“This Is the Sea”, released in September 1985, is the third The Waterboys album, and the last of their “Big Music” albums. Considered by critics to be the finest album of their early rock-oriented sound,described as “epic” and “a defining moment”, it was the first Waterboys album to enter the United Kingdom charts, peaking at … Read more
Misplaced Childhood is the third studio album of the neo-progressive rock band Marillion. It was released in 1985 and has been their most commercially successful album, reaching number one in the UK album charts in June 1985 and spending a total of 41 weeks on the chart, the longest chart residency of a Marillion album. … Read more
The Secret of Association is the second album by the British singer Paul Young. Released in 1985, it reached number one on the UK album charts and the Top 20 in the US. The album spawned the hit singles “Every Time You Go Away” (a #1 hit in the US and #4 in the UK), … Read more
Listen Like Thieves is the fifth album by the Australian rock band INXS. It was released in 1985. Considered a breakthrough album for the band, it featured their first top 5 single in the United States, “What You Need.” This album also marks the beginning of their off and on alliance with Chris Thomas.
Southern Accents is the sixth album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, released in 1985. The album’s first single, “Don’t Come Around Here No More”, cowritten by Dave Stewart of Eurythmics, peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its music video featured Alice in Wonderland imagery. “Southern Accents” was later covered by Johnny Cash … Read more
Smart, sophisticated, and timelessly stylish, Steve McQueen (titled Two Wheels Good in the U.S. after threats of a lawsuit from the actor’s estate) is a minor classic, a shimmering jazz-pop masterpiece sparked by Paddy McAloon’s witty and inventive songwriting. McAloon is a wickedly cavalier composer, his songs exploring human weaknesses like regret (“Bonny”), lust (“Appetite”), … Read more
The Head on the Door is the sixth studio album by British band The Cure, released in 1985. The album is the first to feature drummer Boris Williams, it also features the return of Simon Gallup and is Porl Thompson’s first album as an official member. This album follows the return of Simon Gallup and … Read more
On their second album, Scritti Politti essentially was Green Gartside, who directed drummer Fred Maher, keyboardist David Gamson, and a multitude of studio musicians through a state-of-the-art, immaculately constructed set of catchy synth pop on Cupid & Psyche 85. The results are as impressive as Songs to Remember and produced the hit singles “Perfect Way” … Read more
Take the title of Run-D.M.C.’s King of Rock somewhat literally. True, the trailblazing rap crew hardly abandoned hip-hop on their second album, but they did follow through on the blueprint of their debut, emphasizing the rock leanings that formed the subtext of Run-D.M.C. Nearly every cut surges forward on thundering drum machines and simple power … Read more