Hey folks!

That’s right! More obscure favorites from the Bluesky Best Album Bracketeers! Today I have seven more albums that Brackteers believe will be overlooked and hope you will consider for the tournament. Please try to hear, or at least sample, one of these albums each day. An informed electorate results in a diverse tournament slate! (As this is part 3 in a series, if you haven’t yet, please read part 1 and then part 2 and give those a listen as well.)

If you’re reading this and haven’t suggested one (1) obscure 1988 album you think I and others should consider, send me a line either on Bluesky or at [email protected]. Thanks! (If you emailed your suggestion and didn’t get a return reply saying I logged it, do it again and/or send me a line via Bluesky. Thanks!)

Most of these I haven’t heard yet, but the ones I have will have a rating[1]. (I actually have a backlog of stuff I’ve heard and want to recommend, but I want to give each album a second listen first, and time keeps getting away from me. I’m aiming for next weekend.) Also, each album will have quotes from whatever I could find on YouTube or AllMusic. In some cases, I used comments from the recommending Best Album Bracketeer in question. Enjoy!

American Music Club, CALIFORNIA (YouTube)

“This album! Someday, somewhere, they will hopefully be recognized for the brilliant band they are/were. One of
the absolute best albums of that era. Hell yes.”

“Such a beautiful record.”

“this is what my life rn sounds like”

Kent’s Rating: Like (Also, the first AMC album I’ve liked, so take that into consideration.)

Alejandra Guzman, BYE MAMÁ (Spotify)

“Con el lamentable fallecimiento de Silvia Pinal inmediatamente vino a mente está hermosa canción que Alejandra algún día le dedico a su mamá que en paz descanse”

“Se la dedico a mi mamá que fue azafata y mi papá piloto. Que padre que volaron alto, sin embargo aquí abajo yo
los necesitaba más”

“Se la dedico a mi mami porque ella tuvo mucho trabajo para tenerme a mi y a mi hermana y aún así yo vivo feliz
sin un papá (pocos entenderán)”

Kent’s Rating: Like

Muslimgauze, THE RAPE OF PALESTINE (YouTube)

“the passion of the victim outweighs the passion of a system. unmake vour unmakers.”

“Thank you for uploading this..! 35 years later, it is horrific to witness what the World has turned into. Dark times, and I find comfort in these masterpieces by Muslimgauze.”

“Just as relevant as it has been for the last 75 years. Great to see the algorithm giving these works a boost.”

Nurse With Wound, SOLILOQUY FOR LILITH (YouTube)

“Erie yet calming. I feel like I'm being sedated in preparation for something unknown.”

“If I lived near a dark forest, I would go for walks there, late at night, while listening to this album on headphones. The problem is, I don't live near a dark forest.”

“This sounds like a ginormous deep sea creature using sonar to hunt for its prey”

“I played this for a wedding reception. It was not recieved very well.”

Stephen Sondheim, INTO THE WOODS - ORIGINAL CAST RECORDING (Spotify, YouTube)

Unfortunately, couldn’t find any comments from YouTube or AllMusic, but we’ve never had Sondheim in the tournament (and I believe the only cast recording was the original one for HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH), so consider it, won’t you?

A Split-Second, …FROM THE INSIDE (Spotify, YouTube)

“this is one of those tracks... if you don't know this you have no business in an industrial/goth club”

“absolute banger”

“Yes the Wax Trax sound!!!!!”

“big up for belgian eletronic scene”

Kent’s Rating: Like

Richard Thompson, AMNESIA (Spotify, YouTube)

“Richard Thompson never really broke through the mainstream, no matter now much the major labels tried to push him. This was his first record for Capitol after a few underperforming releases from Polydor. The shimmery production marks it firmly as a product of its era and doesn't suit the songs well, but those songs are rock solid, beautiful, passionate, and heartbreaking.” — the nominator.

Kent’s Rating: Haven’t heard it yet! But I just found out it was produced by Mitchell Froom, so now it’s a priority.

Thanks for reading, and please go listen to these and other 1988 albums!

Kent

[1]: My rating system, for those that don’t know, goes (from highest to lowest), Love, Like/Love, Like, Interesting/Like, Interesting, Lukewarm, and Leave It. I usually nominate anything with a Like or higher, but only cast seed votes for Like/Love and higher. Exceptions remain, of course.