What Came Next...

Episode 45: The Residents - Animal Lover

Molly Harvey became both a recognizable voice for the Residents beginning with 1999's Wormwood and the ensuing tour, singing lead on many songs from 2002's Demons Dance Alone.  Her influence and vocals are still heavily felt on her last album with the band, Animal Lover, from 2005, which is often considered one of the best of the latter-day Residents recordings. 

Episode 44: The Cars - Door to Door

There was a three-year gap between Heartbeat City and Door to Door, and in the 1980s that might as well have been an eternity.  Though the hits from the former still got played on the radio the sound was now considered dated and the band itself was more interested in pursuing their solo careers.  Still, they made one last album before calling it quits for the next 24 years. 

Episode 43: Jethro Tull - Heavy Horses

After the success of 1977's Song from the Wood Ian Anderson decided to do another song based on English country traditions.  However, with Heavy Horses, he left the fantasy and nostalgia behind for a look at the more realistic side of rural England.  It doesn't have as many great songs as its predecessor but it is a worthwhile companion. 

Episode 42: Alice Cooper - Hey Stoopid

After the success of Trash Alice Cooper continued his comeback with 1991's Hey Stoopid.  Although it didn't sell as well it continued to produce songs that received airplay on hard rock stations and videos that got attention on MTV.  Featuring guests such as Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Nikki Sixx and Elvira, the album is overproduced but has still manage to give us a number of Cooper classics. 

Episode 41: Yes - Big Generator

After the success of the 1983 Yes comeback album 90125 guitarist Trevor Rabin found himself under pressure to come up with another hit single.  He also found himself trying to hold the band together as well as make something decent out of the recording sessions for their next album Big Generator.  The album was released in 1987 and, though successful, still remains controversial among fans of the group. 

Episode 40: The Ramones - End of the Century

After four albums that are now considered classics but didn't spawn any hits in the U.S. the Ramones gave into management and agreed to record with producer Phil Spector.  The sessions didn't go well and the resulting album was not one of the band's favorites.  Despite the initial thought that they should be a good match their recording and production styles clashed throughout, and a set of mostly tired and forgettable songs didn't help. 

Episode 39: INXS - X

INXS's 1988 album Kick was one of those '80s albums that kept delivering the hits over a year later.  That gave the band some time to rest after their tour and regroup, releasing X in 1990.  Since the previous hits made it feel like they never left the new songs helped them stay on the charts as they molded their slick dance pop into something that resembled the alternative scene at the time. 

Episode 38: Depeche Mode - Songs of Faith and Devotion

Violator was Depeche Mode's international breakthrough after spending the latter part of the 1980s on the verge of worldwide success.  The album didn't depart much from their style, but a surprising element was the inclusion of guitars and other traditional rock instruments along with the usual synth sounds.  In 1993 the band went all in with Songs of Faith and Devotion, creating a recording now regarded as one of their best, but at the cost of a founding member. 

Episode 37: King Crimson - In the Wake of Poseidon

After the revolutionary In the Court of the Crimson King in 1969 King Crimson did a tour behind the record, which was a hit in the UK and a cult favorite in the U.S.  Problem was, by the end, Robert Fripp and Pete Sinfield were the only full-time members left in the group.  Fripp was able to talk Greg Lake, Michael Giles and Peter Giles to return to record In the Court of the Crimson King, but the tour would lead to a new lineup.  Meanwhile, their second album became their highest charting in the UK, and was a sign of things to come. 

Episode 36: Midnight Oil - Blue Sky Mining

After achieving international success with the 1987 Diesel and Dust and a hit single, "Beds Are Burning", Midnight Oil could have decided to go mainstream pop and capitalized on their success.  Instead, they stuck by their guns, something they have done throughout most of their career, and delivered an even more pointed and political album, Blue Sky Mining, in 1990.