What was the greatest album of the 80’s?
Somewhat after the event, admittedly, but in recent years I’ve felt more and more that accolade should go to Tears For Fears’ 1989 masterwork The Seeds Of Love, seen here as an essentially mint, original 1989 Fontana UK pressing.
Some stunning David Bascombe/Bob Clearmountain-induced dynamics here, but it’s quite a long running album, so is challenging from the perspective of making a hot cut record. But it turns out that’s exactly what was achieved.
As was often the case at the end of the 80s/early 90s, the vinyl here is wafer thin. But Direct Metal Mastering at Masterdisk, as indicated in the deadwax, and by the ultra-slim platter, appears to have saved the day.
Whatever, this is a remarkable achievement by any standard. Utterly majestic. And, let’s face it, the record that introduced Oleta Adams to the world deserves the highest praise for that feat alone.
It’s such a wonderfully crafted album; the product of much studio dithering and re-recording of re-recordings, but the end result was an overwhelming example of something being greater than the sum of its parts.
Like so many classic albums, the track order seems perfect and thus really needs to be soaked up in one session. In fact, thinking about it, I hardly ever cherry pick tracks from Seeds.
The one exception is Advice For The Young At Heart which is easily one of the greatest songs of its era and TFF’s finest moment, in my opinion.
But it’s all amazing stuff and, as usually happens when this one gets played, multiple re-runs are inevitable. I played this during the week and a Sunday evening replay seems a top idea.
Chris Wright | Now Spinning Magazine
Hi Phil , best album for me of the 80s apart from obvious stuff back in black or gaucho or ready and willing etc etc I’m gonna give you something you may not have heard it’s willy de ville miracle
It has Knopfler on guitar Jeff porcaro on drums it has lyrics as good as Dylan s best , sound quality like steely dan I’d say it’s the best thing Knopfler has ever done it’s cynical, but heartfelt, I put it up there with the best of anything recorded
Ron , Ireland