Music review: Kim Wilde – 鈥楬ere Come the Aliens鈥�
Listening to the new album from Kim Wilde, I was pleasantly transported back to 1981 and reminded of the events that left a lasting impression on our culture.
That fateful year saw the release of Steven Spielberg鈥檚 鈥淩aiders of the Lost Ark,鈥� the production of the first DeLorean DMC-12 and Ronald Reagan becoming the 40th President of the United States.
We also witnessed the grand wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer as well as the television launch of MTV. I was a junior in high school that year and recall Wilde鈥檚 鈥淜ids in America鈥� capturing my attention with its dramatic synth opening and poppy beat that sounded like a cool blending of Gary Numan and the Go-Go鈥檚.
Thirty-seven years later, the British bombshell delivers her 14th studio album and still sounds as vibrant and vivacious as she did back on her self-titled debut.
鈥淗ere Come the Aliens鈥� sports one the best album covers I鈥檝e seen in quite a while. It also has an interesting story to match the retro artwork. Inspired by a close encounter of her own, Wilde opens the album with a heavy dose of synth-pop by singing, 鈥淚 know they鈥檙e hiding out there somewhere in the galaxy.鈥� She goes on to announce that she knows that aliens from space are watching us and offers a promising outcome by declaring, 鈥淢aybe they鈥檒l save us from the apocalypse when it comes.鈥�
Wilde鈥檚 vocals carry the nostalgic vibe of the 鈥�80s from beginning to end as the 57-year-old singer channels the sexiness of Berlin鈥檚 Terri Nunn on the sensual 鈥淎ddicted to You鈥� and 鈥淪tereo Shot鈥� and the street toughness of Blondie鈥檚 Debbie Harry with the guitar-driven 鈥淜andy Krush鈥� and rousing 鈥淏irthday.鈥�
Other highlights include the grim reality detailed on 鈥淐yber Nation War,鈥� the pure pop perfection offered on 鈥淧op Don鈥檛 Stop鈥� and the youthful energy delivered on 鈥淩ock the Paradiso.鈥�
鈥淗ere Come the Aliens鈥� is a marvelous example of something old being new once again.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.