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80s Bananarama Reviews!
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Bananarama's second album is easily one of their best. The album's
opener,Cruel Summer,
sounds absolutely great, very 80s and you never get tried of hearing it!
Rough justice is beautifully melodic (dispite
it's serious issue) as is Through A
Child's Eyes! The latter song could be one of the best songs Bananarama have ever done. It's beautifully sung and
has a power ballad feel to it. A Bananarama
rareity!
Dream Baby is sweet and uplifting; with just a slight edge to it as is Hot Line To Heaven on the first
listen. But like Rough Justice,
the latter is considered to have a serious (this time drug) issue behind
it. King of The Jungle, though
not the best song on the album, is pleasant to listen to. State I'm In has an urgent, ska like beat to it and is actually quite melodic,
especially in the choruses. Robert De
Niro's Waiting is a classic with clever
lyrics. The album's closer, The Wild
Life, has a great groove to it, especially at the end. No 80s
collection's complete without this album.
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True Confessions has a more 'dance' feel to it than its pre'decesor', with a little bit more edge. The album's
title track sounds good but takes a ittle while to get going! Ready Or Not is typical Bananarama,
it actually sounds like it could be off their '84 release. It's very
determined! Trick Of The Night is
one of the best songs off this record, quite rocky with great vocals, about
someone gone astray. Dance With A
Stranger is sultry and sounds a little like Cyndi Lauper's
Time After Time in the chorus,
with a similar beat. It also has a great sax solo in the middle. A Perfect World and Do Not Disturb are both very dancey, with a slightly scarey
spoken intro at both their beginnings!! There is also the classic Venus, although it seems just a
little out of place on this record. More
Than Physical is both whispery and sultry. A Cut Above The Rest is a little different, it's having a go at
a girl who thinks she's better than everyone else..."the other girls
are left woundering why..."The chorus is
very chatchy and stops you from thinking you've
had enough! The Promised Land is
pleasant enough but Hooked On Love
has the gals rapping the verses which,although
sounding edgy, kind of ruins the song.
Having said that though, I would still very much recommend this album.
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Bananarama’s first album is often thought of as one of their best and an
under-rated 80s treasure. After careful consideration I would have to
agree. Deep Sea Skining
has the favourites such as Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)
but it is also Bananarama at their most melodic;
this album has some great slow songs. What
A Shambles has a lovely chorus and seems to be
quite heartfelt. Cheers Then has
a similar feel but is more bittersweet, about feeling that they have let
down on old friend and now it’s time to say goodbye. The end track Wish You Were Here is slow and sweet
and is a nice contrast to the song before it, Boy Trouble, which is great too but in a different way.
It’s a little mean but not without a sense of humour. The album’s
opener, Shy Boy, is cute but
maybe too ‘poppy’ even for Bananarama! Doctor Love is groovy while Young At Heart is one of those
‘pleasant to listen to Bananarama songs but
is by no means the best’ you couldn’t call it boring though.
However, some of the hits seem a little out of place on this record; Really Saying Something sounds too
raw, even for this album, and with Aie A Mwama you have no idea what they are singing about
as it’s in a different language! That also makes it seem a little
pretentious, considering the breezy London
attitude on the other tracks! Speaking of London, the song Hey Young London is great as like Boy Trouble (which follows it) it’s got a sense of humour! Perhaps that’s the
best way to sum up the whole album which is no bad thing!
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This forth, (amd final
abum with Siobhan) is Bananarama at their most disco.
It’s not fluff though, it’s edgy and few of the tracks sound
quite rocky, especially the hit I Heard
A Rumour. It sparkles and sounds great and uplifting. The best bit is
when the Bananas shout ‘Wow!’ and the guitar solo comes in! The
album’s opener, I Can’t
Help It, also has a high-enery disco sound
though not as good as I Heard A Rumour which follows. Some Girls is one of those that take a while to get going but
it’s worth waiting as the chorus is very catchy. Love in the First Degree (another hit) has a more mellow sound
with cute lyrics! Once In A Lifetime is this album’s Slow Song! The whole
thing sounds beautiful; the synth production, the
singing and the lyrics. The album speeds up again with Strike It Rich which is both angsty
and catchy. Bad For
Me sounds a little different for Bananarama in the verses, there is no usual
harmony, its easily good enough though. Come
Back is pleading and has the usual Bananarama
melodicness which is nice to listen to. Nathan Jones is a weaker hit but the
album’s closer I Want You Back shines.
This could be said for the album in general!
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All album reviews by
Venetia. ~Click on titles for a full set
of lyrics~
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Copyright ©2005 by venetia
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