Formel Eins – Spring Fever (EMI, 1989)

Review
Spring Fever touched down in April 1989. It’s a mostly familiar selection with seven tracks that had just featured on Now That’s What I Call Music 14. We lead with the classic chart-topping duet between Marc Almond and Gene Pitney, the epic Something’s Gotten Hold Of My Heart. Roy Orbison’s smash You Got It was many people’s first exposure to the late rock ‘n’ roll legend while Yazz’s Fine Time is a bittersweet song that’s Kinks-worthy. Meanwhile Mike and The Mechanics tell an emotional story of regret on The Living Years.

Deborah Sasson’s Passion and Pain comes across as a mash-up of Losing My Mind and Always On My Mind. And Roxette’s grinding rock of The Look is always welcome while Roachford’s fantastic jam Cuddly Toy still resonates 26 years on. It was also the time of Depeche Mode’s 101: released as I got to grips with my Leaving Cert mocks. This live album and documentary chronicled the final leg of the band’s Music for the Masses Tour and the closing show at the Pasadena Rose Bowl. A live version of 1983’s Everything Counts was released to promote the LP; however it’s the original 7″ mix that’s here.

Soulsister keep it Motown on The Way To Your Heart while Boy Meets Girl’s Waiting For A Star To Fall is perfect: the end of school frozen in time. The Hits Album 10 forever. Less engaging is Kristiana Levy’s Mr Good Guy but Living In A Box get the groove back with Blow The House Down. Equally wonderful is Kim Wilde’s gorgeous Four Letter Word. The SOS Band’s Official Bootleg Megamix is next and contains Just Be Good To Me, Just The Way You Like It, Borrowed Love, The Finest, No One’s Gonna Love You. The funk stays fresh the closing pair of crucial cuts, Hey Music Lover and Straight Up. “It’s wonderful”.

Favourite tracks
Marc Almond and Gene Pitney – Something’s Gotten Hold Of My Heart

Roachford – Cuddly Toy

Lest we forget
Depeche Mode – Everything Counts