Raised on Radio #12 - Limahl

By 1984, things had changed. While I still had an ear for the manly FM rock sounds (a necessity), my heart aligned with new wave, a type of music that (at least where I lived) was solely for female fans.

I noticed the slightly older girls were way into bands like Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Kajagoogoo. I really liked these bands (at least what I heard which were the singles) and I could just tell there was an element of 'art' about them, which separated them from the usual vocal-guitar-bass-drum fourpiece.

It was pretty early on that I realized what I like is what I like, and I could care less if no one else did. I don't know what i thought of these bands in terms of permanence (if I had any thought of that at all). Obviously, these bands and their contemporaries like A Flock of Seagulls weren't just a flash in pop culture time- they are a standing joke about brevity in pop culture.

Kajagoogoo suffered the effects of kicking out their lead singer at the peak of their popularity, and trying to be a 'serious' band that would just go by the name "Kaja". They had two hits prior to the parting of ways ("Too Shy", of course #5 and "Hang on Now" which only made it to #78) and none after.

I loved (and still love) "Too shy", but as much or more, I love the debut Limahl single "Never Ending Story". Despite what I thought was pop nirvana, it only got to #17. His other stab at the pop charts "Only for Love" stalled at #51,

Limahl hasn't been seen in the US charts since, though he does have a new single (which I could only find a brief snippet of) "1983".

He is a regular on VH1 nostalgia shows, and it's not quite a secret that the 53 year old- smart, funny, and stylish- is my choice for mancrush.

Anyway, I still love this song. I wish it had been bigger.

Movie Review - Men in Black 3

I always had a soft spot for this franchise.

The original came out in 1997 and it seemed like that year even the popular blockbuster movies were "deep" (LA Confidential, Full Monty, As Good as it Gets, Good Will Hunting).  Men in Black was just fun.

I generally like Will Smith and although he has moved towards more serious roles, I still think he is best as the wisecracking action hero that vaulted him to fame in these films and Bad Boys.

Also as mismatched duos ( the all-time movie cliche) go, I think Smith and Tommy lee Jones just work great.

It is with that in mind (and with the smart idea of revisiting a franchise after several years) that I am going to say I really liked MiB3.

I thought the interaction with Smith and Jones (and Josh Brolin playing a carbon copy of Jones) was great, and consistently funny.

To keep the series going, the plot revolves going back in time, and that idea idea seems a bit risky, but I think that generally works.

There are also quite a few "third" films that feel like they are trying to stretch things too thin.  This is one of the rare ones that captures a lot of the fun of the original.  It should please anyone who liked the earlier MiB films, and though I don't know if anyone cares about this franchise any more (given the years since the 2nd film), but I do feel this is going to be one of the better 'popcorn' films at the multiplex this summer.

Laughed all the way through, the pacing never really drags, and I found the ending strangely touching (which just means I am getting old.)  Going to recommend it, for sure.

On the Shelf 072: Public Image Ltd

When I heard that PiL was reforming and putting out new music, I was excited.  John Lydon may have been called a 'sellout' for doing butter commercials, but he was putting the band back together.

Then, I remembered, and my expectations dropped.

This wasn't the acclaimed original line up.  In fact, Keith Levene and Jah Wobble did reunite and put together a band called Metal Box in Dub, and had even got a vocalist from a Sex Pistols tribute band to sing for them.

No, this was the recent line-up, but now with Guitarist John McGeoch no longer with us, Scott Firth stepped in.  Firth's most well-known credit is working for the Spice Girls.  Uh-Oh!.

PiL were largely a great singles band, but the albums often seemed lacking.  I was lucky enough to go to  school with someone who worshiped Lydon and had all the records.

This meant I was on board for 9- one of those late 80s albums like New Order's Technique where the post-punk legends were trying to make a move for some record sales by embracing music for the dance floor.  The first half of 9 is strong or was at the time, I am hesitant to say how well it stands up, though I like it.)  Things seemed to be on track for That What is Not.  The single "Covered" got MTV play and really was able to present Lydon to the masses, but the rest of the album is ungodly terrible.

So, I tempered my expectations with the fact it's Lydon and I can't give up on the guy.  He also appeared on Leftfield's album to perform "Open Up" which was one of the best song of the mid-90s.

The album opens up with a title track that serves as announcement for the album.  It captures the fact that the thing we like best is Johnny singing "This is...." .  With such an ambitious opening statement, it is clear, This is PiL is either going to be a classic or a sad rehash of past glories.

The second song starts with the lyrics "I am John and I was born in London".  Once again, this is either going to mean something great or terrible.

Fortunately, it's the latter.  "One Drop" is one of the finest moments of Lydon's career.  In any case, it's his best single in nearly 30 years.  "Public Image" as revisited by someone who is in his mid 50s (Opening opportunity that Eminem's best work may come when he's on Medicare).

This is PiL is ambitious, and it delivers.  It's a very solid album.  Tracks like "Deeper water", "Fool" and "Terra gate" help contribute to make this maybe Lydon's greatest moment.  It may end up falling a bit short of Metal Box, but it at least puts itself into the conversation.

There are moments where Lydon gambles with some 'genius or crap' thoughts (spoken-word heavy "The Room I am In", the catchy but lyrically silly "Lollipop Opera") , but these generally fall on the right side of that line.

I have this down as one of the best albums of 2012.