Following in the footsteps of last year’s fun Drink a Toast to Innocence: A Tribute to Light Rock comes Here Comes the Reign Again: The Second British Invasion, an ode to some of the great pop songs of the 1980s that reached large audiences via MTV. As a child of the 80s, these songs are ingrained into my existence. I remember where I was the first time I heard Level 42′s Something About You. I remember the surge of joy I felt hearing Simple Minds’ Don’t Your (Forget About Me) at the end of The Breakfast Club.
Tribute albums are always a subjective proposition. How you feel about a cover depends on your connection to the original. Factor in context — where you were then versus where you are now — and reactions will vary wildly. Now, as a 40-year-old father of three, I find certain songs and approaches more interesting than others. While I love the pure pop takes of Nik Kershaw’s Wouldn’t It Be Good by Cliff Hillis and The Corner Laughers harmonic version of Our House by Madness, these days I’m more drawn to the spare tracks, where the artist focuses more on the lyrics and emotion rather than the hook.
To that end, Rachel Yamagata’s aching version of Culture Club’s Do You Really Want to Hurt Me? is devastating. Ken Stringfellow’s dreamy take on the Blow Monkeys’ Digging Your Scene is equally powerful. Other standouts include Big Box Store’s Kids in America, Mike Viola’s Everybody Wants to Rule the World, and Kelly Jones version of the previously mentioned Level 42 hit.
Whatever your preference, if you were a fan of these songs back then, you’re sure to enjoy them again now. Here Comes the Reign Again is a fun compilation.
