After my 1990 post, I considered changing my Mt. Rushmores for the eighties to singles instead of albums. The '80's is the decade of hit singles and one-hit wonders. Album concepts had been disabused by Punk at the end of the seventies. However, I am going to forge ahead with albums. Some of these years are going to be slim pickings, but that is the case with every decade. I might reconsider this for the sixties, since conceptual albums really weren't a thing until the middle of the decade. We shall see. Anyhow, let's back into the eighties at 1989. I'm locked in with my number one, but the other three are still up for grabs, even as I sit here typing.
I almost went Easter Island Head with my number one, Doolittle by The Pixies, but I will come up with three more eventually. Obviously, Doolittle is one of the seminal albums in the history of alternative rock. Black Francis (Frank Black), Kim Deal and band are at their peak here. Debaser. Wave of Mutilation. Monkey Gone to Heaven. Gouge Away. Here Comes Your Man. All part of the canon. Really the whole album is tremendous. I wasn't cool enough to be listening to The Pixies in 1989, but I found my way to the band when I was ready to receive them. That's one of the great things about music.
For number two, I decided to go with the album I played the shit out of in 1989. A great band and one of my guilty pleasures, The B-52's with their last great album, Cosmic Thing. What? Your tin roof rusted! Even though I prefer the early, surfy B-52's, this album is fun-tastic. "Love Shack" was a juggernaut in 1989. One of my favorite tracks is the nostalgic "Deadbeat Club". I love the first verse, "I was good, I could talk a mile a minute on this caffeine buzz I was on. We were really hummin'. We could talk every day for hours. We belongto the Deadbeat Club". The other singles "Roam" and "Channel Z" are also standouts. The B-52's are one of the most singular bands in the history of pop music.
Number three is Tom Petty's first solo album, Full Moon Fever. To be fair, there was considerable Heartbreakers action on this album, but it was transcendant due to the magic of Jeff Lynne. All his work with Petty and the Wilbury's (individually and as a super group) was unstoppable. Even though I'm not a huge fan of the universally loved and overplayed "Free Fallin'", this album is amazing. I Won't Back Down. Runnin' Down a Dream. Love is a Long Road. Yer So Bad. Free Fallin'. One of my favorite covers is Petty's version of The Byrds (Gene Clark) "Feel A Whole Lot Better". All hail Jeff Lynne!
Before I reveal my number four, here are the other contenders: Stone Roses, Beastie Boys Paul's Boutique, De La Soul 3 Feet High and Rising, XTC Oranges and Lemons, Tin Machine and Bob Mould Workbook. Even though most of these albums are technically better than my number four, 11 by The Smithereens, this was just a personal choice. In 1989, the four bands I listened to the most were R.E.M., The Pursuit of Happiness, The B-52's and The Smithereens. I got to see The Smithereens a year or two before lead singer Pat DiNizio died. They were amazing live. 11 has three of their canonical tracks, "Girl Like You", "Yesterday Girl" and "Blues Before and After". Jim Babjak is one of my favorite guitarists. He plays a lot of jangly Rickenbacker, which is my wheelhouse. Anyhow, that's my 1989 Mt. Rushmore. Looking ahead to 1988, it seems pretty solid. Might have some repeat offenders. Peace.
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