LITTLE DRAGON - LITTLE DRAGON

I think I've talked about where I heard of this band before, but if I haven't, here's the origin story...  Wendy Melvoin of Wendy & Lisa, Prince And The Revolution fame mentioned this was a band she'd discovered and was really enjoying.  When I heard that, I decided to check them out and see if they were any good.  The very first song I heard from them is on this album and I loved it.  I loved it instantly.  The second song I previewed was also from this record and I loved it just as much.  From that point forward, I was hooked.  

As they've released subsequent records, I've been delightfully amazed at the ideas and music they've produced.  I look forward to more in the future.  This is a group I'm very excited about.

The album starts off with the small sounding 'Twice'.  Although it's a quiet and rather unexciting beginning, the lyrics of this song are quite powerful and amazing.  "Twice I turned my back on you.  I fell flat on my face but didn't lose."  The imagery of turning away from someone who is obviously important to you...  Seeing the negative fallout from the loss of that relationship and yet knowing inside, you ultimately made the right decision.  I have people in my life this song utterly describes and for that reason alone, I adore it.  It's a piano driven slice of perfection right at the start of this amazing record.

'Turn Left' is the second track and it's just as interesting.  The lead singer of the band is half Japanese, half Swedish and she has a style that is oddly cultural and jazzy at the same time.  As a vocalist, no one would classify her in a category with Patti LaBelle or Celine Dion, but she's got a style that is evocative and soothing.  On this track, she seems to push an idea forward about identity and trying to find connection with others.  In the faces of those around her.

'No Love' is another song with powerful and compelling lyrics.  Just hearing someone say the things she says in this song would be emotionally devastating.  The minimalist arrangements throughout are very dramatic and although they are listed and classified as an electronic band, they're more like a jazz quartet.  The music is free and seems to flow in an unrestricted fashion.  quite different from the structured and finely timed sound of electronica.

'Recommendation' is a more upbeat track and it's another one fans will be drawn to.  It has more interesting lyrics and will make you fall in love with what the band is trying to create.  It's followed by the first track I ever heard from them, 'Constant Surprises'.  This one has a beat like you wouldn't believe.  It's subtle and sturdy.  Comes in quickly and establishes a momentum the tune doesn't deviate from.  The lyrics are built around an almost metaphysical experience with the physical world and how the singer views these happenings with wonder and amazement.  She draws you in with her vocals and you feel like you're falling into her life.

Once again, the soft thud of bass drums fills the speakers until the main body of 'Forever' kicks in.  When she finally comes in, Yukimi (the lead singer) delivers her most interesting and diverse vocal arrangement thus far.  This is an intensely driven song and there's a Japanese quality to it.  An almost Asian sound in certain notes used to punctuate specific ideas.

'After The Rain' is up next and it's another track that more upbeat and faster paced.  Like many of the tracks we've heard so far, it relies heavily on acoustic instruments with the electronic sounds backing up and helping strengthen the material.  It all works in a fine collaboration.

'Place To Belong' is a more melancholy number and it's built around a rising and falling scale played over a slow beat.  Once again, the emphasis is on the vocals, lyrics and the effect of them combined together.  It's followed by 'Stormy Weather'.  This is one is played on a keyboard, but it almost sounds like Yukimi singing along with a stand up bass being played softly beside her.  There's a whimsical sadness to this number.  It's like seeing something written on paper so thin you can see the light through it.  You can see past the sound of her vocals and feel the emotions she's expressing.

'Test' is probably one of the better fast numbers on this disc.  It's got a great beat and you can really get caught up in the song.  Once again, the vocals and lyrics are right on target.  'Wink' is probably my favorite track on the disc itself.  This one features a funky deep beat and a more complicated vocal arrangement that really shows off Yukimi's vocal talents.  Once again, there's an unmistakable Asian sound in the music.  But it's driving and quite powerful.

'Scribbled Paper' closes out the album and it's another acoustically dominate track.  Like most of the material on this disc, Little Dragon have created a minimalist sound and packed it with meaning, great melodies and arrangements that make each track powerful on their own.  What they've achieved here is nothing short of dynamic and worth listening to.  It s a hybrid combination of electronic art and jazz/soul.  If there is a band pushing boundaries in musical forms, this is it.  You just can't go wrong listening to this record.

My final words are gushing and all over the place:  THE BEST FRESHMAN DEBUT EVER!  CAN'T BE TOPPED AND AMAZINGLY UNIQUE!  A NEW SOUND FOR A NEW WORLD!

LITTLE DRAGON - LITTLE DRAGON
01. Twice
02. Turn Left
03. No Love
04. Recommendation
05. Constant Surprises
06. Forever
07. After The Rain
08. Place To Belong
09. Stormy Weather
10. Test
11. Wink
12. Scribbled Paper

fDELUXE - RELIT

After feeling like I'd recaptured a part of my youth with "Gaslight", I was pleased beyond words that fDeluxe returned with a remix album entitled "Relit".  I didn't wait long before ordering the disc.  And let me tell ya, it doesn't disappoint.  Right off the bat, you get two back to back remixes of 'Sanctified'.  The first mix was done by a guy named John Fields and in a nod to The Beatles, he calls his mix the Strawberrius Remix.  "Strawberry Fields" is the title and subject of a Beatles song.  The tempo seems punched up and the track is really grooving.  This is a great number and a lot of fun.  The second mix seems to be the product of a number of people but this one is so far beyond funky it's not even funny.  With a Linn drum patch fronting the rhythm section, this one is a nostalgic romp to the Minneapolis sound of the 80's.  Definitely the best mix of the two and so dang infectious.  I should point out, both mixes of this song are actually fantastic.

Next up is Eric Leeds' mix of 'Lover'.  Eric's sax is featured heavily in this mix and it's quite lovely.  This song was already beautiful and having a romantic jazz version only heightens its edge.  Not to be missed, this one stands out as a serious contender for best mix.  St. Paul gets credit for the Amsterdam mix of 'Drummers & Healers'.  It's an interesting mix bordering on a house beat with minor notes drizzled about for atmosphere.  Another base hit for the band.  Next up is one of two mixes of the song, 'Over The Canyon'.  This mix is exciting for a couple of reasons...  1) it's funky and fun - 2) it uses sounds that seem to date back to early 80's and they're just brilliantly mixed in with the song.  I love this one too.  Next up is '@8'; which also has another mix later on.  This is the Swang mix by someone apparently called Swang.  It's a stripped down version with some guitar bits and orchestral swells making the tune sound very much like it belongs on 1986's Prince And The Revolution album, "Parade".

Wendy & Lisa put in appearance on 'Midnight Gaslight' one of the first mixes released to those who pledged during fDeluxe's fundraiser for "AM Static".  It's a brilliant mix.  Next up is the second mix of 'Over The Canyon' by a guy named Josh Beagley.  It's a minimalist mix, but also well executed.  It doesn't do a whole lot for the song, but it has got a thumping club beat and that's probably what the band was looking for at this point.  'Beautiful You' gets a remix by artist Steve Parke and his mix partner Jesse Hayes.  The vocals are treated with a computerized distortion of some sort and the tune is stripped down to the bare minimum.  This is probably my least favorite mix on the disc, but it's still an interesting interpretation.

'@8' get it's second mix by a DJ who hypes the tune by speeding it up.  The vocals are slightly sped up and the music is stripped out.  Of the two mixes, this is the one I'd say dropped the bomb even though I love the music.  The sped up vocals just ruin the track.  Would've worked better as an instrumental.  'Gaslight' gets another mix.  This one by St. Paul and he demonstrates his affinity for techno mixing once again.  This is the track I think has the best chance of becoming a club hit.  

'The Vigil' gets an interesting reworking by Ishan Cooper.  It's a kinda digital lounge mix.  It's laid back, chill and hints of something naughty happening behind the scenes.  Like we're all sitting around while the good stuff is all taking place in the green room.  'Gaslight' gets a third and final treatment.  Another mix by St. Paul, but this one sounds like some bizarre Spanish/Arabic war time thing.  It's really trippy.  The final track is an alternate piano version of 'When You Go'.  It's lovely and a delicate way to end the disc.

fDeluxe have made another amazing record.  So far, I haven't heard a single release from them that's disappointed.  They're on a major roll!  This is a group that needs to continue to record and release.  I can't wait for more.  My final words:  A REMIX CD THAT DELIVERS THE GOODS AND LEAVES YOU BEGGING FOR MORE.

fDELUXE - RELIT
01. Sanctified (Strawberrius Remix)
02. Sanctified (Neon Romeoz Pajama Party Remix)
03. Lover (Mr. Leeds Mix)
04. Drummers & Healers (Amsterdam Remix)
05. Over The Canyon (MasSheen Mix)
06. @8 (Swang's @85 Remix)
07. Midnight Gaslight (Jackhouse Remix)
08. Over The Canyon (J-Man's Getting Deeper Remix)
09. Beautiful You (Designer ReMix)
10. @8 (Flight To Paris Remix)
11. Gaslight (MMI Remix)
12. The Vigil (Coop DeVille Remix)
13. Gaslight (Yeager Remix)
14. When You Go (Alt Piano Mix)

HINDU LOVE GODS - HINDU LOVE GODS

Hindu Love Gods are a band made up of Warren Zevon and members of REM.  The disc is essentially a collection of covers Zevon recorded with the band during sessions for one of his albums.  The music is blues influenced rock.  And it draws heavily from American blues standards.

The biggest hit from the record and the reason I bought the thing in the first place is the cover of 'Raspberry Beret' by Prince And The Revolution.  But I'll discuss that in greater detail in a bit.  First off, this isn't an album I've paid a lot of attention to after I listened to it the first time.

The first two tracks are both covers of songs Robert Johnson made famous back in the 1930's.  They're followed by the cover of Prince's 'Raspberry Beret' which is an ok version, but doesn't come anywhere near as exciting and fulfilling as the original.  Zevon's vocals are strained and he doesn't seem to have the timing the lyrics require to sound convincing.  Still, it's interesting to hear Prince covered by rock and blues musicians.  And it's nice to hear this song get attention for being more than just a standard pop song.

The next song, 'Crosscut Saw' is an old Delta-blues standard from the 1940's.  The next track, 'Junko Pardner' is an American Blues number from the 1950's.  'Mannish Boy' is also a 1950's Blues standard and was made famous by Muddy Waters.  'Wang Dang Doodle' is from 1960.

'Battleship Chains' is another more modern song.  Recorded in 1986 by The Georgia Satellites, it was barely cold before the Hindu Love Gods covered it and brought it back to the light of day.

'I'm A One Woman Man' is actually a country hit from the 1960's.  'Vigilante Man' is the product of Folk hero, Woody Guthrie.

So basically, you have a collection put together of songs that at one time or another were the standards for the genre of music they represented.  Although the arrangements don't really stand out much on this recording, the tracks were probably very exciting live.  Especially if you were familiar with the originals.

I'm not sure what to make of this disc.  I listened to it again probably for the second time since I actually bought it back in the 90's to prepare for this review and frankly, there's nothing here to bring me back to the disc anytime soon.  It's a cool cover of 'Raspberry Beret' but it's by no means the best cover of a Prince song and it's not enough to make me want to listen to the album over and over.  In the end, this will go back on the shelf and be part of a Prince cover collection I'll never really bother finishing.

There's a part of me that thinks it's cool this disc exists.  But unless you're a huge Warren Zevon fan or a huge REM fan, there's very little to get excited about here.  My final words:  SKIP IT, DOWNLOAD THE TRACKS YOU ACTUALLY WANT, BUT SKIP IT.  

HINDU LOVE GODS - HINDU LOVE GODS
01. Walkin' Blues
02. Travelin' Riverside Blues
03. Raspberry Beret
04. Crosscut Saw
05. Junko Pardner
06. Mannish Boy
07. Wang Dang Doodle
08. Battleship Chains
09. I'm A One Woman Man
10. Vigilante Man

GIRL 6 - MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE

Spike Lee's film, "Girl 6" wasn't a huge hit as far as I know.  But I found the movie heartwarming.  I enjoyed it greatly.  And it's not just because Prince provided the music for it.

If you watch the film, you'll hear Prince material all over the place.  Virtually every Prince album can be heard throughout the film.  Which leads me to my complaints.

1 - with so many Prince songs used in the film, why release a soundtrack with only 13 tracks?  Many songs appearing in the film were left off the album.

2 - why not let Prince record all new material for the record?  We know he's got a lot of unreleased material and you know he could easily write enough to fill a soundtrack album...  Why poach from already released projects?

As it is, we end up with 3 new Prince songs.  Two of which showed up on subsequent releases.  'She Spoke 2 Me' was released on his "Vault...Old Friends 4 Sale" disc; although with a different edit.  'Don't Talk 2 Strangers' was recorded and released by Chaka Khan on her NPG Records album, "Come 2 My House".  The only track therefore left completely for the soundtrack is 'Girl 6'.  The title number.  Sadly, this track isn't the finest example of Prince's song writing ability.  In fact, he doesn't even get credit for the music.  Tommy Elm; or Tommy Barbarella as he's known in the NPG, wrote the music.  Prince provided the lyrics.  I have a hard time believing he didn't have a hand in the music.  And I suspect there's a more Princely version somewhere.  The music as it is on the release sounds more like a mix than an actual composition even though the tempo is slower than you'd expect.

Of the rest of the material, there are some bonus tracks here and there.  The Family's, 'The Screams Of Passion' was never released on CD in the US, so its inclusion here is a long awaited bonus for fans.  Also because it's so hard to find and expensive to buy, Vanity 6's 'Nasty Girl' is another welcome addition for many.

All in all, it's a nice package, but more like a greatest hits package of songs Prince wrote than a soundtrack.  And considering how much material was left off, it's disappointing as a single disc.  And considering 'Girl 6' had a single release, there's not a single song on this disc you can't find on another CD.  That minimizes the value of the release in my mind.

I'll discuss songs more fully on their albums.  For now let me close with my final words:  AN INTERESTING COLLECTION OF PRINCE MATERIAL.  ONE YOU COULD TAKE OR LEAVE.

GIRL 6 - MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE
01. Prince - She Spoke 2 Me
02. Prince - Pink Cashmere
03. The New Power Generation - Count The Days
04. Prince And The Revolution - Girls & Boys
05. The Family - The Screams Of Passion
06. Vanity 6 - Nasty Girl
07. Prince And The Revolution - Erotic City
08. Prince - Hot Thing
09. Prince - Adore
10. Prince - The Cross
11. Prince - How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?
12. Prince - Don't Talk 2 Strangers
13. The New Power Generation - Girl 6

USA FOR AFRICA - WE ARE THE WORLD

Ok, so We Are The World was Michael Jackson's project to fight hunger in Africa.  On it's own, I probably wouldn't have bought the disc.  But Prince contributed a song that's only available on this release.  The song was later released on his "The Hits/The B-Sides" compilation, but it was a live version and much different from the studio recording.  To date this disc is the only place you can find the studio recording of '4 The Tears In Your Eyes'.

I don't know how deeply I should go into this release.  It features the various artists gathered around Michael Jackson and his inner circle singing this song.  It also features the Canadian version of the project called Northern Lights.  The rest of the tracks are unreleased material; i.e. songs, live recordings...  by other artists making this disc a fairly rare and collectible item.  

I like some of the other material on the disc.  The Tina Turner song is pretty cool.  I even like the Huey Lewis & The News track.  Otherwise, I think it's a fairly uneventful disc for me.  Even though it's not his most spectacular song, the Prince track stands out quite dramatically from the others and is by far my personal favorite.  Even today.  It's off beat, somewhat bizarre and everything alt rock should've been back then.

Still, the disc is highly sought after by many collectors who want the music by their favorite artists and Michael Jackson fans also find this disc highly collectible.  It can get pretty pricey when you find it on eBay or Amazon.com.  Because it's no longer in print, this disc is hard to find at a decent price.

I don't know much more to say about the disc other than I'm glad I have a copy.  My final words:  ONLY FOR DIE-HARD COLLECTORS WHO ARE TRYING TO COMPLETE COLLECTIONS.

USA FOR AFRICA - WE ARE THE WORLD

01. USA For Africa - We Are The World

02. Steve Perry - If Only For The Moment, Girl

03. The Pointer Sisters - Just A Little Closer

04. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Trapped

05. Northern Lights - Tears Are Not Enough

06. Prince & The Revolution - 4 The Tears In Your Eyes

07. Chicago - Good For Nothing

08. Tina Turner - Total Control

09. Kenny Rogers - A Little More Love

10. Huey Lewis & The News - Trouble In Paradise