Belinda Carlisle's Triumphant Return

Isn't this photo flawless? That fur. Those cheekbones. Sure, it might be a couple of decades old but Belinda hasn't aged a day since 1983 - so I think I can get away with it. If you don't follow the iconic diva on Twitter, you might not be aware that she is embarking on a major comeback, releasing her first US single in 15 years.

It came as a surprise to me too. I knew the yoga addict had been working on new music for what felt like an eternity but "Sun" seemingly dropped from the heavens and landed on iTunes with little fanfare.

The, as it turns out, pleasantly contemporary dance-pop tune was produced by frequent Dannii collaborator Ian Masterson and is distinctly amazing. "Sun" is a synth-drenched floorfiller that sounds better than 95% of the shit currently polluting radio. I love that Belinda has bequeathed her loyal army of gays with something they will actually want to listen to - without sacrificing her own personality.

There's something peculiarly authentic about "Sun". That voice is unmistakeable and the chorus could have been lifted from any of her late '80s albums but it's more than that. You can take the girl out of Cali but there's something undeniably chilled and breezy about Belinda's music that is quintessentially West Coast.

"Sun" is lifted from a new greatest hits compilation, which has just been released on US iTunes. Belinda has promised an international release in May - along with more new stuff. In the meantime, check out her glorious dance anthem below. Let the Carlisle revival start here.

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Sometimes You Just Need A Little Linda Ronstadt And James Ingram In Your Life

I must be having an EXTREMELY premature mid-life crisis because I've been re-watching all my favourite childhood movies lately and rifling through boxes of old records I've had in storage for years. My latest trip down memory lane led me to An American Tail. To be honest, the film is a lot worse than I remember. It's basically an animated version of Yentl with no Barbra Streisand and only one good song. But what an incredible song!

If "Somewhere Out There" doesn't bring a tear to your eye, you're even more dead inside than I am. The iconic Linda Ronstadt/James Ingram duet was a huge hit in the late '80s and featured on every Love Songs compilation for the next 15 or so years. Yes, it's sappy but how can you not connect with lyrics or be turned on by James' sultry voice? There's not even a HQ version of the video clip online, so you'll have to make do with this dodgy version from Mexico. Make sure you have a tissue handy!

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Valerie Claire - Model & Underground '80s Icon

I was driving home from work today and nearly crashed the car when my iPod shuffle settled on Valerie Claire. To be honest, I don't know much about this immaculate diva. My friend Jamie introduced me to her years ago and it was love at first listen. I did some digging and learned that "I'm A Model" was produced by German electro-giant Harold Faltermeyer (best known for his Grammy-winning instrumental "Axel F") in 1984 and followed by an equally classy single called "Shoot Me Gino" a year later. That's it. Literally. If anyone knows more about this epic talent please let me know. I'd like to think Val re-surfaced at some stage to bless the world with more spoken-word pop gems but if this is it, then so be it. Her two-song legacy shits on your fave's entire back catalogue! Take "I'm A Model". This truly is a trash classic of the highest caliber. The production is tight, Ms Claire's angelic vocal is flawless and the bitch had style. Check out the glamour girl in action below. That hair! The manic miming! Those clothes! Love. Love. Love.

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Alison Moyet - Is This Love?

Twitter is so amazing. Yesterday I was skimming through my timeline at lunch and saw a typically eccentric tweet from '80s pop star Alison Moyet. Her largely non-sensical ramblings always put a smile on my face and I felt compelled to celebrate her unique brand of crazy with a tweet. Before too long, I was chatting with the iconic diva about booze (turns out she's not a drunk), La Toya (she never went down on her) and tea that tastes like bong water (ask XO London - my local Woolies doesn't stock it).

Alison was a delight and I spent most of the afternoon listening to her Greatest Hits - shamefully all the Moyet magic I have on my iPod. That album is a good listen, beginning to end, but I keep coming back to 1986's "Is This Love?" The Dave Stewart-produced anthem is a perfect piece of synthpop and that glorious chorus still packs a punch. It also brings back a lot of happy memories. My mum was obsessed with the song and even stole Alison's perm from the video. Speaking of which, they really don't make 'em like this anymore.

Why is my new BFF dressed like an extra from Cell Block H? Who came up with the stunning choreography? What's with the wind machine? Brace yourself for the visual splendor of "Is This Love?" below.

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Stephanie Mills - The Medicine Song

You gotta take it, if ya wanna shake it!

Now this is a bit random - even by my standards - but it's been a while since my last flashback post and, let's face it, you really need this song in your life! As most of you are probably aware, I'm completely obsessed with '80s R&B and dance music. It was just... better. The popular divas (excluding Janet) could actually sing and they were more interested in flaunting their sequined leotards, bad special-effects and Jheri curls in videos than shafting meth in a drug den or whatever Rihanna's doing in "We Found Love". One of my favourite ladies from that golden era is Stephanie Mills. She came to fame on Broadway playing Dorothy in the original production of The Wiz and went on to become a disco icon in the late '70s with her seminal hit "Never Knew Love Like This Before".

While that tune remains her highest entry on the Billboard Hot 100, the ravishing diva was still selling Gold and Platinum albums well into the late '80s. I haven't heard them all yet but I'm absolutely in love with 1984's I've Got The Cure. It's basically the campest album La Toya never recorded and features the epic "Medicine Song". Words can't describe my love for this US #1 dance hit. Everything about it from David 'Hawk' Wolinski's quirky production to Stephanie's outrageous vocal delivery is perfection. And then there's the fabulous cover art and video clip. You haven't lived until you've seen the amazing magical leotards at the 1:15 minute mark. Whoever dreamed up the scenario is probably still lying somewhere in a cocaine-induced coma. Watch in awe as Stephanie Mills shows Nicki Minaj how to do crazy right.

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La Toya - The Making Of A Superstar

YouTube is a beautiful thing. Last week a generous member called CoEvi uploaded one of the best videos I've seen in a very long time. La Toya Jackson - The Making Of A Superstar was a two-part special that aired on Entertainment Tonight in 1984. Filmed to promote the impending release of Heart Don't Lie, the footage offers an intriguing glimpse into the world of my favourite Jackson before severe mismanagement and the husband-from-hell derailed her career and turned her into a laughing-stock. In that regard, it's like a documentary about the Titanic. Filmed the day before it sank.

The first thing you notice is how genuinely adorable La Toya is. The reporter asks her about growing up in the Jackson shadow and she replies that she simply doesn't know anything else. She comes across as grounded, smart and realistic - a far cry from the woman who would make a spectacle of herself on talk-shows around the world just a couple of years later. It's heartbreaking that Jack Gordon could break her spirit to the extent that she literally transformed into a different human-being. She deserves so much credit for escaping his clutches and re-establishing herself as the most successful living Jackson in the early noughties.

Another highlight is seeing how seriously CBS took Heart Don't Lie. The president of the company is seen advising Toy on her videos ("less street") and the conversation with Private I Records executives about pursuing a more European sound is fascinating. Ever the businesswoman, La Toya reminds them not to forget the Orient! My favourite part is the demented fangirl losing her shit at the 6:15 minute mark and the Pope of Pop declaring that she intends to follow Barbra Streisand and Diana Ross into films. Things didn't really work out the way the then 28-year-old might have hoped but she survived and is now more popular than ever. How many divas can say they are finally reaching their peak in their mid-50s? La Toya Jackson is the Benjamin Buttons of pop culture.

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La Toya Answers Our Prayers

Since becoming the most relevant and successful Jackson, La Toya has been on a roll. Her tireless work on the talk-show circuit single-handedly brought Michael's murderer to justice, she charmed Cardiff with one of the greatest mimed live performances of all time and now delivers us the holy grail of her discography on CD. Yes, Toy Soldiers - I'm talking about "Imagination"! The iconic diva's fourth studio album was only released on vinyl. And unlike her mega-selling #149 smash "Heart Don't Lie", it sank without a trace and is next to impossible to find. How exciting then that the re-release even comes with bonus tracks!

Tracklist:

1. He's A Pretender
2. On A Night Like This
3. How Do I Tell Them
4. Imagination
5. Baby Sister
6. Imagination
7. Love Talk
8. Boys Got Somethin' Girls Ain't Got

Bonus Tracks

9. Imagination - Hot Dance Mix
10. Imagination - Dub Mix
11. Baby Sister - Instrumental Version
12. Imagination - 7" Remix

I adore every song on "Imagination". Toy Toy's version of "He's A Pretender" is '80s pop perfection, while the calypso-tinged "On A Night Like This" brings visions of sunny island paradise and "Boys Got Something Girls Ain't Got" more than lives up to its amazing title. However, the album is best know for La Toya's stunning Janet diss "Baby Sister". The critically acclaimed anthem - it won the Outstanding Song Award at the 16th Annual World Popular Song Festival in Japan! - is toygasmic from beginning to end. Listen to it below and order your copy of the re-release today. I just hope we don't crash the label's server with all our orders.

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