Customer Reviews

Drama

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been a long time Bananarama fan and I'm impressed with this album. Here's my breakdown of each track.

01. Move In My Direction - Fun pop. A bit direvative but once you listen to it, it gets to you. The video is sexy.

02. Look On The Floor - Amazing track. Hypnotic and so sexy. I've been listening to the remixes since they were released last fall in the UK. The Solasso remix is my favorite. It's genius.

03. Waterfall - Love it. Though a lot of fans seem to have a problem with it, I thinks it's chill and oh so clever.

04. Frequency - A standard song. Nothing memorable. I rarely listen to it.

05. Feel For You - Fantastic song. So amazing on so many levels. The lyrics are great and the singing is some of the best from the girls. Should have been a monster single.

06. Don't Step On My Groove - A fun track. Not single worthy but better than Frequency. Sorta Kylie Minogue-ish.

07. Middle Of Nowhere - Another controversial track amongst Bananarama fans. Some prefer the demo. I like both versions and I'm glad it made it on the CD.

08. I Love The Way - The first time I listened to this track I went "Blah" but now it's one of my favorite songs on the album. Light, airy and totally danceable. Love it!

09. Lovebite - Fun track but the retro style sound of the song is a tad cheesy.

10. Rules Of Attraction - My favorite song on the CD. Totally tight and brilliant pop. I love the girls' singing here. I've listened to it a million times now.

11. Your Love Is Like A Drug - A clever song to end a great album. This song basically recaps every other new songs on DRAMA, which basically turns the whole album into a concept album.

The two next tracks are new remixes of old Bananarama songs.

12. Venus (Marc Almonds Hi NRG Showgirls Mix) - Not a necessary track but fun nonetheless.

13. Really Saying Something (Solasso Mix) - Much better than the above Venus remix. Solasso and Bananarama = match made in heaven.

To say that I was a little underwhelmed by the duo's previous outing would be a colossal understatement. "Exotica" was a painfully forced effort that should have never been released. I was afraid that the girls just didn't have it in them any longer.

Flash forward a couple years and we get "Drama". Having always been a fan of the group, I felt I "needed" them to have another relevant release after all these years. After hearing the first single, "Move in My Direction", I got that excited feeling. It was the same feeling I had gotten upon hearing "Cruel Summer", "The Wild Life", "Venus" and "I Heard a Rumour" so many years ago. The follow-up single, "Look on the Floor", confirmed that they were on to something quite good. I had heard the buzz that this album was every bit as good as Madonna's current "Confessions on a Dancefloor".

There are quite a few good songs on this album. None of it reeks of "filler". There is a good retro-vibe on this disc that recalls the disco era as well as the 80s but it also has a very contemporary edge that glues it all together quite nicely.

I don't consider the Marc Almond remix of "Venus" (inferior to the original Stock/Aitken/Waterman preoduced gem) or the Solasso mix of "Really Saying Something" as part of the album. They're add-on bonuses that really don't matter.

If you like the recent Madonna, Geri Halliwell, Dannii Minogue's "Neon Nights" or any of Kylie Minogue's recent offerings, then this album would likely suit your tastes.

So... Bananarama's ability to be credible has always been under scrutiny - and understandibly so - even when they were under the watch of Stock/Aitken/Waterman (the time of "Venus" and "I Heard a Rumour" - both Top 5 here in the United States). But their success in Britain and other territories definitely says they were well-liked during the peak of their success. Even after their popularity waned, they were able to release some great material - most notably singles such as "Movin' On" and "Every Shade of Blue".

I'm here to say that "Drama" sufficiently places them in the league of the popular artists in 2006. Many of the tracks here are great productions. Many are worthy to be played on fickle and snobby US radio. Even more are worthy to be played on the dancefloor. Top 40 and Hot AC radio stations should pay attention to "Move In My Direction" and "Look On The Floor" (both single releases in the UK hitting #14 and #26, respectively - "Look on the Floor" went Top 5 in Spain) while Top 40/Pop stations should pay attention to songs like "Feel For You" and "Don't Step On My Groove". The album, as a whole, contains tracks that are great listening music and fun songs with a good groove.

My only dissatisfaction with the album is yet another version of "Venus" released. If they feel the need to issue an updated version of a past song, they should create a great version of past songs such as "More Than Physical" or "I Can't Help It".

Whether or not the girls took lead in the production process of the album as a whole, they took lead in writing this material. And this album represents a great revival for Bananarama.

If you are looking for some good listening music, it is definitely worth the money to buy it. If you are a Bananarama fan, you should already have it!

This latest outing by the Nanas is by far their strongest material to date. With hypnotic hooks and a mega-danceability factor of 10 out of 10, this former trio, now a streamlined power-duo, still have what it takes to get listeners to shake their groove thang some twenty-plus years since their debut on the charts. So yes America, these girls are still really singin' something and it's nothing but the sweet sounds of pure pop deliciousness.

This release represents a combination of classic Bananarama harmonies and the most addictive dance beats that rivals Madonna's Confessions on the Dance Floor or Kylie's Fever as one of the most satisfying Europop-inspired releases in years.

Unfortunately most will only remember Bananarama from their smash remake of Venus, which ruled the charts in the mid-1980's. Since then the group has gone through many incarnations and while it has enjoyed some success with catchy songs here and there, it has finally hit a home-run with Drama.

The release can best be described as 11 hits waiting to happen. I purchased this release when it came out in Europe months ago and while it finally found a distributor here in the US, the release seems destined to fall on deaf ears as there has been no marketing to speak of and for some reason American audiences have a hard time embracing English "girl groups", for lack of a better word.

If you ever liked Bananarama, this is the time to catch up with them; however PLEASE stop after after the first 11 new songs as the two remixes (Venus and Really Saying Something) are awful, but does not take away from my 4++++ star review as I made my own copy without those songs. The import version of this CD also has a remix of Look on The Floor and two remixes of Move in My Direction. All are OK, but I'd save my pennies as the original versions may even be more catchy than their remixed versions.

his release has been on my CD player more than any other in the past few months. I hope that they sell enough copies in the UK so that they may continue to put out music that makes me smile from ear to ear.

Bananarama really should have been one hit wonders. Their laid back, almost slacker approach to music should have seen them have a few hits and quickly disappear. Instead, 25+ years since their debut the 'Nanas have had their highs, lows and line-up changes yet continue to WOW fans with their upbeat and infectious sounds. Their 9th (!) studio album finds the girls deliver their best album...ever!

The album is a combination of their trademark classic Hi-NRG dance sounds, updated electro and a few ballads for good measure.

The upbeat tracks are the best. "MOve in my direction" with its sing-along chorus and synthesized string is a instant classic. "feel for you" "Look on the floor" and "your love is a drug" keep the dance floor ready with their swirling synths and their chigging rhythms.

"waterfall" and "middle of nowhere" are the slow ballads but enjoyable nonetheless. The Latter has a very summer vibe and would perfect on a sunday drive in the country.

The two remixes included are okay. Solasso's bootleg remix of "really saying something" is a fantastic update of a classic track. The Marc Almond Hi-NRG remix of "Venus" could have been left off but is okay.

I particularly liked the sleeve design for the album. The center framed shot of Sarah and Karen in front of lights and stage was a fantastic image and tells you alot about the colourful and upbeat sounds on the album.

Bananarama fans no doubt will pick this up. Fans of dance music or upbeat pop music will want to grab it as well. A must have. RECOMMENDED!!

I'm proud to say I've been a solid 'Nana fan since taking a chance and purchasing a vinyl 12-inch called Really Saying Something while going through the racks at Rhino, in Los Angeles, way back in '82. And while I'm as thrilled as the next Bananarama-fanatic that 'they're back', I must also be honest. And honestly, the girls still seem to be missing something, and that something is a London-divorcee named Siobhan Fahey.

Siobhan was the critical voice in Bananarama, the one who fought against the overly-slick excesses of Stock-Aitken-Waterman back in the WOW! days, the one whose idea it was to cover Venus, and (I've heard) was also the one whose voice was the 'weakest' of the three. Regardless of any vocal limitations, Siobhan's critical ear is needed on this release. Unfortunately, there's just too much filler - a problem harkening back to the True Confessions album, and a common one among Pop recordings. "Move in My Direction" is excellent, and "Look On the Floor" is actually BRILLIANT! But with the plethora of remixed recordings available for those two (British) chart hits, it seems as though even more scrutiny is brought to the other tracks on the album, and unfortunately, IMHO, they're rather weak. I realize that this assessment of DRAMA may anger some of my fellow Bananarama-diehards, but I would humbly ask them to look at ANY of the three Shakespear's Sister releases and identify ONE SONG that's weak, or 'filler'... it can't be done. And even the 1999 cover of "Waterloo", which reunited the three original girls to the delight of many, had SOME REAL MEAT TO IT, something to stick your teeth into (musically, of course)... To put it plainly, Siobhan is pure musical integrity - and that's precisely what Keren & Sarah are (sadly) still missing as a duo.

So, you might ask, why the 4-stars? The answer comes from the musical heart, not the musical brain, I suppose. I'm just too soft-hearted when it comes to these girls who created a musical dynasty and for a time, held the Guinness-Book world record as most-selling female group in the world, at the time surplanting the Supremes (!) They were so cool because you could tell they just didn't really give a damn or take themselves seriously at all, what with their gimpy dance-moves, 'PC before it was cool to be PC' song topics (Robt DeNiro's, Rough Justice, Hooked on Love) and their antics at the video taping of the Band Aid classic "Do They Know It's Christmas?", where they stood in the back, next to Jody Watley and behind the big blow-hard soloists like LeBon, Bono, etc. That was the essence of Bananarama, and what intially caught the eye of such luminaries of the time as Sex Pistol's Paul Cook and Specials/FB3's Terry Hall. BESIDES, even a (somewhat) weak Bananarama album is still much much stronger than any of the American crap that's out there, including Britney, Christina, whatsisface from N-Sync and every American Idol winner/contestant except for Fantasia!

Anyway, I say: if you're a fan of either Bananarama or the Euro-Disco genre, BUT IT! Otherwise, DEFINITELY get your hands on the "Look On the Floor" 12-inch mixes. And take a chance on the missing third 'Nana-er, and BUY SIOBHAN'S ELECTRONICA RELEASES! She's been causing quite a stir in the UK, DJ-ing and releasing INCREDIBLE stuff like "Bad Blood" (available on Amazon), "Pulsatron" and my fav, "Bitter Pill". TRIVIA NOTE: "Bitter Pill" is a track which Siobhan wrote, recorded, and then later sold to the Pussycat Dolls who spliced in a Donna Summer"Hot Stuff" chorus, changed the track's title, and had a major worldwide hit with it (congrats, Shuv). So, the Pussycat Dolls (vapid talentless mannequins) have ahit with it and la Shuv & Bananarama can't bust upper-echelon of Billboard's Hot 200? America, what the hell is going on?

i've only heard the first 2 releases and their remixes respectively ("move in my direction", "look on the floor")and all i can say is - - - - F#*%! these beautiful ladies, down to just two now (but who cares, they got the groove!) have evolved as an act, making their sound perfect for today. who knew that when i was in junior highschool and loved "cruel summer" that decades later i would connect with them just as much. they are like madonna, if she was more than one person :P it takes talent and balls to adapt to the times while still keeping the integrity of who you are as an artist. but they did it. kudos. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

it is amazing to me that after being together for 25 years, bananarama have just released their best album. they have never sounded better. the vocals are the strongest they have ever been. the girls sound very confident. the production here is flawless. since bananarama's heydey in america--the wow album-- they have released some good stuff, mostly overseas. but nothing as strong as this. the sound here is very modern. nothing cheesy or dated. very electo // discoish...sounding.

highlights include: "look on the floor", "feel for you", "lovebite", "frequency", "move in my direction", hell, the whole freakin album is a highlight, of the year and of their career.

This group of songs are impeccable pop.
Your dance-mind will orgasm on first listen.
Beware, you'll be in banana lust til' the end of this disc.
You'll spin it again, for more pleasure.
The opening track grabs you, and spins you throughout this lovely collection of creations. The high end production is flawless as well as the vocoder effects.
For the dance fan. For the dance fan, who LOVES true dance.