5 Great Albums Released 45 Years Ago This Month

It seemed like everything was happening all at once in 1979. Before the ’80s arrived and ushered in a whole different vibe, the ’79 scene featured its own unique identity. And it certainly delivered some unforgettable albums.

Here are five albums that were released in August 1979 that were impossible to deny back then. And now, 45 years down the road, they only seem more impressive because they’ve held up so well.

Slow Train Coming by Bob Dylan

We get there are those who might never quite cater to the message Bob Dylan was trying to put across on the first album of his so-called “born again” period. But what a delivery system he chose for that message. This is as good a band as Dylan has ever assembled in the studio, a bunch of Muscle Shoals pros getting a boost from Mark Knopfler’s guitar sting. His conversion certainly fired Dylan up, as is evidenced by the passion evinced on songs like “Slow Train” and “Precious Angel.” It’s also a funnier album than you might remember, so don’t go expecting only fire and brimstone.

Fear of Music by Talking Heads

The title might have been more accurate if they had called it Fear of Radio. Talking Heads didn’t see themselves as a group that was meant for the pop charts. That’s why they dove into more complexity and knotty textures on their third album. But none of the songs are unapproachable, in large part because the rhythm section of Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz always keeps it swinging. “Life During Wartime” might be a frenzied account of a world in flames, but it’s still a serious foot-tapper. Other highlights include the menacing “Memories Can Wait,” and “Heaven,” which proved David Byrne could be romantic in his own idiosyncratic way.

In Through the Out Door by Led Zeppelin

It’s not really the fault of this oft-maligned album that, because of the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980, it would turn out to be Led Zep’s last true full-length. Granted, it’s more of a pleasant shrug of a record than any kind of career-defining statement. But once you accept it on its modest terms, it’s hard to quibble with such a listenable product. If nothing else, it proved Zep had it in them to be a singles band if they wanted, what with the rollicking, shape-shifting “Fool in the Rain” and the heartrending “All My Love” leading the charge.

Born Again by Randy Newman

Newman’s work has always gravitated to the darker side of life, with tales of lost love, societal blight, and searing character sketches of unsavory characters. The title aside, in no way was he about to start looking at the bright side on Born Again. “It’s Money that I Love” starts the album on a note of unrepentant greed, and most of the rest of the deadly sins pop up throughout the record. Newman is at his best when he’s in this mode of tackling these issues, but a little humor also helps. That comes through on the ELO parody “The Story of a Rock and Roll Band” and the ribald album-closer “Pants.”

Into the Music by Van Morrison

Sometimes it takes a wrong turn to make clear what the right path should be. Van Morrison attempted to reach out for the pop charts on the 1978 album Wavelength and ended up sounding like he was nowhere near his comfort zone. That led to an immediate retrenchment on Into the Music, and it was like he never left his wheelhouse. The ease he feels comes through on the peppy “Bright Side of the Road” that kicks off the record. Morrison’s unique brand of mystic folk-soul music also shows up on cuts like “Troubadours,” while his interpretive skills are on full display on his stellar version of “It’s All in the Game.”

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