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Post by zircona1 on Jul 28, 2022 14:28:24 GMT -6
 Gave this another try as it usually places high on Best of the 80's lists. I don't hate the second half, but sometimes it's annoying (the demon voice on 'Waking the Witch' in particular). The first three songs still soar. |
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Post by thebosma on Jul 28, 2022 14:42:56 GMT -6
The demon voice on that track is so sick
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Post by thebosma on Jul 28, 2022 14:43:45 GMT -6
You might like Never For Ever or The Dreaming more
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Post by monasterymonochrome on Jul 28, 2022 15:29:52 GMT -6
 Trying to figure out where I stand on this is proving difficult. It's classic era Dan, so it's obviously at a baseline level of good. But I think I prefer their more complex arrangements like on Aja or Pretzel Logic. Some of these songs find really nice, smooth grooves (Glamour Profession, Babylon Sisters) and I enjoy the skeezy subject matter peppered in throughout. That said, it doesn't really hook me in, ya know? Like, I can listen to it and vibe along and enjoy it. But I'm more like to throw my favorite 3-4 tracks on a playlist than feel like putting the entire album on. Might still make the bottom of my list, we'll see. I do love me some Dan. Gotta check out Fagen's solo record next. one of the saddest albums ever absolutely goated Yea, I mean, I’ve listened to this once yesterday and twice more today now, and each time I’ve liked a different track the most. I think I just needed more time - I’m in for this |
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Post by monasterymonochrome on Jul 28, 2022 15:30:56 GMT -6
You might like Never For Ever or The Dreaming more I’ve really been enjoying The Sensual World a lot this month. Good mix of classic Bush bops, highland music influence, and absurdist narratives. |
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Post by monasterymonochrome on Jul 28, 2022 15:33:01 GMT -6
But yea, HoL will be very high up my list, but I don’t fault anyone for losing enthusiasm over its second half. Took me a while for that to really click for me. Have a really vivid memory of listening to it while wasting time in the stacks at my old library job, reading along to the lyrics, and being incredibly moved by that whole sequence.
And only a little freaked by the demon voice.
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Post by monasterymonochrome on Jul 30, 2022 11:34:04 GMT -6
 An album that sounds a little like four or five different genres while simultaneously sounding like nothing that ever came before it. I get a genuine rush whenever I hear it, usually only like once or twice a year. Some of my favorite guitar sounds ever here - like hooking up Robert Johnson to a megawatt speaker. It's a visceral thriller. (now if only were it not for that *one* word choice in For the Love of Ivy...) |
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Post by monasterymonochrome on Jul 30, 2022 12:19:37 GMT -6
 First time listening to this one - I had no idea George Michael was such a big deal in the States. I'd always assumed he was one of those UK National Treasures that had a hit or two in the U.S. and is thusly critically underrated. Turns out this record had 4 singles hit #1 and another hit #2?!? That's fucking wild - good on you, George. Spent the rest of my morning reading the Tom Breihan columns about those singles (Faith, Father Figure, One More Try, and Monkey) and now feel pretty educated in the Michaelverse. I enjoy the album, but I think it's a little too ballad heavy for me to really love it. And his ballads are nice, especially One More Try, but they don't really hit me the same way, like, a Whitney ballad would. The title track is obvs a classic, but I wanna say - I'm 100% here for his super horny songs tho, namely "I Want Your Sex," parts 1, 2, AND 3. Basically Prince pastiche but damn does he pull it off better than anyone else I've ever heard. I've listened to it like 3 times already today. Maybe this will make the back of my list? But regardless, I'm glad to have checked this one out and fixed a slight blight in my cultural memory. |
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Post by alady on Jul 30, 2022 12:30:11 GMT -6
Holy shit, I'm old
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Post by zircona1 on Jul 30, 2022 15:36:12 GMT -6
Yeah, I remember buying Faith on cassette at the record store in the mall. |
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Post by alady on Jul 30, 2022 16:35:06 GMT -6
Pretty sure my first slow dance was to "Kissing A Fool"
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Post by kb on Aug 1, 2022 8:45:21 GMT -6
Yeah I Am the Reasucrection is pretty phenomenal. I like I Qanna Be Adored a lot too. i would venture to say i qanna be adork is my fave song of all time. |
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Post by monasterymonochrome on Aug 1, 2022 9:14:28 GMT -6
 Yea this was a little more my speed on first listen than Gaucho. Loved the title track, IGY, and Ruby Baby. A bit more movement and interesting arrangements on this record, though I listened back to the first half of Gaucho again afterwards and found myself enjoying it more too. I'd like to give this a proper post-sunset listen, as god intended. Enjoying a second listen of this one. Would now probably slot it below Gaucho (which I've listened to like 4 or 5 times this week now), but it's a great one. "New Frontier" is my new favorite. That bass line is irresistible. |
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Post by ten15 on Aug 1, 2022 9:28:06 GMT -6
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Post by monasterymonochrome on Aug 1, 2022 10:22:54 GMT -6
 Wow - this one's real weird! First time hearing anything on here beyond "Temporary Secretary" and I'm kinda obsessed with it? I love the way it pinballs in increasingly unpredictable directions. You have Pink Floyd-esque blues (On the Way), into a classic Macca ballad (Waterfalls), into a lo-fi RAM styled stomper (Nobody Knows), and then detours into Krautrock, Berlin Bowie, and mutant disco (Frozen Jap in particular seems like a proto-Cyndi Lauper backing track). This album is absolutely bonkers. |
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Post by Tweet on Aug 1, 2022 11:03:35 GMT -6
Listening to this AR Kane album cause it’s called 69 (that’s the sex number!) and boy is it weird
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Post by Tweet on Aug 1, 2022 11:04:30 GMT -6
An album that sounds a little like four or five different genres while simultaneously sounding like nothing that ever came before it. I get a genuine rush whenever I hear it, usually only like once or twice a year. Some of my favorite guitar sounds ever here - like hooking up Robert Johnson to a megawatt speaker. It's a visceral thriller. (now if only were it not for that *one* word choice in For the Love of Ivy...) Late to the party but Miami is the better album by them which will be on my list |
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Post by dij22 on Aug 1, 2022 11:07:21 GMT -6
Wow - this one's real weird! First time hearing anything on here beyond "Temporary Secretary" and I'm kinda obsessed with it? I love the way it pinballs in increasingly unpredictable directions. You have Pink Floyd-esque blues (On the Way), into a classic Macca ballad (Waterfalls), into a lo-fi RAM styled stomper (Nobody Knows), and then detours into Krautrock, Berlin Bowie, and mutant disco (Frozen Jap in particular seems like a proto-Cyndi Lauper backing track). This album is absolutely bonkers. Thank you for correctly appreciating this insane masterpiece |
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Post by monasterymonochrome on Aug 1, 2022 11:15:25 GMT -6
 This one's an old favorite of mine - or at least a favorite since I read about Mission of Burma in Our Band Could Be Your Life however many years ago. I've never been one for their Vs. album, but this debut EP (really ten songs w/ the immaculate Red and All World Western Romance, both top 5 MoB songs, tacked onto the end) is all killer no filler. The guitars are immediate, the drums sound huge without feeling compressed, and the songwriting combines the urgency of hardcore with the wryness of Wire. I mean, there's not one - but two - songs on this thing about dada. And, again, please don't sleep on instrumental closer "All World Western Romance." It sounds like an ode to Branca but actually predates "The Ascension"? Heavy, heady stuff. |
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Post by monasterymonochrome on Aug 1, 2022 11:17:12 GMT -6
Listening to this AR Kane album cause it’s called 69 (that’s the sex number!) and boy is it weird For some reason I'd been confusing AR Kane with This Mortal Coil in my head. Must be the 4AD connection or something. Gonna add this one to my queue. |
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Post by monasterymonochrome on Aug 1, 2022 11:51:48 GMT -6
 Is this the best Husker Du album? Back in college was a diehard Zen Arcade guy, but I find myself returning much more frequently to tracks from New Day Rising. The highs on this are just so good. I mean, Books About UFOs? Girl on Heaven Hill?? I Apologize??? Celebrated Summer?!?! (which, btw, is easily the Huskers best track and on the short list for Best Song of the 80s). I'm a sucker for overlong, epic, loosely connected concept albums, so it's hard for me to accept ranking something above Zen Arcade as a capital A Album. But as to which I prefer? It may just be the follow-up. Edit: Also, I think it's really funny that people heard an album with "How To Skin A Cat" on it and thought the band was selling out |
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Post by monasterymonochrome on Aug 1, 2022 12:19:51 GMT -6
 First time listening to the Cramps and this shit is way cooler than I was expecting. It's like if the B-52s went to hell, or something. Guitar sounds are super cool here, absolutely love the slide going on everywhere. Lux Interior sounds positively possessed. Idk if further listens will have diminishing returns or if I'll like it more and more, but I'm very into it so far. |
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Post by monasterymonochrome on Aug 1, 2022 14:00:17 GMT -6
 Historically I've not been a GnR fan, but they're all in good fun. I've listened to Appetite and the first Use Your Illusion before, but its been a minute. I appreciated the dudes rockin' going on here, but I can't say I got enough out of it for it to crack my final list. I think I just can't get over Axl, tbh. Take "You're Crazy," for example. The solo absolutely rips, I love the way the band's rhythm turns on a dime with such muscularity toward the end - the bass is especially going off. But by this point I've been listening to Axl shimmy and whine over the last 40 minutes and my brain just can't handle another chorus of "You're fuckiiiing craaAAaazzzAAaayyy." I've never really loved Sweet Child for the same reason. Absolutely god tier solo - but the whole "Where do you go now" and "sweet child" whisper section loses me every time. Paradise City is absolutely GOATed tho. And Think About You rocks too. Hey, I used to be a Robert Plant hater and now I love him. So maybe I'll come around on Axl sometime too? As for now, my go-to Dudes Rock 80s album is - and will always remain - Back in Black |
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Post by zircona1 on Aug 1, 2022 14:34:00 GMT -6
^This album will be high on my list. For me, Axl's whole shriek-singing ("LEMME SEE YA TRY!!") makes me laugh. And yes, 'Paradise City' totally rules.
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Post by doso on Aug 1, 2022 21:17:01 GMT -6
It’s high on my list. It’s a damn near perfect hard rock record.
Also re: Hüsker Dü - I’m partial to Flip Your Wig and Candy Apple Grey, but I’ll have to give New Day another spin.
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Post by obmit on Aug 2, 2022 11:07:02 GMT -6
This one's an old favorite of mine - or at least a favorite since I read about Mission of Burma in Our Band Could Be Your Life however many years ago. I've never been one for their Vs. album, but this debut EP (really ten songs w/ the immaculate Red and All World Western Romance, both top 5 MoB songs, tacked onto the end) is all killer no filler. The guitars are immediate, the drums sound huge without feeling compressed, and the songwriting combines the urgency of hardcore with the wryness of Wire. I mean, there's not one - but two - songs on this thing about dada. And, again, please don't sleep on instrumental closer "All World Western Romance." It sounds like an ode to Branca but actually predates "The Ascension"? Heavy, heady stuff. Surprised you don't like Vs. This is def better, and I'm happy to say these guys were wicked live when I saw them in 2012. Their reunion albums are all worth your time too if you've never checked them out. |
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Post by monasterymonochrome on Aug 2, 2022 12:19:55 GMT -6
^This album will be high on my list. For me, Axl's whole shriek-singing ("LEMME SEE YA TRY!!") makes me laugh. And yes, 'Paradise City' totally rules. Listened to the non-singles again this morning, but it's still just not for me. Sorry, GnR Street Team, I really tried. Time to join Bosma on the GnR Hater Squad. |
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Post by thebosma on Aug 2, 2022 12:25:07 GMT -6
Axl Rose voice: Welcome to the haters!
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Post by monasterymonochrome on Aug 2, 2022 13:15:28 GMT -6
 In a sense, A Certain Ratio followed a fairly similar transformative trajectory to New Order as the 70s turned to the 80s. Both shifted from darker, edgier post-punk with traditional instrumentation - to embracing emergent dance music subcultures. Granted, the impetus for ACR's shift was much less macabre. But ACR's Sextet is a document as radical as those early New Order singles. Only, ACR amped up the funk and disco instead of reaching for new electropop heights. The results are striking. Bassist Jez Kerr is going tf off - slapping the shit outta his bass and - alongside funk drummer Donald Johnson - making the rhythm the unrelenting centerpiece of the entire album. New singer Martha Tilson sounds cool and disengaged, working on the edges of the band's loosely structured (or non-existent) melodies. The album is pretty frontloaded, and things get a bit abstract on the second half. But it's one of my favorite under-the-radar post-punk releases. An absolute mood. |
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Post by monasterymonochrome on Aug 2, 2022 14:45:22 GMT -6
 Another album where I immensely dug the front half but slowly lost attention during the backhalf. Usually what I do when that happens is give it another listen, starting on the B-side, so maybe that'll be on my docket for tomorrow. But man that front half absolutely bangs. Never knew that another track "Mediate" segues in straight from "Need You Tonight." And New Sensation and Devil Inside both were great. One of the better synthpop full albums I've heard! Tho, tbh for me that's not the highest of bars. Got a lot of synthpop on the queue next so we'll see how it stacks up with its contemporaries. |
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