1001 Album Club

MP3 Audio [54 MB]DownloadShow URL We recorded this episode in the fall of 2021 without a clue that In 2022, “Running Up That Hill” would received renewed attention when it was featured in the fourth season of the Netflix series Stranger Things released May 27, 2022. Its appearance led to the song’s resurgence on charts around the […]

In August of 1985 The Pogues released their sophomore album. It was produced by Elvis Costello and recorded at Elephant Studios in Wapping, London. Of the recording process itself, Costello had this to say: “I saw my task was to capture them in their dilapidated glory before some more professional producer fucked them up.” Let’s talk The Pogues, Rum Sodomy and the Lash!

In May of 1985 Suzanne Vega released her debut album. Gary Kenton: “Vega can get a bit pretentious, but what singer-songwriter worth a damn doesn’t? Its the price you pay for taking risks. Suzanne Vega is a flattering and very substantial introduction.” Let’s talk Suzanne Vega, Suzanne Vega!

In January of 1986 Big Black released their debut album. A shot across the bow for what was considered extreme music at the time, the record is an all out aural assault. Chicago industrial has arrived. Let’s talk Big Black, Atomizer!

In 1985 The Mekons released their 4th studio album. Robert Christgau: “Just when I never wanted to hear a roots-rock record again, along come these British anarchists with a sort of concept album sort of about life during wartime. The Americans are clearing a sector down south, but that doesn’t stop the good guys from playing their anarchic country-rock and doing their anarchic Morris stomp and fucking up their anarchic love lives and drinking to keep from shitting their pants and rolling down a highway that may finally be lost for real. Yes, amateurism is still a sentimental fallacy, and if you want to know why it’s such a powerful one, listen up.” Lets talk The Mekons, Fear and Whiskey!

In June of 1985 Prefab Sprout released their second studio album. Produced by Thomas Dolby (Booker T. Boffin for those in the know), the album has been praised by critics as a “shimmering jazz-pop masterpiece” that is “buttressed by a phenomenal rhythm section and fairy-dusted with Wendy Smith’s breathy harmonies”. Let’s talk Prefab Sprout, Steve McQueen! Editor’s note: This is the last of episode of the batch with audio issues, recommended playback at 1.5x, apologies.

*quick editor’s note: we’ve still got mixer gremlin issues for these next two episodes, recommend playing at 1.5x speed, sorry for the inconvenience. In May of 1985 Dire Straits released their 5th studio album. Though initially spanned by critics upon its release, album would go on to be their biggest selling, spawning five singles, spending ten consecutive weeks at #1 on the UK Singles Chart, Nine weeks at #1 on the US Billboard 200, thirty four weeks on top of the Australian Albums Chart, and would go on to be certified a staggering 9x Platinum selling status in the USA alone, making it one of the top selling records of all time; but is it any good? Let’s talk Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms!

In February of 1985 Tears for Fears released their second studio album. The record is a pop masterpiece that spawned six singles, and would go on to achieve multiple times platinum sales on both sides of the Atlantic. Let’s talk Tears for Fears, Songs From the Big Chair!

In October of 1985 A-Ha released their debut studio album. The album launched the band into superstardom, spawned five singles, won accolades for their innovative music video for Take On Me. Let’s talk A-Ha, Hunting High and Low!

Let’s talk Abdullah Ibramin, Water From an Ancient Well!

In September of 1985 The Fall released their 8th studio album. Recorded between June & July of the same year, it is widely considered to be one of the band’s finest outings. Let’s talk The Fall, This Nation’s Saving Grace!

In June of 1984 Bruce Springsteen released his 7th studio album. The follow up his subdued and minimal master piece, Nebraska, Springsteen opted for the bombast of his earlier works and in the process created one of the best, best selling records of all time. Let’s talk Bruce Springsteen, Born in the USA!

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In October of 1984 Lloyd Cole and the Commotions released their debut album. Written at Glasgow Golf Club (where Lloyd’s father was Club Master) and recorded at The Garden studio in Shoreditch, the record is a concept of sorts about what people do when they are in love. Lets talk Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, Rattlesnakes!

In July of 1984 the Minutemen released their third album. Named in reaction to the Sammy Hagar anthem, “I Can’t Drive 55”, the double album spans 45 songs in just 81 minutes. “Our band could be your life Real names’d be proof Me and Mike Watt, we played for years Punk Rock changed our lives” Let’s talk Minutemen, Double Nickels on the Dime!

In May of 1984 Echo & the Bunnymen released their 4th studio album. Written in 1983 and almost entirely recorded in Paris using a 35 piece orchestra, the record received mixed reviews upon it’s release due in apart to it’s seemingly abandoning the rock roots of prior recordings. Let’s talk Echo & the Bunnymen, Ocean Rain!

In May of 1984 Tina Turner released her 5th studio album. After being dropped from United five years earlier due to the poor reception of her album Love Explosion, A&R rep John Carter of Capitol Records spearheaded Tina’s comeback. Setting her R&B pedigree aside, the album tracks gracefully maneuver between uptempo pop, full on ballads, and smatterings of jazz and soul. The results? Seven singles, 5x platinum sales stateside, four Grammy Awards including Record of The Year, Best Female Pop Performance & Best Female Rock Performance, and the career resurrection of one of the finest performers to ever grace a stage. Let’s talk Tina Turner, Private Dancer!

In March of 1984 The Style Council released their official debut album. Meandering through whatever genre’s they deemed fit, the band created a real hodgepodge production that showed off just how much more Paul Weller and co. had to offer than rock n roll. Let’s talk The Style Council, Café Bleu!

In October of 1982 The Replacements released their third studio album. It is rightfully considered one of the greatest albums ever made and a reminder of what could have been if the band had ever managed to get their act together. Lets shoot for the middle and talk The Replacements, Let It Be!

In June of 1984 Prince released his 6th studio album. This time around The Revolution not only got credit on the album but actually played their instruments. It is the most commercially successful record he would ever make, spawning five singles and selling over 25,000,000 copies worldwide. Let’s talk Prince, Purple Rain!

In January of 1984 Van Halen released their 6th studio album. Though some in the band disagreed, Eddie Van Halen’s decision to throw off the shackles of pure guitar rock and embrace the synthesizer as a lead instrument proved to be both a bold and wise move, as it would get them to the top of the Billboard Singles Charts and eventually go on to sell over ten million copies. Though it would be their last with Diamond Dave on vocals, it would prove to be the best output they would ever produce. Let’s talk Van Halen, 1984!

In April of 1983 Minor Threat released their only studio album. Clocking in just north of twenty one minutes over the course of nine tracks, the album is a blisteringly fast DC hardcore assault with some surprising pop hooks peppered in. It is single-handedly responsibly for the straight edge movement, which in turn makes it responsible for that time I (Rob) got kicked in the head for smoking a cigarette at an Avail show fourteen years post the record’s release (A story I would have told had I been on this episode). Let’s talk Minor Threat, Out of Step!

In November of 1984 Cocteau Twins released their 3rd studio album. Recorded in August and September of the same year, the record is a departure from their post punk roots and is one of the finest dream pop records ever pressed to wax. Let’s talk Cocteau Twins, Treasure!

In July of 1984 Sade released their debut album. Recorded over six weeks at Power Plant Studios with Robin Millar helming the board, the record would go on to spawn four singles, win Best British Album at the Brit Awards, and sell over ten million copies, making it the best selling album by a British female vocalist for twenty four years. Let’s talk Sade, Diamond Life!