There was something very wholesome about 1980s pop music. Girls didn't have to show off their bodies to garner success, but they did have to be cute. Music was allowed to be cheezy and very girl-next-door, something that Debbie Gibson did with a smile. After two very successful teeny-bopper albums, the pop princess decided it was time to grow up and released Anything is Possible, a concept album separated in two parts: the first eight songs being clever dance songs and the latter eight being slow ballads. Though she was very well known for her ability to write her own ballads and perform them with ease, I'm forever of the opinion that her upbeat tracks are more enjoyable.

I'm unsure exactly where Debbie's career took a turn for the worse. Mayhaps she did the teenage-thing too well, because despite her third album being one of her more enjoyable, it was also her last to be certified. Sporting a newly cropped hairdo and a crushed velvet suit inspired by Prince, Debbie Gibson performed her new single on the Arsenio Hall Show, dancing more like Madonna and less like a Disney extra. While the live version didn't really do her any favors due to an awkward arrangement, the studio mix is one that's not to soon forgot. Released in 1990, Anything is Possible is the most enjoyable Debbie song of her long-winded career, which now has her dazzling acts on broadway. Though she still sounds a little bit like she's at the mall with Tiffany, the rapidly moving Debbie clones singing on this track are interesting for such a simple pop song, her voice moving back and forth across the speakers: Thought I could not slow him down / Long enough to look my way / Thought he was out of my league / Wouldn't give me time of day.

The shining hook in the chorus is the star of the show, and though it may be rather cheezy (Anything is possible / If you put your mind to it), it's still a guilty pleasure, and if it's in my head, it's there for weeks. Depending on the version of the single you obtain, you'll either be treated to some typical late-80s/early-90s remixes or a b-side called So Close to Forever, a typical piano ballad that sounds like every other song from the second side of her album. Then again, this is Debbie Gibson we're talking about, so I can't say I'm all that surprised. The melody is nice, and her voice is okay. Nothing grand, and I'm all for bonus tracks on CD-singles since they are rather rare to come by these days; CD-singles themselves are rare these days.

JUDGING
Quite possibly one of the best songs of 90s. It's certainly the best one from Debbie Gibson, though it will forever be hidden in the thin shadows of Shake Your Love and Only In My Dreams.

Anything is Possible (5 Stars)
12" Mix (5 Stars)
So Close to Forever (2 Stars)

OVERALL SCORE: 4 STARS (Even)

Recommended: Yes