For me, the Melrose years are sort of a roller coaster ride.
In my opinion, "Optical Race" was the high point. I found it to be a refreshing turning point in TD's musical style and found the album warm and electrifying. "Mothers Of Rain" continues to be one of my all-time favorite TD tracks. "Sun Gate", "Turning Off the Wheel", "Midnight Trail", and "Cat Scan" are all, IMHO, amazing and expertly-crafted compositions. It is difficult to find a low-point on this album. Not every single track is a masterpiece, but even the "lesser" tracks are still pretty damn fantastic.
"Lily On the Beach" was a bit of a disappointment for me. Only two tracks really grabbed me; "Too cold for My Chinchilla" and "Alaskan Summer". As a whole, I felt that the album sounded a bit "cartoonish"; as if it were the background music to some zany, wacky cartoon. I found that "Lily" lacked any "warm-sounding" lows. It was all highs and treble; almost like I was listening to music being played from inside of a tin can. For me, most of the tracks lacked any sincerity or depth.
When I first listened to "Melrose", I said aloud to myself, "The magic is back!" Although not as good as Optical Race (IMHO), I felt that "Melrose" brought back those warm, atmospheric sounds that "Lily" lacked so much. "Electric Lion", "Dolls In the Shadow", and "Yucatan" (WOW!) were tracks that stood out to me and have stayed with me for 25 years now.
As for "Miracle Mile", I found it to be an amazing soundtrack. "After the Call" and "People In the News" both make the hair stand up on the back of my neck when I hear them. Although, technically the same song, I find "People In the News" to be the superior version with much more emotional impact. Again, just my own personal take on it.
To sum up the Melrose Years, for ME, I would put these releases in the ascending order of likeability:
Lily On the Beach
Melrose
Miracle Mile
Optical Race
Peace
