Blue Thunder (MTC aka Multi Toys Corporation)


Blue Thunder
MTC
1983

When the Roy Scheider led Blue Thunder hit theaters in 1983, it quickly became the number one movie at the box office, and would remain in second place during its second and third weeks. The film would all but double its budget of twenty-two million by bringing in forty-two million, which ironically, by today's standards would qualify as a box office flop.

However, twenty million certainly went a much longer way in 1983, and with the film's success, a television series was quickly put into production. The show was headlined by James Farentino, and a relatively unknown Dana Carvey were cast as the pilot and engineer of Blue Thunder. The duo were aided by their ground control crew member played by Bubba Smith, and answered to their chief, played by Sandy McPeak. Additional cast members included Dick Butkus, and Ann Cooper.

Unfortunately, the series didn't pan out to be as popular as the feature film, and the show was cancelled after eleven episodes were completed. It probably was not helped that the series didn't air as the normal fall lineup. Instead, it was among the mid-series replacements, shows which typically aired between December and May, most likely developed as result of another show being cancelled mid-season.

Multi Toy Corporation produced a very small line of toys based on the show, and while the company intended to make more than was was ultimately released, the series cancellation also resulted in the toy line being shelved. However, this was not before MTC produced prototypes for additional figures of the cast, as well as a handful of ground vehicles.

The first piece to actually hit store shelves was the 3 3/4 figure sized Blue Thunder helicopter. Though it looks like it could fit in with your average G.I. Joe figure, I've read comments on other sites from folks who received this toy as a child, and were none to impressed, returning it to the store it was purchased from. The now adults remember the toy being cheaply made, falling apart in their hands, and lacking any seating inside the cockpit for the figure to even sit in.

What's interesting to note is that there are two known versions of the copter to have been produced. The first features a figure decked out in an all blue flight suit. The second version features a character which has an orange vest over the flight suit. Is this meant to represent Farentino and Carvey? I have no clue.

MTC also released a smaller Flying Helicopter which came with a launcher, and boasted the craft could reach upwards of thirty feet in the air. However, this vehicle was not compatible with the figures produced for the larger vehicle above.

The launching mechanism worked much like the traditional launching toy of the era. Put it on the stand, pull the zip cord, and watch it fly...and then crash to the ground.


The larger helicopter is by far more common than the smaller launching version. In fact, I've never seen the latter on any secondary markets. As such, I have no clue what one would set you back, if you found it.

The larger copter, on the other hand, comes and goes relatively often, and can range from one hundred dollars loose (without the figure), and upwards of five to six hundred dollars complete in the box. Despite its lackluster appeal to kids of the 80's, clearly adults of today want this item.

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Retro Spins: Queen - Innuendo



I need to call a time out after last week's Retro Spin. Give myself a moment to regroup before moving on in full swing. As such, please indulge me as I take a free throw with this week's album.

I've said it a hundred times over here at The Toy Box, I love Queen! They're my all time favorite band...Which is why I wish Brian May and Roger Taylor would really stop trying to kill their legacy. One of Freddie Mercury's last wishes was that nobody made him boring in death. I fear with an oversaturation of greatest hits releases, a "new" front man that Queen purists won't pay a dime to see and a plethora of potential live albums which the surviving members refuse to release, they're doing just that.

1991 was both a tragic and amazing year for Queen and their fans. The world lost Freddie Mercury to AIDS, but also got the amazing album, Innuendo. Driven by some of the best tracks since the band's work in the 70's, this final album to have Freddie's fingerprints on it was a masterpiece. Nay, IS a masterpiece.

It features deep and emotional songs which we can hear Freddie saying goodbye to his many fans across the world, while also dishing out peppy and straight up rock and roll songs which say, "I still want to entertain you, darlings."

The band knew this would be their final outing with Freddie, and their collaboration shows. Each member brings their all to the table. Brian May provides a mixture of guitar work from classical, Latin and hard rock, while Roger Taylor and John Deacon work in unison to lay down a mixture of subtle when necessary bass lines, and hard, power packed ones when they're called for.

Each one of its twelve tracks is crucial to the next, so much in a way that I can't personally imagine not hearing it back to back in its entirety each time I play it...And I've played it a lot. Not as much as my brother played Alanis Morissette, but a lot nonetheless. Actually, that may not be true. I may have broken my brother's record. Just not in consecutive days like he did.

Though Queen did go on to release one posthumous album on behalf of Freddie in 1995, to me, Innuendo feels more so like the perfect finale to the band's studio catalog. It takes twenty years of Queen and delivers a wonderfully satisfying conclusion to an era of rock and roll that will probably never be repeated or replicated.

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Retro Spins: George Michael - Faith



Sick of singing bubblegum pop songs, George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley called it quits with Wham in 1986. Michael went on to pursue a lucrative solo career, while Ridgeley opted to step out of the limelight and lead a quite life, something which can be easily done when you report that you've amassed ten million plus dollars since 1982.

Faith, George Michael's first solo album, and the subject of today's Retro Spins, took the world by storm in 1987. Lead by the title track, which peaked at number one in December of 1987, the album would go on to sell more than twenty million copies to date. Additional singles to peak included, I Want Your Sex (peaked at number 2), One More Try (peaked at number 1) and Father Figure (peaked at number 1).

It's worth noting that the version of I Want Your Sex which charted wasn't actually the nine minute Part 1 and 2 album version. Rather, it was the single version used for the film Beverly Hills Cop II soundtrack.

Listening to the album, I guess I could say it's more mature than what Wham was peddling, which don't get me wrong, I liked. However, I still see his first solo attempt as nothing more than a pop record. Nothing more or less than what the likes of Madonna, Michael Jackson and even Prince (to an extent) were delivering in the late 80's.

It seems to unload the best of what it has with the first four songs, which are the above noted chart toppers. Mind you, that's taking One More Try with a very large grain of salt. There were also two additional stand out tracks for me, Monkey, which is probably my favorite from the record and Hard Day. Overall, it was a pretty solid album. I didn't hear anything I didn't like.

Admittedly, I was never really a major George Michael fan, and if I'm being honest, I didn't keep track of him beyond this album in the eighties, or even now. I don't know what else he's done in his career, song wise. I'm not particularly interested in finding out either. Faith is an 80's staple, and I'll take it for what it is.

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Retro Spins: Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill



In the summer of 1995, Saturday and Sunday in my parents house were signified by my brother waking up the house to a blaring Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill. I heard this album so many weekends over the course of the remainder of the year that I wanted to smash it by Christmas.

Even as I type this I can hear that guitar and harmonica intro of All I Really Want.

When the album first dropped, it was actually pretty okay. It was raw, edgy, angry...Everything the opposite of what I said about last week's Arrested Development. However, when you hear the same thirteen songs, sometimes two to three times a day every weekend for twenty-one weeks, it wears thin...Fast.

This Retro Spin is actually the first time I've heard the album since my brother finally retired it - which wasn't for a year or two after getting it. Hopefully enough time has passed that I can find some enjoyment in it...

...I can't. I really honestly can't.

As I start listening to it, I immediately noticed a couple things:

1) The album still grates on my nerves from being overplayed.

2) Alanis Morissette can't sing. She sounds like a yodeling donkey that's been kicked in the head. Her voice cracks and strains left and right throughout each song. It's almost shrill to my ears.

I made it to the one minute thirty second mark of song two before I said, "I just can't. I've had enough." I couldn't take it. I had to shut it off. The songs were coming off as a cross between whining and nagging - Two things I really have no patience for hearing and Morissette's grating voice wasn't helping matters.

It's a shame really. With how many accolades and awards this album has won, I want to feel like there's a solid album in there somewhere. I just can't bring myself to be subjected to finding out. I don't think I ever want to hear Jagged Little Pill ever again. 

I went ahead and let my brother know he'd thoroughly killed this album. He was pleased with himself.

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Retro Spins: Men At Work - Cargo



Men At Work's 1983 album, Cargo, has been on my want list for quite some time. I'd been wanting to hear it since first listening the Men At Work's 1981 album, Business As Usual. Despite this, it took me a really long time to get around to it. Mainly because I wanted an original copy, and not the deluxe or re-released versions which had flooded the market.

After finally getting a chance to hear it, I was admittedly a little bummed out. Out of the ten tracks, only two stood out - Overkill, which is the song I bought the album for, and High Wire, which was a song I never heard before. The rest, while not terrible, simply didn't deliver.

Overall, it was decent for background noise, but honestly served as just that. I dare say I barely paid attention to it.

Well, I guess this one can be short and sweet. This may very well be one of the shortest Retro Spins I've ever written.

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Legends Of Laughter (Nacelle)

 

Legends of Laughter
2023 / 2024
Nacelle

I don't admittedly know much about these six inch figures, nor would it be honest of me to say I have any interest in them. Rather, I came across these online while farting around on the ineter-web, needed a post, and well, here we are.

Nacelle are more known in the toy world as the company who retooled and brought back classic lines such as Sectaurs, Biker Mice From Mars, Madballs, and Barnyard Commandoes. However, they've also dabbled in a few other series, Legends Of Laughter being among those.

The line is relatively small (for now), featuring three real life comedians in plastic form.

Lenny Bruce’s open, free-style and critical form of comedy catapulted him into legendary status as a comedic pioneer that showcased satire, politics, religion, sex, and vulgarity in his act. Lenny’s 1964 conviction in an obscenity trial was followed by a posthumous pardon, the first in New York State history, by then-Governor George Pataki in 2003. He paved the way for future outspoken counterculture-era comedians, and his trial for obscenity is seen as a landmark for freedom of speech in the United States. On February 3, 1961, in the midst of a severe blizzard, he gave a famous performance at Carnegie Hall in New York. It was recorded and later released as a three-disc set, titled The Carnegie Hall Concert.

(source)

Lenny Bruce could be purchased either as just the figure, or directly from Nacelle's website as a bundle which included a vinyl copy of Lenny Bruce Is Out Again.

Joan Rivers is more than just a comedian, she is a force of nature and an unparalleled legend in the entertainment industry. For over 50 years, Joan pioneered her own brand of irreverent, unconventional comedy, leading her to become an internationally recognized celebrity, Emmy-award-winning talk-show host, Grammy-award-winning performer, Tony-award-nominated actress, bestselling author, playwright, screenwriter, film director, columnist, lecturer, radio host, jewelry designer, entrepreneur, and the renowned creator of the modern-day “red carpet,” Joan is also the first woman to break the glass ceiling of male-hosted late-night television.


What's interesting about the Joan River's figure is that Nacelle doesn't have this one listed on their website. Further, she also appears to be the only character to have a variant offered as an exclusive. 

Stand Up! Records teamed up with Nacelle to offer a version which not only came with a pink feather boa, but also an exclusive CD version of The Next To Last Joan Rivers Album.

The packaging of this variant has been redesigned to represent several aspects, from a new box featuring Joan on the red carpet, to having her in front of a late night show curtain backdrop, and a custom repaint to match the colors of her outfit on the cover of her 1969 bundled CD. The edition of this figure was strictly limited to 500 units, but as of this writing, appears to still be available from Stand Up's website.

Bill Hicks is one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century, hands down. He is considered as one of the masters of dark and observational comedy. Much of his comedy acts involved direct attacks on mainstream society, religion, politics and consumerism. He is the sarcastic and satiric voice of society which altered people’s perception of events and made them see things from a different angle. After his death, his body of work gained a significant measure of acclaim in creative circles, and he developed a substantial following. He is brutally honest in terms of describing society. His famous philosophy on life, ‘It’s Just a Ride’, is a perfect reflection of his personality and continues to encourage his fans to live life with conviction, integrity and love.


Bill Hicks could also be purchased either as just the figure, or directly from Nacelle's website as a bundle which included a vinyl copy of Intricate Stories.

Overall, it's a unique line with an extremely niche audience. Personally, I think it's also a mistake. It reminds me of the late 90's / early 2000's, where fly by night toy companies were formed, released incredibly obscure figures, and subsequently went out of business due to the lack of an audience for them. I'm glad Nacelle has a larger pool of brands to pull from, many of which cater to the nostalgic crowd. Otherwise, I fear this line would have ultimately tanked them.

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Retro Spins: Arrested Development - 3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...



When I think back on Arrested Development's 3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of..., I don't actually remember many of the songs from the album. Instead, I remember great times spent with my brother. We would sit in his room playing his Super Nintendo, typically Act Raiser, Contra III: The Alien Wars or Ghouls And Ghosts (among others). So many hours were spent just hanging out.

When I found the album in ol' dollar bin in Timonium, I decided I'd add it to my collection. Not necessarily because it was a CD I wanted, but rather for the memories it brought with it.

As I made my way through the album for this write up, I actually found myself not remembering very many of the fifteen songs from 3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of... In fact, there were only three, Mr. Wendel, U and Tennessee. It was great to find these tracks were still rather enjoyable.

The album felt rather spiritual in a way, and I didn't hate that. It was refreshing to hear hip hop music that didn't have any ill will or nasty undertones behind it. Overall though, it wasn't really for me.

Despite its "clean" tone, the songs really didn't resonate with me beyond the three I noted above. I don't hate on Arrested Development for that. Instead, I'll just chalk it up to it isn't for me. I also have plenty more music to thumb through and listen to, so I'll take the three tracks I got from it and keep digging for something "new".

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Retro Spins: John Fogerty - Centerfield



John Fogerty is no stranger to the rock and roll scene. As front man for Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR),he saw major success from 1968 to 1972, and then once again as a solo act from 1973 through his 2013, and latest album, Wrote A Song For Everyone - Which peaked at number three in the USA.

Unfortunately, John Fogerty is also very familiar with lawsuits. Having signed the rights of all CCR's music to his record label, Fantasy, the multi instrumental and singer / songwriter found himself being sued for his 1985 track, The Old Man Down The Road. Fantasy alleged self plagiarism, stating that the song was identical to the 1970 CCR song, Run Through The Jungle. While the two songs certainly have their similarities, Fogerty was able to win the lawsuit by playing both tracks live in front of a judge. However, it would take escalating the case to the supreme court before Fogerty would be awarded all compensation for his legal fees in 1994.

I wanted to hear this album which caused so much controversy for the man behind it, so today I'm listening to Centerfield by John Fogerty.

The record certainly has a bluegrass / country roots style sound to it. Something definitely reminiscent of his 60's and 70's work with Creedence Clearwater Revival. It's an okay sound, but one you definitely have to be ready to listen to when comparing it to other albums of the 80's.

There were only three standout tracks from it, and coincidentally they're also the only songs which charted - The Old Man Down The Road (peaked at number 10), Centerfield (peaked at number 44) and Rock And Roll Girls (peaked at number 20). As for the remaining six songs on the album, they just don't do it for me. They're quickly and easily forgettable. I suppose since I was never really a big CCR fan either, this is no surprise that I would take this stance.

Am I a fan of John Fogerty? No, not at all. Does he have some good music which I can listen to? Absolutely. Will I seek out more music from him? Probably not any solo work, but there are still some CCR albums on my list to get around to at some point.

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Spider-Man Comics Reorganized


Sometimes it's not about collecting, but rather upgrading the way your collection is stored or displayed. I'm so happy to have transferred all my Spider-Man comics to Mylar bags, and upgraded from those cardboard short boxes to these more durable BCW comic bins.


Just seeing them all lined up makes you want to come in for a closer look. They present themselves like something special, and they are!


It took four boxes to house my collection of The Amazing Spider-Man. Though I only own thirty issues between one and 74 of the run, I have a consecutive run from issues 75 through 441 (which is the last issue, as far as I'm concerned). Though I'm still able to afford an issue here and there in the lower numbers, it's getting to the point that they're out of my price range. I never expected to ever own a complete run, that's simply not feasible. Thank goodness for reprints and Masterworks collections.

Two more bins house my Marvel Team-Up books. This collection is complete from 1 through 150, and Annuals, as well as the short lived volume two, and three.

As I made each box, it was important to me to capture an image of Spider-Man from that era, more specifically, the artist most notable for the run. I also made sure to utilize all those transitioning title logos from the passing decades. This helps make each box unique from the outside, and overall more interesting. I'm half tempted to start finding me some Spider-Man stickers to plaster around the boxes, but I don't know. I'm torn between wanting to go over the top or keeping it classy (like they are now).


I'm weird when it comes to The Spectacular Spider-Man series. I keep Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man, with its Annuals, separate from when the series shortened the title to just The Spectacular Spider-Man. Though the numbers continue from each other, they just feel like two different series.

While I could fit the entire run of Web of Spider-Man in one box, I had to move the Annuals for this series, as well as The Spectacular Spider-Man to their own shared box. It was just too tight to fit them in behind their respective series, but it did help with having a nice symmetrical two layer row of bins. It also gave me the opportunity to use that classic Web of Spider-Man logo which came about midway through the series.

I have a box strictly for my McFarlane Spider-Man issue 1's, and I intend to fill it (it's almost there). The remainder of the series, including when the title changed to Peter Parker, Spider-Man, fit in a separate box, along with the few Annuals.

The last four boxes are reserved for my miscellaneous Spider-Man titles, which consists of micro series, mini-series, and one-shots. My favorite is probably the complete run of Spider-Man 2099, which are all signed by artist / creator, Rick Leonardi, from the first to the very last issue, along with all variant covers, and the single Annual.

At this point in my collector's journey, I've really switched from obtaining more to focusing instead on the best way to store, display, and preserve what I have. This is where I get my joy from the things I've amassed over the years. I spent the time obtaining. Now it's time to enjoy. This upgrade makes me happy.

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What's All The Hub Bub With Palworld?

 

Forced into mandatory use or lose time, I found myself with a week to do nothing. With Awesome Con 2024 quickly approaching, I wasn't necessarily interested in spending money, but definitely didn't want to sit around staring at the walls for the next five days. I opted for a happy medium which saw me spending a little money, for something that would hopefully keep me occupied for hours, days, the whole week, if you will. That was, Palworld.

My introduction to the game came via the YouTuber, Let's Game It Out. I've been a fan of his content for a while, but found that the majority of the games he reviewed were limited to Steam, which I don't have or use. So, when I saw Palworld was available on Xbox, things just kind of aligned between that and my vacation time.

The game starts off with you washed up on an island, but quickly prompts you to start gathering supplies, and start building the basics. This included a work station, a Pal box, then simple tools, and from there, it just keeps building. Food, shelter, materials, all of this comes into play as you progress, while also hindering progression should you not have the materials to begin with.

Work or die!

Throughout this process, the game also prompts you to start capturing Pals to work on said tasks of building and gathering. While the game's promotional videos and photos feature multiple variations of these characters battling it out with guns, the truth of the matter is that the majority of their, and your, time, will be spent material farming.

With everything being tied to skill stats and levels, you naturally start out with slow Pals, and eventually branch out across the excessively large map to find bigger and better indentured servants to work in your base. Your time will literally be spent going in circles.

Farm materials - Build weapons and spheres - Find better Pals - Capture - Return to base - Switch out Pals - Repeat

Working for materials to craft items, to catch Pals, with minimal reward, and ultimately no grand prize.

It didn't help that everything is tied to a timer. I hate games like that. Just let me play. If I have the materials, then it should be instant. Making me wait thirty seconds to a minute (or more) while I hold down the "X" button to craft something is tedious and boring, and that aspect is probably the worst thing about the game. Sure, I can assign a Pal to do the crafting, but I still sit and wait behind a timer, and this speeds up ever so slightly if I join in, which again has me sitting there holding the "X" button.

Regardless of this, I pressed on.

Eventually, I leveled up, and had materials flowing from  branching out to additional bases, and putting more Pals to work, or slaughtering them to harvest for food if they opted to resist being captured. I then decided it was time to go exploring.

To assist with this, I opted to first hunt down Jetragon, AKA, a flying creature with the highest speed in the game. This would aid in not only having a powerful ally to battle along side with, but one which would also make mapping everything out, collecting Lifmunk Effigies, while also tracking down all fast travel points.

While this certainly made the second and third items easier, I was way wrong on the help it would provide in battle. When not seeming lost in the background, my Pal would either circle in front of my  target, blocking me from attacking, or simply staying glued to its hip. All scenarios resulted in the same thing - No help. Fortunately, I too had the option of crafting guns, and this is what ultimately aided me the most.

Let's get it on!

After mapping out things, I opted to return to my base to try my hand at breeding Pals. This is a big facet of the game, as the whole point is to essentially create legendary versions of the animals, with four legendary stats. I opted to start with a Vixy, as its abilities seemed would ultimately be the most helpful around the base. Hours, and well over a hundred cakes later, I was able to churn out two female legendary versions (though I wanted one male and one female), and over a hundred duds. That was okay though. I simply took those duds and blended them in my condenser to boost the stat levels of my God tier versions. There was only one problem.

By this point my bases were already efficient. Everything was built, materials were flowing in at an acceptable rate, and all roles were being fulfilled. I didn't really see the point, or need, for a God tier Pal that's sole function would be to do what was already being done, but faster. As such, breeding too ran its course.

Returning to the map, I decided to go for broke and hunt down every boss Pal, and complete all the boss towers. Using my deliciously speedy Pal in conjunction with all the convenient fast travel points I unlocked while mapping things out, I sped from location to location capturing where I could, and shooting in the face where things resisted. Death or servitude, that was their only options. Even with legendary spheres, many opted for death.

Wiping all the bosses out took far less time then I expected, and this put me in an odd spot. One where I simply didn't know what to do at that point. I could return to my base and continue to farm for materials I didn't necessarily need to capture Pals I didn't necessarily want, and continue to breed unnecessary God tier Pals, thus keeping the circle going. However, this seemed pointless. The thought of doing this was the literal definition of wasting time. Doing a whole lot of nothing to accomplish nothing.

They all look as bored with this game as I am!

Having more materials, and all the legendary Pals, ultimately accomplishes nothing in this game that I hadn't already accomplished with common ones. There was literally nothing left to do except to exist in a virtual world, farming digital items which at the end of the day only serve to make more items I don't need.

In fact, by the time I reached this point, I hadn't even crafted the top tier armor sets, or their legendary versions. These items simply weren't necessary. I never felt like I needed a rocket launcher or a legendary assault rifle to handle business with bosses.

Speaking of bosses, even if I wanted to go back and farm them for said legendary plans, or to capture them, I would once again find myself bound to a timer, a cool down process if you will, waiting for the game to graciously let me play it. Between timers and everything being a random drop, it just ultimately feels like it would be a waste of time, and that's basically what Palworld feels like - A waste of time.

Regardless of how much time you put into it, you are essentially just wasting time. Even when you've done what there is to do, you have still done nothing because the game expects you to continue this madness ad nauseam for eternity. There is no final boss. No role the credits moment. No real sense of accomplishment. I still don't even know where my character came from, or where this island with all these strange creatures came from. This place just exists for the sole purpose of going around and around in a circle. I have no interest in wasting that much time to get all legendary items and Pals, which at the end of the day serve no purpose both in game and real life.

Yes, Palworld kept me occupied for the week I was off. But did I accomplish anything worth while? Reach any major milestone? Absolutely not. I simply wasted a week of my life which I will never get back.

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Retro Spins: Aqua - Aquarium



You know what? I like Aqua, and I'm not ashamed to admit that one bit. Their sound is bubble gummy and fun. It's got a great dance beat, and doesn't take itself too serious. Their album Aquarium was a refreshing surprise in the midst of the 1990's.

I was introduced to the Danish-Norwegian band when a friend of mine brought the CD along for one of the many car rides we took to nowhere in particular. Several trips and plays later, and I was hooked. When I got my own copy, I played it back to back repeatedly. Three very long years later, Aqua finally released a follow up album, Aquarius and while I didn't necessarily like it as much as Aquarium, it was a decent record. It would be eleven more years before the band's third, and what appears to be final album came out.

For as much as I enjoyed everything Aqua back in the day, it's probably been about ten years since I've heard their music. Today's Retro Spin felt like a good opportunity to reunite with the band and have a play.

Everything stands up to what I remember. Out of the eleven tracks, the same three, which were my least favorites, remain as such. Those are, Good Morning Sunshine, Be A Man and Turn Back Time. Mind you, these aren't bad tracks, they're just not as good as the remaining ones, which are far more up tempo and peppy.

My all time favorites from the album remain Happy Boys And Girls, Dr. Jones, Lollipop (Candyman), Roses Are Red and Calling You. Meanwhile, My Oh My, Barbie Girl and Heat Of The Night round out the album to a very near perfection.

Playing this album after so many years was a treat in multiple ways. The music is still really fun to listen to, and it also took me back in my mind to days long forgotten with friends from the past  I don't unfortunately see anymore these days.

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Retro Spins: Katrina And The Waves - Katrina And The Waves



The history of Katrina And The Waves is kind of interesting. They seem to have had a few false starts before finally landing with their most successful song, Walking On Sunshine. To trace the band's roots, you would first need to look to their 1982 album, Shock Horrors, which was released under the name, The Waves. From there, they followed up with the 1983 album, Walking On Sunshine. While this record did indeed include the title track, it was shorter. Try as I might, I could not find this song on any of the typical sites, Youtube, Vemo, etc. to hear it.

Though it was technically their third album, in 1984, the band released Katrina And The Waves 2. However, it would be their 1985 self titled album, which would finally give the band success. Being the first release on a major label, the album featured a lot remixed and overdubbed songs from their prior records. The most notable being the re-recordered Walking On Sunshine, which would go on to peak at number eight.

With that said, it also wasn't their first song to show up on the charts. That honor goes to Que Te Queiro, which peaked at number eighty-four in 1984, and was the original version from their 1983 album, Walking On Sunshine. Additionally, they had a second single from their 1985 self titled album, Do You Want Crying. Unfortunately, this would only peak at ninety-six. From there, the band continued to have minor chart success in 1986 and 1989. 1997 would feature their most successful chart success to date with, Love Shine A Light, peaking at number three. 

Whew, that's quite a bit to keep up with. Especially for a band that is relatively only remembered for one song, and not one that's really considered all that good. It's more so a campy anthem for how excessive and fun driven the eighties were.

But, what about the album as a whole? Where does it stand? Well, it's not bad. It's peppy. You can definitely feel happy listening to this one. Meaning, there's only one melancholy and depressing track, and it feels out of place with all the others. Other than that, the remaining tracks are upbeat and seem to promote toe tapping. I can definitely see why people were interested in hearing more from them after this release. It's not bad.

Now, with that said, I don't see myself throwing Katrina And The Waves into my normal rotation. Truth be told, I'm not a major fan of Walking On Sunshine and only picked up the album when I did because it was in a quarter bin.

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