In 1984, mainstream pop and rock flourished in the golden era of MTV. Given how many major and influential releases came out, there were naturally going to be many artists who bubbled under or did not get the accolades they deserved, and many of them were on indie labels. Our modern streaming era may seem completely overwhelming, but back in the days when terrestrial radio ruled the roost there were only so many ways people were going to hear new artists. Yet much of this music has sent aural waves across the decades. Here are five underrated albums from 1984 that still sound great today.
Treasure by Cocteau Twins
For many Cocteau Twins aficionados this is a big favorite, but mainstream listeners didn’t catch on until a few years later with Blue Bell Knoll and especially Heaven or Las Vegas. Bassist/keyboardist Simon Raymonde has said the Scottish group’s work on Treasure was improvised and felt unfinished, yet it is beloved by many fans including The Cure’s Robert Smith, who has said it is one of his favorite albums. The acclaimed album juxtaposes their dreamy, otherwordly sound with more dissonant post-punk vibes that influenced the ethereal goth movement of the ‘90s. It has many magical moments.
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Dead Can Dance by Dead Can Dance
Before becoming beloved for their unique mixture of ambient, orchestral, and world sounds, Australia’s Dead Can Dance fell into a more gothic realm, despite the fact that they never use that term. Core members Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry and their four bandmates released a debut that mirrored many of the post-punk sounds of the time, but with their own special slant. On haunting tracks like “Frontier,” “Ocean,” and “Musica Eternal,” one can hear the roots of their future genre-blending efforts, with Gerrard’s voice as beautiful and beguiling then as now. When reissued on CD and then streaming, the group’s debut has been repackaged with their Garden of Arcane Delights EP that was released a few months later.
East and West by Anna Domino
Originally released as an EP, East and West received two later reissues including bonus tracks or live recordings from a Tokyo show in 1987. Recorded during nocturnal sessions in Brussels in 1983, Domino’s art-pop debut has smoky jazz undercurrents running through it as she performs songs of romantic dreams and regrets. These are moody tunes with restrained yet haunting vocals that seem to imply more than she is overtly expressing. She’s an original, for sure. The studio tracks use electronic drums, and the live tracks are with a full band. Domino’s intriguing quirkiness recalls Virginia Astley, who plays piano here. For newbies, once you finish this album, check out the songs “Koo Koo,” “This Time,” “88,” and “Tyranny of Your Company” on streaming sites.
Sidewalk by Icehouse
On their third album, these Australian new wave icons combine their atmospheric and grooving sides into this delicious platter. It’s got a rowdy opener (“Taking the Town”), angsty ballad with inconsolable sax solo (“Don’t Believe Anymore”), and cinematic closer (“The Mountain”). One can hear echoes of later Roxy Music in some songs, but Icehouse and perennial leader/frontman (and oboe player!) Iva Davies occupied their own sonic space in the pop-rock landscape. The more accessible Man of Colours became Icehouse’s monster hit album three years later, but their catalog is filled with great music. Live tracks from the Sidewalk era were recently released.
See Ya ‘Round by Split Enz
The final album from this famed, arty New Zealand ensemble was an unusual coda as co-founding member Tim Finn had departed and his brother Neil (later of Crowded House) took the reins. This swan song was never released here, but it’s available on YouTube. The Finn brothers were the main writers on their recent albums, but four of these songs were written by other band members. Their signature eclecticism remains fairly intact with great vocal harmonies, some funky riffs, and unexpected musical twists. See Ya ‘Round is a good listen that includes the stirring “Years Go By” and “I Walk Away.” The latter was rerecorded by Crowded House, but the original is superior.
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