1985: Kate Bush, Tears for Fears, A-ha, Grace Jones & more | The Album Years Podcast (Part 3)
Vložit
- čas přidán 23. 06. 2024
- This week's episode of The Album Years continues our journey into the groundbreaking year of 1985, where we discuss seminal art pop masterpieces by Kate Bush, Tears for Fears and Prefab Sprout, plus more experimental and under the radar releases from the year.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:47 Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
00:07:59 Tears for Fears - Songs From The Big Chair
00:16:54 Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen
00:23:39 Thompson Twins - Here's To Future Days
00:24:19 The Associates - Perhaps / Shriekback - Oil and Gold
00:27:44 Scritti Politti - Cupid & Psyche 85
00:33:11 Grace Jones - Slave To The Rhythm
00:36:56 A-ha - Hunting High and Low
00:39:19 Jane Siberry - The Speckless Sky
00:42:38 New Order - Low Life
00:45:02 The Cure - The Head on the Door
00:47:08 Dif Juz - Extractions
00:49:47 Talking Heads - Little Creatures
Listen to The Album Years on Spotify/Apple Podcasts: thealbumyears.lnk.to/listen
Check out The Album Years website: thealbumyears.com - Hudba
To me, A-ha is a totally underrated band. Their songs are beautifully crafted (the sun always Shines on TV is a masterpiece of a song).
The Hounds of Love album is absolutely timeless. It has not aged at all. The comparison with Dark Side of the Moon is very valid. Gentlemen, great job! I love this podcast.
There are many great albums, but only a few masterpieces and Hounds of love is one of them.
The Working Hour from the Tear For Fears album is so incredible.
I was very lucky in that TFF used a venue in my hometown as the first night of the Big Chair tour. It was Chippenham Goldiggers, which at the time was owned by Richard Branson. A lot of Virgin acts played there, but also a lot of other bands. TFF were so good. There was only 2000 people in the crowd so it felt really intimate.
Could be my favorite TFF song.
Very beautiful song. Just transports me...
It’s outstanding.
Songs From the Big Chair is an amazing album. Obviously, the songs are incredibly strong, but also the arrangements and production are mind-blowing.
As testament to how strong those songs are, I saw TFF on a mini tour they did at the end of 1983. Besides the usual songs from The Hurting they also played 4 new ones: The Way You Are, Mothers Talk, The Working Hour and Head Over Heels. Even though it was another 18 months before SFTBC came out I was able to hum and sing most of the choruses from all those new ones, and it felt like a really long wait until I could actually get my hands on a record that actually had them on - obviously, apart from The Way You Are which came out before.
That rarely happens with me when a band play live and say “This is a new one”
I can't wait till the guys get to Seeds of Love. But, I'm kind of afraid of it also. I consider Seeds of Love to be a masterpiece. It is one of my, me at 60 years old, top ten albums of all time. It totally just engulfs me and takes me places.
@@dobieprime I think Steven really rated seeds having done the Atmos mix. I think it was recorded using 3 24 track mixers making 72 usable tracks. I can't imagine how complex the mix must have been.
I could listen to Tim and Steven talk about records for hours. I love breaking down the time and era and equipment used by the famous artists of the day. Well done.
Love Prefab Sprout
As a matter of fact, Miles used also a track from Slave to the Rhythm as sort of warming-up for the audience before the concert starts. It was the track: Don’t cry - Its only the rhythm. I never forget it, it was on the North Sea Jazz Festival in 1989. The curtain was closed, the lights were out, and that song started on a very very loud level, that was very impressive
Every music lover should listen to this podcast. It's a goldmine.
well the only ppl who r gona see your message are the ones who have already watched it. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
I love the China Crisis album from that year too
So pleased to hear Steven talking about Shriekback, Care is superb, and This Big Hush from Oil & Gold is an all time favorite of mine with Faded Flowers, I think Big Night Music is better. Life in the loading bay is a great later album too.
This podcast is beyond brilliant and it should have millions of followers. Unbelievable and insightful analysis by true experts. Keep up the great work!
Except that Wilson is the kind of person that will say something as if its a fact, when actually he's just guessing. Lots in inaccuracies in these vids.
So glad you talked about prefab sprout!
Love Jane Siberry a stunning artist. So many other great albums this year including Kate Bush, Prefab Sprout and New Order.
yes dear they mentioned them all in the video, werent u watching?
Great episode. One thing Id like to point out is a-ha and their lyrics. Far from happy clappy pop. Here’s the first few lines from The Sun Always Shines…which has an almost existential dread going on :
I reached inside myself and found nothing there to ease the pressures of my ever worrying mind.
All my powers waste away, I fear the crazed and lonely looks the mirrors sending me these days.
That’s dark stuff. Lord knows what the teen audience made of it at the time.
And that band are still producing some very fine Nordic pop.
I hope you can find room for the very fine Our Favourite Shop by The Style Council. My Summer album of that year.
Seeing "A Secret Wish" on the pile and then seeing it getting skipped. A shame.
Seriously. Ditch the grace Jones. Claudia rules.
For me, The Ninth Wave is what made Hounds of Love. I played side two of that album way more often than I did side one. It's an art pop masterpiece.
I saw Prefab Sprout in 1990, Amsterdam, Paradiso venue… unforgettable…they performed almost entirely their album from that year: Jordan The Comeback. To me their best album. (Thnks to Thomas Dolby)
I have or still have a ton of albums released in 1985:
1. Mr. Mister - Welcome to the Real World
2. Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair
3. The Outfield - Play Deep
4. Phil Collins - No Jacket Required
5. INXS - Listen Like Thieves (My Favorite)
6. Robert Palmer - Riptide
7. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
It seems 1985 was a better year than I thought 💖💖
I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Kate Bush in the 80s here in Canada courtesy of some music junkies working at Records on Wheels. Otherwise, it is stupefying how the US, in particular, never embraced Kate Bush en masse. Kate Bush was a breath of fresh air. I really enjoyed SONGS FROM THE BIG CHAIR, especially "Listen" which remains on so many of my playlists - timeless. Thanks for putting me onto the Prefab Sprout album which I missed in 1985. Yes, nice to have some Canadian content with Jane Siberry who was highly respected here.
Jane Siberry was a fixture on Canadian media, though we have rules that force broadcasters to carry a defined amount of Canadian content, so that gives a boost to artists that wouldn't normally get much of a hearing.
She's great.
For the life of me I don’t understand how The Cult’s “Love” and Love And Rockets “Seventh Dream From A Teenage Heaven” aren’t in this discussion. Truly gobsmacked. But crack on. Love your videos!
There are more episodes to come from this year. Maybe they’re in that.
Ok. Finally the shout out to Arcadia. Thank you. I still listen to that album.
Maybe the best music podcast ever ❤
Really interesting channel. Your knowledge of this music that I have cherished for years, combined with the complementarity of your words is one of my most beautiful experiences on CZcams. I hope you don't forget one of the best records of 1985 and the decade, A Secret Wish from Propaganda. 🙏👍🤘🏻🤩
We did discuss it in detail (a great album), but I fear the edit has meant it's got submerged in the Grace Jones section.
So glad you mentioned Tony Mansfield and New Muzik!
Way ahead of his time I love all 3 of the New Musick albums they deserve much more acclaim.
Love all 3 albums also. Listening to the third album was like being on “twisted tracks”😉
I really enjoyed this review. I was 28 in 1985 and it was probably the last year I would visit a record store and be excited by the music on offer. This was a great year. I bought the latest releases by Kate Bush, Tears, Simple Minds, Frankie, Meat is Murder, Dire Straits, Style Council, Sting, Waterboys, Scritti Politti, Jeff Beck, and Prefab Sprout. I was living in the US and these were great albums that the American critics did not always appreciate.
Just discovered this channel and already passed to some friends! It was a pleasure to listen to these 52 minutes of comments, music apreciation, insights! Keep on! So many music jewels to be talked and remember to the world!
shout shout. 12 inch mix over 6 minutes of pop bliss. kate prince we were spolied. this pod cast is must listen. 2 brillant. minds
49:37 - been waiting for some Cocteau Twins chat!
Once again, it's almost creepy how similar our music paths are. I seem to be totally in tune with both of you on all of this.
These conversations are fantastic, reliving my youth 🤗
The Cure's Head on the door is one of ...if not their masterpiece to me,each song shows Smith's genius craft,perfection top to bottom,timeless...i hear it like the Sgt Pepper of the 80's ,kiss me is a different beast, a great underrated double album ,with a few ''good filler tracks''.
1985 was chock filled with so many hot and different music scenes that there was something for everyone’s taste. Same could be said for that entire decade, but ‘85 seemed to contain a whole new turning point for many bands and artists. And Tears For Fears would forever be put on the map with their release of the explosively successful ‘ Songs from the Big Chair. ‘ No matter the radio play burnout, this highly, innovative album will always be a legendary standout for the ‘80s. Loved their breakdown of it.
Scritti Politti…awesome record. Totally over the top produced and in a perfect way. If you want it smooth, perfect, tight….do it right! And so they did. This record is one of my reverence albums when I ‘m looking for new speakers
Note about Shout... whether the single was edited down or not there was a US Radio version which was shorter
How they overlooked Arcadia's _So red the rose_ is beyond me. Still, thanks for discussing Kate Bush, Prefab Sprout, Tears For Fears and A-ha.
Some things were edited out and some things we didn't have time to discuss in detail. Shamefully, the great Boys & Girls by Bryan Ferry didn't get a mention at all.
3 of my favourite albums mentioned “Hounds of love” “Steve McQueen” and “Songs from the big chair” sorry 4 with “ lowlife”
The finest album reviews on air. Very accurate comments as well. 😊
Another excelent show but.. still missing some masterpieces :)
- The Church: 'Heyday"
- Felt: 'Ignite :The Seven Cannons...'
- Mathilde Santing: 'Water Under the Bridge'
- Legendary Pink Dots: 'Asylum'
- Alésia Cosmos: 'Aeroproducts'
- Nico + The Faction - 'Camera Obscura'
This might be your best episode yet. Great to hear music from this era getting proper evaluation. I never feel that the sound of records from the mid-80s get enough love - I doubt we’ll hear their like again. They have a depth and breadth I don’t hear anywhere else and when that sound is in the hands of great artists, you can’t lose. Can I also put in a word for the beautiful art design on these albums - I was particularly struck by the Jane Siberry cover - will definitely seek that out on vinyl. Thanks for doing this - loved it! 👍
Spot on analysis of what makes Steve McQueen great: I’d add that the incredibly tight, muscular Prefab Sprout rhythm section of drummer Neil Conti and Paddy’s brother Martin keep it anchored and prevent Paddy and Wendy from floating away into the ether.
Amazing podcast once more...I can listen these 2 talk for hours....So vast and holistic knowledge of music....
Discovered this podcast by complete accident.... thank god I grew up in this era, such a diverse range of music.....I won't do the obvious and compare and contrast to modern day music
So entertaining so far! I love so much music from that year. Did I miss Misplaced Childhood or is that still coming?
That's coming on the next episode!
@@thealbumyearspodcast Great, thanks!
I don't know how much of a difference the new version of Associates - Perhaps makes (a remaster with two new edits) but I really loved it, it's not as good as Sulk but I liked it better than Affectionate Punch and Fourth Drawer Down. "Perhaps", "The Stranger In Your Voice" and "Don't Give Me That I told You So Look" are amazing.
Great to see some a-ha coverage.
Just in caseI forget to mention: I love your posts, its such a delight listening to you guys.
By the way, Miles used the song “Perfect Way” on one if his own records: Tutu (1986)
My friends and I always figured Dif Juz was pronounced like "Diffuse" (and... amazing year for music).
David Gamson was in Scritti Politti. That album also featured the guitar work of Nicky Moroch and Alan Murphy,
fascinating as always ❤
Brilliant as always 🥳
Another great show. Thank you both.
Brilliant as ever.
Awesome podcast, total class 🤗 I would also love to hear them talk about bands like Ozrics, orb, Gong and Hillage. Probably on the cards one day 🙏
I'm really enjoying this podcast I'm honestly looking forward to each episode. Great work Steven and Tim and you've made me look back at records I dismissed at the time being an eighties kid. ❤️ Interested when you go back to the early eighties what you make of New Musiks albums. Oh and Jordan the Comeback is my fave Prefab Sprout album bought it cos of the beautiful embossed cover.
I'm going with The Cure head in the door, and the Cocteau Twins ep Aikea Guinea for 1985...Also, Brothers in arms which was mentioned in the previous video.
Great stuff!
Loving this podcast chaps. Thanks! 👏👏🔥
Love this series, can't wait for 1986...😊
Already out on Spotify
Same here, the last year of the mid 80's 😀
Can’t wait for 1723
Truly great podcast as always! (but with reference to 'Jig Of Life' and the Gaelic sound, surely you know KB's mother was Irish and an Irish dancer?)
I do. As a quarter Irish myself, I like it (and Watching me Without You). Steven doesn't, though he did love The Waterboys flirtations with jigs.
Night time by Killing Joke should be in the last category! Anyway, another great episode as always!
We do discuss it in another 1985 episode.
This is my first exposure to these two. I have issue with most music podcasts as they “dumb down” how they discuss music for non musicians. These do it less than some but I really wish they’d stop doing it.
Stop telling me how the album “feels” to you. I know you love it. I want to hear how it works. How it was made and how it fits together. As a musician I crave more detail.
love you guys
I've been listening to the podcast since ep1 and just heard you reference the YT channel so sub'd here too. We have somewhat different tastes in music but I always find your conversations interesting and pick up new albums or artists. Having the visual of the album cover is helpful here as sometimes you say it too quickly (or don't say it all!) on the pod :)
Yes, Simple Minds were on Live Aid in the US. They were the ones having the guts to open with a new song.
I personally think Kate Bush's "The Kick Inside " is her best. Tears for Fears is truly remarkable band. I personally think "Songs From the Big Chair" is very Proggy, especially the track "Listen " very melodic. A-ha " Hunting High and Low" is truly amazing album. Their follow-on album "Scoundrel Days" in my humble opinion is their best. Every track is outstanding. Thanks for sharing the album reviews. Cheers from Indiana.
Can you really say that Kate Bush came from a previous generation? She's just three years older than Curt Smith or Roland Orzabal. Anyway, I love your discussions about music and artists. Greetings from Germany.
I expect he means musical generation not their ages.
The "Riverdanc-y bit" was actually written by Bill Whelan....who wrote Riverdance!
Interesting.
Tears for Fears were scheduled to perform at Live Aid in Philadelphia, I think they even appear in the poster for the event, for some reason that I can't remember they couldn't make it on time. Simple Minds did perform though.
Thank you for discussing Dif Juz Extractions! A masterpiece of moody, echoing guitars, dubby bass, jazzy rhythms and otherworldly ambience! When I met Robin Guthrie backstage on HOLV tour I mentioned them. He said they were his "favorite group." I don't think it's true only two people bought it. Dif Juz were included on the Lonely is an Eyesore album and video, so they got good exposure. I wonder if 4AD will ever do a reissue like theyve been doing for Lush, Pale Saints, Cocteaus, Breeders, etc.
Que increíble ver como se vivieron esos años en Europa a nivel musical, mientras en Latinoamérica llegaba todo filtrado por la cultura del "hit" importada de EE.UU., incluso se editaban compilados que podían incluir una canción de The Cure, otra de Rush, INXS, etc. Pero se nos privaba de bandas o solistas como Jane Siberry, brillante album "The Speckless Sky", afortunadamente si llegaron The Mission UK, Tears For Fears, pero era algo muy esporádico. Tremendo desarrollo The Album Years.
The Clock Comes Down The Stairs is a fabulous album. A classic.
Can't wait until someone releases the box set of Paddy McAloon's home recordings. I love the Shriekback mention but I have the opposite opinion of Oil and Gold. I agree with Tim their current music is quite good. The only album of theirs I think is sub-par is Go-Bang! and it's a listenable album. Oil and Gold IS uneven but despite being an attempt at radio hits is still weird. Dream Academy still one of my favorites. I absolutely struggle with Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche but am fascinated by its beloved status within the music community/critical acclaim. A-Ha albums are so worth hearing diving into; I actually think they are more melancholic and somber than SW's thought of them being optimistic. Siberry also, highly under-rated, vastly ignored by the music buying public. Fans of Happy Rhodes (and vice-versa) should check out Siberry. They don't sound remotely alike, but you will appreciate who they are and their singular sonic careers (and maybe Jane will get notable reissue treatment like Rhodes has).
Hounds of Love is awesome, I must play my original vinyl of side 2 again soon. As for the other records, the 80's were crap for music compared to the 70's.
I thought Cupid & Psyche was clean and then I listened to Provision 🤯
For clarification a-ha’s Hunting High and Low was originally produced by Tony Mansfield but was rejected by the record label and was remixed. Tony’s original versions have since been released and they aren’t that different to the remixed versions, some of Tony’s versions of the songs are better. On the subject of Tony Mansfield I can highly recommend New Musik’s second album from 1981 ‘Anywhere’
The big singles ‘Take on me’ and ‘Sun always shines’ were recorded later and produced by Alan Tarney who previously had written ‘We don’t talk anymore’ for Cliff Richard as well and producing a bunch of stuff for him. Tarney would also produce the majority of a-ha’s 80’s output.
Love Jane Sibbery. Had this album when it came out. I was in Vancouver at the time played this to death
I know it was a b side but I've always believed Under The Ivy shouldve been on the main album. Its magnificent. Maybe the final track....
It's a wonderful piece of music. Several Kate Bush b-sides are amongst my favourite pieces ever.
Slave to the Rhythm (and Welcome to the pleasure dome, a secret wish..) did sound great mainly due to Stephen Lipson/Trevor Horn and their Fairlight CMI…. I think those albums are for 80 to 90 % Synclavier/Fairlight/PPG Wave 2.3 albums… nevertheless absolutely brilliant albums
Yea-Trevor Horn, Stephen Lipson are legends!
There could be a list of all the albums mentioned in all the episodes
Bonny goes hard.
My favourite PS song. Saw them on their last tour and they started with Bonny but we were slightly late so walked in half way through the last verse 🤬🤬. The rest of the show was stunning.
Love your shows! When discussing the work of Kate Bush, why don't you even mention the Kick Inside? Now there was an album that announced in no uncertain terms that our lives would NEVER be the same again...
This is 1985, not 1978
@@DorisDay-lw4xs They reference earlier albums as well - by way of comparison
Marillion? IQ? Killing Joke? The Smiths?
hopefully part 4 is in works...
Coming up on next week's episode!
killing joke :)
@@irrelevant8639 I think The Smiths may be in Part 1. Marillion and Killing Joke were discussed and hopefully will survive the edits.
@@thealbumyearspodcast oh heck yeah!!! what a year, huh?
...Oh Gosh!!.without this being considered disrespectful...to the great company...I close my eyes to see better..I listen my heart and choose...
Wharer boys "This is the sea".. from...Sea worship..and
Fall "This nation's saving Grace"..
a very childhood trauma...that is still bleeding..sometimes!!!..
I'm grateful for sharing...😌🙏💎♦️
We wait the next...please!!😊🙏🫶❤❤🎸❤🎙❤❤❤🌬🌊🎶🌊🎶
Perhaps bands who had been "arty" but started making shiny pop music were thinking that they would have a more financial secure existence/future with more popular music?
Boys... how about you making Spotify playlists for each episode?
🖤
Would love to hear your opinions on Chins Crisis - Flaunt the Imperfection, my favourite Dom 85.
13:12 Hello Bowie Wilson! 😂
Love the Dif Juz shout (I've always pronounced it as "diffuse" because I couldn't figure out what a "juz" was or what it might be slang for. Any help there?). They were heavily into Dub/Reggae (surprised you didn't mention that); the drummer plays on Victorialand, and I believe became The Jesus and Mary Chain's drummer. Reissues of Dif Juz's catalog are both maddeningly incomplete and poorly implemented. Such a curiosity especially considering there is quite a bit of material that was originally released on cassette/vinyl EP / etc.
Love Tim's Pacific shout (Chris Wheatley of Pacific made a similarly wonderful, similarly under the radar release w/ Nina Miranda under the name Shrift, on Six Degrees);
I really like Little Creatures.
Simple Minds were at Live Aid, but they played Philadelphia's JFK Stadium.
Top Peter Hammill albums for you, readers?
Disagree on Shriekback. I find Oil and Gold and the follow up, Big Night Music, much better than the early stuff. Would loved to have heard mention of The Church's masterpiece, Heyday, and The Damned's Phantasmagoria.
tom from the thompson twins has been doing dub reggae under the name international observer for the last decade,and its really good
I seem to recall the artists performing at Live Aid had to have sold over 1m albums. I assume TFF hadn’t by the time Live Aid came about.
Love this channel, however how comes you didn't mention that Kate Bush recorded Hounds of Love in her home studio in her mum/dads house in Kent!
Also you said-Here's to Future Days wasn't a hit album-it was a hit album in UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Italy, + the US. So you were wrong on that one.
I know one of the members from Shriekback and works at a recording studio place in London!
When you mentioned Sweetest Girl-thought you was going to make a comment of the Madness single Cover!
You guys are obviously genuine fans and it’s as if you’re just two music fans talking about records not at all self conscious of a camera on you
Have you guys ever discussed Duran Duran? Im really curious what ya'll would say about any of their albums.
As far as I know, Simple Minds weren't at Live Aid (I could be wrong), but they were at the Nelson Mandela concert in 1988.
They were, but in the USA