Mike Oldfield - Earth Moving (1989)

Mike Oldfield - Earth Moving (HDCD - Remaster)

 Tubular Bells this is not..........but if you are looking for a great album of highly emotive songs that will stick with you for the rest of your live then why not take a plunge into these water ?   Earth Moving is like Mike's umpteenth album and has been really lost amongst his other great albums...in fact this album is often erroneously criticized as a weak album in his album discography.  In sharp contrast I have always loved this album and think that songs like "Holy", "See The Light" and Title Track "Earth Moving" are amongst some of his finest pieces.  

Journey - Escape (1981)

Journey - Escape (1981) 22 Bit Remastered Version

  Who could ever forget Journey or their groundbreaking pop-rock masterpiee Escape from the early 80's.  My house had all the early Journey albums so I was not a stranger to them, but never really started to apprecite them until  bought this one on cassette at my local A&A Records store.  yup.....went to cassette on this one until my deck chewed up the tape !   (by the way do you remember the "Cass-singles" ? ).  Escape captured all the rock of Journey but marked a new direction for them with a stronger pop tinge.  "Don't Stop Believin" is still one of the best rock songs i think ever......high energy...fanstatic vocals and harmonies..great guitar , bass and drums and cool synths,,,,,,,,,

Peter Gabriel - Security (1982)

Peter Gabriel - Security, Universal Music, 1982, RealWorld SACD    

    Gabriel's 4th album, security was one of my high school masterpieces...an album I still adore today.  Who could forget San Jacinto or Shock the monkey (notoriously referred to back then as "slap your monkey").   My brother Danny hated Peter Gabriel and hated this album...i still cant figure this guy out...but lets leave that for another day.   I picked up Realworlds SACD version of this album and it is just simple amazing.,.....i am hearing things I have heard before....and what a great sound.  This was at the time a pure digital recording and has been really survived the legacies of time.    I have always loved the percussive vibes this album exudes......the rhythm of the heat .......brilliant album from start to fishing net !

U2 - The Unforgettable Fire (1984)

U2 - The Unforgettable Fire (deluxe edition), Island Records (1984)

  In high School this album was one of the top spins on my turntable and remains to this day still a wonderful album.  I also loved the EP albums released to compliment this album i think it was called Pride In The Name Of Love and one called the Unforgettable Fire EP. In 2009 I patiently waited for The Unforgettable Fire Deluxe Edition to be released with it's dual CD covering the original album plus all the EP tracks (which in many ways is some of my favourite U2 songs)..........Love Come Tumbling .....The 3 Sunrises.....Boomerang 1 and 2 and of course Pride.......A Sort of Homecoming (one of my all time favourite songs) and BAD.....just a huge album and truely a landmark album. 

David Bowie - Scary Monsters (1980)

David Bowie - Scary Monsters , EMI Music 1980 

  Scary Monsters is one of my personal favourite David Robert Jones (Bowie) albums mixing a wonderful chunk of punk, rock and pop genres.  This album came out to end to the 70's and welcome in the 80's and in my  humble opinion is the last great Bowie album and what a gift .   Even New York punker Tom Verlaine (Television) gets a rather interesting ode and then Robert Fripp of King Crimson fame (get it...Fame) gets the spotlight throughout.   Bowie is at the top of his game with punchy lyrics and heavy messages.  One of my favourite all time songs is the drug-oriented "Ashes to Ashes" where we hear Bowie confesses that Major Tom was a junky.  Scary Monsters also has the smash hit "Fashion" which took aim at its very subject.  Absolutely creative and pure genius and if you dont have this one in your collection you need to get it !