A rock veteran bouncing back from a slump, a singer/songwriting legend getting some help from an arena rocker, an artist raising the stakes after a stunning debut, two interpreters beyond compare coming together, and power poppers churning right along: Those were the folks responsible for some of the most memorable music of October 1989.
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Stumped about their identities? You won’t be for long, as we take a loving look at five of the finest albums released 35 years ago this month.
Freedom by Neil Young
Following his muse into far-flung genres and experimental territory might have satisfied Neil Young’s artistic wanderlust in the ’80s. His fans and critics? Maybe not so much. With Freedom, Young left the decade behind by proving all the brilliance of his ’70s work was still intact. The album touches on several different styles he employed through that previous decade. There’s the fuzz-blasted, scorched-earth rocker (“Rockin’ in the Free World”), the epic about the deteriorating state of the world (“Crime in the City (Sixty to Zero Part I))”, the acoustic gem (“Hangin’ on a Limb”), and the country-tinged weeper (“Too Far Gone”), all rendered with his ragged grace.
Storm Front by Billy Joel
Joel decided to try something new with this record, choosing to work with Foreigner mastermind Mick Jones instead of longtime producer Phil Ramone. You won’t notice anything too different about the sound based on Jones’ presence. What you’ll notice is this is Joel’s best set of songs since The Nylon Curtain in ’82. “We Didn’t Start the Fire” has its detractors, but it certainly got people talking. It acts as a Trojan Horse leading listeners into much more nuanced writing elsewhere on the record, such as the fisherman’s lament “The Downeaster ‘Alexa’” and “And So It Goes,” a clear-eyed look at the impending end of an affair.
Crossroads by Tracy Chapman
There weren’t any “Fast Car”-style hit singles on Chapman’s second album, but it’s a standout effort that finds her skills rising at an incredible rate. The album clearly had a bigger budget than the first, with more instrumentation, production, and top-session cats (Marc Cohn, Danny Kortchmar, Russ Kunkel, and even Neil Young on the stirring closing track “All that You Have Is Your Soul”) in evidence. But none of it overshadows in any way the fantastic writing. Chapman takes on matters of romance (“Be Careful of My Heart”) and injustice (“Sub City”) with extraordinary eloquence and fire.
Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind by Linda Ronstadt Featuring Aaron Neville
After sidetracking into the Great American Songbook, Spanish-language singing, and country music throughout the ’80s, Ronstadt eventually returned to her ’70s MO: taking the work of top songwriters and imbuing it with her passionate but precise vocals. Neville, also a monumental singer, proves the ideal partner in harmony on songs like “Don’t Know Much” and “All My Life.” When on her own, Ronstadt focuses on songs laden with more heartbreak than triumph, such as the Jimmy Webb gems “Adios” and “I Keep It Hid” and Karla Bonoff’s “Goodbye My Friend,” which challenges you to keep from tearing up. (Trust us, you’ll lose that challenge.)
11 by The Smithereens
There are bands that consistently push the envelope from record to record, changing styles in accordance with their artistic whims. The Smithereens were not that type of band. And they didn’t need to be, because their go-to style (delivering crunching takes on songwriter’s Pat DiNizio’s pristine pop songs) was such a winner. The hit single from 11 was “A Girl Like You,” which features a guitar riff that Angus Young must have envied. Elsewhere, the band delves into baroque pop (“Blue Period,” featuring backing vocals from Belinda Carlisle) and hazy psychedelia (“Kiss Your Tears Away”), but the hooks never stop coming.
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