Shecky’s

It’s one of those songs you hear everywhere: in the waiting room at the dentist’s office, during half-time at a basketball game, in shopping malls and afternoon traffic jams, in the movies and in television shows. It’s a song  that you’ve probably never paused long enough to think too deeply about. That’s the thing about one-hit wonders. They blend seamlessly into our lives and into the fibers of pop culture so much so, that after a while, we hardly notice them at all.

When Katrina and the Waves released its hit song “Walking on Sunshine” 25 years ago, the garage rock band was far from well-known. Working hard to get noticed in British pubs and venues, “Walking on Sunshine” became a hit when the band sent out a self-financed LP to numerous labels around the globe. Only one record label, Attic, responded enthusiastically and the Cambridge-based band found themselves with a Canadian record label and a song that quickly rose to number three on Canadian charts and number nine in America.

In the time since, this upbeat tune has become an integral part of American pop culture. What a lot of people may not know, however, is that this all-time hit out-shined a lot of the band’s other great (if not better) jingles.

To commemorate the 25^th anniversary of “Walking on Sunshine,” the band’s record label is re-releasing four of the quartet’s albums: Shock Horror!, Katrina and the Waves, Katrina and the Waves 2, and The Bible of Bop from guitarist and songwriter Kimberly Rew, which features songs from the Waves, the dB’s and the Soft Boys.

This re-release is good and bad in a few ways. For the band, I suppose, it’s a great opportunity for reacquainting themselves to the public with songs from over two decades ago. But that’s the thing: This music is over 20 years old and it sounds that way—not necessarily in the retro-chic Aviator-wearin’ way, but more in the old dude with the too-tight Journey tee kind of way. The exception to the rule is Rew’s solo album, The Bible of Bop. Songs like “Fighting Someone’s War,” “Stomping All Over the World” and “Hey War Pig” can stand up against any White Stripes or Kings of Leon rock ballad.

Albums Shock Horror! and Katrina and the Waves have their fair share of great tunes, including “Walking on Sunshine” and a Scissor Sister-esque “I Really Taught Me to Watusi” on the latter, but neither one can quite compare to The Bible of Bop. The fourth re-release, Katrina and the Waves 2 is slow and un-inspired, lacking the luster found on the other three albums. Pluck any of the 10 songs from this CD and you’ll have the title track of any sappy B-list, bad-haired romantic comedy from 1987.

CD ratings:

The Bible of Bop ****1/2

Katrina and the Waves ***1/2

Shock Horror! ***

Katrina and the Waves 2 **

-Kelly Skinner of Venus Zine

Venus Zine is the go-to guide for smart women’s daily life. The quarterly publication and website showcases cultural trends and promotes creative personal expression in Music, Fashion, Beauty, Entertainment, DIY and Home.

GIRL TALK TIME: What do you think of old bands coming back? Is it a good thing or a bad thing? Which band comeback do you love? What does the song “Walking on Sunshine” remind you of/mean to you?