The Top 10 Albums of 1985

If you aren't aware that Reza Mills from Clean Sheets and Sleeping Shaman has been breaking down the decades with me to uncover our top 5 songs in pivotal anniversaries for these years, then you uare missing out. You should check out our insights here...

 

Here I am taking my top 5 choices and expanding them into the top 10 albums of 1985, and also ranking them in order of their impact and staying power, so here are my top 10 albums of 1985. Be sure to check out the episode above for a more in-depth look at the top 5 here. 

10-Megadeth- "Killing is my Business and Business is Good."

The debut of Mustaine's post-Metallica project feels like he picked up where "Kill'em All " left off.

 

9-Anthrax -' Spreading the Disease" 

They were beginning to hit their stride when it came to blending thrash with hooky classic metal songwriting

   

8-Ratt- "Invasion of Your Privacy."

One of the most endearing albums from the hair metal era, which stands the test of time. 

7-Sting -" Dream of the Blue Turtles." 

His solo debut is wonderfully bleak in its lyrical outlet and jazz overlay. 

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6-Slayer - "Hell Awaits"

Their most underrated album, considering that it opened the doors for a darker, heavier style of music to be born. 

 

5-Dio-"Sacred Heart."

He peaked in the 80s with this magical album, setting himself apart from metal trends.

4-the Cure "Head On the Door." 

Not their darkest album, but Smith's songwriting continued t o explore new colors of sound. 

3-Tom Waits - "Rain Dogs." 

Not sure he even knew the 80s were even going on a this album sounds like it came from a dive bar at the edge of time. 

2-Kate Bush-"Hounds of Love"

She did new wave on her terms and retained all the ethereal magic that she was known for.  

 

1-The Smiths -"Meat is Murder."

Lyrically brilliant and perfectly written, this iconic album still stands alone. 

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Looking Back in Anger at Ratt's "Detonator"

 I had long given up on the band by the time their 1990 album dropped. Production wise it became a mess as they brought Desmond Child. who worked well for Kiss , but the things that define Ratt, get lost in the big arena hooks which sound like something Paul Stanley should be singing instead. This is also the last Ratt album with the original line up. They come closer to capturing who they once were on "Scratch That Itch" but there are too many guitars going into directions that takes the emphasis off of Pearcy's performance. There is slide guitar and things that sound more like Van Halen going on which is not who these guys are. 

"One Step Away' reaffirms how lost they are in the studio as it sounds like this should be a Bon Jovi song. "Hard Time" sounds like it could have been on "Dancing Undercover" , making it the best song so far. They are not so fortunate with the cowbell homage to Bon Jovi that is "Heads I Win" . DeMartini's guitar solos are often this album's saving grace. "All or Nothing" goes too full tilt on soulful back up singers, which is not who Ratt are. "Can't Wait on Love" proves they have not totally forgotten who they are , and sounds like the band with the least amount of interference from the label. 

"Givin Yourself Away" finds Pearcy singing below his normal higher pitched sneer. It is more a power ballad, that might not be as sappy as "Home Sweet Home" but not packing the same punch they once did. The vocals are pretty awkward on the verses though. It reminds me a little of Cheap Trick. They end the album with more of a rocker. I will give this one an 8, it's not as bad as I feared, in fact it's pretty decent but not really the Ratt we want. 

Looking Back in Anger at Ratt's "Reach for the Sky"

I was turned off by "Way Cool Jr" as it moved away from metal into a more rock n roll sound with things like horns and blues guitar on it. By 1988 Ratt, did not need to turn back from the direction they were heading on the previous album. My interests shifted toward Slayer and King Diamond by 1988. Ratt moved in the opposite direction. Something just did not sit well with me on this one. My instincts were right, as the band began recording this with Mike Stone, and the record label had to send in old faithful Beau Hill to fix things, making me wonder where are the original Mike Stone tapes. Listening back "Way Cool Jr" is better than I remembered but the rest of the album sounds like they were trying to re-heat leftovers. There is a little more edge on "Bite the Hand that Feeds" , but it's a happier rock album. 

They steered away from the power ballad formula until " I Want to Love You Tonight" which is still not as cheesy as some of the power ballads from this era. But the clean guitar tones are much different on this album. "Chain Reaction' is the first song that sounds like it came from the band who made "Dancing Undercover" as it is more high energy , but not as inspired. "No Surprise' is a hidden gem on this album, as it is one of the more inspired moments that recalls their classic sound, though marginally more streamlined. 

"Bottom Line" feels more like filler, the chorus is kinda weak. They are trying harder to remember who they are on "What's it Gonna Be" . There is more cock in their rock on "What I'm After" which has a more middle of the road feel to it despite this fact.  I will give this album an 8, it is better than I remember and not the drastic departure it seemed to be on it's release, but is not at the peak of their powers. 

Looking Back in Anger at Ratt's "Dancing Undercover"

 

Another one of the classic Beau Hill produced albums. They took what worked on the first two and pumped it up with more energy.  The only difference is the guitars and vocals are way up front with the drums sitting behind them. The overall feel of the songs is more up tempo so this works for what they are doing as things drop down to mid tempo on "Slip of the Lip" the drums come forward. There are some interesting grooves that intersect various sections of songs. Pearcy's voice has more grit and slithers around the riffs in a manner that separated him from what his peers were doing in  86. 

This album finds the band reigning at the  pinnacle of hair metal's first wave. It still had life in the genre, up until Skid Row's debut which would be the last great album of it's kind. "Body Talk" is a punchy anthem with more forward momentum than most music like this. "Looking For Love" kind of veers toward the mainstream appeal this music fully possessed at the time. "7th Avenue" also coasts into this middle of the road feel, but with more groove which is the albums primary saving grace when not finding their foot pressed to the gas. The guitars get more interesting on "It Doesn't Matter" . The attention to detail in the vocal phrasing being the other key point of the song. They shift formula with the arrangement on this one as well with a post-chorus refrain. 

"Take a Chance' finds the charm of the band's attitude winning you over on "Take a Chance" .  The more Rolling Stones like strum of guitar makes the last song stand out, and gives Pearcy's vocals room to breathe. Chorus is catchy and it's pretty much what you want from a Ratt song, without recycling the key elements in a a predictable way.   I will round this one up to a 10, it's their best record. 

Looking Back in Anger at Ratt's "Invasion of Your Privacy"

 "Out of the Cellar" might have put them on the map, but this sounds to my ears as the superior album, despite having a more stream lined arena rock sound and working off a distinct formula. The first two songs are bonafide slappers, and then the iconic "Lay it Down" which is a way better song than "Round and Round" if we are weighing singles. What this makes this a better album is even the filler like "Give It All" is better than some of the main courses on "Out of the Cellar" not mention the filler here has more substance than the filler on the previous album. With more grit in the production of the guitars , and a warmer more organic sound than what was popular when this album was made would find the album sitting even prettier than it does. 

"Closer to My Heart" had guitars ringing out in a more distinct 80s manner. The pre-chorus provides a great sense of steamy tension and Pearcy's melody works well,. He was never the best metal singer , but works well with the range he does has. The pam muted chug of "Between the Eyes" is not reinventing the rock wheel, but it works well for the song. "What You Give is What You Get" is the first song that loses the momentum. When this album came out I played the hell out of it, but this is the first song that does not hold up under my full grown critical adult ears.  "Got Me on the Line' finds their metal refined to a pop level. It's the definitive sound for the 80s rock. 

When this album came out "You Should Know By Now' got stuck in my head all the time. It has a more rock n roll feel to it. This paved the way for Cinderella and Guns N Roses more than what Motley Crue did. This one get's a 9.5, as it is not a perfect album if we are measuring it up against the all time greats but it's one of this band's best 

Looking Back in Anger at Ratt's "Out of the Cellar

 The album that put the band on the map. The iconic cover features Tawny Kitaen. The formula that works best for this band is the simmering tension that made them darker than thebe Bon Jovis of the time, while been being summed up with anthemic hooks on the chorus. Warren DeMartini was the Eddie Van Halen in waiting of this scene but over looked due to the spandex clad bravado that caused music critics at the time to not take this sort of thing seriously. I feel you can't throw the baby out with the bathwater when it comes to the mainstream bi haired bands, as Ratt displays on this album they are very capable songwriters.  While more metallic than most of their peers. Motley Crue released "Shout at the Devil" which is still a darker , heavier album than this, but Ratt would go onto to fill a void, when the Cure sold out with " Theater of Pain". 

For a MTV friendly single "Round and Round" packed a punch on top of being catchy as hell. With songs like "In Your Direction" it was obvious these guys had more in common with the Scorpions than most hair metal bands who were more heavily influenced by Cheap Trick or Aerosmith. There is also a slight "Looks that Kill" feel to the riff of "In Your Direction' which I wonder if it was a nudge from the studio. "She Wants Money" pretty much sums up their environment this time period.  The equivalent of today's pop punk,  but with a little more testosterone. Though most of the balls can be found in the guitar solo. "Lack of Communication" is a really strong song with lots of drive. It's one of Pearcy's better vocal performances. Listening back to him, what he lacks in pipes and power, he makes up for with nuanced phrasing. "Back For More" is another one of the album's best tracks, that blends hard rock heft with catchy melody. Perhaps the best chorus of the album, as it's to the point. 

The key to reviewing these kinds of albums is wiping the nostalgia from your hears and honestly weighing how relevant they are today. While I like the more aggressive gallop of guitars on "the Morning After" , "I'm Insane" holds up better. "Scene of the Crime" is a victim of the musical climate it was written in. With that said I think it's fair to round this one down to a 9, solidifies them a legit band for this era, not a classic like "Shout at the Devil" .