1989 in music: Madonna and Alannah's girl power

I'd forgotten how well I knew this album. I had the CD at one point, collected a few years after its release, and although I wouldn't have been able to point it out before this listen, I was reminded of how much I liked Oh Father, and found the final song Act of Contrition amusing. 

I always thought that Love Song, the collaboration with Prince, sounded too bland for something that came from these two. I figured they were both kind of pushing up against each other and it ended up sounding like neither of them were able to put a singular stamp on it. I also didn't know until now that Prince played guitar on other songs (Keep It Together, Contrition, and the title track).

It's not a favourite by any stretch, but I recognize it as an important album insofar as Madonna striving for something new and planting her flag as a more thoughtful artist.

In 1990, the Junos returned and awarded 89's self-titled debut by Alannah Myles as the album of the year. It features a classic set-up of a hit-laden side A followed by a collection of fine rockers on the second side, with Who Loves You probably being the other hit-sounding track buried near the end. 

I know that Black Velvet is far and away her best-known and most popular song, but I prefer her rock songs like Love Is, which I confirmed was released as the first single. I must have caught on to that early and it stuck.

Beyond winning Album of the Year, Myles was in a pretty good spot for Single of the Year with both Love Is and Black Velvet in the final five (Velvet won). 

Both of these listens were on Spotify.