Bananarama - Masquerade (2022) CD-Rip

Masquerade is the twelfth studio album by English musical duo Bananarama. It was released on 22 July 2022 as part of the band's 40th anniversary celebrations. The album was originally conceived as an EP however following the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown beginning, the group began working towards creating a full album. As well as working with longtime collaborator Ian Masterson, Sara Dallin also co-wrote tracks with her daughter Alice Dallin-Walker, known professionally as Alice D. Favourite was released on 29 April 2022 as a promotional single to launch the album campaign. The track is a cover of Alice D's track of the same name and is one of two covers on the album, the other being "Brand New". "Masquerade" was released on 15 June 2022 as the lead single. The single was added to the B-List of the BBC Radio 2 playlist and made 'Single of the Week' upon release, before moving onto the A-List the following week. Bananarama announced that two album launch shows would take place at London Lafayette on 3 and 4 August 2022.

When Bananarama returned with 2019's In Stereo, it was their first release in ten years. It also followed an elaborate reunion tour with the long-departed Siobhan Fahey that briefly reinstated the group to its original trio format. While Fahey didn't stick around, bandmates Keren Woodward and Sarah Dallin sounded invigorated, if not particularly innovative on their comeback album. Three years later, the duo offers Masquerade, another tightly crafted platter that fits soundly within their Euro dance-pop wheelhouse. Working again with Ian Masterson who produced this album's predecessor, Woodward and Dallin initially planned to record an EP, but when sessions were interrupted by the global pandemic, they continued writing an album's worth of songs. Of these 11 tracks, the lead-off cut, "Favourite," is practically worth the price of admission on its own. What's more, the infectious dark-hued synth pop banger folds another generation into Bananarama's sound, having been written by Sarah Dallin's daughter, Alice Dallin-Walker, better known as Alice D. A second Alice-penned track, "Brand New," appears later in the album to slightly lesser results, while the remaining nine are Woodward-Dallin (with the help of Masterson) originals, several of which are quite good. With pulsing rhythms and growling synths, songs like "Stay Wild," "Running with the Night," and the title track ring with strong melodies and a kind of lush Y2K pop aesthetic that works for the band. The more '80s-driven "Forever Young" is another standout among what is a reliably solid late-period set from a pair of pop icons. ~ Timothy Monger, All Music

Track List

01. Favourite[3:09]
02. Stay Wild[3:48]
03. Velvet Lies[2:47]
04. Masquerade[4:14]
05. Running With The Night[3:30]
06. Bad Love[2:59]
07. Let's Go Outside[3:45]
08. Brand New[3:32]
09. Need A Little More[3:36]
10. Forever Young[3:33]
11. Waiting For The Sun[4:14]