Zen Running Order - Mixtape Community

Now entering our third decade, and happy to report that the roll of wonderful revolutionary music we found on the 77-78-79 mixes shows no signs of subsiding.  Ok, maybe not quite the great leap forwards we saw on those, but also no diminished quality (though maybe not quite the wall-to-wall stunner of 79 and 81).  Loads and loads of great tunes to choose from.  A couple of my favorite albums show up here (the Talking Heads' Remain in Light, the Feelies' debut, the last Soft Boys disc before Robyn Hitchcock went solo).  Punk moves west with the first X album.  Bowie turns in the last in a stunning run of amazing albums.  Minimalist post-punk bands like Mission of Burma and Young Marble Giants show up.  Joy Division, the Cure and Bauhaus bring the early goth.

More great early new wave from Split Enz, Echo & the Bunnymen, OMD, and the first Psychedelic Furs album.  Plus more power pop like the Romantics and Shoes.

First time in awhile where I didn't even have room for a couple guilty pleasures.  Sure, Collins-era Genesis doesn't quite have the critical cred of the Gabriel years, but Duke was a pretty great album by any standard; and while I'm no huge Dire Straits fan, decent album and great song.