Islands
Kajagoogoo
1984/2004: EMI Records 4 73654 2
In the U.S. this was originally released as an EP titled “Extra Play;” I have a copy and long wished it would be released on CD, as overall it’s a fine album: a little short but musically ranging from danceable/fun to enigmatic/complex. That version had the “US Mix” of “Turn Your Back On Me” which is included here as the first Bonus Track, and I think I still prefer it to the original album version, but both are fun; I remember watching a broadcast of Kaja performing it at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in 1985, maybe 1986, and thinking how catchy and hot the song was.
I’ll add commentary about the various tracks and the overall impressions I have of this album, but one thing I must note right away is that the CD release’s Bonus Tracks are well-chosen and astutely presented: if you can block out of your mind the photographs of the band (they’re jarringly silly because that was their look at the time) and the singles covers (ugh) you can enjoy the CD from beginning to end and not particularly notice that you’re hearing remixes near the end. So—well done there, whoever done it!
Comments © 2005 Mark Ellis Walker, except as noted, and no claim is made to the images and quoted lyrics.