Bananarama has always represented this sort of invisible line I crossed when I was 12 years old. Having just been given my first CD player, I sold my Game Boy (the first one – without color) and took 80 bucks to the record store in East Aurora, New York and there, peeking out from over the gray display rack, was a hot shiny copy of Pop Life. Granted, we were already closing in on a decade since the Ramas had started chucking their banana peels at the police, and by pop standards, may have at that point been considered a bit “long in the tooth” since they weren’t exactly setting U.S. charts on fire save for Venus a few years earlier. But I had faith. The hot pink font and fishnets called out to me. And even though I had no idea at the time that they had pulled a Bewitched and swapped Darrens on me with some chick named Jacqui (the Shakespears Sister CD would follow soon and the puzzle pieces would slowly come together), I added Pop Life to my purchase along with Jesus Jones and Corina.
At the time I had no idea, but this one event aligned the stars in a way that shifted my musical tastes to side with gay europop. Do you know how well a cosmic event like this goes over in a middle class white suburban environment? Or for that matter in 8th grade? I know. Hell. But laying in bed, blasting songs like “Preacher Man”, “Long Train Running” and “Only Your Love” boggled my mind as it raced thinking that there was a place that this music was played and loved. (Note: There was even a time that I purchased cassettes of both Tiffany’s latest release and Gun’n Roses and switched the cases so that when I was asked what I was bopping to I could pull out the case for Appetite For Destruction…little did they know I was secretly humming “I Think We’re Alone Now”…) Love for Kylie Minogue, Martika, and any pop chick with a single name soon followed.
Fast forward almost 20 more years and here they are again. After 2006s Drama re-ignited both my love for the Ramas and their career, they’ve re-emerged with Viva. Basically a continuation from where Drama left off, it’s more of the same, which, if you’re already a fan isn’t necessarily a bad thing. On Viva, it’s all electro pop ditties and thick, doubled up vocals.
They keep the beat moving for the duration of the disc, starting with current single “Love Comes”. It’s a grower and after a few plays the chorus begins to stick. The keyboard/string opening of “Love Don’t Live Here” is a nice touch that morphs into a disco stomper. There’s also a reworking of Iio’s “Rapture” that isn’t horrible and actually fits into the rest of the album quite well without sounding dated or copycat. Another highlight is “The Runner”. In the club or the gym, this will definitely keep you going!
Which is why the whole project is so frustrating. Look at the material Girls Aloud, Sugababes and even The Saturdays churn out. The majority of it is high quality and more often than not, single-worthy. Yet here is pop royalty stuck singing songs other acts wouldn’t touch. And while it’s been produced to sound as fresh as possible, it could be so much more. It’s the potential I think about when I listen to Viva. Imagine Bananarama belting out Sugababes “Girls” or Girls Aloud’s “The Promise”. I know. However, until the material improves, I’m happy to take what I can get, and Viva is still more than a nostalgia trip; it’s a good CD and a great night out! Recommended.
P.S. – “long in the tooth” whatever, check out the album cover.
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