Bookended by Cats

Friday, October 11, 2024

Friday 80s Flashback for October 11, 2024

[Another Four From October 1984] -- Well, guess what? There were so many great, or at least memorable, albums released the first week of October 1984, I decided to feature four more records from that week. And they all seem to have been released on October 1, 1984! Hopefully, at least one is to your liking. This week we have:

Joan Jett: Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth
Chaka Khan: I Feel for You
The Ramones: Too Tough to Die
Philip Bailey: Chinese Wall

Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth – For Joan Jett's third outing with the Blackhearts, and her fourth studio album overall, she pretty much stuck to what she knew, or maybe liked, best. A quarter of the tracks are covers, including "Cherry Bomb," a song she previously recorded with The Runaways. And while this album didn't really have any hit singles, it still managed to peak at #67 on the Billboard 200. I kind of dig "Hold Me," "Long Time," and "Someday."

I Feel for You – This was Chaka Khan's fifth solo album, and she showed she had no trouble keeping up with the times. She embraces high tech production as well as the electro-funk that Prince had popularized. In fact, she takes Prince's 1979 track, "I Feel for You," and updates it for the 1980s, making it a #1 hit. This is a fun album that peaked at #14 on the Billboard 200, her highest charting since 1978.

Too Tough to Die – The eighth studio album from The Ramones may not have been a commercial hit – it was the band's lowest peaking record, never getting past #171 on the Billboard 200 – it was generally well-received. Retrospectively, an AOTY user calls Too Tough to Die the band's "last great album," and AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine agreed, calling it "the best the Ramones had made since the end of the '70s. It was also the last great record they would ever make." At the time, Kurt Loder praised it as "a return to fighting trim." My preferred tracks are "I'm Not Afraid of Life" and "Chasing the Night."

Chinese Wall – Maybe all you know about Philip Bailey is that he was in Earth, Wind and Fire and that he had a huge hit with Phil Collins. And those are true facts. But Bailey has a catalog totaling 11 solo albums. Of these records, Chinese Wall, Bailey's third solo album, was his best performing record. It peaked at #29 on UK Albums, #22 on the US Billboard 200, and #10 on US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, as well as within the top 40 of several charts around the world. Oh, and the mega hit "Easy Lover" is ... easily ... one of my favorite tracks from 1984.

YouTube playlists for all four albums are embedded below. Let us know your fave tracks!

Flashback #1: Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth (October 1, 1984)

Flashback #2: I Feel for You (October 1, 1984)

Flashback #3: Too Tough to Die (October 1, 1984)

Flashback #4: Chinese Wall (October 1, 1984)

And that's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.

I'll see you in seven!

Friday, October 4, 2024

Friday 80s Flashback for October 4, 2024

[Four from Forty Years Ago] -- I'm sorry, but when I looked at the slate of albums released 40 years ago this week, I couldn't settle on just one of them. And it's not like offering multiple albums has become a trend here: This will be only the fourth time I've done it this year ... since July 4. Anyway, I think you'll fully understand, and maybe even agree, that I had to feature all four of these albums for this weekend.

Please note that I cannot list this week's Flashback albums in chronological order because three of them were released on the very same day. So, here is the order in which I have chosen to present them:

This Mortal Coil: It'll End In Tears (October 1, 1984)
Midnight Oil: Red Sails in the Sunset (October 1, 1984)
U2: The Unforgettable Fire (October 1, 1984)
The Replacements: Let It Be (October 2, 1984)

It'll End In Tears – First up, we have It'll End In Tears, the very first album released by This Mortal Coil, which was less a band than a music collective under the direction of 4AD, a British record label. The album features several 4AD artists – including Cocteau Twins, Colourbox, and Dead Can Dance – recording under the auspices of This Mortal Coil. It'll End In Tears did not chart in the US, though it did reach #1 on the UK Independent Albums Chart – and that success probably helped fuel the album's popularity in the states as an import. Pitchfork includes It'll End In Tears on its April 2018 list of "The 30 Best Dream Pop Albums." It also appears on two best of Goth lists: Frank Deserto's 2017 list of essential Goth albums and Spectrum Culture's 2013 13 Best Goth Albums of All Time.

Red Sails in the Sunset – Midnight Oil released their fifth studio album, Red Sails in the Sunset, on October 1, 1984. It was the band's first #1 album in their native Australia, and it charted within the US Billboard 200. The album cover was a chilling "what if?" scenario, as in "What would Sydney Harbour look like after a nuclear strike?" Following on their previous efforts, the lyrical content of Red Sails focused on politics, consumer culture, expanding military, the auspices of nuclear war, and environmental threats. Two singles were released in the US -- "When the Generals Talk" and "Best of Both Worlds" -- but neither of them charted. Musically, there was enough polish (from increased studio wizardry) and the experimental rhythms and textures should have lured in new listeners, particularly from the college radio set. So, what kept the singles grounded? Perhaps it was lead singer Peter Garrett's judgmental tone. However, it was more likely Garrett's lurching and towering presence in the band's music videos. I recall thinking he was pretty cool, but I also recall my friend, Daniels, and I being on the receiving end of our classmates' scorn for liking "that Frankenstein dancing guy." Anyway, Midnight Oil was about three years from breaking huge with Diesel and Dust. And when that album hit, fans finally started digging into Midnight Oil's back catalog to discover this gem. For a blow-by-blow appreciation of Red Sails in the Sunset, check out A Look Back At Midnight Oil's Landmark LP 'Red Sails In The Sunset', posted on the 30th anniversary of the album's release.

The Unforgettable Fire – Dropping on October 1, 1984, The Unforgettable Fire was U2's fourth studio album. Despite not being a fount of hit singles, The Unforgettable Fire was a commercial juggernaut and it received mostly favorable reviews. Looking back over 40 years, The Observer calls this album "U2’s grand artistic leap forward". While Albumism's Andy Healy called it U2's "most ambitious and daring outing." The Unforgettable Fire peaked at #1 and #12 on the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200 respectively, as well as reaching the top 10 in several other countries. And it has been certified Gold or Platinum in seven different countries, including going 3x Platinum in the US. Of the singles, "Pride (In the Name of Love)" was the band's biggest hit at the time, and "Bad" became live favorite.

Let It Be – On October 2, 1984, The Replacements released their third studio album, Let It Be. The album cover features the band sitting on the roof of Bob and Tommy Stinson's mother's house. The record itself was produced by Steve Fjelstad, Peter Jesperson, and Paul Westerberg (The Replacements' lead singer and songwriter) for Twin/Tone Records. But it wasn't like there was an actual producer lurking over the boys, making them sweat each note. The album title, Let It Be, was ripped from the Beatles' record, of course. But it was just their way of saying nothing is sacred; The Beatles "were just a damn fine rock & roll band" (Paul Westerberg, quoted by Rolling Stone). Sacred or not, Let It Be is ranked among the greatest rock albums of the 80s, and Rolling Stone even includes it on their list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. No doubt, this is more by accident than by some design on the Mats' part.

YouTube playlists for all four albums are embedded below. Let us know your fave tracks from any of these records.

Flashback #1: It'll End In Tears (October 1, 1984)

Flashback #2: Red Sails in the Sunset (October 1, 1984)

Flashback #3: The Unforgettable Fire (October 1, 1984)

Flashback #4: Let It Be (October 2, 1984)

I'll see you in seven!

Friday, September 27, 2024

Friday 80s Flashback for September 27, 2024

[Some Young Reward] -- When I saw that these two albums were both released 40 years ago this week, I wondered how I was going to pick one over the other. Instead, I decided this week deserved a two-fer.

First up, released on September 24, 1984, is Depeche Mode's fourth studio album, Some Great Reward. And, later in that same week, on September 27, 1984, Alphaville released their studio debut album, Forever Young. Let's revisit them in order of release.

Some Great Reward garnered commercial success and critical praise upon release. Oh, there were some negative reviews, too, such as NME critic David Quantick's "Modeahead? Uh-Uh…" (reprinted here along with other bits of press for the record). While reaching #5 and #1 on the UK Albums (OCC) and UK Independent Albums charts, Some Great Reward also peaked at #51 on the US Billboard 200. While that might not seem like much of an accomplishment in the US market, keep in mind that this album marked Depeche Mode's first real chart success in the US: the single "People Are People" peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. "People Are People" was also a Top 20 hit in Canada, and it enjoyed worldwide chart success as well. Of course, that single's success might have been helped by also appearing as the title track of Depeche Mode's July 1984 compilation album. The second single, "Master and Servant," and the double A-side, "Blasphemous Rumours" / "Somebody", also charted well.

Please note: "Blasphemous Rumours" / "Somebody" might be my favorite one-two punch of the 1980s -- as nihilistic an interpretation of divine justice as you can find, and it was (commercially) married with a gut-punchingly sincere ballad.

Forever Young was the 1984 debut from German synth band Alphaville. And for four singers without musical training, and using the cheapest synths and drum machines available, they released a serviceable, and kind of danceable, disc. This album is known for the singles "Big in Japan", with a music video that looks like someone filmed a collaboration between a theater student and an art school graduate, and "Forever Young". The other two singles – "Jet Set" and "Sounds Like a Melody" – are not as well known, but they performed pretty well in Europe. I'm still surprised "To Germany with Love" and "Fallen Angel" weren't singles; they were definitely among the more upbeat songs, and "To Germany" had a great, faux slap-bass riff. Sigh. Although Forever Young languished in the basement of the Billboard 200 (stalling at #180), and didn't chart at all in the UK, it did very well across Europe. And that success was enough to get their singles into clubs and earn the band a follow-up album.

YouTube playlists for both albums are embedded below. Let us know your fave tracks from both, or either, record.

Depeche Mode: "Some Great Reward (September 24, 1984)

Alphaville: Forever Young (September 27, 1984)

I'll see you in seven!

Friday, September 20, 2024

Friday 80s Flashback for September 20, 2024

[Fighting Tooth and Nail] -- Dokken was nearly relegated to the one-release discard bin after the band's debut failed to meet record company expectations. But in the struggle between band management and label execs, Dokken earned a second chance, and the result is a classic of early 1980s metal: Tooth and Nail. Released 40 years ago this month, Dokken's second studio album peaked at #49 on the Billboard 200 and also reached platinum sales. It was a springboard for three relatively successful singles.

"Into the Fire" was the first single, and it peaked at #21 on the Mainstream Rock (US) chart. Next up was "Just Got Lucky," one of my favorite Dokken tracks, which made it as high as #27 on that same Mainstream Rock (US) chart. Their third single, which would become one of their signature power ballads, was "Alone Again" and it reached commercial success on two charts: #20 on Mainstream Rock (US) and #64 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Dokken is often categorized as hair metal (or pop or glam metal). Vocalist and namesake Don Dokken decries such a label, insisting he and the band were "more on the metal side than the pop side" of that musical equation, and he is reluctant to be compared with Mötley Crüe or Poison (lasvegassun.com; August 2004). But noone is going to mistake Dokken for, say, Metallica or Accept. So, while guitarist George Lynch lends the band some muscle and aggression (such as with the title track, "Tooth and Nail"), their songs still have pop hallmarks, particularly vocally (reference the aforementioned "Just Got Lucky" and "Alone Again"). And this album, taken as a whole, definitely makes the case for Dokken to be considered more generally on the melodic side of heavy metal.

Flashback: Tooth and Nail (September 14, 1984)

I'll see you in seven!

Friday, September 13, 2024

Friday 80s Flashback for September 13, 2024

[No More Love on the Run] -- Forty years ago this week, Billy Ocean released his fifth studio album, Suddenly. This was Ocean's breakout album as the three singles -- "Caribbean Queen," "Loverboy," and the title track (a quintessential 1980s ballad, "Suddenly") -- charted at the #1, #7, and #4 slots on the US Billboard Hot 100, not to mention how well they did globally. Suddenly peaked at #9 in both the US (Billboard 200) and the UK (UK Albums) as well as within the top 40 in many other countries.

After this album, Billy Ocean was firmly established as a pop star as well as an R&B artist. I mean, at least in terms of sales: Suddenly went double platinum in the US, gold in the UK, and an astounding triple platinum in Canada. And Ocean got to play to sellout crowds around the world.

What's your memory of this record?

Flashback: Suddenly (September 12, 1984)

I'll see you in seven!

Friday, September 6, 2024

Friday 80s Flashback for September 6, 2024

[Time and Rime] -- Coming out hot with Iron Maiden's Powerslave as the first Flashback of September 2024! Released 40 years ago this week – on September 3, 1984 – Powerslave was the fifth studio album by this English heavy metal band. Many of the songs on this record had history/event themes, including the two songs released as singles: "2 Minutes to Midnight" (which references the Doomsday Clock) and "Aces High" (about a British fighter pilot in the Battle of Britain). This album also features an almost 14-minute adaptation of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (a 600+ line poem, read here by Ian McKellen, originally published in 1798). It remained Iron Maiden's longest recorded track until 2015.

While neither single charted in the US, they were both top 40 hits on the UK Singles Chart. Still, aided by rigorous touring and a pair of MTV videos, Powerslave managed to peak at #21 on the US Billboard 200, #2 on the UK album chart, and in the upper echelon of several other charts around the world.

This was probably the highest that Iron Maiden soared in the 1980s.

Flashback: "Powerslave (September 3, 1984)

I'll see you in seven!

Friday, August 30, 2024

Friday 80s Flashback for August 30, 2024

[Four Turned Forty] -- I missed posting a Flashback last week. I also missed two Fridays in July. So, I figured I'd finish August 2024 by highlighting four albums that turned 40 this month.

Mirror Moves – First up, we have the fourth studio album by the Psychedelic Furs, Mirror Moves. This record built upon the success of 1982's Forever Now, and its hit single "Love My Way." This time, they had three singles – "Heaven," "The Ghost in You" (one of my fave Furs tracks) and "Here Come Cowboys" – that either charted well or received heavy rotation on MTV or both. Mirror Moves peaked at #43 on the Billboard 200, and ended up as the band's second album to go gold in the US.

Flashback #1: Psychedelic Furs, Mirror Moves (August 21, 1984)

Warrior – Our second flashback this week is the debut, not to mention the only, studio album by Scandal. The album, featuring Patty Smyth, is Warrior. It peaked at #17 on the Billboard 200, and that was probably due solely to the hit single, and almost title track, "The Warrior." Unless you're an 80sphile like me, the rest of the album probably won't interest you very much. Yes, Scandal are in that category of one-hit wonders (or two hits if you count "Goodbye to You," which first appeared on the band's self-titled 1982 EP, and was later included on the expanded and remastered edition of Warrior in 2014.

Flashback #2: Scandal, Warrior (August 21, 1984)

Let's Get Professional – Our third flashback might have slipped by your radar. Although it was released in 1984, I did not catch it until 1987, or maybe 1988. And now I forever associate part of my college years with this album. I'm talking about Let's Get Professional by The 012, released August 19, 1984. Why do I associate this record with college? Well, aside from the fact that I discovered the record during my years at Penn State, there's something about its ethos of good musicians trying to be bad musicians that reeks of the adaptation and experimentation of college students. It's punk. It's avant-garde. It's me, sitting in an empty classroom late at night, and questioning why I'm studying physics.

Flashback #3: The 012, Let's Get Professional (August 19, 1984)

Time Exposure – And last, but not least, our fourth flashback this week is another change of pace. On August 28, 1984, jazz fusion bassist Stanley Clarke released his thirteenth studio album: Time Exposure. It was one of the top jazz albums for that year, and Richard S. Ginell of AllMusic wrote (in a retro-review) that the "sheer speed and power of Clarke's electric and piccolo bass work is astonishing throughout the album." He also picks "Time Exposure" as the prize of the album as well as "one of the best funk numbers of Clarke's career."

Flashback #4: Stanley Clarke, Time Exposure (August 28, 1984)

I'll see you in seven!