Single Review: Forever

80’s! It was a place, not just a time. You have to have come from there to understand this assertion. We were Generation X, and what we had was music, TV and movies. Sam Cullen just took me back to April 1981 with his latest single Forever.

Invercargill native Sam, a 22 year old Gen Zedder, has come up with a single that is dripping with “now” yet throws that early 80s New Romantic/Post New Romantic vibe right at you, unapologetically. In fact it’s celebrating itself and its retro overtones. Happy Jacko! Produced by Ben Malone, I’ve not been given much info on the location of the recording, mix/mastering, or who played on it other than Sam. I’ll therefore stick directly with the song.

I’m currently avidly following the career path of a UK-based band called Deco. These guys, from Stoke-on-Trent, can be found on social media and YouTube doing 80s re-mix mashups of all sorts of unlikely numbers. It’s gotten them the ear of the industry there, getting them a major deal – which is news when it’s such a major and influential music industry like the UK. Based on this track from Sam, he would be a perfect contender for a slot with them if and when they get here. It’s got a great bottom end, a Flock Of Seagulls-like keyboard lead that pumps the neck and sends me back to the first time I saw Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall fall into evil Principal Paul Gleason’s clutches in Saturday morning detention.

Let me stress – this is a very 2023 song. Sam and his rich baritone have managed to combine it with the best of the best decade of music for this old Gen Xer to give one of the easiest 5 star reviews I’ve been lucky enough to give.

Take a ride!