The Go-Go's

When the 1970s punk scene was washed away by the undertow of '80s new wave, few bands surfed the transition as well as the Go-Go's. These Valley grrrls dressed up their punk heritage with a sense of glamour so that their music was at once ballsy and fanciful. The peppery singles "We Got the Beat" and "Our Lips Are Sealed" were their debut's chart climbers and glossiest tracks. The rest of the album has a tougher crust. For example, the jittery "Can't Stop the World" would make the Ramones proud. And take a look at the lyrical content of "This Town": "Change the lines that were said before / We're all dreamers--we're all whores / Discarded stars / Like worn out cars / Litter the streets of this town." Hole's single "Celebrity Skin" is a '90s rendition of the same theme: "When I wake up with my makeup / Have you ever felt so used up as this? / It's all so sugarless / Hooker / Waitress / Mo ...

1981-07 - A&M