Wicked [CD]

This is by far Sinitta's best album, with most of it produced at PWL.
And like so many Cherry Pop re-issues, this one does not disappoint with a host of rare and unreleased tracks & mixes.
Firstly, the album is full of great 80s Hi NRG pop, thanks to PWL, SAW and Ralf Rene Maue. The only draw back is that it only includes 1 of the 3 SAW songs recorded for the album. "How Can This Be Real Love" would have been a smash for Sinitta had it of been released and included on "Wicked". "Do You Wanna Find Out" is alot more mellow and would have been a much better choice than the album's first of only two stinkers "It Would Be So Easy".
Thankfully "How Can This Be Real Love" is included on the bonus disc, and 2 different 12" mixes at that.

Right Back Where We Started From - the perfect single and a worldwide smash 10/10
I Don't Believe In Miracles - the only SAW track that made the album and a moody Eurobeat masterpiece 10/10
I Just Wanna Spend Some Time With You - Unashamed Hi NRG from Pete Hammond and could easily pass for SAW. So should have been a single 10/10
Hitchin' A Ride - The first non PWL track, from Ralf Rene Maue. Just when you think the album can't have any more energy this comes along and knocks your socks off. Brilliant 10/10
Lay Me Down Easy - The first ballad, and the 2nd track from Ralf Rene Maue. Great vocals, and VERY European over the top. 9/10
You Keep Me Hanging On - Not a cover, an original written by Sinitta with PWL's Harding & Curnow. Typical mid tempo PWL with a great chorus 9/10
Love On A Mountain Top - Sinitta goes Italo House, thanks again to Harding & Curnow. Very cool. 8/10
Love Love Love - Here's Ralf Rene Maue again, with a Europop track very typical of his sound. Sinitta does a great vocal with him as producer and his production on backing vocals are unbeatable. 9/10
Where Do Nice Girls Go - This is not a fave. Very tinny and just out of place on an otherwise great album. Produced by Nigel Wright and should not have made the album at all. It's very fast, with almost a cheap Motown-ish vibe. SAW's "How Can This Be Real Love" should have replaced this on the final release. 4/10
Body Shopping - Sinitta goes House again with this one penned by herself, Harding & Curnow. It's very Lonnie Gordon, and in some ways reminds me of Mel & Kim's sound. Another one of those "should have been a single" tracks.
Don't Tell Me Not To Cry - Harding & Curnow deliver again, this is lush. A slower soulful groove, reminds me of Princess. Sinitta should be very proud to have co-written this. 9/10
It Would Be So Easy - Awful, just awful. A hideous ballad that just goes nowhere, and doesn't even come close to the brilliant "Don't Tell Me Not To Cry" or "Lay Me Down Easy". Nigel Wright again, more like Nigel Wrong. The third SAW song recorded for this album but shelved "Do You Wanna Find Out" should have made the cut, and this the chop. 1/10.

PWL fans need this album, it's just brilliant. Almost every track could have been a single, and I'm just so glad Cherry Pop surprised me with this one, didn't think it would happen after 2 Greatest Hits albums already.

This review is for: Wicked (Cherry Pop - 2CD)
The "Wicked" album was long out of print, so a straight forward reissue would have been good enough. However, Cherry Pop pull out all the stops to give loads of hard to find mixes and some previously unreleased tracks, which makes this an essential purchase.

The Ralf René Maué 12" Remix of "Hitchin' A Ride" was previously only available on a German CD single, so it was good to see that included here. It is very different from the PWL version.

"Body Shopping" would have made a great single, but the versions included on Sinitta's The Hits + Collection 86-09 are better mixes. So it is also worth getting that CD too.

Although we get 4 mixes here, for me the ultimate version of "Love On a Mountain Top" is the original promo 12" version which was clearly based on the current big Italo House track of the time; Starlight's "Numero Uno", so it had to be released in a different version to avoid plagiarism charges. The re-recorded version is here as the Everlasting Knight Mix, but the original version is available on Sinitta's The Hits + Collection 86-09 (another good reason to buy that one). Some of these mixes here are also duplicated from that CD, however they are relevant to this release.

Over all, this is an excellent album. All the 12" mixes from the time are included along with the remixes, instrumentals and B-Sides on a generous 2 discs with excellent sound quality. What more can you ask for?

Here is the track list, complete with track timings:

CD1

01) Right Back Where We Started From 3:14
02) I Don't Believe In Miracles 3:28
03) I Just Wanna Spend Some Time With You 3:28
04) Hitchin' A Ride 3:39
05) Lay Me Down Easy 3:43
06) You Keep Me Hanging On 3:31
07) Love On A Mountain Top 3:26
08) Love Love Love 3:46
09) Where Do Nice Girls Go? 3:44
10) Body Shopping 3:22
11) Don't Tell Me Not To Cry 3:57
12) It Would Be So Easy 3:31
13) I Just Can't Help It 3:46
14) I'm On My Way 3:53
15) I Don't Believe In Miracles (Merlin's Magical Mix) 6:18
16) Right Back Where We Started From (Left Back On The Side Mix) 7:17
17) Love On A Mountain Top (An Everlasting Knight Mix) 7:49
18) Hitchin' A Ride (PWL Remix) 6:42

CD2

01) I Don't Believe In Miracles (Club Remix) 5:56
02) Right Back Where We Started From (Maxine's Night In A Gale Mix) 5:18
03) Love On A Mountain Top (The Knight After Special Remix) 5:50
04) Hitchin' A Ride (12" Remix) 8:00
05) Body Shopping (1990 Mix) 3:30
06) How Can This Be Real Love? (Extended Version) 5:21
07) I Just Wanna Spend Some Time With You (Extended Version) 6:46
08) You Keep Me Hangin' On (Extended Version) 5:40
09) How Can This Be Real Love? (Original Mix) 5:49
10) Body Shopping (Original Underground Mix) 6:01
11) I Don't Believe In Miracles (Instrumental Club Mix) 4:55
12) Love On A Mountain Top (Bonus Beats Dub) 4:19
13) Don't Tell Me Not To Cry (Extended Version) 5:04
14) Lay Me Down Easy (Extended Club Mix) 7:07

I have also reviewed: Sinitta! (Cherry Pop - 2CD)

Sinitta is the daughter of famed hi-nrg star and actress Miquel Brown. Sinitta started her pop career on Fanfare Records in 1986 with her infectious pop/hi-nrg anthem "So Macho" which was a global hit. This was followed by further top 10 dingles and her debut album which hit the charts in 1987. This follow up album is just as good, but lacks the polish of Stock Aitken & Waterman. The best tracks are "Love Love Love" & "Body Shopping". If you enjoy lightweight, bubblegum pop disco, this will be the album for you.