Recommendation Thread: 1988

[Dan]

1988: a year to be remembered for many things, including French-Canadian diva-to-be Celine Dion winning the Eurovision Song Contest... for Switzerland. But the thing that stands out most to me, personally, is that Motown founder Berry Gordy sold the legendary record company to MCA. It was sold for a decent sum of money and the company kept on surviving, but it also kinda signalled the end of an era. I will love that Motown sound until the day I die.

I will recommend a few more albums and songs in days to come, but I thought I might as well start by recommending my favourite song of the year, Goran Bregović's "Ederlezi".

Henrik: if possible, it would be great if you could post the songs that might make the next update. I've found your previous posts on the topic very useful, and I'm sure others have too.

[Henrik]

Dan: a) thank you, and 2) I'm sorry. Especially when considering that I had my 1987 list complete before the 1986 list (because I had a special 1987 music event together with a few friends in June) it was extremely lousy of me to not post it in the recommendation thread. My only defense: I have focused on the next site update.

Well, here is finally my 1987 playlist if anyone's still interested, as well as an incomplete 1988 list. I look forward to everyone else's so I can fill it up to 100.

[Dan]

Thanks for both of those lists. Last month I posted my albums list first and waited till the last day for your songs list, in case there were a song or two or five I could take from it... and I did. But I had a gut feeling you were working on the next site update, and we sure are all grateful for that.

[Mindrocker]

Many today may not realize it but in 1988 music history was written: The breakthrough of Electronic Dance music. What had been building up in '86 and '87 with House and embryonic techno releases on an underground level finally erupted on a spectacular scale in 1988. The producers were mostly american but it was Europe and particularly Britain who first got bitten by the electronica bug. House parties, a complete new club culture, ecstacy, illegal dance-raves, within a few months a complete revolution took place which to this day echoes through. Suddenly not the guitar or synthesizer was the coolest instrument but a sample machine. Not pampered rock musicians but preppy DJ's were the newest pop stars. And the influence of electronic dance was not limited to the clubs. There were times when at least in europe one third of all top 40 hits had incorporated the four-to-the-floor house beat. Of course, the early House and techno tracks sound rather primitive by today's standards but from Daft Punk to Aphex Twin, they all are in debt to the originators who broke so much ground. These old skool tracks form the DNA of every club night or rave ever since. A selection:


JUAN ATKINS (Model 500/Cybotron) - Techno Music

J & M CONNECTION - Living In A World Of Fantasy

STAKKER HUMANOID - Humanoid

KRAZE - The Party

JOE SMOOTH - Promised Land

FAST EDDIE - I Can Dance

MODEL 500 - Interfearance

808 STATE - Flow Coma

L.E. BASS - Acid Bitch

FINGERS INC. - Stars

Okay, sorry for the indulgence guys. Props to anyone who listened to all 10 tracks.

[Live in Phoenix]

All this time later, instead of thinking of the rest of the ‘80s in terms of the ruling empire’s currency (Dirty Dancing, Van Hagar, Bon Jovi, Richard Marx, etc.), it now seems easier to think of ’88 and ‘89 as the opening march of the '90s alternative rock siege, as well as a turning point in rap music, though even the rare examples of success from this time were not charting very well. (One of the highest was 1989’s Paul’s Boutique at #14, which in fact branded the Beastie Boys as one-hit wonders after the huge success of Licensed to Ill. AM’s #1 album of the decade, and a regular on any Spin alternative list, Public Enemy’s Nation of Millions, hit #42.) Rick Astley fever has died down enough that 1988 now seems as much the year of My Bloody Valentine or the Pixies. While it is not my most favorite year, it does feature many of the major players of 1991, wherein practically everyone managed an Album of the Year-quality release, just one artistic development later.


While Michael Jackson was sending five singles from one album to the #1 spot, a few scruffy dudes from Aberdeen (wherever the hell that is) released their first single with a measly press run of 1,000 copies. Little did Michael or anyone else suspect that he would come out on the losing end of their next exchange...




James Taylor – Never Die Young
In hindsight, I couldn’t wait for James Taylor to become bald and old. Gone are the days of being a superstar hippie -- in their place is a lone howling wolf accompanying the least rock and roll album title possible. (Just a couple years later, Alice in Chains started off their first album with “We Die Young,” and it’s common knowledge how a few musicians from the incoming grunge era turned out.) James Taylor is suited better as an elder statesman, making occasional goofy jokes, and he seems more at comfort not swimming with the tide anymore.
Never Die Young: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hscQaESQzmg
Baby Boom Baby: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB88II_jlSE

A long, part-way apologetic 3-star review of the "Girl You Know It's True" album (the U.S. version of their 1988 debut) by Stephen Thomas Erlewine at Allmusic.com: http://www.allmusic.com/album/girl-you- ... 0000199573
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSqV3rWM4iQ

[Listyguy]

I'm currently listening to "Spirit of Eden", and it's blowing my mind.

[Michel]

[Dan]

Damn, that shit was dope! Great year for rap music.

Here is my provisional albums list.

A few recommendations:

Los Lobos – La pistola y el corazón
Genre: Ranchera… a traditional style of Mexican folk music with musical backing from instruments such as the vihuela, trumpet and violin.
I love the energy and vigour of ranchera, and I’ve been looking for a traditional ranchera album I could love for a while now. I’ve found one.

Astor Piazzolla – The Rough Dancer and the Cyclical Night (Tango Apasionado)
Genre: Tango nuevo… the incorporation of classical music and jazz into traditional Argentine tango.
A sensual and wistful follow-up to Tango: Zero Hour.

Dead Can Dance – The Serpent’s Egg
Genre: Neoclassical darkwave… a combination of dark atmosphere and classical music (and in this case, plenty of exquisite chant-like vocals).
Simultaneously ominous and spiritual.

Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares – Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares: Volume Two
Genre: A capella, multi-part Bulgarian chanting.
Talking about exquisite chanting. This second volume is perhaps not quite as poignant and evocative as the first volume from 1975, but the foreignness and force of these female Bulgarian voices remain remarkable.

Les Négresses vertes – Mlah
Genre: Chanson alternative… on this occasion, chanson alternative means French pop/rock with elements of raï, Latin, circus music and folk.
Upbeat, joyful and very eclectic.

Goran Bregović – Dom za vešanje
Genre: Balkan folk music… and the film score for Dom za vešanje [Time of the Gypsies]
Probably even better if you’ve seen the film.

Miriam Makeba – Sangoma
Genre: Traditional Xhosa music
To quote AllMusic: “a beautiful collection of traditional South African songs with spare production values that highlight the power of Makeba's vocals. This is an excellent set of Xhosa folk songs she learned as a child.”

Pata Negra – Blues de la Frontera
Genre: Flamenco and blues
To quote Honorio: “The Amador brothers fused in their swan song blues and flamenco so freely and easily that they created a refreshing and influential new style.”

[DaveC]

I seem to have a long list of albums which want to be in my top 15. So listening to Les Négresses vertes and Los Lobos hasn't helped. Thanks Dan.

Please don't overlook Galaxie 500's perfectly crafted Dream Pop/Slowcore classic Temperature's Rising from their excellent album Today. Here is the live version.

Speaking of perfectly crafted: Crowded House - Into Temptation

The Bhundu Boys - True Jit was their first recording outside Zimbabwe. Unfortunately, the producers encouraged them to adopt some slightly crass production and lyrical choices in the belief that this would extend their appeal. The album nevertheless includes some of their best songs, including My Foolish Heart, Chemedzevana, and Rugare. Here is Chemedzevana without the ****** horns.

Finally a recommendation for the difficult to rank Miss America by Mary Margaret O'Hara - a stunning album when you are in the right mood.

[Listyguy]

"Spirit of Eden" is so good. Is it just me or does "Eden" sound like "Heroin"?

[Dan]

I seem to have a long list of albums which want to be in my top 15. So listening to Les Négresses vertes and Los Lobos hasn't helped. Thanks Dan.

Hey, you're welcome. Nassim recommended the Les Négresses vertes album to me a while back in another thread. I was glad to see it on Michel's list, otherwise I might have forgotten that it was from 1988.

I haven't said thank you yet for recommending albums that I've enjoyed listening to in recent months, like Shabini by Bhundu Boys, Perjantai 14. päivä by Leevi and the Leavings, and Os Dias da Madredeus by Madredeus. So... thanks!