The first girl group? It is often very hard to correctly assign this title to the right ladies – but at least Bananarama were before the Spice Girls and others. They amazed people – men and women – in the 1980s. And they are still alive: the group published their 2019 album “In Stereo” on 19th April 2019. Here is a review.
Bananarama – About the Artists
The bad news: just two of the Bananarama girls are left. While in the 2018 tour, the original members Sara Dallin, Keren Woodward and Siobhan Fahey were united on stage, the In Stereo album is only recorded by Dallin and Woodward.
Bananarama had a lot of hits in the 1980s. Venus is mayble their biggest one. Here is a 2018 onstage performance.
Other huge hits are Robert De Niro’s Waiting or Cruel Summer. However, the band kept on publishing every couple of years until 2009. Since 1991, only Dallin and Woodward were on stage (for some years, they replaced Fahey by Jacquie O’Sullivan), but Fahey came back to the band in 2017, which gave them 23 sold out shows across the UK in 2017 and four dates in the US. In Stereo is the first new album since ten years.
Bananarama – In Stereo – Track by Track Review
The album has ten tracks with a total duration of 36 minutes.
1. Love In Stereo
Love in Stereo is a track, which could have been recorded like that in the 1980s already. Party-pop, high voices. Just smiled when I listened to it.
2. Dance Music
This was the first track released from the In Stereo album. It just just defines the band as how it has always been: clearly produced, catching dance music. Maybe a bit more electronic than in the 1980s – but this song definitely feels like Bananarama.
3. I’m On Fire
This track is one of the highlights of the album. Very present, comparably modern sound and lovely hookline. Love to listen to it!
4. Intoxicated
I intoxicated every second, every minute with you. Another track which just massively sounds like the Bananarama times. The chorus is again very present. Nice track!
5. Tonight
I like the change of slow, somehow mystic-feeling stanzas and the very present chorus in this song. I need to be with you tonight is one line in the chorus. Another song that makes you feel how much we missed the girls the last years!
6. Looking For Someone
I’m just looking someone
To give me some loving
I’m not asking for too much
And I don’t expect nothing
One thing I explore when I am listening to this album is how clear the voices of Bananarama (still) are. This chorus is very catching. One of my favorite tracks of the album.
7. Stuff Like That
Stuff Like That was released before the album date. It feels a bit like a mixture of Cruel Summer and Robert de Niro’s waiting to me – which is definitely a statement of good quality. Do you feel the Bananarama sound?
8. It’s Gonna Be Alright
Doing a track-by-track review of In Stereo is hard without just repeating yourself. It’s gonna be alright is just another track with makes you feel being back in the 1980’s Bananarama era.
9. Got To Get Away
Got to Get Away has a bit more of guitar sound. Still feels like Bananarama, but a bit more mature. Nice track!
10. On Your Own
On Your Own is the slowest track on the album. The voices sound deeper, softer. Guitar sounds in there as well. The lyrics are not too complex, but t
Bananarama – In Stereo – My View
Damn, I liked Bananarama in the 1980’s… And now I am back in love again! They deliver what you expect them to do – and they do it in great way. It sounds like back in the good old times without being a lousy copy or cover album of themselves. Tracks like Dance Music and I’m on fire still give a certain development. If you love complex lyrics, don’t buy this album (but you likely haven’t bought any stuff of the girls in the 1980’s as well…). If you want to have a good time and feel some 35 years younger, that’s the way to do! Just a week after Emma Bunton’s revival album, I feel that these girls did the better job.
Bananarama on Tour
Bananarama are going on tour in 2019. Unfortunately, the do not visit Germany, but at least there is one date in Switzerland. Even Japan is on their list.
Fr 26.04.2019 | London, Omeara | SOLD OUT |
Sa 27.04.2019 | London, Borderline | SOLD OUT |
So 28.04.2019 | Birmingham, Glee Club | |
Tu 30.04.2019 | Manchester, Gorilla | |
Th 02.05.2019 | Glasgow, St Luke’s | |
Sa 25.05.2019 | Cornwall, Tunes in the Dunes Festival | |
Sa 08.06.2019 | Brixton, Mighty Hoopla | |
So 30.05.2019 | Worthy Farm, Glastonbury Festival | |
Fr 05.07.2019 | Sheffield, Music in The Gardens | |
Sa 06.07.2019 | Tring, ChilFest | |
Sa 13.07.2019 | Taunton, Live in Sommerset Festival | |
Sa 20.07.2019 | Cardiff, Feel Like Summer Festival | |
Sa 03.08.2019 | Macclesfield, Rewind North Festival | |
Fr 09.08.2019 | Newmarket, Racecourse | |
Fr 16.08.2019 | Tokyo (JP), Summer Sonic | |
So 18.08.2019 | Osaka (JP), Summer Sonic | |
Do 22.08.2019 | Penthalaz (CH), Venoge Festival | |
So 25.08.2019 | Manchester, Manchester Pride |
Bananarama – In Stereo – Amazon Links
Here is the download link in case you want to purchase the album. It seems like the physical album is not available in Germany.
Flyctory.com Media Reviews
Here are all CD, book and movie reviews:

Uncle Lucius – Like It’s The Last One Left

Cave To Cosmos – Truth Waits In Deepest Nights EP



Jules Atlas – Postcards From Sophia



Zara Larsson – Honor The Light EP


Bjorko – Heartrot



King & Potter – Habits!


Pridian – Cybergnosis EP


Treaty Oak Revival – Have a Nice Day


Michael Lane – Memories


Untamed – Untamed


Paradogmata – Endetid


Electric Horseman – Lies to Love for


Maelfoy – Failures, Fears and Forgiveness



Frollein Motte – UWE


Palehorse – Hunting Grounds


Cabrakaän – Aztlan


Dolly Parton – Rockstar



Dennis Durant – Fragile


Dogma – Dogma



MKSM – Ready EP


Sonia Liebing – Liebe ist für alle da



Finn & Jonas – Kiosk


Todd Snider – Crank It, We’re Doomed


Chris Stapleton – Higher



D’Virgilio, Morse & Jennings – Sophomore



Alphawezen – Source


Christian Kjellvander – Hold Your Love Still


Bad Rain – Born To Breathe EP


The Struts – Pretty Vicious



The Joni Project – Shades of Blue


Luke – Strange Boy in Town



Myrkvi – Early Warning



Robert Finley – Black Bayou


Simen Mitlid – Fredsvenn


Wayfarer – American Gothic


Doro – Conqueress – Forever Strong and Proud


The Gaslight Anthem – History Books



The Shindellas – Shindo



Myle – Songs To Scream In The Car


Chris Shiflett – Lost At Sea



Twinnie – Blue Hour (After Dark)


Angelus Apatrida – Aftermath



Bo Milli – Making Friends


Israel Nash – Ozarker



Sebastian Schaffer – Collections


FRAUPAUL – Was, wenn wir dann durchdrehen… ?! EP



Holly Humberstone – Paint My Bedroom Black



Rick Astley – Are We There Yet?


Beartooth – The Surface


Lisa Brokop – Who’s Gonna Fill Their Heels?


Alexandra Hofmann – Grün



Antje Schomaker – Snacks


Darius Rucker – Carolyn’s Boy


The Steel Woods – On Your Time


Alex Diehl – Das ist keine Übung



Sacropolis – Dormir Au Soleil EP


Atena – Subway Anthem


Collapse Unter The Empire – Recurring



They Called Me Phoebe – Overthinking EP


Dustin Lynch – Killed The Cowboy


Joe Leila – Breathing EP


Soccer Mommy – Karaoke Night EP


Rising Wings – Reach


Brent Cobb – Southern Star


Arny Margret – dinner alone EP


Manntra – War of the Heathens



Thirty Seconds To Mars – It’s The End Of The World But It’s A Beautiful Day



Dan + Shay – Bigger Houses



Arstidir – Blik


Danko Jones – Electric Sounds


The Blackwhitecolorful – Brace for Impact



Bellucci Boi – Lost in Berlin EP


Low Cut Connie – Art Dealers



Allison Russell – The Returner


Durry – Suburban Legend


The Glorious Sons – Glory


Coffey Anderson – Tailgates and Heartbreaks


The Paper Kites – At The Roadhouse


Marduk – Memento Mori


Melanie Wiegmann & Carl Carlton – Glory of Love


Gregor McEwan – Going Solo



Adam Wendler – Living the Dream



Philipp Artmann – Guten Morgen schönes Leben


Alice Cooper – Road


Morgan Wade – Psychopath


Turnpike Troubadours – A Cat In The Rain



Dadi Freyr – I Made An Album


Tim McGraw – Standing Room Only


Paerish – You’re In Both Dreams (And You’re Scared)


Sleazy – Back on Track


TracieLynn – More Than a Bad Habit EP


Bobby Rush – All My Love For You


Madsen – Hollywood


Atreyu – The Moment You Find Your Flame EP


William Fitzsimmons – Covers Vol. II



Daniel Seavey – Dancing In The Dark EP


The Hives – The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons



Mo-Torres – Heute war alles Besser


Ryan Bingham – Watch Out For The Wolf EP


Uncaved – Dogmatorraistes



Ludwig Wright – Turn of Tides or Where the Waves Come From



X-Perience – We Travel The World



Hanna Sikasa – Sequel



Bianca James – Bianca James


Skindred – Smile


Mammoth WVH – Mammoth II



Kool & the Gang – People Just Wanna Have Fun



Sasha – Toto und der Mann im Mond (music album)



Santans – Koi Boi EP


Fury in the Slaughterhouse – Hope


Justine Blazer – Joy!


Joe Lasher – Vol. 1 EP


Somnuri – Desiderium



Cygnotic – Mortal Dreamers


Later Sons – Rise Up


Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway – City of Gold


Lori McKenna – 1988


Kezia Gill – Misfit



Avec – I Feel Alone These Days EP



Michael Bolton – Spark of Light


Tom Astor – Wieder da!


Jim “Kimo” West – Of Wood and Spirit (American Guitar Stories)


Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real – Sticks and Stones



Eyelar – Mistakes & Contradictions EP


Sean Patrick McGraw – Hillbilly Hippie


1476 – In Exile


Annie Taylor – Inner Smile



Sekou – Out of Mind EP


Crown of Things – Louder Love



Sylvia Aimee – Identity EP


Lucinda Williams – Stories From A Rock N Roll Heart


Mental Cruelty – Zwielicht



Pascal Blenke – Gedankenspiele



Emma Steinbakken – Home


Green Labyrinth – Sequences



Lloyd Cole – On Pain


Ayron Jones – Chronicles Of The Kid


Hannah Aldridge – Dream of America


Son Volt – Day of the Doug


Saturnus – The Storm Within


Steve Lukather – Bridges


Deer Tick – Emotional Contracts



waterbaby – Foam EP



freekind. – Since Always and Forever


Kimberly Perry – Bloom EP


Tenhi – Valkama


Extreme – Six


Ray Alder – II


Milky Chance – Living In A Haze


Brittany Warthan – No Vacancy


Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – What If I EP


Omnium Gatherum – Slasher EP



Ron Pope – Inside Voices



Silbermond – Auf Auf


Tanya Tucker – Sweet Western Sound


Flora Falls – Hidden From You EP


Grenzenlos – AntiXtrem


Oryad – Sacred & Profane



Sören Vogelsang – Optimismus Prime


Palila – Mind My Mind


Samantha Fish & Jesse Dayton – Death Wish Blues


Brandy Clark – Brandy Clark


Marathonmann – Maniac


Yes – Mirror To The Sky


Moor – Heavy Heart


Rahel – Blessed EP


Daisy Briggs – Nice Knowing You EP



Anna Demetriou – More To This


Parker Millsap – Wilderness Within You



Belinda Carlisle – Kismet EP



Indecent Behavior – Therapy In Melody


Andreas Diehlmann Band – Long Way To Go



Sebel – Der Boxer


Tino Z – Bluesman


Rodney Crowell – The Chicago Sessions


Enforced – War Remains


Philip Bradatsch – Philip Bradatsch


Storm Seeker – Nautic Force


Dave Hause – Drive It Like It’s Stolen


As Everything Unfolds – Ultraviolet



Kati von Schwerin – Welcome Back Home


Esther Rose – Safe To Run


Texas Hippie Coalition – The Name Lives On


Grand Design – Rawk


Dirty Heads – Midnight Control Sessions: Night 2 EP



Emm Gryner – Business & Pleasure


The Wood Brothers – Heart is the Hero


Musa Dagh – No Future



North West – Hamburg



Jennifer K. Austin – Cards EP


Vass / Katsionis – Cynical Silence


Zartbitter – Hier und Jetzt


Tribulation – Hamartia EP



Welshly Arms – Wasted Words & Bad Decisions



Overcoats – Winner


Beyond Frequencies – Me Megalomaniac


The Hold Steady – The Price of Progress


Wolkenfrei – Hotel Tropicana


Lordi – Screem Writers Guild


VIVA – Das ist die Wahrheit



Milow – Great To Know You EP


Black Hawk – Soulkeeper



Pat Burgener – PAT The Album



Katie Melua – Love & Money



Sophie B. Hawkins – Free Myself



Sophia – Niemals Allein



Leony – Somewhere in Between


Night Demon – Outsider


Stephen Jay – understatement


Timesbold – Not Still Here



Ailbhe Reddy – Endless Affair


Bad Bones – Hasta El Final!



Kendall Lujan – Forget Me Knots EP


John Diva & The Rockets of Love – The Big Easy



Ripe – Bright Blues



Ane Brun – Portrayals


The Nude Party – Rides On


Manchester Orchestra – The Valley of Vision EP


Brian Falduto – Gay Country



Mael & Jonas – Rocket Science


Suicide Silence – Remember… You Must Die


Wolfgang Petry – Stark wie wir



Lina – 24/1


Drayton Farley- Twenty on High


AnnenMayKantereit – Es ist Abend und wir sitzen bei mir


Helge Schneider – Torero


Endlevel – Weekend War



Antonia Kubas – Liebe und Musik EP


Steel Panther – On The Prowl



OH FYO! – Level 3: Discovery


Dierks Bentley – Gravel & Gold


Tanzwut – Silberne Hochzeit


Lucero – Should’ve Learned by Now



Drew Sycamore – Superfaith


Those Damn Crows – Inhale/Exhale


Jaimee Harris – Boomerang Town



P!nk – Trustfall



Ron Sexsmith – The Vivian Line


Malte Vief und Malte Viefs Kammer – Kammer III



Tennis – Pollen


You Me At Six – Truth Decay


The Legendary – Warlord


Simone Kopmajer – With Love


Cort Carpenter – All In


Chase Rice – I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell



Ian Fisher – Burnt Tongue


Donots – Heut ist ein guter Tag


Ricochets – Closer to the Light



The Rehats – Heart & Mind


Shania Twain – Queen of Me


Eamonn McCormack – Eamonn McCormack


Robert Forster – The Candle and the Flame


Dark Sarah – Attack of Orym


IUMA – Genug EP



Umme Block – State Of Limbo


Pristine – The Lines We Cross



Vic Allen – Some Place I’d Rather Be


Joe Henry – All The Eye Can See



Siv Jakobsen – Gardening


Laura Cox – Head Above Water



Alexander Liebe – Spielautomat


Keimzeit Akustik Quintett – Schon gar nicht Proust


Sonic Wildhearts – Get It On



Lukas Graham – 4 (The Pink Album)


Richard Lynch – Radio Friend


Black Star Riders – Wrong Side of Paradise



Ski Holiday – Ski Holadiy



Masha The Rich Man – Sheyne Ziere


Circa Waves – Never Going Under



Groenalund – #lovestorm



Joesef – Permanent Damage


Margo Price – Strays


Iggy Pop – Every Loser


Anti-Flag – Lies They Tell Our Children



Gabbie Hanna – This Time Next Year


Adam Warner – What We’re Known For


Madeline Consoer – Little Miss EP



Nicole Scholz – Nur Du



King LX – Broken Crown


Poppy Fardell – Back On My Feet


Shaam Larein – Stick En Kniv I Världen


Nevena – Nevena



Upsahl – Sagittarius EP


Sündflut – Basta! EP


Nina Hagen – Unity


Neufundland – Grind



Isafjord – Hjartsatjaki



Olly Murs – Marry Me



Myle – Sad Boy Summer EP



Amberian Dawn – Take a Chance (A Metal Tribute To ABBA)



Boppin’ B – Saxbomb


David Gramberg – Where Have You Gone EP


Induction – Born from Fire



Tanzos – Win Fight Dream Lose EP


Karo Lynn – A Line in My Skin



Samuel Rösch – Für den Augenblick EP


Bad Temper Joe – Glitter & Blues


Melissa Carper – Ramblin’ Soul


Billy Strings – Me/And/Dad



Hanne Mjoen – Fall in Love/Apart EP


Nickelback – Get Rollin’



Sarah Connor – Not So Silent Night


Jonathan E. Blake – Old Souls


Tina Tandler – Songs for Saxophone


L.S. Dunes – Past Lives


Dave Helgi Johan – Drumheller


Live Forever: A Tribute To Billy Joe Shaver (Various Artists)


Rook Road – Rook Road



DJ BoBo – Evolut30n


Seth Avett – Seth Avett Sings Greg Brown


Superläuche – Superläuche


Stephanie Quayle – On The Edge


The Moon City Masters – The Famous Moon City Masters



Tiffany Johnson – Over Emotional EP


Emily Nenni – On The Ranch


Russell Dickerson – Russell Dickerson


Trampled by Turtles – Alpenglow


Fireside – Bin Juice


Lainey Wilson – Bell Bottom Country


Hostage – Memento Mori


The Backseat Lovers – Waiting To Spill


Massive Wagons – Triggered!


Wally – Alles halb so wild



PG Roxette – Pop-Up Dynamo!



Börni – Two Truths


Chez Kane – Powerzone


Arny Margret – they only talk about the weather


Kenny Foster – Somewhere in Middle America


Avantasia – A Paranormal Evening With The Moonflower Society



Debbie Gibson – Winterlicious


Simple Minds – Direction of the Heart


Taylor Swift – Midnights


Alex Williams – Waging Peace


Alter Bridge – Pawns And Kings


Logan Mize – Prairie Tapes, Vol. 1 EP


Orianthi – Rock Candy



Atlas Bird – Atlas Bird


Here It Is: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen (Various Artists)


Callista Clark – Real To Me: The Way I Feel



Backstreet Boys – A Very Backstreet Christmas


SLIXS – Quer Bach 3


Sleeping Romance – We All Are Shadows


Allee der Diktatoren – Dieses kleine bisschen Wut



Alvvays – Blue Rev


Avery Anna – Mood Swings EP


Magical Heart – Heartsonic



Jim Kroft – The Isolation Diaries Vol. 3 EP


Monster Truck – Warriors


Melissa Naschenweng – Glück


Slipknot – The End, So Far


Ashley McBryde – Lindeville



Arina – A+ (EP)



Richard Marx – Songwriter


Dr. John – Things Happen That Way


Kill Strings – Limbo


Sunny Sweeney – Married Alone



5 Seconds of Summer – 5SOS5


Kelsea Ballerini – Subject To Change


Billy Idol – The Cage EP


Nikki Lane – Denim & Diamonds


Silent Knight – Full Force


Starcrawler – She Said


Eloy de Jong – Lass das Leben Musik sein



LeAnn Rimes – God’s Work


The Afghan Whigs – How Do You Burn?



U96 – 20,000 Meilen unter dem Meer



Kane Brown – Different Man


I Am – Eternal Steel


Charley Crockett – The Man From Waco


Hannah – Kuhrios


Blind Guardian – The God Machine


Roland Kaiser – Perspektiven


Jolina Carl – Hallo, ich bin Jolina Carl


Fire Horse – Out of the Ashes


Jon Pardi – Mr. Saturday Night


Megadeth – The Sick, The Dying… and The Dead!



Moncrieff – Warm EP


Lugnet – Tales From The Great Beyond


Louisa Specht – Karussell EP


Bad Baron – Ace of Hearts


Ingrid Andress – Good Person


Bandaid Brigade – Sex is Terrifying



Heather Nova – Other Shores


Drei Meter Feldweg – Durak



Adam Wendler – Motions


David Paich – Forgotten Toys



Mani Orrason – The World Is Big and You Will Never Find Me


Watkins Family Hour – Vol. 2


Luna Klee – Mein Kopf, mein Bauch, mein Herz


Thundermother – Black And Gold


Giovanni Zarrella – Per sempre



Wooden Empire – Ghosts



Jeremy Black – Part of Me EP



Sykamore – Pinto



Vanessa Mai – Metamorphose


Kelsey Waldon – No Regular Dog


Versus Goliath – Liebe & Chaos



HAVET – Mamas Lullaby EP


Wade Bowen – Somewhere Between The Secret and The Truth



Vin Deca – Chineke


Marie Reim – Bist Du dafür bereit?


Manntra – Kreatura



Lauv – All 4 Nothing


Amon Amarth – The Great Heathen Army


Pete Wolf Band – Crosswalk To Nowhere EP


H.E.A.T. – Force Majeure


Broken Forest – Wild At Heart EP


Zeitflug – Echte Freunde



Amanda Shires – Take It Like A Man


LustfingeR – LustfingeR


Brooke Eden – Choosing You EP


Whiskey Myers – Tornillo



She & Him – Melt Away: A Tribute To Brian Wilson


Dawes – Misadventures Of Doomscroller


She Bites – Super Hero


Heischneida – Heischneida II


Kaylee Rose – Hot Minute EP



Will Linley – Kill All My Feelings EP



Philipp Eisenblätter – Das Jahr, das sich um eins verschiebt



Confirmation – Survive EP


The Local Honeys – The Local Honeys



Bryde – Still


More Than Words – Today (Make Today Be the Best Day of Your Life)



Alan Parsons – From the New World



Markus – Das Leben liebt mich … und ich liebe das Leben



Sophie Fellner – Brown Eyes EP


Berries – How We Function


The Faim – Talk Talk


Blind Channel – Lifestyles of the Sick & Dangerous


Kimberly Kelly – I’ll Tell You What’s Gonna Happen


Journey – Freedom


Traitor – Exiled To The Surface


Jonny Houlihan – Coffee and Jesus


Grey Daze – The Phoenix



Ewan Mainwood – Broken EP


Kylie Morgan – P.S. EP


Breathe Your Last – Apocalypse



Leepa – Brain Freeze EP


RXPTRS – Living Without Death’s Permission


Chris Colter – Nice To Be Back To Be Back Nice


G. Love & Special Sauce – Philadelphia Mississippi


Luke Combs – Growin’ Up



Charly Klauser – Mehr


The Cumberland River Project – A Smell of Gravy


Rachel LaRen – Cowboys Don’t Change EP


April Art – P.O.K.E.R.F.A.C.E.


Hank Williams Jr. – Rich White Honky Blues


Brett Eldredge – Songs About You



Clara Louise – Enough Is Enough



Kasalla – Rudeldiere


Motionless In White – Scoring The End Of The World


Carrie Underwood – Denim & Rhinestones



Mary Keey – Digital Me


Kyle Daniel – Following the Rain


Jillian Jacqueline – Honestly



George Ezra – Gold Rush Kid



Fräulein Frey – Ein Wagnis


Christa Fartek – Nashville and Me



Dan O’ Clock – Seelenhippie EP

