All Over the Place
Artist: The Bangles
Community Score: 7.00

The Bangles' major-label debut is an essential album in the band's catalog. Guitarist and vocalist Vicki Peterson penned most of the '60s and early-'70s guitar rock songs, like the mini-hit "Hero Takes a Fall" (it was rumored the hero in the title was Dream Syndicate's Steve Wynn). The record also includes covers of the obscure Merry-Go-Round... Read More

Be Yourself Tonight
Artist: Eurythmics
Community Score: 7.75

On Be Yourself Tonight, Eurythmics' most commercially successful and hit-laden album, the duo meticulously blended the new wave electronic elements that dominated their previous sets with the harder straight-edged rock and soul that would dominate later sets to come up with a near-perfect pop album. This disc scored no less than four hit singles... Read More

Reach the Beach
Artist: The Fixx
Community Score: 7.54

Reach the Beach is a significant step forward from the Fixx's debut album, Shuttered Room, simply because the band can now craft immediately accessible, incessantly catchy pop/rock melodies. "One Thing Leads to Another" has a big, ringing guitar hook hammered home by the dance beat, while "Saved by Zero" and "The Sign of Fire" are cool, robotic... Read More

Every Breath You Take: The Singles
Artist: The Police
Community Score: 7.08

Depending on whose report you believe, the Police recongregated in 1985 to either begin work on their sixth studio album or a greatest-hits collection that was to include all new, reworked versions of the hits. Neither ever materialized due to hostility between the members, and when all the trio could show for its work was an insipid remake of... Read More

Should Have Been Greatest Hits
Artist: The Tourists

A best-of released in the wake of Eurythmics's success, and therefore emphasizing Stewart and Lennox's contributions over Coombes's. Nevertheless, it's a well-chosen selection and includes four of their five UK hits, among them their sole US chart entry, a terrific remake of Dusty Springfield's "I Only Want to Be with You." ~ William Ruhlmann,... Read More

The Collection
Artist: Ultravox
Community Score: 10.00

While Ultravox's commercial success was virtually nonexistent in the U.S., their singles were strewn across the British charts throughout the early half of the '80s. Led by Midge Ure's haunting but forceful vocal presence, sometimes reminiscent of U2's Bono, Ultravox used the keyboards to guide their sophisticated and intelligent pop style,... 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

The Big Express
Artist: XTC
Community Score: 7.80

XTC took full advantage of their studio-bound status with The Big Express, creating their most painstakingly detailed, multi-layered, sonically dynamic album to date. The more upbeat material and brighter sound recall some of the band's earlier moments, but most of all, The Big Express signals a turning point for the band, setting the blueprint... Read More

The Secret of Association
Artist: Paul Young

In 1984, Paul Young scored a couple of medium-sized U.S. hits with "Come Back and Stay" and "Love of the Common People" from his album No Parlez. In 1985, however, with his stellar album The Secret of Association, the British singer gained his highest level of commercial success with several hit singles, most notable his chart-topping cover of... Read More