Friday 80s Flashback for December 29, 2023

[A Forty Year Syndrome] -- We've come to the final Flashback post of 2023. Over the past year, we've revisited albums that were released in 1983 and therefore turned 40 years old this year. I've tried my best to coordinate each week with a release date from 40 years ago. Sometimes that wasn't feasible, but in those cases I made due with a record that would have been forty by that particular date. There were plenty of albums released in 1983, but not all of them were ... memorable. Or, maybe it's that I didn't find certain records particularly memorable or noteworthy, and I get to make the selections, right? 

So, this week, to close out 2023, I'm bringing you an album that was released early in December 1983: Slade's eleventh studio album, The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome. Neither this album nor any of its singles charted in the US. But the album was successful across Europe, peaking in the top 20 of Austria, Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. It also peaked at #49 and #2 in the UK Albums and UK Heavy Metal Albums charts respectively.

But, hold up, weren't "Run Runaway" and "My Oh MY" top 40 hits in the US? Well, yes. But not from The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome. You see, in their infinite wisdom, the record label released an additional version of The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome, repackaged for the USA and Canadian markets. That March 1984 album was titled Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply, and it switched out "Cocky Rock Boys (Rule O.K.)" and "Razzle Dazzle Man" from the 1983 release for "Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply" and "Can't Tame a Hurricane" (a song I quite like, by the way). And it was that 1984 album that successfully launched those singles onto the charts, enabling Slade to finally have their breakthrough in the states (outside of Quiet Riot covering their songs, that is). 

Anyway, whenever it was released, "My Oh My" is a great tune to close out the year:

We all need someone to talk to my oh my

We all need someone to talk to my oh my

Ya need a shoulder to cry on, call me I'll be standing by

We all need someone to talk to my oh my

... 

So let's all swing together my oh my

We can all swing together my oh my

You've got troubles on your own, no need to face them all alone

We can all swing together my oh my

So let's all pull together my oh my.

Flashback: The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome (December 3, 1983)

---

And 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 December 22, 2023

[Salvation O'Clock] -- The Three O'Clock was previously the band called The Salvation Army. And they had released a self-titled album in 1982, but as you might have guessed, they had some legal woes with that name. So, they changed their name to the "meaningless but suitably psychedelic the Three O'Clock." That makes Sixteen Tambourines the quartet's second studio album even though it is the first album released under this particular band name. Wikipedia cites the release date as October 1983, but AOTY has it as December 1983. Either way, it's another album that turned 40 years old this year. 

Along with the band's name change came a change in personnel. Only Louis Gutierrez (guitar) and Michael Quercio (vocals and bass) were part of the previous ensemble. They brought in a new drummer (Danny Benair) and added a keyboardist (Mike Mariano). The result? That depends on whom you ask. The album received mixed reviews, either being hailed or dismissed. Me? I'm a fan. I can't quite get enough of 1960s-era paisley in the 1980s. Your mileage, however, might vary. I mean, it's not like the album launched any hit singles or even charted. But I find it to be an enjoyable and bouncy listen. I particularly enjoy "Stupid Einstein," "And So We Run," "Fall to the Ground," and "In My Own Time." 

Give Sixteen Tambourines a whirl and let me know what you think. 

Flashback: Sixteen Tambourines (sometime between October and December 1983)

---

And 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!

Christmas Movies 2023 Part 1

Dashing Through The Snow - Disney +

Ludacris in a Christmas movie?? Yes, please. He is a joy in this role. I absolutely loved everything about what he brought to this role. He was a great Dad, wonderful social worker, and hilarious all around.

Madison Skye Validum, as the daughter Charlotte, was splendid and radiant. She just oozed happy and I would love to spend a day with her just to feel her joyous personality. She is an excellent actress too and brought everything needed to make her role believable and enjoyable.

Lil Red Howery was the incredible Nick, whose wardrobe was incredible. He was perfection in this role and think he got completely lost in the role as I had a hard time deciphering/rectifying who he was under the gorgeous robe.

I highly recommend this joyful movie that helps us all believe just little more in the goodness of this world and the magic we can find if we just look.

3 paws

Family Switch - Netflix

Jennifer Gardner and Ed Helms were hilarious and perfect in this movie. Emma Myers and Brady Noon were wonderful as their children in this movie. Except for one too over the top scene (and many might say there is more than just one), I thoroughly enjoyed this movie.

Light and heavy all at once. A clever switcheroo that seriously looked so much fun to film. I can't imagine how much laughing there must have been on the set.

And even though you can figure the story out, it doesn't detract from the fun and the laughter that will be found during the movie. There is also an excellent rendition of Santa Claus is Coming to Town!!

3 paws

Merry Little Batman - Amazon Prime

Cute, funny, clever, fun and perfect for any DC or Batman fan.

I especially loved the change in animation for part of the story. It was perfect for conveying what was happening and definitely made me watch even more intently. 

There are a few scenes that could have been shorter but overall it was a fun and very different Christmas show. 

2 paws

Friday 80s Flashback for December 15, 2023

[Not Christmas Balls] -- Is December a good time to release an album? Bigger artists with major labels might use the 4th quarter to take advantage of a retail spike that occurs during the holidays, especially if they have a song about the New Year, Christmas, etc. Of course the market is super saturated at the end of the year, more now than it ever was in the 1980s. So, a recording artist probably needs something with a holiday or end-of-the-year vibe to do well.

At least, that is the conventional music marketing wisdom. 

Enter German heavy metal band Accept. Into the bluster of the holiday season, they released their fifth studio album, Balls to the Wall. And, no, we're not talking about Christmas balls. The European release was 40 years ago last week – on December 5, 1983 – while the US release was delayed a month until January 1984. 

Balls to the Wall was Accept's biggest commercial success, continuing to drive down the road that their previous release, Restless and Wild, had opened. One of this album's achievements was being Accept's first album to chart in the US; it peaked at #74 on the Billboard 200. Another achievement as that of being notorious and the band's most sexually charged album [per the AllMusic review]. And then there was the gay metal "controversy," which likely fueled some popularity or at least generated additional PR for the record. I mean, look at the cover image and listen to "London Leatherboys." 

Guitarist Wolf Hoffmann downplayed the supposed controversy, later calling out Americans as overly uptight about sex and sexuality. But the best comment came from Accept's drummer, Stefan Kauffman: 

"It's a phenomenon that should be taken into consideration. Because it exists on a wide scale and should be demystified. In fact, this is a phenomenon of society that needs to be taken as such. For a long time gay people have been considered as sick or insane. And yet, it's time to respect these people, open our minds which are often closed." [1983, p. 9. Archives of Enfer Magazine (in French)]

Whether Accept was ... more accepting ... than others on the metal scene, or simply trying to be controversial for the sake of being controversial, their album is considered a classic of the heavy metal genre. And it is about as far as you can get from holiday songs and carols, if you need a break from that kind of thing. 

In addition to the single, check out "Fight It Back," "Head Over Heels," and, one of my faves, "Losing More Than You've Ever Had."

Flashback: Balls to the Wall (December 5, 1983)

---

And 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!

America’s Tallest Singing Christmas Tree

 Yes, the title is true and it is spectacular.

And these are all high school students from Mona Shores High School in Michigan. 

I first heard about it a few years ago on TV and put in the list of things I wanted to do. Then two years ago a comic con friend of ours posted about it and I had to know how she knew about. Crazily enough they live in the area and her husband works at the school. I told her that we wanted to visit to see the tree. 

Fast forward to earlier this year and we find out both her children would be part of the orchestra for the Tree. Right then and there we started making plans to visit and see the show. 

We arrived Thursday in Grand Rapids Michigan and then drove to Muskegon Michigan to check in across the street from the theater. 

Saturday we went to the 3pm show and had seats in the lower balcony. There are no words to describe how incredible the show is. They played and sang so many of my favorite songs and the ones I didn’t know are now favorites too. The kids put everything in to the show and we loved it so much we bought tickets to the 7pm show too. The seats this time were not together and we had a person in the last row of each section so now I want to see it from the orchestra seats I might have to go back for the 40th anniversary!!

They live streamed the 7pm show and we are told it might replay at Christmas. I hope so because I would love to see it again. 

If you ever find yourself in Muskegon Michigan the first weekend of December I highly recommend this show. 

4 paws and a tail with a jingle bell collar 

Friday 80s Flashback for December 8, 2023

[Demented Pop Cure] -- Forty years ago this week, The Cure released Japanese Whispers. It was their second compilation album, but their sixth album overall. Japanese Whispers consisted of three previously-released, standalone singles and the B-sides to those singles. All three singles – "Let's Go to Bed," "The Walk," and "The Love Cats" – were a 180° turn away from the darkness and gloom of The Cure's 1982 release, Pronography (misspelling intended). That was a gutsy move given that, despite the initial poor reviews, Pronography had been a commercial success; it was their most popular album up to that point. However, recording Pronography had been a terrible experience, all but bringing the band to a total collapse. 

Only Robert Smith and Lol Tolhurst, The Cure's the two founding members, were involved in writing and recording Japanese Whispers. So, the switch to a brighter and more pop-friendly sound might have been a calculated move, and a necessary one for The Cure's collective health and longevity. It's not completely bright and poppy. I think both "Just One Kiss" and "La Ment" sound decidedly at a midpoint between the gloom of Pronography and the brightness of Japanese Whispers. And either one of them could have been a single, too.

In my mind, Japanese Whispers comes across as the love-child of synthpop and gothic rock. I mean that in the best possible way, if such a way is possible. This album feels like Smith and Tolhurst were experimenting with how to write pop songs, feeling their way from what The Cure had been to what it could become. So, of course, the results are kind of demented, but they work. And the tonal and lyrical shifts here set the band's direction for the next several albums. 

Flashback: Japanese Whispers (December 6, 1983)

---

And 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 December 1, 2023

[A 40-Year-Old Touch] -- It's the first of December, but November is hanging on a little bit longer. At least for this week's Flashback. Eurythmics released their third studio album, Touch, on November 26, 1983. That is per the listing at AOTY; Wikipedia has a release date of November 14, 1983. Either way, this record is 40 years old by now, and it's fair game for a Flashback!

By this point in their career, Eurythmics were an international success. And Touch just continued their critical and commercial success. All three singles – "Who's That Girl?," "Right by Your Side," and "Here Comes the Rain Again" – all reached the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart. In the US, "Who's That Girl?" and "Right by Your Side" peaked within the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100, while "Here Comes the Rain Again" peaked at #4. "Here Comes the Rain Again" was probably helped by its cool and atmospheric music video which featured Lennox exploring a cliff and an abandoned cottage. All the singles are great, but I'm partial to "No Fear, No Hate, No Pain (No Broken Hearts)."

Touch has aged far more gracefully than other records of that decade. And it is still appreciated; it was twice listed in Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time," first in 2003, and again in 2012. 

Flashback: Touch (Nov 26, 1983)

---

And 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 November 24, 2023

[Seven and the Blood Red Sky] -- For the second time this month, I find myself unable, or simply unwilling, to select a single album to highlight. So, you and I will briefly revisit two seminal releases that turn 40 years old this week. 

First up, Seven and the Ragged Tiger. Duran Duran's third studio album, Seven and the Ragged Tiger hit charts in the UK and the US on November 21, 1983. According to vocalist Simon LeBon (quoted in Rolling Stone, February 2, 1984), the title refers to seven people chasing after success: "The Seven is for us – the five band members and the two managers.  The Ragged Tiger is success.  Seven people running after success. It’s ambition." 

And while initial reviews were negative, this album was definitely a commercial success. Seven and the Ragged Tiger was Duran Duran's first album to reach the #1 position on UK charts, and it also peaked at #8 in the US. It went platinum in in the UK, US (twice), and Canada (three times!). The three singles rank among the band's most popular songs: "Union of the Snake," "New Moon on Monday," and "The Reflex." The first two singles were top ten hits in both the UK and the US. But the third single, as remixed by Chic’s Nile Rodgers, peaked at #1 in the UK, US, Belgium, Eurochart, and the Netherlands. It was Duran Duran's first #1 single and a global hit. All three of those singles shine, especially "New Moon on Monday," but the unreleased tracks also deliver. In particular, I would lift up "(I'm Looking For) Cracks in the Pavement" and "Crimes as Passion" as hidden gems. See the YouTube playlist below, under Flashback #1. 

This week's second recording, U2's Under a Blood Red Sky, also had a UK release date of November 21, 1983. In the US, it was released on November 22, 1983. This was a live album compiling songs from three concerts, all during the band's War Tour in 1983. Only one single was released: The performance of Boy's "I Will Follow" recorded in Germany. Under a Blood Red Sky peaked at #2 on the UK Albums chart and at #28 on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart. It also peaked within, or near, the top 40 of album charts around the world. Rolling Stone (January 19, 1984) would cite this album as providing "...ample evidence why people have been calling U2 the best live band of 1983." Check out their performance of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" filmed in June 1983 at Red Rocks in Denver, CO. That is just one of the 13 songs recorded for the concert film, U2 Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky. The album's eight tracks are in the embedded YouTube video below, under Flashback #2. 

Flashback #1: Seven and the Ragged Tiger (November 21, 1983)

Flashback #2: Under a Blood Red Sky (November, 1983)

---

And 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!

Lost in Space - Netflix Series

 

Brainwise remembered way more of the original than I did for this series. Who is surprised? 

So he caught some inside things but it didn't really seem to matter if you knew the original or not. I thought it was pretty good. I liked the actors and the characters they portrayed. But my favorite character might have been the non-human... and no I don't mean the Robot :) I loved Debbie. To find out who that character is, you will just have to watch ;)

I liked the way they created the family and all the twists that happened to bring things together. You do have suspend belief quite a few times but really when don't you have to when dealing with outer space stories. I only got really annoyed once with the jump in the story or how quickly things worked out but I just read where the story runner passed away recently, so I wonder if they were trying to make sure he saw the story thru to the end and if that is the case, I am good with it all.

I liked that the outcome of the saga was simple and actually easy. Sometimes life does work out in the simplest manners but we choose to not see it. I appreciate that the children were all brilliant in their own ways. I also loved that everyone had a chance to be the person in shining armor, even the Robot (although he was literally I guess, lol).

I was probably pretty skeptical at the start of our binge watching but I ended up asking when we were going to watch the episodes in the 3rd season. I really wanted to see what was going to happen next and how it would all conclude. If you enjoyed the original or the movie that was made, I would guess you would like this iteration also. 

3 paws

Friday 80s Flashback for November 17, 2023

[Four Decades of YELL] -- 40 years ago last week, Billy Idol released his second studio album, Rebel Yell (November 10, 1983). Buoyed by the studio wizardry of Keith Forsey and the instrumental prowess of Steve Stevens, Rebel Yell was a commercial and critical success, peaking at #6 on the Billboard 200 and even reaching the top 10 in several other countries. As might be expected with a popular album, all four singles charted:

• "Rebel Yell," the title track and first single, reached #46 on the US Billboard Hot 100, #29 on US Cashbox Top 100, and #9 on US Billboard Top Rock Tracks
• "Eyes Without a Face," the second single, was a top 10 hit (#4) on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the US Cash Box.
• "Flesh For Fantasy" peaked at #29 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
• "Catch My Fall," the fourth and final single, reached #50 on the Billboard Hot 100.  

I cannot argue against the worthiness of those first three singles, but I find "Catch My Fall" pretty forgettable. I also find it strange that "Flesh For Fantasy" performed better than "Rebel Yell." Plus, I somehow always thought that "Blue Highway" was a single, but it was merely b-side that got airplay. I think it would have been a better single than "Catch My Fall," but what do I know, really? Maybe the studio execs thought it was too similar to "Rebel Yell," which was pretty much a sonic sequel to "White Wedding" if you think about it. Still, it's all a very catchy synthesis of new wave and pop-punk. 

Update February 21, 2024: Looks like YouTube removed the Seba Vinilos account that had previously posted a video of the full vinyl edition of Rebel Yell. So, I've replaced that embedded video with an embedded playlist from Billy Idol's official YouTube channel.   

Flashback: Rebel Yell (November 10, 1983)

---

And 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!

3 Bed, 2 Bath, 1 Ghost

Hallmark Channel blew me away with this one. 

Madeleine Arthur as Ruby is glorious. Simply glorious! I didn't even realize how many things I have seen her in until I looked her up on IMDB. She looked completely different here.

Makeup and costuming deserve awards for styling Ruby. She is stunning at every turn, from her clothing to her jewelry to her makeup to just her incredible self.   

This is such a clever and beautiful story and it’s carried out wonderfully by Julie Gonzalo, Chris McNally and Madeleine Arthur. 

The connection between the two women is amazing and I love how they support each other. I love how they grow and learn and become the best versions of themselves even with over 100 years between them. It's both good and bad to know that some things carry through the times and are the same for people regardless of the surroundings :)

Speaking of surroundings, I loved the set for this movie too. Beautiful home with beautiful furnishings. I would love to know what came first when creating this movie: the story, the setting, the costuming, regardless all of it is perfect and wonderful.

You all know I don't post too many Hallmark movies (I do watch them all), but this one really was just wonderful and different and I had to share my thoughts.

4 paws, 2 ears, 1 tail for all 9 lives ;)

Let’s put it this way, I didn’t delete this from my DVR when it ended because I’m going back to watch this one again. 

Friday 80s Flashback for November 10, 2023

[Owner of a 40-Year-Old Heart] -- On November 7, 1983, Yes released their 11th studio album, 90125. Well, that was the UK release date; the US release came on November 11, 1983. Either way, 90125 hit the charts 40 years ago this week. The album release was prefaced by the release of the first single, "Owner of a Lonely Heart," in October 1983. 

But let's back up a moment or several. Hadn't Yes disbanded in 1981? Well, yes, sort of. And while Yes partook of a sabbatical period, as bassist Chris Squire noted, Squire and drummer Alan White formed a band named Cinema. This rhythm section then expanded the Cinema lineup by adding Trevor Rabin (guitarist, singer-songwriter) and Tony Kaye (who was the original Yes keyboardist). Former Yes singer Trevor Horn – and by "former Yes singer" we mean "the guy who sang lead vocals on only one Yes album, Drama" – stepped into a record producer role for the new band, Cinema. Next, while Cinema was in the studio, they recruited original Yes singer Jon Anderson to record lead vocals. And that, my friends, is when Cinema became the brand new lineup for a more pop-oriented version of Yes. 

And, let's face it, lineup changes are almost as much a part of the Yes story as their albums. The band has had over 20 different lineups since their 1968 inception, and at least 20 musicians have been considered full-time members.

Anyway, this incarnation of Yes was not only more pop-oriented, it was also more commercially successful. Actually, it was most commercially successful lineup. 90125 peaked at #5 on the US Billboard 200 and #16 on the UK Albums Chart. And it is still their most successful studio album to date. This album had five singles. The previously mentioned "Owner of a Lonely Heart" is still the band's most successfully charting single, and it is also their only song to reach the top the US Billboard Hot 100 – it peaked at the #1 position in January 1984. "Leave It," the album's second single, peaked at #24 on the Billboard Hot 100, #3 on the Top Album Rock Tracks, and #56 on the UK singles charts. The third single, "It Can Happen," reached #51 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #5 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. "Hold On," the fourth single, did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100, but did reach #43 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock. "Changes," was the fifth and final single released from 90125, and it peaked at #6 the US Mainstream Rock chart in 1984.

Although Yes would eventually return to their progressive and symphonic roots, the lineup behind 90125 – and later Big Generator (1987) – brought in scores of younger fans. So, they can look to this 80s lineup as a very successful experiment. I still own a vinyl copy of 90125 as well as a 45rpm of "Owner of a Lonely Heart." Some longtime fans might scoff at this era, but I'm a fan. (And I even like the 1978 record, Tormato, which I also own on vinyl). 

Update February 21, 2024: Looks like YouTube removed the Seba Vinilos account that had previously posted a video of the full vinyl edition of 90125. So, I've replaced that embedded video with an embedded playlist that just has the nine tracks from the original 1984 release. If you want to view the music videos, use the individual links for the singles in this post.  

Flashback: 90125 (November 7, 1983)

---

And 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 November 3, 2023

[Head Over Madness Heartland] -- I'm kicking off the first weekend of November 2023 with something a little different. I'm not changing the core of this year's Flashbacks. I mean, I'm still celebrating albums that turn 40 years old in 2023. But the difference is that this week I do mean albums. Plural. As in ... three albums. And, as I'm typing this, I realize that this sort of mashes up the way I used to do Flashbacks (three songs, possibly related) with the way I do them now (one playlist, usually from a single album). 

Now, why am I doing this? Well, mainly because I could not decide on a single album to highlight this week. But I'm also doing it because this trio of records provides a glimpse into the spectrum of my musical tastes. 

Intrigued? Let's look at the albums!

Cocteau Twins – Head Over Heels

I'm listing these albums in alphabetical order by artist name. So, first up is Cocteau Twins with their second studio album, Head Over Heels. Released in October 1983, this record is an enchanting example of the Post-Punk sub-genre, Ethereal Wave. In time for the 20th anniversary of Head Over Heels, Mojo magazine named it one of the most eccentric British albums of all time [Music List NL]. No singles were released from this record, but if you want to get a taste, sample "Multifoiled," "Five Ten Fiftyfold," or "Sugar Hiccup." However, if you want to truly appreciate this record, you should sit and listen to it in its entirety.

---

Night Ranger – Midnight Madness

Released either in October or November 1983, depending on the source, Midnight Madness was Night Ranger's second studio album. And while I prefer the band's debut album, I cannot deny that Midnight Madness is the record that really put them on the 1980s rock map. Night Ranger got three singles out of this album, including what is likely their best known hit, "Sister Christian." The other singles were "(You Can Still) Rock in America" and "When You Close Your Eyes." Midnight Madness peaked at #15 on the Billboard 200, mostly on the strength and popularity of "Sister Christian," both on airwaves and on MTV. That popularity actually hampered the band, all but blinding the record buying public from harder edged, but no less melodic, fare such as "Chipping Away" and "Touch of Madness." 

---

Real Life – Heartland

The Australian based band Real Life debuted with Heartland in November 1983. File this one under synthpop or new wave. In fact, Tomas Mureika of AllMusic called Heartland "One of the strongest -- and most unappreciated -- albums of the new wave era." And it might rank as one of my favorite records of 1983 if not the entire decade. There were four singles. However, one of them ("Always") was released only in Europe, and that was a mistake in my opinion. But the two big hits were, of course, "Send Me An Angel" and "Catch Me I'm Falling." Another track that illustrates Real Life's strengths was "Exploding Bullets." In the US, Heartland reached #58 on the Billboard 200, but it won Best Debut Album at the Countdown Music and Video Awards of 1983 in Australia. 

---

And 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!

Good Omens - Season Two

 

As promised in my post about Season One, we did indeed watch Season Two.

I was "spoiled" for the end of this season without ever being told exactly what happened. I could just tell basically what must have happened based on the reactions from my friends on social media after they all binged it when it was released. 

I had pretty much the same feelings about this season as I did about the first. I am not sure what is missing for me when I watch. Maybe it's that I haven't read the source material. Maybe it's that I don't get the humor. I know I did have a little trouble remembering things even just from the first season, which for us wasn't that long ago. Overall it made it's way to it's ineffable (I am sure that is not the way to use that word but there ya go) conclusion which I did actually love.

If you watched the first and liked it, you will also like season two. If you didn't like the first season, I might gather you won't like this one either. Note, that for the most part it is a completely new, stand alone story. Although I wouldn't watch this without having seen the first.

This season did not lead to any deep conversations like the first did and that is ok, not every show needs to be heavy.

3 paws overall

4 paws for the last 20 minutes of the season

Friday 80s Flashback for October 27, 2023

[40 Years of Karma] -- So, in the second week of October, I was torn between two records. The runner up has remained on my mind, and I figure that is reason enough to give it a chance as a featured record. Besides, it was released 40 years ago this month; just not 40 years ago this week. 

Anyway.

On October 10, 1983, Culture Club released their second studio album, Colour by Numbers. It was their most successful album, and it remains one of the most popular albums of the 1980s. Colour by Numbers peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 and landed in the top 5 of many other countries. In the US, it had four hit singles, with "Karma Chameleon" topping out as a #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. And while I cannot deny that track's hook, beat for beat, my favorite song on this album is "Church of the Poisoned Mind. 

Regarding the album's status as successful, Colour by Numbers has been certified triple platinum in the UK and quadruple platinum in the US. Writing for AllMusic, Jose F. Promis said of the album: "The songs were infectious, the videos were all over MTV, and the band was a media magnet." 

Flashback: Colour by Numbers (October 10, 1983)

---

And 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!

Secret Invasion - Disney Plus

 

I love Samuel L Jackson and I love Nick Fury so I was very happy he had his own story to tell but this series could have been much much better. I don't even know if I know exactly what was the issue. It was definitely too quiet, slow and it definitely doesn't stand alone... not that it should.

It is shows like this that I am glad I don't try to tell the story in my post. I just state if I liked it and if you should watch it. I definitely could not easily describe what we watched and I would not watch this again but you should watch it if you are a Marvel fan and if you plan to watch more Marvel Universe. I am sure we will need this series to help with the upcoming The Marvels and who knows what else.

It is only 6 episodes, so it doesn't overly torture the watcher and on the good side there is lots of information about Nick Fury that, at least, I didn't know.

2 paws

Friday 80s Flashback for October 20, 2023

[Won't Slow Down] -- Six years ago this week, I lost my mother. So, for the latest Flashback post, I am featuring one of her favorite solo artists: Lionel Richie. And forty years ago this week, he dropped his second solo album: Can't Slow Down. Most sources pin the release date as October 11, 1983, but for some reason, Wikipedia lists it as being released on October 14, 1983. Either way, we can celebrate the 40th anniversary of its release today. 

And what a release it was. Of Can't Slow Down's eight tracks, five were released as singles between August 1983 and September 1984. Now, releasing multiple singles over the course of a year is not so unusual. However, the fact that all five went on to be at least Top 40 hits nearly everywhere, with all of them reaching the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100? You have to admit that is quite a feat for an artist. 

It seems like Richie was making a play for all kinds of music lovers as this album featured the sounds of adult contemporary, dance, (slight) funk, mainstream pop, and even country. This paid off as Can't Slow Down peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200 and spent nearly 60 consecutive weeks within that chart's top 10. It was the third best selling album of 1984 and it won a Grammy.

I already mentioned the top 10 status of the singles, but two of them – "Hello" and "All Night Long (All Night)" – peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. If pressed, my mom would have probably said she preferred Richie's debut album, and she owned that record, but I recall that she could sing along to all these hits, too. 

How many can you sing along to?

Flashback: Can't Slow Down (October 1983)

---

And 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!

Star Trek: Lower Decks Seasons 1-3

As I wrote in my review of Strange New Worlds, I am so glad we had watched two episodes of this series before the crossover episode. It definitely helped us enjoy the crossover much more as we had background that would have been missing otherwise. I know that sounds obvious but really it made a huge difference with us liking the episode and not liking it.

So honestly, I did not like season one at all overall. It was a little too off kilter for me. The humor is not my favorite and it was hard to get into the silliness of it all.

Luckily, the next 2 seasons were better. They seemed better put together and flowed much better. There was story and things carried over into other episode and everything just worked better and I was able to get into it. I am glad. I know so many friends who rave about this series and I was sad I wasn't feeling it. 

Although I do have to say, if you have never watched any Star Trek, there is sooooo much you will miss in this series and sometimes it does make a difference to liking/understanding an episode and not. I asked Brainwise maybe the most questions during this series than any of the others... that is a lot of questions! I just don't recall past shows like he does, so he definitely enjoys the show much more than I do.

I do refuse to miss out though. I love how all these series fit together in so many different ways. So clever and so difficult and I appreciate it.

2 paws - season one

3 paws - season two and three

Friday 80s Flashback for October 13, 2023

[Unusual for Forty Years] -- Cyndi Lauper is a singer, songwriter, activist, and actress. She composed the Tony Award winning score for the Broadway musical Kinky Boots. And her decades-long career was pretty much jump-started by her solo debut album, She's So Unusual, which was released forty years ago this week – on October 14, 1983. She's So Unusual peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200 and scored two awards: Best Recording Package (1985) and Best New Artist (1985). It was also the first debut album by a female artist to generate four top-five singles on the Billboard Hot 100 [Billboard.com, October 2023]. 

I'm not certain there's another debut that album so thoroughly captured an artist's personality while simultaneously contributing to a decade's style. 

The album had six singles, five of which all reached the top five (as I noted above), but the songs everyone remembers from this album are, of course, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," "Time After Time," and "She Bop." "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" topped charts all over the world, including peaking at #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100, #1 on US Dance Club Songs, and #1 on US Cash Box Top 100. It was also nominated for a bunch of awards, winning two: American Video Awards for Best Female Performance (1983) and MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video (1984). "Time After Time" likewise topped charts, peaking at #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, the US Adult Contemporary, and US Cash Box Top 100 charts, and winning several awards. "She Bop," as befits the album's third single, is third in critical and commercial reception as related to the first two singles; it peaked at #3 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the US Cash Box Top 100 while also doing pretty much top 40 or better around the world.

Flashback: She's So Unusual (October 14, 1983)

---

And 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! 

Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-4

 

Sonequa Martin-Green is glorious in her role as Michael Burnham. She is fierce, strong, independent, brilliant, courageous, confident, loyal and one of my favorites in the Star Trek universe. 

Right behind Sonequa is Mary Wiseman as Sylvia Tilly. She is my spirit Star Trek character. I adore her. She is exactly who I would be if I were in the Star Trek universe. She is a great friend, brilliant scientist, incredible team member and I definitely want to be friends with her.

Over the four seasons we were treated to a roller coaster of emotions. We laughed, we cried, oh how we cried, we yelled, we were annoyed, we swooned, we cheered and we loved almost every second of all four seasons. There were a few wobbles but not enough that I can remember them specifically now to write about them. 

This show is a definite for the Star Trek aficionados and even those that aren't. There are quite a few episodes that lead to deep discussions between Brainwise and myself. You will definitely be entertained by almost all the episodes and if you are a Doug Jones fan, you definitely need to watch him portray Saru. We love him and we knew he was in this series, we just did not know how much he was in this series and we were thrilled. He was spectacular and perfectly cast for this role.

I could go on and on about each member of this cast and how wonderful they are: Anthony Rapp, Wilson Cruz, Emily Coutts, Jason Isaacs, Tig Notaro, and the amazing Michelle Yeoh. Just go and watch and enjoy it all.

4 paws

Friday 80s Flashback for October 6, 2023

[That's Still All] -- Forty years ago this week, Genesis released their twelfth studio album, Genesis, which was their fourth album with the trio lineup of Mike Rutherford (guitars, bass), Phil Collins (drums, vocals, percussion), and Tony Banks (keyboards). Genesis was the band's most commercially successful record to date; it shot straight to #1 on the UK Albums Chart and it peaked at #9 on the US Billboard 200 while also topping many other charts around the world. 

Between August 1983 and June 1984, five singles were released from this album: "Mama," "That's All," 

"Home by the Sea," "Illegal Alien," and "Taking It All Too Hard." A sixth song, "Just a Job to Do," was never released as a single, but it did receive considerable radio play. "Mama" is still Genesis' most successful single in the UK, where it topped out at #4 on the UK Singles Chart. But the album's second single, "That's All," was the band's first top 10 hit in the US where it reached #6 on the US Billboard Hot 100. 

Prog fans seem to review the album more harshly than pop aficionados. Kerrang! called this record "a Genesis album for people who normally hate Genesis" and "great music for the masses" [Kerrang! #54, November 1983]. Writing for Rolling Stone, J.D. Considine summed up his review with "...the drift of this album is one step forward, two steps back." 

My favorite tracks are probably the one-two punch of "Home by the Sea" and "Second Home by the Sea," the latter of which received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. But I really like "That's All" and "Just a Job to Do."

Flashback: Genesis (October 3, 1983)

---

And 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!

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves - movie

 

I was unsure, even half way through, if I liked this movie. Then we got to the end and I found myself crying and I realized that I did indeed like this movie. 

I do believe it is MUCH better if you have any DnD knowledge, which I do not but it is a fun movie with more story than I expected. 

I was also very surprised to see Hugh Grant in here but he ended up being the right person for the role. There were a few things I wish were different but overall it was a fun rollicking story and movie.

Chris Pine was excellent in his role as was Michelle Rodriguez. Justice Smith and Sophia Lillis were also perfect for their roles. 

If you are looking for a fun 2 hours, I recommend checking this out. If you have any DnD background, I say you MUCH check it out. Then come back here and let me know your thoughts about it.

2 paws

Friday 80s Flashback for September 29, 2023

[Still Shouting] -- By 1983, music fans had already experienced the marriage of heavy rock and on-stage theatrics by way of such acts as Alice Cooper, KISS, Twisted Sister, New York Dolls, and others. But forty years ago this week, another chapter in the history of what we call glam metal – or, more derisively, hair metal – was written. On September 26, 1983, LA-based Mötley Crüe released their second album, Shout at the Devil. 

I had wanted to include a humorous history of glam metal, one that charted the rise of each new band by saying something like "deciding there weren't enough Alice Coopers, Stanley and Simmons started KISS," but I could not find it. Maybe the site is down, or I didn't archive the magazine article, or I made it up as a memory. So, if you're not all that familiar with this particular genre, I'll instead direct you to the more serious take on the subject by MasterClass: History and Sounds of Glam Metal Music. 

Back to today's album. 

While Mötley Crüe's debut album, Too Fast for Love (1981), had been raw and unpolished, almost hurried, and appealed to rockers and punks in almost equal measure, their new album was more popular with the heavy metal crowd, particularly the teen and pre-teen members of that fan demographic. And while fans were buying the record, watching the videos, and driving the Crüe up sales charts, critics were much less favorable towards them. Robert Christgau panned the record, saying the band's commercial appeal lay in false braggadocio on an album that is "[poor] even by heavy metal standards." J. D. Considine found them to be boring and unoriginal: "The whole point of bands like Motley Crue is to provide cheap thrills to jaded teens, and that's where the album ultimately disappoints." Retrospective reviews have been considerably kinder.

Of course, back in the 1980s, teens rarely considered, or even read, music critic reviews. They lapped up that false braggadocio, buying and recording the album, buying music mags that had pictures and interviews of the band, and generally annoying or scaring their parents with this obsession. (Remember the Satanic Panic of that decade?)

So, Shout at the Devil peaked at #17 on the Billboard 200 and it yielded three singles: "Shout at the Devil" (#30 on US Mainstream Rock, "Looks that Kill" (#54 US Billboard Hot 100), and "Too Young to Fall in Love" (#90 US Billboard Hot 100). While the album's production was slick and polished, the two music videos for the singles were ... well ... they were pretty much ... just go watch them and make your own decision. Or maybe don't. 

And, yes, before you ask, I did own this album on vinyl back in the day. I ultimately traded it to a classmate, but I cannot recall what I received for it. 

I give this album three and a half devil horns, mainly for the nostalgia. 🤘 

Flashback: Shout at the Devil (September 26, 1983)

---

And 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!