Retro Albums of the Year 2010's: 2020

[Zoom E]

1988. The year I got my 1st CD player.

Me too!

[SoundscapeMN]

1988. The year I got my 1st CD player.

Me too!

that was the year my brother did. It was a few years later for myself (1991), but also part of that was my brother's comment about cds and how they were a waste of money (ironically. He used to tell me it was cheaper just to tape stuff off radio or buy the cassette and dub them). He ended up getting a component stereo system with Bar Mitzvah money, which I cannot recall what I bought with mine, lol.

[wolfking]

1988.

Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of A Seventh Son
Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime
King Diamond - Them
Judas Priest - Ram it Down
Yngwie Malmsteen - Odyssey
Jason Becker - Perpetual Burn
Ozzy Osbourne - No Rest for the Wicked
Crimson Glory - Transcendance
Death - Leprosy
Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 2
Winger - Winger
Magnum - Wings of Heaven
Megadeth - So Far, So Good... So What!
Metallica - ...And Justice For All
Slayer - South of Heaven
Cacophony - Go Off!
Marty Friedman - Dragon's Kiss
Vinnie Moore – Time Odyssey
Fates Warning - No Exit
Testament - The New Order
Candlemass - Ancient Dreams

[WildRanger]

My top 10 picks for 1988:

1. Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime
2. Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
3. Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys part II
4. Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden
5. Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
6. Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
7. Riot - Thundersteel
8. Voivod - Dimension Hatröss
9. Metallica - And Justice for All
10. Marty Friedman - Dragon's Kiss

So close: Candlemass - Ancient Dreams
King's X - Out of the Silent Planet
Napalm Death - From Enslavement to Obliteration

[TAC]

I'm embarrased that I forgot this one, but I was checking a heavy metal list while posting but this is a great album:
Fields Of The Nephilim-the Nephilim

[wolfking]

 

[nick_z]

I'm embarrased that I forgot this one, but I was checking a heavy metal list while posting but this is a great album:
Fields Of The Nephilim-the Nephilim

A bit off-topic here, but do you know "Zoon" - the only album from The Nefilim, the project Carl McCoy put together in the mid-90s? It's like a more extreme-metal, slightly industrial-tinged version of the Fields Of The Nephilim. Very cool record, I wish he'd kept going. The album gets especially interesting from the third song on (Shine)...

[TAC]

I'm embarrased that I forgot this one, but I was checking a heavy metal list while posting but this is a great album:
Fields Of The Nephilim-the Nephilim

A bit off-topic here, but do you know "Zoon" - the only album from The Nefilim, the project Carl McCoy put together in the mid-90s? It's like a more extreme-metal, slightly industrial-tinged version of the Fields Of The Nephilim. Very cool record, I wish he'd kept going. The album gets especially interesting from the third song on (Shine)...

I didn't follow them after Earth Inferno. My college roommate (who lived in NJ) did, but I was onto other things like discovering Dream Theater.

Thinking about this still pisses me off to no end, but I discovered this album about two weeks AFTER they played in Providence. I remember being so mesmerized by this album. It would've been so great to catch them live in a small club.

[SoundscapeMN]

1989

I used to look at 1989 as an amazing year, and there's some great records , but compared to some other years, meh. It's TOP heavy I suppose.

1. King's X - Gretchen Goes to Nebraska
2. Rush - Presto
3. Fates Warning - Perfect Symmetry
4. Faith No More - The Real Thing
5. Dream Theater - When Dream and Day Unite
6. Marillion - Seasons End
7. XTC - Oranges and Lemons
8. Tears for Fears - The Seeds of Love
 9. Rush - A Show of Hands
10. Savatage - Gutter Ballet
11. Billy  Joel - Storm Front
12. Queen - The Miracle
13. Voivod - Nothingface
14. Watchtower - Control and Resistance
15. Peter Gabriel - Passion
16. Anderson Bruford Wakeman and Howe - Anderson Bruford Wakeman and Howe
17. Lenny Kravitz - Let Love Rule
18. TNT - Intuition
19, Linda Rondsadt featuring Aaron Neville - Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind
20. Thinking Plague - In this Life

[MirrorMask]

My 1989

1. SAVATAGE - Gutter Ballet
2. BLIND GUARDIAN - Follow the Blind
3. RAGE - Secrets in a Weird World
4. ALICE COOPER - Trash
5. DREAM THEATER - When Dream and Day Unite
6. VIPER - Theatre of Fate
7. BLACK SABBATH - Headless Cross

[King Postwhore]

Let me add this album for 1989.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

1989 was not quite as strong an 1988, but there are still quite a few great albums

1. Marillion - Season's End
2. Watchtower - Control and Resistance
3. Rush - Presto
4. Fates Warning - Perfect Symmetry
5. Rush - A Show of Hands
6. Candlemass - Tales of Creation
7. The Cure - Disintegration
8. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - In Step
9. Kate Bush - The Sensual World
10. Coroner - No More Color
11. W.A.S.P. - The Headless Children
12. Savatage - Gutter Ballet
13. The Cult - Sonic Temple
14. Scanner - Terminal Earth
15. Running Wild - Death or Glory
16. Faith No More - The Real Thing
17. The Blue Nile - Hats
18. Don Henley - The End of the Innocence
19. Kings X - Gretchen Goes to Nebraska
20. Ozric Tentacles - Pungent Effulgent
21. Voivod - Nothingface
22. Fugazi - 13 Songs
23. Primus - Suck On This
24. Phil Collins - ...But Seriously
25. Phish - Junta
26. Testament - Practice What You Preach
27. Dream Theater - When Dream and Day Unite
28. Blind Guardian - Follow the Blind
29. Whitesnake - Slip of the Tongue
30. Weird Al Yankovic - UHF
31. Soundgarden - Louder Than Love
32. X - Blue Blood
33. Nirvana - Bleach

[HOF]

Some incredible albums in 1989. The first 9 here are really strong, with three all time favorites at the top:

1. The Blue Nile - Hats
2. Tears for Fears - The Seeds of Love
3. Rush - Presto
4. Marillion - Season’s End
5. King’s X - Gretchen Goes to Nebraska
6. XTC - Oranges & Lemons
7. Phil Collins - But Seriously
8. Peter Gabriel - Passion
9. Mr. Big - Mr. Big
10. Dream Theater - When Dream and Day Unite
11. Tony Banks - Bankstatement
12. Giant - Last of the Runaways
13. The Ocean Blue - The Ocean Blue

[nick_z]

Ah, 1989, the year of the official debut of the house band  I discovered When Dream and Day Unite later, but it's still one of my favorites from DT.

If I were to do a top 10, it might be as follows (ranking is not really set in stone):

Marillion - Seasons End
Dream Theater - When Dream and Day Unite
Metal Church - Blessing In Disguise
Savatage - Gutter Ballet
Faith No More - The Real Thing
Fates Warning - Perfect Symmetry
King's X - Gretchen Goes to Nebraska
Tesla - The Great Radio Controversy
Rush - Presto
Blind Guardian  - Follow the Blind

(Very) honorable mentions, strictly in alphabetical order:

Aerosmith - Pump
Alice Cooper - Trash
Annihilator - Alice in Hell
Bad English - Bad English
Coroner - No More Color
The Cult - Sonic Temple
The Cure - Disintegration
Giant - Last of the Runaways
Peter Gabriel - Passion
Godflesh - Streetcleaner
Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine
Overkill - The Years of Decay
Rage - Secrets in a Weird World
Sepultura - Beneath the Remains
Skid Row - Skid Row
Tears for Fears - Seeds of Love
Voivod - Nothingface
Watchtower - Control and Resistance

Aerosmith, Alice Cooper and Skid Row were all real-time discoveries, and I listened to those three albums A TON that year. For Aerosmith, I only knew (and loved) Permanent Vacation at the time, and I liked Pump at least as much as its predecessor. As for Alice Cooper, I had no idea about his history, and I really enjoyed Trash. Not all of it has aged great, but some songs are still mini-classics of that late 80s era. Skid Row - what a great debut. Slave to the Grind is better, and a big favorite of mine, but I always thought, beyond the big ballads, the debut was already a bit more "metal" than the average hair band at the time - the closer, Midnight/Tornado could almost be a Judas Priest song.

[nick_z]

5. Toy Matinee - Toy Matinee

Love this too, and would include it in my list - but didn't it come out in 1990? I have to update otherwise 

[Trav86]

5. Toy Matinee - Toy Matinee

Love this too, and would include it in my list - but didn't it come out in 1990? I have to update otherwise 

It did.

[TAC]

1989 was a bit of an off year, but there were still a number of excellent albums..

What did I have in 1989..

Alice Cooper-Trash
Gary Moore-After The War
Rush-Presto
Tesla-The Great Radio Controversy
McCauley Schenker Group-Save Yourself
Metal Church-Blessing In Disguise
Aerosmith-Pump
Motley Crue-Dr. Feelgood
KISS-Hot In The Shade
Dangerous Toys-s/t
Accept-Eat The Heat
Annihilator-Alice In Hell
WASP-The Headless Children

I did buy Mr. Big's, Blue Murder's and Badland's debuts, but I was pretty disappointed in each.




After the fact..
Dream Theater-When Day And Dream Unite
Testament-Practice What You Preach
Fifth Angel-Time Will Tell
Blind Guardian-Follow The Blind
Black Sabbath-Headless Cross
Fates Warning-Perfect Symmetry
Michael Monroe-Not Faking It




My concerts for 1989..

1989..1/31..Cheap Trick, House Of Lords..Providence Performing Arts Center
1989..2/23..Paul Stanley, Warrant..West Hartford Ballroom..Hartford CT
1989..3/2..Bon Jovi, Skid Row.. Providence Civic Center
1989..3/16..Metallica, Queensryche..Worcester Centrum
1989..3/17..Metallica, Queensryche..Hartford Civic Center
1989..3/29..Metallica, Queensryche.. Providence Civic Center
1989..4/16..Jon Butcher.. The Living Room Providence
1989..4/23..MOD, Laaz Rocket.. The Living Room Providence
1989..5/28..Rod Stewart..Great Woods Mansfield MA
1989..6/29..Bon Jovi, Skid Row.. Great Woods Mansfield MA
1989..7/21..Metallica, The Cult..Brendan Byrne Arena, NJ
1989..7/25..Metallica, The Cult..Worcester Centrum
1989..8/13..Tesla, Great White, Badlands..Great Woods Mansfield MA
1989..9/29..Rolling Stones, Living Colour..Foxboro Stadium
1989..9/31..Kreator.. The Living Room Providence
1989..12/16..Motley Crue, Warrant..Worcester Centrum
1989..12/30..Aerosmith, Skid Row..Boston Garden




I'll also share my College Radio WDADU story for those that haven't heard it..

I did the heavy metal show at my college radio station, from second semester of my freshmen year until I graduated. Three and a half years every Sunday night.

One night while doing my show, I was looking in the new release bin and I came across this album by a band called Dream Theater. I thought that was such a great name of a band. I thought I'd quickly check it out "in cue", which is DJ speak, meaning you have one turntable playing for real, and you have the other set "in cue" mode to set up the next track. Anyway, "in cue" doesn't give you a true sonic picture. I could hear the ratatatat of the drums and the keyboards in my ear, NOT the guitar!, and it came off as kind of artsy. The cover of the album seemed..gay..can I say that? and the back cover picture of the band was...worse.
I filed it back in the bin and never gave it another thought.


Anyway, fast forward to sometime in late 93/early 94, and I am now a huge fan of the new band Dream Theater that I saw open for Iron Maiden in the summer of 1992. I had I&W, and I tracked down Live At The Marquee.
I found an import store that I would mail order stuff (Worldwide CD in Chicago). They had a great catalog, and I saw they had the first DT album with their original singer. Cool. I'm going to get it. Well, when it was delivered, I opened it up and HOLY SHIT!! I immediately recognized the cover! I had no idea, and had never given that album I checked out a number of years ago another thought. I was shocked..and pissed!

[HOF]

5. Toy Matinee - Toy Matinee

Love this too, and would include it in my list - but didn't it come out in 1990? I have to update otherwise 

It did.

Huh. My Windows library has it as 1989. Will have to amend.

[ReaperKK]

Alright a few more albums for this year, 1989:

1. Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever - 5/5
2. Aerosmith - Pump - 4.5/5
3. The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses - 4/5
4. Extreme - Extreme - 3.5/5
5. Dream Theater - When Dream And Day Unite - 3/5
6. Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble - In Step - 2.5/5
7. Pat Metheny Group - Letter From Home - 2/5
8. Nirvana - Bleach - 1.5/5
9. Rush - Presto - 1.5/5
10. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique - 1.5/5

A real mixed bag from this year. Full Moon Fever, Pump, and The Stone Roses debut are all really great records but this year also saw the release of Rush's second worst album and a truly awful Beastie Boys record.

[SoundscapeMN]

Fish - Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors

Year early, this was actually released in January of 1990.

[wolfking]

Black Sabbath - Headless Cross
Savatage - Gutter Ballet
King Diamond - Conspiracy
W.A.S.P. - The Headless Children
Gary Moore - After the War
Joe Satriani - Flying in a Blue Dream
Metal Church - Blessing in Disguise
Dream Theater - When Dream and Day Unite
Sepultura - Beneath the Remains
Blue Murder - Blue Murder
Alice Cooper - Trash
Fates Warning - Perfect Symmetry
Rush - Presto
Annihilator - Alice in Hell
Lizzy Borden - Master of Disguise
Watchtower - Control and Resistance

[jingle.boy]

Not mentioned yet:

Extreme - Extreme
Pandora's Box - Original Sin
Warrant - Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinkin Rich
White Lion - Big Game
Winter Rose - Winter Rose

[wolfking]

Not mentioned yet:

White Lion - Big Game

There's a damn good reason behind that. 

[jingle.boy]

Not mentioned yet:

White Lion - Big Game

\
There's a damn good reason behind that. 

Awwww, c'mon. There's a couple of gems in there.  Little Fighter is top-shelf, man.

[WildRanger]

My picks:

1. Pixies - Doolittle
2. Sepultura - Beneath the Remains (probably my favorite thrash album after Rust in Peace)
3. The Cure - Disintegration
4. W.A.S.P. - The Headless Children
5. Faith No More - The Real Thing
6. Overkill - The Years of Decay
7. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
8. Voivod - Nothingface
9. Candlemass - Tales of Creation
10. Tesla - The Great Radio Controversy

So close: King's X - Gretchen Goes to Nebraska
Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever
The Cult - Sonic Temple

[ReaperKK]

Not mentioned yet:

Extreme - Extreme

I threw it on my list, some of the tightest guitar playing I've ever heard on that record. The intro to "Kid Ego" **Chef's kiss**

[WildRanger]

I can't believe that Presto is included in 7/9 lists.

[wolfking]

I can't believe that Presto is included in 7/9 lists.

Why?

[nick_z]

Fish - Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors

Year early, this was actually released in January of 1990.

  will amend

[Trav86]

I can't believe that Presto is included in 7/9 lists.

It’s a great record.

[jingle.boy]

Not mentioned yet:

Extreme - Extreme

I threw it on my list, some of the tightest guitar playing I've ever heard on that record. The intro to "Kid Ego" **Chef's kiss**

That's the second time I've somehow fucked up a CMD+F search! 

[SoundscapeMN]

Presto is a great record. I've said it many times, but it's worth repeating. I feel it's the last great Rush record.

[WildRanger]

I can't believe that Presto is included in 7/9 lists.

Why?

Because it's the most mentioned album for 1989 here and it's not classic Rush and generally it's not considered to be among top-tier stuff in Rush discography.

[jingle.boy]

I can't believe that Presto is included in 7/9 lists.

Why?

Because it's the most mentioned album for 1989 here and it's not classic Rush and generally it's not considered to be among top-tier stuff in Rush discography.

Bottom tier Rush still better than top-tier most other bands.

[HOF]

I can't believe that Presto is included in 7/9 lists.

Why?

Because it's the most mentioned album for 1989 here and it's not classic Rush and generally it's not considered to be among top-tier stuff in Rush discography.

I don’t know about generally, but it is considered a top-tier Rush album by me, the maker of my top albums of 1989 list. ;-)