God Bless The Go-Go's
After a couple of short-lived tour reunions, the Go-Go's have  made it stick.God Bless the Go-Go'sis their first studio album  in 17 years, carrying on as ifBelinda Carlisle's  sparkling solo career andJane Wiedlin's  slightly less stellar one had never happened. The tough, assured sound  of 1984'sTalk  Showis front and center here, at once a sonic counterpoint to  the lyrics' general sense of frustration ("Automatic Rainy Day,"  "Unforgiven") and barricade in front of their ultimate triumph in its  face ("Throw Me a Curve," "Vision of Nowness"). Carlisle, for her part,  rides the roar and jangle like "Head Over Heels" was just yesterday, as  if the success she had on her own was just another hoop to jump through  before getting back to business. Now in their 40s, these women have  matured without resigning themselves to the world they once swore  wouldn't stop them.God Blessisn't an unflawed gem, but after a  few spins, even some of its lesser concepts begin to sound like pieces  of a manifesto the Go-Go's have patched back together to shout out  loud.--Rickey Wright