LUKE'S MUST LISTENS FOR 1983

10. "Weird" Al Yankovic - Self Titled S/T

I would be doing all you Yankers out there a disservice if I didn't include the Al Man's debut effort on my list. Not his best album but it marks the beginning of his dominance of the music industry. As a child I had every goddamn record of his and I can still sing along to his first today.

Songs To Check: I Love Rocky Road, Mr. Frump In His Iron Lung

9. Billy Joel - An Innocent Man

Uptown Girl is one of my oldest guilty pleasures. I remember being five or six and being ashamed to like the song. Well world...I'm not afraid of who I am anymore. Uptown Girl rules. All the songs are homages to other artists from a period in time that shaped him as an artist. That period of time reminds me so much of being young and carefree just driving around with my dad listening to Oldies 1150. The first tune on the album (Easy Money) may very well be the biggest banger on my whole list.

Songs To Check: Uptown Girl, Easy Money

8. The Dicks - Kill From The Heart

Punk with a southern rock twist. Their singer is openly gay, a marxist and sings about killing cops, the Klan and violent revolution. What more do you want?

Songs To Check: Anti-Klan, Kill From the Heart

7. Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five - S/T

I had to make a judgement call on whether or not this qualified as an album. It was a compilation of singles previously unreleased at the time but fuck you it counts. Everyone on this planet at least knows the intro to The Message and White Lines may be the coolest anti-drug song ever written. I never thought I would be living by its message rather than ironically listening to it doing the thing it tells you not to do.

Songs To Check: The Message, White Lines (Don't Do It)

6. Billy Bragg - Life's A Riot With Spy Vs. Spy

The love songs on this album rule. All the better being sung through Bragg's very distinct british accent. I fell in love with his very palatable way of combining politics with song. Whoever of you guys aren't already dead make sure A New England plays at my funeral. Also, Amish Paradise.

Songs To Check: A New England, To Have And To Have Not

5. David Bowie - Let's Dance

I expect this to be on quite of few of your lists so there isn't much to say that you guys don't already know. A lot of the music I listen to reminds me of dead people but this one reminds me of my mom and she is not. So that is lovely.

Songs To Check: Let's Dance, Modern Love, China Girl

4. Violent Femmes - S/T

Violent Femmes reminds me of dealing with the chaos puberty has left you with after it packs up and leaves, the ferocity of first love and wanting to destroy to create. This album will always remain in my heart.

Songs To Check: Kiss Off, Prove My Love

3. Sonic Youth - Confusion Is Sex

Confusion Is Sex stirs up the exact same emotions as the second day of a bender does. I love when music can take you to those very real, very dark places. Reminds you of how powerful this medium can be.

Songs To Check: Shaking Hell, Protect Me You

2. Minor Threat - Out Of Step

The Best 80's hardcore album. So many branches of music that I cling to came from this band and their demise. Truly a revolutionary album.

Songs To Check - It Follows, Out Of Step

1. The Replacements - Hootenanny

About two years ago when I went to rehab, Glenn kindly lent me the book Trouble Boys. Paired with the Ipod he loaded up with most of the Replacements discography. I cannot thank that kind gesture and the music of the 'Mats enough for getting me through the first week of the rest of my life. Hootenanny is the product of the Replacements starting to branch out into other genres while still keeping their weird "anti-punk," punk aesthetic. Also Hootenanny being track one when it was just a song to piss of the producer is amazing. I cannot recommend that book enough. My favourite music bio of all time.

Songs To Check: Color Me Impressed, Treatment Bound, Mr. Whirly