Music Gourmets Presents 60 Years of Great Music - 1985

[Zeeba Neighba]

Yay! First week in the past three that I'm on time with the next year's thread
Here we go with another year in our Series.
Welcome to 1985!

Here's the rules:

Each Friday, we'll introduce a new year from 1957 through 2016. Each member selects an album released in that year with a few lines (or more) on why you picked it/enjoy it. Your selection does not have to be the most important release or the most admired release of that year (though it certainly can be), simply an album that grabs you and that you really love.

However, once an album is selected by a member, you must choose a different album.

Together we will compile quite the canon of "Great Music" and, who knows, maybe inspire each other to check out some new artists (or to revisit old forgotten classics).

This week - the albums of 1985

 

[Unsomnambulist]

The Jesus And Mary Chain - Psychocandy



A "new" sound; perhaps single-handedly created/inspired the genre of Shoegaze (I could be wrong on that.).

What's funny is the first time I heard it some time in the late 80s, I considered it unlistenable. Now it goes down like warm honey.

 

[Old Uncle Toe]

If you've lost track of your Rubik's cube or those big sexy shoulder pads, you can find them here:

https://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/album/1985/1

 

[Postalboy]

John Fogerty- Centerfield

 

[Nickyboy]

If you've lost track of your Rubik's cube or those big sexy shoulder pads, you can find them here:

https://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/album/1985/1

Looking for baggy pants.....

 

[Unsomnambulist]

Looking for baggy pants.....

Is it Hammer Time?

 

[patrikc325]

John Mellencamp - Rain On The Scarecrow

 

[Mattafett]

Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms

A VERY significant album of my childhood.

 

[JazzyRandy]

Sade - Promise

 

[Unsomnambulist]

Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms

A VERY significant album of my childhood.

One of the most well-recorded albums that it has become a cliché in audiophile circles.

 

[Worm]

Heart - st

I just love those Wilson girls. <3

 

[Old Uncle Toe]

As a young man in their big hair MTV days, I had a pretty big crush on them too.

Spoiler: Photo

 

[Ojai Sam]

The Knitters - Poor Little Critter On The Road

This side project with most of X joined by master Blaster Dave Alvin set the stage for alt country. Nobody after The Stray Cats did rockabilly any better, with just a soupçon of skiffle.

 

[Ojai Sam]

Spotify playlist here:

And a fun one it is already.

 

[axolotl]

The Waterboys ~ This is the Sea

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

^
Love that Waterboys album

My pick:
Tom Waits - Rain Dogs



Bought this on cassette in college only a couple of years after it was released. Still not quite sure why - it was so unlike what I was spinning at the time. I had no other Waits albums at the time and had not heard him on the radio. Yet from the first listen, I had never quite heard anything like it. Some songs sounded like sea shanties, some songs were right out of Kurt Weill, others were just so damn beautiful. Multiple Waits albums later, this one still is my favorite

 

[lpfreak1170]

Kate Bush - Hounds Of Love

 

[LeslieC]

Tears for Fears - Songs From the Big Chair

 

[Old Uncle Toe]

Roy Buchanan - When A Guitar Plays The Blues

The first of Roy Buchanan's Alligator Records releases.

For the unwashed, Roy was the Caucasian Jimi Hendrix.

Up until this time, Roy's releases were hit and miss. Some incredible songs, some long, yet not long enough jammy guitar blues tracks, some... well, some a little too hard to digest for all but really serious blues guitar aficionados. When Roy connected with Alligator, producer and owner Bruce Iglauer brought Roy some consistency. Some say Alligator put Roy in a box. That may be true, but it was a box of very consisten B+ grade releases, so hopefully one could excuse the restraint. It was a crying shame that Roy lost his life after only three Alligator releases. I think Ray and Bruce would have found their sweet spot and gotten better and better over time.

 

[JazzyRandy]

Tears for Fears - Songs From the Big Chair

Love love LOVE that album. I remember EWTRTW banging at house parties and on mixtapes. Then I "ripped" the album from a DJ friend onto cassette tape years before I finally got a proper version of the cassette tape. This is one that brings back memories.