Reason #5 The 80’s Are Back In 2008: Cyndi Lauper

By Jeremy Blacklow

--

One of my best New York memories is attending Cyndi Lauper’s 50th birthday party aboard a pirate ship docked at South Street Seaport in 2004. There were pirates and drag queens and music industry folk and all sorts of ferosh-esness happening everywhere. Sorry Prince, Madonna and Michael — Cyndi beat you to “50 and Fabulous” by four years!

In sign number five of “the 80’s are back” this season (note: mostly all incredible new albums this spring by R.E.M., Madonna, the B-52’s, Journey, etc.), Cyndi Lauper has released her most amazing album of all new material since “Hat Full Of Stars” in 1993. Not that her projects since then haven’t also been spectacular – I’m just saying, she hasn’t had a “full album of new material” (note: not covers…. Not a 5-song EP) like this in quite a while. And surprisingly, it’s not some without-a-label/underground-you-can-only-download-it-on-her-Web-site album. It’s like, a major release from Epic Records.

And it’s very very VERY good.

“Bring Ya to the Brink” is the album.
“Same Ol’ Story” is the first single.

But the real standout is the second single, “Into The Nightlife” – which I am hoping catches on with mainstream radio – that would make me very happy.
Download it … now. You won’t regret it.

Also, check out “Echo” – a stellar track that haunts the eardrums well after a first listen.

Cyndi’s on tour now for her second annual “True Colors” tour – along with various other artists including The B-52’s, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, the Indigo Girls, Joan Armatrading, Regina Spektor, Andy Bell, Tegan and Sara, Deborah Cox and The Cliks.

I went to the first concert last year and had a blast. This year’s lineup is even better.

The adage holds true — some things simply get better with age… and more experience.

• PRINT