Friday 80s Flashback for February 25, 2022

[No War] -- The image for this week's Flashback is an anti-war protest button from 1987, a little over midway through the Reagan era. (I'm counting that era as having run from Reagan's election in 1980 through the end of George H.W. Bush's single term). And because Putin decided he could just steamroll into a neighboring country, I'm featuring several anti-war songs from the 1980s instead of choosing a single record this week. 

1. Midnight Oil: "Put Down That Weapon" – Released 12/7/1987, this was the third single from Midnight Oil's sixth studio album, Diesel and Dust. It got radio play in the US, but didn't chart on Billboard. Still, the album came in at #21 on the US Billboard 200. 
   
   
2.  Men at Work: "It's a Mistake" – Released in June 1983, "It's a Mistake" was the third single off of Men At Work's second studio album, Cargo (1983). It peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the music video satirizes conflict between Eastern and Western blocs. Appropriate this week, eh?
   
   
3. Mary Black: "My Youngest Son Came Home Today" – Irish folk singer Mary Black recorded Eric Bogle's song on her 1984 compilation album, Collected. And, yes, you can probably guess that the subject of this particular song came home "in his box of polished pine" and now "he's home to stay." A sombre reminder of the cost of armed conflict. 
   
   
4. Elvis Costello: "Peace in Our Time" – In 1984, Elvis Costello sang wistfully of a future in which "we can thank God that we've finally got peace in our time." As yet another generation asks if, finally, they will see peace in their time, we have to maintain the hope that the Sun will rise on a more peaceful tomorrow. 

Flashback Playlist: 

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If you feel moved to help the people of Ukraine, here are some options (via Dr. Janina Scarlet):

• LA Times - CA Organizations Helping Ukraine 
• USA Today - Web Donations for Ukraine 
• PublicGood.com
• carrd.co - Russia-Ukraine War

And that's all I have till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.

I'll see you in seven!

Friday 80s Flashback for February 18, 2022

[Talking about Spring] -- I could not confirm an album release for this week in 1982, so I'm taking a break from my celebration of 40-year-old albums. Instead, I'm featuring one of my favorite albums of 1986. The Colour of Spring, Talk Talk's third studio album, was released on 2/17/1986, 36 years ago this week. Talk Talk went for a more organic sound on this record than on their first two synth-heavy albums, and they placed a greater emphasis on improvisation. Of the four singles – "Life's What You Make It," "Living in Another World," "Give It Up," and "I Don't Believe in You" – only "Life's What You Make It" charted in the US. It peaked at #90 on the US Billboard Hot 100, #22 on US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play, #40 on US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales, #26 on US Billboard Top Rock Tracks, and #88 on US Cash Box. Due to success in the UK and several other countries, The Colour of Spring would go on to be the band's highest selling non-compilation studio album. It even reached the Top 10 in several countries. And, unfortunately, it was their last album to chart on the US Billboard Top 200. 

Robert Dimery and Michael Lydon included The Colour of Spring in their 2010 book, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. 

Flashback: The Colour of Spring (1986)

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That's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.

I'll see you in seven!

Friday 80s Flashback for February 11, 2022

[Friends' Four Decades] -- On 1/29/1982, Shalamar released their sixth studio album, Friends. That was  40 years ago! This album peaked at #35 on the US Billboard 200, but it topped Billboard's US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Between the UK and the US, the record had four high-charting singles. The best known of those singles "A Night to Remember" -- #44 Billboard Hot 100, #8 Hot Soul Singles, #15 US Dance, and #5 UK Singles. Much of the album based around R&B with just a hint of disco, but it's the trio harmonies and bass riffs that ground the group's overall sound. This is the penultimate record with Shalamar's classic lineup. Vocalist Jody Watley would stick around for just one more release (1983's The Look) before embarking on her solo career which exploded with "Looking for a New Love" in 1987. 

For your listening pleasure, I've embedded a YouTube playlist that includes the original album's 10 tracks, two of which have music videos, plus four remixes. 

Flashback: Friends, 1982 album by Shalamar

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That's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.

I'll see you in seven!

Charlie's Angels 2019

 Dangrdafne review: 

Was it is perfect movie? No. 

Was it awesome, fun and empowering to women movie? Heck YES!!!

Seriously I felt so amazing after this movie. It was all women, all power, all incredible. I truly loved this story and the cast that told it. I am already a huge Kristen Stewart fan and she did not disappoint me in this movie. She was strong, vulnerable, bad ass, and looked incredible on top of all of it. 

I loved the humor that was throughout the movie to keep it from falling too dark. Sometimes it was a little too silly in the humor but overall I forgave it easily because of the larger story. 

Elizabeth Banks was a great director and an even greater Bosley. Patrick Stewart looked like he had too much fun in his role and it was nice to see him do something different. Naomi Scott was perfection as Elena and I would like to see a sequel just to see what she would do. Ella Balinska was also perfection as the steely, dangerous angel. Noah Centino has a small but pivotal role and he played it exactly how he needed to to add to the story.

Make sure you watch the last scenes carefully to see if you can catch all the famous angels. Also look around the agency to see anyone else you might recognize in the photos ;)

I had this film on our DVR and I watched it recently so I could clean off some things, hilariously I was unable to delete it, as I really want to watch it again. This movie really affected me and made me feel good to be a woman, when it has been harder to feel that way lately. Women, love, power, intelligence, humor, friendship and family: what more could I ask for,

I even tweeted to Elizabeth Banks to thank her for this movie, THAT is how much this movie affected me and how much I liked this movie. I am sure if you haven't seen it and you watch it based on my review you may be disappointed but for me I will give this movie

3 paws

And 4 paws for women power!!!

Friday 80s Flashback for February 4, 2022

[Love Plus 40] -- Pelican West, the debut album by Haircut One Hundred (or Haircut 100) turned 40 this week. Released on 2/1/1982, Pelican West featured three singles, all of which were top ten hits in the band's native UK: "Love Plus One," "Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)," and "Fantastic Day." Only one of those singles, "Love Plus One," landed on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at #37. Although "Love Plus One" barely cracked the top 40 in the States, I have a memory that it was everywhere that summer, maybe because its peak occurred in July, just two months after its May 1982 release, and it remained on the charts for a total of 17 weeks, not falling off until September of that year. 

Haircut One Hundred had a kind of breezy sound, mixing jangly pop and slight funk, and smoothing it out with jazzy saxophone. In revisiting Pelican West, I found there was more to them than their one-hit wonder. The other two UK singles are pretty strong, but it's the non-single tracks that really cook, particularly "Surprise Me Again" (as strong a college rock song as you'll find from 1982) and "Snow Girl." 

Pelican West was the only record with Haircut One Hundred founder and vocalist Nick Heyward. After being the chief songwriter and principle architect behind Pelican West, Heyward departed for a solo career. Or he was fired. The story has changed over the years. The remaining Haircut members would record one more album, but it was a commercial failure and the band broke up shortly after its release.

At least we have the pop gem known as Pelican West (and its 1992 reissue with bonus tracks, Pelican West Plus)! The embedded playlist this week uses the original 12-song track listing. 

Flashback: Pelican West by Haircut One Hundred (1982)

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That's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.

I'll see you in seven!

Spider-Man: Far from Home

 Dangrdafne review 

I love Tom Holland as Peter Parker and spoiler alert …as Spider-Man. I mean I really love him in this role. He is young at heart, funny, endearing, smart, clever and appreciates the responsibility of the role.

There is a ton of action in this movie, more than I expected actually. It even cut into conversation time but I still really liked this movie. It is making me very curious to see the most recent installment as everyone is saying it is the best one yet! 

I love that I have seen enough of these movies that I didn't even ask Brainwise my question about Mysterio during the movie. No spoilers here.

This is a definite much watch for MCU completists, Spiderman completists and if you are looking for a movie to watch tonight. It can stand alone but why should it, go and watch all the Spiderman's so you can enjoy all the pieces of this movie. And while you are at it, why not watch all the MCU so you catch everything else in this movie ;)

3 paws