Better Than Heaven in Bloomington, MN

Stacey Q
was one of the myriad of
Madonna
wannabes who saturated the airwaves in the mid-'80s, but, unlike many of the pack, her debut album
Better Than Heaven
showed panache and a knowledge that she shouldn't take herself too seriously. The sexy monster hit
"Two of Hearts,"
synthesized and insistent, benefited greatly from
Q
's breathy, little-girl vocals, while
"We Connect,"
her only other venture into the Top 40;
"Music out of Bounds,"
which doesn't seem to mean a thing;
"Love or Desire"
; and
"Dancing Nowhere"
all followed in the same vein, without being a blueprint of the lead single. She does stray from the sex-kitten image on some cuts, and it is a cotton-candy result: lighter than air, but a tasty treat. The title track is a sweet ode to love;
"He Doesn't Understand"
is repetitive to the point where she's practically chanting, but the effect is almost lulling; and
"Don't Let Me Down"
is so frothy the song practically floats. Her vocals, hardly noteworthy, are perfect for this type of pop, and with a voice so limited, anyone can sing along. Though she became more experimental with successive albums,
is
's most accessible and most enjoyable work. ~ Bryan Buss