Mandy [Special Edition]

 

 

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I always loved Mandy. There was just that something about her, a certain star quality that made her stand out. She never took off in the UK, the scathing press and unforgiving public made sure of that, but in Europe it was a different story.
This album is a perfect slice of PWL heaven. While her voice was never the strongest, it came through quite well on some tracks, particularly on "Don't You Want Me Baby", "Stay With Me Tonight" and "Duel".

On this re-issue we finally get to hear the first song Mandy recorded with SAW, which was a cover of "Terry". It's given the Dead Or Alive Hi NRG treatment and I think would have been a better single than "I Just Can't Wait", as it had the sound of "Something In My House" and "Venus" both of which were hits for SAW.

Also included is "Got To Be Certain", the song made famous by Kylie Minogue. It was originally recorded by Mandy, with slightly different lyrics and chorus arrangement. The chorus lets it down on this, and maybe it's why the song was given to Kylie as a quick follow up to "I Should Be So Lucky".

After Mandy's first 2 singles flopped in the UK, SAW had to turn their attentions to more successful artists like Mel & Kim, Rick Astley, Bananarama and now Kylie Minogue. So the album completed along with PWL staff Pete Hammond, Daize Washbourn, and Harding & Curnow. So you have 4 SAW productions in total, with the other PWL tracks. I do wish they hadn't given up on her, and at least the inclusion of "Terry" would have been great.


Singles like "Boys And Girls" and "Victim Of Pleasure" followed very much in the PWL vein, but still the UK public didn't want to know.

The album come and went, but met with alot of success in Europe. Mandy then decided to take her career alot more seriously, undertaking singing lessons to improve her craft. Soon after this, a new PWL recording "Don't You Want Me Baby" was completed with Pete Hammond. The vocals on this are easily her best, and in 1989 is started looking up for her in the UK. Her only UK chart hit, it reached No 57.

Then, Mandy's health took a drastic turn for the worse and further plans to record another album at PWL were abandoned. It's a real shame as Mandy was just starting to get there.

This album is full of great tracks, all insanely catchy and covers most SAW styles.

Stay With Me Tonight
Written by Rick Astley, and was intended for his first album. Mandy made it her own, and was given a pop rock vibe on it by Harding & Curnow. Nice vocal on this.

I Just Can't Wait
One of Mandy's first recordings with SAW, and is one of the best songs they have written. Unfortunately the vocal isn't the strongest at all, and the production was just too different in formula from what SAW were doing at the time. A smooth and classy mix of this featuring Matt Aitken on guitar is a masterpiece and is considered an 80s House classic.

Victim Of Pleasure
Pop, pure pop is this. Alot more energy than on the first two tracks and should have been a UK hit. Was a big radio hit in Australia and even cracked the Top 50. Produced by Daize Washbourne.

Duel
A cover of the Propaganda song produced by Pete Hammond, and very faithful with a nice vocal.

Boys And Girls
Another Daize Washbourne production, and the 3rd single from Mandy. Charted in Australia at No 69!! Very pop, and this re-issue includes the rare "Acid Mix".

If It Makes You Feel Good
A Stock Aitken Waterman song, produced by Pete Hammond. This was originally recorded by Princess in 1986 and featured on her album of the same year. It was later recorded by Donna Summer 1988 and given a more Hi NRG re-working.
I love the mid tempo pop soul production on this, but the vocals do let it down sadly, overall my favourite version of the song though.

Positive Reaction
Mandy's 2nd single, written and produced by SAW. Her vocals actually sound sped up on this, and has all the elements of a hit record. Great chorus, great production and SAW have actually produced a decent vocal despite the trickery with the speed.

Say It's Love (Love House)
This is a Harding & Curnow track, which sounds almost like a Mel & Kim song. Very much a House style song, and was even a single contender at one point. It wasn't to be and is wasted as a B side. Good vocal too, Mandy seems to give it everything.

He's My Boy
Another SAW production, and was intended to feature on the 1987 movie Fruit Machine. SAW had written this, along with the title song with Paul Lekakis. For some reason it didn't make the movie at all. It's a great SAW style track with a Giorgio Moroder inspired bassline. Again, not a great vocal.

You're Never Alone
Another SAW track, recorded in Mandy's first ever sessions. It's really quite awful and is probably the worst song SAW have written. The vocal really lets it down on this too.

Don't You Want Me Baby
Mandy's final single, a great vocal, and stunning production by Pete Hammond. Here she give a Human League song the Hi NRG treatment, and gets it right.

Got To Be Certain
I think this may have been SAW's last recording with Mandy, and the song as we know was released by Kylie Minogue making it a big hit. The song is a little slower than Kylie's version, and the chorus is quite different.

Terry
An absolute Hi NRG stomper, and a real shame the track was pulled. The vocal isn't great, but there are alot worse out there, and I think the song would have been a hit. Released on this re-issue for the first time in a full 12" version. Brilliant.

Every SAW fan needs to have this album, Mandy was the first singing to the PWL label itself, and while she didn't reach the heights of the likes of other PWL artists, this album is of no lesser quality.

Mandy was a huge success in Europe but completely ignored in the UK Charts!
Best songs are: Positive Reaction, Don't You Want Me Baby, Dual, I Just Can't Wait, Boys & Girls and Victim of Pleasure!!!
There are also 2 unreleased bonus songs "Terry" and "Got to be Certain".

One of the best albums of all time! Just buy it and you will see what all the fuss is about. Mandy was the most underrated of the PWL girls here in the UK, but had some of their biggest hits around the world. This album is pure class - who cares if she was a "wild child" hahahahaha... how 80s a notion is that?? x

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5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing special edition
I'm a huge Mandy Smith fan, and I can't resist the Stock Aitken Waterman disco-pop sound of the 80's and early 90's, so this is the perfect reissue of an already great album. Read more

Published 5 months ago by Dennis Alexis Hellström

5.0 out of 5 stars a must have
Great edition of this album but shame they did not include all the remixes that were made at the time, like --Don't You Want Me Baby (Cocktail Mix) --Positive Reaction (Miami Mix)... Read more

Published 12 months ago by J. H. J. Theuns

5.0 out of 5 stars Found at last - a 'lost' classic!!
What a fabulous find - Mandy's 'lost' late 80's gem of an album.

Contained on here are some shockingly overlooked tracks, ignored by the record buying public of the... Read more

Published on 1 Jun 2009 by R. L. Judd

4.0 out of 5 stars Positive Reaction
This album has many good songs in various styles.It is produced by Stock Aitken Waterman and PWL,the Hit Factory. Read more

Published on 22 May 2009 by Wallace

5.0 out of 5 stars 80s Classic
OMG I still have this on vinyl from when i bugged my mum to get me it as a kid way back in 88-89. Every track is wicked and so reminds of me of the times with my friends back in... Read more

Published on 7 May 2009 by Mr. L. S. Jameson

5.0 out of 5 stars Underrated Gem!
"MANDY" was released way back in 1988 and became one of those cruelly ignored pop gems that should have hit the big time. Read more

Published on 2 May 2009 by Neil B

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