Strong stuff this year.
First – a runner up: Frankenchrist by The Dead Kennedys. The featured art for this post is “Landscape XX” by H.R. Giger, a poster included in the vinyl version of Frankenchrist. This is the album that helped launch the PMRC, and this is the album that put Jello Biafra on the spoken word circuit throughout the late 80s and early 90s. There’s some good music, yes. But there’s mostly notoriety. Much to my chagrin, I once held a used copy of Frankenchrist on vinyl in my hands. It was marked $4. It was 1990, I believe. To this day, I regret not buying it. The poster was neatly folded inside. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
Now, the 10 best albums of 1985:
The Cure – The Head on the Door
Tears for Fears – Songs from the Big Chair
Pogues – Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash
Skinny Puppy – Bites
Dead Milkmen – Big Lizard in My Backyard
Einsturzende Neubauten – Halber Mensch
Descendents – I Don’t Wanna Grow Up
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Freaky Styley
Jesus and Mary Chain – Psychocandy
INXS – Listen Like Thieves
The Conversation