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God Bless the Go-Go's

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God Bless the Go-Go's
File:God Bless the Go-Go's.jpg
Studio album by
the Go-Go's
ReleasedMay 15, 2001 (2001-05-15)
Recorded2000–2001
StudioSound City and Sound Image,
except "Here You Are" at Moodus Noise and Sunset Sound Recorders
(Los Angeles, California)
GenrePop punk, pop rock
Length45:11
LabelBeyond Music
ProducerPaul Q. Kolderie, Sean Slade, Rick Neigher
The Go-Go's chronology
VH1 Behind the Music: Go-Go's Collection
(2000) 		God Bless the Go-Go's
(2001)
Singles from God Bless the Go-Go's
  1. "Unforgiven"
    Released: March 11, 2001
  2. "Apology"
    Released: August 9, 2001 (promo)

God Bless the Go-Go's is the fourth studio album by the American rock band the Go-Go's, released on May 15, 2001. It was their first studio album in 17 years since the release of Talk Show in 1984. As of 2020, this is the band's most recent album.

Critical reception and chart performance

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic(68/100)[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
The A.V. Club(favorable)[3]
Billboard(favorable)[4]
Blender[6]
Entertainment Weekly(B+)[7]
PopMatters[8]
Q[1]
Rolling Stone[5]
Spin(6/10)[1]
Uncut[1]

God Bless the Go-Go's received a score of 68 out of 100 from Metacritic based on generally favorable reviews from critics.[1] Allmusic wrote, "Every bit as Go-Go's, that is, as their non-hits and less remarkable material. While the Go-Go's sound is intact, there is not a "We Got the Beat" or a "Head Over Heels" to be found. It is feasible that in this age of pop rebirth, the Go-Go's decided it was now or never."[2] Rolling Stone wrote "The album doesn't attempt to update the band's sound with hip-hop moves or electronic frippery, for which God should bless 'em, indeed. The girls' hold on the current pop world remains so strong that Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong co-writes a song ("Unforgiven") in impeccable Go-Go's drag."[5]

The album sold fewer copies than the previous Go-Go's studio albums and peaked on the U.S. Billboard 200 at number 57.[9]

Two singles were released from the album; "Unforgiven" and "Apology."

Artwork controversy

The album cover was created by photographer Maryanne Bilham. It was criticized by some Catholic groups for showing the group members posing as the Virgin Mary. Each Go-Go represented one of five saintly virtues; Chastity (Belinda), Modesty (Charlotte), Purity (Jane), Mercy (Gina) and Honesty (Kathy). The U.S. Catholic League president William Donohue criticized the band for ripping off Catholic imagery and resorting to "cheap ploys" to lure a new audience to the band. Go-Go's singer Belinda Carlisle replied to the critics by saying "any sort of art shouldn't be an issue. Art should not be censored. I don't get that it's controversial at all."[10]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."La La Land"Charlotte Caffey, Kathy Valentine3:01
2."Unforgiven"Caffey, Jane Wiedlin, Billie Joe Armstrong3:23
3."Apology"Valentine, Heatherton3:57
4."Stuck in My Car"Caffey, Wiedlin, Peter Stuart3:36
5."Vision of Nowness"Valentine, Craig Ross2:55
6."Here You Are"Caffey, Wiedlin, Jim Vallance4:01
7."Automatic Rainy Day"Gina Schock, Wiedlin, Steve Plunkett3:17
8."Kissing Asphalt"Caffey2:49
9."Insincere"Caffey, Wiedlin3:45
10."Sonic Superslide"Caffey, Belinda Carlisle, Schock, Valentine, Wiedlin3:33
11."Throw Me a Curve"Caffey, Carlisle, Schock, Valentine, Wiedlin3:11
12."Talking Myself Down"Caffey, Wiedlin, Susanna Hoffs3:55
13."Daisy Chain"Wiedlin, Valentine, Jill Sobule3:45
International editions bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Think I Need Sleep" (UK only)Caffey, Anna Waronker3:30
2."King of Confusion" (Japan only)Caffey, Valentine, Bill Bartell3:07

Personnel

Band members
Additional musicians
Production
  • Paul Q. Kolderie, Sean Slade – producers, engineers, mixing at Record Plant, Fort Apache Studios, Magic Shop Studios and Record One
  • Rick Neigher – producer and engineer on track 6
  • Mike Shipley – mixing of tracks 1-4
  • Marc DeSisto – mixing of track 6 at Skip Saylor, Los Angeles
  • Tom Weir – mixing of track 13
  • Mike King, Matt Levella, Chris Reynolds, Jaymz Hardy-Martin III – assistants
  • Steve Hall – mastering at Future Disc

Charts

Chart Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200[9] 57
U.S. Billboard Top Internet Albums[9] 17

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Critic reviews on Metacritic
  2. ^ a b Fawthrop, Peter. "The Go-Go's God Bless the Go-Go's review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  3. ^ Phipps, Keith (April 19, 2002). "The Go-Go's - God Bless the Go-Go's". The A.V. Club. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  4. ^ "Reviews & Previews: The Go-Go's". Billboard.com. Billboard. May 19, 2001. Archived from the original on June 8, 2001. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  5. ^ a b Berger, Arion (July 19, 2001). "Album Reviews: The Go-Go's - God Bless the Go-Go's". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 14, 2007. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  6. ^ Blender review
  7. ^ Sullivan, James (May 18, 2001). "Go-Go's - God Bless the Go-Go's". EW.com. Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 21, 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  8. ^ Varkentine, Ben (May 14, 2001). "The Go-Go's: God Bless the Go-Go's". PopMatters. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  9. ^ a b c "God Bless the Go-Go's > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  10. ^ Weiss, Neal (May 8, 2001). "Go-Go's Baffled by Album Cover Controversy". Yahoo! Music. Archived from the original on December 29, 2006. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
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