[believe in gas, food, lodging] -- New year, same motive for the 80s Flashbacks: Celebrate albums that have, or will, turn 40 years old in the current calendar year. And I'm starting off the year with a two-fer post. And while both of this week's albums were released in 1985, quite possibly early in January 1985 (as best I can determine), I'm not 100% positive on the specific release dates. Still, each one should be 40 years as of this week, or at least by the end of this month.
Gas Food Lodging – Possibly released on January 1, 1985, Gas Food Lodging was Green on Red's second studio album. They are said to have recorded the album in only five days. I think the wayward energy, rather than any lack of polish, definitely attests to the short timeframe. It's a loud and rough record, a soundtrack for the road, with more than a sideways glance at country rock and a slight aftertaste of psychedelia. Robert Palmer of The New York Times called it "the most distinctive and accomplished of all the recent 60's-rooted albums" ["Psychedelic Rock Stages a Comeback," The New York Times. p. A23, 2 June 1985] while The Ottawa Citizen pointed to its roughness as portraying "a bleak view of the American heartland" ["Rock," Ottawa Citizen. p. F5, Evelyn Erskine, 3 Apr 1987]. I could not find a complete YouTube playlist for this album, so I have embedded the band's 2021 re-release on Bandcamp.
Something to Believe In – The Scottish band APB released Something to Believe In at some point in January 1985. It was sort of considered a debut album, but it was actually a compilation of the band's previous independent singles, plus some new tracks. The initial release of this LP did not include the band's 1981 debut single, "Chain Reaction," but that song has since been added as a bonus track on subsequent releases. In fact, you can find re-releases that have upwards of 16 total tracks. My introduction to APB was their 1986 album, Cure for the Blues. Their funky bass enraptured me and I had to find more. Fortunately, one of my dormitory friends had a bunch of APB's earlier singles. And while APB performed sporadically in the 1980s and 1990s, they did not record much new material after 1986. So, the band's discography is pretty sparse, but their re-releases and anniversary editions are well worth checking out, especially if you like the chunky new wave aesthetic they display on Something to Believe In.
Tell me: Did you like either of these records back in 1985?
Flashback #1: Gas Food Lodging (January 1, 1985)
Flashback #2: Something to Believe In (January 1985)
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!
