I can't decide. I constantly change my mind.

Love And Rockets
Dramarama
Gary Numan
Sinead O'Connor
Devo
Adam Ant

Any thoughts?

Yes. Certain albums by them are, not all albums.

Though O'Connor, Dramarama and Love & Rockets might not appreciate being called "80's artists," particularly O'Connor (only her first album came out in the 80's).

The first Devo album is excellent. The second one is good. The third one is patchy. That's all I've heard of theirs.

Don't know the others very well.

That's true, 'spoon. Devo also, I suppose, but in the other direction.

Wothesaid.

My favorite Love & Rockets are the first 2, I believe- 7th Dream Of Teenage Heaven and Express. They went downhill after those, imo.

Good stuff, Maynard.
fp

I think Numan and Ant went downhill the most.
Devo were around long enough that there's plenty to like and plenty to pigeonhole into chintzy geekdom.
Love & Rockets meandered through several styles and lost both their audience and marketing clout, but they never did crap.
Haven't heard Dramarama for years, but used to really like them.
Certainly, though, all examples of artists whose early albums are the most potent.

O'Connor lost her way after 1990, hiding behind homage and stylisms. I like all her post I Do Not Want releases, but they can't hold a candle to the raw passion of The Lion & The Cobra. Her reggae album is getting great reviews, though and she was good on Craig Ferguson the other night.

Love And Rockets - I thought they put out some really interesting stuff, even during their brief MTV heyday. Earth - Sun - Moon is probably my favorite of their albums.

Dramarama - I really liked (and still like) Dramarama. It's pretty much plain ol' rock 'n' roll attached to no particular trend nor era, which is IMO both its strength and weakness. I think their apex were their later albums (Vinyl and Hi Fi Sci Fi) but I know many disagree vehemently with that. And FYI - they've just put out a new album this year.

Gary Numan - thought he was moderately interesting back in the Tubeway Army days, but he seems now more a synth-pop figure of influence rather than an artist with that much to say

Sinead O'Connor - I've always felt that Sinead's secret shame is that she's just not that great a singer. Despite that, her first two albums were pretty powerful (and have stood the test of time fairly well). Then the cracks started to show.

Devo - Are We Not Men? made my listmania. Absolutely great album. I lost interest with Duty Now, though, when they started to gloss up their sound.

Adam Ant - I'm interested to hear more just because Billzebub is a bit of a fan. Back in the early days of punk I wrote him off as a bad gimmick without ever really hearing more than the singles, which means I never gave him a proper chance.

Always enjoyed these two. Definitely agree with the Sinead opinion.

Devo's Are We Not Men is fucking awesome, and I'm going to throw it on now.

I'm a fan of Adam Ant's stuff he did with the Ants. After that, his solo years hits the skids pretty quick, quality-wise.

I'd agree with all these assessments. Although despite the fact that I think Sinead has stood the test of time, I don't really care if I never hear those albums again and I own both and can't bring myself to trade either in.

Devo - Great... only weak album I can think of is shout. I saw 'em live this summer and they still have it.

Love & Rockets - All very good up & through Earth, sun & Moon...pretty disposable thereafter. Express is my personal fav...in fact, I don't know if there's an album I've played more in my life than that although 99.9% of those spins occurred over 15 years ago.

I believe albums by all but O'Connor made my Listamia:

Express, Box Office Bomb, Replicas, Q: Are We Not Men, Dirk Wears White Sox

= good

O'Conner:90's:Fiona:00's
I'll always love Devo.

While Ratcliffe prefers their later stuff and Billzebub their early, I don't think Dramarama ever made an album not worth owning. I'm not sure how much of their early stuff is still in print, but it shouldn't be hard to track down.

I have always liked Sinead-at least her first 2 albums. I consider her 1st one of the best debuts ever.

Steve

Love And Rockets -- hands down, yes
Dramarama -- dunno
Gary Numan -- definitely
Sinead O'Connor -- started out really strong, deteriorated quickly (love the first album, like the second, don't even remember the third)
Devo -- abso-fucking-lutely
Adam Ant -- the one song is good

Love & Rockets - first three albums a must own. It might be blasphemy to admit, but their first three records were for me always more enjoyable than Bauhaus. Out of all the bands you are asking about, I'd say this one stands out a bit above the rest for me. When Express came out it ruled my record player for months. I drove to Chigaco to see them - my first long distance road trip for a concert (nearly six hours people). I wore jeans and a t-shirt and was literally the only one not dressed head to toe in black in the entire auditorium.

Dramarama - great singles band, but not an album band. Have one of the board members burn you a "best Of" and you'll be pretty impressed actually. Start with "Anything Anything (I'll Give You)", and then try "Last Cigarette", "What Are We Gonna Do?", and "Haven't Got A Clue". Those four are solid imo.

Gary Numan - Pretty solid if you are into slightly creepy synth pop - a little goes a long way however. I'd look to Tubeway Army to maybe Telekon though. Best bits found there.

Sinead O'Connor - I loved the first album, I sorta meh (shrugs) the second, and stopped bothering after those.

Devo - !!! Yup!!! I loves me some Devo. Early to Mid-period pretty solid albums perhaps up to New Traditionalists (the forth proper album), a bit spotty yet still rewarding in places after that. Yet this band is so far ahead of the herd in so many ways I've always felt compelled to give it all a listen. Freaking musical and truly intellectual geniuses.

Adam Ant (& the Ants) First concert I ever saw. First three albums are solid, a song or three on the Friend or Foe album still stand up as interesting and worth of repeat, same for Strip, but he'd become too much of a cartoon character by this point and it all gets a bit to shmaltzy and ego driven. I still have a soft spot for "Viva Le Rock" one of his later singles even though it is pure cheese.