Friday 80s Flashback for February 23, 2024

[Holding that 40-Year-Old Gap] -- Here's another record that turned 40 years old this month: the fourth studio album by Thompson Twins, Into the Gap. Released on February 17, 1984, Into the Gap peaked at #1 in the UK and #10 on the US Billboard 200. It also peaked in the top 40, or higher, of several other countries. It is the band's most commercially successful album with their biggest selling single, "Hold Me Now." 

"Hold Me Now" hit the UK charts in November 1983, but it was not released in the US until February 1984, with the release of the album. That delay did not seem to hurt the single's success. It peaked at #3 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It also hit the top 10 in three other Billboard charts as well as global charts. The next two singles, "Doctor! Doctor!" and "You Take Me Up," peaked at #11 and #44 on the US Billboard Hot 100 respectively. 

Critics were mixed in their assessments of Into the Gap. My favorite slag might be the one in Smash Hits magazine that accused the band of representing "the usual triumph of naked ambition over talent." And the best backhanded compliment came, of course, from J. D. Considine in Musician who wrote that the band's gimmicks and synthesizer settings "make the album seem dazzling even when it isn't." 

Thing is, Into the Gap is kind of dazzling. And it's not just the singles, though they do the heavy lifting, particularly "Hold Me Now." Each track has its own personality, and listening to the album as a whole is a journey of shifting styles. But if you want to pick and choose, I would say other highlights on this album include "Sister of Mercy," "Day after Day," and the album's closer, "Who Can Stop the Rain."

Flashback: Into the Gap (February 17, 1984)

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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!

The Marvels - Disney +

 

Three incredible actresses portraying three incredible characters. I absolutely loved all the scenes between the three leads. I hope they had as much fun together as it looked like in the film.

I loved how the movie fit into the timeline and it was good to see enough exposition to know what was going on for each character. 

I definitely loved the fangirling Ms. Marvel did over Captain Marvel. It was so real and true to her character and also felt like she was us in the movie. What a joy Iman Vellani is in the movie and from her own series. 

I was also thrilled to see Goose again  I loved how integral the cat was to this story 😉 Quite the clever storyline and use of the adorable cat.

There was really only one major part of the movie I didn’t like and it definitely didn’t seem to fit but overall I enjoyed the story. I’d love to see more of The Marvels working together in future movies. The three women were just amazing together. 

3 paws

Friday 80s Flashback for February 16, 2024

[Who's Watching?] -- I know we are midway through February, but I just had to reach back to the end of January for this week's Flashback. Rockwell's debut album, Somebody's Watching Me, turned 40 years old on January 30, 1984. The title track had been released about a month earlier, and thanks to its catchy hook, and those guest vocals by Michael Jackson and Jermaine Jackson, it rocketed up several charts. In the US alone, "Somebody's Watching Me" peaked at #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100, #1 on the US Hot Black Singles (Billboard), #2 on the US Cash Box Top 100, #3 on US Dance/Disco Top 80 (Billboard), and #31 on US Top Tracks (Billboard). The song also reached the top 40 on charts around the world, if not the top 20. The follow-up single, "Obscene Phone Caller," also reached the top 40 in the US. The third single, a rather forgettable cover of the Beatles' "Taxman," did not chart very well. 

The rest of the album fits somewhere between rock and pop, very much of the times. In fact, I'm surprised unreleased tracks like "Runaway" or "Foreign Country" never got tapped for TV or film. They might not have worked lyrically, but if you take away Rockwell's singing, the remaining instrumentals would be tailor made for cinema ... or maybe video games. There's some really good keyboard and studio work here!

Flashback: Somebody's Watching Me (January 30, 1984)

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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!

Locke and Key - Netflix

 

I have had this on our list probably since the first season (2020). I only know the title and that it was a popular comic book series. We finally started it the other week and we flew threw the 3 seasons as fast as we could. What an incredibly unique story and show.

I adored Jackson Robert Scott as Bode, he was perfection and we already came in to the show with a love for Connor Jessup (Tyler) from seeing him in Falling Skies and even getting to meet him at SDCC during a signing. But the definite showstopper was Emilia Jones as Kinsey. Holy Moly did that girl have a lot to do and she was spectacular. I LOVED how the 3 siblings stuck together and the love between them was easily felt. 

Darby Stanchfield as the mom Nina was incredible. She had quite the roller coaster of story line and she played it beautifully and realistically. 

We were also pleased to see Aaron Ashmore as Duncan. The Ashmore brothers are two of our favorite actors and I would say we have always loved the shows we have seen them in throughout the years. This was no exception and it may even be one of our most favorite roles yet.

Petrice Jones as Scot was a joy. His voice and accent were just wonderful and he was an excellent anchor for many parts of the story. Coby Bird as Rufus was also just a lovely character and portrayed so well by Coby. 

As I scroll through IMDB to get the correct actor names, I realize I could write something great about each actor/character. This was a well rounded show for acting and story telling. I had a friend say they just couldn't get into the 2nd season but I can't see how. We LOVED the second season. We just rolled through it all in one day.

I definitely don't see any loss of interest or story by having not read the source material... and neither has Brainwise (shocking that we have a second show that Brainwise didn't know). Of course that almost makes it more fun to watch because he has to guess too as we go along.

I will state that season 3 is not 100% the same as the first two seasons and now after reading the differences between the show and the comics, we know why. It doesn't mean it is bad by any means, it is just different and there is a reason. I don't like to give anything away if possible, so I will not say any more :)

I just love how unique this show is and how great the actors portray their characters. I would actually watch this whole series again and as you know this is usually my meter on how good something is. 

4 paws

Friday 80s Flashback for February 9, 2024

[Industrialized Emotions] -- On February 7, 1984, The Alan Parsons Project released their seventh studio album. Ammonia Avenue is forty years old this week, but its themes are probably still just as timely, even if the album itself shows some of its age. Per Mike DeGagne of AllMusic, this album is all about "how the lines of communication between people are diminishing, and how we as a society grow more spiritually isolated and antisocial." These ideas are strongly borne out in the lyrics of "Prime Time," "Don't Answer Me," and "You Don't Believe," all of which were released as singles. 

Notably, for an album dedicated to the depersonalization of technology and industry, there isn't actually much synthesized music. In fact, for a progressive pop album, there are surprisingly moving guitar riffs and saxophone lines, at least I think so. Of course, the studio itself is the primary instrument for this particular artist, and so the recording might, at times, seem far too clean to be emotional, even on vinyl. 

Ammonia Avenue is often regarded as a failure, particular when compared to some earlier recordings by The Alan Parsons Project. Rolling Stone trashed it. Still, the album peaked at #15 on the Billboard 200, as well as within the top 20, and even the top 10, of other countries. "Don't Answer Me" reached #15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and within the top 20 of several other US charts. "Prime Time" reached #34 and "You Don't Believe" fell short of the top 40, peaking at #54. Wikipedia indicates "Since the Last Goodbye" was a minor hit. It is a nice ballad, so some stations might have put it into rotation, but I have not found chart info for it.  

Are you an Alan Parsons fan, and do you have an opinion on this record? 

Flashback: Ammonia Avenue (February 7, 1984)

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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!

Old Guard - Netflix

 

I had no idea what this movie was about, of course it’s been about 3 years since this was released. I didn’t even remember it was based on a comic book until Brainwise started saying how different scenes looked like the book. 

The number one thing I will say about this movie is that it is ULTRA violent. I mean ULTRA violent. There was quite a lot that I didn’t watch because it was just too much. 

Charlize Theron looked incredible and was superb in this role. The story was very interesting and we found out that a second movie may be coming. I look forward to the story but maybe not the violence. 

Again it was good to see a female main character and a bad a$$ one at that. Kiki Layne was awesome and also very bad a$$ too. I also adored the scene between two of the male characters expressing their love for each other while in quite a bind with the bad guys. 

Such a very different story and incredibly interesting.

3 paws

Friday 80s Flashback for February 2, 2024

[Love is Still Saying: Let the Music Play] -- Forty years ago this week – on February 1, 1994 – American dance and freestyle singer Shannon released her debut studio album: Let The Music Play. The album peaked at #32 on the Billboard 200, while the title track peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as #1 on the Billboard dance chart. Not only that, "Let The Music Play" snagged Shannon her first Grammy Award nomination, which was for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (she lost to Chaka Khan's "I Feel for You" during the 27th Annual Grammy Awards, on February 26, 1985). 

Perhaps you recall "Let The Music Play" from Shannon's appearance on the TV show, Solid Gold (Season 4, Episode 23, Feb 25, 1984). Or you might remember the Breakdance Sensation '84 promo video. You might not know that she didn't see royalties from that tune for decades (I know I wasn't aware)! 

There were four singles in total released from this album. The next two singles after "Let The Music Play" – "Give Me Tonight" and "My Heart's Divided" – also enjoyed some chart success. "Give Me Tonight" charted on both the Billboard Hot 100 and dance charts, while "My Heart's Divided" charted only on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play, but it peaked at #3. The only clunker on this record, in my opinion, is the sixth track, "It's You." But the album bounces back fiercely with "One Man," which could have been a soundtrack or TV theme contender, and then closes out strong with a remix of "Let The Music Play."

Let me know if you remember this record. And if you agree with my assessments. 

Flashback: Let The Music Play (February 1, 1984)

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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!