Hey, who remembers The Flirts? Hello? Anyone? No surprise.
Before he penned West End Girls for Pet Shop Boys, Bobby Orlando was the mastermind behind Hi-NRG, new wave group, The Flirts. Between 1982 and 1992, they released six albums, featuring Orlando himself with a rotating female lineup consisting of Andrea Del Conte, Rebecca Sullivan, Holly Kerr, Linda Jo Rizzo, Pamela Moore, Christy Angelica, Debby Gaynor, Tricia Wygal, Geri, and Jodie Rocco.
Orlando would often call in female session musicians to record the tracks, but then hire others to be the faces performing, often with backgrounds as dancers. Basically, talent in the studio, looks on the stage. You know, Milli Vanilli.
Though they didn't have many, there were some hits which came from the efforts. However, despite being a US group, most of their success would be found overseas in European countries. In fact, their final 1992 album, Take A Chance On Me, would only be released in Switzerland.
Their debut, 10¢ A Dance, was released in 1982, and music videos for Jukebox (Don't Put Another Dime), and Passion would become mainstays on the channel's during MTV's infant years. The two songs would also hit the Billboard Dance Charts, peaking at twenty-eight, and twenty-one, respectively. Additionally, the single, Calling All Boys would chart, and also peak at number twenty-one.
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The album is fun, in that cheesy 80's new wave type of way. It almost has a B-52's vibe, wherein the music feels like it's intended to be a long party that everyone's invited to. During its thirty-minute runtime, the tempo never slows down.
The Flirts take a stab at the Dusty Springfield hit, I Only Want To Be With You. It's a serviceable cover, maybe not as good as the Samantha Fox rendition, but still okay.
Passion is a pretty decent track, but I find that I have to like Jukebox, (Don't Put Another Dime). It's the first song I ever heard from the group. Mind you, that wasn't until recently when I randomly came across it on Youtube. In fact, I wouldn't even own their entire 80's discography if not for that chance listening session and finding a seller on ebay who just so happened to have them all for around ten dollars each. Everything just clicked into place on this one.
Again, it's a fun album. It's not Michael Jackson's Thriller by any means, and there's probably nothing on here that I'll find myself saying, "let's hear that again." If nothing else, it's just cool to have found something obscure, that at the same time was enjoyable to hear. Will that hold up for four more albums? I don't know, but I'll find out.
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