The importance of Glassworks is in that it brought the New York minimalist composer more widespread attention than before. He even received radio play in Finland. Glassworks offered an easy entry to the composer's style and also probably encouraged new listeners to seek out his other recorded works. I was certainly encouraged to do just that. Prior to Glassworks, I had never even heard of him. Closing, embedded above, is the last track of the album, like its title implies. Beautiful.
In August, an excellent album came from a truly surprising artist. Following last year's megahit Mistaken Identity and its single hit Bette Davis Eyes, Kim Carnes had already now completed and published her next collection of songs, and it contained some truly exemplary pieces. The album as well as the first single taken from it was called Voyeur. In addition to the title track that opened the album, the B side opener Undertow was a really fine pop song. However, the three genuine masterpieces on the album ascended to new heights so far unknown for the singer.
First up was the second track Looker, co-written by Barry DeVorzon, who had recently written some fine music to motion pictures like The Warriors (1979) and Looker (1981). Obviously, Looker the song was based on a theme from the film. Its prolonged finale was already pure art rock and probably caused several jaws to drop. But even better were tracks four and five that didn't have a background in another medium.
Does it Make You Remember, embedded above, was the second single from the album, and Breakin' Away from Sanity yet another beautiful song backed only by a piano and... er, a children's choir. This may sound banal but works wonderfully. Suddenly, a female, adult pop singer was becoming a force to be reckoned with in the art rock scene. All three masterpieces on Voyeur sound very sad and pessimistic, which makes their appearance on a megahit's follow-up all the more weird. This was what they thought would be commercial? Well, I for one am glad that they did.
At the beginning of September, I began my studies in the local University. Another thing that I also did during September was get my driver's license, and for some reason I associate my driving lessons very strongly with the fourth album by Peter Gabriel. I must have listened to it before and after. Out on 8 September, 4 (known as Security in the US) was nowhere near as strong as 3, but started well. Both the opener The Rhythm of the Heat and San Jacinto, the latter embedded above, are in my opinion among the very best solo works of Mr. Gabriel.
It was good that I had time to listen to Peter Gabriel around the time I took driving lessons, because otherwise his album was completely overshadowed by another September release that came out only one day later. 9 September saw the release of Signals, the all time greatest album by Rush. Not a single weak track this time - just a great rock song after another. There is no way I can embed only one track, so here's the whole thing. If you can stop listening following Subdivisions, please go ahead...
Only four more days, and yet another extremely interesting album release. As I mentioned earlier, Kate Bush had caused me quite a disappointment with her third album Never for Ever in 1980, but the fourth one marked a clear return to form. The Dreaming, out on 13 September, was in some ways her best album yet. Granted, the best tracks of Kate's first two albums were still better than anything on offer here, but the number of really good songs per album was clearly on the rise.
Also, The Dreaming was such a challenging collection of songs that I saw it getting labelled as a progressive rock album, at least over here in Finland. So there, I had thought my favorite genre was dead and now it was rearing its complicated head once again. Of the ten tracks, my favorites were the strong opening Sat in Your Lap and, in particular the ninth track, the lovely Houdini that was almost like it had been hidden to its slot; close to the end but not quite there. Sat in Your Lap was released as a single a whopping 15 months earlier and was embedded then, so let's listen to Houdini now.
I was never a fan of Dire Straits, but their 20 September release of Love Over Gold contained some interesting moments. First, there was the really long opening track Telegraph Road that reminded me of long prog masterpieces although it wasn't quite as complicated as those. It was followed by Private Investigations that ran over seven minutes. These two filled the vinyl version's A side with a mood of their own that became more and more sombre towards the end. Lengthy instrumental sequences and many almost quiet moments.
Then it was October, and time for John Cale to release something interesting for the first time since Hedda Gabler (1977). The new album Music for a New Society was slightly uneven but contained a few memorable songs like Chinese Envoy, the stunning opener Taking Your Life in Your Hands and most importantly, a new version of the seventies hit I Keep a Close Watch, its title now abbreviated to a more simple Close Watch. No overdone string arrangements, only a man, a piano, and an unbelievably strong interpretation.
Normally, I don't like to embed live versions because of their inferiority but this time I will make an exception as the original studio version is once again nowhere to be found. It sounds much like the version embedded above, only more polished. It closes the A side of the vinyl release with remarkable force. An obvious unmissable track for this year.
Next, let's discuss another October release that I think must have gone largely unnoticed at the time. On 25 October, a new and so far unknown British group called Marillion managed to release their first single. It was called Market Square Heroes and was quite forgettable. However, on the 12 inch version of the single there was something really interesting on the B side: an over 17 minutes long progressive rock song called Grendel.
When you listen to the lengthy song, you will soon realize that it is a shameless carbon copy of Supper's Ready (1972) by Genesis, only with more lifeless production. So shameless in fact, that it is actually quite funny. But in any case Grendel does have a charm of its own, and the composition is new even though the structure and time signatures are the same. Marillion would turn out to become one of the harbingers of a new prog style called neo prog. It wasn't anywhere near as warm and soulful as genuine symphonic prog that was played in the seventies by Genesis, but I suppose it was an OK substitute for the time being.
And now, only one more 1982 album left to discuss. It might come as a surprise. The album that almost everyone wanted to get rid of, judging from its common appearance in stores that sold used CD and vinyl records in the eighties and even nineties. In my opinion, the second album by Phil Collins called Hello, I Must Be Going! has more merit than its hugely successful predecessor. Out on 1 November, it was overall much like Face Value: a schizophrenic mix of awful, whiney pop songs and genuinely strong, atmospheric tracks, some of them bordering on art rock.
Embedded above is one of the latter, Thru These Walls, which has an official music video. Perhaps even slightly disturbing story about human loneliness, it is one of two tracks on the album that just about matches its strong opening I Don't Care Anymore which, while aping In the Air Tonight, actually manages to improve on it. The third similar track is Do You Know, Do You Care? An album that contains three songs of this caliber is undeniably a success, and when you throw in also the less great but still good instrumental The West Side and ballad Why Can't it Wait 'Til Morning, you can pretty much forgive the other five songs.
Album of the year is not particularly hard to choose. Signals by Rush wins easily. Choosing the best individual under 12-minute song is way more difficult. Finally, I had to admit that while One Man's Poison by Rupert Hine is absolutely great, it just has to step down to take second place after Laurie Anderson's incredible O Superman.
ALBUMS OF THE YEAR:
The Alan Parsons Project: Eye in the Sky
Camel: The Single Factor
Kate Bush: The Dreaming
Rush: Signals
UNMISSABLE TRACKS OF THE YEAR:
The Alan Parsons Project: Old and Wise
Asia: Wildest Dreams
Camel: Manic
John Cale: Close Watch
John Cale: Taking Your Life in Your Hands
Kansas: Crossfire
Kate Bush: Houdini
Kim Carnes: Breakin' Away from Sanity
Kim Carnes: Does it Make You Remember
Kim Carnes: Looker
King Crimson: Requiem
Laurie Anderson: From the Air
Laurie Anderson: O Superman (For Massenet)
Mike Oldfield: Taurus II
Peter Gabriel: The Rhythm of the Heat
Peter Gabriel: San Jacinto
Phil Collins: Do You Know, Do You Care?
Phil Collins: I Don't Care Anymore
Phil Collins: Thru These Walls
Rupert Hine: One Man's Poison
Rush: Losing it
Rush: Subdivisions
Rush: The Weapon
Best albums of the year, 1967 to 1980:
1967: Pink Floyd: The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
1968: -
1969: Procol Harum: A Salty Dog
1970: Genesis: Trespass
1971: Genesis: Nursery Cryme
1972: Yes: Close to the Edge
1973: Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon
1974: Mike Oldfield: Hergest Ridge
1975: Electric Light Orchestra: Face the Music
1976: Genesis: A Trick of the Tail
1977: Yes: Going for the One
1978: Genesis: And Then There Were Three
1979: Robert Fripp: Exposure
1980: Talking Heads: Remain in Light
1981: Camel: Nude
1982: Rush: Signals
Best short tracks (under 12 minutes):
1967: Pink Floyd: Bike
1968: Pink Floyd: Julia Dream
1969: Pink Floyd: Cirrus Minor
1970: The Beatles: The Long and Winding Road
1971: Genesis: The Fountain of Salmacis
1972: Gentle Giant: Schooldays
1973: John Cale: Paris 1919
1974: Mike Oldfield: Mike Oldfield's Single
1975: The Tubes: Up from the Deep
1976: Gong: Chandra
1977: Yes: Going for the One
1978: Genesis: Down and Out
1979: Barclay James Harvest: Play to the World
1980: Saga: Don't Be Late
1981: John Foxx: The Garden
1982: Laurie Anderson: O Superman (For Massenet)
Best long tracks (12 minutes or over):
1970: King Crimson: Lizard
1971: Van der Graaf Generator: A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers
1972: Yes: Close to the Edge
1973: King Crimson: Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part 1
1974: King Crimson: Starless
1975: Mike Oldfield: Ommadawn, Part 1
1976: -
1977: Yes: Awaken
1978: Popol Vuh: Brüder des Schattens, Söhne des Lichts
1979: U.K: Carrying No Cross
1980: Mike Rutherford: Smallcreep's Day
1981: -
1982: Mike Oldfield: Taurus II
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