VACATION contains much of the same giddy pop/rock formula that made their debut such a delectable guilty pleasure. Released in
the summer of 1982, their first single "Vacation" seemed ready made to ride the waves created by MTV. The album as a whole is
fairly enjoyable, but there is a sense that the songs weren't coming as easily for them this time around. Aside from the title
track, other highlights include Jane Wiedlin's "Girl Of 100 Lists", "Get Up And Go" (which was also released as a single),
"Cool Jerk" and surf influenced "Beatnik Beach". It seems that many of the better songs showed their affinity for upbeat 60s
pop music, as if they all secret pined for an American dream they had begun to lose faith in at some point. Blondie also
followed a similar path from punk angst towards a need for pop perfection.
Unlike the 60s artists they idolized, The Go-Go's are all women playing their own guitars composing their own songs from a
female perspective. While their technical ability is somewhat limited, their spirited & joyous performances are engaging. The
simplicity of Charlotte's lead guitar lines would be one example, but their ability is certainly more than adequate for these
songs. As a whole, VACATION was something of a letdown for me, as there are simply too many mediocre tracks throughout the
album. It lacks the consistency & infectiousness of the songs on their outstanding debut, BEAUTY AND THE BEAT. It does have
enough good tracks for an occasional spin and trip back down memory lane to the summer of 1982.
1 Bumps | Bump |
