My Top 5 albums for 1980 are from a cosmopolitan group of artists. Two from the U.K., one American band, a Canadian group and a mixed nations act. They are all 5 Star bangers. If you've been paying attention, you know two of the five. Just a reminder, there are new albums coming out by GbV, Doves, Inhaler, and HENGE that will be getting posts. Also, the next deep dive will be 1995, which is loaded at the top...but is it deep?
5. B-52's - Wild Planet ( 5 Stars )
SURPRISE! Wild Planet is the delightfully bonkers follow-up to the B-52's delightfully bonkers self-titled debut album. It's no exaggeration to proclaim The B-52's the most fun, kitschy band of all-time. Certainly, the first two albums are. Back in the day, I had a double cassette of these two albums. Yes, that used to be a thing. I also had one for the first two albums by The Cars. You've got Fred Schneider's unhinged shout singing, the lusciously dissonant harmonies of Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson, and the blistering surf guitar of Ricky Wilson. Throw in the most inspired and surrealistic space-age lyrics and you have a 5 Star party. Wild Planet is one of those albums where Side Two is the killer side. "Devil in My Car", "Quiche Lorraine", the insanely manic "Strobe Light", and "53 Miles West of Venus". And I've yet to mention the 10/10 single, "Private Idaho". Get out of the state you're in and listen to Wild Planet immediately.
4. The Pretenders - The Pretenders ( 5 Stars )
Unlike DEVO, Chrissie Hynde had to leave Akron and go to the U.K. to find a band. The result was the 5 Star debut album from The Pretenders. This record has it all and it's held together by Chrissie Hynde's raspy, sultry vocals and the punky, Kinks inspired playing. They even perform a cover of The Kinks "Stop Your Sobbing". They come right out of the gate with the snotty track ,"Precious". "Up the Neck" and "Brass in Pocket" are fantastic vehicles for Chrissie's singing. "Tattooed Lover Boys" is a raved up, sassy rocker. The highlight is the album closer, "Mystery Achievement". The opening groove with the fat bass and insistent drums is tremendous. The guitars are muscular and the lyrics are whip smart.
3. David Bowie - Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) ( 5 Stars )
I'm not a fan of Bowie's Berlin albums, so for me Scary Monsters is a triumphant return to form. Yet, it's also a step forward with songs like the hit single, "Fashion". Franz Ferdinand owes their career to the "Talk to me, don't talk to me" section of "Fashion". The opener, "It's No Game No.1". features great vocals by Bowie and guitar freak outs by Carlos Alomar. His playing is the secret weapon of this album. I love the title track, which presages Bowie's Tin Machine project. The obvious highlight is "Ashes to Ashes". It's a magnificent performance and beautiful songwriting. It's also a sequel to "Space Oddity". The bookend, "It's No Game No. 2" is another highlight. It's a song for winding down the night...and the album.
2. Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell ( 5 Stars )
No offense to Ozzy, but Heaven and Hell may be my favorite Sabbath album. I love Dio. Tony Iommi is at the peak of his dark guitar powers. In recent years, Bill Ward has risen quite a bit in my drummer rankings. What Dio brings to Black Sabbath is gravitas and drama. Heaven and Hell grabs you by he throat right from the opening track, "Neon Knights" and never lets go. "Children of the Sea" is a cinematic, virtuoso piece. The highlight is the title track, which closes Side One. "The lover of life's not the sinner. The ending is just the beginning. The closer you get to the meaning, the sooner you know that you're dreaming". It also has one of my favorite Iommi solos. I don't remember if I had him on my guitarist Mt. Rushmore, but he's certainly on it now. While Side Two is a slight step down, it's still amazing. Black Sabbath invented metal, and on Heaven and Hell, they perfected it. Everybody can stop now. Please, for the love of God.
1. RUSH - Permanent Waves ( 5 Stars )
No surprise here. I just did their discography. This is a perfect record that could only be topped by another RUSH album. What else can I say about RUSH, or this record. Geddy, Alex, and Neil were the best at what they did. I've spent countless hours air drumming to Permanent Waves over the past 45 years. I wrote an essay on "Jacob's Ladder" when I was in college and the professor said, "I've heard RUSH are pretentious". Certainly, they aren't for everyone, but I can't imagine a life without Permanent Waves in it. "The shifting shafts of shining weave the fabric of their dreams". Pretentious, my ass. Peace.
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