Playboy's Women of The World 1987

This 1987 album followed in the footsteps of Los Lobos' two stunning predecessors (And A Time To Dance and How Will the Wolf Survive). One of the band's many strengths is the contrast between the formidable songwriting of David Hidalgo/Louie Perez and Cesar Rosas, with the former exploring stories of sadness and hope while the latter rocks like a barn on fire. This is an album of incredibly natural songs; they roll out like long lost classics, but that's simply another testament to the prowess of this band as players and writers. In a way, this was the band's last offering before they were forced to take stock of themselves and their goals in the wake of the surprise million-selling La Bamba soundtrack. That they were able to carry themselves forward from that point with grace and aplomb is foreshadowed in the utter honesty of this and all of their music.

Patty Ryan's "love is the name of the game" is a very solid record that draws comparison to C.C. Catch in its italo disco style format and professional pop sensibility…

Streamlining the muted, organic atmospheres of the previous Gone to Earth to forge a more cohesive listening experience, Secrets of the Beehive is arguably David Sylvian's most accessible record, a delicate, jazz-inflected work boasting elegant string arrangements courtesy of Ryuichi Sakamoto. Impeccably produced by Steve Nye, the songs are stripped to their bare essentials, making judicious use of the synths, tape loops, and treated pianos which bring them to life; Sylvian's evocative vocals are instead front and center, rendering standouts like "The Boy With the Gun" and the near-hit "Orpheus" - both among the most conventional yet penetrating songs he's ever written - with soothing strength and assurance.