UK release date: June 13th 1988
UK chart peak: #8
Buy Close here (Amazon GB)
Back in 1988, when I was but a wee slip of a lad, I spent most of the year obsessed with Kylie Minogue, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Belinda Carlisle, Bananarama & Kim Wilde. 25 years later, I continue to follow their various musical careers, wherever those paths may take them. The lovely Kim Wilde has recorded a number of amazing albums over the years - in fact, her recent output shows she is on a creative streak (Here Come The Aliens is utterly phenomenal), yet my favourite still remains her 1988 opus Close. About five years ago, the legendary and enduring singer released a dazzling deluxe anniversary edition of this album, jam-packed with not only the original album (obvs), but also single versions of the songs, video edits, extended cuts and sparkling remixes long since lost to all but the most ardent of fans. It's the perfect opportunity to experience the magic of this classic gem all over again - or investigate it for the first time (particularly if you are a more recent fan, seduced by her glorious festive themed album). At the time, Kim was the rare British songbird that wasn't part of the S/A/W steamroller, yet she managed to represent that popular pop sound in her own indelible way (without losing any of her personality in the process). It was a perfectly executed balancing act that yielded the album 5 well deserved top 40 hits (3 that went top ten) including...
- Hey Mr Heartache ~ Kim's first single from Close was a stomping funk-dance-pop stormer that deserved much higher than it's #31 chart placing. It was quite avant garde for it's day and was the perfect vehicle for Kim's effusive and distinctive vocal style. (Note - do check out the album version to get the full effect of guest vocalist, Junior Giscombe. He's not as prolific on the single version)!
- You Came ~ a triumph in how to create a pop masterpiece with a song that is just as invigorating & refreshing today as it was 25 years ago. Kim sounds positively euphoric here and that giddy gleefulness carries across to the listener. Hint! The Shep Pettibone remix is a bloody marvel of modern times :) The song quite rightly hit the top 3 and propelled it's parent album to new sales/chart heights. Well done that song!
- Never Trust A Stranger ~ this may well be one of the most perfect pop records ever made. Along with Belinda's Heaven Is A Place On Earth and Bananarama's I Want You Back, it perfectly encapsulates the sound of 1988 & still gives me a frisson of excitement every time I hear it today. After the gloriously romantic You Came, this saw Kim tackle the sadder side of relationships yet managing to sound electrifying & buoyant throughout.
- Four Letter Word ~ A delicate ballad that sounded all the more powerful because of it's fragility. For years this was my go-to ballad to play on the piano for family & friends (later joined by Debbie Gibson's Lost In Your Eyes, Cathy Dennis' Too Many Walls & Beverley Craven's Promise Me). Kim's beautifully nuanced vocals are seeped in emotion and elevate the songs lyrics.If memory serves me correctly it was the first time Kim released a ballad as a single & she chose an absolute charmer.
- Love In The Natural Way ~ a steamy, sizzling mid tempo pop single became the 5th track to be released from the album. It certainly had me shimmying along to it's seductive grooves, but in my heart I wanted her faithful, elegant cover of Todd Lundgren's Lucky Guy to follow up Four Letter Word. Still, it's memorable chorus still pops into my brain at random points in my life & the extended version is elongated bliss...
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