#208 Kent’s Top 13 of 1989
Hey folks!
Nothing to really announce, just checking in to remind everyone that we’re still in the middle of listening to 1989 albums, so I hope you’re doing that. If you’re not sure where to start, here is a master list of every 1989 album everyone in the Best Album Brackets community could think of. (And I bet it’s still not complete.) That’s actually probably a terrible place to start. You could start with my favorites? (See below.) Also, last week Brian Glaser gave us five jazz albums to consider. (I’ve only heard two so far, but I’m nominating Keith Jarrett Trio’s CHANGELESS.) Like anything in life, if you haven’t started yet, the best way to go about it is to start.
Anyway, here are my top albums of 1989, in alphabetical order, with links. I hope you give them a fair shake. Next time I’ll try and drop some stuff you haven’t heard.
Julee Cruise, FLOATING INTO THE NIGHT (Spotify, YouTube)
This shares tracks with the TWIN PEAKS soundtrack, but it has “Rockin’ Back Inside My Heart,” which if I’m remembering correctly, producer David Lynch told the saxophonist to play “sheets of plastic.” And he did! That’s why David Lynch was a great director, R.I.P.
De La Soul, 3 FEET HIGH AND RISING (Spotify YouTube)
They ran away as fast as they could from pop after this, so I’m glad we have it.
The Jesus & Mary Chain, AUTOMATIC (Spotify, YouTube)
JAMC use a robot rhythm section, and it works.
New Order, TECHNIQUE (Spotify, YouTube)
Their best non-greatest hits album. Do I. Do I got love technique.
Nirvana, BLEACH (Spotify, YouTube)
Always assumed this was not-baked-through Nirvana, that they wouldn’t come into their own until album #2, but no, this is as good as anything else they did, and possibly the most metal.
Nitzer Ebb, BELIEF (Spotify, YouTube)
Now is the time on Sprockets when we dance.
Nomeansno, WRONG (Spotify, YouTube)
Punk played with the technicality of jazz or prog, but never noodly, always with its foot on your throat. “Rags and Bones” is one of the greatest songs ever made.
Pixies, DOOLITTLE (Spotify, YouTube)
Do I have another ‘pinion? Nope, still great.
Pop Will Eat Itself, THIS IS THE DAY… THIS IS THE HOUR… THIS IS THIS! (Spotify, YouTube)
My favorite off this list. Knew it was for me when they briefly sample Genesis’ “Mama,” understanding that it was hiphop and funky.
Renegade Soundwave, SOUNDCLASH (Spotify, YouTube)
Dancey, vaguely industrial, with a punk sneer.
Wire, IT’S BEGINNING TO AND BACK AGAIN (Spotify, YouTube)
The one on this list that’s mostly for the heads. Wire took a bunch of live recordings, stripped them down, and then rebuilt them in the studio. So kind of a remix album? Except some of these tracks exist nowhere else. I prefer some of these to the original versions, fwiw. Oh, and then there’s three new studio tracks at the end, including 120 Minutes fave “Eardrum Buzz” as well as “The Offer,” possibly the prettiest-sounding song they ever made.
The Wonder Stuff, HUP (Spotify, YouTube)
Alt power pop, just banger after banger.
The Young Gods, L’EAU ROUGE (Spotify, YouTube)
Take a Swiss, Morrison-esque singer, a drummer, and a dude with a sampler and you somehow have one of the best industrial/metal bands to ever do it.
