Yeah, not being a big hip-hop fan myself, it seems like a pretty big deal to me that there are three rap albums from this year that I think are awesome. PE, Ultramagnetic, and that EPMD are all really great. There's also that NWA album, but I heard it too late, I guess, and never really got into it.

I've never heard Follow the Leader, and I guess I should get on that.

If you have that UT in any format, I would love to hear it.

You are correct on all points made.

And +1 on The Cohen, Guy Clark, and Lyle Lovett.

billyg- I think the only thing wrong with Old Friends is it's too damned short.

I came late into this thread, I'll have to think about any that haven't shown up so far, but '88 was very strong year of great music for me.

This won't get any love around these parts, but is near the top of the heap of her body of work for me. Mark Knpfler and Alan Clark adding some very nice accompaniment to Joanie's multi-instrument offerings, and the recording quality is a sonic delight.

Bob Neuwirth~ Back to The FrontOnly his second release in a 14 year time span, this is still one of the best records I've ever heard. And Private Eye is near-perfect.

Lucinda has "Crescent City" on it - which is not only her best song, the best song about New Orleans, maybe the best female fronted song ever and easily a top 10 of mine - and the #1 most played song on my iTunes.

I am a patient boy, but I'm tired of waiting for someone else to post this:


Fugazi - self-titled EP (aka 7 Songs, later re-released as part of 13 Songs)

Good one. (But I've never actually listened to either of the original Fugazi EPs outside of the 13 Songs comp.)

I think I posted this in the 1989 thread, but it should have gone here:


Rapeman - Two Nuns and Pack Mule

Pictured here is the comp - released in '94 - of the album + the EP which both came out in '88. This is my favorite Albini album, over anything from Big Black or Shellac. I also like it more than pretty much any of The Jesus Lizard's albums other than Liar and maybe Goat.

I thought about posting that one too, but AMG listed it as 1989.
Still, a great record. Love the ZZ Top cover. Albini is always good for pulling an unexpected cover out of nowhere.

Speaking of Albini-related things:

Okay, so he wasn't actually in the band, but he was a part of the same Chicago hardcore scene in the 80's.
This may be the best album, front-to-back that NR ever put out. (Although, it is hard to top Throb Throb.) One of those bands that I was afraid of when I was in my early H.S. years. And then, when I finally heard them later on (when they had already broken up, damnit), I was kinda surprised to hear that they had actual melodies, and that the guy could actually sing! Great fucking band. Great fucking record. An essential document of 1980's Chicago hardcore.

I do like Throb Throb better, but that is a damn fine Naked Raygun album.

Travelling w/ a crapberry so no pix til later...

Album of the year: Danielle Dax "Dark Adapted Eye"

Others of note:

Ultravivid Scene: selfititled
The Full Time Men: Your Face My Fist
The Three Johns: The Death Of Everything
The Passion Fodder: Fat Tuesday
Wire: A Bell Is A Cup

Well, neither have I, but that's like saying I haven't heard #1 Record because I've only heard it paired with Radio City. Still the same recordings.

Did I miss this one?

I am, and have never been a fan of Jeff Lynne's post-ELO production. In fact, it's fair to say that I hate it. Still, even Jeff Lynne could not destroy this album. Why? Because there is nothing to it but a good time. Some solidly crafted songs played by a bunch of guys who have nothing to lose and, certainly have nothing to prove. They're all having fun and you can hear it in the music. It's a blast from beginning to end. Even if Jeff Lynne is on-board.

Good call, Toddo.

By the way not from 88, but Todd if you're a Naked Raygun fan, have you listened to much from the Effigies remains Nonviewable collects the early EPs and is pretty kick ass and in a similar vein.

Again, I was there, but I wasn't present. Didn't get into the whole punk thing until after the Chicago hardcore heyday. The Effigies is a pretty big hole in my collection. Need to pick some up.

Eric Ambel - Roscoe's Gang

Post Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and recorded while the Del-Lords were still active (in fact, they released Based on a True Story this same year), Eric Ambel's first solo album enlisted the esteemed Lou Whitney (of the Morells) for a fun 'n' sloppy outing that includes a spectacular bust-up version of Dylan's "If You Gotta Go, Go Now" and a one-take live-in-the-studio runthrough of Neil Young's "Vampire Blues", which, if nothing else, is proof positive that Ambel loved On The Beach long before you did.



The Dream Syndicate - Ghost Stories

The final Dream Syndicate album dove deep into leader Steve Wynn's jones for rootsy Americana, although most songs still featured Paul Cutler's massive geetar wall of sound. The resulting hybrid of psychedelic alt.country didn't do much for the band's old fans, nor did it win any new ones, but this is a much better album than the previous Dream Syndicate release (Out of the Grey) and it accurately sets the scene for Wynn's solo career.



Giant Sand - Love Songs

In some ways this was the last Giant Sand album that attempted any kind of conventional approach to songwriting and recording. It's still a weird trip, but it's nowhere near the slapdash improv of Long Stem Rant and albums beyond. Songs like "Wearing the Robes of Bible Black", "Mountain of Love", and "Almost the Politician's Wife" are fairly concise, and even the epic "One Man's Woman/ No Man's Land" relies on a sturdy melody. The CD reissue adds 4 tracks to the original album.



Marti Jones - Used Guitars

Produced by her husband Don Dixon (a leading light of the early 80s alt. scene, known best for co-producing the first couple REM albums with Mitch Easter), this was Marti Jones' 3rd release, and it's her high water mark. Cherry picking songs from John Hiatt, Graham Parker, and Jackie DeShannon, as well as the ones she and Dixon wrote together, with instrumental help from Marshall Crenshaw, Sonny Landreth, Mitch Easter, and Terry Anderson, this is a highly enjoyable set of folkpoprootswhateveryoucallit.



Painters & Dockers - Kiss My Art

Fairly insane Aussie band that put on one of the best live shows I've ever witnessed. You can't hear that live show on the album, unfortunately, but there's still a lot of fun to be had on tracks like "Nude School" and "Die, Yuppy, Die".

Richard Thompson~Amnesia- With long-time associate Mitchell Froom producing, some fine L.A. session players making up the band, and 2 great folks I've met a couple times, Christine Collister and Clive Gregson, helping on back-up vocals, this has all the elements of classic RT- a couple slow ballads, one or two whose inspirational origins are tough to discern, and some scalding, snarly electric cuts that favorably compare with his best. Should be played loud.



Randy Newman~ Field of dreams- A puzzling and, at times, frustrating album for me, with a few autobiographical songs, a couple that still make me wonder what the fuck he was thinking about, and his only #1 chart hit, It's Money That Matters", which I think deserved that accolade- never fails to get me up off the couch.

And I'll wind up my two pesos with one that stays in my top 10 of all time, and easily in my top 3 debut albums.

Front 242 - Front By Front

Probably my favorite full-length by my favorite industrial band. I always liked the heavy beat they used, and still listen to this and Official Version from time to time.

Lot's of good stuff here I need to check out.

Other than Surfer Rosa, this would be my favorite album from 1988:



The rerelease from '91 adds some good stuff like the cover of the Heads "Heaven" but this has the essential backbone of one the most enduring acts of the last couple of decades. No jams, just tunes, it sounds different from everything they did subsequently probably because of A. their youth and B. the sort of lo fi (or low budget) quality of the recording (sort of interesting that John Keane had this and Green out both in '88). This sounds like sitting outside with a cold beer.

stuff white people like.

Love this record.