The Power Station: 33⅓ (1985)

From Discogs:

The Power Station was formed in 1984 and consisted of Andy Taylor and John Taylor of Duran Duran with Tony Thompson of Chic and singer Robert Palmer. When Robert Palmer quit the group in mid-1985, Michael Des Barres was recruited as the lead singer. The band folded in late 1985 as the members turned to other projects. The band reunited in 1995 with its original members. The group worked together on writing and arranging a new album, however, personal issues forced bassist John Taylor to withdraw from the project and leave the band before any recording took place. Producer Bernard Edwards (Chic bassist) stepped in to become the Power Station's bassist and new fourth member, playing all bass parts on the album "Living in Fear" (1996). Bernard Edwards died of pneumonia in April, 1996 and the group disbanded permanently in 1997.

This is a pretty good record. I'm too tired to say anything else. 

Portishead: Third (2008)

I was once near Portishead. We were in Bristol, and I recall seeing a directional sign pointing to Portishead, but I can't remember if we went near the place. In any case, I saw the sign and exclaimed something like "Hey! Portishead!" This is a cool record. 

Some people have reported a lot of issues with the vinyl version like pops and kicks and warping. My copy is quite good and this is doubly impressive, since I paid $9.99 for my copy. 

Iggy Pop: Blah-Blah-Blah (1986)

Of course, when you have Bowie on your side, good things might happen. This was a huge record for Pop, and I think his most successful. 

The collection included a cover of Johnny O'Keefe's "Wild One" (here titled "Real Wild Child (Wild One)" and three original songs co-written with ex-Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones. The remaining tracks were co-written by Bowie, who also produced the album with David Richards but, unlike his previous work with Pop, The Idiot and Lust for Life (both 1977), did not play any instruments. Bowie biographer David Buckley has reported that Pop "virtually disowned" the record, calling it "a Bowie album in all but name". It has never been specified what tracks on the album, if any, originated during the sessions of Bowie's 1984 album Tonight (that album's co-producer, Hugh Padgham, has recalled that Bowie and Pop collaborated on some songs that Bowie ultimately rejected for inclusion on Tonight). [source]

The Teenage Head cover version of Wild One is much much better, IMHO. 

Iggy Pop: Party (1981)

I agree with this:

Party has been poorly received by critics.

Charlotte Robinson of PopMatters called it "a bizarre train wreck of an album". Mark Deming of AllMusic wrote "Part of Iggy Pop's unique sort of integrity is that the man doesn't seem to know how to sell out, even when he tries, and Party, one of the strangest albums of his career, is living proof." [source]

Yeah, it's sad. Just check out this video.

Somewhat bizarrely, my copy is from Germany, even though it was pressed in Canada and the USA. I paid under $3. Even that may have been too much. 

The Police: Synchronicity (1982)

To me, this record is slightly better than the previous one. The songs really connected with me, both lyrically and musically. There are so many great tracks, like Wrapped Around Your Finger, King of Pain, the title tracks. I was never enraptured by Every Breath You Take, though I recognize that it is good. I don't think that the police were ever as popular as they were with this record. Biggest band in the world? Maybe. 

I should have mentioned this with the last record: "The album's title was inspired by Arthur Koestler's The Roots of Coincidence. Frontman Sting was an avid reader of Koestler, and also titled the Police's prior album Ghost in the Machine after one of his works." [source]

I think I have read every book by Koestler along with some biographies. I have an entire shelf of books by Koestler. I will argue that the Roots of Coincidence is dire, but the rest are great, especially Darkness at Noon. 

The Police: Ghost in the Machine (1981)

This sums it up:

Ghost in the Machine was the first Police album to feature heavy use of keyboards and horns. All three members played synths to varying extents: Sting used an Oberheim OB-Xa (although he can also be seen with the Prophet-10 and Minimoog in photos from Andy Summers’ I’ll Be Watching You book) while Summers used a Prophet-5 to blend with the high guitar melody on "Spirits In The Material World"and Copeland played a Roland RS-505 Paraphonic synth on songs like "Darkness" and "Rehumanize Yourself". Besides keyboards, the following twenty minutes of the record—"Hungry for You (J'aurais toujours faim de toi)" through "One World (Not Three)"—include many saxophone harmonies, while the opening to "Secret Journey" showcases the Roland GR-300 Guitar Synthesizer. [source]

So, in general there is some change -- or progression -- in sound. The first track I heard from this LP was Every Little Thing She Does is Magic, and I did not love it but it has grown on me. It was overplayed to be sure. This record as a classic. Side one alone is another masterclass.