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This isn't a regular album for Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam. Instead, it's a greatest hits CD of sorts. More like a thrown together compilation of a fan's favorite songs. Lisa Lisa was paired with Cult Jam back in '85 by production team, Full Force. In fact, the first record was actually called 'Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force'. Anyway, after that first record, Full Force moved on to release their own material and further their producing goals. Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam became the vehicle they used to launch themselves forward. Irregardless of how the band came about, during their highpoint, they were all over the radio, MTV and pretty much everywhere you went.
Full Force readily embraced the "Minneapolis Sound" produced by Prince and various other groups coming out of the Midwest at the time. They were based in New York, but nevertheless wrote with dominate synth lines carrying the main melody and bass tracks with heavily mixed live and electronic drum sounds reverberated in the background. I quite liked a lot of the songs they were putting out. I never bought any of their records, but when I saw this in a bargain bin, I decided it was worth a couple bucks to get copies of some of my more favorite songs and also expose myself to more of what they'd done.
Sadly, I've come to realize Full Force is a hit and miss thing with me. I either love the track or hate it. The Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam material is no exception. Also notable is the absence of some of the band's more popular hits like 'Lost In Emotion'. This release seems haphazard and hardly worth the effort in the long run. Ballad wise, I find Full Force almost unendurable. Too often ballads can sound weak and complaining. The ballads on this disc seem to all fall into that category. 'Head To Toe' and 'I Wonder If I Take You Home' are the only decent Full Force tracks on the entire disc. The other dance tracks are generic for the period and don't stand out at all. Especially 'I Love What You Do To Me'. The first time I heard it, I thought I was listening to Bell Biv DeVoe. Extremely weak material.
The only other song worth mentioning from this release is the Clivelles & Cole track, 'Let The Beat Hit 'Em'. Clivelles & Cole are famous for C+C Music Factory, but also made a name for themselves as producers and for remixing later on. It's a strong track, but so far removed from the sound Lisa Lisa is known for, they eclipse her with their production. Still, it's a worthy ditty.
I think if you're out to purchase material from Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, there must be a better, more complete singles collection out there somewhere. The point of greatest hits records is to actually include hits. If this CD were a dart game, I'd say whoever put it together missed the board altogether. Do yourself a favor and just download the single tracks you want and avoid this messy ensemble. My final word: MESSY.
LISA LISA & CULT JAM - HEAD TO TOE
01. Head To Toe
02. A Fool Is Born Every Day
03. Let The Beat Hit 'Em
04. Sensuality
05. Behind My Eyes
06. I Wonder If I Take You Home
07. Kiss Your Tears Away
08. Dance Forever
09. I Love What You Do To Me
10. This Is Cult Jam
Back in the day, a new Janet Jackson CD was something to look forward to. I think it was about the time 'Janet' came out that I started loosing interest in her. It wasn't because she was getting boring... If anything, her music was becoming more diverse and I always like artists who challenge me. So what made me lose interest? I think it had more to do with the inconsistency in the quality of the material she was recording. I felt half the tracks on 'Janet' were throw away "filler" material. And subsequent albums have been the same. Not to mention the inordinate amount of segues littering her tracklists. On the first couple albums they were quite nice and clever, but as the discs progressed, she got carried away with it. Not always to the listening pleasure of her fans.
I stopped buying her stuff after 'Velvet Rope'. I'd pick up singles if I liked something here and there, but when this disc came out, a good friend of mine swore up and down this was "THE" record of the year and I had to have it. He played me a couple songs off the disc and I was convinced this was gonna be a great disc. I bought it. So was it a good choice or a mistake? Truth be told... I'm not sure.
Personally, I really really like Janet. I like watching her talk, perform and generally, I like her singing. She seems like a person I'd enjoy knowing. That being said, you can't base your appreciation of a musical work simply on your personal feeling toward the artist.
The segues are a problem. They're all over the place and annoying at times. Picking one segue theme and sticking to it would be advisable. She starts off with talking to what is implied to be an artificial intelligence who acts also as a friend. That would be fine if she followed through with it during the entire disc, but it only pops up a couple times. Instead of getting into the segues, I'll focus on the songs...
There are some outstanding musical numbers on this disc. The first song is 'Feedback' and it's awesome. Not only is it a great tune but the video is quite interesting as well. My absolute favorite track is 'Rock With U'. I'm not sure why this song appeals to me other than it's got an exciting beat and comes on fairly relentlessly. It's amazing! Other outstanding tracks include '2nite', 'Luv', 'Greatest X', 'So Much Betta', 'The 1' and 'Discipline'. 'Discipline' is extremely provocative and suggestive. It's very erotic and highly sensual. 'The 1' features Missy Elliott and is extremely funky.
This album is a departure from Janet's regular fare. She's not working with her long time producer partners Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. She's using different people who are bringing her a new sound, but her songwriting input has lessened greatly.
I think it's better than anything she's done in a long time. There are still some throwaway songs that are boring and skippable, but you get the sense she's moving into something new. Whether she embraces this change or not remains to be seen, but it's worth the purchase for the funky numbers. Time to rediscover this artist.
I'm hopeful for the future once again. My final words: HOPEFUL & PROMISING.
JANET - DISCIPLINE
01. I.D.
02. Feedback
03. Luv
04. Spinnin
05. Rollercoaster
06. Bathroom Break
07. Rock With U
08. 2nite
09. Can't B Good
10. 4 Words
11. Never Letchu Go
12. Truth Or Dare
13. Greatest X
14. Good Morning Janet
15. So Much Betta
16. Play Selection
17. The 1 Feat. Missy Elliott
18. What's Ur Name
19. The Meaning
20. Discipline
21. Back
22. Curtains
Although I knew Tool and listened to some of their stuff on the radio, I never really embraced them. They were musically more complex than I normally like in a rock band. They're a thinking man's rock. Whereas I prefer to go merrily along with sound and enjoy it in the moment. My first exposure to A Perfect Circle was on MTV. I saw the video to 'Judith' and I was really grooving to the beat. I loved the song. Shortly after I moved to North Carolina and the first gift Bryan gave me was this CD. I loved it. I had no idea A Perfect Circle shared the same frontman with Tool. From the song perspective alone, the band is far more accessible than Tool is. They've probably had more mainstream success because of it as well.
The first impression you have when you look at this disc is the beautiful artwork. This is exactly the reason why I love owning CDs vs. downloading. Sometimes, you get something truly exceptional in the packaging or the artwork is simply amazing. 'Mer De Noms' is an example of this. Then there's the meat and potatoes of the disc... The actual music.
To call this disc one of the greatest rock albums of all time wouldn't be an understatement. It's one of the strongest records I've ever heard. Right from the start, with 'The Hollow' the band sets a precedence. With a strong, compelling rhythm, the song builds aggressively to a melodic breakdown that never really looses the tune's momentum and comes back like a right hook to the jaw. 'Magdalena' has an offbeat intensity that suits the lyrical content. There's a desire unsatisfied and an almost unresolved quality to the song progression that feeds this feeling. 'Rose' starts with a wilted sound. It's weak and almost boring, but further listening allows for the musical crescendo. Once the full force of the track kicks in, it's a power packed punch, blossoming into a red swell.
'Judith' is a stand alone track. It's uncompromising beat carries you along with all the rage of the vocal delivery. Philosophically, this song is quite aggressive. Musically, it's phenomenal. I absolutely love this song! There's no way around it. 'Orestes' is another song that builds to an amazing climax. It begins with a peaceful slow pace and evolves into a fuller sound like flashing police lights. "Cut away, clear away, sever this umbilical residue". Absolutely incredible lyrics. '3 Libras' is another amazing song. It makes me think of Bryan so much. I feel like this song describes how we were at the end. He couldn't see me. I became invisible to him. It's another of my all time favorite songs on the disc.
Both 'Sleeping Beauty' and 'Thomas' are excellent songs with interesting builds; but 'Renholder' is the unfettered masterpiece of this half of the album. More organic and feeling like something you'd hear on a movie score rather than a rock album, this gypsy campfire song is mysterious, spooky and completely in place with the feel of the record thus far. 'Thinking Of You' plays along the same lines with a spooky motif played under the first verse. The rhythm section begins to sound less organic and more computerized, but the bridge and chorus promise salvation. Maynard's vocals bring the only relief to the song's urgency with the words, "Sweet revelation, Sweet surrendering".
'Brena' is a melodic ballad with beautiful lyrics and a natural feel to the song progression. It is followed by the slight and still 'Over'. Maynard sings softly over a piano and xylophone sound. Very peaceful and the perfect denouement. I'd call it a French art film if I had to relate it to something in real life.
These songs all seem to be extremely intimate portraits of people known by Maynard or other band members. There's a confiding quality to the disc. A whispered confidence shared between conspiring friends. Ultimately, it's one of those discs everyone should own. No collection is complete with 'Mer De Noms'... Especially yours. My final words: A PERFECT CREATION.
A PERFECT CIRCLE - MER DE NOMS
01. The Hollow
02. Magdalena
03. Rose
04. Judith
05. Orestes
06. 3 Libras
07. Sleeping Beauty
08. Thomas
09. Renholder
10. Thinking Of You
11. Brena
12. Over
This is another album I initially bought for the Prince songs... Many years later however, I saw her live in concert and she blew my mind! I absolutely have great respect for this woman. And when I listen to her CDs now, I listen to them from that headspace.
Anyone who knows me well knows I'm seldom interested in vocalists. I enjoy certain voices and I have respect for many, but usually those who write with a band or compose their own material. I find little to no satisfaction in following vocalists. Of course there are some exceptions to the rule. Seeing Patti live has earned her a place in that rare category.
With such renewed interest in her, I listened to this album much differently than I did when I first bought it. The first song is one that obviously made the record company rounds... Celine Dion had a minor hit with the same track. Though the arrangement is similar, Patti's version is easily the superior number. Although it would be simple to write a lot of these tracks off as fluff, Patti performs each tune with conviction. She heard something in each one and uses her expressive vocals to portray the characteristics of each song in its best possible light. This disc has many stand-out moments. The Full Force track, 'I Got It Like That' features an amazing scale by Patti. She rips it up! Even though the song has typical Full Force sound, it's hardly one of their finer moments; sounding instead like a song written around a pop culture cliche rather than an original concept.
The Prince songs are incredibly strong, though 'Love 89' tends to be musically more complicated and less straight forward than 'Yo Mister'; the latter being a typical sound for him during this period. The true genius of 'Love 89' is summed up in the lyric, "don't take time 4 Jesus, unless u got time 4 the sinners that be." To put forth such a blatant commentary about hypocrisy through an artist of LaBelle's stature was a bold move and even more powerful with her vocals backing it up. This track is also unique because it features the first time Prince uses the term, "New Power Generation"; which became not only his label after Paisley Park shut down, but also the name of his backing band ever since. It's also been a reoccurring theme musically for him. It all started here, folks!
'Be Yourself' is worth the time. It's an exceptional piece of work from a truly brilliant talent. You'll enjoy yourself. My final word: EXCEPTIONAL.
PATTI LABELLE - BE YOURSELF
01. If You Asked Me To
02. I Can't Complain
03. Be Yourself
04. Yo Mister
05. I Got It Like That
06. Love 89
07. Still In Love
08. I'm Scared Of You
09. Can't Bring Me Down
10. Need A Little Faith
11. I Can Fly
Morrissey is the ex-lead singer of 80's pop icons, The Smiths... He went on to have esoteric success as a solo artist. He's got a devoted following of fans who follow his every move. He's an interesting man in a number of ways. I've noticed how he uses his influence to help other artists. He directs his following towards other bands he respects or personally enjoys. But he's also unapologetic about aspects of himself such as his ego or cruel things he's done. I believe Morrissey holds grudges. To me, he reflects many traits we normally try to hide from others. I feel this because he writes neurotic and often self deprecating lyrics. But let's be honest, we all feel like this... Few of us actually talk about it. Hehehe. We all wonder if someone actually loves us. We all wonder if we're good people, or lovable in any way. Morrissey takes those ideas and writes songs about them. His subject matter is truly unique. There's also a "Greaser" or rockabilly quality to his look. He appeals strongly to a more centered type of crowd.
On this album, the grand tradition of Morrissey's solo albums continues in good form. He doesn't have a musical collaborator like Johnny Marr from the Smiths; which often leads to sub standard hooks or music that can sound somewhat generic at times. Still, it's usually an even split between filler songs and great material. This album follows that formula but leans more towards the great material than the filler.
The first two tracks, though controversial and even confrontational, are ok but nothing to get excited about. Then comes 'I Have Forgiven Jesus'... What an amazing tune. Using Jesus as a metaphor for social acceptance, he forgives the messiah for abandoning him as a youth. This is a thinly veiled discussion of the hardships he struggled with, (mostly internally it seems), namely because he was gay. Most gay people share a common experience of being ostracized from their social circles because they're different. Especially in America, religion can have a huge impact on the social structure of a community and many gay people find themselves alone without any of the advantages of a community simply because they love differently. They're left to find other places to make home and other people to love. I could go on forever about this, but it's enough to say I can relate to the song and it's impact is powerful.
Following it up with a one, two punch... 'Come Back To Camden' is a strong number followed by an even stronger track. 'I'm Not Sorry', is a wonderful piece about living without the burden of social guilt. It's musically flowing and quite fun to sing along with. I love the line, "Slipping below the waterline". Both 'First Of The Gang To Die' and 'Let Me Kiss You' are brilliant tunes. 'First Of The Gang To Die' is a track similar to 'Boy Racer' and other numbers in that same sound genre. Although he names the lead character, "Hector"; which makes me think it was inspired by the gang scene in Los Angeles where Morrissey was living, the song still maintains that 50's feel. 'Let Me Kiss You' seems more like a tragedy rather than a song. He expresses that infatuation you can feel with someone. Morrissey reminds you that if you could have just one night, one time, nay... Just one kiss even... From that someone you've wanted for years, you could die blissfully happy. It's very sweet in it's own way.
'I Like You' is a rather poignant song about gradual development. About taking the time to learn to like someone rather than jumping into it. He sings about that moment of discovery where you turn around and say, "Hey, I actually like this person".
I'm very happy with 'You Know I Couldn't Last'. It's an almost rock anthem of sorts. Morrissey talking about the fading career of a superstar. He gives you the impression he knew it would happen all along. In fact, he was waiting for it. Hehe. So I'm quite happy and fond of this Morrissey record and I enjoyed listening to it again. My final words: WHAT A BLAST!
MORRISSEY - YOU ARE THE QUARRY
01. America Is Not The World
02. Irish Blood, English Heart
03. I Have Forgiven Jesus
04. Come Back To Camden
05. I'm Not Sorry
06. The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores
07. How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel?
08. First Of The Gang To Die
09. Let Me Kiss You
10. All The Lazy Dykes
11. I Like You
12. You Know I Couldn't Last
I don't know the order of the singles from this album. So I'm just posting them as I listen to them. When you look at all the songs on 'You Are The Quarry', 'Let Me Kiss You' is easily one of the strongest. However, as a single, this particular release leaves a lot to be desired. The version of the title track is the same as the album I believe. The interest in this release is the non-album track 'Don't Make Fun Of Daddy's Voice'. However, it's not a very exciting song. The music is quite upbeat, but unfortunately, it doesn't grab me in a favorable way. It has an offbeat sound, yet I find the tune more irritating than appealing. I think the poetry of the song is great though. It's an interesting tale for sure.
Probably one for more die-hard Morrissey fans than the general consumer. Think about downloading the track rather than buying the disc. My final word: OK.
MORRISSEY - LET ME KISS YOU
01. Let Me Kiss You
02. Don't Make Fun Of Daddy's Voice
These singles are only interesting for the non-album tracks. The versions of the official song are usually edits of album versions; which you most likely already have. This disc is no exception. 'First Of The Gang To Die' is a really great tune. It's the second song that really captures your attention. 'My Life Is A Succession Of People Saying Goodbye' is a sentimental, but lovely tune about people who lose touch over the years, and those we purposefully break with. That longing for those people in your life again... It has an intriguing build and resolves itself beautifully. Certainly worth the effort to locate. Of course these days you can find it online and just download the tune without much effort. And without purchasing the single. Enjoy it. My final word: ENJOYABLE.
MORRISSEY - FIRST OF THE GANG TO DIE
01. First Of The Gang To Die
02. My Life Is A Succession Of People Saying Goodbye
Aside from the Wendy & Lisa track, there wasn't much interest in this disc for me. Sure I knew some of the artists on here, but none of them were people I collected or followed with the one exception.
Soundtracks are sometimes a hit or miss. You can get a soundtrack with great songs all the way through or one that has a couple decent tracks and then nothing but garbage. I bought this CD at a used CD store and only paid a couple bucks for it, so I believed I was getting the latter. In fact, up until recently, I only ever listened to the Wendy & Lisa cut. It was because of my nephew that I discovered this CD for the first time after owning it for years. I was putting together a hip hop compilation disc for him and was searching through my hip hop collection to find songs that weren't heavy with cuss words. This was one of the albums I listened to.
The opening Coolio track was well known at the time the movie was out. It was a big hit on the radio. Urban stations everywhere were pushing this track and I knew it well. I'm not sure I've ever formed an opinion on it beyond the fact it doesn't bother me. I just never cared one way or another on it. The Aaron Hall track is a wonderfully fun number with a great beat, high energy vocals and a catchy tune. I really like it. Enough to follow up with Aaron Hall. The Big Mike tune is boring with language and that whole gangsta thug poser bit that was popular back in the day. I've always found it rather annoying personally. Rappin' 4-Tay has two tracks on this disc. The first one, 'Problems' is lackluster and boring musically. Lyrically, it speaks about the concerns of most urban people. Sadly, it just sounds kinda whiny. The second song, 'A Message For Your Mind' borrows a hook from the Jackson Five and is a fun number. It grooves along rather nicely.
Other stand out tracks include the funny and funky 'Don't Go There' by 24-K; the incredible R&B cut, 'Feel The Funk' by Immature; the surprisingly interesting 'It's Alright' by Sista and the Wendy & Lisa number, 'This Is The Life'. 'This Is The Life' is an electric version of the unplugged track, 'The Life' off their first album. Both versions of the song are absolutely brilliant and variations of the track served as various themes throughout the film. I believe this was the girls' first attempt at scoring a film. And what a way to do it. Absolutely brilliant tune and amazing mood music for this aggressive film.
So this soundtrack is one worth the time and effort. It may sound a little dated by today's pop culture standards, but the classic tracks are enough to make it a winner. My final word: WORTHY.
DANGEROUS MINDS - MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE
01. Coolio Featuring L.V. - Gangsta's Paradise
02. Aaron Hall - Curiosity
03. Big Mike - Havin Thangs
04. Rappin' 4-Tay - Problems
05. Mr. Dalvin & Static - True O.G.
06. Tre Black - Put Ya Back Into It
07. 24-K - Don't Go There
08. Immature - Feel The Funk
09. Sista Featuring Craig Mack - It's Alright
10. Rappin' 4-Tay - A Message For Your Mind
11. DeVante - Gin & Juice
12. Wendy & Lisa - This Is The Life
Tori Amos is probably one of the more enduring stars of the 90's. And this little gem is a piece of her history she considers best left forgotten. It's no wonder really. Consider for a moment the sound Tori is famous for... That raw passionate expressive vocal delivery over interesting and simple piano arrangements. Her fans expect a certain level of performance and artistry from the lovely Tori. So this disc is like a slap in the face of everything they hold holy. It would be like Metallica fans finding out James Hetfield got his start playing in a country western Vegas lounge act. It's just sacrilegious.
The name and the title are the same with the exception of an ' in the word kant or kan't. I use them differently because it reads both. Kan't on the spine and kant on the cover. Anyway...
I quite like Tori. I'm not a diehard fan, but I've always enjoyed her. I have mostly singles. Few actual albums. But I was getting into her when I found this little item in a run down CD shop in Vegas. I picked it up for $5 and was instantly pleased.
Part of the problem with this album, isn't the overproduction like so many Tori fans believe it is... It's actually the generic production. That over the top sound is very 80's specific and for those of us from the 80's... We quite enjoyed it. The difference is in the ability of the producer/arranger to make something sound unique and different. In this case, the disc falls flat because the majority of the songs lack anything defining. That being said, there are also certain tracks that really sparkle here.
'The Big Picture' is an amazing number. It rocks along at a nice pace and really lets Tori animate her vocal delivery. Like most tracks, the lyrics are interesting, diverse and enticing. The musicianship is efficient and often lovely. It's a grand tune with big ideas. But it's track #2 that really gets my attention. 'Cool On Your Island' is one of those songs I wish I'd written myself. I love absolutely everything about the song. The music, the lyrics and of course the more sparse arrangement. Most of the sounds are in a low bass range.
The rest of the tracks are lovely, with 'Etienne Trilogy' and 'Heart Attack At 23' both showing some amazing raw piano playing indicative of Amos' future sound. Even here, it's present and revealing. Other stand out tracks include 'Floating City', 'Fire On The Side' and 'On The Boundary'. On each one, there's the soulful vocals of Amos front and center.
I realize this is a unique disc in a number of ways. First, it's a sound not likely to surface ever again... It's avoided by devoted fans of the artist... And it flopped rather drastically when it was first released. I consider it a rare gem that missed it's mark when it should have sparkled brightly for the world to see. If you can get your hands on it, give it a go. It's worth it. My final word: OVERLOOKED.
Y KAN'T TORI READ - Y KANT TORI READ
01. The Big Picture
02. Cool On Your Island
03. Fayth
04. Fire On The Side
05. Pirates
06. Floating City
07. Heart Attack At 23
08. On The Boundary
09. You Go To My Head
10. Etienne Trilogy
The Highlands
Etienne
Skyeboat Song
No Doubt was a huge band in the 90's. Especially in Vegas. Everyone was listening to them. They were a huge band. Despite the fact you couldn't throw a brick without hitting them, I never really got into them. I liked the songs they had on the radio but never enough to actually buy any of their records. The only reason I bought this disc was because Prince works on it. He contributed to one song, so it had the potential of being one of those discs that you fork out the money for one measly track. But 'Rock Steady' survives my one hit Prince collection quagmire and comes on like a one, two punch.
This is quite a different record for no doubt. They were on the cusp of that midway alternative ska movement. Even though this album has a lot of that swing beat to it, it also incorporates more electronica than before and has elements of reggae as well. The band enlisted some serious producers for this record. Whether that was intentional to produce a specific sound, get a hit album or just because they liked the people they worked with; the eclectic feel of the disc makes it truly infectious and listenable.
'Hella Good' starts the disc off with an amazing beat and forceful song. It's easily the most powerful and straight forward track on the album. It's produced by Nellee Hooper who also produces 'Detective', 'Running', 'In My Head' and 'Rock Steady'. Oddly enough, not only is Hooper partially responsible for the strongest song on the disc, he's also on the hook for the weakest... 'Detective' is my least favorite track. It is odd enough to make me think it's one of those tracks you either completely love or hate. In my case, it's hate.
Cars veteran, Ric Ocasek picks up the reigns for a couple of songs, both having that very obvious Cars sound and beat. They're both enjoyable numbers. They're not the most exciting, but they're good fair. William Orbit shows up for a disappointing showing with 'Making Out'. The Sly & Robbie tracks are pretty good. I've never heard of Steely & Clevie, but I really like 'Start The Fire'.
The Prince track, 'Waiting Room' isn't the best track on the disc. Usually, it's the strongest. In this case, not so. However, it is the most unique and pretty good overall. I quite like it and more than some of his other collaborations, I feel this song fits quite well with the diverse material on this disc.
I'm not the biggest No Doubt fan out there, but if they were releasing material like this all the time, I'd be all over them. It's a surprising disc full of wonderful musical moments. No Doubt fans won't be shocked at the excellence of this album, but casual listeners might wanna give the band a shot. At least with this one. They rock steady, no doubt. My final word: YES!
NO DOUBT - ROCK STEADY
01. Intro
02. Hella Good
03. Hey Baby
04. Making Out
05. Underneath It All
06. Detective
07. Don't Let Me Down
08. Start The Fire
09. Running
10. In My Head
11. Platinum Blonde Life
12. Waiting Room
13. Rock Steady
Sigue Sigue Sputnik emerged from the London punk scene as the New Wave Romantic movement was gaining speed and Punk was on the decline. In a way, the Sputniks were a power group, culled from some of punk rock's biggest name bands and coming together to create experimental music. The Sputniks embraced everything about the 80's. From punk hairstyles, strange clothes and material excess, this band championed Western Free Market system. They viewed social politics and the world markets and created a product to reflect the environment they found themselves in.
Punk is similar to Grunge in many ways. Both sprung up from the struggles of an underclass trying to find a voice and a face. Both created a movement of sorts among young people. But the 80s were a different time. There seemed to be more emphasis on getting famous and shopping. Materialism ran rampant. In many ways, the Sputniks were the ultimate example of materialistic self promotion. Even the band's videos showed them behaving excessively. Limousines, women, helicopters and military arms...
To take it even further, the band actually sold advertisement space between the songs. The forerunner to the modern day "Segue". Different companies purchased short commercials that were then transformed by the Sputniks into musical bleep transition pieces. An ingenious, albeit before its time notion...
Sadly, the press and music reviewers didn't get the joke. The group was taken way too seriously and were hounded by bad press and terrible reviews. They were doomed to failure.
I, however, quite liked the disc. I thought the synthesizer and sampling use was original and progressive. Other groups were doing similar things, but the Sputniks were really out there on the forefront of electronic technology. I thought they were amazing. The look was punk/glam... One Marilyn Manson would later pick up for his 'Mechanical Animals' album and various other groups followed course. They were the Bowie's of the punk/new wave world and it's a shame they never took off.
My advice is to give the Sputniks a try. They were extremely shocking back in the day. Today, not so much. But they were the grandfathers of the "Go-Go Metal" movement. The theatricality and over the top production of glam metalheads today can thank Sigue Sigue Sputnik for opening the doors of acceptability for strangeness. The Sputnik corporation should be alive and kicking today. It was on target back then. Even dated, it's still a fun listen. My final word: SPUTNIK-A-RIFIC!
SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK - FLAUNT IT
01. Love Missile F1-11
02. Atari Baby
03. Sex Bomb Boogie
04. Rockit Miss USA
05. 21st Century Boy
06. Massive Retaliation
07. Teenage Thunder
08. She's My Man
I used to have the entire album by this guy. But like so many other discs, it was stolen at one point or another. I've never replaced it. For the most part, I enjoyed the disc and I'm surprised he didn't do better. I felt the songwriting was strong and Morrison has an interesting vocal delivery. He's a pretty solid singer.
'Return Of The Mack' is an extremely solid tune. It's got an amazing beat and fun lyrics you can sing along with. The mixes on this single are kinda strange... The first track is an extended version of the song. It has all the integrity of the original track but draws it out for 7 minutes. Usually, longer songs can get tedious, but this mix pulls it off in an enjoyable way. For me, it's become the standard version of the song. I really like it. The second mix is boring. It breaks the beat down to a slow mellow groove, but there's nothing really interesting about the sound to make it worth paying attention to. I'm really not sure why it was considered for the single release. Surely there were other versions with stronger beats attached. The other two "mixes" are an a capella version and an instrumental. Interesting on their own, but hardly worth including on a single. The vocals are part of the music's strength.
The second track is 'Trippin'' and just like 'Return Of The Mack', the first mix is an extended version of the song. 'Trippin'' is another strong track from Morrison and is awesome as an extended version. The mix of 'Trippin'' is slightly better than the mix for 'Return Of The Mack', but not by much. I don't know where they got these people to mix, but there was some really boring mixing going on. B-double o-ring...
Overall, I'm glad I still have this single. At the very least, I still have two songs from this great vocalist. I really need to buy that disc again. My final words: DEEPLY FUNKY.
MARK MORRISON - RETURN OF THE MACK
01. Return Of The Mack (C&J X-Tended Radio Edit)
02. Return Of The Mack (Da Beatminerz Remix)
03. Return Of The Mack (Accappella Of The Mack)
04. Trippin' (C&J Mix)
05. Trippin' (Salaam Remi Remix)
06. Return Of The Mack (Instrumental)
Orgy came out on the heels of Marilyn Manson, Rammstein, Rob Zombie and other go-go metal acts. My first exposure to this group was seeing them perform live. They were part of a festival show I saw. I quite liked them live and when I saw the CD, I picked it up. My opinion of Orgy is kinda strange. I like them... Especially some of their later stuff. The first album isn't all that great though. There's all the elements of a great industrial metal disc and yet, none of the songs really jump out and grab you. Each one has an interesting hook at one point or another, but nothing that sets it apart from anything else at the time. Sadly, it came across as rather generic for the time.
There seems to be a preoccupation with shocking lyrics. Especially at the time Orgy came on the scene. Including words like razor, rape... seemed to be a way for bands to make themselves seem very anti-social. But with so many acts writing and producing outrageous music, the little lyrical dabbling of Orgy seems almost silly. Later on, the band seemed to move into a more mature view of things. Their subject matter extended to things beyond the typical overblown drama of ridiculous teenage angst. There's a lot of songs dealing with the miasma of petty relationships. Not to devalue a relationship in any way, but there are those people, and you know who I'm talking about, who constantly go on and on about their boyfriend/girlfriend and drive the world crazy by over-analyzing every single minutiae of every single detail... It's too much. And for some reason, the lyrics of this album make me feel like I'm being bombarded by someone's life I just don't care about.
The New Order cover is pretty exciting and better than the original. It's actually the song that got me into them. At one point I had the single but it's since been appropriated by those who plundered my collection. I like Orgy, and I like the album ok. Just not a stand out performance. Still, it's got a great title. My final words: ANGST DRIBBLE.
ORGY - CANDYASS
01. Social Enemies
02. Stitches
03. Dissention
04. Platinum
05. Fetisha
06. Fiend
07. Blue Monday
08. Gender
09. All The Same
10. Pantomime
11. Revival
12. Dizzy
So I knew some of the songs off this album from Xtreme Radio down in Las Vegas. They played 'Smack My Bitch Up' and 'Firestarter'. Then my friend Tony asked me to buy this disc for his birthday and I did. It was shortly afterward that I picked the disc up for myself and was completely blown away.
I'd been listening to a lot of electronic music at this time. I was really into Juno Reactor and through them, I was embracing other groups like Crystal Method, Chemical Brothers and a whole slew of compilation discs with various electronic bands. It was the rave scene and I was clubbing all the time. There was a lot of controversy surrounding this disc as well. Seems like everyone was up in arms about 'Smack My Bitch Up'. Which I just thought was ridiculous. Why all the fuss? Bands like Prodigy weren't out to make misogynistic statements, they were just reflecting a certain vibe.
The disc starts off with the pounding 'Smack My Bitch Up' and moves into 'Breathe'. Two very strong, beat heavy tracks right of the bat. 'Diesel Power' maintains the deep bass heavy groove, but slows the pace down to an almost funky level. 'Funky Shit' kicks in immediately afterward and takes you right back into the moment with some skippin' beats looping around some old school sampling. The next track, 'Serial Thrilla' sounds almost like something Rage Against The Machine would come up with. It's got a strong guitar sample playing heavily over the crashing beat.
'Mindfields' takes off at an epic pace. It's like the build in a horror movie. The anticipation builds with eerie sound and hyped synth lines before an abrupt funk beat kicks in and digs a trenching groove that cuts deeper as the song progresses. This track has the most natural and exciting build of all the songs, but is by no means the most exciting track. 'Narayan' is perhaps the least interesting track. It sounds almost run of the mill compared to the rest of the beats on the album. It segues into 'Firestarter'. This transition is perhaps the only thing that saves it from being completely mundane. 'Firestarter' on the other hand, is an extremely forceful and angry tune full of jungle rhythms and furious spoken lyrics. 'Climbatize' is the albums huge anthem song of sorts. It has a great build and moves into a steady, but lush beat structured around some classic rock hooks that eventually take on a Middle Eastern feel. This would have been a great end to the disc. But the final track is still to come. 'Fuel My Fire' sounds almost like a punk rock tune thrown in for fun. It would have come across as a hidden track with a longer break in between the two songs. As it is, it kinda destroys the rounded off ending created by 'Climbatize'.
Overall, this is one exciting and fun disc. It starts off strong and maintains a beat throughout. They rarely drop the bottom out of a song or break down into meaningless nothingness... It stays powerful throughout.
It seems like every group has one disc or album that really defines them. For Prodigy, 'The Fat Of The Land' is it. You may not like them or even approve of them, but it's a fun disc and one that should be in every rock n' roll fan's collection. Even if you don't like electronic acts. It rocks! My final word: POWERFUL.
PRODIGY - THE FAT OF THE LAND
01. Smack My Bitch Up
02. Breathe
03. Diesel Power
04. Funky Shit
05. Serial Thrilla
06. Mindfields
07. Narayan
08. Firestarter
09. Climbatize
10. Fuel My Fire
There's nothing really exciting about this single other than the non-lp track, 'No Man Army'... Even that isn't worth much. I can't remember why I bought this single other than I was really excited to hear some remixes of 'Smack My Bitch Up'. I loved the song. The one remix on the disc is a speed mix that gives the track an incredibly nervous energy but otherwise does little to enhance the song. It's not worth the purchase. I listened to this CD in the truck this morning and truth be told, there isn't much here to really bust a move to. I'm sure there are lots of Prodigy fans out there who will disagree, but to me, it was a wasted purchase. My final word: WASTE.
PRODIGY - SMACK MY BITCH UP
01. Smack My Bitch Up (Edit)
02. No Man Army
03. Mindfields (Headrock Dub)
04. Smack My Bitch Up (DJ Hype Remix)
So Prince finally puts together a greatest hits effort just as he prepares to close his Paisley Park label for good. In a way, it's a good ending to this amazing label and tribute to the music and artists it represented. The compilation was released in three different guises. There were two single disc editions 'The Hits 1' and 'The Hits 2' along with a 3-disc edition collecting to two single discs together and including a 3rd disc of b-sides. He planned the discs in a very specific way... The first disc was to include his more spiritual and uplifting music while the second disc was aimed at the more raunchy and physical stuff.
My biggest complaint with the compilation is the inclusion of so many edited versions of songs. It makes the disc sound and feel hurried. Also, unlike other specific albums, it sounds somewhat jumbled at times. Each one of these tunes, in and of itself, merits examination, but for the sake of time, I'll limit my discussion to the unreleased tracks...
On this particular disc, the new song is the incomparable 'Pink Cashmere'. It's a lovely tune with a relaxed groove and a beautiful falsetto vocal delivery. Of all the new tracks appearing in this collection, 'Pink Cashmere' is my favorite. I absolutely adore the song. It's lovely.
For Prince fans, the edits of some tracks are nice to own. The unreleased songs are also a bonus. The 3rd disc is the real treasure. For the casual listener, these discs are a wonderful glimpse into the work of a musical genius. My final word: WONDERFUL.
PRINCE - THE HITS 1
01. When Doves Cry
02. Pop Life
03. Soft And Wet
04. I Feel For You
05. Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?
06. When You Were Mine
07. Uptown
08. Let's Go Crazy
09. 1999
10. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man
11. Nothing Compares 2 U
12. Adore
13. Pink Cashmere
14. Alphabet St.
15. Sign 'O' The Times
16. Thieves In The Temple
17. Diamonds And Pearls
18. 7
This disc is supposed to be the naughty disc. Where more of the sexual lyrics are present. There are also some rather unexpected additions to this disc like 'Purple Rain'.
Like 'The Hits 1' this is a rather strong release. All of the songs are well known and representative of Prince's body of work. It covers his career in a satisfying way without neglecting any particular part. Like the previous disc, the album suffers most from the edited versions of songs. Everything seems hurriedly clipped together to make room.
I could easily spend hours discussing the merits of these tracks on their own, but I'll do that on their individual releases. In the interim, I'll simply say, it's worth it.
The two new tracks on this release, 'Peach' and 'Pope' are worth a look. 'Peach' was the song most promoted by Paisley Park at the time. They shot a video for it, released it as a single, etc. etc. It certainly showed the new direction Prince was taking his music. It fit the NPG format and featured Mayte strongly in the video. Still, it's one of my least favorite Prince tunes. I find it rather gesticulating and trollish. It's kinda gross listening to Prince lust after a young girl. My one word review of this track is... "Ew."
'Pope', on the other hand, is an entertaining piece. It too has elements of the upcoming NPG sound but these particular elements I enjoy. I think it's witty and catchy. The samples are fun and it has a wonderful beat. I give this one a thumbs up. My final word: GREAT!
PRINCE - THE HITS 2
01. Controversy
02. Dirty Mind
03. I Wanna Be Your Lover
04. Head
05. Do Me, Baby
06. Delirious
07. Little Red Corvette
08. I Would Die 4 U
09. Raspberry Beret
10. If I Was Your Girlfriend
11. Kiss
12. Peach
13. U Got The Look
14. Sexy M.F.
15. Gett Off
16. Cream
17. Pope
18. Purple Rain
This particular version of the compilation contains the added bonus of 'The B-Sides' disc. This item collects many of Prince's single b-sides (many of which for the first time on cd), together. The first two discs are identical to their single disc counterparts so I'm not gonna go into them or list them. Instead, I'll focus on the material on the bonus disc.
Sometimes I wonder what Prince is thinking when you hear some of his b-sides. Not because they're bad, but exactly the opposite. Many of them are stronger than songs that actually make it on the albums and some of them are strong enough to stand as singles on their own. 'Erotic City' seems to be one of the most obvious of these. The song is absolutely brilliant and even as a b-side got excellent radio airplay. Many of these tracks have also garnered attention on their own. 'How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?' has been covered by different artists. Both Stephanie Mills and Alicia Keyes have released versions of the song. 'She's Always In My Hair' was another track covered by D'Angelo in the film "Scream 2".
I could literally spend hours discussing this amazing material but suffice it to say, it's well worth the investment. Prince's b-sides have always complimented the music they've accompanied. It's like listening to your favorite disc and then getting just a little bit more. Very satisfying.
I can't close this out without pointing out what an awesome track 'Power Fantastic' is. It's history is rather controversial as Prince borrowed the music from a song Lisa & Wendy wrote called, 'Carousel'... The fact I've had this song for a few years before it saw it's release on this disc is also somewhat scandalous. But don't be fooled, nothing can compare to an official version. The sound quality alone makes it worth it. What a lovely tune. A must for Revolution fans as this track was recorded with the Revolution before they disbanded. My final word: AWAITED.
PRINCE - THE HITS/THE B-SIDES
01. Hello
02. 200 Balloons
03. Escape
04. Gotta Stop (Messin' About)
05. Horny Toad
06. Feel U Up
07. Girl
08. I Love U In Me
09. Erotic City
10. Shockadelica
11. Irresistible Bitch
12. Scarlet Pussy
13. La, La, La, He, He, Hee
14. She's Always In My Hair
15. 17 Days
16. How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?
17. Another Lonely Christmas
18. God
19. 4 The Tears In Your Eyes
20. Power Fantastic
'Pink Cashmere' and 'Peach' were the two singles from 'The Hits/B-Sides' collection. I only have 'Pink Cashmere'. It's a rather small release in that it contains nothing you can't get on the regular discs. Some of the import singles from this collection contained some rare or interesting tracks, but this one is rather run of the mill. Pretty standard. It's mainly for fans who are looking to complete a collection rather than a casual listener. Of the new songs on the collection, 'Pink Cashmere' is the strongest of the bunch. It certainly deserves some recognition, though this release doesn't go far in providing it. My final word: BEAUTIFUL.
PRINCE - PINK CASHMERE
01. Pink Cashmere
02. Soft And Wet
The Steeles are a gospel quartet consisting of four siblings from Minneapolis, Minnesota. They gained national exposure through their work with Prince. They've gone on to release solo and group albums. I've never found them interesting enough to follow; so I'm sure you're not surprised to learn my interest in this disc revolves around the track, 'Well Done' written by Prince.
For the most part; barring the Prince track, the disc is rather generic and uneventful. The music is standard gospel fare without any unique or compelling ideas. The bulk of the material features songwriting by J.D. Steele, who proves to be adept at writing praise songs; however, they are fairly basic and uninspired. Not even small choir vocal tricks can make a boring song interesting. Doesn't mean they don't try.
The Prince track, though not an actual praise/gospel song, is a reflective piece with a staggered but driving rhythm. It concerns itself with the theme faith without effort is wasted. "Well done is much better than well said". It espouses the idea if you really want to see changes in your life, get off your butt and do something rather than praying and waiting for god to change it for you. I quite like the message and find it somewhat out of place with the rest of the material and yet appropriate at the same time.
The only other noteworthy track on this disc is 'Big God'. This track isn't written by J.D. or Prince. It features a lot of ambient sounds and is rather eclectic. It's a stunning vocal arrangement. I'm taken with the off-beat quality of the song. It is, in a word, "well done." My final words: HARDLY NOTEWORTHY.
THE STEELES - HEAVEN HELP US ALL
01. Heart In My Hand
02. Tide Keep Lifting Me
03. Never Get Over You
04. Well Done
05. I Don't Wanna Be Without U
06. Heaven Help Us All
07. It'll Be Alright
08. Oh What A Gift
09. Those Were The Days
10. Big God
Recorded February 06, 2003 at Paisley Park Studios, 'N.E.W.S' was a continuation of sorts from the previous Madhouse albums Prince had done. While the first Madhouse disc was mostly a solo effort on Prince's part, he later opened the project to include other musicians he was working with like Sheila E., Levi Seacer and notably Eric Leeds. Leeds is the only constant having participated in virtually every incarnation of the Madhouse projects. And 'N.E.W.S' is no exception. Although it doesn't carry the Madhouse name, there's no denying the similarities.
This time around the group consists of Prince, John Blackwell, Renato Neto, Rhonda Smith and Eric Leeds. Similar to the NPGMusic Club release, 'C-NOTE', 'N.E.W.S' gets its title by combining the first letter of each song title. The album is a free-flowing jazz disc with each track clocking in at roughly 14 minutes in length. The first number is a breezy piece. 'North' has a very sensual second half. The song moves into a slow phase towards the end that is peaceful and quite lovely. 'East' is my favorite cut on the disc. It's unusual and relies heavily on a traditional Asian and somewhat wooden sound. The highlight of this track is the amazing staggered guitar progression. It's exciting and is a fine example of what sets Prince apart from other artists. 'West' starts off with a soulful lullaby that is relaxing and laidback. The song quickly transforms into a piece of 70s disco funk before becoming some type of Carlos Santana freak fest. Thankfully, it fades into some soft flute and sax playing. A harpsichord sounding keyboard eventually fades the song out giving it a full circle feeling back into a lullaby-like denouement. 'South' starts out like a continuation of 'West''s disco groove. The heavy bass and quick notes make it sound like something Sly & The Family Stone would've done. I wanna sing 'Hair'. The breakdown in this piece really picks up quickly and crescendos in a most satisfying way; but never really gains your attention again the way the first segment does. The cut eventually dissolves into a lovely Latin 'ish' soft jazz.
Although the songs are kinda long, they are enjoyable all the way through. One of my favorite pieces of Prince jazz and easily accessible, even for non-Prince listeners. My final words: PERFECT MOOD.
PRINCE - N.E.W.S
01. North
02. East
03. West
04. South
