827 The Go- Go’s - Beauty and The Beat Go’s (1981)

Studio Album - New Wave

About the Act:

The Go-Gos were, and maybe still are, a band from LA who started in 1978 and burst onto the scene in the USA with their debut album Beauty and the Beat in 1981. They broke up in 1985, but inevitably have had reunions, collaborations, farewell tours and so on since. Their lead singer is/was Belinda Carlisle who is perhaps better known in the UK as a solo artist. They started out as a punk band but transitioned to "New Wave" (a kind of pop punk) by the time of their debut album.

About the Album:

This was the band's debut album. Apparently it is the only album in US album history by an all-female band that played and wrote their own music to be number 1. It has sold multi-million copies and is considered a breakthrough for the New Wave scene in the US.

My History with this Album:

None. I know "We Got The Beat" as a single.

Review:

Sometimes context is important. I didn't really know much about the band on my first, and in fact my second listen, and my initial reaction was that it was OK, but not as good as Blondie or The Bangles, who have similarities to this. Let me try to describe it if, like me, you are unfamiliar with it.

Take punk, and turn it down from 10 to about 3. Take out all the controversy and swearing, and the rawness, and retain some of the vocal inflection, some of the speed, and some of the immediacy, and maybe some of the energy, but tame it so that it is bouncy rather than raw. Keep the musical simplicity, but add some actual talent (well that depends on the punk bands you reference). Turn the guitars down so that they are jangly rather than crunchy. Keep the toppy bass sound and add occasional different textures. Add some vocal harmonies to sweeten things up a bit, and a bit of the old Motown girl group vibe. 

Or if that doesn't help you, imagine Cyndi Lauper singing songs by the Housemartins. Any better?

It's kind of jangly, it's kind of edgy for the time, it's musically OK, infectious even at times, but it's definitely pop. Lyrically, above everything it's pop. I particularly like the obviousness of "You can't walk in your sleep (if you can't sleep)". There was one song where I was convinced they were singing about burning a rubber duck, but I was wrong - it was less interesting than that.

Anyway, all in all, at this point I'm thinking "meh". I recognise that it is the kind of thing that if I was actually familiar with it, I might have a big affection for. But I'm not.  Anyway, then I read about them and about the album. It predates The Bangles, but probably paved the way for them. They had been punk and turned punk pop. They wrote and played everything themselves, as an all-girl group, facing industry scepticism. They were apparently hugely successful and hugely influential. All of these things make me inclined to a better opinion.

As an editorial note, this question of whether I should try to review things in isolation or in context has been one that I have been asking myself. In this case, lets settle for a compromise. Let's say that I recognise the cultural importance of this album at that time, and respect their all-girl-group-ness (without wanting to be patronising about it, it was a good achievement at the time) and respect even more that they were a genuine band who played and wrote their own material. As an album to listen to, I don't object to it but I doubt I would seek it out.

6.3/10

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1L4HE00En7eNK74voVZums

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmkg0Q-0DMC-q7wRBTayVBD4CYXgobpwe

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauty_and_the_Beat_(The_Go-Go%27s_album)