For this installment of “Hannah and Matt on Music,” we wanted to review albums that feature the one-hit wonders of forgotten artists.
Matt’s Pick: “Word of Mouth” by Toni Basil (The hit in question: “Mickey”)
Matt’s Take: When Hannah suggested this theme, I immediately knew that I wanted to go with Toni Basil’s album that features the song “Mickey” since it is one of my favorite pop songs. The infectiously optimistic track with an unreal hook, eccentric vocals, and a very 80’s music video. What more do you need out of a pop track? With Basil delivering the goods on “Mickey,” I had a great feeling about the rest of her 1981 debut album! Despite Basil laying on the quirky factor thick, something that I am admittedly a sucker for, this album fell flat on its face for me. The US version very smartly has “Mickey” as the album opener, the UK release oddly has it halfway through the album, which lends the album to have an engaging start that brings the listener in wanting more. What follows is a cavalcade of uninteresting covers (“Mickey” itself is surprisingly a revised cover of a 1979 track “Kitty” by Racey), non-memorable 80’s goofiness, and uninspired beats.. Don’t get me wrong, I still respect Toni Basil for having a standout style and clear talent, especially since she co-directed one of my favorite music videos with the video for Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime,” but this album really didn’t do much for me at all. I will sadly forget this album tomorrow. But hey, we’ll always have “Mickey.”
Three Standout Tracks: “Mickey,” “Nobody” and “Time After Time.”
Overall Score: 4.6/10
Hannah’s Take: Toni Basil’s “Mickey” is a timeless classic, a true product of the 80’s that everyone knows and loves. It’s so much of a one-hit wonder that I never even thought it might be part of a larger album. While I’m all for the badass women of the 80’s, I’ve gotta say, this album was a flop for me. “Word of Mouth” truly is something that could only have existed during a decade where people walked around with hair twice the size of their skulls. Like Matt said, it’s sort of forgettable. Tracks like “Shoppin’ from A to Z” and “Rock On” blend into the 80’s pop genre, just not in a great way. The album as a whole is way too cheesy for me. This isn’t to say that “Mickey” is the only true gem from the album, “You Gotta Problem” hits my synth sweet spot, and I love it. But it just really isn’t any different than most of the pop music you’d hear on the radio. She didn’t take any real risks outside of the peppy vocals you hear throughout “Mickey.” While I wasn’t alive during the 80’s, the majority of my favorite artists reached peak popularity during that time, and what they all have in common is calculated, consistent risks throughout their discography. Toni Basil has created an album that is a caricature of the 1980’s: larger than life, unapologetically upbeat, but somehow easily tucked away into our memories as well.
Three Standout Tracks: “Mickey,” “You Gotta Problem,” and “Space Girls”
Overall Score: 4.2/10
Hannah’s Pick: “I Don’t Speak the Language” by Matthew Wilder (The hit in question: “Break My Stride)
Matt’s Take: This might be my most cynical review yet for this publication, so be warned. *HEAVY SIGH* Oh, where to start with Matthew Wilder’s stroke of genius “I Don’t Speak the Language?” Let’s just start with the hit of the album “Break My Stride.” It ain’t bad. It’s a fun little track that definitely acts like an earworm. It gets the job done. I enjoy re-visiting this album whenever it is played on the typical 80’s hits stations on the radio. There, I said something nice about the album, can I leave now? You want more? Really? UGH, fine. UHHH, where do I go from here? OOOH, I know! I have another good thing to say about this album! “World Of The Rich And Famous” ain’t too shabby. Two nice things about the album, surely I should be free to leave now? THREE GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS ALBUM? YOU WANT ME TO GIVE THREE GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS ALBUM? OK OK! The last good thing about this album is that it is mercifully short, just like my review.
Three Standout Tracks: “Break My Stride,” “World Of The Rich And Famous” and that’s it…
Overall Score: 2/10
Hannah’s Take: I’m a huge fan of “Break My Stride.” Love it. An 80’s classic. Lighthearted and fun to dance to. The rest of the album? Intensely, tragically, unfortunately bad. Admittedly, I had never listened to the rest of the album before we decided on this theme. I am very disappointed with how much of a flop the album as a whole is. How could you start with something as electric as “Break My Stride,” and mess it all up? Don’t get me wrong, I know the songwriting process is insanely time-consuming, and not every song will be a hit. Perhaps Mr. Wilder used all of his creative energy in producing that first track and there was none left to spare for the rest of the album. There’s songs I can tolerate from the rest of the record. “I Don’t Speak The Language,” the title track, ain’t that bad! Each song has an undeniable 80’s energy that I love to see, regardless of how cheesy it is. To put it as nicely as I possibly can: it could have been a lot worse. But it really could have been so much better, too. It’s no surprise to me that Matthew Wilder fell off when he attempted to release a second album a year later. He tried! And here at Matt and Hannah on Music, we do award points for effort.
Three Standout Tracks: “Break My Stride,” “I Don’t Speak The Language,” and “I Was There.”
Overall Score: 3/10