Katrina and the Waves - Katrina and the Waves (1985) LP

Instead of recording a new batch of songs for their major-label debut, Katrina and the Waves elected to redo ten songs from their first two albums (given the criminal lack of dissemination these two fine platters apparently received, this decision made a lot of sense). All were re-recorded in an aggressive power pop style; surprisingly, most all these fine songs hold up extremely well under this approach. A few of these tunes, notably "Going Down to Liverpool" and "Walking on Sunshine," lose a bit of their original sparkle and purity as a result, but just as one cannot obliterate the taste of a great hunk of prime rib with a little sauce, so too one cannot ruin these amazing songs by adding a little extra oomph. Other tunes gain surprising virtues this way. "Red Wine and Whisky" and "Do You Want Crying" [sic] become desperately driven and urgent tuneful rockers, while "Game of Love" transforms into a rollicking party platter of the first magnitude. And "Cry for Me" and "The Sun Won't Shine" regenerate as blues-like shouting numbers of apocalyptic intensity. This great album is an essential purchase.