Bananarama - Masquerade (New Album 22nd July)

The closer is the Donna-Depeche Summer Mode? I love how scrappy the vocals are - I can imagine them performing it live lapsing into laughter at themselves. A fab note (or lack of) to end it on.
 
A very good showing. Not one skip on it. A 7-8 is probably where my score would settle on for first listen. Those final moments really giving it some lustre as well. And now spotify has chosen I Heard A Rumour :disco:
 
I think I was possibly a little harsh on Stay Wild. The sequencing is off though, it doesn't suit being sandwiched between Favourite and Velvet Lies.
 
'Masquerade' sounds much better and bigger in the context of the album. I wasn't impressed with it, nor 'Favourite' for that matter, when I first heard them.
 
I know I'm only up to track five, but this is a much stronger and more consistent album so far than 'In Stereo'.
 
For a moment with 'Bad Love' I thought I may have spoken too soon with my previous comment, but it vastly improved as it dragged on and 'Let's Go Outside' is another corker of a track!
 
They seem to have decided Favourite was a single now going by this:



For what it is worth Velvet Lies, Forever Young and Running With the Night are the other tracks they've highlighted. Guess it is an indication they are more likely to do those live if nothing else.

Just listening to Forever Young again and while it obviously isn't a solo it is unusually heavy on Sara's vocal leading things.
 
They get asked about Summer Night City again in this interview.

The teasing better be paid off. It sounds like the rest of their anniversary plans may have been delayed until next year.
 
I also agree with the idea of an extended version stab at these songs. Masquerade with a long, instrumental fade out would be GLORIOUS.
 
Sheena said:
I also agree with the idea of an extended version stab at these songs. Masquerade with a long, instrumental fade out would be GLORIOUS.
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I'm surprised we haven't got an extended Masquerade yet. Ian Masterson usually does extended versions of the singles.

Masquerade is up there with Favourite for me now.
 
I had my first spin too and I’m positive overall, plenty with potential to grow. They’re so good at things like ‘Stay Wild’, I could imagine that being on a Sandra album.
 
Having been playing it pretty much repeatedly, I've come to my own personal conclusion that this album pisses over their last one from the height of Mount Everest.
 
It's doing quite well on iTunes (for whatever that's worth). Still in the top ten on day two.
 
Mike(y) W said:
'Stay Wild' is in my all-time Nana's top ten.
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Stay Wild has grown on me a lot, but Running With the Night's chorus is pushing similar soft and wistful electropop buttons just a little better.

I was very pleased with In Stereo at the time but definitely agree with their comments that this is a more cohesive set. There's a bit more going on lyrically too.
 
I can't really objectively comment on 'In Stereo'. I was a 'Top Fan' on their FB page until I suggested that 'Dance Music' was rather lacklustre. I've never been able to reach those dizzy heights again.
 
So typical of Sara to have no clue of the timeline. They are really hazy about their career at times. Keren likes that album we did in Sweden, the Swedish one (i.e Drama). I’m always glad to see Jacquie get a mentioned in articles and by the girls.

I think Masquerade will end up being stronger than In Stereo (Dance Music is actually a fave of mine). Stay Wild is the early leader for me from the unreleased songs so far.
 
Just gave this an initial spin. It kind of devolves into a pleasant mush of samey breathy electropop, but I enjoyed it. Stay Wild and Forever Young stood out.

I never bothered with In Stereo.
 
VoR said:
Just gave this an initial spin. It kind of devolves into a pleasant mush of samey breathy electropop, but I enjoyed it. Stay Wild and Forever Young stood out.

I never bothered with In Stereo.
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It’s the one where they do MKS songs better than MKS ever could imagine…

(🎣)
 
WOW! It'll surely end top 20, right? Even when it inevitably crashes. That'll be a great result!
 
I know it is a quiet week, but that is better than I imagined. I guess the multiple formats really helped.

And yes, surely has to hold on for top 20 now...
 
Sheena said:
WOW! It'll surely end top 20, right? Even when it inevitably crashes. That'll be a great result!
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I'd like to see the sales figures to see how close the chart is first, but yes, I think it's unlikely it will be out of the top 20.
 
Ooh top 20 would be lovely! It’s so hard to know, I remember Joan Armatrading was #5 midweek with her last album and finished at #10, while Laura Mvula went from #5 to #21 so this should be in or around the top 20 at least.
 
They are plugging Amazon now selling the blue vinyl, though it still appears to be out of stock at the moment. Hopefully they sort that sometime soon:

 
Jamie T's done 15k, Jack White about 5k.

5 Bananarama - Masquerade (2,523)
8 The Kooks - 10 Tracks to Echo in the Dark (1,703)
10 Gilbert O'Sullivan - Driven (1,689)
 
Oh that's not great, is it? Considering how front loaded they will be, there must be a good chance they will end up around/below 4k.

#22 last week had 3,642.
 
I've bought it and am also playing it to death on Spotify (and still not bored with it).
 
Even if they do plummet, following a flicker of #5 will give added welly to an already irate "you said I was your favourite".
 
lolly said:
Oh that's not great, is it? Considering how front loaded they will be, there must be a good chance they will end up around/below 4k.

#22 last week had 3,642.
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Yes the sales must be very frontloaded for them. I did think they might have sold just a little more for number five.

I know their hitmaking days are long behind them but The Kooks selling 1.7k, dreadful sales. There must be a point at which the industry decides doing all the signed copies and multiple formatting is just not worth the effort.
 
Getting in those stocking issues excuses early, LPs are out of stock on both Amazon and HMV. I'm sure there are literally tens of casual sales they are missing out on!
 
I’m sure they’re not overly that bothered (though they’d love a hit) if they’ve sold out their first run of vinyl that would’ve been the first priority to clear.
 
Are they likely to tour, do we think? Surely if there's any money at all for them in this endeavour, it'd be that.
 
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