I Want Candy

by Tom DemalonFor many in America, "I Want Candy" was their first introduction to young Annabella Lwin and the band Bow Wow Wow. The song, a cover of a Strangeloves hit, barely scraped the Top 50, but became an enduring new wave classic. The song gave its name to the band's 1982 release, which was mainly a compilation, but included a couple new cuts produced by Kenny Laguna (Joan Jett & the Blackhearts). The Laguna-produced tracks find Lwin sounding more self-assured and slightly less frantic in her vocal delivery. "Louis Quatorze," with its theme of falling for the bad boy, has an instantly catchy chorus that is matched by the stuck-in-your-brain "Baby, Oh No." Of course, no Bow Wow Wow album would be complete without the obligatory come-hither insinuations from Lwin, which appear on "Cowboy." With solid new songs, some of the better old ones, and the hit that made them one-hit wonders, I Want Candy is an enjoyable romp that doesn't overstay its welcome.