Classic Rock Bottom

Who? Jane Wiedlin

When? 1985

Album title? Jane Wiedlin

Isn't she a member of a very popular band? Yes.

Allmusic.com review? Yes. 

Aside from the unfortunately slick mid-'80s production (half by the trio of George Massenburg, Russ Kunkel and, oddly, Little Feat's Bill Payne, half by Wiedlin's then-boyfriend, ex-Psychedelic Furs drummer Vince Ely), Jane Wiedlin's 1985 solo debut is probably the best solo album by any ex-member of the Go-Go's. Wiedlin's voice, a helium-pitched trill that manages to be cute instead of obnoxious, would have been better used in the Go-Go's; on its own, it adds a level of frothy pop giddiness even to relatively dark tunes like the post-breakup lament "One Hundred Years of Solitude" and "Sometimes You Really Get on My Nerves." The singles "Modern Romance" and "Blue Kiss" really should have been hits (they're certainly better than most of Belinda Carlisle's solo work), and the best of the album tracks trade the pertness of the Go-Go's for a slightly more mature, world-weary vibe. The closing "My Traveling Heart" is the biggest surprise, a Celtic-flavored ballad with a lovely cyclical melody and the best, most personal lyrics on the album. It bodes well for Wiedlin's solo career, but unfortunately, her next two albums smacked of A&R meddling and pressure to follow commercial trends. It wouldn't be until 2000's Kissproof World that Jane Wiedlin would properly follow up this promising start.

Jane Wiedlin

1. Blue Kiss
2. Goodbye Cruel World
3. Sometimes You Really Get On My Nerves
4. East Meets West
5. Somebody's Going To Get Into This House
6. Forever
7. Modern Romance
8. I Will Wait For You
9. One Hundred Years Of Solitude
10. Where We Can Go
11. My Traveling Heart

Availability: Around $45. It was released by American Beat and they didn't last long, even though they put out some cool stuff that wasn't readily available at that time (late 2000's). Shame.

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She's always been the cute Go-Go for me...

She tees this off with a very catchy tune that almost has the feel of something The Corrs might do.  I start get lost with "Sometimes You Really Get On My Nerves" and "East Meets West". And while "Somebody's Going To Get Into This House" isn't a candidate for the RED track it did get my attention back.

I really like "Forever" with its George Harrison sitar (sp?) thing going on.  The production on this album is also very good.  The drums come across as crisp and tight, they sound very good!  "Modern Romance" is interesting as well, but her vocals fall down a bit here maybe it's the chorus that's not suited for voice, not sure, but the song is well played and has a very nice feel to it.

I was expecting far less than what I heard, don't know why though.  I know you have a thing for the Go-Go's as you've posted them before, maybe even a couple of times before, maybe its because of Jane?

Red track is a tie, I'm not going to pick between Blue Kiss and Forever, not gunna do it!

She's spunky.

She looks a lot better in the picture Scott posted than on the album cover, that's for sure.  Other than that, I have never owned a single album by The Go-Go's or any of their solo work.  I never cared one bit for the Go-Go's.  And I didn't care for this over the first few songs.  But I did warm to it as it played on, even listened to the first four or five songs a second time.  She has a good voice overall and the songs were poppy.  Which would certainly make sense.  I don't think they were overly strong but they weren't bad either.  

So I'm still picking the son of a very famous country musician as my favorite LFAOTW post out of the last 4 I've listened to.

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