74 posts
Classic Album
He was the UK’s most successful solo artist during 1984 and 1985, but by 1989 Nik Kershaw’s star was on the wane. So how did he rally to produce The…
Classic Album: INXS – Kick
On their sixth album, the Aussies laid their ambitions bare, tapping into the zeitgeist and transforming into global megastars – though the iconic funk-rock hybrid was almost scrapped by their…
Making Depeche Mode’s Music For The Masses
We revisit the Mode’s game changer – an adventurous, hedonistic drive into unchartered territory that brought them both critical and commercial acclaim… There’s only so long you can play the…
Classic Album: OMD – Architecture & Morality
Merging the machinations of German electronica with warm Merseyside melodies and otherworldly choral samples, on their third album, Architecture & Morality, OMD struck the perfect balance between experimentalism and commercial…
Making George Michael’s Older
Inspired by the grief of losing his partner, the third album by George Michael, Older, was amongst the most powerful statements of his career… While the gap between Older and…
Making Michael Jackson: Thriller
Thriller by Michael Jackson is one of the biggest albums of all time and for good reason. A masterclass in execution from the King of Pop that set an impossibly…
Making XTC: English Settlement
The fifth album by XTC, English Settlement, was a landmark as bold as the beast on its cover; a double-album that saw the group expand their sound, turn their backs…
Making Primal Scream: Screamadelica
With Screamadelica, Primal Scream led their generation towards the new era of dance by combining celebratory beats with rock swagger. Tactical and perfectly timed, it succeeded brilliantly. but there was…
Making Electronic by Electronic
With Electronic, Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner shook off the shackles of being at the forefront of two of the most significant bands of the 80s and aimed straight for…
Making Madness – The Rise & Fall
Buoyed by having their first No.1 hit, the fourth studio album by Madness, The Rise & Fall, marked the transition between knockabout Nutty Boys and reflective men who’d become hard-bitten…