The ones that come first to my mind are:
Talk Talk
XTCKing Crimson
Rush
The Replacements
Van Morrison
Thomas DolbyKate Bush
The Mekons
Kraftwerk
Prefab Sprout
Frank Zappa
I like some by Talk Talk, van Morrison, Kate Bush, Prefab Sprout.
Don't know anything by those others.
If you like Prefab Sprout, I really do recommend that you one day take a closer look at Thomas Dolby, cause he was during the 80s and early 90s almost like the 5th Sprout member of the band, not only as a producer but he would pick the songs on their records (I think Paddy wrote hundreds of em' and to take on such a task must have been a pretty hard task) and played a big part on their sound and they seemed to be one of the finest most productive artist/producer combination of that period with one fantastic album release after another.
For maybe the "closest" Sprout sound to it, I think his 1984 album
The Flat Earth is very good start, as it kind of is the beginning of the "end" of his early 80s quirky, geeky synth-pop professor image/sound and instead he decided to get rid of it by making far more "experimental" stuff which I think sounds somewhere between what Kate Bush, Sting, Roxy Music and even Prefab Sprout also did during the 80s. Not indentical but still very atmospheric and beautiful music which sadly for Thomas did not sit well with his record label who found it hard to sell the album to the record buying crowd, and instead most people only seems to know him as yet "another" one hit wonder, all while the man have gone onto written and produced one gem after another, for several decades now.
Here are a few very good songs of him, which showcases his talent as both a songwriter and musician:
Airwaves (1981) - Taken from his solid debut album
The Golden Age of Wireless (1982), and I think it just might be one Dolby's finest synth-pop songs. A very beautiful and haunting number.
Europa & The Pirate Twins (1981) - An incredible catchy, early synth-pop number and where XTC's Andy Partridge plays the harmonica.
One of Our Submarines Is Missing (1982) - A stunning synth-pop tune that I think was written about his late uncle, who went down during the second World War in a submarine one night.
Screen Kiss (1984) - Another haunting and somewhat dreamy number along with a tragic story involving an abusive relationship and that Dolby wrote during his own love/hate views towards the less "glamourous" side of Hollywood and L.A. A song that is very long way off his earlier material in both sound and text. I wished he would do more of those during the 80s.
I Scare Myself (1984) - A cover of an Dan Hicks song, but a really great version which Dolby did with style and elegance all the way through.
The Flath Earth (1984) - Perhaps his most atmopsheric number on the album with the same title, a real gem. Love the bass sound on that record.
17 Hills (2011) - Maybe his finest hour as an songwriter, well maybe since
Screen Kiss. A stunning number and made even better by the fact that Mark Knopfler is laying some of his magic on it.
Oceanea (2011) - While the 2011 comeback release that is
Map of Floating City was somewhat an uneven experience (for me that is) it is songs like
17 Hills and the beautiful and tender
Oceanea that makes me still come back for more.
XTC is another greatly talented and unique british pop-rock band which had a bit of similar journey as with Talk Talk, where as they both seemed to be not that far off the new-wave/synth-pop genres of the late 70s and early 80s, however they soon changed their sound dramatically and pretty much decided to ditch the radio friendlier sound in favor of something completely different and never looked back.
They were active from the mid 70s and on to the early 00s and who knows maybe they one day come back, I sure hope so but in the meantime I would recommend any music fan to at least once go and check out some of their material made from the late 70s and up till around the late 90s, as they were among one of a kind, and certainly one of the best artists england have ever produced.
Ten Feet Tall (1979) - From their third release,
Drums and Wires which was to be my very first introduction of this band and I have loved them ever since. A solid and quirky collection of incredible catchy and sweet pop-rock numbers and also an album which I do think of as their first real classic. Not one filler or weak/forgettable song to be seen nor heard.
When You 're Near Me I Have Difficulty (1979) - While Colin Moulding sure wrote some true gems on this record, Andy Partridge were all over the place and I have always appreciated his more energy filled new wave cuts, like this one which is pretty much his own take on
Ten Feet Tall.
Respectable Street (1980) - The perfect album opener of their fourth release in
Black Sea. Love those big heavy hitting drum sounds along with irresistible guitar riffs. A fantastic follow up to
Drums and Wires.
Paper and Iron (1980) - You know it is gonna be good when XTC decides to "crash" a kids Television show. Again, one just gotta love those tight heavy drums and the guitar sounds.
Travels In Nihilon (1980) - Probably one of their darkest and heaviest tunes and where
Respectable Street was a fantastic opener, this is not that far away, well as a more "grungy" and haunting way of closing off
Black Sea.
Senses Working Overtime (1982) - Another classic quirky yet catchy as hell XTC pop-rock number that were taken from their brilliant album
English Settlement.
Ball and Chain (1982) - XTC were not just blessed with having one great songwriter but in fact two as Colin often would hand out 2-3 or more songs that often easily rivaled Andy's best ones, or so I think. Anyway, a truly great and catchy pop song, full of twists and turns just as one can expect from them.
Wonderland (1983) - Here one can hear a clear change in their sound, away from the more hard hitting new wave pop-rock and into more of a cute pop sound which might end up as a bit of an uneven end result with their album
Mummer, but it did include several fine cuts such as this one, which I think is an early hint of what to come later on.
Wake Up (1984) - With
Mummer I never really "got it", some good songs but a very disappointing release compared to their earlier three albums, but with
The Big Express they seemed to be back with more of a dynamic sound, not that far off their older stuff.
Wake Up reminds me a little of what Kate Bush did around the same time, and I think it is one of their more "hidden" gems from those days.
Summer's Cauldron & Grass (1986) - Now we're talking.
Skylarking is a masterpiece of an album, one of the finest records of the 80s and is what
The Colour of Spring was for Talk Talk (also to be released that year), a true game changer! It is hard to believe this is the same band that was a few years back more of new wave guitar driven group. Produced by Todd Rundgren, the album is a stunning display of what they had in them all along while Rundgren brings out all of his trickery and magic to help out bringing the best out of everyone involded, even though I doubt they became best buddies in the making. Anyway, an incredible opener full of warmth and sweetness, just perfect.
The Meeting Place (1986) - Once again, Colin proved he could match Andy at his best with
The Meeting Place,
Grass,
Dying,
Big Day and
Sacrificial Bonfire that are all XTC greats from this album.
Dear God (1986) - Might just be their most controversial one, however I think it deserves better and that is to be remembered as one hell of an pop song.
Ballet for a Rainy Day & 1000 Umbrellas (1986) - I think I have to stop there, as every cut is a gem, and it is tough to leave out any of them, however these two work perfectly together.
Mayor of Simpleton (1989) - Yet another sweet and catchy pop classic, and while the album
Oranges & Lemons felt like a little "letdown" after
Skylarking it does contain some very good songs.
Then She Appeared (1992) - Somehow their last one did not do it for me, however
Nonsuch was a pleasant surprise which I think of as one of their more "underrated" records, full of sweet and catchy pop songs.
Wrapped in Grey (1992) - Maybe their best song of that record, a stunning work of music and also beautiful lyrics by Andy.
My Bird Performs (1992) - While it might not be among the best songs Colin wrote, I have always been fond of it and how cute this little tune are.
Knights in Shining Karma (1999) - After several years away, XTC suddenly decides to make a quiet but stunning return with their best album since the mids 80s with
Apple Venus Vol. 1 that comes with an incredible collection of masterful songs. All those years away and they still have so much fantastic music in them. A shame it went mostly under the radar at the time.
Frivolous Tonight (1999) - One of the few Colin numbers on this album, but still a very feel-good sounding one, and perfectly delivered and sung.
I Can't Own Her (1999) - A stunning song by Andy and probably my favorite from the record.
I have to stop there, sorry about the lenghty post but I got a bit carried away there.
Anyway, if you are interested XTC is really a great band awaiting to be discovered or maybe re-discovered.
