Culture Club – Colour By Numbers

Since it is going to be the Eighties all over again soon, I thought I would get in the mood, courtesy of last year’s Daily Mail 80s record collection. Of course, back then, I couldn’t stand the New Romantic thing (what hardline Fall fan could?). But to my amazement/horror I found myself actually enjoying Culture Club’s music. When I started listening to this again, over a quarter of a century later, I must say it sounded rather bland, but it started growing on me again. Best tracks here, as before, are “Mister Man” and the singles “Karma Chameleon” and, especially, “Church Of The Poison Mind”. This time round I can even see what a good song “Victims” is, though let down by its cheesy arrangement.

Then as now I find Boy George’s half-teenage-boy-half-teenage-girl persona a bit perplexing, but if you listen rather than psychoanalyse, it’s worth the effort.