Urban75 Album of the Year 1981

[ska invita]

Black Uhuru - Red
Logg - Logg
Grace Jones - Nightclubbing
Scientist - Dub War (Coxsone Vs Quaker City)* (+ placeholder for a bunch of other fine Scientist LPs)
African Head Charge - My Life in a Hole In The Ground

Michael Prophet - 2 LPs + a dub set
King Tubby ‎– Upset The Upsetter
Freddie McGregor - Showcase
Wailing Souls - Firehouse Rock
Chaka Kham - Whatcha Gonna Do
Gil Scott-Heron - Reflections

 

[belboid]

No Sleep?

of course

Slates is definitely a fucking EP though.

It is too long to qualify for the singles charts (unlike previously mentioned EP's) and it plays at 33 1/3. It's a mini album

Also, is Crass more of a surprise than the Au Pairs? And no Solid Gold?

Lordy yes. Au Pairs is a pretty well recognised classic nowadays, Crass were just shouty anarchopunks.

And Solid Gold just wasn't very good (it did get some votes, but not many)

 

[Steel Icarus]

My ten (not in order):

The Cure - Faith
Soft Cell - Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
Abba - The Visitors
The Police - Ghost in the machine
Human League - Dare
Prince Far I - Voice of thunder
Lee Scratch Perry - Black Ark in Dub
OMD - Architecture & Morality
U2 - October
Madness - 7

TBH surprised OMD didn't make it in, it's a fab record

 

[Indeliblelink]

Kraftwerk - Computerwelt
The Human League - Dare
Duran Duran - Duran Duran
Gil Scott-Heron - Reflections
Soft Cell - Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
Simple Minds - Sister Feelings Call
British Electric Foundation - Music for Stowaways
Brian Eno & David Byrne - My Life in the Bush of Ghosts
Grace Jones - Nightclubbing
Sugarhill Gang - 8th Wonder

Imagination - Body Talk
David Borden - Music for Amplified Keyboard Instruments
Logic System - Logic
YMO - Technodelic
The Sound - From the Lions Mouth
Roedelius - Wenn der Südwind weht
Michael Stearns - Planetary Unfolding
Sylvia Striplin - Give Me Your Love
Tyndall - Traumland
Tangerine Dream - Exit

 

[belboid]

My ten (not in order):

The Cure - Faith
Soft Cell - Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
Abba - The Visitors
The Police - Ghost in the machine
Human League - Dare
Prince Far I - Voice of thunder
Lee Scratch Perry - Black Ark in Dub
OMD - Architecture & Morality
U2 - October
Madness - 7

TBH surprised OMD didn't make it in, it's a fab record

Not in order? I assumed they were since those were the instructions

 

[Spandex]

I found 81 so loaded with great albums I didn't know where to start choosing what to vote for, what not to vote for or what order they deserved to be in. I decided to list the albums I absolutely had to include and ended up with this, stopping at 20 with plenty more that should've gone on:

New Order – Movement
Cabaret Voltaire – Red Mecca
Crass – Penis Envy
The Cramps – Psychedelic Jungle
Eurthymics – In the Garden
Patrick Cowley – Megatron Man
DAF – Alles Ist Gut
Scientist - Scientist Meets the Space Invaders
Liaisons Dangereuses
Bauhaus - Mask
Scientist - Scientist Rids the World of the Evil Curse of the Vampires
Grauzone
Kanda Bongo Man ‎– Afro Rythmes Présente Kanda-Bongo-Man
Iron Maiden – Killers
Franco De Mi Amor et le TPOK Jazz - Keba Na Matraque (Vol.1) - Respect
Soft Cell ‎– Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
DAF - Gold und Liebe
Eek-A-Mouse - Wa Do Dem
Tom Tom Club
African Head Charge ‎– My Life In A Hole In The Ground

 

[Dr. Furface]

I forgot to highlight the excellent Rickie Lee Jones album

Damn I overlooked Pirates too, love that album

Cabaret Voltaire - Red Mecca
Kraftwerk - Computer World
The Birthday Party - Prayers on Fire
Rip Rig and Panic - God
New Order - Movement
Echo and the Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here
DAF - Alles Ist Gut
Japan - Tin Drum
Alan Vega - Collision Drive
A Certain Ratio - To Each

 

[Steel Icarus]

Not in order? I assumed they were since those were the instructions

Well, damnit. I misunderstood "without any numerical sequencing" to mean "not in any particular order" rather than "not including the numbers in your list" due to the instructions being vague

 

[belboid]

Well, damnit. I misunderstood "without any numerical sequencing" to mean "not in any particular order" rather than "not including the numbers in your list" due to the instructions being vague

I shall rectify for future polls, I may have got a bit lazy in my intros.

 

[Steel Icarus]

I shall rectify for future polls, I may have got a bit lazy in my intros.

Yeah, sorry for the confusion. I hope it didn't have a huge impact. I'd better resend my 1991 list hadn't I

 

[belboid]

Yeah, sorry for the confusion. I hope it didn't have a huge impact. I'd better resend my 1991 list hadn't I

As long as number nine doesn’t go any higher

 

[Steel Icarus]

As long as number nine doesn’t go any higher

Nine on 81 or nine on 91?

 

[Steel Icarus]

(I know you mean October btw, and yes, it would. But let's leave it there shall we)

 

[belboid]

(I know you mean October btw, and yes, it would. But let's leave it there shall we)

I meant 91, actually. Too late for this poll now.

 

[Steel Icarus]

I meant 91, actually. Too late for this poll now.

Righto, have edited my 1991 list accordingly

 

[hitmouse]

of course


It is too long to qualify for the singles charts (unlike previously mentioned EP's) and it plays at 33 1/3. It's a mini album

Lordy yes. Au Pairs is a pretty well recognised classic nowadays, Crass were just shouty anarchopunks.

And Solid Gold just wasn't very good (it did get some votes, but not many)

If I had 15 or so on my list I probably would've included No Sleep. But I wouldn't have included Slates, cos it's definitely a (very good) EP. I suppose Au Pairs got the official Simon Reynolds Rip It Up canonisation, whereas Crass very much didn't. But on the other hand, if you go by number of tattoos inspired, I bet Crass are the more influential band.

Well, damnit. I misunderstood "without any numerical sequencing" to mean "not in any particular order" rather than "not including the numbers in your list" due to the instructions being vague

Same, I didn't actually think the Adolescents album was the best record of 1981. Otoh, I am terrible at ranking things, so just going by alphabetical order does make life easier for me.

 

[mx wcfc]

Slates is definitely a fucking EP though. Also, is Crass more of a surprise than the Au Pairs?

I'd have voted for Slates if I'd realised it qualified

And, no, the Au Pairs is not a surprise at all, is it? it is a truly great album, and I'm only sad that I haven't still got the t-shirt with the iron on transfer. I'm surprised Crass got on there at all, as I thought you lot were all in to that dancy staff.

 

[hitmouse]

I'd have voted for Slates if I'd realised it qualified

And, no, the Au Pairs is not a surprise at all, is it? it is a truly great album, and I'm only sad that I haven't still got the t-shirt with the iron on transfer. I'm surprised Crass got on there at all, as I thought you lot were all in to that dancy staff.

It is a great album and I voted for it, I wouldn't have expected it to be the sixth most popular of 1981 but shows how much I know.

 

[killer b]

Penis Envy is a great album, and I would have voted for it if I had remembered - it's probably their best

 

[mx wcfc]

9 Einstürzende Neubauten - Kollaps

Who says angle grinders can't make music? Terrifyingly terrific.

I saw them live about that time. They did use an angle grinder, as well as big sledge hamers. They were supporting The Birthday Party. In those days, cigarette lighters were still expensive. I was struggling to light a fag, with sweat soaked swan vestas, and one of Einsturzende Neubauten tapped me on the shoulder and offered me his lighter. I have been in the presence of greatness.

I have also offended neighbours by listening to Kollaps very load, very late.

 

[hitmouse]

I saw them live about that time. They did use an angle grinder, as well as big sledge hamers. They were supporting The Birthday Party. In those days, cigarette lighters were still expensive. I was struggling to light a fag, with sweat soaked swan vestas, and one of Einsturzende Neubauten tapped me on the shoulder and offered me his lighter. I have been in the presence of greatness.

I have also offended neighbours by listening to Kollaps very load, very late.

I was half expecting that to end with "and one of Einsturzende Neubaten tapped me on the shoulder and said I could use his angle grinder to light it".

 

[Knotted]

Would have voted for Negativland's Points if I'd remembered it. Would have voted for Slates if I though EP's were allowed - and it probably would have made my no.1 spot because it is a matter of fact that it is the best thing The Fall ever released. Would probably have voted for Atakora Manu's Disko Hi-Life if I'd managed to stream the whole thing. Ah well. Here's my list anyway.

Lindsay Cooper - Rags
This Heat - Deceit
Art Bears - The World as it is Today
Einstürzende Neubauten - Kollaps
Sakari Kukko & Piirpauke - Kirkastus
Can - Delay 1968
King Crimson - Discipline
The Raincoats - Odyshape
Kraftwerk - Computerwelt
Kräldjursanstalten - Voodoo Boogie

 

[marty21]

Kraftwerk Computer World
Human League Dare
Hall & Oates Private Eyes
Styx Paradise Theater
U2 October
The Cars Shake It Up
Heaven 17 Penthouse & Pavements
Foreigner 4
The Pretenders Pretenders 2
The Undertones Positive Touch

At 16 ^^

 

[mojo pixy]

Iron Maiden – Killers

I'm seconding this, IMO it was their first really good album...




And may I add (because this was released in 1980 here, but IIRC 1981 in the US so I'm squeezing it in....)




(Contains Crazy Train, my very favourite Ozzy song that's not by Black Sabbath)

 

[Raheem]

Urban got the top two right.

 

[The39thStep]

Came across an orchestral version of Happy End by YMO . The original was on the 1981 album BGM



and here's the orchestral version by Sakamoto