Review – Catch as catch can

Kim Wilde prefers to dress in black leather galadisco clothing and produces the image of the dreamy queen of recreation. She is not dum. With “Catch as catch can” the young English woman delivers one of the hottest pop- and disco oriented discs of the autumn and winter 83/84.
“Love Blonde” and “Can You Hear It” were already released as a maxi, but they are not representative of the new album. Kim Wilde has collected ten very different songs on this album, and with all of them she captures the listener. The spectrum is very wide: from rhythm-driven discohops to melodious love ballads, to dream scenes switching from imagination to reality.
But it would be unfair to attach the medals on the breast of Kim Wilde alone. Like previous productions “Catch as catch can” is a family product. Father Marty and brother Ricky were responsible for lyrics and music once more, while Kim delivers the vocals for it all. Despite its variety all songs are characterized by melodic and harmonious wealth of ideas, which is perfected by refined arranging art of Ricky Wilde.
As a keyboard player he knows all the formulas of sound alchemy, but doesn’t ignore the great effects, but he does employ them in the interest of the atmosphere.
With broad synth arrangements and soft beats ‘House of Salome’ comes across as an intergalactic disco, ‘Stay awhile’, the ballad, sways through the Andromeda-or November fog, bass and sequencers lead us through the swiniging ‘Dancing in the dark’. Ricky uses ‘Dream Sequence’ to push the borders of pop with a synth dream, bordering on avantgarde visions. This as a small indication of the varied album. “Catch A Catch Can” presents a convincing Kim Wilde with adult music, which creates de jump from inconsequential complaisance to the highest level.