Now this is how it started: THE ILX 1980s ALBUM POLL RESULTS!!

Even though I've known for a long time that's not actually Tom Waits on the cover of Rain Dogs, I still always think it is when I first look at it.

i'll be goddamned

http://www.galleribalder.com/imgs/gallery/6122/6122_142013358648a059a9bdf22.jpg

"Lily and Rose", 1969
Anders Petersen

Def. the best Waits album, and just hugely important to me at the time; but didn't vote for it cause I never really listen to Waits anymore.

His '80s and '90s music was definitely more challenging, and because I'm old and boring now I tend to gravitate back to the '70s albums.

63. (tie) Cocteau Twins - Treasure [1984] (106 points, 12 votes)

http://vox2.cdn.amiestreet.com/album-art/Treasure-by-Cocteau-Twins_57075_full.jpg

I changed my mind back again - the odd track mixed in with some other stuff is great, a whole album unbearable. Too cloying - too samey. They're a gnat's chuff away from grateness on a maybe half a dozen tracks - the one off Treasure (Lorelei? I never remember the silly titles)which couples a soaring breathy Liz with a kinda Glam stomp in slo-mo is damn near close to perfection. If Guthrie's production could have mixed the cotton woolly maximum flange which he uses all the time with an occasional sharper focus it would sound 100 times better. Contrast, see?

― Dr.C, 12. joulukuuta 2001 3:00

TReASURE!!! GORGEOUS 4AD OUTDATED DRUM MACHINE SOUNDS YEAH!!! BAYBEE

There is no reason for anything as holy as "Persephone" to exist in a godless world. There is just no fucking reason. I'm speaking as a
perplexed atheist. I mean, maybe you just had to be there to understand how fucking amazing that sounded at the time. Is there anything like that song on this earth? Where?

― Bimble, 30. maaliskuuta 2008 11:57

blount this is the thing, my wife and I are here listening to Treasure and what's most stunning about it is how original it is/was. I actually don't know how much Kate Bush is in there - at this point, Bush had released, what: Kick Inside, Lionheart, the Dreaming & Never Forever only I think. I guess yeah some of the more esoteric Siouxsie shit. But just as an old dude, the thing I remember me & all my friends thinking was how from-outta-nowhere this shit was. I guess maybe it sound like they'd been doing lines & listening to Japan and wishing they could dance to it more though. Bowie instrumental shit too maybe.

― J0hn D., 7. huhtikuuta 2008 0:15

the waits album where it clicked for me was "nighthawks at the diner". and i have listened to most of them. the relaxed live atmosphere and his hilarious rants make that album. absolutely phantastic to smoke weed to.

i seriously dislike treasure. but i love heaven or las vegas and garlands. not only does treasure sound dated in a bad way but i find the tunes weak and annoying.

Treasure was number 5 in my ballot, but I don't dare listen to it these days in case the mystique has worn off. No way are the tunes weak though. "Ivo" and "Lorelei" have tremendous melodies.

not only does treasure sound dated in a bad way but i find the tunes weak and annoying.

treasure has the best tunes of any cocteaus album!!

Treasure was my #16, but the Cocteau Twins were bar none my favorite band of the decade. Numerous well regarded US-based reviewers described them as "aural wallpaper", but their series of lps and eps stretching from Sunburst and Snowblind (1982) right up to Heaven or Las Vegas (1990) was pure joy, unencumbered by language or nostalgia. As direct a knob on my emotional state as the very best dub. This is the music of the Right Hemispheres.

Treasure is probably the critical consensus pick, but it's a bit more measured, discrete, than the enormous virtual soundscapes of Head Over Heels.

is Treasure the last for today?

62. Grace Jones - Nightclubbing [1981] (106 points, 12 votes, 1 first place vote)

http://sleevage.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/1205759619.jpg

Solid gold, straight down the line 100% classic - 'living my life' and 'nightclubbing' especially. The surprise is that the records actually sound as good as the covers promise - she covers songs that seemed unimprovable -'nightclubbing', 'private life' and effortlessly pulled it off. The guy who produced the classic albums, (alex sadkin I think - dont have the albums with me), died in the eighties, leaving her to the machinations of Trevor Horn - (possibly the only man who could make an unsexy Grace Jones record?).Would be worth canonising simply for the version of 'la vie en rose' on the (otherwise awful) 'portfolio' LP

― Mat O, 3. helmikuuta 2002 3:00

Purchased 'Nightclubbing' on a whim yesterday and find it unbelievably good.. I'm surprised no-one's mentionned the opening track, 'Walking in the Rain', so bare, yet so sexy, mmh mmmhh..

― Fabrice (Fabfunk), 14. elokuuta 2003

he one with the gold sleeve (Nightclubbing?) is great from start to finish. so, classic

album is simply unbelievably good. like all-time albums list good.

― J0hn D., 27. heinäkuuta 2008 2:32

DJed "Use Me" and "Nightclubbing" and "Pull Up to the Bumper" on Friday night. what's great about those tracks is that they can really spring you into just about anywhere (weird rock, funk, dub, disco) afterwards.

― beta blog, 27. heinäkuuta 2008 18:54

ok that is cool but comes as a complete surprise to me

This is a really good countdown! Six of my favorite albums have already qualified, really much better than most of "best of 80s" type things.

Just seeing the cover of Nightclubbing now made me turn off what I was listening to and put it on. That run of albums she did from Warm Leatherette to Inside Story is one of the very best of the decade.

That was my #1 vote. Such an incredible album. It takes dub's and reggae's depth, new wave's icy coolness, Grace's unique masculine disco diva genderfuck personality, and from those elements produces an record that's utterly on its own wavelength. The cover versions blend seamlessly with the original material, despite the sources for being as different as Iggy Pop, Bill Withers, and Piazzolla. When Grace Jones sings "I'm a walking disaster, I'm a demolition man", she sounds so much more convincing than Sting, the man who wrote the tune. "Art Groupie" proves that despite the diva reputation she can make fun or herself. And the album ends on a suprisingly sweet and gentle note with "I've Done It Again"; Grace has toyed with detachment and genderblend so convincingly throughout the album that it feels almost as if someone else has replaced her for the final song. But it's still Grace Jones.

That's a brilliant description Tuomas. When I started buying her albums a few years ago it was one of those truly exciting revelations like when I started getting into Prince or The Associates. I voted for another one of hers too but I think sadly that will be her only album in the list.

I was so happy when she made a comeback last year (and with a fine album), and had a gig in Helsinki this summer, so I could finally hear her perform this stuff. I can't imagine any other 60-year old woman could sing "bull up to my bumper baby, drive it in between!" with such style and authority.

That sounds amazing I would love to see her live at some point. Hurricane was a really good comeback it's a shame it wasn't bigger, Williams Blood is up there with her finest. I'm glad there's a bit more interest in her at the moment there's talk of reissuing the out of print albums (Fame and Muse) and even a release of the album she made sometime in the nineties.

I'm surprised to see the Cocteau Twins already. This is probably going to be their only appearance, since Treasure is usually considered their canonical album. I love it too, but I much prefer the darkness of Head Over Heels or the perfect melodies and harmonies of Victorialand.

She made an album in the 90s?! Do you have any info on that, I've never heard about it? I thought she only released a handful of singles in the 90s ("Evilmainya", "Sex Drive", "Love Bites"), and that's all.

(x-post)

this is a cool list so far! Cupid & Psyche 85 was my no.2 and i guess i hoped that would be higher. Steve McQueen also way too low imo. still hope there's gonna be some other new pop/synth-pop stuff high up and not just an all-alt-rock top 10...

61. Arthur Russell - World of Echo [1986] (108 points, 11 votes, 1 first place vote)

http://cdn.pitchfork.com/media/6909-world-of-echo.jpg

this is one of the most unique sounding records ever made, and the music is brilliant and memorable to boot. my girlfriend just got me The World Of... on vinyl for Christmas! What a sweetie.

― sleeve, 25. joulukuuta 2007 18:51

It sounds so rainy and yet so arid. If that makes sense.

― I know, right?, 25. joulukuuta 2007 19:07

i've just downloaded "world of echo" and am listening in full for the first time. oh, new obsession. where have you been all my life. beautiful.

― Emily Bjurnhjam, 20. maaliskuuta 2008 5:21

I just want to thank Emily for resurrecting this thread and making me dust off this old gem. There it was in the graveyard of my vinyl, in a milk crate I never give any consideration to. I think even if I had flipped through it I would have just thought "oh that's the Arthur Russell record" without playing it. But World of Echo is just what I needed back in my life. And the bonus tracks! Wow!

I think what stands out most about this album for me is it doesn't seem like it's really as old as it is. It seems very modern and it's hard for me to believe I can trace it as far back as my teenage years. Another thing that stands out is just that there is nothing in the entire world that sounds like this record. Nothing. Other than saying it probably should have appeared on the 4AD label, you can't really narrow it down any further than that.

― Bimble, 23. maaliskuuta 2008 16:13

This is from Wikipedia which I know isn't the most reliable source but I had heard about one of those before reading it on there.

Jones recorded two albums during the 1990s, but they remain unreleased thus far—in 1994, she was due to release an electro album titled Black Marilyn with artwork featuring the singer as Marilyn Monroe; in 1998, she was scheduled to release an album entitled Force of Nature.

aw, that was my number one.

A perfect album for a warehouse loft in autumn afternoon. Peeling off the flamboyant glitter of Russell’s disco productions leaves this frail skeleton of percussive cello and vocal murmurs, submerged in cathedral reverb. My first nominee to chart.

Wow, I would definitely want to hear the electro album! Some of the house and techno remixes of her 80s/90s tunes are quite good. And the DJ Hell remix of "I've Seen That Face Before" that came out a few years ago is brilliant! She should do a full collaboration with DJ Hell, they'd be a perfect fit stylistically.

(xx-post)

Anyway, that's all for tonight.

Wow, I can't imagine what World of Echo sounds like. Slowdive?

ok just listened to a track off the Arthur Russell (which i dont know at all) and it is really incredible

a lot of the '98 'Force Of Nature' ended up on 'Hurricane' i think (which is why a lot of does sound a bit like it was produced ten years prior ha)

my prediction for ilx's top ten: (not in particular order) -
talk talk - spirit+laughing
the fall - hex+ grace
jesus and mary chain - psychocandy
sonic youth - daydream nation+evol
replacements - let it be
pixies - surfer rosa
talking heads - remain in light

70 - 61 is a pretty awesome list of records

I assume "Sex Drive", the single she relesed in 1993, would've been on the 1994 album. It's pretty good, not earth-shattering or anything, but it's fun to hear on a straight house track.

(xx-post)

way xpost

it... doesn't really sound like anything? I think everybody reacts to that album in a very different, very personal way. It's so intimate but also so wide open. There's nothing like it.

hell ya this list keeps getting better. i love every single album posted today, prefab sprout wooo!

i like this list so far. there are at least 5 albums i need to find now.

World of Echo sounds closer to the ambient cello + singing bits off AR Kane's 69 than it does to Slowdive.

Four from my ballot have turned up so far but nearly all of these albums are ones where I think, "Yeah, that deserves to be in here". Plus I really want to hear The Chills now! Also thosee Violent Femmes and X albums, which I've never bought for some reason.

bringin things up 2 speed...

100. Robyn Hitchcock: I Often Dream of Trains [1984] (75 points, 5 votes)
98. (tie) Scraping Foetus off the Wheel - Hole [1984] (76 points, 5 votes)
98. (tie) Spacemen 3 - The Perfect Prescription [1987] (76 points, 5 votes
97. Big Black - Atomizer [1986] (77 points, 8 votes)
96. Associates - Sulk [1982] (79 points, 6 votes)
95. Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking [1988] (79 points, 7 votes)
94. Def Leppard - Pyromania [1983] (80 points, 6 votes, 1 first place vote)
93. Thomas Dolby - The Golden Age of Wireless [1982] (80 points, 7 votes, 1 first place vote)
92. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Dazzle Ships [1983] (80 points, 9 votes)
91. Run-D.M.C. - Raising Hell [1986] (80 points, 10 votes)
90. Meat Puppets - Meat Puppets II [1984] (81 points, 9 votes)
89. Prince and the Revolution - Parade [1986] (83 points, 10 votes)
88. Bruce Springsteen - Tunnel of Love [1987] (86 points, 7 votes)
87. Pet Shop Boys - Actually [1987] (86 points, 8 votes)
86. Pet Shop Boys - Please [1986] (87 points, 8 votes)
84. (tie) Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine [1989] (87 points, 8 votes, 1 first place vote)
84. (tie) Talking Heads - Speaking in Tongues [1983] (87 points, 8 votes, 1 first place vote)
83. David Bowie - Scary Monsters [1980] (89 points, 6 votes, 1 first place vote)
82. Scraping Foetus off the Wheel - Nail [1985] (91 points, 5 votes, 1 first place vote)
81. The Beat (aka The English Beat) - I Just Can't Stop It [1980] (91 points, 13 votes)
80. Various - The Indestructible Beat of Soweto [1985] (93 points, 6 votes, 1 first place vote)
79. The The - Soul Mining [1983] (93 points, 7 votes, 1 first place vote)
78. The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy & the Lash [1985] (93 points, 16 votes)
77. Meat Puppets - Up on the Sun [1985] (94 points, 8 votes)
76. U2 - The Joshua Tree [1987] (95 points, 7 votes, 1 first place vote)
75. Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual [1983] (95 points, 9 votes)
74. Galaxie 500 - On Fire [1989] (96 points, 10 votes)
73. X - Wild Gift [1981] (97 points, 9 votes)
72. The Chills - Kaleidoscope World [1986] (98 points, 7 votes, 1 first place vote)
71. Roxy Music - Avalon [1982] (99 points, 10 votes)
70. Laurie Anderson - Big Science [1982] (99 points, 11 votes)
69. Scritti Politti - Cupid & Psyche 85 [1985] (100 points, 7 votes)
68. New Order - Power, Corruption & Lies [1983] (100 points, 16 votes)
67. Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes [1983] (101 points, 12 votes)
66. Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen [1985] (104 points, 10 votes, 1 first place vote)
65. Donald Fagen - The Nightfly [1982] (105 points, 8 votes, 1 first place vote)
63. (tie) Tom Waits - Rain Dogs [1985] (106 points, 12 votes)
63. (tie) Cocteau Twins - Treasure [1984] (106 points, 12 votes)
62. Grace Jones - Nightclubbing [1981] (106 points, 12 votes, 1 first place vote)
61. Arthur Russell - World of Echo [1986] (108 points, 11 votes, 1 first place vote)

just watched that Associates viddy and i barely restrained myself from ripping my ears off...

(2xp) Yeah, with so many entries I keep thinking "how could I not have voted for that?" - was really hard getting it down to 30 and so much stuff had to be ditched is how; bunch of stuff I like but I'm not as familiar with as I felt I should be to vote for it, some stuff I thought would do well enough without me, plus a couple of albums where I love the bands but had to admit that the one album nominated for each did nothing for me, etc

World of Echo is also probably one of the last ones where a single number one vote means the difference between making the list and not making it. I think that's what's interesting about this last stretch of albums--even though it's a consensus vote, they still feel very personal.

"It's so intimate but also so wide open" is exactly right about World Of Echo. Such a cohesive and singular record. Russell's own comparison with foreign language singing is really astute when he talks about "the musical effect of words as sounds, but where the meaning is not totally withdrawn." If I'd voted this would have been number one, with Double Nickels the only serious contender, 80s all about original use of vocals w/me, apparently.

I just don't get "World of Echo", although I do understand what other people see in it. You'd think that AR Kane gone ambient AND funky would be right up my alley, but this music does nothing for me, and I've accepted that.

World Of Echo is the first album I've not heard that I really want to get after reading the descriptions.

Zeno laughing stock was 90s

unless you meant colour of spring which will probably show up too

folks there is an elephant in the room, it has 8 tracks, and one of them is called 'hold back the rain'

just sayin'