Squeeze, Sweets From a Stranger, 1982 on A&M

Fifth studio album from Squeeze, this one including Don Snow, John Bentley, and Gilson Lavis alongside Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook. and featuring “Black Coffee in Bed” with backing vocals from Elvis Costello and Paul Young.

Lover the overlay flap on the front – “When it comes to Squeeze, they can’t be called ‘critics'” – and the illustrations on the inner sleeve.

My copy via Pitchfork Records in Concord NH.

#1980s #1982 #AM #ChrisDifford #ConcordNH #DonSnow #ElvisCostello #GilsonLavis #GlennTillbrook #JohnBentley #PaulYoung #PitchforkRecords #Squeeze #UKSqueeze #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Townes Van Zandt, At My Window, 1987 on Sugar Hill

Van Zandt’s eighth studio album and only one recorded in the 1980s, originally released on the bluegrass label Sugar Hill. I never miss a chance to pick up a Townes Van Zandt record in good shape.

Recorded at Jack Clement’s studio in Nashville (“Cowboy Arms Hotel and Recording Spa”) and produced by Clement and Jim Rooney. Great versions of “For the Sake of the Song” and “Gone, Gone Blues” and the title track.

My copy – via Pitchford Records in Concord NH – is the 2022 Craft reissue for Record Store Day 2022 on blue vinyl.

#1980s #1987 #2022 #ConcordNH #craftRecordings #PitchforkRecords #RecordStoreDay #RecordStoreDay2022 #Reissue #SugarHillRecords #TownesVanZandt #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Camouflage, Voices & Images, 1988 on Atlantic

Camouflage were a synth-pop trio from Bietigheim-Bissingen in West Germany (near Stuttgart). Voices & Images was their debut album and included “The Great Commandment” which was a hit in Germany and broke through to the US.

My copy via Pitchfork Records in Concord NH, has the gold promo stamp and a hype sticker listing the singles.

#1980s #1988 #Camouflage #ConcordNH #PitchforkRecords #Promo #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #WestGermany

Guadalcanal Diary, Flip Flop, 1989 on Elektra

The fourth and final (original) full length from Marietta Georgia’s Guadalcanal Diary. Guadalcanal Diary is kind of the most underappreciated indie 80s band from Georgia – they weren’t R.E.M. or the B-52s or Pylon or even Let’s Active, but this is a great album.

It takes some guts to label one side of your fourth major label record “flop” – maybe they knew this would be their last?

My copy is a promo pressing via Pitchfork Records in Concord NH – complete with checkmarks on the back perhaps added by a radio DJ?

#1989 #ConcordNH #georgia #GuadalcanalDiary #Marietta #PitchforkRecords #Promo #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Heaven 17, The Luxury Gap, 1983 on Virgin

Heaven 17 included Martyn Ware and Ian Criag Marsh who had been founding members of The Human League – Glenn Gregory took the place of Philip Oakey to make Heaven 17.

This was their second studio album (and best selling album) – with the single “Temptation” being the best known hit.

My copy, via Pitchfork Records in Concord NH, is a UK pressing from CBS’s Aston Clinton plant. (The US release was on Arista and has a different track list).

#1980s #1983 #ConcordNH #GlennGregory #Heaven17 #HumanLeague #IanCraigMarsh #MartynWare #NewWave #PitchforkRecords #SynthPop #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #Virgin

Steve Earle, Guitar Town, 1986 on MCA Records

Earle’s debut album from the mid-eighties – note the proud “Digital Recording” stamp on the cover (where now you’d see “All Analog” promoted). Topped the country charts, and the title single made #7 on the country singles charts.

I think Earle’s really matured into a wonderful elder statesman of a certain kind of roots / Americana that is bigger than just country or rock charts – but you can see his strengths even through some of the 80s production. Here the label’s presenting him as some kind of John Cougar / Bruce Springsteen manque.

My copy via Pitchfork Records in Concord NH

#1980s #1986 #7_ #Americana #ConcordNH #Country #MCARecords #PitchforkRecords #Rock #Roots #SteveEarle #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds