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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)
St. Paul is the stage name of former Time and Family member, Paul Peterson. My understanding of Paul is he's a member of a Minneapolis music family. Various Peterson's contributed to all sorts of musical output from the twin cities. Paul is just one of the bunch. But he is the one who achieved the most notoriety.
I'm assuming his start was a short term stint as a member of the The Time during Purple Rain. He was one of the members replacing Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. After The Time disbanded, Prince promoted Peterson to front man for his next project, The Family.
After that short lived experience, Peterson struck out on his own. It's not surprising he was scooped up with a record deal. At the time, the Minneapolis sound was hot and in demand. Anyone associated with it was spun off by record companies hoping to cash in on the green Minneapolis sounding groups were churning out by the bucket full. I'm sure Paul was no exception.
This disc isn't his first solo effort. In fact, I think it was his last. It comes towards the end of the 80's, start of the 90's. There's an odd mixture of material on this disc. The first number sounds similar to the song he contributed to Donny Osmond, 'Soldier Of Love'. Of course on his record, the track was the stand out number. Here, it kinda fades into the background. 'Stranger To Love'... 'Soldier Of Love'... yikes. Too similar.
Paul Peterson doesn't follow the typical trend of Prince spin-offs. He doesn't attempt to emulate Prince's sound, but he does incorporate the wide variety of production and sound coming out of Minneapolis at the time.
The two most distinct sounds at the time were Prince and Jam & Lewis. Prince sound was dominated by a deep rhythm section and melodies played on the keys. The beat was usually the driving force of all songs. Jam & Lewis favored more melodic and a lighter sound. There are a lot of chime sounds and bells on their productions. St. Paul uses both on this record. To Varying effectiveness.
There's even some heavier guitar driven funk Jesse Johnson was popular for producing.
It's easy to dismiss this record as generic 80's funk, and lyrically, it spends a lot of time in the shallow end of the pool. You won't find any wisdom or depth in these tunes. What you do find is a variety of interesting and engaging musical ideas. Although the production and sounds can seem dated, they're still above the generic stuff flooding the markets. You can almost take each song and map the musical influence. For example, 'Next Time You See My Girl' sounds like something Scritti Politti or Tony LeMans would release.
In my opinion, the best track on the entire disc is the final number, 'Shooting Star'. This little ditty settles into a very funky beat and chugs along at a great pace. St. Paul, seems more expressive and relaxed on the vocals. He gets caught up in a storyline not atypical for the time, but he commits to the tune and his conviction is translated in his vocal delivery. Given a little different lyrical content, this track could've been a huge hit for him.
So in the end, it's a disc I didn't expect much from and surprisingly found quite a lot to get excited about. My final words: WOW, A PLEASANT SURPRISE!
ST. PAUL - DOWN TO THE WIRE
01. Stranger To Love
02. Every Time I Close My Eyes
03. Every Heart Needs A Home
04. Maybe In Another World
05. Heart To Heart
06. I Never Knew What Love Could Do
07. Nowhere To Run
08. Next Time You See My Girl
09. Only Reminds Me Of You
10. Shooting Star
fDeluxe released a limited edition single cover of the Ike & Tina Turner tune, 'You Got What You Wanted'. I'm a stickler for singles. I get super picky. My main concern with singles is getting value for the money. Especially when you consider how rare singles are in the US. I consider value in a single when one of the following is present: 1) a b-side track not included on the album, 2) a reasonable number of mixes of the the featured track, or 3) unique material unavailable anywhere else. This single basically fills all three areas of criteria for me.
Both 1 & 3 are covered with the title track. 'You Got What You Wanted' is a track not released on 'Gaslight' and it's a b-side of sorts. 2 is covered by three alternate versions of the song and an additional version of 'Drummers And Healers'.
fDeluxe's version of 'You Got What You Wanted' is quite funky and is performed as a duet between Susannah and St. Paul. All the groove of 'Gaslight' is present here.
The first track is the basic tune and it's wonderful. Number 2 is an extended version of the number. The third track is a true mix of the song. It's very similar to the original but the arrangement is sparser. The final track is the vocal track. So basically, A Capella. The last number is an extended mix of 'Drummers And Healers' one of the better tracks from 'Gaslight'.
Basically, you can't go wrong with this release. It's only available through fDeluxe's website, but do yourself a favor and order it now. It's worth it. My final words: A MUST HAVE RELEASE FROM AN INCREDIBLE GROUP!
FDELUXE - YOU GOT WHAT YOU WANTED
01. You Got What You Wanted (Single Mix)
02. You Got What You Wanted (fXtended Mix)
03. You Got What You Wanted (Bassment Mix)
04. You Got What You Wanted (Strictly Vocal Mix)
05. Drummers And Healers (Extended Version)
Back in the 80s, Prince put a little group together called "The Family". They were only together a matter of months before disbanding. Of course, rumors flew as to why the group went their separate ways. And since Prince wrote the material for their record, most of the gossip surrounded him. It's true, "The Family" was a creation of Prince as a vehicle to release even more music to the public, but it's also a collective of musicians and personalities that proved to be much more than just a sideshow.
"The Family" is easily one of my all time favorite releases on Paisley Park Records. I abso-freaking-lutely LOVE it! It blends all of the elements I loved about Prince circa 1986. Wendy & Lisa were playing a bigger roll in his sound, the music still had a funk foundation, but incorporated a European sound that was more sweeping and layered all at the same time. "Parade" is my favorite Prince album and the music surrounding him and his associates during this time is beyond incredible. I adore it. I love finding more of it. It's amazing.
So you can understand my hesitation when I heard The Family was getting back together to record new material. Despite album credits saying otherwise, Prince actually wrote all of the music on "The Family" with the exception of the jazz numbers (co-written by Eric Leeds) and 'River Run Dry'; which is penned by Bobby Z. Aside from Eric Leeds, none of the band members actually contributed to song writing. That fact by itself left me wondering if the group could pull it together and put out something worthy of this legendary record.
I placed my order, waited patiently, and finally the package arrived in the mail.
Right out the gate you know something special has happened. 'Drummers And Healers' kicks in with a driving funk and just like that, St. Paul assumes the role of Family leader as if he'd never left it. It's got the funk, it's got the groove and it's got the jazzy inflection of the original cd all over it. Judging by one song, I suddenly feel like this group of musicians has created something truly spectacular.
'Over The Canyon' blends the jazz and funk elements in a mid-tempo ballad focusing more attention on the duel voices of Susannah and St. Paul. Refreshingly, Susannah plays a more prominent role in this incarnation. She's got a lovely voice and it's been a fixture on many Wendy & Lisa recordings over the years. It's nice to hear her get some dues. 'Gaslight' features Susannah on lead vocals. Even though you still have the band's sound, this song ventures into territory completely new and separate from the original album. I hear Lisa and Wendy all over this song. They actually have some writing credits on the record and they play on it too. Although you almost never really know how much they actually contribute to any given piece of music they work on, this song smacks of their particular brand of deliciousness. They don't have a writing credit on this number, but I'm almost positive they did some arranging and certainly played on it.
'Beautiful You' is a tune that reminds me of 'River Run Dry'. It has a ring to it. A certain sound. St. Paul and Susannah sing this one as a duet with Susannah handling the bulk of the verses. The start of '@8' is very similar to 'River Run Dry' but it devolves into a slow funk workout that scrapes the bottom of the dance floor. This tune is so deep and bumpy... It's my favorite number on the entire disc. I can't get enough of it. Everywhere I go when this song blares, I sing at the top of my lungs. People just stare and stare...
'The Vigil' is the only song written solely by Wendy & Lisa. It's also the most complex track of the bunch. Musically, it sounds like the simplest, but that's a trick the girls like to throw at you. They use a minimalist sound to cover up some serious chords. And this bit is no exception. It's actually more jazz infused than any other song on the record and it reminds me of so many outtakes from 1985 and 86. The lyrics are quite beautiful and meaningful. Susannah and St. Paul once again, trade vocals back and forth on this sensual ballad. I believe this is the track that defines fDeluxe. Older fans will either fall in love with them or they'll decide the group can't hold up. It's the tune that makes or breaks the disc.
The original Family album featured a couple of jazz numbers fronted by Eric Leeds and in keeping step with that formula, 'Leeds Line' delivers an intricate instrumental. It's in danger of devolving into a segue between two songs, but thanks to his fellow band mates, it becomes an enjoyable listen all on its own. 'Lover' is the second tune to feature writing input from Wendy & Lisa. It starts off sounding quite "Family-esque" but once again, branches off into some new territory. Susannah takes over the lead vocals and the song sweeps you along like a waltz. Another wonderful track. "The music speaks to the soul of us"... This one literally does. It reaches out to you from the speakers.
'When You Go' is so delicately fragile it's heartbreaking. The first time I heard this number, it reminded me of a moment in my own life. I listened to it and couldn't help but feel moved. I think the greatest measure of an artist is the ability to touch an audience on a personal level. To create something other people can relate to or see themselves in, that is the true test of art. And fDeluxe achieved it for me with this tune. On a very sad level, but they did it nonetheless. 'Sanctified' feels like gospel on Sunday! It's got all the elements of a praise spiritual and they don't pull their punches here. The funk is present and so is the beat! 'Last House On The Block' closes out the disc. Although there aren't any writing credits listed on the sleeve, rest assured, Wendy & Lisa wrote this one. It's basically an instrumental reprise of 'The Vigil'. It sounds almost like the closing score to a motion picture and in a way, that's what The Family was. A picture of life. fDeluxe just shows you what's happening years later.
Many bands in the past have tried to copy the Prince sound. Some succeed more than others, but nothing ever truly touches his style. But what happens on "Gaslight" isn't even close to this. Instead of copying a sound Prince engineered through his own creativity and the imagination of people around him, fDeluxe take the essence of the music and make it their own. They blend the elements that made the first record special and make music in a direction Prince never would've considered. And all of this without losing that "Family-Sound" we've grown accustom to.
For those of you who have no idea who The Family were, don't fret. You can pick up "Gaslight" by fDeluxe and still feel like you've caught a train going somewhere new and exciting. For those of us who already know where that train has been, we're now looking forward to where it's going. Cause where it is right now is beautiful! My final words: GORGEOUS, NOSTALGIC & FULL OF PROMISE!
FDELUXE - GASLIGHT
01. Drummers And Healers
02. Over The Canyon
03. Gaslight
04. Beautiful You
05. @8
06. The Vigil
07. Leeds Line
08. Lover
09. When You Go
10. Sanctified
11. Last House On The Block
Not many people may remember this short lived band from the 80's. They were a band on Prince's new label, Paisley Park. Members were culled from various side projects. Jerome Benton, Paul Peterson and Jellybean Johnson were all members of The Time. Susannah Melvoin is the twin sister of Revolution member, Wendy Melvoin, and Eric Leeds was a standby Revolution member in his own right. It was an interesting blending of characters. But this disc is important for more than just the performers.
All of the tracks, barring 'River Run Dry'; which was written by Bobby Z., are Prince compositions. And they're important Prince compositions. In typical Prince fashion, in order to distance himself from the project and also help the band members come into their own, he gives songwriting credit to the various members and takes credit for only one track, 'Nothing Compares 2 U'. That song later became a huge hit for Sinead O'Connor.
The music represents a transition of sorts for Prince. On the heels of 'Purple Rain', Prince released the unprecedented 'Around The World In A Day'. This album was the first disc on Paisley Park. It was also seen as a slap in the face as Prince did the unthinkable... Instead of trying to recapture the success of his previous records, he moved into new territory. Not always a smart move. The Family record showed us even more the direction he was going in. It laid the foundation for projects spanning the next few years and impacted Prince's writing to this very day.
Two songs, 'Yes' and 'Susannah's Pajamas' are Prince's first attempts at writing jazz. With his future long time jazz partner, Eric Leeds, he crafted two tunes that later spawned albums worth of instrumental jazz mostly under the Madhouse moniker. 'The Screams Of Passion' and 'Desire' both include instrumentation and orchestration by Clare Fisher. Fisher became incredibly influential on Prince during 'Parade' and his work continued to filter down through new projects for years.
Prince was experimenting with more continental styles of songwriting and expanding his horizons through exposure to different genres of music.
The tragedy of The Family is that the group didn't last. The potential for more great music and future collaborations were all laid out. But lack of promotion caused St. Paul to leave and the band quickly became defunk sans it's lead vocalist. Shortly afterward, Prince ended his relationship with Susannah Melvoin and she moved on as well.
There's another reoccurring Prince theme happening here... The Family name was created to suggest the band was a family of sorts. All of the pictures and artwork were created to stress that relationship. It's important to note Prince created a band that crossed gender and color lines and called them a family. The significance shouldn't be ignored. Granted, you can say it's a knock off of Sly & The Family Stone, but I think Prince was looking at something more apt for a time when black artists were finally being accepted and played right along white bands on the music charts.
This disc has wonderful funk, exciting rhythms, beautiful orchestration, tongue-n-cheek lyrics and an overall laid back, feel good vibe. It's an extremely positive disc. It represents hope.
It's long out of print and difficult to find. But if you can find it, I suggest picking it up. Even today the music has an appeal. Years later. Give it a try and see if you don't agree. My final words: AMBITIOUS, BEAUTIFUL & ENDURING.
THE FAMILY - THE FAMILY
01. High Fashion
02. Mutiny
03. The Screams Of Passion
04. Yes
05. River Run Dry
06. Nothing Compares 2 U
07. Susannah's Pajamas
08. Desire
