Drama

The subject of a million mid-30s men’s old teenage fantasies returns with Drama

Anyone who grew up in the 1980s is bound to hold a special place in their heart for Bananarama. This trio was so different to the norm that it was bound to one day become one of the music world’s biggest phenomenons. In an age of unattainable icons such as Madonna, three pretty but ordinary girls with no discernable skill for singing or dancing became the biggest selling girl group since Diana Ross And The Supremes. From their early days working with Terry Hall through to their heyday with Stock/Aitken/Waterman, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward, and Sarah Dallin chalked up a string of Top 10 hits. Their first US number one came in 1986 with their remake of Venus, while other hits like I Heard A Rumour and Love In The First Degree – their biggest UK hit yet – followed. Even the departure of Fahey to form Shakespear's Sister and marry Dave Stewart of Eurythmics-fame couldn't stop them, and new member Jacqui O'Sullivan carried on where Siobhan had left off. When interest in the girls waned during the 90s, everyone presumed they'd retired to lives of matrimonial bliss and motherhood. Yet Dallin and Woodward have carried on working as a duo, and now in this age of 80s bands attempting a comeback, the subject of a million mid-30s men’s old teenage fantasies return with Drama, an album that’s hard to dislike.

Bananarama is still a force to be reckoned with

Packed with pop fuelled tales of lust, madness, passion filled dancefloors and disco insanity, Drama is a luscious mix of electro beats, happy house, boogie nights and even the occasional ballad. Recent single Look On The Floor (Hypnotic Tango) is a brilliant slice of shimmering electro-disco. Likewise, Feel For You and Your Love Is Like A Drug both sound exactly as Bananarama should in the third millennium: 25% handbag, 25% gay and 50% stonking great chorus. Move In My Direction is a completely up-to-date track that manages to still sound 100% Bananarama. Waterfall is slow and dreamy with sugary vocals reminiscent of Goldfrapp. There’s also the sensitive and summery Middle Of Nowhere with its bossa nova-beat and gentle percussion. The rest of Drama is pure party time. Lovebite and electro-disco Don't Step On My Groove are future dancefloor hits and prove that, when it comes to unashamed feel-good pop, Bananarama is still a force to be reckoned with. Highlights for fans wanting to get stuck back into the old material will doubtless be the Solasso Mix of Really Saying Something (a Top 10 UK hit in the summer of 2005) and the Marc Almond Hi NRG Showgirl's Remix of their 1986 hit, the Stock Aitken & Waterman-produced Venus.

After almost 25 years, Bananarama are still around and doing what they love

Inspired by today’s artists, their music is much more modern and dance-orientated with a healthy shot of electronica for good measure. By employing Brian Higgins of Xenomania, Bananarama have grabbed the team responsible for some truly great pop music as sung by Girls Aloud and Rachel Stevens. It's all foot-tappingly good stuff but eerily reminiscent of the many later groups influenced by the band. Their shades inevitably creep in but it would be churlish to dwell on this rather than praise what is a perfectly good pop record. Also don't let the fact that Bananarama are now a duo put you off. Leggy blonde and sultry brunette Bananarama babes finally kiss Siobahn goodbye by heading straight back onto the dancefloor. Drama is both curiously in synch with Madonna's retro Confessions On A Dance Floor and strangely in tune with what's lubricating the clubbing glands right now. After almost 25 years, Bananarama are still around and doing what they love – making music that is totally pop and totally modern and yet manages to be instantly recognizable as 100% Bananarama.