Katrina And The Waves
The Original Recordings 1983-1984 (Bongo Beat)
Reviewed by John Sekerka

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Did we really need to hear "Walking on Sunshine" one more time? Maybe not, and despite several other distinctly eighties style power pop nuggets (ugh, that decade hasn't worn well has it?), there is evidence here that unearthing the Waves may indeed be a worthy project. While a rather intriguing history - playing Motown covers at army bases in Germany before former Soft Boy Kimberly Rew transformed them into a radio hit machine - reads well in the liner notes, you'll have to succumb to some pappy dredge to get to the good stuff. Katrina does have some swell pipes, and when she's not howling like Pat Benatar/Nena/Patty Smyth, there is actual depth to her delivery, most evident in a kicking live version of "River Deep Mountain High." And besides delivering some stellar guitar work, Rew shows he was more than Robyn Hitchcock's right hand man by penning some serious hooks. Also snuck into the proceedings is a DVD for the full sensory version of the eighties, in what is quite a representative history bookmark.

© 2004 - John Sekerka