Top 10


Top 10 for 1989

Rock

TheBigBlack

TheBigBlack's Rock Top 10

10

Disintegration

The Cure
Disintegration

Alternative Rock | Album | 2 May 1989

'Disintegration' is the eighth studio album by The Cure. The record marks a return to the introspective gothic rock style the band had established in the early 1980s. As he neared the age of 30, vocalist and guitarist Robert Smith had felt an increased pressure to follow up on the band's pop successes with a more enduring work. This, coupled with a distaste for the group's newfound popularity, caused Smith to lapse back into the use of hallucinogenic drugs, the effects of which had a strong influence on the production of the album. It became the band's highest charting album to that point, reaching number three in the United Kingdom and at number 12 in the United States.

 

By 1989 The Cure had become a known name by music fans. They had a handful of well-known songs that had charted well over the past decade, but for the most part their albums were still very much for their fans alone. Like most bands that caught a whiff of that sweet smell of success, they chased the rainbow for a couple of long-players - and that is why Disintegration was such a shock upon release. With personnel changes (due to the usual rock n' roll tropes) band leader Robert Smith took a step (or three) backwards to more familiar territory, creating an goth-style album that would have sat easily in the band's earlier repertoire. Whether it was successful or not came down to how much of a fan you were. If you were into vintage Cure, it shone like a diamond. If you were looking for the more recent 'radio ready' version of the band, you would have spent a lot of time scratching your head. The album is draped in lush textures of majestic keyboards and reverb soaked guitar, giving it a distinct feel, somewhat akin to soundscapes rather than classic song structures - but it works beautifully, and the sound never gets stale. The lyrics on tracks like 'Pictures Of You' and 'Prayers For Rain' are wonderfully textured, and the bass driving on 'Fascination Street' and the title track is just sublime. This is an album that begs for repeat listens, but is also moody, and won't suit every time of the day. It perfectly set the band up to enter the next decade, when music like theirs would soon be dominating the charts.


09

Flying In A Blue Dream

Joe Satriani
Flying In A Blue Dream

Rock | Album | 30 October 1989

'Flying In A Blue Dream' is the third studio album by Joe Satriani. It is one of Satriani's most popular albums and his second highest-charting release to date, reaching No. 23 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and remaining on that chart for 39 weeks, as well as reaching the top 40 in three other countries.

 

There is a lot of evidence that just because you are an exceptional guitar player doesn't necessarily mean you can write a song, and this evidence is usually found on the solo albums of great guitarists. Like any great artist is aware, knowing what to put where and how much of it to use is what makes or breaks the work. Sometimes great guitarists see their art as the lead-line or the shred, forgetting about the rest of the song, and those leads alone are not enough to carry repeats listens. Satriani has been guilty of this many times in his career, but on this album he found the perfect balance. From the moment the ethereal strums of the album's title track begin, the listener is transported to another place. That opening song nails the reason why the whole album works so well - the guitar line serves the song, rather than a song backing a guitarist. Track after track Satriani effortlessly (is there any other word to describe his playing?) weaves his leads and rhythms together like a patchwork quilt of ideas and styles and sounds. There is blistering pseudo metal on 'Can't Slow Down' and the track also gives us our first taste of something new to the guitarist's repertoire - vocals. Audiences were divided at the time, as it is safe to safe Joe's real voice can't quite sing like his guitar voice can, but it does create a welcome variation. 'Headless' and 'Strange' mix things up even further, whilst 'The Bells Of Lal (Part One)' works nicely as experiment in controlled feedback. 'The Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing' and 'Day At The Beach (New Rays From An Ancient Sun)' show off his insane level of finger tapping mastery, whilst 'Back To Shalla-Bal' is an all-out sonic assault. Whilst the variation in styles is one of the album's strong points, it doesn't always work, with tracks like the banjo-heavy 'The Phone Call' a better addition to the cutting room floor than the album (with or without vocals). Older fans will feel right at home with 'One Big Rush' and 'The Forgotten (Part Two)', showing off the more traditional 'guitar album' style. At just over an hour, the album hangs around long enough not to outstay it's welcome, and many of the songs are just long enough they don't lose their freshness. Although the majority of fans will still vote Surfing With The Alien from two years prior his best album, Flying In A Blue Dream often has the honor of being called a close second, and one listen should explain why.


08

Mudhoney

Mudhoney
Mudhoney

Grunge Rock | Album | 1 November 1989

'Mudhoney is the debut studio album by Mudhoney.

 


07

Dr. Feelgood

Motley Crue
Dr. Feelgood

Hard Rock | Album | 1 September 1989

'Dr. Feelgood' is the fifth studio album by Motley Crue. It was the first album Motley Crue recorded after their quest for sobriety and rehabilitation in 1989. It topped the Billboard 200 chart, making it the band's only album to claim this position. In addition to being Motley Crue's best selling album, it is highly regarded by music critics and fans as the band's best studio album. This was also the band's last album to be recorded with lead singer Vince Neil until the 1997 album 'Generation Swine'.

 


06

No Fuel Left For The Pilgrims

D.A.D. (Disneyland After Dark)
No Fuel Left For The Pilgrims

Hard Rock | Album | 3 March 1989

'No Fuel Left For The Pilgrims' is the third (and first international) album by band D.A.D. It was the band's most popular release, and in 2019 it was featured on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 'The 50 Greatest Hair Metal Albums Of All Time'.

 

In the late 1980's if you had long blond hair, an unbuttoned shirt, and played hard rock music - you were guaranteed to have a hit record. Often talent wasn't even particularly important, but a few bands - Disneyland After Dark being one of them - actually managed to release an album that was worthy of its successes. It wasn't the band's first album (and certainly wasn't their last), but it was the album where everything worked - and the inclusion of the baritone guitar lead lines through many of the songs gave it an extra edge that no one had ever heard before. They'd done similar on previous albums, but nailed it on this one. 'Sleeping My Day Away' was the perfect radio friendly first single to introduce the world to Denmark's best kept rock secret, and follow up singles like 'Girl Nation' and 'Jihad' really drove home their commercial, yet still edgy style - with infectious choruses that couldn't be ignored and the occasional barnstormer to get you bouncing around the room. Much like any bands of this style at the time, their quality didn't drop, but their audience did, and the band was mostly unheard of again, although they have continued to churn out albums of reasonable quality.


05

Battlesick

The Mark Of Cain
Battlesick

Alternative Rock | Album | 7 August 1989

 


04

Oh Mercy

Bob Dylan
Oh Mercy

Classic Rock | Album | 12 September 1989

 


03

Louder Than Love

Soundgarden
Louder Than Love

Grunge Rock | Album | 5 September 1989

'Louder Than Love' is the second studio album (and major-label debut) by Soundgarden. The songs on the album featured a metal-leaning style sound with some songs featuring unusual or unorthodox time signatures. It was the band's first album to chart on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 108. It was the last Soundgarden album to feature the band's original bassist, Hiro Yamamoto.

 


02

Bleach

Nirvana
Bleach

Grunge Rock | Album | 15 June 1989

'Bleach' is the debut studio album by Nirvana. The main recording sessionstook place at Reciprocal Recording in Seattle, Washington between December 1988 and January 1989. It is the only Nirvana album released on the Sub Pop label and their only studio album to feature drummer Chad Channing. It did not chart upon initial release, but was well received by critics.

 

This is the humble beginnings of a band no one ever expected would be any more than a blip on the radar, and indeed Nirvana's debut only sold a few thousand copies in its first couple of years of existence. Recorded over a 12 month period (although rock legend would have us believe it was in a single session) the time taken to record this motley collection certainly doesn't reflect in the cohesiveness of the songs. With mostly rough and simple compositions we see only a hint or two of the grunge-pop that would change the rock landscape two years later with Nevermind. The contrasts of The Beatles-like 'About A Girl' alongside the abrasive metal stylings of 'Negative Creep' or 'School' is perfectly sequenced, with the track running order mimicking the heavy/soft dynamics that characterised many of the band's songs. The lyrics are mostly simple and repetitive (and often odd or goofy), but they are very much in keeping with Cobain's quirky style - and some of these songs had been in his repertoire for a number of years. Jack Endino's production is flat, but like all of his work at Reciprocal, is has a razor sharp edge to it that better studios would probably never be able to come to naturally. The album ends of the melancholy strains of 'Sifting', leaving us feeling like Cobain is searching for something he just can't find - something no doubt reflected in his real life.


01

The Real Thing

Faith No More
The Real Thing

Alternative Rock | Album | 3 July 1989

 


TheBigBlack

TheBigBlack's Rock Honourable Mentions

Shine

Mother Love Bone
Shine

Grunge Rock | E.P. | 20 March 1989

'Shine' is the debut E.P. by Mother Love Bone. This was the only collection of recordings to be released during singer Andrew Wood's lifetime.

 


Freedom

Neil Young
Freedom

Folk Rock | Album | 2 October 1989

'Freedom' is the nineteenth studio album by Neil Young. It relaunched Young's career after a largely unsuccessful decade. After many arguments and a lawsuit, Young left Geffen Records in 1988 and returned to his original label, Reprise. 'Freedom' brought about a new, critical and commercially successful album.

 


Mystery Girl

Roy Orbison
Mystery Girl

Rock & Roll | Album | 7 February 1989

 


Skid Row

Skid Row
Skid Row

Hard Rock | Album | 24 January 1989

 


Pump

Aerosmith
Pump

Rock | Album | 12 September 1989

'Pump' is the thirteenth album by Aerosmith. The album peaked at No. 5 on the U.S. charts, and was certified septuple platinum by the RIAA in 1995.

 


TheBigBlack

TheBigBlack's Rock Dishonourable Mentions

Silver And Gold

A.S.a.P. (Adrian Smith and Project)
Silver And Gold

Rock | Album | 1 October 1989

'Silver And Gold' is the first and only album by Adrian Smith solo project A.S.a.P. It was a departure from the sound Adrian Smith helped create with Iron Maiden, with elements of a more progressive sound , and with keyboards more prominently featured. The album was a commercial failure, despite the promotional tour and two singles, and the band soon ceased to exist.

 


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Metal

TheBigBlack

TheBigBlack's Metal Top 10

10

Deliverance

Deliverance
Deliverance

Thrash Metal | Album | ?? ?? 1989

 


09

Symphonies Of Sickness

Carcass
Symphonies Of Sickness

Death Metal (Grindcore) | Album | 4 November 1989

'Symphonies Of Sickness' is the second studio album by Carcass. This album marked the last time the band had recorded as a three-piece until 2013. With the album the band kept the grindcore sound of their debut, but added more death metal.

 


08

Slowly We Rot

Obituary
Slowly We Rot

Death Metal | Album | 16 May 1989

'Slowly We Rot' is the debut studio album by Obituary. Despite being recorded in standard tuning and with Fender Stratocasters, it is considered to be one of the band's heavier efforts. The remainder of the band's output has been recorded in D tuning. The album remains a staple essential album of both death metal and the band's discography.

 


07

Practice What You Preach

Testament
Practice What You Preach

Thrash Metal | Album | 4 August 1989

'Practice What You Preach' is the third studio album by Testament. The album was a major breakthrough for the band, achieving near gold status and becoming the band's first album to enter the Top 100 on the Billboard 200 chart.

 

By 1989 thrash metal had hit its commercial peak, and what once a small number of bands was now a torrent of second and third wave opportunists poorly imitating their heroes. Testament understood this all too well, and with album number three took their band into unknown territory to ensure they stayed ahead of the pack. Still undeniably thrash, Practice What You Preach was somehow different. It was compact and streamlined, showing a modern attitude and also a new maturity to the band's lyrics. From the moment the title track launches, this is apparent, as the song grooves rather than pummels. Gone are the lyrics of dark entities and demonic tales, and instead frontman Chuck Billy barks a rebuke at the self-righteous. If the listener wasn't hooked yet 'Perilous Nation' will certainly draw them in. A tale of the dangers of patriotism, it is one of the catchier tracks on the album, and although it also contains some of the fastest riffs it is infectiously listenable. Billy growls lyrics throughout, showing real conviction to his words, further strengthening the connection to the listener. Many of the songs are mid paced, and noticeably simpler than the previous albums, leaving the whole album feeling efficient. That doesn't mean the musicianship is sacrificed, and Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson again proved themselves as two of the best axemen in thrash metal. 'Greenhouse Effect' follows the trend at the time of songs about environmental damage, and the band even goes out on a limb to include a full-blow ballad (imaginably named 'The Ballad') which is a cry for help after losing someone. Quirky instrumental 'Confusion Fusion' ends the album, and 45 minutes has just pasted by in no time at all. The performances are loose in a way that many of the groove metal bands of the next decade would mimic, forgoing absolute precision for a more live feel. Although this makes the album feel organic, it does mean some of the dynamics of overdubs are missing, and the whole thing sounds rather one dimensional. Generally seen by fans as a 'safe' album by the band, it is rarely called a favourite, but it is certainly far from a bad album in any way, perfectly filling a whole for many headbangers upon its release.


06

Face Of Despair

Mortal Sin
Face Of Despair

Thrash Metal | Album | ?? March 1989

 


05

Extraction From Mortality

Believer
Extraction From Mortality

Thrash Metal | Album | ?? ?? 1989

 


04

Beneath The Remains

Sepultura
Beneath The Remains

Thrash Metal | Album | 5 September 1989

'Beneath The Remains' is the third studio album by Sepultura. The album had improved production and songwriting compared to the band's previous albums. In time it would be acclaimed as a classic in the thrash metal genre.

 

Although the term didn't really exist at the time, the first handful of Sepultura albums were deeply rooted in death metal, and were hugely influential to later bands in the genre. But 1989's 'Beneath The Remains' the band were largely ensconced in a genre that had been named - thrash. Much like the rest of the Brazilian metal scene at the time the band still made their metal with intensity, rather than melody, and straight out the gate (after a short acoustic interlude to introduce the album) the track 'Beneath The Remains' bulldozers its way through the listener's eardrums. 'Inner Self', with its great double time chorus, has slowly become a no-holds barred 80s metal classic, and it is followed by another strong track in 'Stronger Than Hate' straight after. Although thrash by nature the album is still extreme, and at times the pummelling riffwork and drums are unrelenting on tracks like 'Slave Of Pain'. The band's follow up album 'Arise' is arguably a better album, but 'Beneath The Remains' keeps just enough of the primitive early sound of the band in place against the backdrop of better production to make this a truly unique and satisfying album that will be known as a classic of the genre.


03

Altars Of Madness

Morbid Angel
Altars Of Madness

Death Metal | Album | 12 May 1989

'Altars Of Madness' is the debut studio album by Morbid Angel. The album was recorded in December 1988 at Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida. The album is one of the earliest examples of death metal and is considered to have helped pioneer the sound along with Possessed's 'Seven Churches' in 1985 and Death's 'Scream Bloody Gore' in 1987, and set a new precedent for heaviness and extremity, both musically and lyrically. It is one of the most celebrated albums in death metal, and one of the most influential heavy metal albums of all time.

 


02

Extreme Aggression

Kreator
Extreme Aggression

Thrash Metal | Album | 19 June 1989

'Extreme Aggression' is the fourth studio album by Kreator. While the band had already gained a sizeable following in the US due to their 1988 tour with the crossover thrash band D.R.I., this album introduced many American fans to Kreator, primarily through heavy rotation of the 'Betrayer' music video on MTV's Headbangers Ball, which was partly shot at the Acropolis in Athens, Greece.

 


01

Fabulous Disaster

Exodus
Fabulous Disaster

Thrash Metal | Album | 15 February 1989

 


TheBigBlack

TheBigBlack's Metal Honourable Mentions

Alice In Hell

Annihilator
Alice In Hell

Thrash Metal | Album | 5 September 1989

'Alice In Hell' is the debut studio album by Annihilator. This was the only Annihilator album for ten years to feature Randy Rampage on vocals, until he returned for their seventh studio album 'Criteria For A Black Widow' (1999).

 


Piece Of Time

Atheist
Piece Of Time

Death Metal (Technical) | Album | 30 August 1989

 


Symphonies Of Sickness

Carcass
Symphonies Of Sickness

Death Metal (Grindcore) | Album | 4 November 1989

'Symphonies Of Sickness' is the second studio album by Carcass. This album marked the last time the band had recorded as a three-piece until 2013. With the album the band kept the grindcore sound of their debut, but added more death metal.

 


No More Color

Coroner
No More Color

Thrash Metal | Album | 18 September 1989

 


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