A-HA - HUNTING HIGH AND LOW

This is the debut album of 80's pop icons, A-Ha. You get the impression they started off with the idea of conquering the world. As with many Scandinavian acts, A-Ha sang in English. And because it's not their native language, sometimes the lyrics seem odd or strange. Like the first single from the album, 'Take On Me'... It's a play on words from the more accepted slang, "Take me on..." or more appropriately, "I'll take you on..." Still they found a way to make sense even in their odd phrasing and audiences around the world embraced the band. State of the art videos helped fuel the group's success on MTV. In fact, the year 'Take On Me' was released, the video swept the MTV Music Awards in almost every category it was nominated. I think it won something like five. That same year, "The Sun Always Shines On T.V." also won some awards.

This record was surprisingly complex and interesting in more ways than one. Usually with synthesizer bands of this period you could categorize them in a couple ways... There was one musician who was trained and knew what they were doing or a band member who had a distinct ear for sound... A-Ha seem to have both. There's a hint of classical composition in certain songs and an innate feel for electronic sound. It's on par with or better than most of the synth groups of the time. But the distinct power of A-Ha is probably Morten Harkett's vocals. Morten has a resonating soulful voice. In one instance he can sound like a Vienna Choirboy singing sweetly in angelic tones too high for human ears and in the next, he can deliver a powerful soul stirring bombardment of orchestral proportions. It's the juxtaposition of his delivery that sets the group apart and gives them such an unparalleled sound. He emotes his lyrics.

There's a lot of ambitious swelling on this album. Songs with big, big natural progressions. For this kind of music, that's a rare quality. The only fault I can find with this record is the English translation of certain lyrics. I realize at the time if you wanted to be successful in countries worldwide you basically had to sing in English. But that's not the case anymore and it's a shame A-Ha didn't sing in their native tongue. It would've been nice to hear it.

Ok, I've gone on enough. Although I like certain songs on this record more than others, for the most part, the entire disc is enjoyable from start to finish. It's worth picking up and certainly a great addition to any collection. My final words: AN EXCITING START FOR AN OVERLOOKED BAND.

A-HA - HUNTING HIGH AND LOW
01. Take On Me
02. Train Of Thought
03. Hunting High And Low
04. The Blue Sky
05. Living A Boy's Adventure Tale
06. The Sun Always Shines On T.V.
07. And You Tell Me
08. Love Is Reason
09. I Dream Myself Alive
10. Here I Stand And Face The Rain

BLONDIE - THE BEST OF BLONDIE

I used to think Blondie was an 80's band until I discovered they actually started in the 70's. Of course their biggest success occurred in the 80's. They topped the charts in the early 80's and Deborah Harry became an 80's icon of superstar proportions. I loved many of their songs. I used to watch an all night video show called "Night Flight" or something like that and I remember seeing the video for 'Rapture'. It was awesome! I also remember seeing the band perform on Saturday Night Live at some point.

Anyway, Blondie was one of the first groups I ever knew and although I liked what I heard, it wasn't anything I owned. I bought this CD at a used shop in Vegas back in the 90's. I saw it and thought to myself, "You know... Isn't it time you actually had some of those songs?" I liked them, could sing along with them and there was no reason not to have them.

I bought the CD and I've never regretted that decision. I absolutely love the disc. There are certain songs that make me wonder if I'd be a huge Blondie fan outside of their more commercially viable material, so I'm kinda glad I've limited my exposure to these classics. I'm sure Blondie fans the world over would hang me for heresy for saying that, but as a casual listener it's better to stick with what's already popular than to jump into the deep end.

This collection has my all time favorite Blondie track on it. 'The Tide Is High' is a wonderful number written by John Holt for a band called The Paragons. Some of my other favorites include 'Heart Of Glass', 'Dreaming', 'Hanging On The Telephone', 'One Way Or Another', 'Call Me' and of course 'Rapture'. This is a wonderful collection because it really does highlight the best parts of this band and what made them so interesting and unique. Even the 50's quality tunes from their 70's releases are satisfying and fun to hear. This is probably one of my all time favorite best of compilations. My final words: DEFINITELY BEST OF!

BLONDIE - THE BEST OF BLONDIE
01. Heart Of Glass
02. Dreaming
03. The Tide Is High
04. In The Flesh
05. Sunday Girl
06. Hanging On The Telephone
07. Rapture
08. One Way Or Another
09. (I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear
10. Call Me (Theme From American Gigolo)
11. Atomic
12. Rip Her To Shreds

BETH ORTON - DAYBREAKER

Beth Orton came into my field of vision through The Chemical Brothers. They collaborated with her on a couple songs. She always had an interesting voice, but her tone and delivery are so subtle it never really caught my attention. I finally saw her perform on the television show Charmed and that was what really caught my attention. Her performance was so stoic and simple. She came across unassuming and completely lacking the pretentious flash and glamour of a rock star. In that shiny moment, I realized she was something completely different.

Orton's approach to this record is much like the cover photo... It's real and genuine, yet looks so much like a watercolor painting you catch yourself second guessing and taking another look. The music is beautiful, passionate and full while at the same time coming across like something non-committal. She leaves you almost wondering what comes next. 'Paris Train' is the opening track. Between the flowing, yet dismal pace of the song, you catch a glimpse of something Orton is setting you up to discover. She narrates her songs as much as sings them. There's a story happening here. The most beautiful line is, "I see right through the scenery". That line to me is perfect for how one views the world outside a train window. It slips past you so quickly it seems surreal. The follow-up number 'Concrete Sky' features Ryan Adams on vocals. It's a ballad but the combination of the two singers make it a compelling number. I really enjoy this number. 'Mount Washington' is an odd number but it has a wonderful chorus that redeems it. 'Anywhere' has a 70's soul feel to it. Orton sings it with sincerity and delivers a lovely performance once again, salvaging a potential stinker of a number and making it sweet. 'Daybreaker' is the odd man out on this record. It sounds more like something The Chemical Brothers would do for her than something Beth would choose for herself.

'Carmella' is the first truly infectious song of the album. The guitar strums in and Beth starts singing in falsetto before the meat of the verse kicks in. She gives it a driving stare and it transforms into something truly amazing. 'God Song' features a duet with Emmylou Harris and Ryan Adams appears again offering some background support. It's a down home kinda song, but it's lovely at the same time. Orton proves even as an British pop singer, she can hold her own with American superstars of country music. The next song is actually written by Ryan Adams for Beth. It's called 'This One's Gonna Bruise' and it's magnificent. That's almost an unfair statement when you consider how much I normally love Ryan and his material. But Orton takes the number and makes it her own without sacrificing the integrity of the music.

'Ted's Waltz' is another minor keyed number that's off center and strange right up until Orton's light voice caresses the music and gives it some heart. She transforms a lackluster number into something truly beautiful. The last cut, 'Thinking About Tomorrow' is one of my favorite songs of hers ever. I love the chorus, "This habit's so hard to break but it's easy to make..." Truly insightful and wonderful.

Beth is on my radar and I'm following her work now. Loving what I'm hearing and really getting into her. She's brilliant. My final words: PEACEFUL SERENITY.

BETH ORTON - DAYBREAKER
01. Paris Train
02. Concrete Sky
03. Mount Washington
04. Anywhere
05. Daybreaker
06. Carmella
07. God Song
08. This One's Gonna Bruise
09. Ted's Waltz
10. Thinking About Tomorrow

JANELLE MONAE - THE ARCHANDROID (SUITES II AND III)

I discovered Janelle Monae through a friend who recommended I listen to this CD and made me a copy. This is where record companies (at least in my case) make huge mistakes. When I really like something I buy it. Even if I already have a burned or ripped copy. And I loved this disc. Absolutely loved it. It's the most exciting new music I've heard in ages! I had no visual image of Monae when I heard the record, nor did I expect anything other than it was supposed to be funky. The CD starts off with a orchestral bit basically giving you the impression you're watching the opening credits of some movie. 'Suite II Overture' is interesting but also kinda lame. Still, it sets up the format Monae is trying to achieve with her narrative and to be honest, I'd much rather have interspersed segues like this than some of the more popular segues you see in Hip Hop/R&B music these days.

'Dance Or Die' kicks in with a great beat and Janelle singing in the background before the main vocal comes in. She raps this one; which recalls to mind Lauryn Hill's combination of various styles. It's a fantastic song you can really belt out at the top of your voice right along with the track and segues flawlessly into 'Faster'! Once again, a great beat keeps the momentum moving along. 'Faster' has a swing beat happening with Janelle singing in her beautiful voice over the top. Another segue takes us into 'Locked Inside' where the beat skips and slows somewhat but also continues the forward movement of these first numbers. In combination, they are utterly flawless in flow. They move between each other like mercury. I haven't heard an opening salvo like this in ages. Prince used to pull these 1, 2, 3 punches at the start of his records, but it's been a long time since those days. Very strong opening.

And then we come to the first ballad. I complain endlessly about the futility of balladry. I think it's the most overused, generic form of songwriting ever. So many people write ballads they intend to be deep and end up with dribble. It's just too unpredictable. However, Monae seems to get that idea. 'Sir Greendown' starts off sounding oddly like 'Moon River'. Before I go any further let me discuss the theme of this record for a second... This is a concept album. In fact, her previous record was the actual beginning of this story. It's about an android who falls in love with a human and how in that society, it's an illegal relationship. The songs supposedly detail their experience and the human man is named Sir Greendown. Whether or not this narrative is effective is kinda pointless as I don't listen to these songs with the plot in mind. 'Sir Greendown' is a lovely piece that lyrically means nothing to me as I listen to it, but the melody is soothing and the vocal delivery is also interesting. It's an excellent piece to sing along to. After the mellow vibe of 'Sir Greendown', 'Cold War' is like a punch in the gut. It comes with such force and an almost punk beat. It's a strong number, but the followup track, 'Tightrope' is the real kicker here. This number is the single from the record and whoever picked it to lead off the record's singles was an absolute genius. It comes on strong and pushes the beat forward with some incredibly strong vocalizations by Monae. A classic tune without a doubt. 'Neon Gumbo' is a segue leading into 'Oh, Maker'; which is another ballad. This one is also superior and another hit ballad-wise. It's followed by a 60s style screamer, 'Come Alive (The War Of The Roses)'. This number is still exciting, but has a frantic edge I'm not entirely comfortable with. The first suite ends with another ballad called 'Mushrooms & Roses'. This psychedelic ballad relies heavily on distortion to accentuate the music and Monae distorts her voice quite a lot as well. The movements are separated into suites; which I'm not entirely sure as to why. I am certain, if they ever made a movie from this record, it would make more sense.

The second movement or suite starts with 'Suite III Overture'; which is another orchestral piece this one incorporating bits from other songs. 'Neon Valley Street' is the first legitimate song and is based on the coda from 'Suite III Overture'. This is easily my favorite ballad on the album. I love the imagery she conjures on the chorus of this brilliant tune. Especially the line, "I'm holding your hand"... There's innocence, expression and sweetness all wrapped up in sincerity... It knocks me out. The first time I heard 'Make The Bus', I thought it was completely bizarre, but interesting. As time goes on, it's actually become the one track I feel is out of place on this collection. I like the last minute of the song but the build is so uncertain and changing I'm constantly left wondering what's the point. Not surprisingly, I found out after I bought the CD this is the only track not written by Monae. It's followed up by 'Wondaland'. This song could really be my favorite tune on the record. There's pop sensibility in this number. It kinda embraces that whole Britney Spears sound with the vocal distortion, but it's the lyrics and the vocal delivery that make it so infectious. It's simply wonderful. '57821' is another ballad that sounds somewhat like Simon & Garfunkel's 'Scarborough Fair'. There are also elements of choral music in the vocal arrangements. 'Say You'll Go' is another ballad and this one actually starts out sounding like something Prince would have written for "Emancipation". It's another song that's very delicate and beautiful. I actually like the ballads Monae has written for this record. She's very talented with this kind of music. The final number on this cd is 'BabopbyeYa'. It sounds like a jazz number from some sweeping 1940's Hollywood blockbuster film. It's a wonderful end to an epic album and I'm completely pleased and thrilled with it.

Janelle Monae is a new name and she's exciting, versatile and interesting. She combines all kinds of musical genre to create a full, rich, mature sound even if the concept of the record is somewhat juvenile. There's something for everyone here and for those who like a well rounded musical buffet, this is a literal smorgasbord. Pump it while driving, lay back and listen to the ballads or just groove all the way through playing it in the background. It will inspire, uplift and generally turn you on your ear. It's exciting and I can't wait to hear more from this interesting woman. My final words: UNEXPECTED DELICIOUSNESS!

JANELLE MONAE - THE ARCHANDROID (SUITES II AND III)
01. Suite II Overture
02. Dance Or Die (Featuring Saul Williams)
03. Faster
04. Locked Inside
05. Sir Greendown
06. Cold War
07. Tightrope (Featuring Big Boi)
08. Neon Gumbo
09. Oh, Maker
10. Come Alive (The War Of The Roses)
11. Mushrooms & Roses
12. Suite III Overture
13. Neon Valley Street
14. Make The Bus (Featuring Of Montreal)
15. Wondaland
16. 57821 (Featuring Deep Cotton)
17. Say You'll Go
18. BabopbyeYa

ALEXANDER O'NEAL - THE BEST OF ALEXANDER O'NEAL

Alexander O'Neal comes from that whole Minneapolis sound movement back in the 80's. He was floating around that whole group of people who eventually made up the bulk of Prince's satellite groups and his own band. Originally, Alexander was slated to be the lead singer of Prince's side group, The Time; but was replaced for some reason. Who knows what happened there. But one fact is true... Alexander knew those guys and his association with them led to his career later on. When Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis became a popular production team, they got with him and propelled him to the top of the R&B charts by producing hit after hit.

Of course their association with him started way back when they were first coming into their own and developing their own sound. They have a distinct sound that even though it's based on the Minneapolis sound, it still has features distinctly its own. At the beginning though, the sound was more grounded in 70's funk rather than the new material they later worked on.

Much of the material on this record falls into this category. You can hear Jam & Lewis searching for something to define themselves with. You get a couple tracks that are more polished and showed up later when they'd found a way to be distinctive, but the majority are somewhere between that original more traditional R&B sound and that new spark. Obviously some tracks showcase this more readily than others. The two songs that really step up and say, "Hey I'm here!" are the first track, 'Fake' and 'Criticize'. Both tracks are from the "Hearsay" CD. There are a couple other from that record on here too, but those are the two that really define Jam & Lewis at the time. I think they intentionally tried to keep O'Neal sounding different from other acts they were producing at the time like Janet Jackson. O'Neal's voice is a more traditional and legitimate sound for R&B as well.

Many of the other songs from this CD were also hits on the charts. For example, 'A Broken Heart Can Mend' was a big chart topper. I love the song and I seem to remember it showing up on a couple soundtracks, but I may be wrong on that. Other truly standout tracks include 'Never Knew Love Like This', 'Crying Overtime' and 'Innocent'. The version of 'Innocent' on this record is an extended version that breaks into a funky bridge towards the end of the song. It's really exciting and quite exhilarating to hear.

Ultimately, I think Jam & Lewis could have done much more with Alexander if they'd have taken their signature sound and really dumped it into this guy. He's got a great strong voice and he works well with the Jam & Lewis sound. I don't know if they've worked with him in some time, but I certainly would be interested in future collaborations. Unless Jam & Lewis have completely changed their signature sound; which I'm thinking they have based on the last few Janet CDs they worked on. But we'll see. My final words: NIFTY LITTLE COLLECTION.

ALEXANDER O'NEAL - THE BEST OF ALEXANDER O'NEAL
01. Fake
02. A Broken Heart Can Mend
03. Sunshine
04. Criticize
05. You Were Meant To Be My Lady (Not My Girl)
06. Never Knew Love Like This
07. All True Man
08. If You Were Here Tonight
09. Crying Overtime
10. Innocent/Alex 9000/Innocent II

SCRITTI POLITTI - PROVISION

Scritti Politti are a British band from the 80's formed and led by lead singer and songwriter, Green Gartside. He's an interesting guy for a number of reasons, but I find the Scritti Politti material I'm really drawn to are the albums featuring David Gamson. Gamson is an American keyboardist who's distinctive sound really defined Green's songs during their most popular period. Gamson later went on to work with other artists I'm really into. Like Me'Shell Ndegeocello and Tony LeMans.

I discovered Scritti Politti through a British magazine called Smash Hits. I used to buy it because it was the only place you could find information on many of the British New Wave bands during the 80's. Scritti Politti kept coming up over and over. I finally saw "Cupid & Psyche '85" in a bargain bin and picked it up. I was completely blown away by the sheer ecstatic happiness of the music and became a big fan.

On "Provision", the boys from Scritti continue the pop fun with excellent arrangements, Green's choirboy vocals and catchy hooks Stock, Aitken & Waterman would kill for. In fact, if I wanted to be cynical, I'd compare the production on any Scritti Politti record with SAW. The big difference is the more passionate lyric content and the hooks are spread out nicely. Sure there's a couple pieces of filler material, but more great tracks overall. That's not the case with SAW. 'Boom! There She Was' is a typical track. It's got a great beat, exciting lyrics and starts the album off with a dynamic punch. The momentum is building, and the rest of the record is set up nicely. There's a mix of the tune as the final track on the cd that's essentially an extended instrumental. It's also fun and ends the record on a positive high note. The band immediately moves into 'Overnite'; which is the first ballad of the disc. Normally, I'm not a huge fan of ballads, unless I find something truly interesting about them. Gamson uses light bell and chime sounds in his arranging and Green's high pitched voice make ballads a delicious sensation rather than a drudgery. Somehow, they write slow tunes that segue perfectly from the faster tunes. They compliment each other and flow nicely in sequence. Although 'Overnite' is an unremarkable tune in many ways, it's enjoyable when you listen to the disc as a whole. 'First Boy In This Town (Lovesick)' is a tune that really reminds of the SAW production formula. Mainly because of the way the background vocals are arranged. It features a 50's style girl group singing backup. The tune also speeds up the pace from 'Overnite'. It's followed up by 'All That We Are' another pop number. It starts slowly, but quickly picks up when the keyboards start to punctuate the rhythm. It's the play between the urgent synth and the drums that really sets this song apart from previous numbers on the record.

'Best Thing Ever' is probably one of my favorite numbers from this release. It's got a wonderful beat and just floats from the speakers with a natural flow. It follows the formula of an older Motown tune, but Green really delivers the goods. Again, the 50's girl band appear to back him up. The next ballad shows up as 'Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy)'. This number is really exceptional for a number of reasons. Green really pushes his vocal range on this number. It's got an interesting narrative and also shows up later on the disc in an extended version. It's the second track to get a remix on the end of the record. 'Bam Salute' shows another side of Scritti Politti that I've always enjoyed... They've always mixed a reggae rhythm section to certain songs and this one demonstrates that amazing blend while picking the pace up again. 'Sugar And Spice' relies heavily on a minor chord organ motif to really move the song along and it's very effective. That same organ sound shows up again on 'Philosophy Now'. If this were the actual last song on the record, it'd be a nice way to fade out. It's happy pop and very typical for the band.

So in the end, I have to say, compared to the other two records Gamson is on, both "Cupid & Psyche '85" and "Adonis And Bonhomie", "Provision" is the least of the records. It's still excellent by pop standards and enjoyable to listen to. But it lacks the breakout hits of the previous and subsequent efforts. I still enjoy it and I'm glad I own it. My final words: NOT THE GREATEST, BUT DARN NEAR.

SCRITTI POLITTI - PROVISION
01. Boom! There She Was
02. Overnite
03. First Boy In This Town (Lovesick)
04. All That We Are
05. Best Thing Ever
06. Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy)
07. Bam Salute
08. Sugar And Spice
09. Philosophy Now
10. Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy) (Extended)
11. Boom! There She Was (Dub)

PRINCE - FOR YOU

I'm pretty sure I've detailed my exposure to Prince in another post. How I came to really love and appreciate his work. Even though "For You" is Prince's first record, it's actually about the 5th or 6th for me. In fact, I think it was the last of his back catalog I purchased while catching up with him. When I was younger, I thought the further back you went, the crappier Prince's music got. I was so deeply connected to the sound of "Purple Rain" and "1999". Anything that didn't fit nicely into that sound was crap to me. However, since Prince was the only artist I knew of who was creating this music, I bought the older material and gave it a chance.

I think I have a unique perspective on the record. For me, it essentially followed the bigger hit records. And comparatively speaking, it isn't nearly as incredible as his later work. At the same time, I've had many, many years to listen to this work and invest in it on different levels. When you look at it like that, it shouldn't surprise you to learn I've grown to love this record. As I've discovered Prince through the years, I've developed an ear for his composition and his musicianship. I can listen to music and have a basic idea of when it was written and I can place it in his musical development. It's fascinating to listen to this earlier work and see how he evolves. I'm not sure there's ever been an artist you could so minutely trace their progression as much as Prince.

As much as I love the music here, I'm missing something. And it's the same thing I miss with most popular music. There's a strong heterosexual vibe on this record that I can't relate to. I'll go more in depth about that as I discuss the songs. But that barrier often prevents me from enjoying Prince's music as fully as I'd like.

'For You' is the title track and is basically a multi-layered vocal track with Prince singing the same lines over and over in different keys. The choral quality of the tune is rather pretty. And oddly prophetic. The simple lyrics are:
"All of this and more is for you.
With love, sincerity and deepest care,
My life with you I share."
Who knew at the time how much of my life I would share with Prince. And he with me and millions of fans worldwide. 'In Love' is the next song and I like it, but it always seems a bit murky to me. I've never quite related to the lyrics and when you consider lines like:
"I really wanna play in your river"...
it's not hard to understand why. This is a song so steeply based on heterosexual relationships, a gay kid like me could never fully appreciate the content. Same thing with 'Soft And Wet'. The one thing this track offers that 'In Love' doesn't is a more interesting musical arrangement. It's got a lot of quick starts and stops, but also interesting keyboard motifs happening. This song is one that really showcases Prince's ability to use his voice as an additional instrument to heighten arrangements. As he progressed, this became more normal and anticipated; but here is the first time you really see him blending his voice in innovative ways.

'Crazy You' is one of my favorite tracks on the record. I love the acoustic arrangement, the meandering beat and the desperate narrative delivered in a calm and somewhat sad voice. 'Just As Long As We're Together' is actually a track made from two separate songs. The instrumental bridge is a song Prince wrote called 'Jelly Jam'. It's shortened a bit, but it's an interesting combination. 'Baby' is another song I quite like, but don't really relate to. The song is basically about a guy finding out his girlfriend is pregnant and the song is his response to her news. Not in the sense I don't want to be a father or have kids. More from the standpoint of the relationship between the man and the woman.

'My Love Is Forever' is one of the faster paced songs on the record and is another one I really love. This album is loaded with more mid-tempo and slow material than faster stuff. But it should be noted it's also showcasing Prince as a song writer and musician. I think it would have been a stronger record if he'd focused on music he'd already demonstrated a mastery of rather than moving so broadly all over the board. 'So Blue' is another ballad based heavily on the accompaniment of acoustic guitar and discusses the sadness of losing a love. It's another track I love. The closing number on this record is 'I'm Yours'; which is essentially a rock and roll number with distorted electric guitar.

The majority of this music is performed by Prince in a falsetto voice. He's always said this was his natural singing voice. As a vocalist, I think Prince is great because he can use his voice as an instrument. His speaking voice is rather plain, but his singing voice is highly expressive. He can sound beautiful or ugly depending on the emotional context of the lyric. I have a great appreciation for vocalists of this nature.

As I've come to understand music more and more, I've started to see "For You" in the context of the music of the time and the artists who inspired Prince. It's quality is very similar to the singer/songwriters of that period, like Carole King, Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond and Joni Mitchell. Prince obviously admired these people and his approach to this record reflects a need to demonstrate his kinship to them. It is a showcase record more than a true debut. It attempts social commentary on 'Baby' as teenage pregnancy was becoming more common and less of a taboo. Still, underage sex and unwanted pregnancy were huge topics of concern back then. Less so today.

It hasn't stood the test of time as well as other Prince recordings, but I still find the music enjoyable and fun to listen to. Give it a chance if you're so inclined. My final words: SHOWCASE RECORD ON THE CUSP OF GREATNESS.

PRINCE - FOR YOU
01. For You
02. In Love
03. Soft And Wet
04. Crazy You
05. Just As Long As We're Together
06. Baby
07. My Love Is Forever
08. So Blue
09. I'm Yours

INGRID + MARCO - INGRID + MARCO

This little Christmas EP was issued by Ingrid Chavez via her website this month. She describes her cover of 'Frosty' as a song, "...in minor key heaven, in Tim Burton style...". I think that's a bit excessive. It's an interesting cover, but nothing worth writing home about. I quite like the other two songs though. They're awesome. I still have a problem with Ingrid singing so much. Her first record was all about that interesting spoken poetry flow. It wasn't rap and it wasn't singing... It was something else entirely. Ingrid isn't the strongest vocalist. She doesn't have a strong range either. Her true talent lies in the unusual method she used for "May 19, 1992" back when she was on Paisley Park.

I'm still completely enthralled with her lyrics and the strangeness of the way she puts music together. But as a fan, I feel a little betrayed when she doesn't include music made in that interesting way. Her power is her speaking voice. As for this Marco... I can tell you exactly what's happening... He's constantly telling her to sing and trying to get her to move into a more traditional style of pop music. She totally needs to stop listening to him. And even though I like his music, he needs to give his ego a rest and let Ingrid fans enjoy Ingrid. Or put a band together; which I'm assuming Ingrid + Marco is... A new band name.

It's nice to have new material from her and I love it. I'm grateful to have it. I can't really suggest you not buy it because anything she puts out is worth owning. She is a true spirit poet. And her words can move mountains. Give it a try. My final words: A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SURPRISE AND TREAT!

INGRID + MARCO - INGRID + MARCO
01. Frosty
02. Escapology
03. Black And Blue (Bonus Demo)

THE CULT - LOVE

This is the album The Cult found their sound on. Although it does differ from later material in that it has way more 70's guitar rock than anything since. They gradually moved more into power chord metal whereas they initially started sounding more punk. This record is a transition piece and has a lot of that 70's icon rock via Led Zepplin, The Who, etc. etc. Ian Astbury has finally found his voice and his performance style here. From the opening lines of 'Nirvana', you can tell the group has matured. The sound is more polished and the production higher quality. Of course this is their first major label release and the first time they called themselves simply, The Cult. 'Big Neon Glitter' further establishes the new sound while 'Love' delves more fully into the 70's sound and gives Astbury a chance to show off his powerful chops on the record's first ballad.

'Brother Wolf, Sister Moon' is the first song dealing with themes involving Native American culture. Subsequent albums more fully embrace these concepts as Astbury seems to have an obsession with them. With it's slower pace and somewhat Folk feel, this track is truly beautiful. Astbury sounds like some metaphysical werewolf howling at the moon pronouncing his undying love. The guitar work is ethereal and drifts like fog across an empty canyon. But the mystical feelings don't last as 'Rain' kicks in and brings the tempo back up to a rockin' pace. 'The Phoenix' sounds like something you would hear at a 60's concert in San Francisco while tripping on acid. Especially when you hear Ian shouting "Fire" over and over again. 'Hollow Man' brings the song back to the partial punk sound of alternative rock in the early 80's.

'Revolution' recalls The Beatles with its message of rebellion and a movement away from traditional values. But it's the next song that really lights up this side of the record. 'She Sells Sanctuary' is the song that hints at what's to come. It opens wide the doors of potential and dips its pen into the creative heart of inspiration and explodes all over the speakers with its sharp guitar riffs and intense drum track. This track is the promise and the new sound The Cult would continue to perfect over the course of their progression. 'Black Angel' is another tune culled from Ian's fascination with the American West. It has the sound and the rhythm of something you'd expect to hear in a modern version of a spaghetti western.

All in all, this is a great record. And it's even more brilliant because the band was smart enough to distance it from their earlier works through name changes. In reality, it's not the first recording by this band. But technically, it's a debut or freshman effort by an incredible group who never really got their due. My final words: A CULT CLASSIC FOR ALL ROCKERS!

THE CULT - LOVE
01. Nirvana
02. Big Neon Glitter
03. Love
04. Brother Wolf, Sister Moon
05. Rain
06. The Phoenix
07. Hollow Man
08. Revolution
09. She Sells Sanctuary
10. Black Angel

CANDYMAN - AIN'T NO SHAME IN MY GAME

I bought this CD because I read in a magazine somewhere that Prince had written a song on it. Right before I moved to Europe this disc came out. So the copy I ended up buying was a European release or an American import. I can't really tell which. Anyway, I thought I was getting a new Prince song and really looking forward to the disc. What I actually got was rather disappointing. Candyman came out right towards the end of the 80's. He was part of that same rap movement that M.C. Hammer and Fresh Prince came out of. Rap artists who targeted a pop audience and tried to come over with a mass appeal. However, unlike other rappers of the same type, Candyman never had a song with an incredibly catchy hook.

There's the traditional and oh so annoying segues. The first one actually opens the album and mimics a game show based on rap trivia. The first contestant is a white surfer kid while the second is a self-proclaimed Asiatic Black man from the motherland who spends most of his time ridiculing his white opponent. Any type of racism, whether it be white people hating on Hispanics or African Americans, or African Americans hating on white people is not cool with me. All it does is encourage people to look for differences and find reasons not to like each other. Usually when I hear someone bad mouthing white people I tune it out. Probably because I don't associate myself with the white majority. My sexual orientation puts me in a minority group and I've faced prejudice before. When I hear this kind of stuff in music, I just kinda shake my head and feel sorry for the artist spouting such nonsense.

Candyman aims for a mass market crossover, but never succeeds in getting anywhere as far as creating a hit single. He had some mediocre success with 'Knockin' Boots'; which features the chorus from Rose Royce's 'Ooh Boy'. This is probably the only song that has any potential. The rest of the album is total crap rap with generic arrangements. The supposed Prince track, 'Nightgown', is a terrible number featuring music samples taken from the song 'Irresistible Bitch'. 'Irresistible Bitch' is a b-side from 'Let's Pretend We're Married' single. It's just a blatant ripoff. The term used for this kind of sampling is "biting". And sadly, this number bit off pretty much everything of value from the Prince number.

There's nothing else to really write about this release. I've regretted it since the day I bought it. I used to think groups who sampled Prince material should count especially if they credit Prince as a writer. But after the crappy use of his samples I've heard, I've changed my mind. I'm not really interested in collecting that kind of music anymore. Unless the group uses a musical element to create a new song like MoKenStef did with 'He's Mine' or Danny Elfman did with tracks from his Batman Score, I'm not including them in my list anymore. So Candyman is no longer an official Prince song in my opinion. I have looked on the internet to see if Prince was involved with him in any way but thus far nothing. There's nothing that leads me to believe this track featured any input from him.

I guess I'm gonna offend lots of people by putting this recording down, but the truth is, considering the crap sales of the record, I'm guessing no one will feel too bad about it. My final words: IF THIS WAS MY GAME, I'D DEFINITELY BE ASHAMED.

CANDYMAN - AIN'T NO SHAME IN MY GAME
01. Ain't No Shame In My Game (Show)
02. Candyman
03. Don't Leave Home Without It
04. Knockin' Boots
05. Melt In Your Mouth
06. Playin' On Me
07. Today's Topic
08. The Mack Is Back
09. Nightgown
10. Who Shakes The Best
11. Keep On Watcha Doin'
12. 5 Verses Of Def

NINA SIMONE - MY BABY JUST CARES FOR ME

Nina Simone was an amazing woman. My first exposure to her came through the film "Point Of No Return". Bridget Fonda's character loved Nina Simone and listened to her records all the time. I was completely floored by the smokey vocals of this incredible songstress. I never bought any of her records, but I saw this single at a used CD store one time and I remembered the song. I picked it up and only whetted my appetite for more of her.

Simone seems to blend folk, R&B and jazz together to create a rich full sound that compliments her voice to perfection. She's an accomplished piano player as 'You'll Never Walk Alone' demonstrates. But it's her singing that really reaches in and grabs hold of you. I need to pick up more of her stuff. And when I have more money, I'm going to. She's just awesome! My final words: A GREAT AMERICAN TREASURE.

NINA SIMONE - MY BABY JUST CARES FOR ME
01. My Baby Just Cares For Me
02. Love Me Or Leave Me
03. You'll Never Walk Alone

KYLIE MINOGUE - BODY LANGUAGE

The first time I heard anything about Kylie Minogue was that horrible 80's track 'Locomotion'. I absolutely hated that song and I hated the video. I looked down my nose at Kylie and figured she was nothing but some marketing director's idea of a fluff pop sensation. She was just awful. And from that initial reaction, I pretty much wrote her off. And then she came back. She found new production teams who updated her sound and she started sounding fresh and interesting.

My first exposure to "Body Language" happened on a drive to Denver over the Rocky Mountains. I knew I was in for a long one and I decided it would be fun to discover some new music rather than try to locate public radio stations everywhere along the way. My best friend at the time burned me a couple copies of some CDs he was listening to and that was what I listened to. This was one of the CDs he burned and let me tell you, I freaking loved it. I thought it was incredibly smart pop music with incredible hooks and excellent lyrics. The vocal performances were wonderful and fun. Everything I thought about Kylie went right out the window.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered this disc hosts a wide variety of producers and writers. I was in shock. The music and flow of this record is so cohesive and similar, I was convinced it was the same production team on every song. This, folks, is a solid piece of work. It's a truly magnificent bit of music. There are certain songs that stand out above the others, but it's an album you can put in and let play without finding one track you dislike or can't stand. They're all catchy, easy to sing along with and infectious beyond belief.

I would like to take the time to cover some specific numbers I think are truly deserving of special attention. The first is 'Sweet Music'. With it's heavy rhythm track and bass line, it's got a great build from the verse into the chorus where it erupts like a volcano. Kylie delivers a gradual vocal performance so well done it almost merits an Oscar. This is an awesome number to boom out the window of your truck or car while you're driving. Those deep rich drums are beyond funky. So much fun to boom and catch attention. The second track I want to mention is probably my favorite number on the entire disc. It's just so brilliant! It's the first ballad on the record and on first listen, you think it's gonna be another lame slow song. The vocal arrangement is interesting, but hardly original. Then you start to pay attention to the lyrics and by the time the chorus comes in, you realize you're hearing something new and unique.

"if love were liquid it would drown me,
in a placeless place would find me,
in a heart shape come around me and then,
melt me slowly down,
if love were human it would know me,
in a lost space come and show me,
hold me and control me and then,
melt me slowly down - like chocolate"

The poetry of this song is absolutely stunning. It leaves me completely breathless when I listen to it. I love song-writers who write original and interesting lyrics and these guys did with this song. It's without a doubt, my most favorite song on the record.

It's hard not to talk about all the songs because I like them all to one degree or another. They're all frisky and fun. But I'll wrap it up for now. Let me just say in closing that these are some awesome numbers and I think anyone who buys this record will not be disappointed with the material. It's excellent pop. My final words: IF THIS CD WAS A JEWEL, IT'D BE DIAMOND!

KYLIE MINOGUE - BODY LANGUAGE
01. Slow
02. Still Standing
03. Secret (Take You Home)
04. Promises
05. Sweet Music
06. Red Blooded Woman
07. Chocolate
08. Obsession
09. I Feel For You
10. Someday
11. Loving Days
12. After Dark
13. Cruise Control
14. You Make Me Feel

THE WHITE STRIPES - ELEPHANT

The White Stripes... My first exposure to them was through a friend who worked in the medical supply field. He listened to them nonstop. When I found out my sister liked them too I started paying more attention. I bought this little number at a pawn shop for something like $3. From the opening drums of 'Seven Nation Army', you know something special is happening here. Brother and sister duo, Jack and Meg White, make more noise for two people than most bands do with five or six. The momentum continues with 'Black Math'; a rockin' number that reminds me of early Beatles songs. Though Jack sounds more like Robert Plant than Paul McCartney. 'There's No Home For You Here' has an incredible build. It all happens through the intensity of the vocal delivery on the verses. The chorus is the natural progression of the urgency of the lyric narrative. Another great tune. Three in a row.

The next two tracks are where the bottom falls out. The cover of 'I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself' is quite boring. This demonstrates that a boring song can't always be saved by an exciting band. If the songs sucks, it will usually suck no matter who's doing it. Meg takes over vocals for 'In The Cold, Cold, Night'. It's a nice number, but doesn't really stand out compared to other material. Meg has a smaller less expressive voice than her brother and singing isn't where she feels comfortable. You can tell the vocal feels forced at times. There's something wrong and right about 'I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother's Heart'. The song has an almost schoolboy fantasy quality when you consider the lyrics, but it's sweetly sentimental and even though there's an implied perv quotient here, the lyrics never really cross the line and forever stay in the realm of honest and true intentions. 'You've Got Her In Your Pocket' is a wonderful follow up. It's a ballad, but beautifully performed. There's a sad quality to this number. It makes me sigh when I listen to it.

'Ball And Biscuit' is a powerful blues number. Jack comes on like a preacher on Sunday. He oozes presence on this one, folks. 'The Hardest Button To Button' is another track with presence and a deep southern feel you can't quite relate to unless you've been there. Listen to Jack talk about curing the baby's illness by taking a rag doll and sticking little pins in it. It's got all the makings of trailer trash, backwoods, wrong side of the tracks anthem. And he pulls it off artistically and profoundly. 'Little Acorns' is another amazing number. Featuring an introduction sounding like a "How to" inspirational manual on tape, this number is the first track that verges on metal. The deep electric guitar screeching throughout the song is indeed awesome! 'Hypnotize' is another 50's rocker with metal guitar. The music continues to build once again with 'The Air Near My Fingers' and 'Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine'. Each subsequent track increases the pace both in sound and speed. Very satisfying.

The final track, a duet with Holly Golightly called 'Well It's True That We Love One Another' is probably my least favorite track on the entire record. It's a strange number that sounds more like a group of 13 year olds talking than a group of rock and roll stars. It's bouncy and annoying on so many levels.

They named the record "Elephant" and I'm guessing that title was meant to invoke a sense of largeness and power. In my opinion, they succeed rather well. The two of them create a rich full sound that incorporates so many sounds and possibilities. The White Stripes are unique and truly amazing with what they're doing. "Elephant" is the perfect example of the breadth of this band's potential. My final words: LARGER THAN LIFE AND TWICE AS LOUD!

THE WHITE STRIPES - ELEPHANT
01. Seven Nation Army
02. Black Math
03. There's No Home For You Here
04. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself
05. In The Cold, Cold, Night
06. I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother's Heart
07. You've Got Her In Your Pocket
08. Ball And Biscuit
09. The Hardest Button To Button
10. Little Acorns
11. Hypnotize
12. The Air Near My Fingers
13. Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine
14. Well It's True That We Love One Another

ROBOTS - ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK

It seems soundtracks end up in my life one of two ways... I either need a song to further a collection by a certain artist or someone gives me the thing as a gift. This item falls in the "Gift" category. I don't really remember why it was given to me other than that it was. I can't even remember who gave it to me. I'm not sure there's a reason to break this one down as there's nothing that really jumps out at me when I listen to it. I like a lot of the music on it. It's got some really great pop, some generic pop and some really boring junk. I should mention the Fountains Of Wayne track. That one is really great and it's nice to hear the remix of the James Brown track. I like the Gomez track and the Steriogram number. They're all pretty exciting. The John Powell number has some exciting moments in it as well.

I guess if I don't write anything negative this will be a very short review... So I'll jump right in and point out a few things I really don't like about the CD. Ricky Fanté is trying waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy too hard to sound like James Brown. It starts out with an awesome beat and then dumps midway into some R&B Gospel workout. However you look at it, I'm too easily reminded of Brown and that makes Ricky a failure in my eyes. It's one thing to incorporate another sound into your own, but to emulate another performer unless you're a cover band is just pathetic. Remember all those Madonna clones in the 80's?

The Stacie Orrico track is total dribble. The music and vocal performance sound like something churned out of a Disney music camp who's soul purpose is to create generic pop clones. It makes me sad to say this, but everything about this number sounds completely by some producers hit making formula. It's really sad. And it also brings to mind my greatest fear... That future musicians and artists will all be mass produced and marketed through some corporate cog like Disney. After all, Disney produced the biggest names in pop music during the 90's and controls most of the major pop icons around today. Or at least is largely responsible for them.

The Earth, Wind & Fire track is another number I want to mention. It's written by Jam & Lewis who I absolutely love and normally follow when I can. However, this horrific number is so bad I'm almost convinced they've lost their skill. The first rhyme is, "Just take the time, to free your mind." If that isn't the biggest cliche lyric in the entire world, I don't know what is... They should lose their songwriters membership cards just for that couplet alone. And trust me when I tell you... The lyrics don't get any better. The cliches keep rolling in, one after the other until you're so overwhelmed with generic crap you can't even look straight. Do yourself a huge favor and take a pass on this turd of a song.

Overall, I'm more or less indifferent to this record. The songs I like are probably already on the band's other releases and if I ever get majorly into any of them, I have no doubt I'll find them elsewhere. My final words: IT'S OK... BARELY.

ROBOTS - ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK
01. Ricky Fanté - Shine
02. Chingy - Right Thurr
03. Fountains Of Wayne - Tell Me What You Already Did
04. Fatboy Slim - Wonderful Night
05. James Brown - Get Up Offa That Thing (All Dee Remix)
06. Stacie Orrico - (There's Gotta Be) More To Life
07. Earth, Wind & Fire - Love's Dance
08. WAR - Low Rider
09. Houston Feat. Chingy, Nate Dogg And I-20 - I Like That
10. Gomez - Silence
11. Steriogram - Walkie Talkie Man
12. John Powell Featuring Percussion Performed By Blue Man Group - Robot City

RAMMSTEIN - ROSENROT

I think the saddest thing about this album from Rammstein is they weren't sure they were even going to bother releasing it in America. It's sad because every time Rammstein has toured in the states or released here, they leave feeling completely repressed and having to compromise their artistic vision. I have mixed feelings about this. A part of me thinks they're being ridiculous, another part of me agrees with them about the unfriendly artistic environment musicians and artists in the United States find themselves in. I still think they have an obligation to their fans here. Many of us are left high and dry while Rammstein focus their attentions on other countries. Most American artists do the same thing. They focus mainly in the states while their foreign fans go without. But Rammstein are a group who could play here and sell tickets if they really wanted to.

The American release came months after the European, Asian and even Canadian versions. My copy is Canadian. The best thing about Rammstein is they consistently deliver what their fans want while simultaneously expanding their musical palate with each release. Once again, the album is preformed almost entirely in the bands' native German with two exceptions. On 'Stirb Nicht Vor Mir (Don't Die Before I Do)', a duet with Sharleen Spiteri of 90's Scots band Texas, is performed partially in English. Another track and one of the CD's highlight numbers, 'Te Quiero Puta' is performed in Spanish.

Right from the outset with 'Benzin', the heavy beat and guitars kick in to let you know what's to come. Keeping in tune with the groups' continued fascination with fire and explosive performances, 'Benzin' is a sloppy word kiss for the combustible accelerator. The group also has a tradition of performing homoerotic material and the second track, 'Mann Gegen Mann' is another guitar driven tribute to same sex intercourse specifically between two men. The first time I heard the record I was completely blown away by the powerful start and anxious for more. My initial reaction to 'Rosenrot' the title track was one of lukewarm affection. I didn't really like it. However, I couldn't get it out of my mind and now it's one of my favorite songs on the record.

'Spring' is another matter altogether. I feel up to this point, the band had created an unstoppable momentum. With 'Spring' they totally drop the bottom out from under the listener. It's not a bad song, but it's not their strongest material either. 'Wo Bist Du' raises the tempo but not the volume. It's not the best followup to 'Spring' but is considerably better. It's followed up with 'Stirb Nicht Vor Mir (Don't Die Before I Do)' the half English duet. This song is very strange. It sounds like a collaboration that never really favored either group. I doubt it fits Sharleen Spiteri's sound and it definitely doesn't fit Rammstein's. My opinion is one of befuddlement. My eyebrows raise in an arch and I wonder to myself, "Hunh?". The lyrics are a bit ridiculous as well. But Rammstein can be that way sometimes. I've learned to overlook the childish in favor of the sheer poetry of other songs.

The Noise cranks back up to acceptable Rammstein levels with the next track, 'Zerstören'. I love the intensity of this brilliant track. Even though 'Hilf Mir' is another life threatening plunge from a metal skyscraper, the lyrics are cool enough to make the song worth listening to. However, I've never found an appreciation for these slow tempo power ballads. 'Te Quiero Puta' is simply amazing. I love it. Perfection on multiple levels. Both 'Feuer Und Wasser' and 'Ein Lied' are ballads. Both are extremely slow. More than any other Rammstein record to date, this album is practically flooded with ballads. With over half the tracks being mid-tempo or slow ballads, it's not your typical Rammstein record. The highlights are certainly worth it. When they're on, they're on 100%. When they're off, they miss by miles. The cover of this album is a large ice breaker ship caught in a frozen ocean. Sadly, that's how this record can seem at times. It starts off like a massive piece of machinery barreling forward crashing through ice and then WHAM! you're brought to a screeching halt. It is perhaps this inconsistency that makes it the least popular Rammstein records to date. But I actually love it. It's still almost half and half with me, but more on the like side than dislike. Then again, I love Rammstein. I like what they do and I love their music, so it's not a huge stretch for me to give this one a thumbs up. My final words: DEEP WATERS ARE NEVER STILL.

RAMMSTEIN - ROSENROT
01. Benzin
02. Mann Gegen Mann
03. Rosenrot
04. Spring
05. Wo Bist Du
06. Stirb Nicht Vor Mir (Don't Die Before I Do)
07. Zerstören
08. Hilf Mir
09. Te Quiero Puta
10. Feuer Und Wasser
11. Ein Lied

FAMILY FANTASTIC - ...NICE!

Did you ever wonder what would've happened to disco if it hadn't become so unpopular back in the 70's? Lots of 80's electronic bands continued the legacy left behind by disco artists. In fact, disco could be said to be the forerunner to 80's pop. No matter how you look at it, successive genres of music have flirted and titillated audiences with snatches of disco style. But nothing like what the Family Fantastic has done. This is a band that embraces the legend of disco and updates it to a current standard. From reading I've done online, I know members of this band have backgrounds with a variety of groups, but I don't really know any of them outside of Vince Clarke. That's right, folks! Vince Clarke from Depeche Mode, Yaz and Erasure fame. You could call this another side project for him. He seems to have a never ending supply of beats and little ditties locked away in his head waiting for a chance to jump out and find a home. This project is no exception.

So now you know my attraction to the band. Why I bought the cd and paid full price. And you're asking yourself... Does he like it? Surprisingly... I do! Under the guidance of Clarke, (and don't fool yourself, you hear him all over these tracks), Family Fantastic employs some talented singers who take rather embarrassing lyrics and punch them up to power soul levels with disco beats swirling like laser lights all around them. You could seriously skate to this stuff.

'Get Up' starts the album off with a call to dance. Family Fantastic urges you to move out on the floor! 'Get Up' also gets a rather lackluster remix treatment as one of 3 bonus tracks at the end of the disc. 'Get Up' is fun, but hardly as infectious as 'Treat Yourself' the next track and one of the two best songs on the album. 'Treat Yourself' even features bells ringing in the background making me wanna stand up and shout, "You can ring my bell!" 'Funky Feet' and 'Spread Your Love' are both highly energetic numbers. They're both fun, but not as memorable or infectious as 'Treat Yourself'. 'Hey Nu Nu' is a song on the more cringe worthy side of things. The lyrics are quite boring and somewhat embarrassing. The fact this song gets a remix treatment at the end of the disc makes me question the taste of certain band members.

'Halfway To Heaven' is another dance number with a heavy rhythm movement and an almost Stock, Aitken & Waterman formula in the music and progression. Check out those generic background vocals and the punctuated "Whoa's" on the chorus. The generic material continues with 'One Love One Life' a mid-tempo ballad also in the hit making tradition of S.A.W. productions. The surprising track is 'Better Days'. Not because it's good, but because former Prince associate Taja Sevelle gets a writing credit here. It certainly has her sound and writing style. I'm surprised she's involved with this project. This is the other song that gets a different version at the end. The last track of the album is an acoustic version of this song. It's followed by the other truly ecstatic number, 'Soy La Reina'. This song sounds more like something Erasure would be doing. In fact, the vocalist singing wordless scales in the background sounds strikingly like Andy Bell. Like the name suggests, the song has a decidedly Latin feel to it. It's very exciting and I often see it on the internet as an unreleased Erasure outtake. But don't be misled... It has a home right here on this album. The final track is performed in the tradition of old school rap via Curtis Blow and The Sugarhill Gang. It's fun and interesting but sometimes a bit embarrassing. Hehehe.

In the end, there's more to love than to hate about this record. The music is fun even though it sometimes seems generic. As for the 3 bonus tracks, I wouldn't worry too much about getting them. In each instance, the mix doesn't do the original track justice. Ultimately, this record is all about the music. Not the lyrics or the vocalists. It's about the joyful music produced and written by a musical genius. Sit back, veg out and let nostalgia wash over you like waves on a beach. My final words: TREAT YOURSELF TO FANTASTIC FUN.

FAMILY FANTASTIC - ...NICE!
01. Get Up
02. Treat Yourself
03. Funky Feet
04. Spread Your Love
05. Hey Nu Nu
06. Halfway To Heaven
07. One Love One Life
08. Better Days
09. Soy La Reina
10. Doin' This Thing
11. Hey Nu Nu (Trance)
12. Get Up (Bleep)
13. Better Days (Acoustic)

BRONSKI BEAT - THE AGE OF CONSENT

Bronski Beat was an amazingly important group in the 80's. Not just because they were riding high on the new wave movement, but because this record probably more than any other at the time defined gay culture. This was the first openly gay record by a band who not only sang songs about gay love, but were openly gay as well. The first single I remember was 'Smalltown Boy' which documents the tale of a gay teen who is kicked out of his home because his parents find out he's gay. Another kid on the streets because he's a little different. If this song was a cry of injustice than the album itself was a war horn! With the opening track, 'Why?' Bronski Beat didn't bother pulling punches. Bursting out in his choirboy falsetto, Jimmy Summerville breaks the silence when he queries why people hate and why there is prejudice. "Contempt in your eyes when I turn to kiss his lips"... They follow it up with 'Ain't Necessarily So' a song that wisely points out, "Things that you're liable to read in the Bible ain't necessarily so." More strong numbers follow like 'No More War', 'Heatwave' and the beautiful but socially outrageous 'Need A Man Blues'. There's not a single track here that isn't superb and brilliant with Sommerville's delightful voice augmenting the sometimes theatrical music with an angel's pleading and urging. It's a masterpiece.

I remember hearing other Bronski Beat tunes after Sommerville left the band. I don't remember what I thought of them other than they were pretty good. But it's nice to have this particular CD because it has remixes of the singles from the later album "Hundreds And Thousands". It also features a couple songs I'm guessing were single b-sides. I bought this disc for well above retail at the local gay and lesbian bookstore in Las Vegas. Even with my employee discount I think I paid something like $18.99 for it. Let me tell you kids, it was worth every penny.

For stricter fans of new wave and 80s electronica, this will be a disappointing release. It features music and arrangements more in step with musical theater rather than straight forward new wave. Just listen to the tap dancers in the background when Sommerville sings 'Heatwave'. There's an almost Vaudevillian sound happening here. I strongly recommend this record to young gay and lesbian kids who are curious about their history. This album was extremely important to your culture and took great strides to creating a world where you can be accepted and loved for who you are. For fans of 80's pop, I'd say pick it up because it features so many great hits from that time. And for those who hate, I suggest leaving it alone and getting something a little more angry. Bronski Beat is not for you.

My final words: AN ANGELIC CRY FOR EQUALITY!

BRONSKI BEAT - THE AGE OF CONSENT
01. Why?
02. Ain't Necessarily So
03. Screaming
04. No More War
05. Love And Money
06. Smalltown Boy
07. Heatwave
08. Junk
09. Need A Man Blues
10. I Feel Love
11. I Feel Love (Medley With Marc Almond)
12. Run From Love (Re-Mix From 'Hundreds And Thousands')
13. Hard Rain (Re-Mix From 'Hundreds And Thousands')
14. Memories
15. Puit D'Amour
16. Heatwave (Re-Mix From 'Hundreds And Thousands')

MIDNIGHT OIL - 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

I discovered Midnight Oil through a kid at school. He was a couple years ahead of me and I was always looking for new music. I remember he loaned me a tape with this album on one side and The The's "Soul Mining" on the other. I sat upstairs at my parent's house with the old stereo mom used to have in a cabinet and I played this tape over and over again. I loved the music. I like The The more than Midnight Oil, but I couldn't get these songs out of my head. Right from the start, 'Outside World' strikes me as a song that would have felt right at home on The The's "Soul Mining". It's haunting and ethereal at the same time. It reminds strongly of the title track 'Soul Mining'. The second number, 'Only The Strong' is more typical Midnight Oil and sets up the rest of the album. Midnight Oil have a strong penetrating sound that's very aggressive. They're also extremely political lyrically. Even though it's a powerful combination, on later records they tended to move into the preachy category. But around this time, it was nothing but rage at injustice. The perfect accessory to rock and roll. 'Short Memory' points out the cycles of injustice that occur in the world and how we never really learn from our past mistakes. 'Read About It' could be taken two different ways. You either become indifferent to what's happening around you because it's not in your face or you take the time to study the world and see what's going on. You decide.

'Scream In Blue' is another track that compliments The The's "Soul Mining" and would be perfectly at home there. Midnight Oil seem to have an astonishing affect when they move into ballad territory. 'US Forces', 'Power And The Passion' are more rockin' numbers with another beautiful ballad in 'Maralinga'. The band continues the slow movement with 'Tin Legs And Tin Mines' to maintain a mood before ending the disc on an incredibly high note with 'Somebody's Trying To Tell Me Something'.

Overall, I look at this disc and really like what I hear. I embraced the tape as an entire concept therefore I don't really have the ability to break it down into individual components. When I listen to it, I listen to it as a whole and I enjoy it from start to finish. This record had a major effect on me when I was in high school. It was crucial to shaping much of my ability to view the world critically.

So when you come right down to it, I recommend this disc. More than some of the later albums. It's an interesting piece of work from a band who set out to change the world with their words and music. I think they succeeded in ways they don't even understand. My final words: CRUCIAL SHAPING OF THE MIND THROUGH MUSIC.

MIDNIGHT OIL - 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
01. Outside World
02. Only The Strong
03. Short Memory
04. Read About It
05. Scream In Blue
06. US Forces
07. Power And The Passion
08. Maralinga
09. Tin Legs And Tin Mines
10. Somebody's Trying To Tell Me Something

PRINCE - CONTROVERSY

"Controversy" is Prince's fourth studio album and of the previous four, arguably the best. Prince was on my radar with '1999'. At the time, my sister was really into music and she was a huge Michael Jackson fan. The first time I saw the video for '1999' I loved the song, but for some reason I thought it was the Jacksons. Because I avoided everything my sister liked, I wrote it off. I discovered "Purple Rain" through a friend of mine at school. He brought the tape to Woodshop class and we listened to it on a tape recorder there. He let me borrow it and I was hooked.

For me, discovering Prince was a backwards experience. I learned of older records and bought them one at a time until I had them all. The first I bought was "Prince"; which I thought was complete crap compared to "Purple Rain". It was more like a hit and miss scenario when it came to his older material. As I grew older and gained more perspective, I began to see the evolution of this singular artist. "Controversy" is the album Prince really began using the Linn Drum Machine and also where he started to fully realize his style. His style, or Minneapolis Sound, relies heavily on synthesizers playing melody lines normally played by horns in R&B groups. His blend featured strong and odd sounding rhythm tracks enhanced by melodic keyboards and augmented by bass and guitar. Prince was New Wave without fully embracing the genre.

"Controversy" is also interesting in that it continues a theme Prince actually started in his previous album and would continue to use throughout his career. A unifying call to like-minded people who shared his belief of finding God through physical love. Although his definition of love has changed over the years; Prince has continually called his fans away from governments and media propaganda.

With the opening track, 'Controversy', Prince predicts his climb to fame will be a rocky one complete with scandal and controversy. It's a great tune although a bit long. It's followed by 'Sexuality', another brilliant number. It's here that he starts his call to unification. He calls for a "New Breed" of leaders and thinkers to take control. 'Do Me, Baby' is a song steeped in scandal and is fairly explicit in a soft core porn way. Prince simulates an orgasm toward the end of the track. I find the song mediocre and somewhat dull. It doesn't surprise me that Andre Cymone, a former band member claims he wrote the music for the song. It's hardly up to par with the rest of Prince's material. Still, he seems to like it. It continues to surface in live shows. It's by far my least favorite track on the album.

Back in the days of cassette tapes and lps, you'd be turning the disc or tape over at this point to hear side two. It starts off with 'Private Joy'. Not only are you treated to an awesome groove here, but the song is infectious with hooks and great lyrics. It's almost got a "West Side Story" feel to the narrative. It segues flawlessly into the rockin' 'Ronnie, Talk To Russia'; a song that's basically an open letter to President Ronald Regan about finding a way to work with Russia to avoid nuclear destruction. It segues into 'Let's Work' one of the funkiest tracks I've ever heard. This is an example of why Prince is such a super star. He produces tracks of this calibre. It's so much fun and the music is dead on.

'Let's Work' goes into 'Annie Christian'. This song is considered an experimental track of sorts. He creates another narrative around fictional characters. The track is a social commentary of sorts, but it's the soulless vocal delivery and minimal musical arrangement over a Casio keyboard beat that really makes the track so haunting. What strikes me the most about this track is the way Prince uses all sounds including his vocal delivery to create a mood. It's an aggressive tune and truthfully, I think it's one of the most overlooked songs he's ever written. The rockabilly 'Jack U Off' rounds out the album displaying that Prince isn't limited to one sound. His greatest strength was his ability to amalgamate all different kinds of music styles and use them efficiently with his own sound. He had the ability to create something new with each foray into another musical genre. Sadly, he seems to have lost that ability. These days, he rarely ventures beyond his relegated funk/soul roots.

The packaging of the album is also noteworthy. Prince is surrounded by a fictional newspaper called "The Controversy Daily" with headlines like; "Free Food Stamps for Good Samaritans", "U.S. Goes to Zoo - Refuses to Feed Guerillas" and "Do You Believe in God". Once again, he attempts social commentary but in such an interesting way. When it came out, I'm sure "Controversy" was extremely controversial. These days the material seems more like fluff than radical. Irregardless, you can't diminish the impact Prince had on society with records like this. Whether you know it or not, he changed the lives of young people who would go on to make films, music, become law makers and politicians, talk show hosts, etc. etc. And whether or not they agreed with him, he helped formulate their fundamental thinking to such a degree that they effect the lives of everyone all over the world. The same can be said to be true about virtually every influential musician or celebrity. Like many others, Prince geared his social commentary to effect these people. He called for a change. Whether you like him or not, his impact is real. My final words: FORESHADOWING THINGS TO COME, BUT PERFECT BY ITSELF. 

PRINCE - CONTROVERSY
01. Controversy
02. Sexuality
03. Do Me, Baby
04. Private Joy
05. Ronnie, Talk To Russia
06. Let's Work
07. Annie Christian
08. Jack U Off

TOTAL ECLIPSE - ACCESS DENIED

My interest in this release is easy to understand when you look at the first couple discs by Juno Reactor. At the time, Juno Reactor didn't have the rotating line-up it has today. The group was made of mostly by Ben Watkins and a couple other guys. One of them was Stephane Holweck. Although Holweck wasn't credited with writing all of the tracks, he was given credit and during my initial fascination with the band, it was enough to make me search for everything this group was doing. Of course, in my fervor, I quickly latched onto Ben Watkins as the constant element on all songs and releases. But I wasn't tuned into his specific sound enough to know for certain what I was being drawn to. Because of this lack of insight, I picked up this Total Eclipse album at Tower Records in Las Vegas and I paid full price for it. Big, big, big mistake.

I could seriously break each track down and tell you exactly what it is I don't like about it, but suffice it to say Total Eclipse is completely unlike anything I'd heard on Juno Reactor. The music certainly falls into the trance category even though the beats tend to branch out to jungle, house and sometimes acid; the differences in beats can't mask the tedium of these tracks. With weak drum tracks and boring ambient motifs that never seem to progress, Total Eclipse falls into the kind of loopy trance that borders on insanity. There's little to no progression on any of the tracks, although some of them do succeed in calling the title to mind. And I don't mean that as a compliment. Take 'Quandary' for example... It features a stuttering rhythm over sparse musical arrangements that certainly make you question what you're listening to. Of course you also question why anyone would write such a thing, where's it's going and what the point of the whole darn thing is anyway.

The most remarkable track is 'XXL Files' and again, it's not because it's a great musical number. It's because it's such a bizarre and pointless exercise. The track is a recorded conversation between a radio talk show host and an "alien" inhabiting the body of a human host. The band members play the boring interview over some tribal drumming and minimalist musical arrangements. Neither the interview or the music is enough to make you care to listen all the way through. It's also the one track that somewhat fits the conspiracy theory of the album's title. Usually I'm drawn to bands involved in strange musical experimentation. In this case, the result isn't avant garde, it's avant crap.

If I was forced to choose one track worth salvaging from this miscreant secretion, and I do for my sister's playlists, it would be a toss-up between 'Screenager (Error 404)' and 'One Size Fits All'. Both are at the very least tolerable to listen to. You can tune them out and let the music flow over you. Sadly, I have to give this record a negative review. My final words: KICK A FORK IN MY HEAD.

TOTAL ECLIPSE - ACCESS DENIED
01. Harbinger
02. Quandary
03. One Size Fits All
04. None Of Your Business
05. Midnight Suspects
06. A Piece Of Cherry Cake
07. Screenager (Error 404)
08. XXL Files