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Post Info TOPIC: Underrated Albums of the 1980s
Ruby


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Underrated Albums of the 1980s
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Ah, the 1980s: the cool era of leg warmers, saturated colors, and big hair. Despite its reputation for pop-culture ephemera, the decade of decadence offered us rich musical surprises that extended beyond MTV glitz and party-hearty excess. Here are a few nuggets worth chasing down. By Bryan Reesman


Tori Amos, Y Kant Tori Read (1988)
Amoss long-lost debut is a footnote in her fantastic career it hit the bargain bins really fast but it presents her in a more traditional (and fun) pop setting, featuring the spunky Pirates; funky pop-rock The Big Picture; and delicate, piano-driven Etienne Trilogy. Members of Cheap Trick and Guns N Roses also surface. The album is out of print, but check eBay and secondhand stores.


Black Sabbath, The Eternal Idol (1987)
Its a decidedly unpopular opinion, but Sabbath worked best when neither Ozzy Osbourne nor Ronnie James Dio was fronting the band. With a revamped lineup spotlighting founding guitarist Tony Iommi as well as the powerful pipes of new vocalist Tony Martin, this gripping gothic-metal album is ripe with snarling riffs and a deliciously dark atmosphere. And its as catchy as anything Sabbaths ever done.


Harold Budd, Lovely Thunder (1986)
A peer to Brian Eno, Budd, with his seductive slow-motion swirl of piano, keyboards, and on the eerie 20-minute epic Gypsy Violin a stirring synth violin slicing through the ether, is a master of ambient minimalism. Turn off the lights, don your headphones, and intoxicate yourself with Lovely Thunders surreal, otherworldly power.


Kate Bush, The Sensual World (1989)
This sensuous, delicate singer who paved the way for Tori Amos has always created magical, mystical music that bears her own distinct stamp. She reached her peak with this highly personal, musically eclectic, and groove-oriented pop album, which integrates Irish instrumentation and Bulgarian singing and includes the stirring Love and Anger.


Cocteau Twins, Blue Bell Knoll (1988)
Before it made waves in the early 1990s, the Scottish trio gave us this heavenly album, in which dreamy guitars and synths, accompanied by a gently propulsive rhythm section, embrace the exquisite, if nonsensical, vox of Elizabeth Fraser. A sweet, syrupy sonic ****tail thats endlessly addicting, this is pop music made for the Garden of Eden.


Marillion, Misplaced Childhood (1985)
A stunning, emotionally rich masterpiece of progressive music, this interconnected, genre-crossing album, espousing vintage Pink Floyd and Genesis influences, tells the compelling story of a man whos coping with relationship and identity woes and with his struggle to redefine himself and renew his life.


Sarah McLachlan, Touch (1989)
If youre longing for the days of Solace and Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, when moody chanteuse McLachlan had more fire, grab her solid debut, Touch. Theres still plenty of poetic soul-searching going on, but the songs are folksier and perkier than her recent work and are dominated by her angelic singing, piano, strings, and acoustic guitar.


Roxy Music, Avalon (1982)
Simply put, this is the most romantic pop album of all time. Bryan Ferrys elegant crooning glides over gorgeous, shimmering pop landscapes, where the open spaces are as important as the notes themselves. Produced by former Roxy Music member and U2 sound sculptor Brian Eno, Avalon blends melancholia and romanticism into luscious, timeless tunes.


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Jeremy Riggs


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Dont' forget about...

Quarterflash - Back Into Blue (Great horns throughout the entire CD, entire disc has a good rainy day feel to it).

REO Speedwagon - Wheels Are Turnin' (Sure, make fun, but every song on the album is great and the best ones weren't even the single (title cut, Break His Spell, etc.)

That's all for now. BUT I'LL BE BACK! evileye.gif

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JD The Jazz Doctor


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Waterboys Fishermen's Blues was brilliant in its day and age. I also felt Church's Starfish should have been much much huger than it was.

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sgmorrell


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I must admit it, I don't have a single one of these!

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garougal


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sgmorrell wrote:

I must admit it, I don't have a single one of these!



Me neither...I guess we were part of the counter-culture group of the 80's then, right? {{lol}}



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Ruby


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I liked Black Sabbath, Kate Bush and Roxy Music in the 80s. I was a huge Duran Duran fan and if they listed a band they liked- I would then check them out- these were all UK faves.  I do not remember Harold Budd or the Cocteau Twins. The Marillion song has been picking up play here!

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sgmorrell


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garougal wrote:

sgmorrell wrote:

I must admit it, I don't have a single one of these!



Me neither...I guess we were part of the counter-culture group of the 80's then, right? {{lol}}


OK I guess thats what it was called then!   LOL



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Lady Strange


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sgmorrell wrote:

I must admit it, I don't have a single one of these!





I have the Black Sabbath, Tori Amos (on vinyl even!), Cocteau Twins, Roxy Music, and of course, the brilliant BRILLIANT Marillion- "Misplaced Childhood."

So many underrated albums from the 80's though, I could post for hours... But I won't! LOL

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JD The Jazz Doctor


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Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols had a brilliant solo album that came out in the mid 80s called Mercy which is really really good.

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Lady Strange


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JD The Jazz Doctor wrote:

Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols had a brilliant solo album that came out in the mid 80s called Mercy which is really really good.





I loved when he had his hair long & curly like that.

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"Tell me, does it move you, Does it soothe you, Does it fill your heart and soul with the roots of rock & roll?
When you can't get through it you can listen to it with a 'na na na na', Well I've been there before"
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squonk


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Good call JD.
I would like to throw in the Throwing Muses' self titled from 1986
An early band formation (left to right): Narcizo, Hersh, Donelly, and Langston. Photo by Victoria Cessna.

Del Fuegos-Boston Mass
Screaming Trees
Smithereens-Especially for You
Dumptruck-Positively
Fuzztones-Lysergic Emenations
Plasticland-Wonder Wonderful Wonderland
Oh Man! I can't stop........

-- Edited by squonk at 13:23, 2007-06-12

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JD The Jazz Doctor


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yes indeed Smithereens Especially For You!
man I thought that was THE album of the year in '86!

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squonk


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I'm sure there are a ton more... Guadail Canal Diary? Love N Rockets? Jason and the Scorchers? John Hiatt? The Tourists? (featuring Annie Lennox and Dave whatever his face is) Green on Red? The Ramones and Lou Reed did a pile of **** too! How about The Feelies? The Cars Panorama? The Brains? 999? (Homicide!!)biggrin.gif

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