Released in April 1985 "Go West" was the debut studio album by the English pop duo Go West. The album brought the band into the limelight, scoring them a string of top 40 hits in the UK and New Zealand. "We Close Our Eyes" was the most successful single, reaching No. 4 in New Zealand and No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart. The album itself reached No. 8 on the UK Albums Chart. The Album spawned four singles "We Close Our Eyes", "Call Me", "Goodby Girl", "Eye To Eye" & "Don't Look Down".
Go West, formed in London by Peter Cox and Richard Drummie, had been writing songs for the album since 1982. Two songs featured on the album, "We Close Our Eyes" and "Call Me", helped them land a record deal with Chrysalis Records.
This 9 track album opened with lead single "We Close Our Eyes", which gave the duo a #5 UK hit single in 1985. It bursts open with synth/brass riffs that are repeated in the chorus. The vocals are pop-rock styled, set over a perfect 80s solid beat. It’s a fantastically 80s song and absolutely catchy. Next was "Don't Look Down" a song that has plenty of smooth synth blasts that remind me a fair bit of Jump by The Pointer Sisters. The track is particularly catchy in the chorus, and again is packed with the same kind of energy as the previous track. The third track was the group's second single Call Me, which bounces in but is essentially a softer song – musically and vocally.
Next was "Eye To Eye" is up next, and I’m soon reminded me of the lyrics of Kajagoogoo's hit Too Shy. There’s plenty of 80s Obligatory Saxophone here too. It’s quite a nice mid-tempo track. "Haunted." was a song is quite up-beat and relatively catchy too, and has tons of growling electric guitar in it. The vocals here really shine, with plenty of space for them to show off their vocal range. "S.O.S". This bursts open with percussion and a lot of bass guitar. The guitars really go for it in this song, particularly during the chorus. The third single "Goodbye Girl." This was a much slower more ballad-ish track. This slower song must have felt like quite a contrast but it’s the weakest song on the album so far. "Innocence" followed next, with an army of robotic synths and growling guitars before Peter’s vocals slide seamlessly in. The album closed with "Missing Persons." This is a bit of a downbeat drifty song with saxophone, piano, wafting vocals.
The honors of certain tracks on this record was the song "Goodbye Girl" was featured in the first episode of the second season of the 1980s TV series Miami Vice. The song "Call Me" is included on the soundtrack for the popular 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, on the fictional in-game radio station "Flash FM" and on the official soundtrack release.
