Recommendation Thread: 1982

[Moonbeam]

Please post your lists of recommended albums and songs of the amazing year 1982 here!

[Live in Phoenix]

Here, the floodgates really open for hot pop songs.

A few times throughout the '80s, a musician that I normally have little use for ends up surprising me. This year it’s INXS, who I thought were somewhat average rock stars, but sound pretty hot in the new wave era. Or the songs were just better this time out.

For a few years, Billy Idol made mindless hedonism seem like the stuff of grandeur. (Sounds like rock and roll to me!)

Never would I have thought that crabapple Joe Jackson was the man behind the beautiful “Steppin’ Out.”

Yes, Bill Laswell has worked with everyone.



And I hear that Michael Jackson fellow has a follow-up to Off the Wall!

[Brad]

My favorite song, ever:
http://youtu.be/S9WMncHTtEI

[Henrik]

After a year when almost only synth pop worked, artists from many genres came back in great form in 1982.

A little help for those who are interested in obscure (more or less) picks in my top 100 songs playlist:

8. Adolphson & Falk. Great Swedish synth-pop.
14. Michael McDonald. Ah, that voice. Why isn't this more famous and acclaimed than "Regulate"?
15. Lustans Lakejer. Great Swedish new wave.
24-25. Accept. Great German heavy metal.
28. Sylvester. Great Hi-NRG/Disco. I'm not sure if this is a famous Sylvester song.
59. Alpha Blondy. Great African reggae.
74. Anne Clark. Great spoken word pop. Even better songs will follow in 1983 and 1984.
85. Kanchan. Great Bollywood music.

[nicolas]

My main recommendation for 1982 is my number 2 of that year, the very beautiful and moving "Glassworks" by Philip Glass that makes me think of Erik Satie

[Moonbeam]

A truly astonishing year, and arguably my very favorite. 1982 features 6 songs among my all-time top 30, 10 among my top 100, and (naturally) 82 among my top 1000. It is criminal that I can only choose 15! I'll provide links to some of the more obscure ones.

[1] Prince - Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)
[2] Prince - 1999
[3] Gap Band - You Dropped a Bomb on Me
[4] Prince - Moonbeam Levels: An outtake from the 1999 album, this is the source of my username.
[5] Blondie - War Child: Hyperactive, frenetic synth ROCK, this speeds by like a bullet and is my favorite Blondie song.
[6] Prince - All the Critics Love U in New York
[7] The Cure - Let's Go to Bed
[8] Prince - Delirious
[9] Indeep - Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: Not much love for this on the forum from what I can tell. How can you resist that funk curl, though?
[10] Prince - Automatic
[11] Siouxsie and the Banshees - Melt!: Apparently, when the parent album A Kiss in the Dreamhouse came out, a famous review said that the music would "take your breath away". With this song, it's easy to see why. It features a wonderful Japanese koto and showcases that the band had spread its wings and flown well beyond mere post-punk.
[12] Eurythmics - Step on the Beast: It still delights me to no end that (a) I got to include this song in the Artist World Cup and (b) that it nearly took down an Arcade Fire song! Eurythmics had a dark, deranged side that is generally unknown to the public, and this song teeters along the balance of sanity better than just about any other.
[13] Prince - DMSR
[14] Bagarre - For Your Pleasure: This is probably the song that made me love italo disco as a genre. It is a truly bizarre kaleidoscope of all of the elements that make that genre so exciting to me - extensive use of wild synthesizers, B-grade graininess, and rather nonsensical lyrics in the form of a wonderfully weird twist on the classic Little Red Riding Hood tale. Add some Tom Tom Club-esque quirk funk and an exotic atmosphere, and it's a real treat.
[15] Prince - Extraloveable
[16] New Order - Temptation
[17] Michael Jackson - Beat It
[18] George Clinton - Atomic Dog
[19] Siouxsie and the Banshees - Cascade: The breathtaking opening of A Kiss in the Dreamhouse.
[20] Gap Band - Early in the Morning
[21] A Flock of Seagulls - I Ran (So Far Away)
[22] Berlin - The Metro
[23] Yaz - Situation
[24] TOTO - Africa
[25] Eurythmics - The Walk
[26] George Winston - Variations on the Kanon by Pachelbel: I performed this on piano at my Dad's funeral.
[27] George Winston - Carol of the Bells: My favorite version of my favorite ever Christmas song.
[28] Prince - Let's Pretend We're Married
[29] Missing Persons - Windows: Missing Persons have a few cult hits, but this wasn't one of them. Still, I think it's the most emotive and wonderful expression of their colorful brand of new wave.
[30] Kim Wilde - Just a Feeling: Those synths at the beginning sound like the start of a children's epic adventure. Just marvelous.
[31] Chemise - She Can't Love You: I might make a video of this. Hot damn!
[32] The Cure - Cold
[33] George Winston - Night Suite: A perfect encapsulation of the feeling of night during winter in Michigan, when shadows from barren trees snake across a blanket of snow illuminated by moonlight.
[34] George Clinton - Computer Games: The energy in this song is insane, as are the lyrics. What a blast!
[35] Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
[36] Madonna - Everybody
[37] Prince - Free
[38] Romeo Void - Undercover Kept: "Never Say Never" gets all the love, but this wild bonanza of a song is by far my favorite of theirs.
[39] Kim Wilde - Child Come Away: Not your average new wave chick, is she?
[40] Prince - Lady Cab Driver
[41] André Cymone - Baby Don't Go
[42] The Flirts - Passion: Synthesizers as aphrodisiacs, courtesy of Bobby O.
[43] George Winston - Some Children See Him: I performed this at my grandmother's funeral. :')
[44] Eurythmics - Love Is a Stranger
[45] Duran Duran - Save a Prayer
[46] Komiko - Feel Alright: This kind of boogie never fails to make me dance.
[47] Patrice Rushen - Forget-Me-Nots
[48] Thomas Dolby - Airwaves: A much more polished, Bowie-esque song than I would have thought Dolby could make, this is just gorgeous.
[49] Michael Jackson - Human Nature
[50] Roxy Music - To Turn You On
[51] Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way
[52] Lene Lovich - It's You, Only You (Mein Schmerz): That ascending synth line after "maybe, we can make it" always sends chills down my spine!
[53] David Bowie - Cat People (Putting Out Fire)
[54] Dharma - Plastic Doll: Another KILLER italo cut.
[55] Eurythmics - 4/4 in Leather: More wonderfully weird, dark synth pop courtesy of DnA.
[56] Kim Wilde - View from a Bridge
[57] U2 - New Year's Day
[58] Blancmange - Waves
[59] Prince - Turn It Up
[60] Yaz - Winter Kills
[61] Blondie - The Orchid Club: Parent album The Hunter is pretty unanimously panned by critics, but I think it's pretty wonderful. This gnarled fantasy is the opener, and the way it careens into a synthesized alternate world with tribal chanting really gets me going!
[62] Berlin - Sex (I'm a)
[63] Roxy Music - More Than This
[64] Klein & M.B.O. - Dirty Talk: Delightfully libidinous italo.
[65] Evelyn Champagne King - Get Loose: You heard the woman!
[66] Siouxsie and the Banshees - Slowdive
[67] Grace Jones - Nipple to the Bottle
[68] Nick Nicely - Hilly Fields
[69] Bagarre - Dirty Love: Showcasing a funkier side of italo, this cool dark track is another treat from Bagarre.
[70] George Clinton - Man's Best Friend: Irresistibly wonderful synth funk that goes straight for the hips.
[71] Yaz - Only You
[72] Fleetwood Mac - Gypsy
[73] Q - Playback: Wonderful synth pop debut offering by Q, the group that would be a launching pad for Stacey Q!
[74] André Cymone - Kelly's Eyes
[75] Naked Eyes - Always Something There to Remind Me
[76] Missing Persons - Words
[77] Heaven 17 - Let Me Go
[78] The Cure - One Hundred Years
[79] Vanity 6 - Nasty Girl
[80] Kim Wilde - Take Me Tonight
[81] A Flock of Seagulls - Space Age Love Song
[82] Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five - The Message
[83] The Cure - A Strange Day
[84] Laura Branigan - Gloria
[85] Bagarre - No Toys: More dark, sardonic italo from Bagarre.
[86] The Beat - I Confess
[87] Bootsy Collins - Take a Lickin' and Keep on Kickin'
[88] Blondie - English Boys
[89] U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
[90] Lectric Workers - Robot Is Systematic: Psychotic, energetic and robotic italo.
[91] Missing Persons - Destination Unknown
[92] Blancmange - Living on the Ceiling
[93] Yaz - Don't Go
[94] Kate Bush - Night of the Swallows
[95] Simple Minds - Promised You a Miracle
[96] Gap Band - Outstanding
[97] Siouxsie and the Banshees - Painted Bird
[98] George Winston - Joy
[99] The Cure - Just One Kiss
[100] The Time - 777-9311
[101] Zapp - Dance Floor
[102] Eurythmics - Invisible Hands
[103] Eurythmics - Satellite of Love
[104] Kate Bush - Suspended in Gaffa
[105] Eurythmics - Monkey Monkey: Tell me that they're just a pop band. I dare you!
[106] Prince - Purple Music
[107] George Winston - Thanksgiving
[108] Siouxsie and the Banshees - She's a Carnival
[109] Prince - Little Red Corvette
[110] Grace Jones - Cry Now, Laugh Later
[111] Imagination - Just an Illusion
[112] Rick James - Dance Wit' Me
[113] Eurythmics - Home Is Where the Heart Is
[114] George Winston - Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head
[115] Prince - How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore
[116] André Cymone - Get It Girl
[117] Berlin - Pleasure Victim
[118] Berlin - Masquerade
[119] Prince - Do Yourself a Favour
[120] Fleetwood Mac - Hold Me
[121] Bagarre - Little Ladies
[122] Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
[123] Evelyn Champagne King - Love Come Down
[124] Yaz - Midnight
[125] Roxy Music - Take a Chance on Me
[126] Donna Summer - State of Independence
[127] George Winston - Peace
[128] Kim Wilde - Words Fell Down
[129] Missing Persons - Here and Now
[130] Patrice Rushen - All We Need
[131] George Clinton - Loopzilla
[132] George Winston - The Holly and the Ivy
[133] Michael Jackson - P.Y.T.
[134] Stereo - Somewhere in the Night
[135] Echo and the Bunnymen - The Cutter
[136] ABBA - The Day Before You Came
[137] Sylvester - Do You Wanna Funk
[138] Roxy Music - While My Heart Is Still Beating
[139] Bagarre - Circus Is Gone
[140] Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me with Science
[141] Depeche Mode - Leave in Silence
[142] Tears for Fears - Mad World
[143] Siouxsie and the Banshees - Fireworks
[144] Bagarre - Lemonsweet
[145] Kim Wilde - Can You Come Over
[146] Roxy Music - Avalon
[147] Madness - Our House
[148] Billy Idol - White Wedding
[149] Pretenders - Back on the Chain Gang
[150] Prince - International Lover
[151] Zapp - Come On
[152] The Cure - Pornography
[153] Prince - No Call U
[154] Blondie - For Your Eyes Only
[155] The Human League - Mirror Man
[156] Melba Moore - Underlove
[157] Zapp - Playin' Kinda Rough
[158] The Alan Parsons Project - Old and Wise
[159] Prince - Baby You're a Trip
[160] Missing Persons - Noticeable One
[161] Vanity 6 - If a Girl Answers (Don't Hang Up)
[162] The Clash - Rock the Casbah
[163] Grace Jones - My Jamaican Guy
[164] Vanity 6 - Drive Me Wild
[165] Gap Band - Season's No Reason to Change
[166] Blondie - (Can I) Find the Right Words (To Say)
[167] Lou Reed - The Blue Mask
[168] Grace Jones - The Apple Stretching
[169] Prince - Horny Toad
[170] Blondie - Dragonfly

[nicolas]

My African picks so far :

First, this great album from Guinea Bissau



Don't forget the great reggae singer from Côte d'Ivoire (who played in Paris this week)

[nicolas]

The John Cale album is pretty good too. He's both avant garde and folky, that's what I've always loved with him

[jamieW]

Moonbeam: While I was reading through your outstanding song list, I found a few songs that I had questions about, because I have always had them listed as 1983. The songs are: "The Metro" by Berlin, "New Year's Day" by U2, and "Just One Kiss" by the Cure. All three of these are favorites of mine, and I want to make sure I'm including them in the right year (especially since some of my sources for release dates have proven to be unreliable in the past, meaning that I could very well be wrong about all three). Thanks!

[Romain]

The four French songs I put in my top list, all the others songs are well knowns.

Indochine - L'aventurier

Alain Bashung - C'est comment qu'on freine ?

Téléphone - Ca c'est vraiment toi !

Hubert-Félix Thiefaine - Les dingues et les paumés

[Listyguy]

And I hear that Michael Jackson fellow has a follow-up to Off the Wall!

This is one of the best comments I've seen on this forum.

'82 is definitely putting '81 to shame (shocking, I know). I already have three 4.5 star albums on RYM from this year: "Thriller", "1999" and the surprisingly good "Shoot Out the Lights". Just as a means of reference, between the first two years of the poll, I have one 4.5 star album.

[Moonbeam]

Moonbeam: While I was reading through your outstanding song list, I found a few songs that I had questions about, because I have always had them listed as 1983. The songs are: "The Metro" by Berlin, "New Year's Day" by U2, and "Just One Kiss" by the Cure. All three of these are favorites of mine, and I want to make sure I'm including them in the right year (especially since some of my sources for release dates have proven to be unreliable in the past, meaning that I could very well be wrong about all three). Thanks!

Thanks for the compliment! I look forward to your list.

"The Metro" is on Pleasure Victim, which according to RYM is from 1982. "Just One Kiss" was first released as the B-side to "Let's Go to Bed" in November 1982, according to RYM. You're right about "New Year's Day" being from 1983. I thought it was released in December 1982, but I was wrong. It was released in January 1983 as the lead single from War. Thanks!

[jamieW]

Moonbeam: While I was reading through your outstanding song list, I found a few songs that I had questions about, because I have always had them listed as 1983. The songs are: "The Metro" by Berlin, "New Year's Day" by U2, and "Just One Kiss" by the Cure. All three of these are favorites of mine, and I want to make sure I'm including them in the right year (especially since some of my sources for release dates have proven to be unreliable in the past, meaning that I could very well be wrong about all three). Thanks!

Thanks for the compliment! I look forward to your list.

"The Metro" is on Pleasure Victim, which according to RYM is from 1982. "Just One Kiss" was first released as the B-side to "Let's Go to Bed" in November 1982, according to RYM. You're right about "New Year's Day" being from 1983. I thought it was released in December 1982, but I was wrong. It was released in January 1983 as the lead single from War. Thanks!

Thanks, Moonbeam! The only one I thought I might be right about was "New Year's Day." I had a feeling my sources were wrong about both "The Metro" and "Just One Kiss." I will include both of these on my top 100 list for 1982. Thanks again!

[Moonbeam]

Moonbeam: While I was reading through your outstanding song list, I found a few songs that I had questions about, because I have always had them listed as 1983. The songs are: "The Metro" by Berlin, "New Year's Day" by U2, and "Just One Kiss" by the Cure. All three of these are favorites of mine, and I want to make sure I'm including them in the right year (especially since some of my sources for release dates have proven to be unreliable in the past, meaning that I could very well be wrong about all three). Thanks!

Thanks for the compliment! I look forward to your list.

"The Metro" is on Pleasure Victim, which according to RYM is from 1982. "Just One Kiss" was first released as the B-side to "Let's Go to Bed" in November 1982, according to RYM. You're right about "New Year's Day" being from 1983. I thought it was released in December 1982, but I was wrong. It was released in January 1983 as the lead single from War. Thanks!

Thanks, Moonbeam! The only one I thought I might be right about was "New Year's Day." I had a feeling my sources were wrong about both "The Metro" and "Just One Kiss." I will include both of these on my top 100 list for 1982. Thanks again!

I've discovered why I thought "New Year's Day" was from 1982: Discogs has two issues of the single bearing a date of 1982, a 12" from Germany and a 7" from Netherlands. Nonetheless, the tradition of these polls is to use RYM as the source for dating, and hence "New Year's Day" is a 1983 song by that criterion. Thanks for the correction!

[Jirin]

1. Michael Jackson - Thriller
2. Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska
3. Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes
4. Roxy Music - Avalon
5. Lou Reed - The Blu Mask
6. Elvis Costello - Imperial Bedroom
7. You - Time Code
8. Brygada Kryzys - Brygada Kryzys
9. Flipper - Generic
10. Midnight Oil - 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1
11. ABC - Lexicon Of Love
12. The Cure - Pornography
13. Mission of Burma - Vs
14. Richard and Linda Thompson - Shoot Out The Lights
15. The Clash - Combat Rock

[Moonbeam]

Rather than post a full list of albums, I'll highlight a few that I think aren't very well known over a few posts.

[Moonbeam]

Bagarre - Circus

Chalk one up for the internet age. Perhaps even more subversive than rock and roll itself, the internet has simultaneously brought a massive entertainment industry to its knees while greatly increasing access to obscure, long-forgotten or never-known music. I could rant about the ever decreasing value of music in the wake of clickable disposability, but let it suffice to say that I standly firmly with the old guard of music consumers. For as many physical artifacts of music that I have collected over the years, however, it is the internet that has led me to the lion's share of my collection. Elucidating this point, Annie's "Anthonio" single proved to me my favorite of 2009 and in turn ignited an obsessive quest for old italo disco tracks. Italo has become a goldmine of goodies for me, none moreso than this album.

Circus leads off with "Lemonsweet", the song which garners all of the attention that this band receives. An acerbic disco explosion, it establishes the loose theme of the album quite well- the perspective of an ambitious woman in the early 80s. A thinly veiled metaphor for dropping acid in a club, "Lemonsweet" cracks within its own delirium, as the woman depicted collapses into a repeated incantation of "54", a clear nod to the famed Studio. From there, the punchy new wave of "Little Ladies" lampoons the perceived model of success for a good girl, with sardonic references to "working hard to marry rich someday" and "good girls never stay up late at night" opening up to a truly lovely chorus. The sole ballad of the album follows in the form of "Circus Is Gone", a plaintive paean to the past that nostalgically glides by on a bed of keyboards and bass guitar into a glorious melancholy.

The album picks up with "Dirty Love", which works up an appropriate funk to provide a backdrop for the singer as she voices her displeasure in her lover's antics: "I don't like the way you're coming in so drunk again, you're smelling like the train again, love is getting dirty". Sordidly catchy and well performed, it would not be surprising to envision an alternate universe in which this was a well-received hit. "No Toys" ups the funk ante with a playful homage to material luxury that features a spunky half-rap. The highlight of the album, nonetheless, is the meandering hybrid of "For Your Pleasure", which at turns showcases a sort of French whimsy, synth pop glory, quirky funk vamps and post punk experimentation, all brilliantly. It starts off with the singer relating an episode in the recording studio, setting the stage for her to unintentionally fall for her controlling collaborator. Somehow, though, she flips the script and this “ever so pretty and ever so intelligent” girl refuses to be taken advantage of by such wolves. The conclusion? “She eats wolf chops all day, and laughs”, of course! A disco remix of "Lemonsweet" closes the album in style.

Circus likely was doomed to obscurity from the start. Indeed, little if any information is known about the band at all. Nevertheless, Circus dexterously carves out six tidy slices of synth pop, italo disco, new wave and even funk. What the vocals lack (and they do lack) in technical prowess, they make up for with colorful personality and a sort of grainy, cheap, but well-made 80s horror movie quality.

I write this review after returning from my local record store a bit dismayed, having seen their selection nearly halved in size- another casualty to the digital age "download stations" are replacing actual physical copies of music. Then again, what is the likelihood that I would have ever been aware of such a strong hidden treasure of an album like this back in 1982, let alone find it in the most expansive of record stores? As I try to adapt to the new business model of the music industry, these mp3s will stay on my hard drive until I can track down a vinyl copy of this album in some virtual record store.

[Moonbeam]

André Cymone - Livin' in the New Wave

As the bass guitarist in Prince's camp during his ascent to stardom, André Cymone was instrumental in the sound and the scene that was burgeoning in Minneapolis. As such, it is impossible to review his debut effort Livin' in the New Wave without drawing inevitable comparisons. Some fans even suggest that Cymone's impact was not only crucial, but formative. Indeed, the songs here do raise a few questions about exactly who was influencing whom, as the resemblance between them and Prince's sacred synth funk trilogy of Dirty Mind, Controversy, and 1999 is quite striking. Such is the specter of greatness cast by those albums that there is no contradiction in awarding the clearly B-grade variations here such a high rating.

All of the trademark elements of the Minneapolis Sound are on full display here. Want weirdness? Check out the synth freak out at the 3-minute mark of the blitzkrieg of a title track, or the "Do Me Baby"-esque synth epilogue of the rockabilly semi-ballad "All I Need Is You". After raunchy dance floor fillers and innuendo? "Kelly's Eyes", "Trouble" and "So Fine" offer lascivious fun, although tempered a bit from the carnal colloquialisms of Prince and Vanity 6. Looking for brash egotism? There are few exhibitions of ego more outlandish than putting one's own name in the lyrics, which Cymone does not once, but twice, as he is both called to flash some loving dear Kelly's way ("Kelly's Eyes") and commanded to "do that dance" ("Get It Girl"). How about future-looking, synth heavy production? "Get It Girl" is a feverish bullet train of multiple synth runs and processed vocals, while photon beats and sustained synth pulses make the tender ballad "Baby Don't Go" sound like the number 1 song on Saturn in 2087. In the mood for gritty, Dirty Mind-like rock and roll? "Ritz Club", "Voice on the Radio" and "All I Need Is You" rumble with raw energy. Add to the mix a limitless sense of fun and André's sizable bass prowess, particularly on funk rompers "Livin' in the New Wave", "Trouble", and "So Fine" and the mixture is complete - Livin' in a New Wave leaves no doubt as to its place of origin.

Given all of its virtues, why wasn't the album a hit, then? The only plausible cause is that it does not exhibit the songwriting skill and courting of the pop market in the same way that Prince did. There aren't any obvious choices for singles here - "Kelly's Eyes" probably would have stood the best chance with its singalong chorus, but beyond that the songs were likely too specific for crossover appeal. Sucker as I am for funk, new wave, as especially the marriage of the two, though, and the jagged neon streaks of color on display here suit me just fine!

It is this skill as a producer that would ultimate pay dividends for Dré when he co-wrote and produced material for other artists in the late 80s, most notably wife Jody Watley. Nonetheless, Livin' in the New Wave is both a perfect introduction to Cymone's vibrant and fun brand and a worthy if unheralded envoy of the Minneapolis Sound.

[Moonbeam]

George Winston - December

Simply put, this album is sacred. December does not fit too comfortably with the rest of my musical collection full of pop, funk, glam and post-punk. Nevertheless, it is absolutely one of my most cherished albums, not only for the content but also for what it has come to mean throughout my life.

Like most other George Winston efforts, December features his evocative piano playing and nothing else. Really, there is nothing else needed to add any more magic to these songs than what is already present. With a brilliant understanding of timing, volume and silence, George Winston creates a wonderful assortment of moods and atmospheres that capture the essence of the holiday season in America. While only a few of the songs touch on Christian themes, the entire album is graced with such a profund sanctity that it plays like a proper hymnal.

While the appeal of December is universal, its effect is also deeply personal for me. December is interwined so deeply in my core that it's difficult for me to envision a world without it. I grew up in Southeastern Michigan, and while my family did not have much in the way of traditions, we always celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas with my grandmother, and this album was always there as the soundtrack. So it is that "Joy" takes me back to baking Christmas cookies at her house and "Peace" makes me recall the dorky game my brother and I used to play where we would compete to see who was caught looking at the other when the solitary chords came in. It was there as I was learning to play piano and greatly influenced my style of play, giving me years upon years of enjoyment and release that only playing an instrument can manage. It was there for countless hours of study during high school, college and graduate school. And it was there when I needed inspiration for a piece to play at my father's funeral (The "Pachelbel Kanon") and my grandmother's seven months later ("Some Children See Him").

I have since moved to Sydney, Australia, where Christmas typically finds residents hiding from the heat. And while winter days can get cold here, there is no wintry magic. There isn't the opportunity to stand outside at night in awe of the long, gray shadows stretching out from barren trees over the smooth, snowy, moonlit landscape, but hearing the "Night" suite reminds me just how that feels. My wife had never seen snow before I met her, but it was a real treat to see the childlike wonder in her eyes as she witnessed her first snowstorm and visited the world's largest Christmas store in Frankenmuth. And so it is with the dancing piano keys of Winston's version of "Carol of the Bells" that this vivid imagery rushes back from my memory.

If I had to sum up everything that music means to me and demonstrate its capacity, I would probably rattle off a lengthy diatribe of hyperbole after hyperbole, as I tend to do in many of my album reviews (such as this one). I'd be much better served to just provide this music as an example. Essentially, December isn't so much just an album, but a physical representation of everything I hold near and dear.

[Moonbeam]

Kim Wilde - Select

With her self-titled debut album, Kim Wilde put herself squarely at the forefront of new wave pop stars. Rather than recycle the formula that made Kim Wilde such a hit, however, she and her songwriting team of her brother and father opted to update their sound on Select. Capturing the spirit of the times, the album is enveloped by an icy synth fog, making her more of a contemporary to Berlin than Blondie. Armed with a natural change of style and a stronger set of songs than the debut, Select remains one of the stronger synth pop albums of the early 80s.

The change in sound is evident right from the start, as the jittery synths of "Ego" are merely complemented by scattered guitar work, whereas the reverse is true for nearly all of the songs on Kim Wilde. Nevertheless, the commitment to catchy melodies and a peppy punch remain intact. "Words Fell Down" resumes the nervous energy with a whirlwind of synths and a timely woodblock, of all things! A deep, hushed male voice comes in toward the end during a siren-like synth line, giving the song a dark edge. "Action City" is a sort of sequel to "Our Town" from the first album, but the populist call for change of the earlier song is replaced by a more sinister "brave new world". "Take Me Tonight" is awash in seduction and boasts one of the album's best melodies while adored with a lush, swirling synth line. Meanwhile, "Just a Feeling" begins with an epic lead-in straight out of a children's fantasy movie with layers upon layers of synths and a persistent drum beat creating a sense of an important mission being undertaken. It is also Kim's first successful ballad and a definite highlight, so mission accomplished! Really, the only link to her first album comes with the 50s rave up "Can You Come Over".

As with the debut, the lyrical content of the album is out of the ordinary for a pop artist. The themes of the songs suit the cold synth sound well, giving them lasting impact. "View from a Bridge" sounds frantic with its depiction of a girl on the brink of suicide, and the deep male vocal comes in again to add a dark streak. "Wendy Sadd" covers similar thematic territory but sounds much more bubbly until a sweeping, eerie synth stretches across the last minute. "Chaos at the Airport" lives up to its title with a particularly paranoid chorus. Best of all is the album's biggest hit and closing song, "Cambodia", which employs an octave-stepping bass line and a phlanged, dense synth arrangement to create a claustrophobic atmosphere. Limited though her voice may be, Kim stretches it to the limit as she depicts the tale of an increasingly disillusioned soldier that is eventually lost. The reprise replicates helicopter sounds and a stirring synth finish.

With Select, Kim Wilde successfully transformed her sound and maintained her commercial cache. Unfortunately, despite the high quality of subsequent efforts like 1982's chilling orphaned single "Child Come Away" and 1983's more experimental Catch As Catch Can, she lost her mainstream footing. Nevertheless, Select is a rare triumph and the best album of Kim's career.

[Moonbeam]

Missing Persons - Spring Session M

The early 80s was a fun time for music, as the prominence of the synthesizer made for a future-focused slew of acts yearning to make it big. At the advent of the MTV era, those who succeeded most were the ones who put a great deal of effort into their image as well. While they did not manage to completely set the charts on fire, Missing Persons nonetheless were quite visible in 1982, and with an album as fun and full of character as Spring Session M, it's not hard to see why.

I suppose the biggest criticism that can be levelled upon Spring Session M is that its production screams 1982. Spiky and digitized guitars, layers of synths and drums that mark a quick 4/4 tempo were the order of the day in 1982, and they are all abundant here. Nonetheless, I am a big fan of this sound, so it presents itself as a bonus rather than an annoyance. Moreover, this album is far from an exercise of perfunctory new wave snappiness. Singer Dale Bozzio immediately drew attention with her bleached platinum hair with pink streaks in addition to strange and sometimes miniature outfits. Her voice, while not particularly strong, conveys a ton of character as she yelps, squeaks, warbles and snarls her way through songs of relationships on the edge of shambles, youthful defiance and gritty streets. As pop music goes, it doesn't get much more immediately gratifying than this.

The songs herein are for the most part very memorable. The vibrant new wave production is quite the asset, but the melodies are what elevate these tracks into great ambassadors of early 80s pop. Capturing the cultural zeitgest, "Noticeable One" shamelessly clamors for attention and earns it courtesy of Bozzio's sharp growl, a cracking chorus and some surprisingly effective backing vocals from the male members of the band. "It Ain't None of Your Business", "Here and Now" and "Bad Streets" drive a propulsive keyboard that marks every beat of quick 4/4 measures to become perfect pogoing platforms, while the shifting quirkiness of "Rock and Roll Suspension" justifies the outlandish imagery. "Tears" meanwhile, is a prettier, softer offering to broaden the palette. That these tracks stand up to the big singles from the album is a testament to its consistently high quality.

As for the singles, they are all perfectly melodic, sharply produced, tasty slices of new wave. "Walking in L.A." gives the album a grittiness absent from most contemporary pop music, while "Destination Unknown" rides an awesome and peculiar guitar line to a supremely catchy chorus to capture the dizzying excitement of this colorful and brave new world of pop. Even better, "Words" showcases Bozzio's squeaky delivery in her quest for better communication. There are so many highlights here, from the buzzing synths to the three-note guitar squelch in response to the lyric "I think I'll dye my hair blue" and finally to the wondrous moment when the "Do you hear me?"s of the chorus are joined by high-pitched repetitions of "What are words for?!" to great effect. Best of the bunch, though, is the incandescent glory of "Windows". Sparkly synthesizers immediately announce its beauty and power as they carve out a pleading, emotive melody amplified further by pretty guitar work. A call for protection from the outside world but with a window through which to view it, it is a rare moment of introspection and vulnerability delivered with a starlit, magical wonder that only 80s production can manage.

Ultimately, Spring Session M is the rainbow sherbet of the ice cream world - it's vibrant, its flavor has a fair bit of tart and its impact is immediate. Sure, there are deeper, weightier and more subtle flavors out there, but there's no better choice for instant tasty gratification.

[Moonbeam]

Siouxsie and the Banshees - A Kiss in the Dreamhouse

I haven't written a review of this yet, but it is a breathtaking, captivating album that really saw Siouxsie and the Banshees fully spread their wings and embrace new sounds and textures. The highlights for me include the lush seduction of "Melt!" complete with a Japanese koto, the beautiful opener "Cascade", and the bizarre danceworthy stringed fury of "Slowdive". Also featured are the whimsical whirlwind of joy "She's a Carnival", the eerie and sinister "Obsession", the experimental kaleidoscope of "Circle", the aptly-named soaring and colorful "Painted Bird" and the snazzy, jazzy "Cocoon". The injection of strings adds a gorgeous and regal element to the proceedings, and Siouxsie's vocals have never been better.

[Moonbeam]

Blondie - The Hunter

Again, no review yet. This album is generally considered their worst, but I think it's right up there! It has my very favorite Blondie track in the racing synth rock of "War Child", the ornate and exotic "Orchid Club", the bizarre but gripping sci-fi epic "Dragonfly", the lush lost Bond theme "For Your Eyes Only" and the gorgeous homage to the late 60s of "English Boys" featuring Debbie's best vocals ever. It isn't as immediately accessible as some of their more well-received albums, but I love the penchant for weirdness and the exotic elements of this album.

[Moonbeam]

I also should share that I've discovered 3 pretty great albums today from 1982:

Fad Gadget - Under the Flag: Dark, experimental, somewhat gothic, somewhat beautiful synth pop
Philip Glass - Glassworks: A joyful exposition in repetitive, intricate, and gorgeous rhythms.
Oppenheimer Analysis - New Mexico: Low-key synth pop with a cold war theme.

[Moonbeam]

I forgot to mention that Tantra (the wonderful italo act responsible for "The Hills of Katmandu") released an EP/album called either Tantra II or The Journey Continues with 2 15-minute tracks - "Macumba" and "A Placed Called Tarot". These tracks aren't quite as mind-bogglingly astonishing as "The Hills of Katmandu", but they are nonetheless wonderful excursions into mystical, hyper-rhythmic, super-synthesized dance. It's very hard to track these tracks down online, but this video nearly contains the entirety of "A Place Called Tarot":

[nicolas]

In the midst of the Monbeam rain, I have another recommendation : the fantastic Joe Jackson album, Night and Day which starts a little slowly but takes off at track 4 for a streak of 5 fantastic songs ("Target"/"Steppin'Out"/"Breakin' Us In Two"/"Cancer") and then gently lands with "Slow Song". It reminds me of Rufus Wainwright (not only the gay aspect, but also those songs made for singing with great piano melodies). Not the cup of tea of everyone here (maybe too demonstrative and straightforward for some of the AMers) but what a fantastic album!! I love everything : the vocals, the arrangements, the songwriting. IMO by far Joe's best album;

[Henry]

"Noticeable One" shamelessly clamors for attention and earns it courtesy of Bozzio's sharp growl, a cracking chorus and some surprisingly effective backing vocals from the male members of the band. "It Ain't None of Your Business", "Here and Now" and "Bad Streets" drive a propulsive keyboard that marks every beat of quick 4/4 measures to become perfect pogoing platforms, while the shifting quirkiness of "Rock and Roll Suspension" justifies the outlandish imagery. "Tears" meanwhile, is a prettier, softer offering to broaden the palette. That these tracks stand up to the big singles from the album is a testament to its consistently high quality.

As for the singles, they are all perfectly melodic, sharply produced, tasty slices of new wave. "Walking in L.A." gives the album a grittiness absent from most contemporary pop music, while "Destination Unknown" rides an awesome and peculiar guitar line to a supremely catchy chorus to capture the dizzying excitement of this colorful and brave new world of pop. Even better, "Words" showcases Bozzio's squeaky delivery in her quest for better communication.

We share affection for Missing Persons. I likely need to revise my list to include them.

[Dan]

Mid-month lists...

Favourite albums:

1 | Bruce Springsteen | Nebraska ( Singer/Songwriter, Americana )
2 | Michael Jackson | Thriller ( Pop, Contemporary R&B )
3 | Yazoo | Upstairs at Eric's ( Synth Pop )
4 | Prince | 1999 ( Synth Funk, Pop )
5 | Joe Jackson | Night and Day ( Sophisti-Pop, Latin )
6 | Orchestra Baobab | Vol.1: Senegambie ( Afro-Cuban )
7 | Ñico Saquito | Good-bye Mr. Cat ( Cuban Son ) Thanks nicolas
8 | Dexys Midnight Runners | Too-Rye-Ay ( Pop/Rock, Folk )
9 | Ted Hawkins | Watch Your Step ( Soul, Acoustic Roots )
10 | ABC | Lexicon of Love ( New Romantic, Synth Pop )
11 | Alpha Blondy | Jah Glory ( Reggae ) Thanks nicolas
12 | The Roches | Keep On Doing ( Folk Pop )
13 | Fausto | Por Este Rio Acima ( Progressive Folk, Portuguese Folk Music )
14 | Elvis Costello | Imperial Bedroom ( Pop/Rock, Singer/Songwriter )
15 | Orange Juice | You Can't Hide Your Love Forever ( Jangle Pop, Indie Pop )
16 | Duran Duran | Rio ( New Romantic, New Wave )
17 | Marshall Crenshaw | Marshall Crenshaw ( Power Pop, Pop/Rock )
18 | Zé Manel | Tustumunhos di Aonti ( Guinean ) Thanks nicolas
19 | The Clash | Combat Rock ( New Wave, Punk Rock )
20 | Sarah Vaughan | Crazy and Mixed Up ( Vocal Jazz )
21 | Roxy Music | Avalon ( Pop/Rock, Sophisti-Pop )
22 | Kate Bush | The Dreaming ( Art Pop, Progressive Pop )
23 | Richard & Linda Thompson | Shoot Out the Lights ( Folk Rock, Singer/Songwriter )
24 | Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five | The Message ( Disco Rap, Hip Hop )
25 | Peter Gabriel | Peter Gabriel (IV)/Security ( Art Rock )
26 | The Gap Band | Gap Band IV ( Synth Funk, Contemporary R&B )

Favourite songs, including a Spotify playlist of all but 2 songs (YouTube links below for the 2 missing songs):

1 | Michael Jackson | Billie Jean ( Pop )
2 | Bruce Springsteen | Atlantic City ( Singer/Songwriter, Americana )
3 | The Jam | Town Called Malice ( Mod Revival )
4 | Yazoo | Only You ( Synth Pop )
5 | Prince | Little Red Corvette ( Funk, Pop )
6 | The Gap Band | You Dropped a Bomb on Me ( Synth Funk ) Thanks Moonbeam
7 | Michael Jackson | Beat It ( Pop/Rock, Pop )
8 | The Weather Girls | It's Raining Men ( Disco, Dance-Pop )
9 | Yazoo | Don't Go ( Synth Pop )
10 | Prince | 1999 ( Synth Funk, Synth Pop )
11 | Roxy Music | More Than This ( Pop/Rock, New Romantic )
12 | Men Without Hats | The Safety Dance ( Synth Pop ) Thanks Henrik
13 | Eurythmics | Love Is a Stranger ( Synth Pop )
14 | Dexys Midnight Runners | Come On Eileen ( Pop/Rock )
15 | George Strait | Amarillo by Morning ( Country ) Thanks nicolas
16 | Ted Hawkins | Bring It on Home Daddy ( Soul )
17 | Joe Jackson | Steppin' Out ( New Wave, Synth Pop )
18 | Orchestra Baobab | Utrus Horas ( Afro-Cuban )
19 | Bruce Springsteen | Mansion on the Hill ( Singer/Songwriter, Americana )
20 | Madness | Our House ( Pop, New Wave )
21 | ABC | The Look of Love ( New Romantic, Pop )
22 | Michael Jackson | Thriller ( Pop, Pop/Rock )
23 | Robert Wyatt | Shipbuilding ( Singer/Songwriter, Vocal Jazz )
24 | Psychic TV | Just Drifting (For Caresse) ( Singer/Songwriter ) Thanks Honorio
25 | Ñico Saquito | Me Tenian Amarrado con Fe ( Cuban Son )
26 | Duran Duran | Hungry Like the Wolf ( New Romantic, New Wave )
27 | Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five | The Message ( Disco Rap, Hip Hop )
28 | The Clash | Rock the Casbah ( New Wave, Pop/Rock )
29 | The Pointer Sisters | I'm So Excited ( Dance-Pop, Pop Soul )
30 | Dionne Warwick | Heartbreaker ( Pop Soul ) Thanks bonnielaurel
31 | Fausto | O barco vai de saída ( Progressive Folk, Portuguese Folk Music )
32 | Marshall Crenshaw | Someday, Someway ( Power Pop, Pop/Rock )
33 | Patrice Rushen | Forget Me Nots ( Boogie, Disco )
34 | Prince | Delirious ( Synth Funk, Pop )
35 | ABBA | The Day Before You Came ( Pop )
36 | Yazoo | Bad Connection ( Synth Pop )
37 | Indeep | Last Night a DJ Saved My Life ( Disco, Funk ) Thanks Moonbeam
38 | Taco | Puttin' on the Ritz ( Show Tunes, New Wave ) Thanks Henrik
39 | Bruce Springsteen | Highway Patrolman ( Singer/Songwriter, Americana )
40 | Willie Nelson | Always on My Mind ( Country )
41 | Marvin Gaye | Sexual Healing ( Smooth Soul )
42 | Pretenders | Back on the Chain Gang ( New Wave, Jangle Pop )
43 | Shalamar | I Can Make You Feel Good ( Boogie, Disco ) Thanks Henrik
44 | ESG | Dance ( Dance-Punk ) Thanks sonofsamiam
45 | Bruce Springsteen | Nebraska ( Singer/Songwriter, Americana )
46 | Culture Club | Do You Really Want to Hurt Me ( Pop, Pop Reggae )
47 | Michael Jackson | Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' ( Dance-Pop, Disco )
48 | Toto | Africa ( Pop/Rock )
49 | Roxy Music | Avalon ( Pop/Rock, Sophisti-Pop )
50 | Alpha Blondy | Rasta Poue ( Reggae )
51 | Orchestra Baobab | Sandachi/Soldadi ( Afro-Cuban )
52 | Monsoon | Ever So Lonely ( Pop, South Asian )
53 | Orange Juice | Consolation Prize ( Jangle Pop, Indie Pop )
54 | Joe Jackson | Cancer ( Pop, Sophisti-Pop )
55 | Michael Jackson | Human Nature ( Pop Soul )
56 | Ronnie Hudson & the Street People | West Coast Poplock ( Synth Funk, Boogie )
57 | Horace Andy | Spying Glass ( Reggae, Dub ) Thanks antonius
58 | The Roches | Want Not Want Not ( Folk Pop )
59 | Kate Bush | Suspended in Gaffa ( Art Pop, Progressive Pop )
60 | Sister Nancy | Bam Bam ( Dancehall )
61 | The Clash | Should I Stay or Should I Go ( New Wave, Punk Rock )
62 | ABC | All of My Heart ( New Romantic, Synth Pop )
63 | Black Uhuru | Emotional Slaughter ( Reggae ) Thanks Henrik
64 | Haircut 100 | Love Plus One ( New Wave, Pop ) Thanks Honorio
65 | Charanjit Singh | Raga Bhairav ( Acid House, South Asian ) Thanks Charlie Driggs

[nicolas]

Dan,

Thanks for your fantastic list! How did you find the Ted Hawkins album? I couldn't lay my hand on it (on the Web and in the real world)

[Dan]

How did you find the Ted Hawkins album? I couldn't lay my hand on it (on the Web and in the real world)

I couldn't find it either, so I bought it on iTunes. Don't know if it's available on iTunes in France. I'll try to find a way to send it to you. I think you'd like it.

[Moonbeam]

1982 is the year that just keeps on giving.

I've made a few awesome song discoveries thanks to some of the posted lists. At the forefront right now are two:

Shriekback - "My Spine (Is the Bass Line)": An appropriate title to this bendy, twisty, turny, nerdy funk. The bass is as wonderful as promised by such a title.

Gary Davis and His Professor - "The Professor Here": Another song with a wonderfully deep groove, it's got an underground, almost haunted house feel courtesy of some eerie synths. It boogies along a wonderful plane transversing synth funk, electro, and hip hop.

[nicolas]

A great year indeed, even for those who are not too found of post punk and synth pop.

[Henrik]

Here's a great Parisian combination of electronica and bossa nova from 1982, although it sounds like it's from 1998 or something. Very fresh sound and ahead of its time.

Antena - Camino Del Sol

[Live in Phoenix]

More freaking songs – use ‘em, don’t use ‘em, but they’re here for your enjoyment.

The Descendents' Milo Goes to College is basically the '80s punk album that I wish Damaged could have been. They're not the same kind of group, but the album’s got a lot more actual tunes, and it still has plenty of high-speed tempo and scattershot rage.

Oingo Boingo’s albums are terminally ‘80s, if you like that sort of thing. (I do.) In that sense, they remind me of ‘70s progressive rock albums, i.e. you’ll probably never see their like again.

Speaking of terminally ‘80s, has there ever been a patron saint of losers like the Flock of Seagulls guy? (And just whatcha gonna do with that photograph?)

[Miguel]

This is my list of songs that are available on Spotify.

[Bruno]

Top Songs

1. Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
2. Michael Jackson - Beat It
3. Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five - The Message
4. Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams
5. Michael Jackson - Thriller
6. Survivor - Eye Of Tiger
7. Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing
8. Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force - Planet Rock
9. Duran Duran - Hungry Like The Wolf
10. Prince - Little Red Corvette
11. Toto - Africa
12. The Clash - Should I Stay Or Should I Go
13. Toto - Rosanna
14. Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse Of The Heart
15. Duran Duran - Save a Prayer
16. Daryl Hall & John Oates - Maneater
17. Pointer Sisters - I'm So Excited
18. The Clash - Rock The Casbah
19. Prince - 1999
20. Supertramp - It's Raining Again
21. Culture Club - Do You Really Want To Hurt Me
22. Chicago - Hard To Say I'm Sorry
23. Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin Something'
24. Weather Girls - It's Raining Men
25. Violent Femmes - Blister in the Sun
26. Santana - Hold On
27. Kansas - Play The Game Tonight
28. Imagination - Just An Illusion
29. Elton John - Empty Garden
30. Dazz Band - Let It Whip
31. Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music - More Than This
32. Alan Parsons Project - Eye In The Sky
33. John Denver & Placido Domingo - Perhaps Love
34. Adrian Gurvitz - Classic
35. Boys Town Gang - Can't Take My Eyes Off You
36. Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen
37. Iron Maiden - Run To The Hills
38. Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder - Ebony And Ivory
39. Christopher Cross & Alessi - Forever
40. Shalamar - A Night To Remember
41. Paul Davis - Cool Night
42. America - You Can Do Magic
43. Dionne Warwick - Heartbreaker
44. Don Mclean - Castles In The Air
45. George Benson - Turn Your Love Around
46. Tears For Fears - Mad World
47. John Cougar Mellencamp - Hurts So Good
48. Eddy Grant - I Don't Wanna Dance
49. Toni Basil - Hey Mickey
50. Daryl Hall & John Oates - One On One
51. Michael McDonald - I Keep Forgettin
52. Lindsey Buckingham - Trouble
53. Kids From Fame - Starmaker
54. Donald Fagen - I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)
55. George Thorogood - Bad To The Bone
56. Laura Branigan - Gloria
57. Odyssey - Inside Out
58. Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes - Up Where We Belong
59. Denise Williams - It's Gonna Take a Miracle
60. Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast
61. Hot Chocolate - It Started With A Kiss
62. Iron Maiden - Hallowed Be Thy Name
63. Jeffrey Osbourne - On The Wings
64. John Cougar Mellencamp - Jack And Diane
65. Duran Duran - Rio
66. Eddy Grant - Electric Avenue
67. Barbra Streisand - Memory
68. Aretha Franklin - Jump To It
69. Steve Winwood - Valerie
70. Charlene - I've Never Been To Me
71. Fleetwood Mac - Hold Me
72. Billy Griffin - Hold Me Tighter In The Rain
73. Angela Clemmons - Give Me Just a Little More Time
74. Air Supply - Even The Nights Are Better
75. A Flock Of Segulls - I Ran
76. Christopher Cross - All Right
77. Mike Francis - Survivor
78. Tommy Tutone - 8675309 Jenny
79. Steve Miller Band - Abracadabra
80. The Go-Gos - We Got The Beat

[Moonbeam]

4. Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams
14. Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse Of The Heart

Keep these ones for 1983.

I see that there were some issues of the singles released in 1982, but the main release date is in 1983, so that's what we'll use for these polls. Maybe Henrik will change the release dates for the next time of these polls, but I want to make sure these songs get all the votes they deserve by concentrating all of their votes in a single year.