My Favorite Albums Of 1981
I hoped waving my 1981 Top 40 playlist at you, skeptical reader, would prove I was no rockist. But, the stray "Double Dutch Bus" or "Never Too Much" aside, that post is just as pounding with guitar riffs as this one. What can I say? 1981 was a really good year for the kind of rock music I like. My favorite song of all time was released that year, as seen on Wikipedia (the album arriving in '82)! AOR was feeling new wave, punk was feeling bonkers and/or undead, fun synth-adjacent sounds were bubbling up everywhere. This was the time of "DOR," or dance-oriented rock, a failed radio term that won't be entirely forgotten as long as I'm around.
Below are my 30 favorite full-lengths released in 1981, plus a couple of compilations also turning 45 this year. Sorry so DOR, not sorry so DOR.
1. Psychedelic Furs, Talk Talk Talk
"...considerably more care in terms of hook deployment and tonal breadth, without diminishing the band’s unkempt authority."
Anthony Cougar Miccio
2. Bauhaus, Mask
"...bouncing from Hammer-worthy tales of terror (“Hollow Hills,” “The Man With X-Ray Eyes”) to zombie jamborees (“In Fear Of Fear,” “Dancing”) like it truly ain’t no thing."
Anthony Cougar Miccio
3. X, Wild Gift
I originally had Wild Gift on a 2-for-1 CD with Los Angeles, which is probably the worst way to hear it. Immediately following the catchier debut, mentor Ray Manzarek still behind the board but no longer supplying triumphant organ licks, Gift can sound like a modest reprise. Taken on its own, its easier to hear the tighter musical and vocal interplay. The band’s anxiety has turned interpersonal rather than societal, newlyweds John Doe & Exene Cervenka exploring a deeper heartbreak as You & Me Against The World no longer feels like a sustaining goal (is it punk heresy to say the album starts where The Graduate leaves off?). Billy Zoom still draws rockabilly blood, DJ Bonebrake keeps the beat bopping forth, but that only makes the vocal wails and lyrical depression more tragic. Wild Gift is a realization that making great rock & roll together might not be enough.
X, "We're Desperate"
4. Cure, Faith
"...a magisterial walk through the cemetery, grappling with intense emotions Smith only thinks he understands."
Anthony Cougar Miccio
5. Rolling Stones, Tattoo You
"...the swaggering Side A doesn’t go through the motions so much as define them: “Start Me Up” is Mick’s most joyously straightforward lust-maybe-love song, with “Little T&A” Keith’s."
Anthony Cougar Miccio
6. Motorhead, No Sleep Til Hammersmith
Live albums are rare in these countdowns. I’ll only include them if they’re a contemporary photograph of the band, rather than an archival release. Plus, I find them redundant more often than not. For instance, I have two of the four Motorhead albums released before these early ’81 shows, and the only versions here I’d definitely take over the originals are “Stay Clean,” “Bomber” and probably “The Hammer.” But, sweet Jesus, is this album a rush. I used to say my favorite kind of metal is Chuck Berry songs played fast and hard, and Hammersmith is the proof of concept. Bludgeoning backbeats, hot licks like a duck on fire, and Lemmy Kilmeister’s sardonic bark crossing Johnny B. Goode with the Incredible Hulk. I think studio Motorhead is underrated, but it’s their own fault, offering a blitzkrieg concert memento this dazzling and distinct.
The Go-Go's, "Our Lips Are Sealed"
7. The Go-Go’s, Beauty And The Beat
Is it a sell-out if there’s no precedent of success? I’m not saying there’d never been a woman-led rock band before, but when Jane Drano and the ex-drummer of the Germs gradually replaced the other members of the Go-Go’s with strong songwriters and experienced musicians, their sound shifting from sludgy punk to new-wave pop-rock before this first album, it’s not like they were taking the easy train to stardom. “We could be big! Fanny big!” But big they were, as Beauty And The Beat merged girl-group melodrama with Elvis Costello edge, providing fans of Ann Wilson and Cindy Wilson alike with a belatedly boy-free rock zone, passing the Bedchel test on the triumphant “We Got The Beat,” the humblebrag “This Town” and even “Our Lips Are Sealed,” if you pretend it’s about an outsider clique instead of an affair. Which the video makes easy to do.
The Replacements, "Customer/Rattlesnake"
8. The Replacements, Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash
Four kids from Minneapolis who played fast enough for the hardcore brats, but catchy enough for record store guys, with smart jokes (“I hate music/ it’s got too many notes”) and dumb jokes (the standing ovation when “I Bought A Headache” falls apart) both intended for their own amusement more than ours. They clearly were practiced, but sure didn’t care about playing flawlessly. The melodic lead guitarist loved to shred, the shredded-throat screamer sure had a knack for melodic hooks. Just when you think you’ve got these clowns figured out, side B opens with a dramatic death-trip and a rough run through a pop-rocker Rick Springfield could have polished and driven to the Top 10. After 18 songs in about 36 minutes, it’s not clear if you’ve heard a fluke miracle of youth, or a legendary band’s proud, promising debut. Unless it’s 2026. Then you probably know.
Black Flag, "TV Party"
9. Black Flag, Damaged
Already heroes of the LA hardcore scene, Black Flag’s instrumental quartet had a couple years to get their shit on lock before this debut full-length, already filtering out some singers and a drummer who didn’t love leader Greg Ginn’s brutal practice-to-show ratio. But new singer Henry Rollins, almost seven years younger than Ginn and bassist Chuck Dukowski, had moved cross-country from DC months, if not weeks, before taking the mic and recording these vocals. This helps explain the mix of youth and polish on Damaged, a guy just out of his teens screaming antisocial rants written by weathered bohemians thudding and screeching behind him. “Rise Above” is the sincere anthem, “TV Party” and “Six Pack” the ironic novelty hits, while the five-song finale bookended by two title tracks hints at the shape of ugly jazz-punk to come. But if it all sounds like self-obsessed shrieks and shred-ola, you’re not wrong. That’s kind of the appeal.
English Beat, "Doors Of Your Heart"
10. English Beat, Wha’ppen?
I Just Can’t Stop It, The Beat’s debut album (“English” strictly an stateside modifier), remains definitive ska-pop: the accomplished Birmingham sextet meld smart new wave originals with Prince Buster and Doc Pomus covers, presenting a cross-cultural dance party equally enticing and enriching for the brain, spirit and body. For many, it was the dream of the eighties. Almost exactly a year later, the Beat released Wha’ppen?, its title just asking people to assume sophomore slump. Singles-wise, that’s what it was. No original is as gripping as “Mirror In The Bathroom,” and the sole cover is a local hit from the Carribean. But, as an album, there isn’t the slightest bit of flop sweat as the Beat broadens and softens their sound, abjuring the surefire for a subtly disparate cultural stew. Where Paul Simon would stand atop the world, forever a post-modern poet, and Peter Gabriel would play the melodramatic WOMAD emcee, Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger center melody and polyrhythmic play over lyrical hooks, though the words were group efforts just as considered as everything else. Wha’ppen? is “world music” without a shtick to sell it, which makes it one of the less spoiled dreams of the ‘80s.
...And now my favorite compilation from 1981!
The Fall, 77-Early Years-79
"...make sure you get a version of the comp with “Last Orders” and “Stepping Out” from a ‘78 live various artists 10-inch, as “Stepping Out” might be their best garage-pop number, even better than the Paul Revere & The Raiders hit of the same name! With atypically simple anthemicism, Smith declares this bookworm’s gotta boogie over a “96 Tears” chug, joyfully adding “wowowowowowow-WOW! Wow wow WOW!”"
Anthony Cougar Miccio
As always, here follow the Xgau-esque honorable mentions!
Genesis, "Abacab"
Genesis, Abacab
When I first heard “Man In The Corner” on Sirius in the ‘10s, I thought it might be a new single, produced by Dave Sitek or somebody. That’s the level of slam-bang synth-rock heat they bring here (“Abacab,” “Keep It Dark”)
Loverboy, Get Lucky
Put this on, and watch your life become a classic training montage (“Working For The Weekend,” “Jump”)
Siouxsie & The Banshees, Juju
One hell of a rock album, to prove their new line-up trumps the old one, before chasing bigger fish (“Halloween,” “Monitor”)
Marianne Faithfull, Dangerous Acquaintances
Winning, post-Patti Smith reggae rock, less gripping than Broken English, but with a cover easy to keep around. That look! (“Easy In The City,” “Strange One”)
African Head Charge, My Life In A Hole In The Ground
Excellent art-dub (“Elastic Dance,” “Crocodile Shoes”)
African Head Charge, "Hole In The Roof"
Wipers, Youth Of America
Surf-punk so angry, so relentless, that no one would call it surf-punk (“Taking Too Long,” “Youth Of America”)
Half Japanese, Loud
If the Psychedelic Furs are too professional a junk-punk band for you, check out these 19 saxed-up skronks in 33 minutes - not counting the six minute Doors cover (“My Concentration, Oh No,” “Dumb Animals”)
Rod Stewart, Tonight I’m Yours
"...those shrieks!" ("Young Turks," "Tonight I'm Yours")
Anthony Cougar Miccio
Au Pairs, Playing With A Different Sex
The dream we all dream of: boy vs girl, in the world series of Gang Of Four homage (“We’re So Cool,” “Come Again”)
The Troggs, Black Bottom
Five years after The Trogg Tapes, would you believe “new wave” only made their sneering minimalist rock weirder? (“Bass For My Birthday,” “Widge You”)
The Troggs, "Black Bottom"
A brief interruption for...two more compilations!
The Modern Lovers, The Original Modern Lovers
Some of these leftover demos have been added to the 1976 album, but not enough to make me ditch this ("I Wanna Sleep In Your Arms," "Walk Up The Street")
Queen, Greatest Hits
I have Sheer Heart Attack, News Of The World and Hot Space on the shelf, this 2LP grabbing enough of the big hits around them to keep me happy ("Bohemian Rhapsody," "Another One Bites The Dust")
Interruption...over!
Rosanne Cash, "Seven Year Ache"
Rosanne Cash, Seven Year Ache
You’re not Linda Ronstadt if your album’s best songs are the two originals, but the team was still aiming for Linda Ronstadt at this point (“Seven Year Ache,” “Blue Moon With Heartache”)
Lindsey Buckingham, Law & Order
Finally free to make the anal retentive Nilsson album of his dreams (“Trouble,” “Johnny Stew”)
Severed Heads, Clean
The Australian answer to Cabaret Voltaire: predictably, a punchy one! (“Our Own Home,” “Tiny Fingers”)
Pretenders, The Pretenders II
Chrissie Hynde isn’t one to anxiously overcompensate vocally, but - with half the band headed for the grave - here she does, affectingly (“Talk Of The Town,” “Pack It Up”)
Killing Joke, What’s THIS For?
It’s FOR when you just played their FIRST album and still want MORE! (“Tension,” “Follow The Leaders”)
Killing Joke, "Follow The Leaders"
Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Re*Ac*Tor
"Fans of sardonic post-punk crud like Flipper and Pissed Jeans should definitely check it out." ("Southern Pacific," "Opera Star")
Anthony Cougar Miccio
Prince, Controversy
So confident when it comes to sex, so weird it comes to everything else (“Controversy,” “Private Joy”)
Marvin Gaye, In Our Lifetime
As eerily pleasant and funky as an obvious “cocaine” album gets (“Praise,” “Love Party”)
New Order, Movement
If Ian Curtis had found better meds and motivation to continue, these demos suggest the third Joy Division album would have ruled (“Dreams Never End,” “Denial”)
Rick James, Street Songs
His charmingly problematic peak (“Give It To Me Baby,” “Super Freak”)
I go back and forth on whether this is my second or third favorite song ever. Certainly Top 5.
Signals, Calls and Marches by Mission Of Burma is an EP (and a great one), but I'll mention it in case someone's surprised to not see it among all the scraping and screaming above. And I have Adam & The Ants' "Stand And Deliver"/"Beat My Guest" on 12-inch, at least until I settle on a comp worth keeping that includes both. Any other questions and quibbles can go to anthonyisright at gmail dot com.
