5.15.2008

1984 vs. Synchronicity


For the past several weeks I've been embroiled in a bitter dispute with one King Randall The Insufferable about which 80's rock album is better: 1984 by Van Halen or Synchronicity by those English douche bags The Police. Honestly I don't care about either of these albums anymore which is why it is so amusing that we argue the point at all.


Nevertheless we seem to bring this up a couple times each week and talk a bunch of shit until we become distracted and/or drift to another topic. Let's take a look:

The Police - Synchronicity

  1. Synchronicity I
  2. Walking in Your Footsteps
  3. O My God
  4. Mother
  5. Miss Gradenko
  6. Synchronicity II
  7. Every Breath You Take
  8. King of Pain
  9. Wrapped Around Your Finger
  10. Tea in the Sahara
Pros
  • I guess I like a couple of those songs
  • Escalating band tension and Sting's popularity caused band breakup

Cons

  • That damn video for Every Breath You Take with the ashtray and bitchy, whiny song
  • That damn video for Wrapped Around Your Finger with all the candles
  • Sting's solo career launch pad

Van Halen - 1984

1. 1984
2. Jump
3. Panama
4. Top Jimmy
5. Drop Dead Legs
6. Hot For Teacher
7. I'll Wait
8. Girl Gone Bad
9. House Of Pain

Pros

  • Cool album art and kick-ass synthesizer intro
  • Video Hot For Teacher features kid-size Van Halen perhaps leading the way for recent social issue of predatory female teacher sex scandals
  • 1980's era Rock and Roll summer tour!!

Cons

  • Band breakup ultimately leads to Van Halen III with that guy from Extreme
  • Paves way for "glam band" era including Poison, Warrant, Jackyl, etc.
  • First of several annoying Van Halen albums with numeric titles

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