Hero
Artist: Clarence Clemons & the Red Bank Rockers

Narada Michael Walden produces most of this album by Mokshagun Clarence Clemons, known to the world as the Big Guy. His unmistakable saxophone that lifted many a Bruce Springsteen tune sounds like it was lifted right out of a Phil Spector session on Hero. "You're a Friend of Mine" by Jeffrey Cohen and Narada has Jackson Browne dueting on the... Read More

Night of 1000 Candles
Artist: The Men They Couldn't Hang

On their debut album Night of 1000 Candles, the Men They Couldn't Hang come across a bit like the Pogues, but without the slurred sloppiness or Shane MacGowan's vulgar wit. Instead, the group relies on straight-ahead rock and unadorned folk, which are tied together by their compassionate working-class stance and passionate playing. Most of the... Read More

No Brakes
Artist: John Waite

Two years later after his solo debut, Ignition, John Waite returned with No Brakes, an album that had success in its sights. Cleverly, the record not only had an explicit commercial pop bent, featuring mid-tempo pop tunes and ballads, but it also rocked like a bastard, particularly on the opening cut, "Saturday Night." Most importantly, it had a... Read More

Welcome Home
Artist: 'Til Tuesday
Community Score: 5.00

It took a lot of guts and integrity for 'Til Tuesday to record Welcome Home. Hitting big with 1985's Voices Carry, Tuesday became known for a sleek, high-tech style of new wave, and it would have been easy enough for the Boston band to come out with a similar album for a follow-up. But instead of playing it safe, Tuesday gambled with inspiration... Read More

Little Creatures
Artist: Talking Heads
Community Score: 7.40

Talking Heads' most immediately accessible album, Little Creatures eschewed the pattern of recent Heads albums, in which instrumental tracks had been worked up from riffs and grooves, after which David Byrne improvised melodies and lyrics. The songs on Little Creatures, most of which were credited to Byrne alone (with the band credited only with... Read More

Can't Hold Back
Artist: Eddie Money
Community Score: 9.67

After Where's the Party's lack of recognition and poor sales, Eddie Money more than compensated for it with 1986's Can't Hold Back, an album which netted him three Top 40 hits and eventually gained platinum status. With some vocal help from Ronnie Spector and some exuberant sax work, "Take Me Home Tonight" emerged as Money's highest-charting... Read More

Deep in the Heart of Nowhere
Artist: Bob Geldof

A year removed from his work organizing the Live Aid concerts to raise money and awareness concerning famine in Africa, ex-Boomtown Rat lead singer Bob Geldof released his solo debut. Deep in the Heart of Nowhere features a host of name performers ranging from Midge Ure (Ultravox) to Brian Setzer (Stray Cats) to Eric Clapton lending a hand. The... Read More

So
Artist: Peter Gabriel
Community Score: 8.22

Peter Gabriel introduced his fifth studio album So with "Sledgehammer," an Otis Redding-inspired soul-pop raver that was easily his catchiest, happiest single to date. Needless to say, it was also his most accessible, and, in that sense it was a good introduction to So, the catchiest, happiest record he ever cut. "Sledgehammer" propelled the... Read More