Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 30 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Sunday.
Here is the Top 40 in full.Obviously some of the records will be the same as last week so therefore the review will be the same for these. I've indicated which ones are new so you can skip the others if you read last weeks post.
Once again my opinions are inevitably going to differ from other people, but I'm not trying to convince anyone something is good or rubbish, I'm simply giving my opinion.
So this is the top 30 from this week in 1992 with my verdict on each record:
This was the lead single from "Build", the 2nd and last Innocence album and is their penultimate Top 40 hit to date. I mentioned when reviewing their 1990 records that they're a group nobody remembers but I would recommend them. I still stand by that statement for this record too.
Verdict - Good
The 3 men behind this record are Micky Finn, Aphrodite and Claudio Giussani. Micky Finn was already one of the big name DJs in the rave scene at this point and would become one of the biggest names in drum & bass. The beats in this are quite something and is amongst the better rave tunes of this era.
Verdict - Good
The 5th and final Top 40 hit from his "Diamonds and Pearls" album. It's been noted by a music critic that this is the sound the Backstreet Boys used for their tunes. It's not something I've thought about, but now I'm listening and can't help but think of the Backstreet Boys which isn't a good thing. Even before that though I thought it was average.
Verdict - OK
27. The B-52s - Good Stuff (New)
The B-52s are one of those groups that tread that fine line between being innovative and annoying. This record more or less sits on that line, I can appreciate it and it's not a bad one to listen to but at the same time it's a bit cheesy and irritating.
Verdict - OK
After having their biggest hit to date with "Weather With You", Crowded House follow up with another weather related song. It's a record I remember being much better than it actually is. Perhaps it just hasn't aged well, not a bad tune but at the same time I'm finding myself waiting for it to start.
Verdict - OK
This was originally a Top 40 hit in 1985. The original is a fantastic record, I have it on a mostly 90s R&B compilation and it doesn't sound out of place on it despite being older. This remix by Frankie Knuckles though ruins it.
Verdict - Rubbish
I've changed my mind about this record. There is now an overlap between what's appearing in these Top 30s and the Top 40 I reviewed for my best year search series. In that I decided it was OK but now it's been upgraded to good. My issue with The Beautiful South is that whilst the lyrics are humorous the music's always sounded a bit old fashioned for my liking. This record repeatedly contains the line "This is the woman you laid" but for years I had no idea what the words she was singing was. That kind of made the humorous lyrics redundant . But importantly listening to it again I'm finding myself enjoying it and that's what's important.
Verdict - Good
When it comes to early 90s Manic Street Preachers this is probably their best record. It's easy to say the guitaring on this makes the record, but it's more than that. I'd say the rest of it is done so well that it allows the guitar to stand out on it.
Verdict - Good
The 3rd and final Top 40 hit to date for Oceanic. What becomes apparent by this point is that Oceanic have their own sound, you can tell it was the same people who did "Insanity" but at the same time the tunes aren't just clones of each other.
Verdict - Good
When I was doing my best year series of posts where I listened to the Top 40 for the first week of July in each year, I picked this as the best record from the 1992 Top 40 I listened to. This is one of the all time greats from the early 90s.
Verdict - Good
This was the first Top 40 hit of the 90s for Cyndi Lauper who surprisingly had more Top 40 hits in the 90s than the 80s. It's a cover of a song from a French musical but with English lyrics added to it by Tim Rice. The fact it's from a musical probably explains why it's rather boring.
Verdict - Rubbish
19. Tori Amos - Crucify (New)
I remember this one being much better than it actually is. It doesn't sound as lively as I remember it being so I'm struggling to really get into it. Maybe it needs a few more listens to get back into it, but at the moment it's simply ok.
Verdict - OK
This was the Top 40 debut for Ugly Kid Joe. They were a pretty cool band to like at the time as I recall, but very quickly they became uncool. I guess it's hard to tell if they're trying to carry on the legacy of hair metal or fit into the grunge movement. One record I do recall being out at a similar time is "Lithium" by Nirvana and without really knowing the ins and outs I considered them both similar in style. I did consider this to be the better record out of the two.
Verdict - Good
We're in an era where grunge had supposedly killed the rock music which existed before it. People are quick to point the finger at the ballads rock bands were making, but I would point my finger at records like this. It just sounds so bland. At least the ballads have a bit of character.
Verdict - Rubbish
In an era where I have more music available to listen to on the internet but less time to listen to it, I find myself listening to the shortened version of songs most of the time. Not with this one though, I'm more inclined to listen to a longer live version. It's a pretty basic song really but Guns n Roses take it to another level.
Verdict - Good
Megadeth were one of those bands I was supposed to like as a rock fan in the early 90s, but never really did. Before I'd knowingly heard a Megadeth record I heard about how heavy they were supposed to be. I can't remember whether it was this record I heard first, but it's not really heavy at all in my opinion and a bit boring.
Verdict - Rubbish
I'm a big fan of Motown in the 60s and 70s, but not so much Motown in the 90s. The problem with this record is that technology has allowed this record to be produced much better than it would have in the 60s. In doing that though it loses it's charm. If this was made in the 60s I'd probably have liked it, but as it wasn't it doesn't quite get there.
Verdict - OK
This was the Top 40 debut for TLC and only Top 40 hit from their "Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip" album. It's one of those records I'd be happy to hear if I heard it out and about, but not one I'd really want to sit down and listen to.
Verdict - OK
This was the 4th Top 40 hit from their "Achtung Baby" album which had now been out for over 6 months. The one word that springs to mind with this record is average. It's alright to listen to but I'm not going to seek it out to listen to.
Verdict - OK
When I was doing my best year series of posts where I listened to the Top 40 for the first week of July in each year, I picked this as the worst record from the 1992 Top 40 I listened to. I remember watching it on Top of the Pops and wanting to throw the TV out the window.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the first single to be taken from the album of the same name. Even though it sounds like a typical Elton John record, it somehow sounds catchier than most. Maybe I've just heard it too many times in my life. It's a decent enough record but hasn't quite got enough about it for me to truly like it.
Verdict - OK
I remember how I find out who made this record. Somebody told me they'd just bought the Kris Kross record and I thought they were talking about Christopher Cross of "Arthurs Theme" fame. Then they played it and I realised it was a completely different act. In theory 2 squeaky voiced kids rapping should be terrible, but this one isn't. The actual tune helps a lot, but they rap it well too.
Verdict - Good
The Top 40 debut for The Orb which stands at just under 40 minutes long. There is a much shorter radio edit though and the album version stands at just 17 minutes 34 seconds long. I own the "UFOrb" album so no surprise that I like this record.
Verdict - Good
Although this wasn't their debut hit, this was really the beginning of Take That becoming more or less the biggest pop act of the early 90s. Their debut "Do What You Like" never charted at all, then "Promises" only made 38, the next single "Once You've Tasted Love" didn't make the Top 40 and then came this. This was also their first single not to be written by Gary Barlow as it was a cover of the Tavares record.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was George Michael's last hit before his legal battle with Sony. I can't remember what I thought about this record at the time, I just remember it existing. Given the circumstances around this single being released though it does sound a bit like he's put out any old crap.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the first version of "Please Don't Go" that I heard. The original is by KC & the Sunshine Band, but it's basically a clone of a cover done the same year by Italian act Double You. I do like it, but the other tune "Game Boy" is better. Whilst "Please Don't Go" is a commercial dance record, "Game Boy" is very much a rave record.
Verdict - Good / Good
I remember this on Top of the Pops with the chanting of "Utah Saints". It was their 2nd Top 40 hit and highest charting single to date. When the awful 2008 version was released I was quick to point towards this, the much better version.
Verdict - Good
My memory of this record is going on holiday around this time to the same place I went when the other big Richard Marx hit "Right Here Waiting" was in the charts. I like the record at the time without paying too much attention to the lyrics. Aside from the mystery behind the story I think it also highlights how judgmental some rural communities can be.
Verdict - Good
I did like this record at the time. It was the theme music to the TV series of the same name which starred Nick Berry which had just began at a similar time on a Friday night. Unfortunately from the 2nd series it was on a Sunday night and has therefore since reminded me that I have school in the morning. If I'd carried on watching it once I joined the world of work then it would probably remind me of that similar dread of having work in the morning too.
Verdict - Rubbish
Erasure had 16 Top 40 hits to their name prior to this record. I like all 16 of those records, but then came this. It's an EP full of Abba covers with the main track being "Take A Chance On Me" that features a rap from MC Kinky. I don't like any of them.
Verdict - Rubbish
If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 17/30, or 57%. Half way through the year and we're above 50% every week so far.
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