Kim Wilde: feather-edged pop-erotics

What erotics and liveliness the music of an artist who has found private and professional happiness can radiate, can be heard on the new Kim Wilde album “Love Moves”, the follow-up to the multimillionseller “Close”. The ten new popsongs from the beautiful blonde Englishwoman all revolve around one central theme: the matters of the heart. The reason is not least of all Calvin Hayes, the new man in Kim’s life.

When Kim Wilde came along in showbusiness with ‘Kids in America’ as a very young pop calf nine years ago, she had an aura of fresh and innocent maiden-sex, unripe but promising.
What followed after the debut, was an impressive series of international hits: ‘Chequered love’, ‘Water on glass’, ‘Cambodia’ and ‘View from a bridge’ became regular ingredients in the soundtrack to the eighties.
Her videos, in which her blonde attractiveness was put to screen, also contributed to her popularity, but the most important thing was something else: the natural musicality of the singer, coming from a real musical family. Her father Marty Wilde was one of England’s first and best rock ‘n’ roll stars, a big name in the British popmusic of the late fifties and early sixties. Her older brother Ricky is one of the most wanted British studio professionals. Kim about the musical upbringing: “Dad was every encouraging. In our house you could always hear the Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell and Kraftwerk. I have gotten good popmusic basically with a spoon in my mouth.

In de middle of the eighties Kim had a short hitpause, and seemed to have personal problems as well. When no-one seemed to be prepared for it, Kim Wilde had her biggest hit to date with the Supremes-cover “You Keep Me Hangin’ On”, storming the charts in America, Canada and Australia, where she ended up being number one. What followed was the acclaimed album “Close” and her performances durnig Michael Jackson’s European tour in 1988.
Now Kim Wilde belongs to the top region of international popstars. Privately she has also found happiness – of course with a musician: Calvin Hayes from the band Johnny Hates Jazz.
The new album “Love Moves” mirrors her recent feelings. She radiates happiness and shows that she is an erotically bloomed woman, summarized in the single “It’s Here”. Together with her, her music has ripened as well: first class songs with tasteful ingredients, like the jazzy piano section in the swooning “Storm in our hearts”, or the furious guitar solo in “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love”, confirm it.