Looking back at 1985 in the music world, it seems now like a turning point kind of year. The 80s sound had kind of established itself, and artists were building upon it in interesting ways. You can kind of divide the decade musically into albums from pre-1985 and post-1985, and it makes sense.
Videos by American Songwriter
April 1985 was a relatively quiet month in terms of the volume of big-time albums that arrived. But these five LPs nonetheless made a big impact then and still hold up really well today.
‘Around The World In A Day’ by Prince
Let’s be honest. Anything following up Purple Rain was going to feel like something of a letdown. Prince seemed to understand that in releasing Around The World In A Day, which scaled back the ambition to a great degree. It also changed the sound, leaning on a psychedelic pop template instead of the electric funk of Prince’s previous work. If anything, he should have committed to the change. The R&B stuff doesn’t rise to former levels. But “Pop Life” and “Raspberry Beret” are lush explosions of melody. And “Condition Of The Heart” stands out as one of his best garment-rending ballads.
‘Be Yourself Tonight’ by Eurythmics
This one’s got to be one of the most underrated 1985 albums ever. Eurythmics’ first hit singles delivered ornate pop brilliance but not a ton of warmth. Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart set out to rectify that on their fourth album. Be Yourself Tonight showcases the duo at their most playful and soulful. The singles all soar in different ways. “Would I Lie To You?” storms through on brazen horns. “There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)”, festooned with Stevie Wonder’s harmonica, breezes and charms. Lennox teaming up with Aretha Franklin on “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves” was an obvious winner. The album tracks also stand out, including “Adrian”, a bittersweet Lennox duet with Elvis Costello.
‘Across A Crowded Room’ by Richard Thompson
There’s a point in most Richard Thompson songs where his electric guitar starts to flicker to life. You just know that one of those lyrical, stinging solos is about to erupt. Moments like those elevate just about all of his solo albums, ensuring great consistency across his catalog. Charged by plenty of those moments, Across A Crowded Room stands in the upper tier of his solo work. While there might not be any song here that’s a breakaway classic, there’s also not anything on the record that is less than solid. Highlights include the brooding “When The Spell Is Broken”, the feisty “She Twists The Knife Again”, and the zydeco-flavored “Little Blue Number”.
‘Mr. Bad Guy’ by Freddie Mercury
Mercury kind of inadvertently upstaged his first-ever solo album. Just a few months after its release, he went out and played with Queen at Live Aid. Their massive performance stole the show, and many fans simply overlooked Mr. Bad Guy as a result. The album shows off Mercury’s underrated songwriting gifts. As was the case with his contributions to Queen in the early 80s, it flits back and forth among funk-inspired ravers and flowing ballads. Songs in the latter category tend to come off sounding a bit more inspired. In particular, “There Must Be More To Life Than This” stands out as a prime example of Mercury’s ability to harness high drama with his vocals.
‘We Are The World’ by USA For Africa
The documentary The Biggest Night In Pop demonstrated what a monumental logistical undertaking it was to pull off the “We Are The World” single. Viewed through that lens, you can kind of start to forgive that the song isn’t all that captivating. Its biggest recommending assets are the moments when iconic vocalists like Ray Charles get the chance to strut their stuff. Organizers cobbled the rest of the album from unused tracks from some big names. The best of these: Bruce Springsteen’s chilling live take on Jimmy Cliff’s “Trapped” and Prince’s mournful “4 The Tears In Your Eyes”.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.