it's a tough call to separate
the two, as they are so closely intertwined. 'Master Of Puppets'
is essentially an update on 'Ride The Lightning' but heavier
and more redefined song writing and even heavier guitar tone.
Both have a similar acoustic opening to lull the listener in
a false sense of security, the instrumental placed near the end
and a title track that's both accomplished and a thrash classic.
Easy highlights are of course the title track and 'Welcome Home
(Sanatorium)', not only amongst the greatest metal songs in the
Metallica back catalogue, but also the whole of metal. MOP is
consistent, challenging and a stone cold classic. |
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3 |
Guns N'Roses
- 'Appetite For Destruction' (Geffen 1987) |
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 Tagged
"the most dangerous band in the word" was pretty absurd,
given that they were mostly a danger to themselves, but GNR managed
to release one of the most exciting rock debuts of the decade,
keeping rock n'roll notorious and exciting during the sanitized
Glam era. The first half of the album contains wall-to-wall classics
in the big singles Paradise City and of course opener Welcome
To The Jungle. Also consider the hard rock attitude of Out Ta
Get Me, Mr Brownstone and the life-reaffirming Night Train, and
you have more or less an updated version of Aerosmith's "Rocks"
performed by a band hungry for success. The second half cannot
match the first half's knock out punch, but it does contain GNR's
most well known song 'Sweet Child O Mine', demonstrating just
how good Slash was as a melodic lead guitarist. In fact, Slash
is on top form throughout, laying down several guitar parts in
'Appetite For Destruction' that are instantly memorable. Then
there is Axl Rose, rock's biggest ego and ultimate downfall of
the band a few years later when he sacked the other members to
form a "cabaret act". But no matter how much I dislike
the man, he was simply a great front man. In fact every band
member added to the whole, becoming the biggest hard rock band
on the planet in the process by the end of the eighties, largely
thanks to this debut. |
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4 |
AC/DC - 'Back
In Black' (Atlantic
1980) |
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 In
the wake of singer Bon Scott's death on 19th February 1980, 'Back
In Black' was a triumph over adversity. With new vocalist Brian
Johnston recruited, the ten solid rockers from opener 'Hells
Bells' to the critic baiting 'Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution'
maintained an exceptionally high standard. With their instantly
recognisable songs in tow, AC/DC set about achieving global domination
on the stadium rock circuit. Catch Brian Johnston at the peak
of his vocal abilities, as each release hereafter suffers from
his degrading vocal chords and hoarse delivery. Taken in context
with the Bon Scott era albums, 'Back In Black' has a more creepy
atmosphere despite the at times moronic lyrics, most emphatically
on 'Hells Bells' and the title track. The radio staple 'Shoot
To Thrill' is fist-pumping brilliant and the closing 'Rock And
Roll Ain't Noise Pollution' is an admirable attempt as creating
a rock anthem. |
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5 |
Metallica -
'Ride The Lightning' (1984) |
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 Old-school Metallica fans
deliberate between 'Ride The Lightning' and 'Master Of Puppets'
as the ultimate metal record, with many concluding with 'Master
Of Puppets' saying it's heavier and more menacing. However, 'Ride
The Lightning' is easily the equal and ranks as a defining moment
in metal, thrash's first major ballad (Fade To Black) and a stunning
instrumental (The Call Of Ktulu) reside here. To prove just how
stunning 'Ride The Lightning' is, play this and 'St Anger' back-to-back
and witness how the complex arrangements and intricacies have
been replaced by repetitiveness and lack of a decent chorus. |
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6 |
Joy Division
- 'Closer' (1980) |
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 That vocalist Ian Curtis
chose suicide as a way out of his internal misery just before
the album's release has only raised Closer's lyrical impact.
Listeners will try to gather insight into Curtis's mind within
the tales of woe, from 'Isolation's sturdy beat to 'Twenty Four
Hours' intense dynamics. The musical backing to Curtis's monotonous
yet compelling vocals is equally challenging, with Peter Hook's
bass all over the record. There are less guitars than the previous
'Unknown Pleasures', instead replaced by affecting synthesizers,
peaking on the closing 'Decades', a slow and measured dirge.
The influence and impact that 'Closer' made on the post-punk
and goth scenes is immeasurable and unlikely to be replicated. |
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7 |
Slayer - 'Reign
In Blood' (1986) |
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 Even today, thrash fans
drool at the mouth when 'Reign In Blood' is mentioned. It pretty
much killed off the thrash scene in 1986 because the record did
it faster, heavier and more intense than anyone else. In reality
a three track record, opening with the peerless 'Angel Of Death'
and ending with 'Raining Blood', the middle section merges into
one long track of blistering solos and frantic drumming. It's
difficult to distinguish the likes of 'Jesus Saves' and 'Epidemic'
from one another, but in this rare circumstance works in Reign
In Blood's favour. Rather than other the listener moments of
relief, it's one thrash track after another, bludgeoning the
listener in it's wake. |
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8 |
Pixies - 'Surfer
Rosa' (1988) |
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 Upon release, 'Surfer Rosa'
created a huge buzz, the combination of Spanish influenced guitars,
raw production and Frank Black's deranged lyrics were unique.
You could argue the whole nineties alternative rock scene was
in debt to the Pixies first full length record from Nirvana to
early Radiohead. Even today the songs sound fresh, almost as
if the advancing years have given everyone the chance to catch
up with the ahead-of-it's-time music. The album peaks mid-way
through on the big 1-2-3 of 'Gigantic', 'River Euphrates' and
'Where is My Mind' that's as impressive as any sequencing imaginable.
The rest of the album is patchy in places, but it doesn't tarnish
the overall impression that 'Surfer Rosa' is a significant moment
in rock. |
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9 |
Faith No More
- 'The Real Thing' (Slash/London
1989) |
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 The album that dragged alternative rock kicking
and screaming into the mainstream, the genre busting sonic assault
of 'The Real Thing' took elements as diverse as thrash, funk
and tribal rhythms and turning an MTV friendly prospect. Hordes
of imitators soon followed at the dawn of the 90s that failed
to match the benchmark of The Real Thing as the different personalities
merged well together with fruitful ideas, capturing the band
at their creative zenith. Showcasing the band's unique quality,
the quintet was pushed into the spotlight with an unpredictable
blend of proto-type rap-metal (Surprise! You're Dead) to stadium
bothering anthems (Epic, Falling To Pieces). With bass lines
complimenting the keyboards to give an accessible edge, it was
no surprise the album sold by the truckload. 'Falling To Pieces',
the lyrics written by Patton about "indecision clouds my
vision" and can "somebody put me together" was
amongst the poppy moments but the thrash induced 'Surprise! You're
Dead' steered the music into Metallica territory as off the wall
vocals from Patton made it's presence. This diversity in the
vocals the way Patton could change from soft to menacing usually
within one sentence added an extra dynamic to the music. The
unwillingness to cooperate and become part of the establishment
kept Faith No More one step ahead on the mainstream and part
of the cutting edge. And in Mike Patton, the band at last had
the frontman to they needed to interpret the challenging music
being created. |
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10 |
Ministry - 'The
Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste' (1989) |
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 An apocalyptic fusion of
industrial beats and metal sheen, Ministry were at the peak of
their abilities with state-of-the-art 'The Mind Is A Terrible
Thing To Taste'. The likes of 'So What', 'Thieves' and 'Burning
Inside' crossed over from the dance floor into the mosh-pit,
updated versions of post-punk narcissistic rage, Public Image
Ltd being a prime reference point. Pre-dating Fear Factory and
Static X's more commercial industrialised metal by several years,
'The Mind…' was a natural progression from 'Land Of Rape
And Honey' taking on-board beefier guitars and more conventional
rock structures. There's even a track verging into rap-rock song
in 'The Test' which was ahead it's time. Displaying more interesting
ideas and substance than the two-dimensional (yet still brutally
great) follow-up 'Psalm 69', 'The Mind…' is the definitive
Ministry record, it takes 'Land Of Rape And Honey's groundbreaking
industrial template, and concentrates on a tighter song structure. |
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rformance
comparison. Nvidia GeForce2 MX 400, 200, 100, re
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11 |
Nine Inch Nails
- 'Pretty Hate Machine' (Island 1989) |
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 A slow burner,
PHM took a couple of years before the mainstream became accustomed
the electronic fused Industrial beats and dark lyrics penned
by Trent Reznor. NIN became the public face of the Industrial
genre when Reznor took his touring band into the live setting
to perform crunchier versions of PHM tracks, and led a generation
of angst-ridden youths to wear fishnets and leather. Bands pre-dating
NIN's, including Ministry. Front 424 and Skinny Puppy laid the
foundations during the eighties for which NIN was the commericalised
extension. The hit single 'Head Like A Hole' was built around
an insanely catchy chorus, and another big single 'Terrible Lie'
was dark and self-analytical angst. Becoming increasingly dated
over the years due to the weedy production, PHM nonetheless contains
enough interesting sounds and variations to gain on repeated
listening. One track that escapes the dated electronic sound
is the stripped down 'Something I Can Never Have', one of Reznor's
finest songwriting moments, a beautifully stark and emotional
outpouring of negativity. |
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12 |
U2 - 'Joshua
Tree' (1987) |
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 Making a steady progression
from the natural textures of 'War' & 'Unforgettable Fire',
U2 wrote a batch of outstanding songs in 'Where The Streets Have
No Name' and 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' and
the slow burning 'With or Without You' that open 'Joshua Tree'.
The quality control continues on 'Bullet The Blue Sky' and the
hidden gem 'Running To Stand Still' that marks the album's first
half as the a stunning exercise in mainstream rock. It's a shame
U2 frontloaded the album so much that the second half gives less
to look forward to, given that the highlights are all placed
at the beginning, not that 'Exit' or 'Mothers Of The Disappeared'
are necessarily bad songs. But despite the sequencing flaw, 'Joshua
Tree' remains the peak of U2's powers. |
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13 |
Janes Addiction
- 'Nothing Shocking' (Warner
Brothers 1988) |
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 The
controversial cover artwork of naked female Siamese twins gave
a good indication that 'Nothing Shocking' was not to be taken
lightly. At times, weird, brilliant, nauseating, but never dull,
the uncompromising music re-established the boundaries of a style
of rock that had taken a decade to build. Artistic, even pretentious
it may be there was a sly sense of humour underneath, not least
on 'Ted, Just Admit It', a seriously violent song that carries
the title as an appeal to it's subject, the US serial killer
Ted Bundy who continued to maintain his innocence in the face
of overwhelming evidence. With this album, Janes Addiction broke
new ground for a flood of new bands to capitalise upon. |
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14 |
Beastie Boys
- 'Paul's Boutique' (Def
Jam 1989) |
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 A
commercial flop on release, the Beastie Boy's second album has
grown in statue, and rightly so, as a groundbreaking record that
cannot be ignored. Complex sample arrangements by the Dust Brothers
were laid down in the studio to soundtrack the off the wall humour
and pop culture references from the Beastie Boys. When 'Licensed
To Ill' dropped onto an unsuspecting public, the shockable antics
and crude humour gave the Beastie's a novelty tag, and when follow-up
'Paul's Boutique' was released, it confused fans with a more
mature (well, not that mature) outlook and enriched sound. Funk,
rock, soul styles were mixed into with hip-hop, quality tracks
like 'Hey Ladies' and 'Eggman' still sounding fresh today. |
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15 |
Sonic Youth
- 'Daydream Nation' (Blast
First/Mute 1988) |
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 Always considered as Sonic Youth's most defining
and essential album, rightly so as the execution in guitar noise
sugarcoated with deft melody is the benchmark for pretenders
to emulate. Requiring repeated listening to uncover hidden textures
and subtle time shifts, 'Daydream Nation' strength is it's variety,
the intertwining guitars that fire up 'Teenage Riot' all the
way through to 'Trilogy' that summarises all that went before
it within one thrilling track, layering dense rhythms with mood
pieces. |
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 The fact that REM were
a highly consistent album act during the eighties means that
any of their recordings could be included in a favourites list,
but 'Murmur' was the most important. The debut opened the doors
for many other "alternative" acts that followed, using
Byrds influenced jangle-pop guitars and Michael Stipe's unrecognisable
lyrics (hence the album title). Still sounding timeless, the
music comes across as mysterious, twisting folk and rock connections
into a unique sound. The catchiest track 'Radio Free Europe'
emphases REM's most potent qualities to give skilful song writing
to an unashamed pop song, and 'Perfect Circle' uses piano and
gentle guitars and creates a gorgeous ballad. That follow-up
'Reckoning' more or less duplicated Murmur's strengths shows
that REM knew they stumbled upon a winning formula. |
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17 |
Iron Maiden
- 'Number Of The Beast' (1984) |
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 After vocalist
Di'Anno left the band, the replacement Bruce Dickinson became
a valuable addition, giving the outstanding unashamed heavy metal
songs a strong, operatic voice. The songs themselves were stone-cold
classics, from the Native Indian themed 'Run To The Hills' to
the epic closer 'Hallowed By Thy Name'. 'Number Of The Beast'
caught Iron Maiden at their peak and it's still considered the
crucial album in the band's long and illustrious back catalogue.
Topping the UK charts, it also gains mainstream success, that
turned the band from a promising band into the leading light
of the metal scene. |
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18 |
Prince - 'Purple
Rain' (1984) |
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 Prince was at the height
of his commercial powers after the success of '1999' in which
'Purple Rain' took Princes to superstardom in the same global
brackets as Madonna and Michael Jackson. An accompaniment to
the inferior film, 'Purple Rain' was an ambitious attempt to
throw in a number of styles (rock, funk, R&B, neo-psychedelica)
into the mix, getting it right on every occasion. The metallic
rock of 'Let's Go Crazy' still sounds great as does the bass-less
'When Doves Cry'. Add to the list, the title track and 'I Would
Die For U' and you have the ultimate Prince record. |
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19 |
Husker Du -
'Candy Apple Grey' (Warner
Bros 1986) |
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 Establishing themselves
as one of the 80s best power-rock bands with landmarks 'Zen Arcade'
and 'New Day Rising', 'Candy Apple Grey' captures the Minneapolis
trio at the height of their powers before internal friction set
in. Bob Mould and Grant Hart's relationship break-up songs Don't
Want To Know If You Are Lonely and Hardly Getting Over It strip
away the overindulgence and expose raw emotion. The muscular
yet melodic approach on 'Candy Apple Grey' became the basis for
all lovelorn emo rock to replicate. |
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20 |
Neil Young -
'Freedom' (1989) |
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 Released at the end of
a barren decade for Neil Young in terms of quality, 'Freedom'
was critical and commercial comeback that re-established Neil
Young career and gave the world a number of brilliant songs.
Some tracks were already released on the preceding 'Eldorado'
EP, with 'Don't Cry' and 'On Broadway' using ragged guitars and
tales of divorce and street life (Crime In The City) 'as a foundation.
The absolute stand-out 'Keep On Rockin In The Free World' ranks
amongst Young's finest rock songs, charged with political venom,
condemning President Bush's (Senior) domestic policy. It restored
the fan's faith in an artist that's both infuriating and sublime
in equal measures. |
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ALBUMS OF THE
1980'S (# 21 - 40) |
21.
Van Halen - '1984' (1984)
22. Public Enemy -' It Takes A Nation Of Millions…' (1988)
23. Husker Du - 'Zen Arcade' (1984)
24. Ministry - 'Land Of Rape And Honey' (1988)
25. Slayer - 'South Of Heaven' (1988)
26. REM - 'Document' (1987)
27. RUN DMC - 'King Of Rock' (1986)
28. Metallica - '…And Justice For All' (1988)
29. Stone Roses - 'Stone Roses' (1989)
30. REM - 'Life's Rich Pagent' (1986)
31. Talking Heads - 'Remain In Light' (1980)
32. Soundgarden - 'Louder Than Love' (1989)
33. Meat Puppets - 'II' (1983)
34. Sonic Youth - 'Sister' (1987)
35. REM - 'Green' (1988)
36. Iron Maiden - 'Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son' (1988)
37. Nirvana - 'Bleach' (1989)
38. Def Leppard - 'Pyromania' (1983)
39. Ozzy Osbourne - 'Bark At The Moon' (1983)
40. David Bowie - 'Scary Monsters' (1980)
More Reviews:
Nirvana
- 'Bleach' (Sub
Pop)
There was little or no sign that the makers of this respectable
Sub Pop seller would a few years later spawn the multi-million
seller Nevermind. Released June 1989 to a handful of on-the-pulse
listeners, Bleach exceeded expectations simply by contained several
strong and surprisingly catchy songs. As a blunt and unashamed
grunge record of the Sub Pop era, Bleach reeks of sweat and hard
graft. No different from the rest of the late-1980s grunge back
catalogue the jump from Bleach to Nevermind is simply astoundingly.
Bleach is at times uneasy listening and definitely not tailored
for the mass market consumption. There are small hints of pop
craftsmanship within the heaviness of Bleach most notably on
About A Girl, the REM-jangly guitars and throwaway, disposable
nature. On the other even of the scale, Negative Creep remains
a cracking riff-driven work-out, which has become a staple cover
song for lesser bands ever since. The likes of Paper Cuts still
unnerve for its scraping and uncomfortable sound, which stretches
throughout on The Melvins-inspired numbers Swap Meet and Sifting.
The murky and guitar-dominated production is cut from the finest
underground cloth, you couldn't mistake this for the mainstream
(which ironically enough has become a mainstream unit seller
post-Nevermind). You're find no multi-layered harmonies or guitar
dubbing techniques here, everything shines in an almost amateur
and refreshing manner. Which leads me onto the question of what
the hell is Kurt Cobain singing? The vocals appear to be mumbled
and unclear nonsense mainly because Cobain literally wrote the
lyrics minutes before recording them in the studio.
Feedback:
From
"James Coull" - 29 Dec'04
hello
there, i have to say i am a big fan of your site, and am forever
learning of alternative rock and listening to more and more bands,
one discovery i have made is "the stone roses" the
album itself is one of the best ever written im sure you don’t
have it otherwise it would be on the number one spot on your
eighties list, it takes a few listens, but once your into it
you learn its a masterpiece, there b-side album "turns into
stone" puts nearly every album ever to shame, listening
to the album makes me realize how so many bands wouldn’t
exist if it wasn’t for the stone roses, blur, oasis, suede,
catherine wheel, there second studio album "second coming"
sounds like led zeppelin, good but not great (wouldn’t bother
getting) but sorry, you had to be informed of the greatest british
band ever and writing one of the best albums ever written, close
to classics like mellon collie, ok computer, aenima, ten, frogstomp
etc thanks, james
From:
Hellonweels4u@aol.com - 8 Nov'05
anything
on your site about them (the cure)? they are great! and
had big influence on many bands today. they were so fab in the
80's! & robert smith is god! still is.. and always will be!
dee
:)
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