A bit too obvious at times? Sure, but this is some primo assemblage. Not only do we get hallowed icons of the genre like Chrissie Hynde, Annie Lennox, the Go-Goâs, but theyâre jammed alongside some fun discoveries like Altered Images, the Belle Stars, and the Pandoras. Sure, thereâs probably better/most interesting choices than Bow Wow Wowâs âI Want Candyâ or the Banglesâ âWalk Like an Egyptian,â but itâs still a lot of fun to hear them back-to-back-to-back. The first half is loaded with the established giants and one-hit wonders, then things get progressively weird in the second half.
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If there are any knocks against this compilation, they are: a series of glaring omissions and two inclusions. No one would argue against Joan Armatrading as a talented musician, but a folkie dabbling in a genre exercise isnât exactly representative of the best of that movementâs output. Couldnât drop that track for figures like Blondie, the Motels, or the B-52âs? Stranger even is Laurie Andersonâs âO Superman (For Massenet).â Not really a New Wave song so much as it is one of Andersonâs experimental spoken-word pieces weaved through with a vocoder and layered synths. I suppose if you squint at it right, it will qualify, but its eight-minutes take of time that couldâve been distributed elsewhere.
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Whatâs fascinating about these choices is how many of them are laced with female sexual agency. From the Pretendersâ âBrass in Pocketâ where Chrissie Hynde begs for your attention, to Berlinâs âSex (Iâm AâŚ)â where Teri Nunn plays dress-up in a series of kinky poses, to the Divinyls âI Touch Myselfâ which needs no explanation, to Animotionâs âObsessionâ which asks the question about what is needed to have sex with the singer, New Wave Women finds that sisters are doing it for themselves. Just canât get enough? Indeed.
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A good enough reason for the collection to exist? I suppose so. Imperfect as it is, it is a really good way to spend an hour. Breakout the stripes, skinny ties, Vans, and buttons and dance the night away with some of the best songs from the distaff side of the genre.
Download: The Belle Starsâ âSign of the Times,â Lene Lovichâs âNew Toy,â Altered Imagesâ âI Could Be Happyâ Â