#1 at KUKQ/Phoenix: “Policy Of Truth” by the always cooler-than-cool Depeche Mode.
At #2 is Concrete Blonde’s biggest hit, “Joey,” sung by the always sultry Johnette Napolitano (no relation to our ex-guv). What a great sounding group — so many excellent songs.
Among other standouts on this Newstuff Alternative Music survey:
- Former Smiths frontman Morrissey sings passionately (and provocatively) about a disabled girl in “November Spawned A Monster” (#13);
- San Diego’s Social Distortion serve up a classic example of their punk/rockabilly sound with “Ball And Chain” (#15) from their self-titled major-label debut album;
- Goth pioneer Peter Murphy has a melancholy solo tune with “A Strange Kind Of Love” (#16), follow-up to his massive alternative hit “Cuts You Up“;
- Michael Penn (actor Sean’s brother and singer Aimee Mann’s husband) charts with “Brave New World” (#17), third hit from his debut album March, which also produced the brilliant “No Myth“;
- Manchester’s influential rave pioneers Happy Mondays have their first U.S. hit with “Step On” (#22);
- Ex-Waterboys member Karl Wallinger has his second hit under the moniker World Party with “Put The Message In The Box” (#23);
- Tucson’s Sidewinders, who soon had to abandon that name (and become the Sand Rubies) because another group claimed it, score a jangly-guitar hit with “If I Can’t Have You” (#34);
- Scotland’s Aztec Camera have their biggest American hit with “The Crying Scene” (#35);
- Ex-Commotions leader Lloyd Cole channels his inner Roy Orbison with “No Blue Skies” (#39), his first solo release;
- And at #49 is the novelty classic “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” by the always entertaining They Might Be Giants.