Beauty And The Beat

Well, this one took my by surprise. Everyone knows The Go-Go's big hit "We Got The Beat" of course. That's where my knowledge of them ended until today. This is considered a cornerstone Nu Wave band but damn if it doesn't sound like a poppy punk album to me. A freaking great one at that. I found myself absolutely cranking this one and loving it. No negatives. Haters be damned, this album is fire. Loved it.

This album is yet another example of why the 1001 journey is great. Because the album is great…and I never would have listened to it otherwise. The consistency of the tracks is remarkable. They are high energy, and there isn’t a bad one, nor even a mediocre on IMHO, in the whole lot. I wouldn’t say any individual track is amazing on its own, but 11 very, very good tracks on a row is elite. Belinda Carlisle’s, who I hadn’t known started out in The Go-Gos, vocals are wonderful as are the harmonies with the backup vocalists. The instrumentalists each stand out at various moments throughout the album. However, the bass guitar deserves the most recognition to me. It and the drums are the driving force behind this boot-sole-to-the-chest pop album. I can’t believe this is the first, and still only, all-female band debut album that topped the Billboard where the band wrote all the songs and played all the instruments. There are a couple qualifying categories there, but this fact is still insane to me. That alone has to make this one of the most important female albums of all time. 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

Mano eu fui ouvir esse álbum louco pra cagar. Tive que ir no banco sentindo umas pontadas no cu. Fui no banco não consegui resolver nada tive que voltara pé pra casa sentindo as pontadas no cu. 1 hora andando sem poder fumar pra não cagar. Eu fumei. Foi horrível. Não deu pra apreciar.

The songs kind of sound like they’d be used in some Jimmy Neutron montage

A classic. Not just an 80's classic, not just a new wave classic. A classic. I could bump this all day

“Beauty and the Beat” by The Go-Go’s (1981) Not familiar with this album. I’ve heard of this group. This album is pop. Musically, very simple, reminds me of The Archies and every other commercial pop group of the late 1960s. Instrumentals are plain. Lead and backing vocals lack talent. Poor diction and pitch control. No power. No vibrato. Songs seem to be written specifically for singers with limited range. Good engineering and mixing. Well-produced. Actually these are the talents on display in this album. “Lust to Love” had the potential for a powerful, driving rock song, but the vocals and instrumentals weren’t up to it. Almost every song ends with a too definite slam on the tonic. I wanted to say “cha cha cha” after each one. Lyrics are sappy. Even when they strain to sound profound, the “pony” and the “watusi” are so desperately retro. Cringe. I can only think of one reason why any record label would have wanted to sign them. 1/5

Aw New Wave. You make my heart go Oingo Boingo.

Super fun and Joyous.

Very refreshing! A upbeat, feel good rock-pop album with many catchy songs. Individual songs could be a bit longer

Omg how did I not know these people? I knew half the songs already, classics!

This was a fun album! After listening to this, I can now hear the fingerprints of The Go Go's on many more modern bands, including one of my favorites, Harvey Danger. I assume this album made the list because it was one of the first albums with this sound, which, with a 1981 release date, would make sense to me based on my limited musical knowledge Also, great album title. My personal enjoyment: 3/5 Did it belong on this list: 4/5

Pretty standard stuff, couple of good hits, not much else.

Radio tracks are solid! They have aged quite well. The deeper tracks are not as robust.

A few songs I recognized and new ones I'd listen to again. All around just sounding nice and happy.

Great pop rock album from beginning to end!

Classic 80s vibes!

I'd never heard of this band before, but this was excellent.

Big love for The Beauty And The Beat! The gorgeous and bad ass 80s new wave rockers stole my heart in high school and still give me a rise when I hear their music. Fun album!

Un album qui a particulièrement plu à mon compère roblumière, lui étant je le rapelle président du fan club des groupes de pétasses. 4 mois après les New York Dolls, c'était donc au tour des Go-Go danseuses de faire chavirer le coeur de notre ami, qui s'empressa de se munir de son vernis à ongle pour lancer cet album. Je dois bien lui reconnaitre que cette fois, cet album était excellent.

New wave goodness. Wild that this was recorded nearly 40 years ago.

Best Song: How Much More. I'm a huge fan of upbeat songs with bleak or melancholy lyrics, and this fits that theme perfectly. The use of repetition really amplifies the song here. Worst Song: We've Got The Beat. Despite being clearly the most popular song here, it really just comes off as overly bubblegum in a way that quickly becomes annoying. Overall: There are brief moments here where the music transcends the sterile, saccharine 80s trappings, but ultimately it ends up descending into that sugar pile. An album that is okay to listen to once, but you need to brush your teeth immediately after.

It is certainly better than the hit singles would suggest, but it is still a bit monochromatic in that way 80s op albums often were.

Meh, all pretty samey.

Recognizable bubble-gum sound. Good for them, not interesting for me.

A crisp packet floating like gossamer in a gentle Spring breeze, but filmed with a faded neon filter and replayed at x3 speed. Yum.

An album so great, they never even tried to top it. "Beauty and the Beat" sounds like 1981, yet somehow timeless at the same time. "Our Lips Are Sealed" is a classic opener, letting all 5 members shine and setting you up for everything. And the rest of the album is full of absolute bangers. I'm surprised this didn't have at least 4 more monster singles. The Go-Go's would throw out a few more albums, even have some more hit singles, but their long overdue Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame election is because of this album. Truth be told, there's an argument suggesting Belinda Carlisle had a more successful career than the Go-Go's. I don't necessarily agree with that; Carlisle had more hit singles (including a number 1 in "Heave On Earth"), but I couldn't come up with a title of one of her solo albums to save my life. But this album is still as close to a perfect blend of new-wave meets power-pop as you'll ever hear.

The Go-Go's are one of the original all girl pop punk bands. What a joy to listen to this album in full. I was already across their two main hits in Our Lips Are Sealed and We Got the Beat, but the whole album was full of great songs that really makes you feel like you're a part of their girls club, in the best possible way. Best: Our Lips Are Sealed; We Got the Beat Worst: Skidmarks On My Heart

A great album or the right album at the right time, that is the question. Nonetheless, the only album written and performed by an all female group to go to number one. Holds up well as tightly written, imminently catchy, well produced pop songs. While it frequently gets categorized as new wave (and often referred to as a cornerstone of the genre), it is more good old fashioned power pop. That is probably responsible for its enduring appeal.

I was really looking forward to hearing “Cruel Summer” when I put this on, because let’s face it, it’s been a cruel summer so far with the wildfire smoke pollution back at it again here in the Northeast. I soon realized that “Cruel Summer” is by Banarama, however. Maybe I got them confused because of the Go-Go’s song “Vacation”. Whatever the reason, Beauty and the Beat is pretty great record, an unexpected surprise - less poppy and with more of a punk-ish edge than I figured. But it was on the I.R.S label, so I guess that tracks. The guitar is great, the vocals are great, the songs are great. Nothing to complain about here, really solid record.

First thing I see on this album is the logo for the IRS label; you know, the group that introduced the world to R.E.M., Oingo Boingo, and . . . Fine Young Cannibals. Knowing a few Go-Go's songs, IRS seems to enjoy an eclectic roster of artists. Let's dig in . . . The light-punk-pop sound and surf-jangly guitars of "How Much More" reminds me of The Kids In The Hall theme song. The vocal harmonies gives me the impression that this is the natural progression of the Ronettes and the Supremes. This is the girl power of the day. "Lust To Love" is reminiscent of the early years of The Cure's no-distortian punk while "This Town" continues in the shagadelic post-disco stylings of the B-52's. "We Got The Beat" has a Toni Basil "Hey Mickey" cheering and breakdown I haven't noticed before. "Can't Stop The World" starts off feeling like lablemates R.E.M.'s "Radio Free Europe." The upbeat "You Can't Walk In Your Sleep (If You Can't Sleep)" makes you realize just how tight the band are; I had to look up if they played their instruments or if they were figureheads for a manufactured girl group. Not only do they play every note, they write all of their own songs. They are no gimmic, the Go-Go's are the real deal. They are hard to categorize. Punk, but not punk, pop but not bubblegum pop, familiar yet unique. A little surf in there too. Extra points for doing their own thing.

Pretty good, consistently strong tracks. "Our lips are sealed" > "We got the beat". Revolutionary in 1981 I'm sure, though listening in the modern day it sounds a little samey.

Un excellent album de la part de ce groupe de gonzesses survoltées. Le titre How Much More a d'ailleurs été choisi comme générique de l'émission Petits plats en équilibre présenté par Laurent Mariotte et accompagne aujourd'hui à merveille les passages très télégéniques de cuisson au four.

This was a really fun album to listen to. There were some songs that I had heard before. The new wave sound took me back to playing grand theft auto vice city. This was praised as being one of the first new wave albums.

Not the biggest fan of the vocals, but a nice album overall. Light 4 stars

The female Power Pop group The Go-Go's released this debut album in the heights of early 80's New Wave and definitely set a standard in terms of what modern Pop music can be. While this album isn't nearly as adventurous as for example the Talking Heads around that same time, this album still had some nice elements within. At least back then. I personally think that the album hasn't aged all that well. From my modern day perspective, it's pretty bland and samey although there is definitely something to be found here. It's just not really my thing. The opening track 'Our Lips Are Sealed' shows what the album is: a fun New Wave & Power Pop album with elements of Post-Punk similar to what B-52's or even the Talking Heads might do. The song is without a doubt fun and for those who are interested with this type of music, fine, I get how someone enjoys this but I am just a little annoyed. The vocals feel pushed and the instrumental parts feel like they don't really fit together. It's not a bad song and I actually "like" the song to a certain degree but not much more. It's an okay song that is very much a song of its times. The quite Jangle Pop sounding 'How Much More' definitely feels like a forerunner of the Smiths. The elements of Twee Pop are also pretty nice and cutesy and I think the song overall just fits together much better but not enough for me to love it. This is simply a fine song that doesn't hurt to listen to but it definitely does not get me excited for anything. The background guitars in 'Tonite' give it a touch of early Rock n' Roll and the obvious Dance elements together with the quite phenomenal chorus make this actually really enjoyable. My main problem are the instrumental bridges and the way the song is structured. It often feels broken up or like they weren't even finished with building tension. It all just releases way too early to be fully enjoyable. But all that aside, the chorus is incredible and this is one of my favourite songs on the album even if it's not more than a "good" song. The moment I heard 'Lust to Love' I felt like listening to Lose Yourself by Eminem but apparently he didn't sample/interpolate this song and its just an accident that they sound similar... Anyway, the song's okay. The riff definitely carries this one because both verses and chorus are pretty average. All of it feels very... off. And the couple nice moments sadly cannot outweigh the fact that the song is mainly very boring. It's just an average 80's pop song. The albums first half already ends with 'This Town' which is somewhat of a step-up as the music itself fits together much better and the song itself averages itself out into being very much average. The song has no moments that make it interesting at any point and the moments that do stick out, don't do it because they are good. The song is either annoying or boring which makes it a very obvious below average candidate. Side B starts with 'We Got the Beat' the track that probably gave the album its title. The album mainly tries to work with the chorus which is a bad idea because the chorus is basic and not really good. The bridges are boring and again, come way too early. I do not enjoy a single second of what this song brings onto the table. It's genuinely a bad song with even worse transitions between the parts that make up the song. The more psychedelic and Post Punk approach to 'Fading Fast' is definitely not a bad idea as the song is much better than most the album offered so far. The song works: the transitions between verse, chorus & bridge are good, the structure is good and even the chorus has something. This might actually be the best song so far. It's not anything remotely close to being incredible but it's definitely a great song. And if that wasn't enough, 'Automatic' now brings in some inspirations from the Goth Rock scene. It's much darker than everything here so far but it comes at a cost. The song sadly doesn't work all that well again. I really like the Post Punk guitar and the atmosphere but the songwriting is sometimes really awful and way too faltering to actually work. The song sadly turns out bland and boring as well as feeling a little annoying here and there which does make it slightly below of what I call average. 'You Can't Walk in Your Sleep (If You Can't Sleep)' goes Pop again and sadly not with much quality. The song is just annoying and nothing sounds interesting or good. The song isn't completely awful as the bridge is not terrible but the rest just makes this a pretty bad song overall. The lyrics and the chorus are also just really stupid. This right here, is easily the worst song on the album. The more openly Punk 'Skidmarks on My Heart' is a little better even if it's absolutely corny. It's not really interesting or pleasent to the ears but the album had bigger accidents on it. It's still a bad song but definitely not as bad as its predecessor. The albums closing track 'Can't Stop the World' definitely puts a sonic end to the album. It picks a lot of the Pop styles up again and puts them together in a song that's just very, very boring. It's not as bad as some other songs but it's far away from being good. favourites: Fading Fast, Tonite least favourites: You Can't Walk in Your Sleep (If You Can't Sleep), We Got the Beat, Skidmarks on My Heart Rating: light 5 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

our lips are sealed - 7/10 how much more - 7/10 tonite - 5/10 lust to love - 6/10 this town - 5/10 we got the beat - 4/10 fading fast - 4/10 automatic - 4/10 you can’t walk in your sleep - 6/10 skidmarks on my heart - 6/10 can’t stop the world - 6/10

This debut from the 80s all-girl new wave group would have been quite good if all of the songs didn’t feel so plain and average. I know there were hits but there wasn’t anything that jumped out as quality or even being properly distinctive and memorable. Literally is just plain all-girl new wave-sound and no keeper songs. The Bangles afterwards would do a much grander job. 3 stars because technically not bad, just average.

decently okay

80’s pop meh.

I like this, but I feel God wants me to enjoy it more. I’ve listened to it three times today! It’s fun! But I can’t remember any songs a few hours later, just Carlisle’s voice cutting through as of from another room, and defiantly thin guitars!

Good but not my cup o' tea

It wasn’t absolutely horrible but it was not my cup of tea and I don’t need to listen to it again.

not for me, found the lead far to screechy

At least it was short

Really only kept afloat by the first song, which was actually written by Terry Hall of the Specials

Fun and spunky new wave pop songs. Can't justify more than 2* considering what I just gave Hendrix, and I prefer Fun Boy Three's take and Belinda's big solo hits

Meh

Saccharine, blood-curdling album cover didn't help

This is part of the reason I think 80s music sucks. It's just obnoxious. Shitty singing, bland repetitive music, it's not good.

Objectively imprecise, subjectively gimmicky, occasionally catchy.

Trash

80's girl coming of age songs. The whole album sounds the same except track 7. Not feeling any of it. 1.5 star

Quite dull.

What a load of old shit.

yup!

Nice !

I like the go gos

Awesome album! Never played the entire thing before. Fading Fast hit the spot like no other.

A sensibilidade da criação apresenta uma atmosfera sombria e introspectiva em todo o álbum, o clima envolvente pelo uso inteligente de samples de jazz e soul, bem como influências de dub e punk. Trabalho fundamental para apreciar o trip hop.

Wow, great album. I really like this mix of rock and new wave, great vocals and choirs. And that was their debut! That is one of the albums that surely fits on that list and I am gratful for it.

It’s 2004. I am 6 year’s old, in the back seat of my best friend’s mom’s car. She had just gotten us Arctic Circle. My best friend’s little brother had spilled Sprite everywhere. In the midst of the chaos, my best friend’s mom took a burned CD with “The Go-Go’s” written in blue sharpie and placed it in the player. “Our Lips Are Sealed” started playing, and my best friend’s mom sang along so joyously, so beautifully. Eventually, her solo was joined by my best fiend and her little brother’s voices, not as sure on the words as their mom was, but still singing so joyously, so beautifully. It’s a memory I think about even now. A memory that taught me the true meaning of life—finding joy in the mundane, the everyday. Besides that, The Go-Go’s are simply amazing. Such a good album.

A joy to listen to front to back. I love new wave rock like this. Fast, tight pop songs. Songs about relationships that take a specific angle or perspective. Top notch all around and has a great upbeat energy. The more I listen to this, the more I hear the punk in their style. But it’s blended with girl group pop too.

Love how much the bass stands out in the recording... First time playing this all the way through and wish I'd done it sooner.

This album is just some awesome 80s new age pop. At 35 minutes, it’s a quick listen, densely packed with banger after banger. There’s not a single skip on this album for me. I was thinking 4 stars for this album all day long, but then I got to thinking why not a 5? I think it felt basic to give a pop album like this 5 stars, but I don’t care. 5 stars. Heard before: we got the beat, lips are sealed, probably others but didn’t know them well. Best of the best: how much more, lust to love, this town Least favorite: Automatic was kinda gimmicky

Great album.

Surprisingly great pop album.

A simple classic. Standouts: We Got the Beat, Our Lips are Sealed, This Town, Automatic, Others: How Much More, Tonight, Lust to Love, Fading Fast, You Can't Walk in Your Sleep, Skidmarks on My Heart, Can't Stop the World B-side of Our Lips are Sealed: Surfing and Spying. It is a fun listen. I had this when it came out and it was played to death. The songs never get old. They never released anything that comes close to this. 5/5

Incredible

This was a really enjoyable pop album. I ended up listening to it twice and it has plenty of hits. I’m probably going to throw it on every now and then

9/10 absolutely killer pop album, what can I say

this is one of my favorite albums ever. So much girl energy. I had to pretend that i wasn't head over heels (har har) in love with the Go Gos for so many years. Five stars. Every song is a winner. Great playing, great singing, even the 80s production is good. Yes yes yes

Musicianship, hooks, energy. Perfection

Done

Really enjoyed this. Early stages of pop punk at its best

I loved this

This one is a big hit in our house. Love the melodic basslines and sing-along choruses. Catchy stuff.

Love it!!

Great album and full of energy. Really unique sound and great vocals. "Our Lips Are Sealed" is my personal favorite despite the other hits like "We Got The Beat" on the album. Love the album cover too. 8/10.

This was like the cure but sped up, on a happier tone, and sung by girls. Amazing 5 stars i was surprised to like it this much

Classic that was new to me. Couple big hits and the song automatic is where the band automatic got their name

Led Zeppelin is beloved for a reason. I think legalization will help resurrect them a little.

Great album! Really good pop-punk-rock LA sound, six stars.

Though the song 'skidmarks on my heart' conjures juvenile giggling, there's not a bad thing I can say about this one. This album is 40+ years old and still spanks. I love the sound, the vocals and that they're an all female group with some talent. Sure, you say 'The Slits! The Slits!' and I say yeah, but there's that talent thing... While the Slits succeeded by playing with fervor and passion to limited scene audiences, the Go-Go's played with talent, structure with an appeal to a mainstream audience. These ladies inspired a ton of girls (Kathleen Hanna to name one) to be confident players and participants. The Go-Go's played their own instruments, wrote their own songs and, with *Belinda Carlisle's carefree tone, elevated post-punk from the gritty to the sunny. The Go-Go's, and this album, helped bridge a changing punk scene to include the brightness of 1980's Southern California. In a time when the emerging skate scene was a lower extension of the surf scene, the Go-Go's were an upward extension of a gritty anger associated with punk, a new scene was beginning. This album charted new territory eventually becoming the soundtrack for a new generation that included suburbia, girls, fashion and trips to the mall. --- *The original 'B Carlisle' once was a member of the Germs before the Go-Go's, which also means that Pat Smear is a super duper old.

I freaking had so much listening to this. Automatic is a fucking banger. The whole album made me want to go to ethyls.

I really like how upbeat this is

Insane hooks, so much fun

Joyful new-wave pop. I found myself completely wrapped up in it and enjoyed the entire journey.

The first, iconic, life changing to my little 11 year old heart. Not the pinnacle of their achievements, but still outstanding.

Always been a fan of the Go-Gos. Some of it is pure bubblegum pop, but there's some solid rock and near punk in there too.

I like girls who rock (..сказала дрю берримор, а я чувствую то же)

Practically flawless. A solid collection of songs with some real standouts.

Absolutely loved it

I loved this when it was new, and it still sounds so good!

I don't have a specific memory of every listening to this album in it entirety before, but I certainly remember when it was on the charts. It is full of great tracks by talented women...and lots of fun!

I have memories of bopping along to this on cassette while driving my mom's car in the summertime, wearing white Keds with no socks. I've definitely always thought of it as pure pop fun. But how great to listen to this with grown-up ears and hear such aggressive musicianship! This band ROCKS! The bass! The drums! These women have SWAGGER! I have a renewed love, admiration, and gratitude for The Go-Go's today.

Nice

How much do I love this album?! I bought the cassette in 1983 and it has been one of my favorites ever since. "Our Lips Are Sealed" is one of my all-time favorite songs of the 80's. Every time I listen to it I fall in love with it all over again. "We Got The Beat" is right up there with it. But no one should miss songs like "Lust to Love", "This Town", "Fading Fast", "You Can't Walk In Your Sleep (If You Can't Sleep)", "Can't Stop The World." Actually no one should miss listening to this album from beginning to end. It is so satisfying to hear "Lust to Love" after "Tonite" leading into "This Town" and it makes me very happy when I do. The album is great and I never tire of listening to this. I'm so glad to see this album on this list!

Rating: 10/10 Best songs:

AMAZING. Top notch. Every song was so fun. I was wondering how I knew the words to every single song, but then I remembered that my mom used to play this album for me all the time when I was a kid! Love it.

The start of the "girl band" in rock, this album is pure pop/rock joy from start to finish.