ANDRE CYMONE - A.C.

Andre Cymone got his start playing with Prince while they were in High School.  When Prince signed with Warner Brothers, Andre was part of Prince's touring band.  Although he participated in jam sessions and writing sessions, he nursed aspirations of a solo career.  He continued to write music by himself and eventually left Prince's band to pursue his own record deal.

I don't know much about Andre's first two records.  I think they didn't fare well, but "A.C." garnered him a minor hit due to the inclusion of a Prince composition.  I don't think I'm overstating it when I suggest most people who bought the record were buying it for the Prince track.

After the mediocre success of "A.C.", Andre went on to produce for a number of artists and including Jody Watley; with whom he enjoyed enormous success.  His collaboration with Watley proved to be the high point of his success.  

So let's discuss the disc itself.  The opening track, and arguably best song on the album, is the sole Prince composition.  'The Dance Electric' remains on par with the stronger Prince material of the time including 'Let's Go Crazy' and '1999'.  Featuring background vocals by Wendy & Lisa, the song really sets you up with a promise of exciting and rhythmic Minneapolis sound material.  Sadly, the rest of the record fails to deliver.

Andre and Prince have a very similar writing style.  It's no wonder considering they share many of the same influences and grew up studying music and learning instruments together.  The difference is in the type of music both men wanted to compose.  Andre embraced the more New Wave, modern sound, whereas Prince favored the deep rhythms of funk and soul.  

I think what happened here is Andre knew he needed a hit and tried to write music sounding more like Prince.  What we end up with is a disc full of generic Minneapolis sounding music.  There are moments of interesting ideas in the music, but the lyrics are often sophomoric and simple. 

It never quite measures up to Prince.  I think Andre would've been more successful if he'd found a sound uniquely his own and pursued it rather than trying to emulate sounds he was hearing and the styles his close friends were using.

In the end, "A.C." is a cassette I've lived with for many years.  It wasn't until recently that I've found the album on disc.  I'm incredibly happy to have this music on a safer format.

Although I'd like to say this is one record I adore, the truth is it's a piece of music I can do without.  The Prince track is the one highlight of the entire disc.  But even it can be found in other formats.  Whether it's online through download or streaming media...  It's not going away.  Unfortunately, the rest of the disc will probably linger in obscurity forever.  My final words:  ANOTHER ONE TRACK WONDER.

ANDRE CYMONE - A.C.
01. The Dance Electric
02. Lipstick Lover
03. Pretty Wild Girl
04. Book Of Love
05. Satisfaction
06. Sweet Sensuality
07. Vacation
08. Neon Pussycat
09. Fallin' Fallin'
10. Red Light
11. The Dance Electric (Single Version)
12. Lipstick Lover (12" Club Version)
13. Satisfaction (12" Club Version)

ANDY ALLO - SUPERCONDUCTOR

Andy Allo is an artist Prince befriended and absorbed into his NPG label.  She has another CD called "Unfresh" but I haven't heard it.  I only ordered this disc because Prince writes on it.  Well and because it's on NPG records.

So let's be honest right off the bat...  I was expecting something similiar to Bria Valente or some of his other protegee releases.  He writes material, sometimes great stuff, sometimes mediocre for him...  And you get some semi-talented artist performing the music.  Prince often chooses his collaborators based on emotional connection rather than talent.  So...  I generally approach his collaborations expecting something less than worthy of his talents.

"Superconductor", it turns out, is one of the rare gems in his collaborative efforts.  Allo's writing style compliments Prince's arrangement and musical taste in such an organic way, the melodies just flow like rainbows on a rainy day from the speakers.  It washes over you in a soothing combination of emotion and sound.  You're absorbed rather than simply experience the music.

Of the 9 tracks, Prince gets credit for 3.  But they're not the only strong songs on the disc.  And to some degree not even the most interesting.  The opening track, 'Superconductor' is listed as a Prince composition and it's got some interesting similarities to music composed around the "Lovesexy" time period.  It's got a lot of scale piano bits and some vocal distortion happening in the mix.  It's probably the best song on the disc.  I love it!

The second track is written by Allo, but seems to be played by the entire New Power Generation live band.  It's a funky little workout putting Allo quite on par with most great funk artists.  It's a punctuated little number with some synth sounds harkening all the way back to Prince's "For You" album.  The next two numbers are also Prince compositions and 'Long Gone' starts off sounding very much like those early Prince numbers he played on acoustic guitar.  This record really sounds like a tribute to 70s and 80s Prince so far.  'The Calm' moves us in a different direction entirely.  About the only thing it has in common with 'Long Gone' is the fact both songs are ballads.  'The Calm' is aptly named as it washes over you like a gentle breeze, flowing through fresh laundered clothes hanging outside on a line to dry.  They billow and flutter in the air and will soothe you like airy sunshine!

'Yellow Gold' is an absolute show stopper and you can hear Prince in the arrangement, but it's another track that just stops you in your tracks and leaves you thinking, "Damn!"  'Nothing More' is a track I find simply indescribable.  I almost cry when I hear it because this is what I want in my life.  So desperately.  I want love like this.  The song reminds me of 'The Love We Make' which is a Prince track from "Emancipation".

Next up is 'If I Was King' and this is probably my least favorite track on the whole disc.  It's ok, but it's also such a hookey idea it doesn't fit in with the intensity of the other material.  There's the titilation of a lesbian affair hinted at, but it's hardley worth getting excited about.  It's actually kinda overplayed.  It's followed by 'Story Of You & I' which is an amazing ballad.  This song more than any other, showcases the sweetness of Allo's voice and her own style.  She's got a somewhat lilting tone and she uses it effectively to add anticipation to her songs.  This song completely demonstrates these talents and promises more from this vital artist.

The disc ends with 'When Stars Collide' and it's another track that seems to harken back to early Prince music rather than playing out in the here and now.  But it's got a great groove and is an extremely satisfying number!  The vocal arrangement alone makes this song worth hearing.  You can't miss with this track.  In fact, I think it would make an excellent single!  Consider it!

My final words: WITHOUT A DOUBT, WORTH EVERY SINGLE PENNY!  WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???

ANDY ALLO - SUPERCONDUCTOR

01. Superconductor

02. People Pleaser

03. Long Gone

04. The Calm

05. Yellow Gold

06. Nothing More

07. If I Was King

08. Story Of You & I

09. When Stars Collide

CAMEO - SINGLE LIFE

Cameo is a band I have a hard time with.  As I mentioned in a previous review, I like songs they do, but I usually find their albums a bit on the boring side.  I don't know the entire history of the group, but I can put something together based on what I hear on the records.

I suspect Cameo was a product of 70s funk.  They came in on the coat tails of bands like Earth, Wind & Fire, The Temptations, Cool & The Gang...  They play a lot of traditional soul funk.  Their songs are almost textbook in composition.  However, when the 80s started, the lead singer, Larry Blackmon discovered a persona he started to employ on certain songs.  That vocal delivery and his attitude when using this voice changed the fortunes of the band.  I'm not even sure what you'd call him.  But it's quite different from his other material.  The music is more rhythmically centered like much of the Minneapolis Sound then.  'Single Life' is a great example of this.  It may very well be the first track Cameo employed this method of song writing.  Blackmon still sings somewhat in a more traditional R&B manner, but the transition is evident.  The beat and drum sounds are deeper, more prominent and the keyboard melodies are stripped down to serve as accentuation for the drums.

On subsequent records, the sound is more formulated and they deliver stronger material.  Here, the only song I find very appealing is 'Single Life'.  Of the rest of the songs, only 'Little Boys - Dangerous Toys' offers much musically.  'Urban Warrior' features an early rap.  Tame by more modern standards.  Half the record is mid tempo ballads.  Hardly worth spending much time there unless that kind of R&B is what you're into.

Arguably, the first track, 'Attack Me With Your Love' features Blackmon's vocals in the style I enjoy, but it centers too heavily on the other vocalists and still follows a more traditional style of R&B.  It's fine for what it is, but hardly the mind blowing strangeness of 'Single Life'.

I discovered Cameo when they performed 'Single Life' on Solid Gold.  It blew my mind.  I thought they were strange and freaky.  I ordered their tape at the local music store and actually had to wait for it to come in.  When I got it, I was singularly struck with the tune, but unimpressed with the rest of the cassette.  These many years later, even after purchasing the CD, my initial reaction remains my overall feeling for the disc.

My final words:  MIXED WITH STRONGER TRACKS FROM OTHER ALBUMS AND YOU GOT A WINNER.

CAMEO - SINGLE LIFE

01. Attack Me With Your Love

02. Single Life

03. I've Got Your Image

04. A Good-Bye

05. I'll Never Look For Love

06. Urban Warrior

07. Little Boys - Dangerous Toys