TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS / Southern Accents (1985)

I don't expect I'll ever meet anyone who claims it's Petty's best work, but I don't think it deserves to be overlooked as much as it is. It used the traditional Petty / Heartbreakers sound as a base and added some experimentalism to it. It's not in your face, and it doesn't change the band's sound too much, but it's there and it speaks for itself. There are strings, a horn section, keyboards and even some sitar.
It's not an album that will grab you by the lapels on first listen, so give it some time before you decide if you like it or hate it. Expect some filler but nothing that offends the ears with blandness.

Songs of Note: Don't Come Around Here No More; Southern Accents

3½ rebellious dogs out of 5

NURSE WITH WOUND / The Sylvie and Babs Hi-Fi Companion (1985)

Neither Sylvie, Babs nor Murray Fontana are on the album; nor any of the songs advertised on the front. It's NWW taking the joke contained within and extending it to the packaging. Stapleton has been quoted as saying he wanted to make a record "that was stolen from other people's records," so he did. He does the same thing with stolen clips that he usually does with his own; i.e. create a collage of sound that's neither music nor non-music, but something in-between.
Many of the sounds are culled from easy listening records from the 50s and 60s, interspersed with snippets of dialogue and various man-made sounds.
NWW albums always ride a fine line between irritating and art; Sylvie and Babs veers into the irritating more than usual, in my opinion.

Songs of Note: You Walrus Hurt the One You Love; Great Balls of Fur

1½ warning shots out of 5

KATE BUSH / Hounds of Love (1985)

If I was to compile a personal list of the 10 best albums of the 80s, Hounds of Love will be in the top 3; maybe even at number 1.
It's made up of two distinct halves. Side A is 'Hounds of Love,' a collection of songs more suited to singles. Side B is the conceptual suite known as 'The Ninth Wave,' one long piece, split into seven parts but designed to be listened to in one sitting. It's a lot more experimental and darker in tone. It's Kate's masterpiece. I won't reveal what it's about; part of the joy is in connecting the dots yourself.
If, after hearing what's linked below, you're considering a purchase on CD, try to get the EMI reissue, because the bonus tracks on it are superb.

Songs of Note: Cloudbusting; All of Side B

5 moments placed out of 5

KILLING JOKE / Night Time (1985)

Night Time was a brief return to form for the Joke. It's an album that's both upbeat and cynical, as is the English way. Jaz's insanity is still there but it's more focussed; he'd an agenda that he didn't lose sight of, nor did it manifest in every track sounding the same, which was something that the previous album suffered from.
It didn't break new ground musically, but it earned them a lot of new (wave) fans and reminded many long-time fans why they'd been seduced at the beginning.

Songs of Note: Love Like Blood; Eighties

3½ voices calling, calling out of 5

YELLO / Stella (1985)

Yello delivered a very unique kind of musical art on their fourth album, using synthesisers, traditional vocals, spoken word, drum machines and a heavy dose of Dada-esque imagery. Stella is a musical onion - the more you explore it, the more layers it throws up, and the more you examine those layers, the more you realise just how bizarre the song structures really are; they shouldn't work but they do.
It sounds dated but equally timeless. I'm aware that's a contradiction, but so are Yello; it fits and so it remains.

Songs of Note: Vicious Games; Oh Yeah

4 days off out of 5

OINGO BOINGO / Dead Man's Party [1985]

Oingo Boingo briefly broke onto the mainstream charts with 1985's Dead Man's Party.  Their massive change in sound had a lot to do with it and in turn put off a lot of longtime fans.  Gone are the kooky time signatures,  the punk up attitude, the snarky darkly humorous lyrics, frantic guitar frolics and wild offbeat vocal styles.  All of it replaced by a smoothed over sound that is reminiscent of a quirky version of Duran Duran.  Not to say it's a bad record, in fact I'm awfully fond of several of the songs, it's just I preferred the Boingos who weren't afraid to offend.

3 dead Bus-conductors out of 5

Songs Of Note: Dead Man's Party; No One Lives Forever

NEW MODEL ARMY / No Rest for the Wicked (1985)

If you're new to New Model Army, then I'd recommend Thunder and Consolation, (1989), because the sound on their early albums may seem dated to new fans, then work your way forward through their discography. If you want to explore further, then work back. No Rest for the Wicked is their second album. It has the inimitable NMA style, and the usual lyrical themes. The biggest difference is Stuart Morrow's aggressive bass style, which gives the music a belligerent tone, something that was lessened on later works without him.

Songs of Note: Better Than Them; No Rest

4 voices of history that echo all around of 5

SUZANNE VEGA / Suzanne Vega (1985)

Listening to Suzanne's début is akin to opening a treasured book of short stories, being enveloped by the experience, and then falling deep into the pages. It's built around traditional Folk music structures, acoustic guitar and simple harmonies, but channelled through Suzanne's story-telling voice it becomes something beautiful, introspective and uniquely intimate. She was only twenty-six when she made it; the lyrical content suggests she's one of those individuals that's born old and stumbles upon wisdom sooner than the rest of us. It's a perfect album from a beautiful voice in what's an often stagnant genre.

Songs of Note: Some Journey; The Queen and the Soldier

5 small blue things in the danger zone out of 5

FAITH NO MORE / We Care A Lot [1985]

After ditching Courtney Love, California alt. rock band Faith No More went from a really shitty singer to just a shitty singer (Chuck Mosley) for the recording of their 1985 full-length debut We Care A Lot.

Blending metal and synthy dance music with a California punk rock attitude, early FNM showed signs of being a promising music act that would stand apart from the rest.  It's not just Mosley's snotty, monotonous vocals that hold the record back but the rest of the band haven't quite refined their writing skills just yet making for plenty of sloppy patches.  

2½ brain-eating daytime soaps out of 5

Songs Of Note: Pills For Breakfast; As The Worm Turns

CELTIC FROST / To Mega Therion (1985)

To Mega Therion was a seminal work. You can still hear traces of it today in the Norwegian metal scene. CF was experimenting with the merging of classical and extreme music. The idea was still relatively new and it would be a few years before anyone came along and bettered it.
Today it sounds a little flat unless you can find it on vinyl. The CD is less than complementary to the classical aspect. It should sound like Wagner exploring the realms of hell, not like a fart in a concert hall.
If you're wondering, does Tom G go 'Ughh' more than once? Does a bear shit in the woods? Of course he fucking does.

Songs of Note: Innocence and Wrath; Dawn of Megiddo

4 necromantical screams out of 5

THE SISTERS OF MERCY / First and Last and Always (1985)

The unique sound of the first Sisters album is a love it or hate it thing. Somewhat similar in tone to Joy Division or Bauhaus, it's infused with a gloomy repetitive atmosphere that'll depress or elate the individual, and only really works in the correct environment. It's solely responsible for the gothic tag that dogged the band for years afterwards. It's nihilistic 80s Rock music that engulfs the listener in a fog of self-reflection. If you can embrace that, it'll never leave you.

Songs of Note: Walk Away; First and Last and Always

5 voices that pass with time out of 5

S.O.D / Speak English or Die (1985)

Written and recorded in a week, S.O.D. (Stormtroopers of Death) were Billy Milano of M.O.D., Dan Lilker of Nuclear Assault, and Scott Ian and Charlie Benante of Anthrax having a laugh, but it became a cult release. It was purposefully offensive, and if it gets your undies in a twist then the joke's on you. The sound is like hearing Nuclear Assault cover Anthrax with some M.O.D. thrown in to keep it fresh; so, basically exactly what you'd expect, given the talent involved. It's a wonderful party album (if your parties are populated with people that like thrash music, or alternatively good for clearing a room if they don't). Songs range from 5 seconds to 2 mins 30 secs, so never outstay their welcome.

Songs of Note: Anti-Procrastination Song; Kill Yourself

4 pre-menstrual Princess' out of 5

THE CULT / Love (1985)

Love is hailed as one of the great pioneering goth albums, but I can't understand why. It's melodic rock with a kind of echo to the production that gave them an ethereal sound, but not what I'd call goth. Anyhow, that's semantics. The album gave the band their most recognisable hit in She Sells Sanctuary. Ian Astbury was a great vocalist and fit nicely alongside Billy Duffy's jangly guitars. While it may sound dated today, at the time it was fresh and full of promise.

Songs of Note: She Sells Sanctuary; The Hollow Man

2½ psychedelic rock star poses out of 5

THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN / Psychocandy (1985)

The noise terrorists' first album is a fan favourite but not very forgiving for newcomers. The production gives the impression that it was recorded in a tin fallout shelter. The brothers write songs on an acoustic and then record them on electric with more feedback and distortion than is necessary, but that's their way.
Psychocandy has some great Pop songs buried beneath the fuzzy sound, but you may have to work extra hard to hear them. Later albums were more ear-friendly, so don't hate them just yet.~

Songs of Note: Taste of Cindy; Never Understand

3½ seeds out of 5