In the early ‘80s, Prefab Sprout was a jangly, often heady, melodic English band that drew comparisons to Aztec Camera, Steely Dan, and Elvis Costello. For their second album, they hired synth-pop wiz Thomas Dolby to helm it.His presence brought a more polished production sheen, and the band showed up with a batch of tunes that would launch them into pop consciousness around the world except…in the U.S. “Faron” opens Two Wheels Good, retains some of their jangle, and starts off a brilliant alternative pop album. While Paddy McAloon’s words are often impenetrable, the melodies, arrangements, and production override any lack of lyrical understanding. Even though they weren’t able to conjure a strong follow-up on their subsequent releases, here Prefab Sprout really crafted an ‘80s pop gem that perfectly captures that moment in time.
Now indelibly etched in my mind as the tone setting tune for the genre-bending Robert Rodriquez directed bloodfest, From Dusk Till Dawn, “Dark Night” comes out rockin’ like no other Blasters song had up to that point.Dave Alvin’s screaming guitar took the roots based band into new territory.It might have been too little, too late, but there’s no denying that this is one smokin’ track.So wipe the summer sweat from your brow, crack a cold one and let The Blasters take you on a ride into the “Dark Night.”
Is saloon piano playing the first thing that jumps to mind when you hear the name Husker Du? Not if you’re at all familiar with the alternative rock scene of the 1980s, of which this Minnesota trio was a leading light. Walls of guitar buzz and frenetic rhythms were more the stock-in-trade for axeman Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer Grant Hart, which is why “Books About UFOs” stands out so memorably on their 1985 SST classic New Day Rising. Here tinkling keyboards balance the Huskers’ trademark fuzzy fretwork, as the charming tale of a girl’s fascination with extraterrestrial visitors unfolds at a loping pace. Though I’m not privy to Hart’s writing process here, the song’s keen eye for lyrical detail suggests it could be based on a real person. And am I just hearing things or is the melody reminiscent of The Beach Boys’ “Help Me, Rhonda” in places?
If you like your music with a twist of humor and a touch of exaggerated vanity, then you may enjoy listening to “The Oak Tree” by Morris Day.This track, released back in 1985, as part of the album Color Of Success, is in the same vein as “Jungle Love” and “The Bird”, two earlier recordings by The Time, which was fronted by Morris Day.You may remember Morris Day and The Time from the feature film “Purple Rain” where Morris Day played the antagonist to Prince, all of this taking place in the wild nightclub scene of Minneapolis in the early 80’s, of which I am proud to say, I was a part of.
Throughout the history of recorded music there are very few artists who possess the range of talents that Prince Rogers Nelson does. In the studio he’s a virtual one man band writing, playing all the instruments, and producing. And live, he’s as good on stage as anyone who’s ever taken to it: singing, dancing, and playing the hell out of the guitar. His influences cover the spectrum of popular music and he is equally as funky as he is a rocker. We usually don’t select a song that was released as a single, but “ America ” was not the stand out track from the 1985 album Around the World in a Day, and unless you’re a fan of the Purple one, it may have slipped past you. The song is Prince’s take on mid-’80s, Reagan-era politics with lyrics that mention communism, the minimum wage, and the threat of nuclear war, counter-balanced by his hope for freedom, love, joy, and peace.
It doesn’t get much better than a live “Morning Dew” and while most Dead fans prefer versions from the late ’60s/early ’70s, I like the ones from the ’80s with Brent Mydland jamming on his B-3, Phil dropping a huge bass bomb on the dancing fans and Jerry singing as if his life (and our lives) depended on it. While the song may be about the end of the world, listening to it will make you feel like our time here is worthwhile.
Apparently the job title “flight attendant” didn’t sit well with The Replacements, as they preferred the term “waitress in the sky”.Recorded for their first major release Tim (shortly before Bob Stinson was kicked out of the band), this track captures the original lineup’s brazen songwriting abilities as well as their disdain for traveling coach.
A really simple track. This is from my favorite period of The Velvet Underground, and from an album that had a big influence on me. This song shows just how unique Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison were as guitar players.
Marshall Crenshaw’s second album was produced with an enormousness that tended to eclipse the songs. Happily, his third was more properly scaled. Downtown is an understated work ranking among his best. It closes with “Lesson Number One,” a song that sounds perfectly tailored for The Everly Brothers. There’s subtle emotional tension to it, creating an air of melancholy. The lyrics explain that telling the truth is lesson number one, and you can tell that the narrator learned this the hard way. The song’s power comes from its perfect blend of words and music. Everyone has had experience with the effects of lying, and this song was written and produced in a way that allows a listener to step into it themselves.
At the peak of his powers, Prince was notorious for his coterie of musical protégés, particularly the ladies: Sheila E, Vanity, Apollonia. Sadly, Jill Jones got lost in the shuffle. If they recognize her at all, casual Prince fans probably know Jill—who made one solo album for Paisley Park in 1987—as the pretty blonde club employee in Purple Rain, or the co-vocalist on “It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night” from Sign ‘O’ The Times. As a muse, she reportedly inspired “She’s Always In My Hair,” the B-side of “Raspberry Beret.” But you’ll have to flip over another single from the same period, “Pop Life,” to actually hear her in action. A taunt funk workout à la “U Got The Look” (minus the cartoon-voice bits), on which his Royal Highness kvetches about folks invading his privacy, “Hello” features prominent backing vocals by Jones.
While “Perfect Way” seems to define Scritti Politti in America, “The Word Girl” is the band’s biggest single in their native England. It kicks off their Cupid & Psyche 85, a release that’s truly rooted in the mid-’80s but still plays and feels contemporary. Maybe timeless is a better word. Another one is revolutionary, as it was one of the first albums to really employ sequencing and sampling—yet it’s always quite human; never cold or distant. All that being said, I can honestly say I’ve never met a person familiar with Cupid & Psyche 85 that doesn’t absolutely love it. Its reggae-tinged lead track opens the door and invites you in. If you’ve been there before, you know you’re home. If you’ve never visited, kick off your shoes and enjoy.
While Dokken’s gritty, supersonic second album still stands as their finest hour, the poppier follow-up, Under Lock And Key, served up catchy metallic sounds complemented by lush vocal harmonies that expanded their commercial appeal. In other words, more girls got into them once they added more hooks, studio gloss, and bigger hair. A more rockin’ cousin to the album’s ethereal hit single, “In My Dreams,” “Don’t Lie To Me” is love on the rocks, Dokken-style: Don’s airy vox matched up against George Lynch’s searing leads. It’s one of the harder alternatives to the radio-targeted tracks on Under Lock And Key, and metalheads who like their tuneage a little heavier can get off on it.
