As the end of our time in the '80s draws nearer, we take a listen to some of the biggest and best metal albums of the decade, as well as pay tribute to the late great Eddie Van Halen.  

Albums Discussed:

Motörhead - Ace of Spades (1980)

Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast (1982)

Manowar - Battle Hymns (1982)

Dio - Holy Diver (1983)

Metallica - Master of Puppets (1986)

Slayer - Reign in Blood (1986)

Ministry - The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste (1989)

Show notes for this and every episode available at actn.wordpress.com

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Andy and Aaron track the rise and... well, continued rise of The Cure throughout the 1980s. From charming English pop to gloomy post punk, we hear all that Robert Smith and the boys have to offer!

Albums Discussed:

Boys Don't Cry (1980)

Seventeen Seconds (1980)

Faith (1981)

Pornography (1982)

The Top (1984)

The Head on the Door (1985)

Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987)

Disintegration (1989)*

*For a more in depth look at Disintegration, check out episode 110 on Pop music, and for a more in depth look at the Robert Smith side project The Glove, check out the listener suggestions episode!

Check out my ranking of The Cure's music videos, along with the show notes, at actn.wordpress.com

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In this episode we unearth a true hidden gem of a band, Game Theory! This power-pop group released five excellent studio albums in the 1980s, all of which have received incredible remastered reissues by Omnivore Recordings starting in 2014. Those reissues were capped off in 2020 with a compilation of the band's final recordings. Come along with us and discover this wonderful catalog of tunes!

Albums Discussed:

Blaze of Glory (1982)

Real Nighttime (1985)

The Big Shot Chronicles (1986)

Lolita Nation (1987)

Two Steps from the Middle Ages (1988)

Across the Barrier of Sound: Postscript (2020)

Check out a breakdown of some of the best bonus tracks from these releases, along with the show notes, at actn.wordpress.com

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Andy and Aaron take a listen to the incredible albums of Grace Jones this week, as well as discuss her career as told through her 2015 book, "I'll Never Write My Memoirs."

Albums Discussed:

Warm Leatherette (1980)

Nightclubbing (1981)

Living My Life (1982)

Slave to the Rhythm (1985)

Inside Story (1986)

Bulletproof Heart (1989)

Show notes, along with reviews of Grace Jones' '80s filmography, can be found at actn.wordpress.com

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This week, we approach the unapproachable and dissect the entire '80s output of Mark E. Smith's post punk project The Fall!  All nine albums of it!

Albums Discussed:

Grotesque (After the Gramme) (1980)

Hex Enduction Hour (1982)

Room to Live (1982)

Perverted by Language (1983)

The Wonderful and Frightening World of... (1984)

This Nation's Saving Grace (1985)

Bend Sinister (1986)

The Frenz Experiment (1988)

I am Kurious Oranj (1988)

Show notes, along with my personal ranking for these nine albums, available at actn.wordpress.com

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This week we submerge ourselves in the all consuming ocean of Prince, one of the most prolific and prodigious artists of all time.  We discuss his many albums of the 1980s as well as the 2019 book, The Beautiful Ones, and the 1986 film, Under the Cherry Moon!  

Albums Discussed:

Dirty Mind (1980)

Controversy (1981)

1999 (1982)

Purple Rain (1984)*

Around the World in a Day (1985)

Parade (1986)

Sign o' the Times (1987)

Lovesexy (1988)

*For a more in depth look at Purple Rain, check out episode 102 on the major releases of the 1980s

Show notes, along with a ranking of Prince's first ten albums, available at actn.wordpress.com

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Andy and Aaron take a trip Through the Fire and hear six albums from the incomparable Chaka Khan! No one can blend disco, funk, jazz, rock, and pop as successfully as she can.  Listen along with us!

Albums Discussed:

Naughty (1980)

What Cha' Gonna Do For Me (1981)

Chaka Khan (1982)

I Feel for You (1984)

Destiny (1986)

ck (1988)

Plus, a ranking of every Chaka Khan cover song from these albums in the show notes at actn.wordpress.com, check it out!

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No one writes a love song better than Luther Vandross, so in this episode Andy and Aaron hear the first six studio albums from his incredible catalog. A house is not a home until you play some Luther Vandross in it!

Albums Discussed: 

Never Too Much (1981)

Forever, For Always, For Love (1982)

Busy Body (1983)

The Night I Fell In Love (1985)

Give Me the Reason (1986)

Any Love (1988)

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Show notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com

This episode of Andy Hears the '80s is all about the L.A. punk band, X.  Hear it all along with us, the good, the bad, and the ugly.  We also take a listen to their surprising new release, Alphabetland!

Albums Discussed:

Los Angeles (1980)

Wild Gift (1981)

Under the Big Black Sun (1982)

More Fun in the New World (1983)

Ain't Love Grand! (1985)

See How We Are (1987)

Alphabetland (2020)

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Show notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com

This week on the show, we dig into the '80s discography of XTC!  Listen along with us as we follow the English alternative act from beleaguered tour dogs to studio melody makers.  We also ask the age old question (twice): did this need to be a double album?

Albums Discussed:

Black Sea (1980)

English Settlement (1982)

Mummer (1983)

The Big Express (1984)

Skylarking (1986)

Oranges & Lemons (1989)

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Show notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com