I started off with some Susannah Hoffs tracks (no, this isn’t a LennyLaw confessional) and it took me in myriad directions,
the GoGos; ver Bangles; Blondie; The Pretenders, TenPole Tudor.
And then it struck me. At the risk of losing my blue (US) passport – the British stuff is just cooler, no? Altered Images, Tenpole Tudor; Haircut 100. ABC
The American mid 80s stuff is safe. Good, but safe.
I meet my wife in a week (long story, hiking, West Highland Way, don’t be stupid) – equip me to tell me she’s wrong.
illuminatus says
Whisper it quiet. I always liked Michael Steele more than Susannah Hoffs…
Sewer Robot says
The recent “nominate an album for each year” thread reminded me what a washout/blind spot the white American music of the 80s and early 90s was for me. Much of what was being upped by the mags (Jane’s Addiction, Pearl Jam etc) was just dismal, while for those acts having almost universal praise whose work might occasionally sound promising to these ears (Talking Heads, REM etc), I found I admired what they were trying to do but I just didn’t think they were all that good at it. So, the ‘bot’s total white America playlist between Eat To The Beat and Deserter’s Songs would not be much more than the first two Pixies albums.
I suppose the U.K. massive can’t help looking in a “grass is greener” way towards the States, whereas being from Ireland I grew up thinking the U.K. was way cooler – possibly because of the (for practical reasons) prevalence of U.K. acts on TOTP (and we had a show over here in the 80s called M.T.U.S.A. which was a parade of the blandest and cackest krud the mid 80s Billboard charts had to offer).
I did consider a thread appealing to the AW for pointers on stuff from this time I must have overlooked, but, even from you guys, I wouldn’t be optimistic it would turn up much that would move me..
bigstevie says
Copperhead Road
Full Moon Fever
Graceland
Rain Dogs
Traveling Wilburys Vol 1
Pontiac
Bring The Family
Love Me Tender(BB King)
Sewer Robot says
Well, I know I’m not wild about Tom Waits or The Wilburys but as you were kind enough to post I will give the others a spin (quite optimistic about John Hiatt and and Lyle Lovett, who would have been in my “always meant to get around to..” drawer).
Tiggerlion says
I’ve always found American musicians are technically extremely skilful, more so than most Brits, but their songs are less exciting and interesting. Apart from the women, who knock spots off their male counterparts, and the Rappers, who have now ruled the world for thirty years.
Tahir W says
Would you care to exemplify these general comments in any way?
I have always had greater preference for US artists, on the whole, but that included songwriters, not just singers and instrumentalists., men as well as women.
Brit pop seldom does it for me. But then again weren’t there many great Brit women pop singers in the 60s — Sandy Shaw, Cilla Black, Petula Clark, Marianne Faithful? Hmm …
On the other hand, when it comes to the offbeat and avante garde there have been some very great Brits, like Robert Wyatt, John Cale, Eno, Keven Ayers, Gong, Bonzos Syd B and others, but then come to think of it perhaps not so many Brit women in that category?
Gary says
I was having a conversation with an Irish friend the other day after watching the recent clips of Sinéad O’Connor. He reckoned that Universal Mother is the best solo rock album by a female Irish artist and asked what I thought the best British one was. I’d say Broken English by Marianne Faithful. But what other contenders are there? PJ Harvey? Even disregarding the “rock” criteria, there aren’t that many great solo albums by British females. I know some would say Dusty in Memphis, Sandy, The Kick Inside. I prefer Broken English to all of those.
Very generally speaking, I find Americans better at solo acts, Brits better at bands. Of course there are plenty of exceptions. I do remember the American acts at Live Aid being really dull compared to the Brit acts.
Tiggerlion says
My sweeping statement refers to the eighties onwards. Before that Soul music and Tamla Motown were obviously always brilliant and The Beach Boys weren’t too shabby either (more broad brush strokes there, as well).
I love Talking Heads, Tom Waits, Prince, Pixies, White Stripes. Other than that, Americans score highly in my charts only with women and Rap.
This year, Weyes Blood, Lana Del Ray and Raphael Saadeq are vying for my favourite of the year.
Tahir W says
Neko Case?
Laura Veirs?
Tiggerlion says
Not so keen on them. But, again. Women.
duco01 says
Wasn’t sure about that Weyes Blood album at first. But it’s really growing on me now.
moseleymoles says
Radio – 1985
Raising Hell – 1986
Paid In Full – 1987
It Takes A Nation… 1988
3 Feet High and Rising 1989
People’s Instinctive Travels – 1990
Step In The Arena – 1991
The Chronic – 1992
etc
Tiggerlion says
Would you describe most of these as Rap albums?
moseleymoles says
I’d describe all of them as rap albums, just making the point there was lots of music that was good and anything but safe from the States in the mid-80s. Just not white boys with guitars. Nothing against you @bigstevie but Travelling Wilburys is surely safeness in a bottle. Now if Jeff Lynne has produced It Takes A Nation…that year instead who knows what would have happened?
Moose the Mooche says
When you said Radio I think you meant Schoolly D 😉
moseleymoles says
LL Cool J – that first album is a monster. Acres of schlock afterwards mind.
Moose the Mooche says
Second album is mostly great. There’s a brilliant 40-minute album buried in Walking With a Panther (It Gets No Rougher and Why Do You think They Call It Dope? are particularly stunning), and Mama Said… is almost flawless. Thereafter, he got properly famous and predictably got shit.
The minimalism of Radio was revolutionary and changed the genre. I just remember the first Schoolly album sounded like the apocalypse – no concession to anything radio programmers or MTV would like – thundering beats, jarring random scratches, nightmare plinky-plonk synth interjections like something on an unwatched telly in a Stephen King film, and an utterly horrible man bellowing cheerless misanthropy over the top of it. That, my friends, is entertainment.
dai says
After moving to Canada I have been given a crash course in Canadian 80s music. Interestingly they seemed to be more influenced by the Brits than the Americans with similar styles of music prevalent in the charts. Not necessarily great music though.
Alias says
The best looking and coolest rock band EVER
The Sex Pistols
Moose the Mooche says
Since I first saw it at the age of about eight I always thought the best thing in it was a rock’n’roll guitarist wearing a knotted hanky.
Alias says
And a Vivienne Westwood knotted any at that!