Search - Kim Wilde :: Gold Collection

Kim Wilde's First Two Albums

RadioNDN | Midwestern USA | 05/23/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This compilation is actually Kim Wilde's first two albums, her self-titled debut and "Select," with the tracks resequenced. The only track missing is the full version of the still haunting track "Cambodia," presumably cut for time constraints, as the instrumental reprise is included instead. The original track listings are as follows:



Kim Wilde



1. Water on glass

2. Our town

3. Everything we know

4. Young heroes

5. Kids in America

6. Chequered love

7. 2 6 5 8 0

8. You'll never be so wrong

9. Falling out

10. Tuning in tuning on



Select



1. Ego

2. Words fell down

3. Action city

4. View from a bridge

5. Just a feeling

6. Chaos at the airport

7. Take me tonight

8. Can you come over

9. Wendy Sadd

10. Cambodia

11. Cambodia (Reprise)



[...]

These albums are the reason a teenage version of me was wild about Kim Wilde. Her first single, "Kids In America," was, of course, the reason I picked up the first album in 1981, but I had to get "Select," released the next year, as an import. As much as I love the first album, "Select" is the better release, as she changed direction from the New Wave pop exemplified by that first single to what would become known as synth pop. The album actually holds up much better than her debut, and I think listeners will be a bit startled at how contemporary most of it sounds, as so many bands are mining this era for their own new releases now. The lyrics are an often strange mixture of bubble gum and genuine darkness, but the juxtaposition definitely keeps things interesting. All in all, this is a pretty excellent buy, as you get her debut album AND her classic second album, the latter currently out of print, for the price of one CD. And that makes good financial sense."