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| Discovolante's Best of: 1982
From the beginning of the year to the end, via the Sputnik release calendar. | | 1 |  | Q4U
Q1
Q4U was an early new wave band from Iceland that went from the bowels of obscurity to relatively cult figures in their home country and abroad, with their sole EP, "Q1", being released overseas for the first in 2011 to immediate success. And it's hard to deny its appeal, with pulsating, gloomy rhythms over dystopian melodies. Great stuff that definitely deserves the small cult-status shine it has today, and more so. | | 2 |  | Oh-OK
Wow Mini Album
A band that was never more than a blip on the radar in the local Athens music scene in the early 80s, Oh-OK has since developed a sizable cult following. With the little bit of material they released, each one is fantastic, but the best moment has to be their 1982 debut album "Wow Mini Album", a four-track EP that spans just over 7 minutes. Each track has a playful, DIY post-punk tone to it, with the most memorable moment being the second track "Brother", which may or may not be a burn to the little brother of vocalist Lynda Stipe, Michael Stipe. | | 3 |  | Plasmatics
Coup d'Etat
"Coup d'Etat" was the third and really the final album by shock rock pioneers Plasmatics, not counting their 1987 "comeback" album which was credited as Wendy O. Williams and Plasmatics. And damn, do they go out with a hell of a bang. "Coup d'Etat" is easily their heaviest album and is practically 100% sleazy hard rock, with the finest moment being the closing track "The Damned", which is a metal-punk hybrid epica that may very well be their best song in their short discography. A very suitable closing album to one of the most ambitious and fearless rock bands of the 70s and early 80s, and arguably one of the most influential as well, with its influence being heard in practically every raunchy female-fronted rock band since. | | 4 |  | Altered Images
Pinky Blue
One of the biggest cult bands to emerge from Scotland, Altered Images were a band that was just a joy to listen to. They were never as focused, however, as they were on their sophomoric album "Pinky Blue", which is home to some of the most hypnotic, potent melodies in 80s pop. | | 5 |  | The Adicts
Sound of Music
"Sound of Music" is much like an extension of "Songs of Praise", which makes them one of the best album successions in punk history. Great, playful punk with lots of character. | | 6 |  | Oingo Boingo
Nothing to Fear
"Nothing to Fear" is the dark follow-up to "Only a Lad", and its more bold, cynical nature actually makes me champion "Nothing to Fear" as a better effort. Some of the tracks sound like a trip through the mind of a new wave-enthusiastic psychopath, and it's pretty fantastic. | | 7 |  | Klaus Nomi
Simple Man
"Simple Man" was the ambitious follow-up to Klaus Nomi's self-titled album, and it dares to explore unexplored territory with a good amount more of original material than covers. It's also a more straightforward pop effort than his previous album which may be why it has such a divided opinion in his fanbase today, and even back then. If you're into electronic-tinged art pop though, this will definitely be up your alley. | | 8 |  | Bad Brains
Bad Brains
One of the absolute greatest hardcore albums of all time and a game changer on virtually every level. | | 9 |  | Bitch
Damnation Alley
Bitch started out a few years later than Plasmatics, although they never had chart breaking success, despite having some brushes of controversy with their S&M image. Starting in 1980, they would soon record and release their first EP, "Damnation Alley", which was released in 1982 as the first original album on the iconic metal label Metal Blade Records. The five tracks on this EP are very tongue in cheek with a high octane kick to them, including the blazing opening track "Saturdays", bipolar "Live for the Whip", and the creeping groove that is the self-titled track. Absolutely deserving of more love. | | 10 |  | KaS Product
Try Out
KaS Product were one of the first artists to emerge from the underground coldwave movement, which is sort of like the disjointed sibling to darkwave. On their first album "Try Out", the French collective create an array of arthouse goth electropop, with the record sounding like something that would be played at 80s goth clubs. Whether or not you're into that thing is completely up to you, but if you are, then this is fantastic listening. | | 11 |  | Fear
The Record
When I first heard "The Record", I thought it was from way later than 1982. "The Record" is a totally radical album that stood out like a sore thumb in the early American punk world with its blatant vulgarity and shock humor. A true pioneering punk album that helped set the standard for punk rock for decades to come. | | 12 |  | The Birthday Party
Junk Yard
Thought of to be their best record alongside "Prayers on Fire", "Junk Yard" is a loud, piercing, wallowing album that takes glee in being a very uncomfortable, draining listen. It's a beautifully bleak piece from the pits of sludgy, mucky despair. | | 13 |  | Cocteau Twins
Garlands
Sure it's nothing like what Cocteau Twins would morph into just a year or so later, and sure it can be pretty derivative of Siouxsie and the Banshees. But despite all of that, there's something that is oddly still cathartic and mesmerizing about that very album, "Garlands". There are some incredible songs on it, like "Blind Dumb Deaf", "Grail Overfloweth" and "The Hollow Men", which makes it a shame that the album gets the reputation it does. | | 14 |  | The Cure
Pornography
The daddy of all goth albums, "Pornography" is not an album you listen to a lot, less you sip into a rather unpleasant mindset. The jet black, occasional cataclysmic lyrics of Robert Smith and the doomsy back performance gave the album a reputation of being one of the most despairing albums in popular music. It was so damn dark that critics despised it upon release, but thankfully retrospect kicked in and helped critics appreciate the album that almost destroyed the band entirely. | | 15 |  | Klymaxx
Girls Will Be Girls
Much like "Never Underestimate the Power of a Woman", "Girls Will Be Girls" is a silky-smooth funk album by the trailblazing all-female funk band Klymaxx. I would argue that "Girls Will Be Girls" is their finest moment as it takes the potential shown on their previous album and maximizes it to the best of their ability. A great funk-pop album with heights that Klymaxx would unfortunately never realize again. | | 16 |  | The Residents
Intermission
For a band that released a plethora of material, it can be hard to pinpoint what album by The Residents really connects with you. My vote for their masterpiece would have to be their EP from 1982, "Intermission", which served as intermission music during their legendary Mole Show tour. Each song is a piece of blackened art pop which, while still very odd, is oddly approachable, at least for Residents standards. It contains two of their very best tracks as well, "Would We Be Alive?" and "The New Hymn". Just an absolutely perfect piece of musical art. | | 17 |  | Berlin
Pleasure Victim
"Pleasure Victim", the second full length album of Berlin, was their biggest commercial success by far, and there’s very little reason as to why that is. The production and feel of the album is great and fun and is chockful of brilliant earworms. Nothing as amazing as their virtually unknown debut "Information" from before, but still a great fun album. | | 18 |  | Prince
1999
Considered to be his true breakthrough album, "1999" is the album that shot Prince to near the top of the pop universe. Its slick production and sound which throws in elements of new wave, R&B, light AOR and hard funk was essentially the blueprint to the real classic Prince sound that he would soon be renowned for. A really groundbreaking album not just for Prince, but for pop music in general. | | 19 |  | Romeo Void
Benefactor
Romeo Void was a new wave band from California that unfortunately never really made it beyond a cult name. It's a shame because they had a real knack for producing quality mature new wave pop, as particularly evidenced on their second album "Benefactor". It gives the image in your mind of 80s summer nights with neon lights in the night skies, fun times had by all. It even has the benefit of having their best track, "Never Say Never", albeit in an edited form. A really decent album that deserved way more success than it had. | | 20 |  | Michael Jackson
Thriller
One of the best straightforward pop albums ever. Naturally a shoe-in. | |
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