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The Orange County Register
December 27, 1987
Riffs
Author: Jim Washburn

20 best albums
1. "Bring the Family," John Hiatt.
2. "Modern Lovers '88," Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers.
3. "By the Light of the Moon," Los Lobos.
4. "Chris Isaak," Chris Isaak.
5. "Crowded House," Crowded House.
6. "The Last Soul Man," Bobby Womack.
7. "Document," R.E.M.
8."Sign o' the Times," Prince.
9. "Live, Love, Larf and Loaf," French, Frith, Kaiser, Thompson.
10. "Franks Wild Years," Tom Waits.
11. "The Lonesome Jubilee," John Cougar Mellencamp.
12. "Warehouse Songs and Stories," Husker Du.
13. "If'n," Firehose.
14. "See How We Are," X.
15. "Happy Hour," Ted Hawkins.
16. "Characters," Stevie Wonder.
17. "Flash Light," Tom Verlaine.
18. "Those Dangerous Gentlemens," The James Harman Band.
19. "Babylon and On," Squeeze.
20. "Live at Winterland," Jimi Hendrix.

Five most disappointing albums
1. "Bad," Michael Jackson.
2. "Tunnel of Love," Bruce Springsteen.
3. "Nothing Like the Sun," Sting.
4. "Robbie Robertson," Robbie Robertson.
5. "Solitude Standing," Suzanne Vega.

Five wretched albums
1. "Licensed to Ill," The Beastie Boys.
2. "Tiffany," Tiffany.
3. "A Momentary Lapse of Reason," Pink Floyd.
4. "Moment to Moment," The Psychedelic Furs.
5. Just about any rap record.

Best country albums
1. "Trio," Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and EmmyLou Harris.
2. "Patty Loveless," Patty Loveless.
3. "Heartland," The Judds.
4. "Untasted Honey," Kathy Mattea.
5. "Desert Rose Band," The Desert Rose Band.
6. "Exit-O," Steve Earle.
7. "All Fired Up," Bobby Lee Springfield.
8. "Lord of the Highway," Joe Ely.
9. "A Man Called Hoss," Waylon Jennings.
10. "Always and Forever," Randy Travis.

Worst country albums
1. "What If We Fall in Love," Crystal Gayle and Gary Morris.
2. "If There's Any Justice," Lee Greenwood.
3. "Hymne," Joe Kenyon.
4. "I Prefer the Moonlight," Kenny Rogers.
5. "The Touch," Alabama.

Best shows
1. firehose at Big John's (September).
2. Frank Sinatra at the Pacific Amphitheatre (August).
3. James Harman Band at the White House (October).
4. Los Lobos at Crawford Hall, UCI (December).
5. Jonathan Richman at the Coach House (September).
6. Tom Waits at the Wiltern (November).
7. King Sunny Ade and His African Beats at the Coach House (June).
8. Neil Young at the Pacific Amphitheatre (August).
9. Chris Isaak at the Roxy (March).
10. The Cajun and Zydeco Fest at the John Anson Ford Theatre (May).
11. R.E.M. at the Bren Center (November).
12. Ondeko-za, demon drummers of Japan, at UCI (January).
13. B.B. King at the Coach House (February).
14. Paul Simon's Graceland tour at the Universal Amphitheatre (March).
15. David Lindley at the Coach House (September).

Most disappointing shows
1. David Bowie at Anaheim Stadium (August).
2. Jane's Addiction at Goodies (June).
3. Whitney Houston at Irvine Meadows (September).
4. Pink Floyd at the LA Sports Arena (November).
5. Madonna at Anaheim Stadium (July).

It figures

A fist fight broke out in the audience at Elvis Costello's April solo show at the Bren Center during the song `What's So Funny About Peace Love and Understanding?"

So what good's

Glasnost?

Billy Joel went to the Soviet Union and didn't stay.

So long, it's been good to know you (deaths)
Buddy Rich, April 2.
Paul Butterfield, May 4.
Andres Segovia, June 2.
Boudleaux Bryant, June 25.
John Hammond, July 10.
Joe Liggins, July 31.
Peter Tosh, Sept. 11.
Jaco Pastorius, Sept. 21.
Woody Herman, Oct. 29.
Clifton Chenier, Dec. 11.

Memo:
87 IN REVIEW: POP MUSIC