1979 Album Releasese (25 of my faves)

I was trying to do a series of multiple years polls where I do not cover as many albums as I would really like to, and even 25 per year for the 70s is not enough to be really satisfying for me (but there is some pleasure in the process of being very selective too, I find). My lists at AwesomeProg often go to 60 releases per year for the 70s. I decided to skip to 1979 because Doug has been doing an excellent yearly series but he opted to skip this year because he does not have many liked from it. I have much fewer appreciated albums than others years of the 70s, and many other years, but still I would have liked to go over 25 and had to make some sacrifices.

The order does not mean much, I just have the numbering with the list from AwesomeProg, nor, despite this being made in Prog polls, are all Prog or in PA. I sentimentally have Tubeway Army at number one as this was one of the albums in my brother's collection that I first remember loving and I do relate to progressive music that I like (Kraftwerk's The Man Machine being a quite obvious one). I think it was an important album in my journey. I actually would have favoured some other albums over some of these, but I wanted to get some big ones in that I know are popular even if they would have ranked a bit lower (for instance, it's been many years since I heard that Talking Heads album in full, and the Supertramp). One of the very popular albums that is on my longer list that I am sure would get votes is Bruford's One of a Kind, but it's an album that I have only heard the once and not really absorbed yet. I enjoyed it, but sometimes good stuff gets neglected for one reason or another. Really there are so, so many wonderful albums to hear for me from every year from the 60s up. But also, I am one of those people who likes to play favourite albums again and again. I have listened to (and listen to), and am familiar with a lot more than some at PA and a lot less than others.

Multiple choice is enabled. Please try to vote for and mention three if you can from the list. If you go under or over, that's fine too. It's a suggestion not a dictum, and it should not need to be said, but only one vote per album (that is a dictum). Feel free to mention as many others as you like from 1979 and if none are liked in the list, please state that instead of just listing an other choice.

Thanks.


1. Tubeway Army - Replicas (not in PA)
2. Henry Cow - Western Culture
3. Heldon - Stand By
4. Univers Zéro - Heresie
5. Pink Floyd - The Wall
6. The Residents - Eskimo
7. Embryo - Embryo's Reise
8. Wire - 154 (not in PA)
9. Vortex - Les Cycles de Thanatos
10. Art Zoyd - Musique pour l’Odyssée
11. Led Zeppelin - In Through the Out Door
12. Rahmann - Rahmann
13. Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (not in PA)
14. Kitaro - Oasis
15. Tangerine Dream - Force Majeure
16. This Heat - This Heat
17. Art Bears - Winter Songs
18. Gary Numan - The Pleasure Principle (not in PA)
19. Yellow Magic Orchestra - Solid State Survivor
20. Orchestra Njervudarov - Con le orecchie di Eros
21. Peter Baumann - Trans Harmonic Nights
22. Laurent Thibault - Mais on ne peut pas rêver tout le temps
23. David Bowie - Lodger
24. Supertramp - Breakfast in America
25. Edgar Froese - Stuntman OR Codona - Codona (if chosen specify which album or albums voted for)

By the way, if I were counting singles, then I would definitely want Bauhaus' Bela Lugosi's Dead / Boys.

EDIT: I had known that Western Culture is from 1979 and is favourite of mine, but I neglected to edit AP which has it listed as 1978 and so did have it on my 1978 list there. Now it is in the poll, switched some with no votes around. And I added Edgar Froese's Stuntman, which I had thought about then forgot before. Out goes Talking Heads' Fear of Music which I had not listened to in ages and had no votes.

Edited by Logan - 3 hours 53 minutes ago at 05:46

Not many who would show such love for In Through the Out Door, thought I do find it a little underrated.

Jaketejas wrote: Nice list! Very nostalgic

Thank you.

Rexorcist wrote: Not many who would show such love for In Through the Out Door, thought I do find it a little underrated.

It's one of my favourite Led Zeppelin albums, and I especially have adored "Carouselambra" since I was a teenager in the 80s. I was given the LP by someone who did not hold it in high regard.

verslibre wrote: In no particular order, except for the top three: Tangerine Dream – Force Majeure Heldon – Stand By Kitaro – Oasis Peter Baumann – Trans Harmonic Nights Art Zoyd – Musique pour l’Odyssée Yellow Magic Orchestra – Solid State Survivor Gary Numan – The Pleasure Principle Univers Zero – Heresie

Awesome! Thanks.

Edited by Logan - 13 hours 25 minutes ago at 20:14

Supertramp, fairly easy choice.

1. Tubeway Army - Replicas

Supertramp - Breakfast in America

Surprisingly tough calls - Residents, UZ but went with the mighty Art Bears.  Incidentally, the last Henry Cow album appeared in 79 (although recorded in 78).

So, I've been looking at my 1979 listens, and here is my Top 20 list:

^ Indeed!

^^ Great job, Jared. I had had Vangelis' CHina in my top 20, but made way for some others. I love it.

Rick1 wrote: Surprisingly tough calls - Residents, UZ but went with the mighty Art Bears.  Incidentally, the last Henry Cow album appeared in 79 (although recorded in 78).

Thanks, I have had Henry Cow's Western Culture listed as 1979 in personal lists and knoew that, but totally forgot to change the release date at AwesomeProg (I was recently given those editing privileges there). Changed the date there and added it to my list. It;s multiple choice anyway, and people can vote for more than three (or less) if they want to. Would just hope that they would list all that are voted for. I would have put it in top spot.

^ I do wish I had stuck closer to my original list and kept Vangelis' China in my top 20 instead of making way for some others with the shuffling of my list. Beautiful music on that. Plenty of wonderful albums form 1979. And I was even thinking about Edgar Froese's Stuntman the other day. Of course Verslibre has the album cover as avatar. That definitely should have been on my list, and I think I will add it somewhere. While UK's never connected with me, I wonder if I had put it in this poll if I might have had a better chance to connect with some people at this forum in topic discussion here. I thought Bruford's One of a Kind might get quite few mentions as one not on the list. It is on my longer list but as I said in the OP, it's not one I have given much attention to (only listened through it the once. I did like it and should return to it at some time).

Froese is in the list now, multiple choice as said, and the try to vote for three albums does not mean that people should not vote for more if they want. Now to update my list in another topic (actually okay with my top 20 there). I now wish I had not limited those lists to twenty 20 per year in that topic, but doesn't matter, have them at AP anyway and that is more dynamic.

I should pay more attention to your lists there, Richard, to see omissions. Those lists are all works in progress.

Edited by Logan - 3 hours 42 minutes ago at 05:57