Katrina and the Waves
Capitol ST-12478
1986
I found this in a box of records abandoned in the alley behind my home. The records were mostly 1970s singer-songwriter crap like James Taylor and Jackson Browne which I left in the alley, but this one I nabbed. I liked their major label debut as well as one of their Canadian albums that I have. This was their second Capitol album (fourth overall) and it has the reputation of being a flop. I beg to differ. No record with Kimberley Rew on it is ever going to be a stiff. True there is no hit single and no song as good as "Going Down to Liverpool" like its predecessor had, but it is still very listenable and pleasant. It sounds a lot like the earlier album, kind of a new wave flavored bubble gum. Normally I dislike that sort of thing, but Katrina Leskanich has a great voice and the songwriting is better than average. I particularly like the lovely vocal on "Sleep On My Pillow", the hard rocking "Money Chain," and the punchy, soulful "Is That It?" It is not a classic by any means, but it is consistently fun and you could do a lot worse than this picking up records from 1986. Recommended for Bangles fans who find Susanna Hoffs irritating.
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