Off The Tracks

Off The Tracks
  • Blog
    • Interviews
    • Miscellany
    • Special Guests
    • Reviews
  • Podcasts
  • The Vinyl Countdown
  • Back Catalogue
  • About
    • About
    • About the banner image
    • On Song
September 5, 2016 by Simon Sweetman

Rebecca Wallwork: New Kids On The Block’s Hangin’ Tough (33 1/3)

HangNew Kids On The Block’s Hangin’ Tough (33 1/3)

Rebecca Wallwork

Bloomsbury Academic

Rebecca Wallwork is – unashamedly – a fan of the New Kids. She loves the Hangin’ Tough album which is why she has written this Hangin’ Tough book (snobs attracted to the 33 1/3 series will be a bit put out by its inclusion I’m sure) but she has continued to follow the band, turning up to reunion gigs – travelling across oceans and continents even. She’s bought the new albums.

In and around a study of nostalgia and the merits of this album Wallwork looks at the neuroscience of fandom. A good angle to pick through when considering an album that is almost objectively of and tied to an era. Any “classic” status around this album is utterly dubious – and I say that as someone who has (kinda proudly) owned a copy of the record, even carried it out in public in a DJ crate once, maybe twice…TOugh

But it’s still a hard sell for Wallwork. The writing here is great, honest and open and thoughtful – and where it is the manic fandom speaking it is completely acknowledged; tapped into, studied, unpicked. But where it is around the album and around the general concepts of fandom and nostalgia the reader perhaps finds easier ground; the same thoughts can be applied to a personal guilty pleasure then – maybe not NKOTB but something relatable, transferable.

I’m still not totally sold on the idea that this book works within the confines of the series, but as the volumes pile up they can’t all tell the same sort of story the same sort of way. So kudos for the writer’s gumption and for the editor’s commitment to thinking outside the now narrower square of perceived “classic” records. I thought it was a fun read. No gripes here. Made me – almost, almost – consider playing the record through one more time too…

Posted in Blog, Reviews and tagged with 1980s, 33 1/3, Bloomsbury Academic, Book, Book Review, Classic Album, Hangin' Tough, New Kids On The Block, NKOTB, Nostalgia, Rebecca Wallwork, Rebecca Wallwork: New Kids On The Block's Hangin' Tough (33 1/3). RSS 2.0 feed.
« The Vinyl Countdown # 638
Moby: Long Ambients 1 – Calm. Sleep. »

Popular

  • The Sad Story of Bob Welch: Fleetwood Mac’s Most Undervalued Member
  • The Best Guitarist in The World: # 8 – Mark Knopfler
  • Janna Lapidus Leblanc: Four Years In Pictures
  • The Best Guitarist in The World: # 11 – Lindsey Buckingham
  • Time Casts Its Spell: When Silver Springs Became The Secret Weapon It Had Always Threatened To Be
  • Prince: Tokyo Dome 1990
  • Everything Must Go: My Last Time At The Record Fair
  • Where Have All The Kiwi Soundtracks Gone?
  • The Way It Is With Prince
  • Watching Music

Archives

Tags

Album Review Auckland Blog Book Book Review Chat Compilation DJ DVD DVD Review EP Film Film Review Gig Gig Review Guest Blog Guitar Interview Jazz Live Live Gig LP Movie Music NZ Podcast Poem Poetry Record Records Simon Sweetman Soundtrack Spines Spotify Stub Stubs Sweetman Podcast The Vinyl Countdown Vinyl Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron Wellington Wgtn Writing You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron [OST]

Categories

  • Back Catalogue
  • Blog
  • Interviews
  • Miscellany
  • Mixtapes
  • Playlists
  • Podcasts
  • Reviews
  • Scene Of The Day
  • Special Guests
  • The Vinyl Countdown

Off The Tracks is the home of Sweetman Podcast, a weekly interview/chat-based pod. It's also home to my reviews across film, TV, music and books and some creative writing as well.

Off The Tracks aims to provide quality reviews and essays, regular blog updates about the shows, albums, books and movies you should be experiencing.

It's a passion project. Your support will help to keep Off The Tracks online.

All content © 2022 by Off The Tracks. WordPress Themes by Graph Paper Press