Talking Heads - Speaking In Tongues (Sire, 1983) A recent listen to Stop Making sense makes me think that approach was better for the Remain In Light songs than these, at least to listen to. The crispness and dubbed out sense of space only adds to the surrealism. #5albums80s1

Metallica - Kill’Em All (Elektra, 1983) I didn’t discover them until 1987 when I read about this band that was selling big without radio play. Got the $9.98 CD and was hooked, working my way back to this blistering classic in short order. Still rips! #5albums80s1

A gorgeous new album from Jan Esbra provides this week's A Song For Friday. Listen to Crystal Bubbles and then find your way to Suspended In A Breath, released today on Phantom Limb in their Spirituals series. anearful.substack.com/p/a-song-for-f… #electronicmusic #newmusicfriday

Tom Waits - Rain Dogs (Island, 1985) The dank clank of Partch and Cage welded to the songs of Brecht/Weill and Dylan with atmospheric and emotional results as Waits evolves brilliantly before our ears. Michael Blair, Marc Ribot, and Keith Richards all shine bright. #5albums80s1

Talking Heads - Little Creatures (Sire, 1985). The sixth album - and fifth in my ranking of their studio albums. A brave return to songs over sonics - only some of the songs are weak, especially 2&3 on Side 2 - Byrne at his most irritating. Cheerful stuff, otherwise! #5albums80s1

Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back (Def Jam, 1988) One of the top ten hip hop albums of all time, filled with undying energy, invention, and power. Even ham-fisted tracks like She Watch Channel Zero barely dent its battle-hardened majesty. #5albums80s1

With Nadia Reid's first album since 2020 now on the horizon, the great singer-songwriter's bold return is today's A Song For Friday. Listen to Changed Unchained, out now on Chrysalis Records. #NewMusicFriday anearful.substack.com/p/a-song-for-f…

The Buddy Holly Story (Coral, 1959/63) Happy birthday to the great Charles Hardin Holley, born today in 1936. A songwriter and singer supreme cut down in his prime. In 1957, he claimed to like “the quieter stuff,” a direction he was already heading when he died. #vinyl

Back to my usual 25% for #5albums80s2 - and it's looking very tough already! Richard Shaw ain't playing... open.spotify.com/playlist/38f9Q…

New track from soccer mommy is sounding rough and ready for a cross-country trip. Turn the key on Driver now and see if it doesn't rev YOUR engine. New album, Evergreen, coming 10/25 on Loma Vista Recordings! youtu.be/y9t0YjNb0dI?si… via YouTube

I'm just doing a first-pass listen so I have no idea what's going on in Kaija Saariaho's Adriana Mater, but MAN do things get crazy at the end of Act 1! New recording out now on Deutsche Grammophon (DG) with Esa-Pekka Salonen at the helm - get to it. open.spotify.com/album/50NfHk7z… #opera

Talking Heads - Remain In Light (Sire, 1980) Time (or maybe just my mood) has broadened the distance between the full-on rush of the first five songs and the tense austerity of the last three. But still one of the most thrilling albums of all time! #5albums80s2

AC/DC - Back In Black (Atlantic, 1980/89) Minus Bon Scott’s more transgressive impulses, the Aussie greats reinvented themselves as a less pretentious Bad Company, with perfect use of space & dynamics. You Shook Me is a masterclass but other songs aren’t far behind! #5albums80s2

Great reporting by ⁦VAN Magazine⁩ gives a detailed look at the seedy yet lucrative world of “pay you to play me” “composer” Alexy Shor. Some guardrails must be in place, however, as this is the first I’ve heard of the man. #classicalmusic van-magazine.com/mag/alexey-sho…

Elvis Costello and the Attractions - Get Happy!! (F-Beat, 1980) The swerve from art rock to soul (broadly speaking) was initially baffling - but fun. The quality of the songs and arrangements gradually revealed another masterpiece in an incredible run of them. #5albums80s2

Bauhaus - In The Flat Field (Beggars Banquet, 1980) Spiky guitar, pummeling percussion, sepulchral bass, and anguished vocals create the pioneering sound of goth with clear lines to post-punk and glam (greetings, T.Rex!) - in short, a thrilling debut. #5albums80s1

Simple Minds - Empires And Dance (Virgin, 1980/2012) “All aboard the dance-rock express,” I shouted to my daughter as soon as I Travel started roaring out of the speakers. What an opener! The rest is subtler (and occasionally too abstract) but sets a killer mood. #5albums80s2

Lots of good music out today but Spells, the first single from Freak Slug's debut(?) album, shouldered its way into being A Song For Friday. Get involved.anearful.substack.com/p/a-song-for-f… #NewMusicFriday