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Frankie
Goes to Hollywood
British rock/dance group
Studio Albums
Welcome to the Pleasuredome (1984)
Liverpool (1986)
Compilations
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Titles
in red have been reviewed. Those in black are to be reviewed
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Frankie
Goes to Hollywood
| Welcome
to the Pleasuredome - 7.5 The
World Is My Oyster/ Welcome to the Pleasuredome/ Relax/ War/ Two
Tribes/ TAG/ Fury/ Born to Run/ San Jose/ Wish the Lads Were Here/
The Ballad of 32/ Krisco Kisses/ Black Night White Light/ The Only
Star in Heaven/ The Power of Love/ Bang Welcome
to the Pleasuredome was a joy when it came out and over a quarter
of a century later still has plenty of power and freshness. Some
have argued that the inclusion of cover versions does very little
for the album, but I don't think that detracts greatly from the
overall feel of what was a double album when it came out on vinyl.
The whole thing has an art school feel to it - screeching noises
mixed in with Ferry Across the Mersey and a variety of other links
that seem to work well. Here was a dance record that crossed over
thanks to rock and pop sensibilities and there were plenty of
highlights. The title track, although long, was never over-cooked
and Relax and War earned their own notoriety through radio play or
lack of it. The whole thing hangs together extremely well and the
big ballad The Power of Love was a triumphal conclusion to the
whole effort. Sadly Holly Johnson and the guys could never keep it
together long enough to build on the success of what became a one
off although Johnson did go on to have short-termed success as a
solo artist. |
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| Liverpool
- 5
Warriors of the Wasteland/ Rage
Hard/ Kill the Pain/ Maxium Joy/ Watching the Wildlife/ Lunar Bay/
For Heaven's Sake/ Is Anybody Out There. Sadly
this was a sorry kind of anti-climax after Pleasuredome and this
one hasn't aged that well. There is little to recommend a stodgy
album that rather than being a celebration of Liverpool is a
reminder that some bands peak all too soon and then fizzle out.
The name is completely wrong. As if plucked out of the air
"hey guys what should we call the second album - let's call
it after our home town." Not a good idea. There is little of
the Scouse feel about this - indeed Pleasuredome was more of a
homage to the Mersey than this ever was. Languid songs without a
great deal of change of tempo - as if Frankie was saying cop a
load of this, it's not very different but you will like it. The
problem is most people didn't - and so Frankie Goes to Hollywood
pretty much sailed into obscurity with only their fine first album
to remember them by. |
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