Rocktrospectiva: The Mixed "Tangled" Turns 35

Released on 30 May 1990 "Tangled" was the third studio album by Jane Wiedlin, The album was produced by Peter Collins, with the track "99 Ways" being co-produced with Andy Hill. The album spawned the single "World On Fire" and "Guardian Angel".

 

After the American Top 10 success of the 1988 single "Rush Hour" from the album Fur, Tangled took two years to complete and upon release failed to gain any commercial success and sold poorly, which in turn eventually led to Wiedlin's departure from EMI Records. Wiedlin would later state that this was largely due to EMI who failed to promote it, even thought the album was supported by a Summer tour in America, with plans for the tour being announced as early as May 1990.

 

Two singles were released from the album. The leading and main single "World on Fire," was released with a semi-controversial music video. and issued in USA, Japan and Italy only. The second single was the promotional-only US single "Guardian Angel", which aimed solely at radio airplay. It was issued as a one-track promo picture CD with custom back insert and remains scarce today. The title track "Tangled" would appear in the 1990 romantic comedy film Pretty Woman. And it would be included on the film's soundtrack album release in January 1990.

 

Wiedlin spoke of the song "Paper Heart", which was written by Wiedlin, Cyndi Lauper and Richard Orange: "It was sort of a song written by mail, more or less. I'd gotten a demo of the song in the mail and felt that it was real strong. Many years later, Los Angeles Times, writer Jon Matsumoto revealed that the album had left Wiedlin "bitter" about the music industry. The album took two years to complete, and after the shooting of an "extravagant" music video", Wiedlin felt that EMI Records failed to properly promote the album. She commented: "It left such a bad taste in my mouth. It was, 'I can't handle this anymore.

 

Critics described the album was Wiedlin's "best individual project to date" and singled out "Paper Heart" as the best track. It was her distinct tone and an almost ethereal uniqueness to that familiar Go-Go's beat. She felt Tangled was "more mature and considerably less bubble-gummy, bop-'til-you-droppy than that of the now-defunct girls band."

 

Tangled Track List:  

 

1. Rain On Me

2. At The End Of The Day

3. Guardian Angel

4. Flowers On The Battlefield

5. Tangled

6. World On Fire

7. Paper Heart

8. Big Rock Candy Mountain

9. 99 Ways

10. Euphoria