O(+> - BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW! AND RIGHT BACK HERE IN MY ARMS

Back in the day when Prince was using the O(+> symbol, he released a three disc set called, "Emancipation".  This album was supposed to be a huge artistic achievement for him because he was doing it as a free artist.  No restriction or oversight by Warner Bros., his former record company.  And it was going to herald a new day for him.  He would release music as often as he wanted and directly to his fans.

Although it might have started out like that, it didn't continue to work like that.  However, most of us were content to go along for the ride.  If I had one complaint, it was the inclusion of cover material.  Around that time, Prince was playing a lot of new songs live and bootlegs were everywhere.  We all knew he had a huge selection of tracks floating around.  And when this album came out, it was hard to be happy with the covers when songs we knew existed were left off.

Prince often makes the mistake of thinking people around him are as interesting or fascinating to his fans as he is.  But a lot of the time, we don't see them through the same filter he does.  Because of this, we don't appreciate them in the way he does.  His work can suffer when he places emphasis on musicians his fans just aren't into.  The same can be said for his taste in other people's music.

Originally released by Connie Stevens as 'Keep Growing Strong', 'Betcha By Golly, Wow!' was made popular by the Stylistics in 1972.  It obviously had a deep impact on Prince and that's why he choose to include it on this record.  However, for Prince followers, this track wasn't exactly a runaway hit.  This is an example of how his taste in music doesn't always transfer to his fans.  I know I didn't like it.  Choosing to include this track over, say...  One of the songs he'd released in the film "Showgirls" but not on the soundtrack; seemed like a cruel joke.  A new Prince song is always preferable to a cover.

There were those in the entertainment world, especially professional music critics who applauded Prince for breaking with his own standard and including a cover.  Many saw it as his ego finally coming down to earth.  But not me.  There's a certain sound you only get when you listen to Prince music performed and recorded by Prince.  Sometimes, his versions of other people's music can vastly improve the original tune, but most of the time, you just hear something missing.  And that's the magic of Prince.

As much as I dislike the song 'Betcha By Golly Wow!', I love 'Right Back Here In My Arms'; the vastly superior of the two tracks.  Not only does it offer up a tasty beat, the lyrics are actually sentimental and lovely.  There's an innocence expressed here that comes across far more effectively than the first song.  He sings about the comfort, safety and validation that comes from holding the one you love.  Perfectly expressed, thoughtfully executed and delivered.

I'm thankful this single is a double A side.  I'm disappointed only 'Betcha By Golly Wow!' got a video.  Both songs are released on the "Emancipation" triple album so there's not much value in this release other than having a complete collection of Prince singles.  No matter how you slice it, It's a good one to own and I'm happy to have it.  My final words:  PICK UP THE ALBUM AND LEAVE THE SINGLE UNLESS YOU'RE COLLECTING.  ONE GOOD SONG, ONE BAD.  IT'S A 50/50 SHOT IN THE DARK.


O(+> - BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW! AND RIGHT BACK HERE IN MY ARMS
01. Betcha By Golly Wow!
02. Right Back Here In My Arms

MICHAEL PENN - MARCH

I discovered Michael Penn through my research into Wendy & Lisa.  I was going through a period where I tried to find everything they'd ever done.  I read about them working on this disc and so I scoured used record shops in Las Vegas until I found a copy.  I didn't know much about him.  It didn't even occur to me he might be related to the famous Penn brothers, Sean and Chris.  Or that he was at one point, the brother-in-law of Madonna.  I just wanted to hear more Wendy & Lisa.

Oddly enough, after I bought the disc, I had a friend who saw it in my apartment and started singing the first song, 'No Myth'.  That's when I realized he'd had an impact.  Quite honestly, I didn't listen to the album until that point.  I'd listened to the one track Lisa and Wendy performed on, but I skipped the rest.  That was a huge mistake.

'No Myth' is one of the album's singles and aptly so.  It starts off with a strong beat and a catchy tune that doesn't stop from the second it starts.  When I look at pictures of Penn and view the artwork, I think about the dust bowl.  Recession period USA.  But that quickly fades with the irresistible rhythms that jump out at you.  Granted, there's an element of the past in just about everything he writes, but it's infectious and exciting.  'No Myth' is a wonderful song.  It's fun, energetic and compelling.  You can't listen to this one and not want to boogie down.  'Half Harvest' is the second number and it's significantly slower than 'No Myth'.  The beat picks up a bit during the chorus.  The lyrics to this one are a little confusing.  I'm not exactly sure what the song's about, but I feel like it's a social commentary piece and deals with something specific to Southern California.  But I have no idea what that might be.

'This & That' practically jumps out of the speakers at you and the punctuated guitar jabs are impulsive and exciting...  They blend well with the melodic chorus.  This song is a piece of brilliance.  I absolutely love it!  There's an element of the track that sounds like the Paisley Underground movement from the 80's.  Just marvelous.  'Brave New World' is another rocking number.  This one has a rockabilly sensibility to it and reminds me of a Stray Cats swing beat.  Enjoyable tune!  'Innocent One' is the first ballad on the disc.  It's a folksy tune with a tender vocal delivery.  It feels personal in many ways.

Next up is the reason I bought the album.  Although it's listed as one song, track 6 is actually two songs.  The first is an instrumental intro written by Patrick Warren called, 'Disney's A Snow Cone'.  It's followed by the cut featuring Lisa and Wendy, 'Bedlam Boys'.  'Bedlam Boys' has that deep groove Wendy & Lisa are so great at producing.  The song is phenomenal!  I can't praise it enough.  I feel like these two have an amazing talent to bring out the best in the people they work with and in this case, they help an extremely gifted musician create absolute magic.

'Invisible' is another song built around a strong beat.  Penn has a great sense of timing and avoids a common trap encountered by first time musicians...  He doesn't pigeonhole himself into a set tempo.  He's all over the place!  It's quite thrilling to listen to someone take a mid-tempo song and create urgency and speed through the vocals and melodies rather than the drums and bass.  'Cupid's Got A Brand New Gun' is the second ballad on the disc and highlights Penn's interesting vocal arrangements.  His complicated structures are showcased here.  This track has highly intense lyrics.  It's a profound description of love.  You could easily find your personal state of mind in this track.  He so aptly describes the surrender each person experiences during love.

'Big House' floats in with a country twang then settles into a rock number with some transitions happening on a third count.  I think this is a great track and I could see a number of different bands covering it successfully.  It's fantastic!  'Battle Room' is a different number once again highlighting his versatility.  It's a slower tune, but it doesn't settle into a ballad.  I find the lyrics on this one interesting as well...  Hiding highly charged emotional scenes away from public view.  This is a complicated songwriter with a wide vision.  He's able to draw from a variety of situations for his subject matter.  I find that quality in a songwriter compelling and interesting.  

The final number is 'Evenfall' and although from the title and it's position on the disc, you might expect a quiet outro of sorts, the track is lively and features some unusual instruments.  It features a horn arrangement I'd associate with older rockabilly bands from the 50's and 60's.  It's a blast at the end of a dynamic bit of music.

After finally listening to the record, I'm surprised Penn didn't do much better than he did.  His insightful lyrics, unusual composition style and daring musical approach makes him someone to pay attention to and follow.  I've sense bought other albums and I've enjoyed them as well.  My final words:  MARCH YOURSELF TO THE NEAREST WEBSITE AND BUY THIS GEM.  IF YOU ALREADY OWN IT, PULL IT OUT AND LISTEN AGAIN.

MICHAEL PENN - MARCH

01. No Myth

02. Half Harvest

03. This & That

04. Brave New World

05. Innocent One

06. Disney's A Snow Cone/Bedlam Boys

07. Invisible

08. Cupid's Got A Brand New Gun

09. Big House

10. Battle Room

11. Evenfall

VISAGE - FADE TO GREY THE BEST OF VISAGE

Visage is a band I'm guessing won't ring a lot of bells with American audiences although some of you might be familiar with band members who went on to have success in other groups.  Visage was a synth band formed at the start of the New Romantic movement.  The original members were Steve Strange, Rusty Egan and Midge Ure.  Of the three, the most famous is probably Midge Ure who went on to have huge success with Ultravox.  The band struggled to put music together after their initial release.  Largely due to the fact the band members were all tied up with other groups.  Visage became a side project for them.  Still, its impact on the New Wave scene can't be denied or undervalued.  They had a huge impact on shaping the sound that would dominate British music exports for the next 20 years.

But enough about the band, let's discuss the music.  The first track on the disc is probably the band's biggest hit and the one you'd know if you know anything about them.  'Fade To Grey' starts off the album and it's a remarkable tune.  I like it a lot, but I have noticed, the tempo leaves a lot to be desired.  The song appears again as the final track on the disc in a remixed form and I must say, the tempo seems to pick up a little.  The remix version is much more satisfying and worth owning.  The second song on the disc is 'Mind Of A Toy' and it's about what a toy might feel when a child outgrows it.  It's a metaphor of course for someone in a relationship where one party has outgrown the other.  On subject matter alone, I give the song the highest possible ranking.  The next track is 'Visage'...  Obviously the song the band gets its name from.  Steve Strange is the lead singer on most of the songs, with Ure singing background vocals.  Their voices blend well together, but Ure possesses the stronger voice and more vocal control.  This song is a great example of this.  Strange delivers the verses with Ure singing the chorus.  

'We Move' is next and it's listed as a remix.  It's pretty good and has some percussion playing alongside the drum track.  'Tar' is almost like an Andy Warhol painting.  It's like a work of art commenting on a social behavior rather than a traditional pop song.  'In The Year 2525' is a cover but I'm not sure who recorded the original version.  It's a rather boring track.  I think it was left off the albums and only surfaced on this release.  The next track, 'The Anvil' is probably my favorite of the entire bunch.  Titled after a gay club in New York City, the song features a punching drum track that sounds slightly industrial.  I think this song, coupled with the German industrial bands like Einsturzende Neubautin inspired bands like Depeche Mode who gained notoriety through sound engineering.  It certainly is a precursor to later industrial bands who combined these heavier sounds with lighter synth melodies.

The tracks from the second album are different from the material on the first record.  The music is obviously more fleshed out, engineered professionally and polished.  There are other elements appearing on these tracks like additional background vocalists and traditional instruments like horns and bass guitars putting in an appearance.  I'm not as impressed with this material, but it's alright.  Of the last four, two are from the second album and two are from the first.  'Night Train' is from the second and it's more heavily produced.    It's OK, but not a song I'll listen to on a regular basis.  'Pleasure Boys' is from the first but I can almost say the exact same thing as 'Night Train'.  There's not a lot happening here I find exciting.  'Damned Don't Cry' is far more interesting.  It starts off with a keyboard motif setting the tempo and rhythm.  When the beat finally kicks in, even though it's on a simple four count, it can't stop the momentum established by the keyboards.  This is an excellent tune from the 2nd album.  The last song before the 'Fade To Grey' remix is 'Love Glove'.  The first time I heard this tune I thought I was listening to something by the Psychedelic Furs or Thompson Twins.  It's not a bad tune, but not a memorable one either.

Visage never had a chance to be more than a collection of songs that would establish a direction subsequent bands would emulate for the remainder of the 80's.  It seems like everyone picked a song they liked and developed a sound based on that one tune.  You can hear the whole of British New Wave on this disc and it's fascinating to hear a sound develop.  I was too young when the album came out to know about it and I didn't even know they existed until much later.  It was during a period of time when I was researching Midge Ure that I discovered this relatively obscure band and I'm glad I did.  Although I don't get freaked out by all of their music, the songs I do like, I abso-freaking-lutely LOVE.

My final words:  A FORGOTTEN BIT OF HISTORY MORE OF US SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH.  

VISAGE - FADE TO GREY THE BEST OF VISAGE
01. Fade To Grey
02. Mind Of A Toy
03. Visage
04. We Move (Remix)
05. Tar
06. In The Year 2525
07. The Anvil
08. Night Train
09. Pleasure Boys
10. Damned Don't Cry
11. Love Glove
12. Fade To Grey (Bassheads 7" Edit)

JANET JACKSON - JANET. (LIMITED EDITION)

This is a different pic for an album cover.  And that's because my version of the "Janet." album is the limited edition double disc hardcover book.  I bought this at Blockbuster when they sold music in addition to movies.  In some ways, this was the album I jumped off the Janet Jackson bandwagon.  The music was such a departure from her previous work and I didn't enjoy it as much as I did her earlier stuff.  Which is sad because years later, it really is a great record.

My biggest complaint with Janet Jackson records are the interludes.  They're often more confusing and ruin the narrative of the material.  But they're used to bridge songs and try to pull the whole album together.  I just don't think they end up doing that.  Sometimes they're fun to hear.  For the most part, I find them distracting.

This record starts with an interlude.  This one is called, 'Morning'.  It's actually fairly sweet all things considered and it flows rather nicely into the first actual song, 'That's The Way Love Goes'.  For a slow jam, this song packs a punch.  It's a beautiful ballad and Janet sings it in a sexy, seductive style.  This song was released in advance of the actual album and based on this track, I was expecting something more similar to her previous work.  Imagine my surprise.  Next up, another interlude.  'You Know...' is basically a doorbell, knocking and background conversation.  'You Want This' includes music from Diana Ross And The Supremes and Kool & The Gang.  The respective songs are 'Love Child' and 'Jungle Boogie'.  They're very obvious throughout the track.  Even with the song relying on musical ideas from these other two songs, the tune is pretty strong on its own.  I quite like it.  I believe this number was also released as a single, but I'm not entirely sure.  It's followed by another interlude called, 'Be A Good Boy...' which segues into probably the strongest and also biggest departure from Janet's signature sound, 'If'.  This song recalls the heavy beats featured on "Rhythm Nation", but it's also got an industrial sound built around guitar distortion.  The video to this song was probably the most overtly sexual of Jackson's career to this point.  It delved into some tame erotica themes like voyeurism and domination.  Shocking to say the least.

After yet another interlude, we get 'This Time'.  Featuring vocalizing from soprano Kathleen Battle, it's a song I slept on originally.  I didn't care for it back then, but in the interim, I've developed quite a liking for it.  Granted, it's a fairly basic, consistent tune with not a lot of variation.  It's a steady beat throughout with most of the inflection happening in the vocal arrangement.  Still, it's compelling and Battle's vocals enhance the feeling in a unique way.  About 4 and a half minutes in, the song shifts into an orchestral breakdown with Battle's vocals louder and more prominent in the mix.  This is where the song really shines and shows it strength.  It lasts about 2.5 minutes and finishes the track out on a high note. 

Interlude.

This is one of my favorite tracks and probably one of Janet's naughtiest.  'Throb' is a moaning, techno club pumping grind fest.  This is one you could play loud over and over.  It's a simple tune and yet, I love it!!!!  Believe it or not, the next track comes up without an interlude.  'What'll I Do' starts out with a guitar intro and although it's not aggressively rocking, it's a groovy tune.  I dig this one too.

Interlude.

'Funky Big Band' is next up and this is another one I really like.  Back when I first bought the album, I wasn't ever sure about this one.  Sometimes I'd listen to it and think it was great, other times, I'd skip it.  All these years later, I've finally decided I like it.  A lot.

Interlude.

Like the previous number, 'New Agenda' is one I wasn't sure about.  I like the beat and the drum sounds, but I wasn't a huge fan of the Chuck D rap.  There's some strange transitions throughout as well.  I do like the number and it's held up over the years.  I think this is a track a newer artist should cover.  There's a lot of potential with this one.

Interlude.

'Because Of Love' is up next and this one is a medium tempo jam.  I didn't care for it much back then and even now, it's not rockin' my disc player, but It's ok.

Interlude.

'Again' is the second true ballad on the disc.  Played mostly on a keyboard, the song is sentimental and whimsical.  I heard once this song was written by Janet for the movie "Poetic Justice", but I don't know if that's true.  I think it was featured in the film, but not the soundtrack.  It's nice to see it here and although I'm not listening to this one on a regular basis, it's pretty good for what it is.

Interlude.

'Where Are You Now'.  Janet has a pattern.  She usually reserves the power ballads for the end of the album so it's not surprising to find this track here.  I was young when this song came out and I didn't think much of it.  Now, after having experienced love, it's poignant, reflective and so terribly sad.  So full of regret.  It breaks my heart.

Interlude.

'The Body That Loves You' is another delicate and sensual ballad.  I overlooked so much of her love ballads as a younger man because I'd never felt love.  Now...  Wow.

Interlude.

The final listed track is 'Any Time, Any Place'.  Another power love ballad.  I don't need to go over this again.  I slept on this whole side of the disc.  

Interlude.  Interlude.

There's a hidden track at the end of the album called 'Whoops Now' and it's a rather fun, pop expression thrown on almost as an after thought.  If you didn't know it was there, you'd miss it unless you let the album play out.  I remember I discovered one night when I was letting the disc play as I was falling asleep and when it came on, I was shocked.  It's got a great Motown feel to it.  Great horns in the background and a light breezy beat.  Sheer joy!

Now my copy of the album includes a second disc with 8 additional tracks mostly comprised of mixes and alternate versions.  'Again', 'If' and 'That's The Way Love Goes' are the three tracks featured here.  There is also one b-side, 'One More Chance' written by her brother Randy Jackson.  I love that song.  It's incredible.  There's a stripped down piano version of 'Again' and also a french version.  The mixes are unimpressive.  I'm not going to detail them.  The first track is a recording of Janet's live performance at the 1993 MTV Music Awards.

You know, I jumped off the bus because I felt like this album was too different for my taste and yet all these years later, I find the album more satisfying than a lot of stuff I'd heard at the time.  This is definitely a record that was ahead of its time.  I'm so happy I bought this version and I love having the packing and artwork included in the book.  My final words:  I CAN FINALLY RECOMMEND THIS AMAZING AND PROGRESSIVE RECORD.  IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD IT, YOU SHOULD.  WORTH THE TIME AND EFFORT.

JANET JACKSON - JANET.
DISC NO. 1
01. Morning
02. That's The Way Love Goes
03. You Know...
04. You Want This
05. Be A Good Boy...
06. If
07. Back
08. This Time
09. Go On Miss Janet
10. Throb
11. What'll I Do
12. The Lounge
13. Funky Big Band
14. Racism
15. New Agenda
16. Love Pt. 2
17. Because Of Love
18. Wind
19. Again
20. Another Lover
21. Where Are You Now
22. Hold On Baby
23. The Body That Loves You
24. Rain
25. Any Time, Any Place
26. Are You Still Up
27. Sweet Dreams
28. Whoops Now (Hidden Track)
DISC NO. 2
01. That's The Way Love Goes/If (Medley)
02. That's The Way Love Goes (We Aimsta Win Mix)
03. Again (French Version)
04. If (Brothers In Rhythm Swing Yo Pants Mix)
05. One More Chance
06. That's The Way Love Goes (CJ Mackintosh R&B Mix)
07. If (Todd Terry Janet's Jeep Mix)
08. Again (Piano/Vocal)