A Go-Go Girl in a Modern World

Laurie Biagini’s album A Go-Go Girl in a Modern World can best be described as a collection of songs that swing somewhere between Beach Boys music with songs such as “My Little SUV,” sending up reminders of “Little Deuce Coupe,” and the all-girl group of the ‘90s The Bangles with vibes like the title track.  The strengths of this album lay within Biagini’s vocals and her ability to accompany herself well on the keys and competently on electric guitar. For the most part Ms. Biagini is accompanied on guitar by Fabrizio Serrecchia.

“A Ride On The Train,” is a fun song to which no doubt you will want to sing along with your friends, while you have the car windows down and the breeze is blowing through your hair.

 When reviewing an album, one learns to listen for the gems, those songs that sound different from the rest, the ones that stand out, because the listener can identify with them and where the musicianship, the songwriting, vocals or all three give you something extra special and "In The Eyes of a Little Girl," a songwriting and vocal collaboration between Vancouver, Canada's Laurie Biagini and Liverpool, U.K.'s Maxi Dunn is that song on Laurie's current album. Peter Hackett delivers well on guitar. Ms. Biagini takes the first verse, Ms. Dunn sings on the second and they harmonize on the third verse of a song that speaks to the innocence of being a little girl and living carefree lives, versus the reality of adulthood.  The two ladies’ voices complement each other well with Laurie Biagini’s clear smooth soprano vocals juxtaposed to Maxi Dunn’s Stevie Nicks like vibrato voice. We enjoyed Peter Hackett’s guitar solo.

Continuing with the retro themes is the song “The Invisible Guy,” which features some good guitar licks by Farbrizio Serrecchia and the lyrics pay tribute to the secret agent movies of the 1960s and more particularly to the suave actors who portrayed those heartthrobs. In listening to this song however, we are reminded, as we are throughout this album, how much better it could have been with a better sound mix, as Laurie Biagini’s vocals which are very good and her own keyboard work as well as the two guitarists who are featured on this album are sometimes prohibited from being showcased in the manner in which they deserve.

The 12^th song on this 14 track album is collaboration, this time between Ms. Biagini and lyricist and choreographer Elaine McAfee Bender. The song is “The California Quake,” and much like so many songs from the 1960’s such as “The Twist,” “The Jerk,” “Mashed Potato,” and “The Loco-Motion,” this song teaches you how to do the dance. On an album whose title is A Go-Go Girl in a Modern World, it is fitting to note that Elaine McAfee Bender was a go go dancer in the 1960s.

Critics, which we do not have at Riveting Riffs Magazine, may debate the lyrics and their sophistication or lack thereof but this reviewer recalls a conversation with a DJ many years ago and how we shared a common belief that some music is good, because it is fun. It worked for The Beach Boys, for Banarama, The Bangles, Katrina and the Waves and it worked for Weird Al Yankovic. It seems to me I also recall it working for a hit song called “Girls Just Want To Have Fun,” by Cyndi Lauper. If you enjoy fun music that you can sing-a-long to with your friends then check out Laurie Biagini’s A Go-Go Girl In A Modern World.  

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