Thursday, October 31, 2013

Paul McCartney - Pipes of Peace

Following 1982’s Tug of War (click here for that review), Paul McCartney released his fifth solo studio album Pipes of Peace on October 31st of 1983. Today, we will look at it to mark its thirtieth anniversary.

The multi-platinum album charted well across the globe. It reached number 38 in New Zealand, number 20 in Germany, number 15 on the US Billboard Album chart, number 13 in France, number 11 in the Netherlands, number 9 in Australia, number 5 in Japan, number 4 in Sweden and the UK, and number 1 in Norway.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Cocteau Twins - Head Over Heels

Tomorrow (October 31st) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Head Over Heels, the second full-length studio album from the Scottish band the Cocteau Twins. It charted at number 51 on the main UK Album chart and number 1 on the UK Indie Rock chart. A critical favorite, it placed at number 7 on Sounds magazine’s end of the year list for 1983 and in 2003 was named by Mojo magazine one of the most eccentric British album of all time.

At this point, the Twins were now a duo of Elizabeth Fraser (vocals) and Robin Guthrie (guitar, bass and drum machine).

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Rita Coolidge - Never Let You Go

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of Never Let Go, the tenth studio album from American singer/songwriter Rita Coolidge. Despite including a variety of covers of various popular new-wave/rock acts of the time, the record failed to even break into the top 200 of the US Billboard Album chart.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Vandenberg - Heading For a Storm

Today (October 28th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Heading For a Storm, the second studio album from the Dutch rock band Vandenberg. Following their self-titled debut (click here for that review) from 1982, this 1983 release peaked at number 169 on the US Billboard Album chart.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Bob Dylan - Infidels

Today (October 27th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Infidels, the twenty-second studio album from American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Co-produced by Dylan and Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler, it reached number 20 in the US, number 9 in the UK and number 6 in Australia.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Melissa Manchester - Emergency

This week (October 27th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Emergency, the eleventh studio album from singer/songwriter Melissa Manchester. After an earlier solid showing with a greatest hits collection earlier in 1983, this one stopped its climb on the US Billboard Album chart at number 135.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Ray Parker Jr. - Woman Out of Control

This week (October 27th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Woman Out of Control, the second solo studio album from Ray Parker Jr. Following the previous year's The Other Woman (click here for that review), this 1983 release charted at number 45 on the US Billboard Album chart and number 18 on the US Billboard R&B chart.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Kim Wilde - Catch As Catch Can

Today (October 24th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Catch as Catch Can, the third studio album from Kim Wilde. The record charted at number 97 in Australia, number 90 in the UK, number 35 in the Netherlands, number 23 in Germany, number 17 in Sweden, and number 6 in France and Switzerland.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Willie Nelson - Without a Song

Despite the title of today's thirtieth anniversary album, Willie Nelson is clearly never Without a Song. At the end of this post, you will see links to four other albums that Nelson put out during the eighteen month period from February 1982 to October of 1983. This album, a collection of standards from the 1930's and 1940's, reached number 85 in Australia, number 54 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number 35 on the Canadian pop chart, number 3 on the Canadian Country chart, and number 2 on the US Billboard Country chart. It was a Platinum seller in the US.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Cliff Richard - Silver

1983 marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of British singer-songwriter Cliff Richard. Appropriately, his album that year was entitled Silver which is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this month. It charted at number 65 in Australia, number 57 in Germany, number 47 in New Zealand, number 42 in the Netherlands, number 18 in Norway, and number 7 in the UK.

Monday, October 21, 2013

All the Right Moves (soundtrack)

Welcome to another edition of Matinee Monday.

Today (October 21st) marks the theatrical release of All the Right Moves, the 1983 film starring Tom Cruise, Craig T. Nelson, Lea Thompson, Chris Penn and Gary Graham. It is the story of a high school football player in an economically depressed western Pennsylvania town.

In honor of the film’s thirtieth anniversary, we will give a listen to its soundtrack album.

Atlantic Starr - Yours Forever

This week (October 20th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Yours Forever, the fifth studio album from R&B group Atlantic Starr. This 1983 release followed the Gold seller Brilliance (click here for that review) and charted at number 91 on the US Billboard Hot 200 and number 10 on the US Billboard R&B chart. This was also the final album for lead-singer Sharon Bryant before she left the group to pursue a solo career.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

The Oak Ridge Boys - Deliver

Nine months exactly after the release of American Made (click here for that review), the Oak Ridge Boys put out their tenth studio album Deliver. Today (October 20th), we mark the thirtieth anniversary of that 1983 release which charted at number 121 on the US Billboard Album chart and number 1 on the US Billboard Country chart.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Hall & Oates - Rock 'n Soul Part 1

This week (October 18th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Rock ‘n Soul Part 1, a greatest hits compilation album from Daryl Hall and John Oates. This 1983 release went multi-platinum in both the US and Canada. Chart-wise, it reached number 43 in Sweden, number 26 on the US Billboard R&B chart, number 16 in the UK, number 12 in Canada, number 9 in the Netherlands, number 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and number 1 in New Zealand.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Carpenters - Voice of the Heart

Today (October 18th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Voice of the Heart, the eleventh studio album from brother-sister pop duo Richard and Karen Carpenter. Released eight months after Karen’s death, it features material from her final recording sessions as well as some unreleased material. It charted at number 54 in Australia, number 46 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number 41 in Japan and number 6 in the UK.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Blue Öyster Cult - The Revölution By Night

Hailing from Long Island, New York, Blue Öyster Cult had a strong run during the 1970’s. By 1983, though, the albums were more spaced out with the sound of the band changing for the times. This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of The Revölution By Night, their ninth studio album. It charted at number 95 in the UK and number 93 on the US Billboard Album chart back in 1983.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Thin Lizzy - Life: Live

Today (October 16th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Life: Live (as it was noted on the original vinyl - later CD releases just called it Life), the double-disk live concert album from Irish rockers Thin Lizzy.

Peter Godwin - Correspondence

This months marks the thirtieth anniversary of Correspondence, the first full-length album from Peter Godwin. It was released in late 1983, a year after his EP Dance Emotions (click here for that review).

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Pat Benatar - Live From Earth

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of Live From Earth, the fifth album from Pat Benatar. This 1983 release, which sold over a million copies and reached number 60 in the UK, number 45 in Sweden, number 13 on the US Billboard Album chart and number 2 in Australia, features live concert recordings of eight earlier tracks taken from Benatar’s Get Nervous tour. It then ends with two new studio recordings.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Nick Heyward - North of a Miracle

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of North of a Miracle, the solo debut of Haircut 100's former lead singer Nick Heyward. It reached number 178 on the US Billboard Album chart and number 10 in the UK.

Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual (30th anniversary)


Today (October 14th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of She's So Unusual. This 1983 smash hit was the debut album for Cyndi Lauper, the former singer for the band Blue Angel.

For my complete review of this favorite album of mine, please click here.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Billy Joel - 52nd Street (35th anniversary)

Today (October 13th) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of 52nd Street, the sixth studio album from piano-man Billy Joel.

For my full album review, please click here.

The Jam - Snap!

Tomorrow (October 14th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Snap!, a double-album compilation from the Jam. This 1983 release followed the band’s split; it featured sixteen of their singles released in the UK, a few B-sides, some new tunes and some rarities.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Survivor - Caught in the Game

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of Caught in the Game, the fourth studio album from Survivor. Following on the heels of Eye of the Tiger (click here for that review), this 1983 release from the band only climbed as high as number 82 on the US Billboard Album charts. It was also the last album from the 80’s for the group that featured Dave Bickler as lead singer (he would return to the line-up in 1993).

The The - Soul Mining (30th anniversary)


This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of Soul Mining, the debut album from the British band The The.

Please click here for my full review of this 1983 release.

Friday, October 11, 2013

Sylvia - Snapshot


Following 1982’s Just Sylvia (click here for that review), the American country singer Sylvia Jane Kirby released her follow up Snapshot. It charted at number 77 on the US Billboard Album chart, number 62 in Canada and number 7 on the US Billboard Country chart. Today we will look at that 1983 release to mark its thirtieth anniversary.

Lionel Richie - Can't Slow Down (30th anniversary)

Today (October 11th), marks the thirtieth anniversary of Can't Slow Down, the multi-Platinum second solo studio album from Lionel Richie.

For my full review of this 1983 classic, please click here.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Level 42 - Standing in the Light

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of Standing in the Light, the fourth studio album from the UK band Level 42. Following on the heels of The Pursuit of Accidents from 1982 (click here for that review), this 1983 release went to number 27 in Germany, number 25 in Sweden and number 9 in the UK.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Matthew Wilder - I Don't Speak the Language

This week (October 7th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of I Don’t Speak the Language, the debut album from American singer-songwriter Matthew Wilder. The record peaked at number 49 on the US Billboard Album chart.

The New York born Wilder was one half of a Greenwich Village folk duo called Matthew & Peter before moving to California in the late 70’s. There he worked as a backing vocalist for Rickie Lee Jones and Bette Midler before doing his own album.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Eddie Money - Where's the Party?

This week (October 7th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Where’s The Party?, the fifth studio album from Eddie Money. It climbed to number 67 on the US Billboard Album chart.

Monday, October 7, 2013

John Cougar Mellencamp - Uh-Huh!

Today (October 7th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Uh-Huh, the seventh studio album by John Cougar Mellencamp (and the first on which he used his real last name). Per the record sleeve, it was written, arranged and recorded over a sixteen day period. It charted at number 92 in the UK, number 57 in Australia, number 24 in Sweden, and number 9 in Canada and on the US Billboard Album chart. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it at number 32 on its list of the 100 Greatest Albums of the 80's.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Rachel Sweet - Fool Around (35th anniversary)

Today (October 6th) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the release of Fool Around, the debut album of teen singer Rachel Sweet.

Please click here to read my full review of this album.

George Strait - Right Or Wrong

Today (October 6th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Right Or Wrong, the third studio album from American country singer George Strait. This 1983 release stopped at number 163 on the US Billboard Album Chart but reached number 1 on the US Billboard Country chart.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

The Flirts - Born To Flirt

Following the 1982 debut 10¢ a Dance (click here for that review), producer Bobby Orlando went back to the studio to work on the next album for his girl-group the Flirts. The singers on this one were Holly, Christina and Debby. Today, we will look at that second album entitled Born To Flirt to celebrate its thirtieth anniversary.

Friday, October 4, 2013

Musical Youth - Different Style!

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of Different Style!, the second album from the British group Musical Youth. Following their smash 1982 release The Youth of Today (click here for that review), there was high expectation for this 1983 album. However, the album stalled at number 144 on the US Billboard Album Chart and number 90 in Canada.

The US version of the record featured a different cover, as shown above, and a re-arranged track listing. For this review, I will follow the US release order.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Genesis - Genesis

Today (October 3rd) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Genesis, the self-titled twelfth studio album from British rockers Tony Banks (keyboards), Phil Collins (drums, percussion and lead vocals), and Mike Rutherford (guitar and bass). This multi-Platinum seller from 1983 went to number 12 in Sweden, number 9 on the US Billboard Album chart, number 5 in France, number 2 in Canada, the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland, and number 1 in Germany and the UK.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Kim Carnes - Café Racers

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of Café Racers, the eighth studio album from Kim Carnes. This one peaked at number 97 on the US Billboard Album chart.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Dionne Warwick - How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye, the twenty-fourth studio album from Dionne Warwick. Following on the heels of her 1982 smash Heartbreaker (click here for that review), this 1983 release went to number 60 in the UK, number 57 on the US Billboard Album chart, and number 19 on the US Billboard R&B chart. Luther Vandross was the record’s producer and writer of half of the tracks as well.

Culture Club - Colour by Numbers (30th anniversary)

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of Colour By Numbers, the second studio album from Culture Club. This 1983 release followed up their hit debut album Kissing to Be Clever (click here for that review).

For my full review of Colour By Numbers, please click here.