How Sooty Hears The 80's: 1980

[Soot and Stars]

How Sooty Hears the 80's:

1980​

Since I'm doing the 70's which is considered my many to be the best decade ever for the serious rock fan or by some to be the best music decade period I'm going to create a balance. I'm going to review the most highly criticized decade there is but one that is also labeled the most fun decade ever.The 80's were a time of partying and excess. This was the perfect time for music of a ridiculously fun nature. I'm sure it's not all like that as i'l find out. That'll be part of the fun as well. So in rotation with the 70's and my usual modern selections in other threads I'll be visiting this lighter side of music one album at a time! ​

 

[Tray73]

The 80's were a time of partying and excess.

The decade that saw my teen years so for me very much about this

This is going to be another interesting thread

 

[ILoveJimmyPage]

Get to the Madonna already Soots. You bought True Blue what, a couple of months ago and didn't tell me what you thought?

 

[Soot and Stars]

The decade that saw my teen years so for me very much about this

This is going to be another interesting thread

Get to the Madonna already Soots. You bought True Blue what, a couple of months ago and didn't tell me what you thought?

Thanks Tray! Just spicing up my rotation and giving myself a chance to hear the best of all worlds! Glad you are one of the ones who enjoyed the decade for what it offered. Seemed people were less uptight in the 80's music scene.

Jen, I will cover them but the earliest one will be "Like A Prayer" which will bw a ways off. Sorry, have a lot of ground to cover!

 

[Soot and Stars]

Vazelina Bilopphøggers-24 Timers Service



What can I really say about my first pick besides it's a Norwegian rockabilly cover band! Seriously, where else can I go with that. I really could only find a portion of this album but I get the idea. It definitely fits the fun, weirdattitude of the 80's so I guess it's an appropriate first post! Here's some Norwegian rockabilly for your enjoyment with their cover of "I Got Stung"! Elvis better shake those hips faster if he wants to match these guys enthusiasm! :

Aagot Stung
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[Soot and Stars]

Brats-1980

This group actually kicks some ass and the album has an appropriate title as it's getting my thread rolling on a more seriously positive note than Norwegian rockabilly did for the year 1980 in my first post. This group is like The Ramones with 70's hard rock riffs. From reading this group would become Mercyful Fate which I only know by name but I think has a big fanbase. I usually don't favor punk groups but theses guys kick ass and the whole album doesn't have a weak track and the album goes all over the place stylistically. Here are my favs:

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[Soot and Stars]

Elton John-21 At 33



With this album, named because at age 33 Elton was already on his 21 album release Elton seems to be on his tweener stage where he was transitioning between his more respected brilliant 70's albums and his more adult contemporary top 40 pop works. This album seems to lack an identity and isn't even played in his concerts with a few exceptions. It's not a bad album and I love how my two favorite tracks are two polar opposites as Elton writes the obvious metaphor for cocaine before his letter to God.

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Plus I also like the closing track. It's vintage Elton!


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Not the best Elton album but far from the worst either!
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[Soot and Stars]

Al Stewart-24 Carrots

I'm surprised how many of these songs I know as I've only heard Al Stewart by name or so I thought. It seems this album is split by radio ready pop on the first half and the second half seems far more subdued. In this case I prefer the former. "Midnight Rocks" is listed as the single but I thought "Running Man" was a popular one in itself. no mention of it's popularity on Wikipedia. For me "Running Man" is definitely the best track here. That jazzy piano rock guitar combo kicks off and the song never loses speed. Even with bongos! It has a ton of genres mixed into one including a World Music influence and is a really cool song!:



Another cool song is "Merlins Time" which slows it down to a folky vibe that reminds me of Alan Parsons. Obviously by the title it unsurprisingly it has a Medieval Renaissance type vibe to it but adds a little Jazz to modernize it.



The coolest song on side 2 is this Blue Oyster Cult vibed track with a video that is way less corny and shameful than the one for "Mondo Sinistro"! Keep it to live vids Al! I think the vocal here is an example of what separates Al from other singer/songwriter types. He always has that geeky 80's Ric Ocasek vibe to him rather than the take yourself too seriously vibe the rest had.:



This I'd an artist I'd buy an album from and would be interested in hearing more from! ​