Peter Gabriel, Plays Live!, 1983 on Charisma

Peter Gabriel’s first solo live album, released following his four self-titled solo albums (commonly called Car, Scratch, Melt, and Security). It was recorded across multiple venues in the American midwest: Illinois State University, Kansas City, Northern Illinois University, and South Illinois University.

Accompanying Gabriel are Jerry Marotta, Tony Levin, David Rhodes, and Larry Fast, with Peter Walsh editing and Greg Fulginiti mastering. It charted at #44 in the US on the Billboard charts. Great collection of songs and sounds wonderful on vinyl.

My copy is a 2xLP Italian pressing, via Lucky Records in Reykjavik Iceland.

#1980s #1983 #44 #Charisma #DavidRhodes #GregFulginiti #JerryMarotta #LarryFast #Live #LuckyRecords #PeterGabriel #PeterWalsh #Reykjavik #Rock #vinyl #vinylcollection

Blancmange, Mange Tout, 1984 on London Records

Second studio album from British synth-pop duo Blancmange (Neil Arthur and Stephen Luscombe), following Happy Families. This was their best selling album, with “Blind Vision” and “Don’t Tell Me” as successful singles.

I always loved “The Day Before You Came” but did not realize it’s an ABBA cover!

My copy is a UK pressing via Lucky Records in Reykjavik Iceland.

#1980s #1984 #blancmange #LondonRecords #LuckyRecords #NeilArthur #Reykjavik #StephenLuscombe #SynthPop #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars, 1988 on Geffen

This was an inescapable album in 1988 – not that I was trying to escape it. It was their studio debut and came out of nowhere to go 2x platinum.

You could argue they were one-hit wonders with “What I Am,” with its ear-worm chorus (“What I am is what I am / are you what your are or what?”) and what I guess is a pre-chorus “choke me in the shallow water / before I get too deep”). Technically true, in that the follow up singles did not break the top ten – but it’s really a great album.

(This was also just before the Indigo Girls also had a hit with “Closer to Fine” – I guess the late 80s was a good time to be aiming for simplicity and not overcomplicating one’s life philosophies).

Originally just New Bohemians – they’d foreground relatively new signer Edie Brickell when they signed to Geffen – they came out of Dallas and the scene in Deep Ellum. Brickell went on to a singer-songwriter career and multiple albums with Steve Martin (and the Deep Canyon Rangers). She also married Paul Simon in 1992.

My copy is a Record Service Alsdorf (Germany) pressing, in my collection via Lucky Records in Reykjavik Iceland. Happy to find one in great shape with the original inner liner.

#1980s #1988 #EdieBrickell #EdieBrickellNewBohemians #geffen #Iceland #LuckyRecords #Reykjavik #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds