This weekend, my wife and I are NOT taking a step into the past, as we’re going to see Pat Benatar in Ft. Worth on Saturday night. We’re going to see a current modern musician perform. Not seeing an 80’s flashback, DAMMIT! I’ve always listened to Pat Benatar, and probably would have stopped listening after the 80’s but she went and did something smart. She evolved.

She came out with a great non rock and roll album (mostly blues stuff) called “True Love“, which I just fell in love with. It sounded nothing like her previous rock albums. Actually the one before that kind of started the departure, it wasn’t as 80’s poppish (this one was Wide Awake in Dreamland), it had intelligent stuff. Not that I thought her old material was crappy, but from 1990 onwards, her material was not the same as it used to be. Anyway, the next album she put out after that was Gravity’s Rainbow, which continued the evolution into extremely well done adult rock and roll. Not the stupid “let’s get drunk, ride motorcycles, and get laid” music that seems to permeate rock and roll.

However, nothing she did prepared me for her next release, Innamorata. This is by far and away the best thing she’s recorded. Innamorata is solid from start to finish, and is an absolute masterpiece. I cannot recommend that album enough.

Next week she releases her next album, and the first one in 6 years. It’s called “Go”. I also find the cover art interesting, because it REALLY looks 80’s. I’ve been listening to Pat and Neil for a long LONG time, and several of her albums mean a lot of me personally both emotionally and musically. It’ll be cool to see her, shake her hand and say just “Thanks”.