Friday 80s Flashback for December 23, 2016

Snowy Road Wallpaper from psxextreme.com

[The Friday Before Christmas] -- Yesterday was the Friday before Christmas, a huge traveling day. (I should know, I had to wait a short eternity at Philly International for my shuttle). Many people are traveling to see their families (in fact, many already have begun their journeys), and many others need to travel for work, even during this holiday. So, I thought I'd reprise some traveling music I originally posted on December 21, 2012. If you want to know what songs are in this holiday collection, just read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for December 16, 2016

[Living All Over] -- I'm doing just a quick post this weekend. But in keeping with my all-to-infrequent theme, I'm looking at this week in 80s music history. And I'm doing that by highlighting an album that was released this week in 1987: You're Living All Over Me by Dinosaur Jr.

Released on December 14, 1987, through SST Records, You're Living All Over Me was Dinosaur Jr.'s second studio album. Dinosaur Jr. was still known as simply Dinosaur when the album was first released, but a lawsuit forced the band to change their name. Shortly thereafter, SST recalled the album and re-released it with attribution to the newly minted Dinosaur Jr. What the album lacked in sales was more than made up for in terms of its legacy. It is considered a classic of the indie and alternative genres, and it also has a place in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (revised and updated edition, 2010). This album isn't big on singles, so how about I just embed a video that has the album's full audio? Yes, let's do just that!

Tracklist:

Little Fury Things 00:00
Kracked 03:07
Sludgefeast 05:58
The Lung 11:15
Raisans 15:06
Tarpit 18:57
In a Jar 23:33
Lose 27:02
Poledo 30:13
Just Like Heaven 35:56

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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.

And if you are on Twitter, and feel so inclined, please +K my influence in Music on @klout.

I'll see you in seven!

Friday 80s Flashback for December 9, 2016

[That Was Unusual] -- In October of 1983, Cyndi Lauper released her debut album, She's So Unusual. Since then, Cyndi has become something of an icon for freaks, weirdos, and anyone who just wants to have fun. But just over a year later, on December 8, 1984, Lauper earned her place in music history. It was this week, 32 years ago, that Lauper's fourth single, "All Through the Night," entered the top five on the Billboard Hot 100. That is a feat in and of itself, of course. But the cool thing for for Lauper is that her previous three songs also charted well, with each one breaking into the top five. This made her the first woman in the 26-year history of the Billboard Hot 100 to have four singles from the same album make it into the top five!

You can read more about that Lauper's record and that moment in the previous link. So, for the rest of this week's Flashback, let's just enjoy the music videos. You can see them after the jump!

Friday 80s Flashback for December 2, 2016

[Saccharin is Coming] -- As much as I love 80s music, I can admit that the decade was home to just as much schlock as any other. In fact, the 80s might have more than their fair share of sickeningly sweet -- or maudlin -- songs due to the rise of electronic tools that enabled the talentless to brush shoulders with the much more talented. Hell, it even brought some very talented bands down a notch, as we'll soon see. And this week in 1988 (12/3/1988), three songs of this ilk ruled the Billboard Hot 100. If there was a high school holding a winter dance at all 28 years ago this month, these songs were more than likely to be rotation, assuming it was a DJ'd event. Now, as much as I want you to revisit these songs with me, I feel I must warn you: Any of these tunes could be an ear worm. Your very sanity could be at risk. But, accepting the shadow of our collective past helps us learn and grow. So, if you're ready to recall these chart toppers, read and hear more after the jump.

Friday 80s Flashback for November 18, 2016

[Early Huey] -- Before Huey Lewis and the News had their breakout hit with "Do You Believe in Love" in 1982, they released their eponymous debut album in 1980. The band had actually signed their recording contract with Chrysalis Records as Huey Lewis and the American Express. However, due to the label's concerns about litigation by a certain credit card company, the band changed their name to Huey Lewis and the News prior to their first album's release. Their debut album had two singles, but neither of them charted. Nor did the album for that matter. Still, you can hear the combination of doo wop and 80s pop, and see the goodnatured slapsticky humor, that would become staples of the band's reputation through the mid to late 80s. And, yes, I admit: I have a serious soft spot for this album. Read and hear more about it after the break. Maybe you'll come to feel that Huey Lewis and the News is an underrated and unfortunately unappreciated album.

Friday 80s Flashback for November 11, 2016

If we hired people the same way we elect them (Non Sequitur, 1/25/2008)

[Post-Election Blues] -- We knew going into Tuesday that, whoever won the 2016 election, it was going to be an historic outcome. And, I must remind my fellow US citizens, that for each person who is disappointed about the results, there is one who is rejoicing. Also, if you add in all the eligible voters who skipped the election, then way more voters did not cast a ballot for your candidate than who cast one for your candidate's opponent. And this applies no matter who got your vote! (If you're confused about how that works, contact me and I'll explain it to you.)

At any rate, how about a few tunes to help us process this latest exercise in what amounts to rearranging deck chairs for this grand experiment called America? Read and hear more about this week's selections after the break. 

Friday 80s Flashback for November 4, 2016

[Heavy Metal Hippie] -- From 1974 to 1978, German-born Uli Jon Roth was the lead guitarist and primary songwriter for the Scorpions. But near the end of his tenure with the band, Roth was not happy with their commercial direction. So he left them after the 1978 tour. His departure was timely as the Scorpions rocketed to the apex of their heyday after 1978. Given his reason for leaving the band, I'm guessing Roth is OK that he didn't have to deal with the Scorpions' overwhelming commercial success in the 80s anyway.

Upon exiting the Scorpions, Roth formed his own band and named it Electric Sun. They recorded and toured for three albums between 1979 and 1985. Electric Sun's first two records were Earthquake (1979) and Fire Wind (1980). Beyond the Astral Skies ( 1985) was the their third and final album, and Roth retired the band's name in 1986.

Beyond the Astral Skies is also the best known of the trilogy of Electric Sun records. I don't know if that distinction came about because it was the final album, or if it was more due to the record's ensemble nature. But after listening to these records, and seeing some photos and footage of Mr. Roth, I do know one thing: Uli Jon Roth is a heavy metal hippie who fancied Jimi Hendrix and new age cosmic trippiness. From his headband, to his bluesy riffs, to his rough and folky vocals, Roth was something else. And nowhere is this more apparent than on Beyond the Astral Skies. Think of it as a rock opera for the Kumbaya crowd. Or, as Winston Arntz writes, it's "a cross between Jesus Christ Superstar, Tommy and eighties hard rock." So, if that description has made you curious what nuggets I've selected for this week's playlist, read and hear more after the jump.