STRANGE DAYS - MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE

I saw this movie in the theaters and not only did I love the film, I was intrigued by the music in the soundtrack. Especially the Deep Forest tracks. As a fan of Deep Forest, finding a film soundtrack with unreleased tracks was really exciting. I tend to get extremely excited about groups when I first discover them and Deep Forest was no exception. Both of their cuts are interesting and sound similar to music they were producing at the time. The Peter Gabriel track is quite surprising and fascinating as they'd never recorded with an artist of his caliber before.

I was also excited about the Lords of Acid track even though it was released on their 'Voodoo U' CD. Skunk Anansie is a band I knew nothing about before seeing the film. They perform during the last scene of the movie and I was quite impressed by the look of the band and the intensity of the lead singer. I quite like both tracks. I later downloaded more songs from them to see if I'd be interested in picking up their disc, but I found their other material not nearly as rock intensive and somewhat lackluster.

The Jeriko One track sounds much better in the context of the movie than as a stand alone track. It's rather boring by itself. As for the Juliette Lewis tracks... One appears on the soundtrack and the other shows up on the single for 'While The Earth Sleeps'. Both songs were written by PJ Harvey who I've been interested in for some time. However, neither of these songs is particularly inspiring as performed by Lewis. I find them difficult to listen to.

Strange Fruit is another group appearing on the disc I'm interested in hearing more from. They also appear in the film. Another interesting performance. Prong contributes an interesting piece and the Tricky song is one of my favorites by him. Of the remaining tracks, only the Lori Carson song causes a reaction. I find the piece moving in a cinematic sense. Its position in the film is ideal and as a stand alone track, it's quite effective.

Overall, 'Strange Days' isn't the greatest soundtrack... But the exclusive content makes it essential for any number of collections. My final words: SPECIFICALLY ESSENTIAL.

STRANGE DAYS - MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE
01. Skunk Anansie - Selling Jesus
02. Lords Of Acid - The Real Thing
03. Tricky - Overcome
04. Deep Forest - Coral Lounge
05. Strange Fruit - No White Clouds
06. Juliette Lewis - Hardly Wait
07. Me Phi Me/Jeriko One - Herewecome
08. Skunk Anansie - Feed
09. Prong Featuring Ray Manzarek - Strange Days
10. Satchel - Walk In Freedom
11. Kate Gibson - Dance Me To The End Of Love
12. Lori Carson & Graeme Revell - Fell In The Light
13. Peter Gabriel And Deep Forest - While The Earth Sleeps

DEEP FOREST WITH PETER GABRIEL - WHILE THE EARTH SLEEPS

The Deep Forest single offers the album version of 'While The Earth Sleeps' and an extended version. It's worth it just for the extended listen to a great song. PJ Harvey fans may want the 2nd Juliette Lewis track. I'm not sure how rare the single is. Still if you have a chance to, pick it up. I'll review the album version of the song on the soundtrack so I won't go into detail here. As for the PJ Harvey numbers, I didn't really like them in the movie and I'm not particularly interested in them on a single.

As previously mentioned, the only reason for owning this release is having the extended version of 'While The Earth Sleeps'. My final word: EH...

DEEP FOREST WITH PETER GABRIEL - WHILE THE EARTH SLEEPS
01. While The Earth Sleeps (Album Version)
02. Juliette Lewis - Rid Of Me
03. While The Earth Sleeps (Long Version)

NEIL FINN - ONE NIL/ONE ALL

Neil Finn is a name fans of 80's music will recognize. As a former member of Split Endz and Crowded House, Finn made a name for himself. What most people in the states don't realize about him is his international recognition as a solo artist. In March of 2001, he released a CD called 'One Nil'. The album later got a domestic release in a reworked version called 'One All' complete with replaced tracks and a new tracklist. After listening to both, I find the original 'One Nil' the superior incarnation.

My initial attraction to this project was the session musicians and songwriters not Finn himself. And I'm referring to Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman. Anyone who knows me will tell you what a fanatic I am about these two. I'll rant for hours how influential they were on the sound of the 80's and how I consider them two of the most overlooked and undervalued composers/musicians of our time. I just love them.

On the original version of the disc, Lisa and or Wendy play on every song and take writing credit for some of them as well. The first time I heard the disc, I was disappointed. I thought the songs were lackluster and boring. I waited grudgingly for each track to end so I could hear the next. I was impressed with Lisa & Wendy as always, but found the overall appeal vaguely annoying. Imagine my surprise when...

Driving home from work one morning, I put the disc in to listen to the songs I found tolerable. By the time I got home, I realized what a diamond this disc actually was. It starts off slow with 'The Climber' then segues into 'Rest Of The Day Off'... This track is amazing! From there, the unrelenting beat picks up again with 'Hole In The Ice'. I found myself singing along and relating to the lyrics. Amazing tunes, one right after the next. 'Anytime', 'Last To Know', 'Turn And Run'... The David Bowie 'Outside'-esque 'Elastic Heart'... All of these tracks were incredible! It became a regular in my cd player for months afterward. I couldn't stop listening to it. I drove friends and family crazy with it. I discovered Neil Finn.

The domestic release left a lot to be desired. The change in the tracklist and the missing/replaced songs left me unsatisfied. The two new songs 'Lullaby Requiem' and 'Human Kindness' weren't as exciting or fully produced as the Wendy & Lisa tunes, but they do showcase some excellent song writing. Especially 'Human Kindness'.

Wendy & Lisa have an amazing ability to inspire and realize the musical potential of the people they work with. I'm sure Neil looks at this body of work and considers it the best of his career. I certainly would. I strongly encourage you to find this music and listen to it now. You may not like it right away, but give it a chance and I think you'll find like I did how incredible it really is.  My final word: BRILLIANT! 

NEIL FINN - ONE NIL/ONE ALL
ONE NIL
01. The Climber
02. Rest Of The Day Off
03. Hole In The Ice
04. Wherever You Are
05. Last To Know
06. Don't Ask Why
07. Secret God
08. Turn And Run
09. Elastic Heart
10. Anytime
11. Driving Me Mad
12. Into The Sunset
ONE ALL
01. The Climber
02. Driving Me Mad
03. Hole In The Ice
04. Last To Know
05. Wherever You Are
06. Secret God
07. Lullaby Requiem
08. Human Kindness
09. Turn And Run
10. Anytime
11. Rest Of The Day Off
12. Into The Sunset

NEIL FINN - WHEREVER YOU ARE

The single for 'Wherever You Are' is essential because it contains two b-sides co-written by Wendy Melvoin. Both 'Unexpected' and 'Now I Get It' continue the diverse style and sound of 'One Nil' and intrigue me even further. In fact, I wonder if there are more songs from these sessions lying around. Are there any out there? As a collection, they are a remarkable and historic period.

Aside from the additional tracks, there's not much this single has to offer. But the b-sides alone make it one you can't afford to miss. At least if you're into this music. I've taken all the songs from the album and the single and I've burned them onto a CD I listen to in the truck. It's brilliant material and I'm so glad it was made.

My final words: TOO IMPORTANT TO MISS.

NEIL FINN - WHEREVER YOU ARE
01. Wherever You Are
02. Unexpected
03. Now I Get It

THE PRINCE SONGBOOK - SYMBOLISM

This is an unusual release. First of all, it doesn't distinguish between songs some of these artists were given by Prince versus songs they covered by Prince. For the record... Tracks 03, 04, 07, 09, 10, and 11 are covers. 08 isn't considered a cover even though Prince has released his own version of the song because Joe Cocker released his version first. The other tracks are all music either written specifically for the artist or songs donated to the artist for their own releases.

One thing this disc does is save consumers a huge ton of money. My biggest complaint back in the day was buying an entire CD of music for one song. Often Prince would donate a single track to a band and you'd be out $15. just to get the one song. If you wanted it. Collections like this allow you to get all the tracks without coming out of pocket almost $200. Although it would present better value if it included more of those one-off songs versus covers. Usually, the cover versions aren't nearly as good as the original Prince versions. Stephanie Mills and Tina Turner both deliver enjoyable performances, but the originals are still superior in many ways. Other covers like the Mel'isa Morgan, Living Colour and Cyndi Lauper versions are completely throw away junk not worth the time or effort. 

 I also question the inclusion of the Elisa Fiorillo track simply because Prince produced and wrote the bulk of that album. There's not value in including that track. More one off songs would have been a much nicer collection.

I think the Tina Turner cover was released as a b-side to a single and was only available on vinyl. That being the case, it's certainly worth inclusion. But that's neither here nor there.

Of course with modern technology, you can simply download individual tracks and create your own playlist or burn your own CDs. In that light, this release becomes even less valuable or necessary. My final word: AMBITIOUS. Someone had a good idea and was on the right track. Sadly, it's just outdated now. Still, it's nice to have.


PRINCE SONGBOOK - SYMBOLISM
01. Mica Paris - If I Love U 2 Nite
02. Elisa Fiorillo - On The Way Up
03. Tina Turner - Let's Pretend We're Married
04. Living Colour - 17 Days
05. Sheena Easton - Sugar Walls
06. Patti LaBelle - I Hear Your Voice
07. Mel'isa Morgan - Do Me, Baby
08. Joe Cocker - Five Women
09. Stephanie Mills - How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?
10. M.X.M. - Nothing Compares 2 U
11. Cyndi Lauper - When You Were Mine
12. Kid Creole - The Sex Of It
13. Nona Hendryx - Baby Go-Go
14. Martika - Love...Thy Will Be Done
15. Bangles - Manic Monday

DOYLE BRAMHALL II - DOYLE BRAMHALL II

I have such mixed emotions concerning this disc. I love it and hate it at the same time. There are moments when I'm just standing around and I think, "I really wanna hear that song", and I'll pick it up and listen. But it fades quickly and I move on. My reasons for loving it aren't always pure. Once again, I'm drawn to this work because Wendy & Lisa are all over the disc. And once again, they bring out the best in the artists they work with. My biggest reason for hating the disc is Bramhall himself. Not him as a musician or anything other than his voice. I find it intensely annoying. When he sings, I lose interest in the music. If it wasn't for Wendy & Lisa's work on the disc, I wouldn't have given half this material a chance. And that would be extremely unfortunate.

Wendy gets writing credits on 'Time', 'They Get Together' & 'Stay A While' with Lisa. They produced the entire record and perform on every song. It's that otherwordly quality of Wendy & Lisa music that enhances the material and in my opinion makes the songs interesting. There's a certain sound these women create that other artists can't seem to duplicate. Whether it's Lisa's distinctive piano playing or Wendy's signature guitar work, the musical arrangements sparkle with lush sound. They virtually explode from the speakers. Lyrically, the tunes are interesting and offbeat. Bramhall does have a flare for poetic description and for writing from different points of view.

I want to like him. I really do. I just don't dig that voice. *sniffle*

There are a couple stand out tracks I have to mention. 'Time' being one of them. 'Time' is an instrumental piece played entirely by Wendy, Lisa and Doyle. The guitar work is astounding. And it easily evokes a sense of time when you listen to it. Truly an incredible piece. 'They Get Together' is also lovely. The narrative is beautiful and poignant. It's co-written by Wendy's twin sister and fDeluxe member, Susannah Melvoin. Doyle later married her. I find the ballads on this disc are probably my most favorite. 'Close To Me' is awesome! There's something sweet about it... Like confiding deep feelings of profound love. It kicks in with a 70's groove that won't quit.
My absolute favorite song is 'Stay A While'. This is a song I keep going back to. Truth be told, on this song, Doyle's voice doesn't drive me to irritation. I actually like it. Maybe it's the way the vocals are arranged or maybe it's the key it's written in... Either way, it's a song that causes me to experience some strong emotions. There's longing, resignation and a finite moment of pure bliss traveling along these notes. Without a doubt, this is the perfect track to close the disc out with. From the first notes punching out of Lisa's piano, to the final fade out, you feel a sense of intimacy you don't want to end. The song draws itself out not in an annoying, "When is this gonna end?" way, but rather more like a, "Not-yet, please-not-yet" kinda way. You know it's over... It's time to go... And yet you want to stay. Just for a while.

My final word: CONFUSING. When I listen intently, I get frustrated with the vocals. If I play the disc in the background while I'm doing something else, I find myself singing along and enjoying the mood it creates. So what do I do? Tell you to buy the best tracks and shelve the rest? Can't do it. Instead I will recommend this disc for those who share my passion for Wendy & Lisa. It's worth it. Without a doubt.

DOYLE BRAMHALL II - DOYLE BRAMHALL II
01. Song From The Grave
02. Ain't Goin' Down Slow
03. What You Gonna Do
04. Close To Me
05. True Emotion
06. Bleeding From A Scratch
07. Time
08. Part II
09. He Stole Our Love Away
10. The Reason I Live
11. They Get Together
12. Jealous Sky
13. Stay A While

MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO - PRESENTS THE SPIRIT OF MUSIC JAMIA: DANCE OF THE INFIDEL

Every time I hear a new Meshell disc I'm amazed by what she accomplishes. This one was kinda shocking. Even though I'm used to her switching up styles every disc, I wasn't prepared for something committing so heavily to one genre. This disc is all jazz. It's very loose and free flowing. It's like Meshell gathered a whole group of her musical friends together one after noon and said, "Let's jam!" Right from the start you know this is something unusual. 'Mu-Min' is a mid-tempo groove that doesn't really go anywhere or say anything. It just kinda pops up like the Cheshire Cat and say, "What's up? Where ya going? What ya doing? Who you gonna see and how much time are you gonna spend?" But all without any resolution. Hehehe. The next track, 'Al-Falaq 113' isn't much better by way of giving you a direction or even a clue as to what's happening. It's really free form jazz jamming with a very basic melody they travel across now and again just to keep you guessing.

The next number is shocking for a number of reasons. A) because it's more in the vein of traditional pop music and features vocals. However, that's where the similarities end. 'Aquarium' is a song about being trapped by emotion for another person. You're their prisoner kept simply for their entertainment. B) because Meshell doesn't sing the vocal track. A woman named Sabina contributes vocals to the number. She has an intriguing voice. I want to hear more. C) It doesn't conform to the previous two songs, making it sound completely unique and different. At least until the horns kick in and then you get that Free Flow feeling again.

'Papillon' sound like something on a Madhouse album. I really enjoy the relaxing rhythm and melody of this number. It goes through a number of changes before it ends, but they're all relaxing and enjoyable. 'Dance Of The Infidel' relies heavily on a lopsided motif to earn it's title. The odd sound used in the motif only appears briefly during the entire duration. It's not a bad sound, it just seems out of place with the deeper groove of the track. Still, it's one of my favorite numbers. 'The Chosen' sounds like a late night jam at a Vegas Lounge or backwoods Speakeasy with one of those smokey voiced singers from the 1930s. 'Luqman' starts off with an incredible bass line that evolves into something with perpetual energy. It bustles along with all the momentum and power of a steam engine. There's notes played in juxtaposition like musical hopscotch. It certainly doesn't seem to have order beyond the bass line.

'Heaven' sounds like something you'd hear before church in the south. There's a gospel style to it along with a jazzy vibe you can't begin to mess with. Words simply can't so this magical number justice. It's simply too darn good.
My final word: EXCELLENT! Although it's not my favorite Meshell disc, it's easily one of my favorite jazz records. Like I mentioned in a previous review, you start to expect certain things from certain artists and even though I find it fascinating that Meshell would branch this far away from her regular sound, I'm still longing to hear her sultry vocals. She takes me places no other artist does and when she sings, I simply float along with this amazing woman. She certainly opens a new door for fans with this disc. Gotta give her credit for that.

MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO - PRESENTS THE SPIRIT OF MUSIC JAMIA: DANCE OF THE INFIDEL
01. Mu-Min
02. Al-Falaq 113
03. Aquarium
04. Papillon
05. Dance Of The Infidel
06. The Chosen
07. Luqman
08. Heaven

TENNANT/LOWE - BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN

This is an interesting CD. Tennant and Lowe are better known to the world at large as The Pet Shop Boys. How they came to be involved in this project is explained in detail in the cd booklet. But for those of you who are curious now, let me give you an edited version of the story. Basically, this film about a group of sailors who mutiny on a battleship. It was created during the silent film era. During it's initial screenings, it was shown with classical pieces by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and others playing in the background. An English Contemporary Art Director approached Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe with the idea of writing an updated score for the piece and showing it again to a modern audience. Needless to say, the two accepted and decided to write the music in the sequence it would appear in the film as well as combining electronic music with orchestration. Torsten Rosch was asked to orchestrate the songs after the duo were finished. Finally, on September 12, 2004 the film was shown in London's Trafalgar Square. The live music performance took place while the film was projected on a screen above to more than 20,000 spectators.

That's almost taken word for word from the booklet. More or less. But it doesn't describe my feelings. I've been a fan of The Pet Shop Boys for many years now and I was interested in hearing this work when I learned of it's existence. I immediately bought it. I was surprised when I listened to it. I have to admit, when it comes to certain groups, I do develop expectations and even though the sound is very PSB, it's different enough to make you sit back and think, "What the...????"

The music incorporates a very ambient electronic sound. Don't bother looking for looping drum patterns or danceable beats here. They took the challenge of writing music for this project extremely literally and have composed and developed sounds around the drama of the screen rather than the internal drama of the worlds they normally create in their songs. Make no mistake, this is music created entirely to enhance a visual experience.

With a finite amount of time and a highly specific goal in mind, the Pet Shop Boys have risen to the challenge in excellent form. The music certainly shows these men are more than simple pop musicians. There's a great deal of complexity and strength in the orchestral numbers and those more heavily rooted in electronic. 'Battleship Potemkin''s one energetic number is the often creepy and intense track simply entitled, 'Nyet' (Russian for "no"). Other songs incorporate techno rhythms, but none to the same extent. Even with the electronic feel, the disc maintains it's integrity. The fusion between the orchestration and the beat is beautifully created. There's a flawless harmony happening here.

Even though it is highly specific music with exact intention and purpose, it holds up on its own if you listen to it. I've cruised around in the truck playing it now and again. I like the attention it gets at stop lights. It's a sophisticated blend of sound both beautiful and rhythmic.

Somehow, Tennant and Lowe have created a brilliant composition for a stark and dismal film. My final word is great! It's enjoyable, excellent in purpose and on its own. Well worth the money if you can track it down. The boys delivered with this one. My final words: BRILLIANT DELIVERY.

TENNANT/LOWE - BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN
01. 'Comrades!'
02. Men And Maggots
03. Our Daily Bread
04. Drama In The Harbour
05. Nyet
06. To The Shore
07. Odessa
08. No Time For Tears
09. To The Battleship
10. After All (The Odessa Staircase)
11. Stormy Meetings
12. Night Falls
13. Full Steam Ahead
14. The Squadron
15. For Freedom

BERLIN - PLEASURE VICTIM

I actually missed Berlin's early days. By the time they were on my radar, they were huge chart maker's with songs like 'No More Words' and 'Take My Breath Away'. I was a little apprehensive about them. Especially since they were so closely linked with "Top Gun"; a movie I thought was a total waste of time and space. That association alone would have put me off the group forever. But in the mid-90's a radio disc jockey for the local alternative station in Vegas had a retro lunch hour. She used to play all kinds of 80's classics. Some of which I'd never heard before. And so it was I discovered Berlin.

This particular CD is one I paid full price for. I bought it at the WOW store in Vegas. When I first bought this disc I was really into it. I'd just discovered some new 80's material and loving the music I was hearing. But even then, the synthesizer sound was getting old and dated. Still, many of these tracks continue to hold up under further listening. 'The Metro' is an absolutely brilliant tune and is a song I love pumping out the truck window as I'm driving along. 'Sex (I'm A...)' is another song that continues to sound awesome blaring out my speakers. Even if the lyrics are a bit silly and often embarrassing, (though not because of content, more for vocal delivery). Interestingly enough, the extended version of 'Sex (I'm A...)' is included on this release and though it's not often the case with extended versions, is actually pretty good and inspiring.

My biggest criticism about Berlin would probably be Terri Nun. She's got a great voice and it certainly suits the later music Berlin did as a full band rather than the synth sound of these earlier recordings. She sounds far too mainstream for what Berlin were doing at the time. Songs like 'Masquerade' and 'Torture' would have been more legitimate with a male vocalist. I'm not trying to be sexist here... It just seems to me, unless a woman has an extremely unusual quality to her voice, it never carried over well in New Wave/Synthesizer music. It seems these bands were embraced more readily by gay audiences. I never saw the point in selling such a blatant straight sexual image to them. And Terri Nun was just that.

Berlin did have one gay member... Cute and cuddly David Diamond, who grew up to be a devilishly handsome bear. Combined with John Crawford who got better looking when he gained some weight and you have a very good looking trio. Sex does sell. And having David Diamond in the group certainly helped them achieve status among the gay community. At least I hope so.

Needless to say, Berlin is still around and still releasing. Their last record came out in 2009. I'm not sure what I'd think of them now, but I know I certainly enjoyed where they started. This is a great album to pick up and listen to. Especially when you want to remember how wonderful life was back in the 80's. 'Pleasure Victim' will certainly remind you just how great it was to be a kid during the Reagan years. My final word: NOSTALGIC.

BERLIN - PLEASURE VICTIM
01. Tell Me Why
02. Pleasure Victim
03. Sex (I'm A...)
04. Masquerade
05. The Metro
06. World Of Smiles
07. Torture
08. Sex (I'm A...) (Extended Version)

JANE CHILD - HERE NOT THERE

Jane Child came on the scene like a bullet. She arrived and caused all kinds of controversy. Mainly because of her unique appearance. Her record label gushed about her production skills and songwriting abilities. Jane plays all her own instruments, arranges, produces, etc. etc. While that might have been true, they missed the most important aspect of the disc. She wrote excellent music. It took a long time for Jane to follow up that first disc. When 'Here Not There' finally came out, I was living in Europe. I missed it initially, but picked it up after I got home. I think the biggest shock to me was how much a departure this disc is from her freshman effort. It's also the reason the disc failed to make as great an impact. Props to her for taking such an awesome artistic leap, but sad in that it didn't achieve the same success as her self-titled disc.

From the outset, Jane lets you know this is something completely different. 'Mona Lisa Smiles' is about bisexual flirtation and desire. It keeps a mischievous tongue-n-cheek word play throughout. Still, the implication is obvious. In a certain way, it sounds like the previous effort, but the music is more complex and challenging, incorporating a harpsichord sound with an Indian flare. It's like watching a child grow older through musical progression. That being said, 'Do Whatcha Do' sounds like a track from the first disc rather than something from 'Here Not There'. Irregardless, it is easily one of the most accessible and exciting tracks on the disc. An obvious single pick. Some guys named Ricky Hyslop and Brian Hyslop contribute two tracks to the disc. 'Monument' and 'Step Out Of Time'. Both tracks are fueled with power guitars and have a hard American rock edge to them. Sadly, both have a generic quality not even the vocals of Child can disguise. The ideas are sound and interesting, but the musical progression is mundane. Jane could have saved herself some difficulty by not including these numbers. Their presence on the disc serves to disrupt the musical continuation as a whole. It's a major part of the reason the disc as a whole sounds all over the board.

'All I Do' is more typical Jane material. It's closer to her style and brings us back to the unusual tone of the 'Here Not There' material without sacrificing the integrity of her solid songwriting. 'Sshhh' also follows in this fashion. 'Here Not There' seems to have classical music influencing it's direction. The more complicated musical progressions seem heavily based on classical themes. 'Perfect Love' is another song that would have been right at home on her first disc. The difference here is in the rhythm section and the instrumental motifs. They fit more in with popular music at the time even though they maintained that signature JC sound. 'I Do Not Feel As You Do' is interesting and has a waltz-like quality to it.

'Heavy Smile' is another throwback of sorts. Except she incorporates some rhythmic changes more in line with the classical style with changes happening on a third count rather than a fourth. It's funky, but thoughtful at the same time. And highly unusual. 'Calling' is more bubbly and fun. Like 'Perfect Love', it falls in line with then current pop sounds yet still has that offbeat vocal delivery.

Both 'Sarasvati' and 'Here Not There' are amazing pieces of music. 'Sarasvati' is based on Buddhist scripture and is extremely challenging musically. The transformation from musical powerhouse to ethnic rhythm segment is incredible and thoroughly enjoyable. It's the biggest departure of the entire album and completely changes everything. It's simply brilliant. 'Here Not There' is a haunting number with lyrics that are vague and open enough to invite speculation and interpretation. To me, the ultimate message of the song is finding satisfaction where you are. In other words, finding a way to see the greener grass on your own side of the fence.

Ultimately, I find this record extremely satisfying. I got more music from Jane... Heard a new direction... Expanded my own appreciation for sound and balked at the lack of response to an artist that should have gained more recognition and appreciation for her work.

I've heard she's continued to release music on her own label. I'm gonna have to check that out and see if I can find any of it. I'm interested in hearing more from her. She certainly is worth listening to. My final word: EXTREMELY SATISFYING.

JANE CHILD - HERE NOT THERE
01. Mona Lisa Smiles
02. Do Whatcha Do
03. Monument
04. All I Do
05. Sshhh
06. Perfect Love
07. I Do Not Feel As You Do
08. Heavy Smile
09. Calling
10. Step Out Of Time
11. Sarasvati
12. Here Not There

THE POLICE - REGGATTA DE BLANC

Like most people my age without older siblings, my first exposure to Sting and The Police happened around the time 'Synchronicity' was released. Of course 'Message In A Bottle' was floating around the radio and it popped up on MTV. I kinda liked what they were doing, but not enough to buy anything they were putting out. Sting was a voice and to this day, I still consider him more of a vocalist than a song writer. I know many people would disagree with me and I also know he writes most of his own material. That being said, I've never found his writing particularly interesting.

Oddly enough, Stewart Copeland has become a figure of interest to me. Since The Police disbanded, Copeland started working from his home studio and has created a highly stylized sound of music. This material first appeared on the "Spyro The Dragon" video games by Insomniac. Later, he contributed this sound to the hit television series, "Dead Like Me". I absolutely love this material. It's delightful! Simply delightful.

But enough rambling, let's discuss this CD... So I bought 'Reggatta De Blanc' at a used CD store for something like $1.75 back in the early 90's. I was mainly drawn to the disc by the inclusion of 'Message In A Bottle'. I'd heard another Police song, 'Murder By Numbers' recently but wasn't certain of the title. I thought 'Deathwish' might be it and on the strength of that speculation decided to try it out. Big mistake. Aside from the first track, there isn't anything else on the album suited to my taste. There are clever song ideas and some interested instrumentation here and there, but nothing to keep me pinned to my seat.

To be fair, I listened to this disc for the past three days, letting it play in the background over and over again, trying to find something diverting about the other 10 songs. Aside from the occasional interesting bit here and there, I'm not impressed. At the time, The Police were making this hybrid New Wave/Reggae sound. There was also a sense of experimental jazz in there somewhere as well. It certainly possesses a great deal of efficiency production wise and can at times sound effortlessly flawless. Still, I couldn't find a reason to invest heavily in the songs whether it be subject matter or melody. It didn't cross over.
My final word: DISAPPOINTING. This is one you should definitely save your money on and purchase individual tracks rather than buying the whole disc. Or better yet, skip ahead to the band's more polished production. It could hardly be a crime to miss this one.

THE POLICE - REGGATTA DE BLANC
01. Message In A Bottle
02. Reggatta De Blanc
03. It's Alright For You
04. Bring On The Night
05. Deathwish
06. Walking On The Moon
07. On Any Other Day
08. The Bed's Too Big Without You
09. Contact
10. Does Everybody Stare
11. No Time This Time

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW - ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" gained cult fame sometime in the 70's by becoming a hit with late night film goers. The audience eventually took up an interactive role with the film. Stories of which are legendary and continue to this day; giving this movie the status of having the longest theatrical run in the history of film.

Richard O'Brien wrote the musical stage script, the musical score and co-wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation. He also appears in the film and sings on the soundtrack as the character Riff Raff. The music is highly integrated into the storyline of the film. Even though it's essential and primary to the plot, they do stand up on an individual listening. For the most part. You can easily put the character in a situational context while listening to the lyrics even if you'd never seen the film. Written in the tradition of 50's rock n' roll with a bit of 70's mixed in, the songs are also awesome because the film stars sing the tunes in character. Not all of the cast are great singers. But the lack of talent only serves to heighten the fun. You can easily listen and sing over the top of the vocal talent and still have an enjoyable experience.

Bless his transsexual heart, Tim Curry delivers the performance of his career as the evil villain of the piece. His campy performance offsets the tongue-in-cheek numbers like 'Sweet Transvestite' and 'I Can Make You A Man' while at the same time delivering a sincere and genuine performance on the enduring anthem numbers 'Fanfare/Don't Dream It' and 'I'm Going Home'.

Since I was too young to really appreciate the social implications of this film and soundtrack, I'm left to speculate as to what it was actually like when it came out. I'm guessing songs about cross-dressing and alternative lifestyles weren't within the traditional scope of suburban America at the time. I imagine this soundtrack as being a rallying cry for those living underground or non-traditional lives. It championed and gave voice to so many who felt oppressed or ignored by society.

By today's standards, the music would be considered tame. Yet I suspect it still serves as inspiration for artists looking for an unorthodox perspective or who feel trapped and unable to express their true potential.

As a whole, I enjoy listening to this record. I like certain songs more than others, but even the ones I'm not particularly fond of I enjoy when I watch the film. It truly embodies the rebel rockers of the late 50's. It is a classic record. And easy to get into even if you haven't experienced the film. After all, it's just a jump to the left! My final words: UNORTHODOX CLASSIC. 

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW - ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK
01. Science Fiction/Double Feature
02. Dammit Janet
03. Over At The Frankenstein Place
04. The Time Warp
05. Sweet Transvestite
06. I Can Make You A Man
07. Hot Patootie - Bless My Soul
08. I Can Make You A Man: Resprise
09. Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch Me
10. Eddie
11. Rose Tint My World
      a. Floor Show
      b. Fanfare/Don't Dream It
      c. Wild And Untamed Thing
12. I'm Going Home
13. Super Heroes
14. Science Fiction/Double Feature: Reprise
15. The Time Warp (Remix 1989 Extended Version)
16. The Time Warp (Music - 1 = Background Track + U Mix)

THE ASSEMBLY - NEVER NEVER

Back in the early 80's after Vince Clarke left Depeche Mode, he was contemplating his next move as a musician. Along with Eric Radcliffe, he came up with the idea for The Assembly. The band was going to record each song with a different vocalist. Sadly, the only officially released tracks from the project appear on this release. 'Never Never' features Feargal Sharkey on lead vocals. The single is fairly straight forward. It has the standard version of the song, standard version of the b-side and then two extended versions. Extended versions were extremely popular back then.

'Never Never' is a pleasing number. It's nothing remarkable considering Vince Clarke's body of work both to date and afterwards. And yet it possesses a tender fragility in the emotional vocal delivery by Sharkey. You can hear the resignation in his voice. A quiet defeat. It's very touching. The extended version contains additional music mostly at the beginning of the track. The introduction is quite long, yet serves to accent the message rather effectively.

'Stop/Start' is an instrumental piece. Clarke did a number of these pieces in those days. Each one of them could easily be pop songs if lyrics had been written and this one is no exception. It's got a wonderful beat and is enjoyable to listen to. The differences between the regular and extended versions are minimal, making both versions fairly similar.

Considering the enormous back catalog of Clarke compositions and his continued work in music, you have to admire these foundation tracks that even now sound lovely and inspiring. If you can locate this single, it's worth a listen. A very enjoyable piece of synthpop history! My final words: ENJOYABLE CLASSIC!

THE ASSEMBLY - NEVER NEVER
01. Never Never
02. Stop/Start
03. Never Never (Extended Version)
04. Stop/Start (Extended Version)