Bananarama - Feel The Love & Glorious: The Ultimate Collection

BoysForSeles said:
Feels very comfort zone but is grand as a bonus new track for Glorious.
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I mean... when hasn't Duorama been in comfort zone mode? :D

I don't mean that as a bad thing necessarily, but they're not very adventurous with their sound and haven't really been since Pop Life.
 
If not for their friendship and collaboration with Ian Masterson I suspect that Drama might have been their last album. Maybe there would have been a track here and there but I don't think they enjoy being out of their familiar set up (the Biffco Siobhan track that didn't work out/Keren's complaints about having to sing Love In Stereo over and over for pop royalty Richard X and Hannah Robinson).

I know there are unreleased mixes and a couple of re-recorded versions on Glorious but both new tracks already being released when the album isn't out until March just makes me think they could have included another new song or two, especially when they were in the can (Pete).
 
FetchFugly said:
If not for their friendship and collaboration with Ian Masterson I suspect that Drama might have been their last album. Maybe there would have been a track here and there but I don't think they enjoy being out of their familiar set up (the Biffco Siobhan track that didn't work out/Keren's complaints about having to sing Love In Stereo over and over for pop royalty Richard X and Hannah Robinson).
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Oh I agree - if only for the cost of using different producers it would've been impossible for them to fund these things on their own since they hardly make a mint out of recording new songs; I always tend to see all albums after the dramatic bomb of "Drama" (which was obviously an attempt for them to be "current" again) as bonus music as it helps with any disappointment. "Viva" had decent production values too, obvious helped by Peter Loraine being a huge fan of theirs; everything after that is honestly a mixed bag.

Essentially, if you take the best tracks on In Stereo and Masquerade you get a somewhat strong album that sort of approaches Drama at least and that's good enough for me. I don't think they'll ever stray far from Ian Masterson unfortunately, even if I'd like them to. Doing a Biffco track with Siobhan would've clearly been their best chance at some relevancy again but they rejected it, so it's obvious they don't care too much about chart success.
 
tommie said:
Oh I agree - if only for the cost of using different producers it would've been impossible for them to fund these things on their own since they hardly make a mint out of recording new songs; I always tend to see all albums after the dramatic bomb of "Drama" (which was obviously an attempt for them to be "current" again) as bonus music as it helps with any disappointment. "Viva" had decent production values too, obvious helped by Peter Loraine being a huge fan of theirs; everything after that is honestly a mixed bag.

Essentially, if you take the best tracks on In Stereo and Masquerade you get a somewhat strong album that sort of approaches Drama at least and that's good enough for me. I don't think they'll ever stray far from Ian Masterson unfortunately, even if I'd like them to. Doing a Biffco track with Siobhan would've clearly been their best chance at some relevancy again but they rejected it, so it's obvious they don't care too much about chart success.
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It’s 2024. They’re not getting chart success anyway so that point is kind of irrelevant.

The new music gives them the opportunity to put themselves back in the public eye and sell some concert tickets and get themselves on retro bills. Their albums will generate enough cash to break even, I’d have thought- or you SURE AS HELL wouldn’t be getting them releasing live albums for a laugh.

They also get lots of radio play (Radio 2 basically A-lists anything they do) which helps too.

As for the content of those albums, I agree that Drama and, to a lesser extent, Viva were released with the hope of doing better than they did. What I do disagree with is the comment about quality- In Stereo isn’t my favourite Nana album, but Masquerade is excellent and one of their most cohesive albums ever- certainly their most as a duo.
 
This isn't directly Nana related but on the new material thing, I was interested to see that Belinda Carlisle is opening for Rick Astley on his upcoming tour. Back in the day she was surely by far the bigger star, but because he's kept releasing new material and it's been well received, he's now the draw, while she who's managed one EP and a couple of side projects in the last 30 years is firmly stuck treading the retro circuit and opening for an act who 20 years ago could have been grateful to be opening for her.

And it's not like he was always more productive than her either. He only really came back as a solo artist around 2016, after being off the radar for decades, rick rolling revival notwithstanding.
 
VoR said:
This isn't directly Nana related but on the new material thing, I was interested to see that Belinda Carlisle is opening for Rick Astley on his upcoming tour. Back in the day she was surely by far the bigger star, but because he's kept releasing new material and it's been well received, he's now the draw, while she who's managed one EP and a couple of side projects in the last 30 years is firmly stuck treading the retro circuit and opening for an act who 20 years ago could have been grateful to be opening for her.

And it's not like he was always more productive than her either. He only really came back as a solo artist around 2016, after being off the radar for decades, rick rolling revival notwithstanding.
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I think that's an interesting point but really Rick was by FAR the bigger "star" here, even if his star burned out much quicker and the chart positions didn't necessarily reflect that.

It's also the audience- those teenage girls are now "hen do" women, which is the main audience he attracts. Belinda never had that rabid fanbase over here and so that nostalgia hits differently.
 
Re: Rick Astley - "50" actually sold Platinum and "Beautiful Life" Silver. "Are We There Yet?" haven't been certified, but reached #2 in the charts. I'd argue his comeback has been a huge success beyond touring to be honest; especially since "Portraits" only made #26 in 2005.

And yes, just like with Take That Rick appealed to teenage girls back in the day, who are now adult women still getting their knickers in a twist for him. It's a far bigger audience than the gay circuit (even if that's somewhat profitable).
 
Anyway, finally got round to listening to Supernova and it’s great- but it’s also BLATANTLY a Masquerade offcut, no? It would have fitted perfectly. Not that I’m complaining, considering how good that album was…
 


I'm not around that weekend so wouldn't be able to go, I expect it will be a bit more formal and less fun than their gig Q&As anyway.
 
Supernova was added to the Radio 2 C list this week. I was hoping for a remix or two but nothing seems forthcoming so this will have to do:

 
FetchFugly said:
I am going solo on the Saturday. Still dithering about doing the album signing.
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I’m toying with the idea of going but the only other person I know who’d be prepared to pay for a flight and hotel to see them will be in Barbados at the time and I’m not sure I want to splash that out for a solo trip for one night. Which makes no sense as I don’t mind solo touristing.
 
I’m going! Midweeker I think- can’t be arsed to look it up.

I really do hope it isn’t just a rehash of the last two album launches- which was GREAT both times, but let’s face it, the non “new” songs were the same both times.
 
I'm not expecting too much in terms of set list surprises. The big eighties hits included on Glorious (and maybe one or two more), likely Preacher Man, the new versions of Movin' On and Last Thing On My Mind, probably Every Shade of Blue, then most of the singles from Drama onwards. Presumably the two new songs will be played.

Number one on my wishlist is Only Your Love.
 
FetchFugly said:
I'm not expecting too much in terms of set list surprises. The big eighties hits included on Glorious (and maybe one or two more), likely Preacher Man, the new versions of Movin' On and Last Thing On My Mind, probably Every Shade of Blue, then most of the singles from Drama onwards. Presumably the two new songs will be played.

Number one on my wishlist is Only Your Love.
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Didn’t they say that recently it was rehearsed for the reunion tour but was impossible to sing live?
 
Sheena said:
Didn’t they say that recently it was rehearsed for the reunion tour but was impossible to sing live?
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Now you say that it does ring a bell. I can imagine it not being straightforward/impossible with bare minimum rehearsal.
 




A very nice job on Do Not Disturb. I assume Ian Masterson has done the Castle Elvira Mix as it is pretty much a straight extended version (with quite an epic intro).
 
Oh I actually like the Do Not Disturb remix - I'm glad some of their lesser hits are getting the spotlight for this collection at least.
 
I'm quite intrigued as into which direction Initial Talk have gone with Only Your Love.
 
They did a live on Instagram earlier. Someone said they can't wait for Love, Leave Forget (presumably at the Palladium shows) which they thought was hilarious... "maybe HE likes it" :(

Keren mentioned surprises at the shows but then Sara seemed to want to play this down in a they are not especially big surprises kind of way.
 
I would DIE for Love, Leave, Forget live but it seems somewhat unlikely anyway, considering this was their opportunity to actually release it…
 
Yes the impression was that they didn't like it very much. It would be nice if they made it available online at least.
 
I saw a bit of their Insta live and they were asked if they would pose for photos at the signings and visibly grimaced which made me smile. They’ve now announced photography will be allowed with some restrictions and reasonable social distancing. I’m not sure if they’re worried about catching covid ahead of the gigs or worried about close up pics, they did joke about their airbrushing.
 
Oh and they were asked about doing Love Leave Forget and One In A Million live and looked like they never heard such a preposterous suggestion in their lives.
 


The Initial Talk remix of Only Your Love is very good.

The Movin' On re-record is like the live arrangement they played on the In Stereo launch shows. I know they play Last Thing On My Mind live sometimes now so assume that is the same. Movin' On really misses the backing vocals.
 
I'm so annoyed that remix album isn't on the vinyl- would have also made a great RSD release.
 
Sheena said:
I'm so annoyed that remix album isn't on the vinyl- would have also made a great RSD release.
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Yes limiting it physically to the pricey (and now sold out) CD book bundle when the mixes have been a big part of how they have teased this album seems a bit off.
 
Sometimes I think that Only Your Love is my favourite Nana track.

The NEV-VER LET ME GO wig out bit two thirds through of the Initial Talk remix is especially glorious.
 
Now or Never ploughs a similar furrow to Feel the Love much more successfully.

When are they going to get their robo fantastique Moves Like Jagger back on streaming though?

 
Just received the book, 3CD and print. I was not expecting it to be packaged like that but it explains why you had to get the book if you wanted the 3CD. It is a nice package but might not have ordered it had I known the layout (storage issues).
 
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