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Various ArtistsPunk Goes 80's Fearless Records/Shock Hang on, don't Me First And The Gimme Gimmes already do this? Isn't punk itself technically '80s? Either way, the latest installment in the 'Punk Goes...' series, 'Punk Goes 80's', is an idea, however unoriginal, that works. Revisiting timeless anthems (Buggles' Video Killed The Radio Star), one hit wonders (A Flock Of Seagull's I Ran) and songs you prayed you'd never hear again (Oingo Boingo's Dead Man's Party), the collection has a lot of ground to cover. As with any compilation you have your favourites and blatantly skip the other tracks. Unfortunately in my case this 15-track album was reduced to an EP: but what an awesome EP it is! Having only arrived halfway through the '80s, perhaps my inability to listen to the whole album stems from the fact that I didn't grow up with most of these songs. I was, however, dancing to The Bangles before I could crawl, so Relient K's rendition of Manic Monday certainly does strike a chord. The Early November's reworking of Huey Lewis & The News' Power Of Love is disturbingly beautiful, while Emery's cover of Bonnie Tyler's Holding Out For A Hero makes me laugh every time. Motion City Soundtrack and Gatsby's American Dream both stand out on the collection, but this may be due in large part to the original songs themselves (REM's Pop Song 89 and The Cure's Just Like Heaven respectively). Brazil don't stray far from The Police's version of Wrapped Around Your Finger, but I wonder what Paula Abdul would say if Halifax performed Straight Up on a certain TV show?  |
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