13 releases from 1984 and 12 from 1983

In this I have included 13 from 1984 and 12 from 1983. Of course there are others I like and these come from longer lists covering some of my favourites.

Please try to vote for one or more per year if you know and like those.

Feel free to mention other choices either along with your declared pick or picks from the list or if you know and like none on the list. However, do not mention releases not in the poll without commenting on the poll choices even if it is just to say "I know none of the listed options, but my favourite is (or favourites are..." or "The only one (or ones), I know are such-and-such, but I don't like them so I shall not vote, but my favourite album is (or favourite albums are) such-and-such."

I do want to hear about what other album people like, but also to be clear on what is known and liked from my list. I am asking "Do you have a favourite or favourites of my favourites?" And I am happy to hear about other people's favourites.

Oh, and feel free to vote in the poll with limited familiarity. Sometimes I get comments like "I hardly know anything, so no vote." I would encourage people to vote for something if they like it, and mention it in a post, despite knowing little. I have often made it clear that I was voting for something in other people's polls despite limited familiarity with the choices.

1984

1. Cocteau Twins - Treasure (not in PA)
2. Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Broadcasting From Home
3. Siouxsie and The Banshees - Hyæna (not in PA)
4. Dead Can Dance - Dead Can Dance
5. Jean-Paul Prat (Masal) - Masal
6. Violent Femmes - Hallowed Ground (not in PA)
7. Cardiacs - The Seaside
8. David Sylvian - Brilliant Trees
9. The Blue Nile - A Walk Across The Rooftops (not in PA)
10. Univers Zéro - Uzed
11. Yog Sothoth - Yog Sothoth
12. Echo & The Bunnymen - Ocean Rain (not in PA)
13. This Mortal Coil - It'll End in Tears (not in PA)

1983

1. Cocteau Twins - Head Over Heels (not in PA)
2. Art Zoyd - Les espaces inquiets
3. Zanov - In Course of Time
4. Codona - Codona 3
5. Eskaton - Fiction
6. Konomi Sasaki - Ninjin (not in PA)
7. News From Babel - Sirens and Silences / Work Resumed on the Tower
8. This Mortal Coil - This Mortal Coil (not in PA)
9. The Chameleons - Script of the Bridge (not in PA)
10. Bauhaus - Burning From the Inside (not in PA)
11. The Residents & Renaldo and The Loaf - Title in Limbo
12. Von Zamla - No Make Up!

Again, very happy to hear about others releases from these years, but then indicate if you know and like anything from my favourites in the poll. Thanks. That's an approach I appreciate in such topics generally.

Edited by Logan - March 06 2025 at 04:09

1984

Univers Zero
Art Zoyd

1984

Univers Zéro – Uzed


1983

Art Zoyd – Les Espaces Inquiets

Know most of the bands on the list, but again not anything I'm a fan of. My alternate picks.

1984: Pat Metheny Group's First Circle ; Steve Morse Band's The Introduction; Rush's Grace Under Pressure

1983: Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin and Paco De Lucia's Passion, Grace and Fire; Yes's 90125; Saga's Heads or Tales

First Circle is one of my favorite albums from Metheny. The title track in particular is a standout. Lyle Mays piano playing is excellent throughout the album. Morse is one of my top 5 favorite guitarist and The Introduction does not disappoint. Grace Under Pressure may not measure up to Rush's top albums such as Moving Pictures, Hemispheres, Farewell to Kings or Permanent Waves, but it still is a very good album.

Grace, Passion and Fire has the expected splendid guitar playing, although the music by the trio doesn't match that found on the incredible Friday Night in San Francisco. Heads or Tales is a good follow-up to Saga's most successful album Worlds Apart. 90125 may not measure up to their classic period, but it's a good album whose success allowed Yes to be a band that could still play arenas.

Outside the Prog / Fusion world, the Police's Synchronicity is one of the very best albums released during this period of time and deserves a mention.

The Cartoon and Uppsala are high on my '83 list. The Bowie and The Police albums are ones I owned back in the day and there was something about that Synchronicity record that to this day draws me in. I just noticed I have Masal under 1982. I'll check that out.

David Sylvian Brilliant Trees still blows me away.

Another couple of years with lots of great choices! My own lists would look like this:

Edited by BrufordFreak - 20 hours 30 minutes ago at 13:27