#400 The Go-Go’s, 'Beauty and the Beat' (1981)

Previously #414

This was the perfect follow up from Blondie. They shared a producer in Richard Gottehrer. The took the New Wave sound popularised by Blondie and made it their own. Fronted by future pop superstar in her own right, Belinda Carlisle, The Go-Go’s would go on to become one of the most successful all-female bands of all time. They hold the honour of being the first all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard album charts. This, their debut album, peaked at #1 for 6 weeks, sold in excess of 2 million copies (Double Platinum) and garnered them a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.

I, of course, listened to this album during the last countdown, but the first time I listened to it this time I was distracted. I stopped after a few songs and started again later in the day. I’m glad I did, because this album is solid. Great songwriting, fantastic musicianship and truly a groundbreaking record. ‘Our Lips Are Sealed’ and ‘’We Got The Beat’ are two of the big standouts – no surprises as they were the first two singles. But a major standout for me ‘Lust To Love’. When the drums came in, it stopped me in my tracks. What a massive sound.

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