Day 0576 - Reign in Blood

Slayer "Reign in Blood" (1986) - got it

 
An album that kicks off with a punishing blizzard of guitars and cymbals, and (after an unsettling high-pitched yell) leads off with the lyrics:

"Auschwitz, the meaning of death, the way that I want you to die"

certainly made it difficult to ignore Slayer.  Though that opening track "Angel of Death" would lead them to have to continually reiterate in interviews that they did not support nazi ideals.

The album combines the stripped-down, unrelenting aggression of hardcore punk with the musicality and 'menace' of the nascent 'heavy metal' to create one of the early cornerstones of thrash metal.

Tom Araya's aggressive and fairly tuneless vocal yell means that the riffs can go where they want without clashing too much with his voice.  Though it has to be said that the little melody that is in the guitar parts is pulverised by speed and distortion with the focus being more on the rhythm than melody.

Some flashy lead guitar work on show, but the real (background) star of the album is Dave Lombardo who, with his inventive, unrelenting drumming can (even now) outplay most other drummers in his genre.  His playing has elements of jazz, punk, metal and more.

Day 0575 - EVOL

Sonic Youth "EVOL" (1986)

Sonic Youth are a band that I'd hear & bits and pieces from, but they'd never really inspired me to dip deeper into their work.  I really quite enjoyed this album and ended up listening to it 3 times in a row.  Love the mix of hypnotic but noisy drones, pared-back riffing, and dalliances with musique concrete.

This is a sonically exciting and experimental album, that still has a solid base in 'song' writing, with melody and structure being employed where appropriate.  For me, the album's epic penultimate track "Expressway to Yr Skull" is the album's high point.

I like that it's not a straight instrumental album, but that the vocals are used sparingly, and often as more of an 'instrument' than as a way of communicating a message.

Day 0574 - Slippery When Wet

Bon Jovi "Slippery When Wet" (1986)

 
I'm not the biggest Bon Jovi fan, but it's hard to deny the sheer commercial whomp of this album.  You've got "You give love a bad name", "Livin' on a prayer" and "Wanted: dead or alive", three huge pop-rock anthems.
The band had been shooting for a pop sound on the album, but wanted to retain a hard rock feel.  To try and find this balance they would go and play their recordings to local teens to get feedback on the best running order or whether the songs were working.

The band had originally planned a different album cover featuring a woman in a wet t-shirt.  It had been posited that this cover was pulled as it would be deemed sexist and might not be run by some of the record stores, but the band themselves claimed that the record company tried to put a bright pink border around the planned cover so they rejected it.  Apparently not the most enlightened guys.

Day 0573 - Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?

Megadeth "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?" (1986)

 
Following his expulsion as lead guitarist for Metallica, Dave Mustaine formed Megadeth... and brought along all of his baggage.  Mustaine was ousted from Metallica for (among other things) his issues with alcohol and drugs, which continued, and were shared by others in his new band.  The band's rhythm guitarist and drummer would go on to be fired at the conclusion of the promotional tour for this album for continuing drug use.  The guitarist would later resurface as a session player on a later Megadeth album, which kind of speaks to how the band would essentially go on to just be Mustaine backed with a revolving cast of musicians.  Even stalwart David Ellefson left for a period in the 00s.

Dave also bought to his new band, the original Metallica sound that he had helped craft, but without the sonic development they started undergoing pretty soon after his departure.  He kind of stuck with  his format of speedy riffs and virtuoso guitar solos, but with songs never as memorable as Metallica's, and with much cheesier lyrics.  He seemed for much of his career to be playing catch-up, to the extent that, following the success of Metallica's LOAD albums, Lars Ulrich suggested that Dave take more risks with his sound.  The result was him releasing the imaginatively titled "Risk" with an alt-rock sound that most of his fans hated because they'd always loved that he stuck to a more or less similar sound across his albums.

So anyway, this record is a competent piece of thrash metal, but with few particularly memorable songs.  Some good riffs here and there and some impressive soloing, but not up to the standard of his former band.

Day 0572 - The Colour of Spring

Talk Talk "The Colour of the Spring"

 
Talk Talk, one of the earlier bands to employ the new sound of synthesizers is here, one of the first bands to abandon them.  The synths are ousted for pianos, organs and interesting guitar textures, and the results are brilliant!

There is some competent pop-rock in the shape of "Life's What You Make it" and "Happiness is Easy" which has a moody trumpet solo and a child choir to lift it above standard fare.  There are some moodier tracks like "Chameleon Day", where Mark Hollis' haunting tenor backed with a semi-classical backdrop of piano and keyboards almost predicts the moodier moments of A Perfect Circle.

Day 0571 - Talking With the Taxman About Poetry

Billy Bragg "Talking With the Taxman About Poetry" (1986)

The book talks about Bragg's ability to find the personal in politics and the political in the personal.  As is often the case, I didn't really pay much attention to the lyrics so I didn't really pick up on that so much, but I did enjoy the album musically.

Bragg's reverb drenched guitar manages to accentuate a variety of styles, from rockabilly, folk, pop and country.  I didn't even realise the first time I listened to the album, but there's little-to-no drumming in it, and the songs don't suffer at all as a result.  One or two tracks have limited percussion but that's it.

The album also features contributions from the Smiths' Johnny Marr, and Kirsty MacColl (of 'fairytale of New York' fame.

Day 0570 - The Last of the True Believers

Nanci Griffith "The Last of the True Believers" (1986)

I was not familiar with Nanci before this list.  She doles out a style of alt-country and folk that largely still sounds contemporary, due to artists such as Wilco and Beck continuing to tap into the same vein. 

A couple of these songs were covered (with slightly more commercial success) by singer Kathy Mattea, but these original versions are great, as is the whole album.  If you're into interesting country, this is as good a place as any to start.

Day 0569 - Infected

The The "Infected" (1986)

I enjoyed this much more than the previous The The album in this list (Soul Mining).  It has a strong pop base with some great beats and nice funky bass.   Some of it is upbeat and pulsing, other tracks are slinky and moody, one track even features an early appearance from Neneh Cherry ("Slow train to dawn").  Good solid 80s pop, with angry, socially conscious lyrics.

Day 0568 - Master of Puppets

Metallica "Master of Puppets" (1986) - got it

I actually got into Metallica through their later (90s) material, particularly the two LOAD albums, so I tend to go back and forth on what I find to be their best work/era.

This is most likely their definitive musical statement though.  The band had been steadily developing and refining their sound over the preceding two albums.  This album follows the pattern of most of their 80s albums: first track has a mellow intro that crashes into a speedy thrash riff, the second track is a monster title-track, track 4 is the ballad/mellow song, and the last two tracks are an instrumental and a hard-n-fast thrash track.

The band is firing on all cylinders for this album, with all 4 members contributing to the songwriting and arrangement, and all taking time to solo or showcase their chops.  Even the oft-mocked drumming of Lars Ulrich is tight and effective here.

The songs move between straight-ahead, fast thrash, to more complex, densely harmonic (almost classical) arrangements in songs like the title track, and the instrumental "Orion", this latter largely composed by Cliff Burton and featuring some stellar bass soloing from him.

Burton died in a bus accident while touring for this album.  The band would seek a more uniform sound in their follow-up "...and Justice For All".  They would simplify their sound for their 90s albums, then meander for a while before finding their way back to attempt to recreate their 80s masterpieces... but with mixed results.  While their 90s albums were successful and enjoyable, they don't reach the same heights of collaboration, and ambition as Master of Puppets.

Day 0567 - Licensed to Ill

Beastie Boys "Licensed to Ill" (1986)

The Beasties started off as an obnoxious, 'in your face' hardcore punk band, but tired of the limitations imposed by the expectations of fans of that genre.  The boys dropped a couple of members and gained another to slowly evolve into an obnoxious, 'in your face' hip hop group.

The Beasties kept the party vibe and anarchic spirit of punk while stretching their musical wings a bit more; mixing punk and metal riffs with turntables and rap.   The more serious political sound that the band would move towards later on is not really here, but the sonic experimentalism is.

This went on to become one of the most commercially successful hip hop albums... I wish it could be said that it had nothing to do with a passively (or even actively) racist recording industry, but it's unlikely.  To be fair though, this is a musically interesting album that is not undeserving of some success.

Day 0566 - Planet Rock - the Album

Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force "Planet Rock - the Album" (1986)

Amazing achievement, in that Bambaataa manages to be an early pioneer of hiphop, but also, through splicing various synth-heavy beats (including cuts by Kraftwerk) he also laid the groundwork for House music and other forms of electronic experimentalism.

I could easily see this being a reference point for bands as varied as early Red Hot Chili Peppers through to the Chemical Brothers.   Rage Against the Machine would go on to cover "Renegades of Funk" and the Beastie Boys would sample Bambaataa.

A true visionary musical force.

Day 0565 - Blood and Chocolate

Elvis Costello & the Attractions "Blood and Chocolate" (1986) - got it

Costello took a break from his usual band 'the Attractions' to make an album with producer T-Bone Burnett... which I'll have to check out, because I love his work on True Detective, O Brother Where Art Thou, and the Rhiannon Gidden's solo album.  Here he brings the Attractions back on board for a wild, relatively straightforward album.
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Elvis took the idea of "recording as live" to new levels.  Instead of everyone wearing headphones to hear the playback so that all the instruments are recorded cleanly and in isolation; he just had stage foldback monitors with the volume set to standard live show levels.  As a result, everything has a pretty rough in-your-face rawness to it; a sound that nicely emphasises the angry and direct lyrics.  There are morose ballads, the epic blues odyssey of "I want you", the almost beat-poetry style of "Tokyo Storm Warning".

Costello credits himself as 'Napoleon Dynamite' in the album liner notes, though Jared Hess states that he did not get the name of his film from this reference.

Day 0564 - Cupid & Psyche 85

Scritti Politti "Cupid & Psyche 85" (1985)

I was quite looking forward to this based on the description: a loose musical collective who had been noodling around in post-punk experimentalism, but (having heard Quincy Jones' production on Michael Jackson's albums) decided to delve into the world of pop.  I ended up feeling slightly underwhelmed by it.

The band had enlisted some seasoned session players and sprinkled everything with some studio gloss, but the songs just feel like they're not memorable enough, and the gloss is a little thick so the songs seem to lose their 'oomph' a bit.  Possibly it's just that this sound is, 'aesthetically', not in line with my tastes.

Day 0563 - Don't Stand Me Down

Dexys Midnight Runners "Don't Stand Me Down" (1985)

Described by the book as being the Pet Sounds of Northern Soul; and that seems pretty apt.  Some great vocals and with some sassy horns, but still with remnants of the strings that had peppered the band's previous release "Too-rye-ay".  Lush arrangements and occasional meanderings into spoken word passages make the music cinematic and a bit more interesting.

The album is not afraid to explore a few different sounds; to step on the accelerator in some places, but to ease off on it for others.  Apparently the album didn't fare well commercially on release, though it garnered some good reviews.  It went on to be revisited and re-evaluated by fans in later years.  I think it's bloody good, personally.

Day 0562 - Picture Book

Simply Red "Picture Book" (1985)

Mick Hucknall had started out in a punk band called the Frantic Elevators, but decided that he wanted to play a genre that would give his voice more room to showcase itself.  He assembled a number of session players to form Simply Red.

This album skits around a few genres, including rock and jazz, but mostly sits in the soul zone, where Hucknall makes full use of his (admittedly strong) voice.  Not a huge fan of the band.  There's some okay stuff here, but much of it sits firmly in the middle-of-the-road.

Eventually the band would go on to become a revolving cast of players with Hucknall as the only constant.

Day 0561 - Low-life

New Order "Low-Life" (1985)

Following the death of singer Ian Curtis, Joy Division reformatted themselves into New Order (with the addition of keyboardist Gillian Gilbert).   The band's sound was a bit more synthy, and maybe more pop than the post-punk neuroses of Joy Division. 

It's hard to know if they would have still eventually evolved in this direction had Curtis lived.  Whatever the case, this is an enjoyable, largely synth pop-rock album, but there are moments of harsher and less compromising sounds, including the moody synth epic "Elegia".

Day 0560 - Psychocandy

The Jesus and Mary Chain "Psychocandy" (1985)

Much like the Smiths a couple of posts ago, I knew the Jesus and Mary Chain by name more than by their music.  As with the Smiths I'd dipped my toe a few years back but didn't really respond to what I found.

On revisiting the Smiths this time, I didn't mind them too much (more for Marr than Morrisey), but with the J&MC, I haven't really changed my mind on them.  They seek to mix the pop of 50s-60s girl groups and the abrasive wall of sound/noise of the Velvet Underground.  That could have been great, but, to my tastes, it feels like they took the weaker parts of those two sounds to create something that on the whole, falls a little flat.

Day 0559 - Rain Dogs

Tom Waits "Rain Dogs" (1985)

If "Swordfishtrombones" was a drunken left-turn down a dark alley, populated by an assortment of weird and unusual characters; "Rain Dogs" is Waits deciding that he likes the alley-way and setting himself up in his spot around the trash-can fire.

The beat poetry and drunken piano ballads are largely gone in favour of stories about the aforementioned odd characters, backed by honking horns (that occasionally drift into New Orleans jazz territory) and interesting melodic percussion.   Regular John Zorn collaborator Marc Ribot provides guitar for the album with playing that ranges from jazzy surf and twangy lead, to abrasive avant sounds, and everything between.  The music includes remnants of his bar-room piano balladry, and even some country and western, but mostly it's a whole new world.

Waits' voice ranges from his newly adopted barking shout, to a gravelly croon, occasionally even dabbling in a sort of affected nasally cabaret vocal.

Day 0558 - Meat is Murder

The Smiths "Meat is Murder"

I'll admit to not being hugely familiar with the Smiths' music.  They were solely active in the 80s which was not a time that I was actively seeking out music.  Once I was more into music I was more interested in 60s pop or loud distorted guitars; the Smiths don't fit the bill in either case.  A teacher of mine who also helped out one of the high school bands I was in recommended the Smiths to me and I listened to one or two tracks, but it didn't really peak my interest.

So essentially I came to this fairly 'blank slate', the only song I was familiar with on this album was "How soon is now?" (only featured on certain versions of the album) as the theme tune to the tv show 'Charmed'.

I'd say there are more than a few connections that could be made between the Smiths and U2; both bands with solid rhythm sections, sonically explorative guitarists, and cause-heavy lyricists.

Guitarist Johnny Marr is the real star on this album, his guitar sounds ranging from jangly rockabilly, wicky funk, extreme tremolo guitar overlaid with slide lead parts, delicate acoustic guitar, clean new-wave-style guitar.

Morrisey's vocals seem to largely follow the pattern of being emotive and drenched in reverb.  While he is all about his causes here (pacifism, anti-monarchy, and the obvious vegetarian message of the title track) he does occasionally show a bit of a sense of humour, which I'm not sure is still present in his more recent work.

Day 0557 - Hounds of Love

Kate Bush "Hounds of Love" (1985)

 Following the relatively poor sales of her previous album "the Dreaming" Kate holed up her studio to work on this critically acclaimed album... that seems somewhat bass ackwards to me as I loved 'the Dreaming' but found this one to be only half as interesting.

Both albums are batshit crazy in their mixing and matching of different genres and sounds.  This one possibly mixes even more sounds with synths, choirs, folky celtic percussion, genteel strings, vaguely tribal tones.  I find the variety enjoyable, but I just think that the songs on "the Dreaming" are the stronger compositions.

Day 0556 - Rum, Sodomy & the Lash

The Pogues "Rum, Sodomy & the Lash" (1985)

Produced by Elvis Costello and titled with a quote attributed to Winston Churchill (said to be his take on naval tradition), this album is like shot of whiskey snorted straight to the brain.

Costello avoided studio polish, stating that it was his job to just get out of the way and capture them in all of their "dilapidated glory".  The result is a blistering mix of celtic folk, punk energy, and MacGowan's 'gutter hymns'.  This is a brilliant album, it has heart, it has spit and snarl, it has misery, humour.  You couldn't ask for a better album for drinking, dancing and just straight-up listening.

Day 0555 - Suzanne Vega

Suzanne Vega "Suzanne Vega" (1985)

 
Suzanne Vega is another of those artists that I was familiar with by name, but wasn't entirely sure I'd heard any of her music (though from a quick look on wikipedia, I see now that I know her song 'Luka').

The sound is quite simple: Vega with her acoustic guitar and voice.  One of her producers was Patti Smith's guitarist so it's maybe not surprising that the guitar is brought front and centre here.  Drums are either incredibly subtle or (in a few songs) non-existent, and then other than some unobtrusive synth and guitar overdubs, it is all just Suzanne.

Interestingly, the song "Undertow" sounds like it might have been borrowed from quite liberally by Gotye for his hit "Somebody that I used to know."

Day 0554 - Atomiser

Big Black "Atomiser" (1985)

I had heard of Big Black (especially their provocatively titled second full-length album "Songs about Fucking") but had never actually heard a note of the music.  I was also very uninformed, in that I had heard of Steve Albini but knew him solely as a producer/engineer.  I didn't realise that he was musician in bands like Big Black and Shellac (he'd also... carrying on his role as provocateur, had a band called Rapeman).

The music here is essentially proto-industrial.  It's just "three men and a drum machine".  The tinny drum machine, aggressive guitars and barked vocals could be seen as an early guidebook for acts like Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson and even early Shihad.  

Day 0553 - Fear and Whiskey

The Mekons "Fear and Whiskey" (1985)

I am in unfamiliar territory here, having not heard of this band, or the one in the previous entry.  In addition to that, the 80s are not really the decade of music I'm most familiar with.

This was another goodie though, so again, it's been quite cool to be introduced to new bands/albums through this 'quest'.

This album is credited as being one of the first alt-country albums, and certainly I can hear the genesis of bands in that genre I enjoy, such as the Nudie Suits, or Dieselhed.   The album is mostly raucous, occasionally trippy and always sonically exploratory.  Genres as diverse as folk, country and post-punk collide, overlaid with slide guitars, fiddles, harmonicas and other country-synonymous sounds.

Day 0552 - Steve McQueen

Prefab Sprout "Steve McQueen" (1985)

 
Another of the literate/intellectual indie-pop sect of the 80s.  There are occasional hints of bands such as the Smiths and even Pet Shop Boys here, but musically, Prefab are pleasingly all over the map.

The album kicks off with dose of rockabilly, it veers from delicate pop to hot blooded soul-rock (not a million miles from the sound of Crowded House).  There are hints of Elvis Costello here and there, some dreamy pop, even a taste of bossa nova.

If anything, the album's weakness is that it doesn't have much of an identity.  It showcases a variety of sounds, and the songs are enjoyable, but there's nothing here that if I heard it on the radio I'd think "that definitely sounds like Prefab Sprout" like I would with other diverse bands like Ween or even 10CC.

With the album's title, legal action was taken against the band by McQueen's estate, forcing them to release the album under the title "Two Wheels Good" (maybe an Animal Farm reference?) in the US.

Day 0551 - Brothers in Arms

Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms" (1985)

I think it's safe to say that I'll never be a hardcore Dire Straits fan.  While there are definitely some worthy tracks here (most notably the subtle and moving title track), this album is largely the epitome of MOR.  The album's most known hit "Money for Nothing" is co-written with another eventual MOR star: Sting.

In 'Money for Nothing', 'Walk of Life' and the title track, the album has memorable tracks enough to ensure it would be a hit. 

With Mark Knopfler being one of the only members from the original lineup left, his vocals and guitar dominate; whether it's the riff-heavy 'Money' or the folky, almost country bent of "The Man's too Strong".

Day 0550 - Songs From the Big Chair

Tears For Fears "Songs From the Big Chair" (1985)

This is something of an 80s pop power-house.  It's an album that featured the hits "Shout", "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and "Head over Heels" and which would go on to help TfF find success in the US as well as continuing their success in their native England.

There is the bombastic power of pop anthems like "Shout", but also the moody, noirish jazz vibe of a track like "I believe" and the low-key, vaguely world-music outro "Listen".  That variety makes for an enjoyable listening experience and stops the album from being anywhere near one dimensional.

The album title came from a film called 'Sybil' about a woman with multiple-personality disorder, who only felt safe while recounting her problems to her therapist while sat in the 'big chair' in his office.

Day 0549 - Hunting High and Low

A-Ha "Hunting High and Low" (1985)

You could be forgiven for thinking that this Norwegian pop group found fame solely based on one hit, a pretty singer, and high rotation of a music video using the aforementioned hit and singer.

This album though is so much more than just "Take on me" and Morten Harket's beautiful, beautiful face.  Gorgeous new-romantic synth pop sounds abound.  There are some sections that almost border on orchestral/operatic, while in others it's simple, upbeat power pop.

A strong album, with only one or two slightly more 'filler-esque' tracks.

Day 0548 - Water From an Ancient Well

Abdullah Ibrahim "Water From an Ancient Well" (1985)

 
Abdullah came up with a strong love of Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk, which shows all over the beautiful jazz of this album.  Apparently he was also heavily influenced by the traditional music of his South African homeland, though if I'm honest, I hear that less in the music.  What I do hear is some interesting, peppy, and at times propulsive jazz

Ibrahim had departed South Africa years earlier, leaving apartheid behind him, but that system of segregation was beginning to be challenged.  Ibrahim saw himself as building up a musical language that reflected all of this.

Day 0547 - This Nation's Saving Grace

The Fall "This Nation's Saving Grace" (1985)

The band had had a bit of a reshuffle prior to making this album.  One of their two drummers having left, and their stand-in bass-player moving onto keys and guitars once their original bassist returned from parental leave.

According to the book, the Fall teamed up with producer John Leckie who gave the band's new songs a glossy, professional sheen... which singer Mark E Smith hated.  He insisted that the producer instead work with the shabby audio cassette version of the recordings that he had.  One song even ended up with some sounds inadvertently recorded over the music by Smith when he was at home, leading to an impromptu sound collage that... actually kind of works.

The album is somehow noisy, uncompromising, yet quite accessible and catchy.  I guess that must be 'the way of the Fall'.

Day 0546 - Born in the USA

Bruce Springsteen "Born in the USA" (1984) - got it

Following the moody and downbeat "Nebraska", the record company were putting pressure on Bruce to produce something a bit more commercial.   An expectation that he lashed out at lyrically in "Dancing in the Dark" but at the same time, one that he ended up meeting in crafting one of the biggest hits of his career.

Even as Michael Jackson's "Thriller" was dropping off the number 1 spot in the charts, Bruce took over that position for the next stretch of time.  As both artists were signed to CBS subsidiaries, that label must have been popping champagne... and probably some cocaine, being the 80s and all.  Like that other album, this one is almost entirely populated with hit singles, making it seem as much a greatest hits as stand-alone album.

"Dancing in the Dark" wasn't the only song with hidden undertones.  The title track seems like a cry of patriotism, but was actually a criticism of the Vietnam war and how America had gone on to treat veterans of that conflict.

This album is a monster.  I was not a rabid Springsteen fan by any stretch of the imagination, but I enjoy every song on this album, including the few songs that haven't been thrashed on the radio!  Ended up picking up copies of this album and Nebraska as a result of doing this list.