skip to main |
skip to sidebar
By the time this disc had come out, I'd already decided Wendy & Lisa were two of the greatest songwriters I'd ever heard. Their first album left me utterly breathless. I loved it from start to finish. And what's even more interesting is when you compare their solo record to the albums Prince was releasing after they'd left, you could hear their influence on him and why certain songs sounded the way they did. There's simply no way to completely understand the impact these three musicians had on each other. They challenged each other and brought out aspects in their music they couldn't have achieved alone.
Now, I'm not going to go on forever about how great Wendy & Lisa are. I've already done that a bunch of times in other entries, but I will say this... "Fruit At The Bottom" caught me completely off guard. I hadn't seen the video for 'Are You My Baby' or heard the actual song before I bought the record. If I had, I might've been prepared for some of what I was hearing. As unconventional and interesting as "Wendy And Lisa" had been, "Fruit At The Bottom" seemed to move in an entirely different direction. Some of the songs seemed to be written to appeal to an audience. To fit into a genre. There was an attempt to make this release more commercial. As a fan, I was more interested in hearing the new places I thought the two would take me as a listener. I didn't want to end up backtracking into the familiar suburban Wonder Bread sound of Top 40 pop.
When I heard 'Are You My Baby' for the first time, I was disappointed. I liked the song, but I couldn't reconcile it with what I was expecting from them. Many years later, I sorta figured out why I felt the way I did and why I was so quick to write it off. Although Wendy & Lisa weren't out as gay or as a couple, I kinda assumed they were. Or maybe my young inexperienced gaydar was responding to something I saw in them. I didn't consciously know they were gay... Nor was I completely aware of my own sexuality... But there was an awareness inside of me. Like always knowing I made my grandpa and other people uncomfortable because they could see something in me they didn't like. That quality being my sexuality. Even at a young age, I felt that awkward twinge and hearing Wendy sing a love song to a man seemed like selling out to me. Add to that the bubble gum peppiness of the song and you get one confused kid. I eventually realized they were writing and releasing music the label wanted.
Part of that was more fully embracing the Minneapolis Sound they'd contributed so heavily to during their time with Prince. You can hear some of that on this record. Despite the push for more commercial Prince sounding tracks, Wendy & Lisa still delve into the realm of magical notes and produce some stellar music on this disc.
Certain tracks were meant to be more radio accessible. These are obviously 'Lolly Lolly' and 'Are You My Baby'. I love both of these tracks, but the fact is once you get past them you discover a wealth of more complex and interesting music.
'Satisfaction' features Jesse Johnson, formerly of The Time and this gospel tinged rock number is a powerhouse track. It's totally different from anything else on the disc and more rockin' than the duo had been up to that point. 'In My Dreams' is the first track that heralds back to the sound of the previous record. I always viewed that album as jazz tinged, even though it has a strong Minneapolis vibe, it feels more like Jazz than pop music. And that's part of the reason I loved it so much. 'In My Dreams' is a straightforward ballad, but it's got such wonderful instrumentation, it feels organic. More like Jazz. 'Everyday' continues this vibe.
'From Now On (We're One)' features Lisa on lead vocals on the verses. This song became an anthem of sorts for me. As much as 'The Beautiful Ones' came to describe my longing and desire to find love, 'From Now On (We're One)' describes the love I hoped to find in my life. I can't tell you how many times I'd sit and listen to this song and wonder what it would feel like to fall in love.
'Tears Of Joy' is transformative. This is a powerful bit of music. It's about discovering yourself and finally understanding what you're looking for and what you want. I could totally relate to it. 'Someday I' is another track I think is incredible. There are other musicians who produce music I think sounds similar to Wendy & Lisa and frankly, this is the record I usually judge them against.
'I Think It Was December' is a bluesy jam that reinforces my deep, unspoken belief Wendy & Lisa were a couple. This song makes me think they were deeply in love even though there's nothing in the song or the music that points to that. I can't explain it. 'Fruit At The Bottom' is a fun tune but gender confusing again. Why would her lover have fruit at the bottom? Never made sense to me.
I've listened to this record so many times, I know each song inside and out. It's become a core part of who I am and I truly love it. I honestly think Wendy & Lisa were pressured to make this album the way they did. If they'd been given free reign, I think it'd been something radically different. No matter how you slice it, the disc did what it was meant to do. They had a couple mediocre hits and made some money on the record. Of course it would've been more interesting if they'd done exactly what felt natural and real to them. For many years, these two have lived with a mandate to conform to a corporate music market and I'm so happy that's no longer the case. Artists of this caliber need to be free to do what feels right.
Although it didn't start off being a good album for me, that changed over time and now I can honestly say, this is record everyone should own. If you don't have it in your collection, find a copy and add it. Now!!!
My final words: YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM TO GET ALL THE EXCELLENT FRUIT ON THIS DISC. JUST PICK A TRACK! A+
WENDY & LISA - FRUIT AT THE BOTTOM
01. Intro
02. Lolly Lolly
03. Are You My Baby
04. Satisfaction
05. Always In My Dreams
06. Everyday
07. From Now On (We're One)
08. Tears Of Joy
09. Someday I
10. I Think It Was December
11. Fruit At The Bottom
You'll probably recognize Morris as the lead singer of The Time and star of "Purple Rain". Believe it or not, Morris is still around and being just as funky today as he was back then. After The Time disbanded, Morris went on to launch a solo career. Like many former Prince associates from that time, he continued to release music based on the Minneapolis sound they'd become so famous for.
During this time in the 80's, there was glut of bands who were writing and trying to copy this sound. Morris may have had his roots in the movement, but on his own his music lacked a lot of the substance and soul of other artists working in this genre. His material can often sound somewhat generic and uninspired. That never stopped him from working though.
"Daydreaming" was his second solo effort and even though it was a vast improvement on his previous record, it didn't break any new ground for the singer. At least it didn't as far as I know. There is one significant difference between this record and "Color Of Success"... On this record, he enlisted the help of former Time members, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. This duo had their own brand of Minneapolis funk and they'd used it to catapult artists like Janet Jackson and The Human League to superstar status. In all honesty, this is probably the best move he could've made. 'Fishnet', the Jam And Lewis track, was a huge hit for him and gave him his most popular single as a solo artist.
The two producers also worked on a second track on the disc, 'Love Is A Game'. If he'd been smart, Day would've hired the them to produce the entire record and worked with them while he was writing this material. They would've helped him put together a stronger, more solid piece of work.
I really like Morris and I want to see him do well. It's discouraging when an artist you like doesn't deliver the work you know they're capable of.
I'm not really into this disc beyond the two Jam & Lewis tracks. But I do have some memories of it. The first time I saw Morris and The Time live, he signed my copy of this CD. The second time I saw them, he pulled me up on stage to sing the hit single from this record, 'Fishnet' with him. I'll never forget that.
I wish I could recommend this disc but I don't think it has enough appeal. If you're a Morris Day fan, this is a must. If you're a Jam & Lewis fan, it's also a must. But for those of you who casually like to listen to some Minneapolis funk now and then, stream or download 'Fishnet' and be done with it.
My final words: A DISAPPOINTING FOLLOWUP FROM A DYNAMIC PERFORMER!
MORRIS DAY - DAYDREAMING
01. Daydreaming
02. Yo' Luv
03. Fishnet
04. A Man's Pride
05. Standing On The Line
06. Are You Ready
07. Love Is A Game
08. Moonlite (Passionlite)
09. Sally
Back in the day... When Prince was still defining the Minneapolis sound... The Time erupted on the scene. Of course anyone who knows anything about Prince knows that the band was just a pseudonym of sorts. Prince used the group as a vehicle for his own music. He wanted to have an outlet for his more funk/R&B sounding material. As an artist, Prince was calculating and he wanted to be seen as a cross-over talent. He stacked the deck to make it happen. His inter-racial band and rock guitar was his ticket to pop superstardom. But that didn't stop the funk inside of him from bubbling up and looking for a place to sizzle.
Of course you can read countless histories of Prince and The Time so there's no point in repeating the tale here. However, it is kinda important to point out that The Time was, in essence, Prince. He wrote all of their material with the exception of one song and played most of the instruments during recording sessions. The band members you see and relate to The Time were those who played in the live sets. They appeared on the album covers and in the videos, but had little or nothing to do with the actual music. With the exception of Morris Day, who did actually perform the vocals.
The album starts off with 'Wild And Loose', co-written by Dez Dickerson. In keeping with the funk jam styling of the first record, most of the tracks are extended long work outs and the opening is no exception. The song is funky and features one of Morris Day's call and response bits towards the end. It's followed by one of the most interesting of all Time numbers, '777-9311'. The drum pattern and the guitars are absolutely brilliant. This quirky, off-hinged number demonstrates Prince's writing ability even at such a young age. He was daring and challenging. This is a song he did something special with.
If you were listening to a cassette or a record, the next track would be the final cut from the first side. 'Onedayi'mgonnabesomebody' is probably the shortest Time number ever. Clocking in at just over 2 minutes, this little New Wave ditty doesn't offer much outside of Prince's take on synth pop. The track ends with Time members and Prince shouting, "We don't like New Wave!" Of course Prince would later go on to work with New Wave artists so that kinda puts the stopper in that. It's interesting to note, the music he was doing as a solo artist was more heavily influenced by New Wave at the time and his work with The Time was more about hearkening back to the funk that inspired him as a teen. Prince has always been known for opposing points of view that co-exist within him and cause internal conflict. I think this is a good example of that in musical form.
On this particular record, the second side or the last three tracks are the most satisfying of the bunch. Beginning with 'The Walk', side two starts off sounding more grounded and in step with the previous Time album. A long, funk track, 'The Walk' is sparse and layered. There's so much happening in this track it would take forever to go into all the details. Suffice it to say, even though it sounds like a simple groove, it's got a lot of transitions. 'Gigolos Get Lonely Too' is the ballad on this disc and despite the title sounding completely trite, it's actually a great tune. Probably my favorite ballad by the band.
The final track on the album is a sleeper track in many ways. Although it might not rank up there with fan favorites or stand out against some of the more notable tracks on this record, it's my personal favorite. 'I Don't Wanna Leave You' is a great blend of funk, melody and the New Wave sound Prince was adamantly claiming to hate on the previous side. Of all the numbers to date, this one most represents the Minneapolis sound that was developing at the time.
All in all, this is a pretty good record. The songs are fun, light and you can see how they would transition well to a live setting. It's the continued and solid material Prince wrote for The Time that made them a force still going strong today. My final words: ONE MORE STEP ON THE ROAD TO SUPERSTAR AND LEGENDARY STATUS. GREAT RECORD!!!
THE TIME - WHAT TIME IS IT?
01. Wild And Loose
02. 777-9311
03. Onedayi'mgonnabesomebody
04. The Walk
05. Gigolos Get Lonely Too
06. I Don't Wanna Leave You
Before you get upset and give me a lot of grief, let me first say... This probably isn't the most informed review of a rap album. There are some rap artists I enjoy and buy, but overall, I haven't delved too deeply into the genre. So I have an outsiders opinion.
Here's my overview of rap... When it started, it was innovative and new, but the music was largely sampled. Over the years, rap evolved and now, it's a much more serious and vital form of art than it was in the 80's and 90's. That being said, an artist like Hammer is never going to compare with newer more aggressive rappers like 50 Cent or Eminem.
The purpose for picking up this record is pretty simple. I was looking up Prince compositions in the Library of Congress online data base and a song called 'Oaktown' popped up. When I saw the disc in a used CD store, I picked it up. 'Oaktown' isn't actually a song Prince contributed to. It's a song that uses a portion of the music Prince wrote for a tune he wrote for The Time called, 'Get It Up'. It sounds like a musician actually plays the part though. And that's better than sampling it right from the vinyl.
By the time this record came out; most people had already written Hammer off. There were all kinds of public scandals surrounding him. About him being broke, wasting millions of dollars, etc. This disc was released in an effort to rebrand Hammer. He dropped the MC from the front of his stage name and moved away from the heavily recognizable samples from his previous album.
It starts out with 'Intro' and what should be a short segue seems to go on forever. 2:12 minutes of forever. Then, the reason for my purchasing this record pops up. That's right, it's 'Oaktown'. Sadly, this song drags quite a bit. I don't really like it. 'It's All Good' kicks in next and we finally have a tune with a good beat. The song is a bit cliche lyrically and Hammer raps it like he was copying Curtis Blow. Still, the beat is thumping so it's not all bad. 'Somethin' For The O.G.'s' is 4th on the disc and this is the song that's a basic game changer for the disc. Great beat, excellent music and Hammer seems to be free flow rappin' on the track. Best number on the disc so far. 'Don't Stop' moves the record into a totally new realm. The background vocals are straight from a Funkadelic cut and the deep slamming beat is funky! Another proper track.
'Pumps And A Bump' spends most of the time in the head of a teenage boy who objectifies women. He almost loses me here. I don't see the point of this song or why it's here. For an artist who wants to reinvent himself, putting this kind of number on a record practically guarantees it won't change the world or have a great impact. 'One More Time' maintains a hypnotic deep beat that seems to be working its way through the entire record. There's some keyboard added to give the song a stronger R&B feel and the vocal delivery softens dramatically. However, it doesn't really move into new or undiscovered territory. It's a nice enough listen though.
'Clap Yo' Hands' maintains the trance-like beat. It's starting to feel like we're trapped in a beat hole. The sound is nice, but again, it's starting to sound the same. 'Break 'Em Off Somethin' Proper', incorporates a nifty rhythm guitar that gives it a slightly differentiating sound but the beat... No variation there. 'Don't Fight The Feelin'' is the first number with a change in beat tempo. It's a ballad bordering on a reggae/Motown feel. We finally get something changing up and it's a welcome relief. 'Somethin' 'Bout The Goldie In Me' sounds like something you'd hear on the New Power Generation's "Goldnigga" disc. It's got that old swing vibe all the way through and the beat is subdued and jazzy. Imagine Mark Morrisson's 'Return Of The Mack', without the Digital Underground drums. Love this song.
'Sleepin' On A Master Plan' is an interesting tune with experimental sounds and a straight forward rhythm track. Still, it's different enough to make me think he might be on the verge of doing some really interesting music. 'It's All That' returns to using an R&B sound to make a friendly rap. Sadly, the idea is cliche and it undercuts whatever strength the song has. However, the music is highly interesting in places. It's worth checking out.
'The Funky Headhunter' returns to the beat that dominates the first huge block of tracks on the disc. It's OK, but nothing to get excited about. 'Pumps And A Bump Reprise (Bump Teddy Bump)' is basically 6 minutes of a tricked out beat. 'Help Lord (Won't You Come)' is the final cut and it combines Soul II Soul beats with a female vocalist who goes un-credited on the track. It's fine for what it is, but there's no build, no climax and for an album closer, it kinda leaves you blah...
Honestly, I look at this record and do I think it helped Hammer reinvent himself? No. Do I think it achieves its goals? Also, no. But I was surprised at the tracks that did work. The ones I like, I really like. And I hear a lot of potential in the sound on this disc to think with a little more time and effort, this could've been a highly influential record. My final words: ANOTHER SKIP UNLESS YOU CAN FIND IT CHEAP. BUT LOTS OF GREAT TRACKS YOU SHOULD BUY INDIVIDUALLY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A FAN TO GROOVE TO SOME OF THIS MATERIAL.
HAMMER - THE FUNKY HEADHUNTER
01. Intro
02. Oaktown
03. It's All Good
04. Somethin' For The O.G.'s
05. Don't Stop
06. Pumps And A Bump
07. One Mo' Time
08. Clap Yo' Hands
09. Break 'Em Off Somethin' Proper
10. Don't Fight The Feelin'
11. Somethin' 'Bout The Goldie In Me
12. Sleepin' On A Master Plan
13. It's All That
14. The Funky Headhunter
15. Pumps And A Bump Reprise (Bump Teddy Bump)
16. Help Lord (Won't You Come)
Shortly before this little disc came out, this artist's brother was enjoying the success of the most popular record of all time. Imagine what the impact that would have on brothers and sisters who were also trained as singers and dancers but never achieved any solo success. So now imagine his chart topping success followed almost immediately by his baby sister's disc that almost did as well as "Thriller".
For those of you who weren't there, "Control" took over everything. Girls at school were wearing their housekeys on their hoop earrings, kids practiced her dance moves during lunch and in the halls between classes. If you missed recording it on cassette off the radio, you didn't have to wait long for another chance.
While fans dreamed of rivalries between Prince and Michael Jackson and squared up behind the star of their choice, Janet tried a different approach. She knew she didn't want to go into the studio with a label, engineers and producers who'd worked with her family and the Motown sound for many years. She wanted to do something new and exciting. She was listening to the Minneapolis sound. And she liked what Prince and other artists surrounding him were doing. But she also knew her parents would never let Prince produce their baby girl.
So she did the next best thing. She's met Jam & Lewis during her previous recording sessions in Minneapolis. And they were excited to work with her. But the trick was... Blending the pop sensibility of Motown's hit making traditions with the vital and exciting energy of the Minneapolis sound. She brought the experience and the knowledge of the Motown history and Jam & Lewis brought the Minnesota funk.
The blend was something new and exhilarating. When it hit the streets, fans couldn't keep their hands off it. Her parent's worried she'd sound like Prince, but Janet didn't let it stop her. Ultimately, it was the blending of these two very different styles of musical tradition that helped Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis develop their own signature version of the Minneapolis sound. And once the hits started coming, they never stopped.
With one declarative statement, Janet ... Sweet little baby sister Janet, stepped out into the spotlight and seized control of her own life. And her message, heard all the way around the world, was a very public wake up call to her family and friends.
Her first single, 'Control' was accompanied by a live performance video letting everyone know, this time she meant business. And the album released single after hit single. I think there are only a couple songs that didn't actually get a single release.
Listening to it now, some of the drum sounds are a bit outdated and there are songs where they rely heavily on old R&B sounds on the keyboards, but otherwise, the disc has held up. 'Control' kicks it off with just the right blend of both musical schools of production that you think you know what you're in store for. Fans of The Time who know Jam & Lewis saw it as a Time performance. But it was completely different. For one thing, instead of the misogynist preening of the Morris Day character, this band was led by a woman. Her dance moves were bold and avoided being overtly sexual. She took the stage as a confident band leader and rocked the house down. This is when we knew something special was happening.
Even now, the drum track on 'Nasty' sounds amazing. It was such a different sound and no one really copied it. Where Madonna empowered 80's women to own their sexuality, Janet empowered them to expect/demand equality and projected an image of a strong female archetype who didn't rely on sensuality to send a message. In fact, the message of 'Nasty' was a demand for respect rather than objectification. It was followed by, 'What Have You Done For Me Lately' which tells the story of a partner who takes his lady for granted. All three of these songs were released as singles and had huge chart success.
After the progressive and new sounding opening of 'Control', 'Nasty' and 'What Have You Done For Me Lately', 'You Can Be Mine' sounds a little outdated and weak. The message is empowering and as the song progresses, the music clears up and you get some wonderful arrangements from the masters of Minnesota funk. It goes out on a high note. Next up are two more tracks that saw single releases... 'The Pleasure Principle' and 'When I Think Of You'. 'The Pleasure Principle' is the first track appearing on the album not written by Jackson, Jam & Lewis. However, it's written by former bandmate and Time member, Monte Moir. Most of the original Time members went on to produce and write for other artists and they were all part of that Minneapolis sound. Although this tune does have a distinctive quality that sets it apart from the others, it still sounds like it belongs in the fused sound they'd created.
Both 'The Pleasure Principle' and 'When I Think Of You' reached the US top five. The next track is the one song that seems utterly and completely out of place on the record. 'He Doesn't Even Know I'm Alive' was written by Spencer Bernard. Although I'm not sure where he comes from or how he hooked up with Jam & Lewis, he's been with them ever since and contributed numerous songs to their artists. This one, however, sounds like dated Motown, not something that belongs with the innovative style of the rest of the album. In addition, the song seems take the powerful strong woman Jackson has presented throughout the rest of the album and turn her into a tiny, frightened uncertain little girl. It's demoralizing to see it happen. This song would have better served the record if it'd stayed in a drawer for another artist.
I don't even consider it part if the album. More like a filler track left over from her previous two albums recorded under her father's watchful eye.
The next two tracks set up a formula Janet would repeat a few times over the years. Both are ballads. It wasn't uncommon for her to save the slow music for the end of the album and use it to segue out of the disc. 'Let's Wait Awhile' is a song about abstinence and not allowing yourself to be pressured into sex. Once again, Janet was empowering women to say no. To control with whom and when they choose to engage in sexual conduct. Although today this isn't seen as a radical concept, in the 80's it was still a topic people wanted to ignore and pretend didn't happen.
The disc ends with Janet gently but firmly rebuffing her beau in the middle of an intimate setting choosing instead to wait until the time is right for both of them. 'Funny How Time Flies (When You're Having Fun)' is both sensual and serious without being preachy or pandering to one specific ideal. With this final track, Janet told an entire generation of women, intimacy is wonderful and can be extremely fun, but you have the power to say no. You can stop at anytime.
The importance of this record and how it shaped women's roles in society cannot be taken for granted. Madonna and other pop singers of the time wanted to free women from oppressive sexuality and allow women to enjoy and control sex. But the message of "Control" branched out into virtually ever corner of society and expressed strength for almost every conceivable obstacle a young woman in that decade might face in her life.
Her social awareness, dedication to empowerment and strength made her an overnight icon. The impact of this record may never be fully known. But it does demonstrate a social awareness none of her family possessed in any great amount. Her brother Michael produced and wrote songs he used to inspire change in others but his attempts were almost always extremely direct and lacked the inventive approach Janet took each time she planned an album.
My final words: THIS ALBUM EMPOWERED ME! HER BROTHER WANTED TO HEAL THE WORLD, BUT JANET CHANGED IT.
JANET JACKSON - CONTROL
01. Control
02. Nasty
03. What Have You Done For Me Lately
04. You Can Be Mine
05. The Princeiple of Pleasure
06. When I Think Of You
07. He Doesn't Even Know I'm Alive
08. Let's Wait Awhile
09. Funny How Time Flies (When You're Having Fun)
Full Force is a band from New York. They gained fame when they joined with singer Lisa Lisa and another R&B band called, Cult Jam. The acts came together and formed one major group, Lisa Lisa with Cult Jam and Full Force.
For a few years in the 80's, they joined the ranks of pop royalty with a string of hits placing them alongside Madonna, Gloria Estefan and others. But the members of Full Force never intended on getting famous as an act as much as they envisioned creating an empire built up around groups they produced and released.
Much like Prince, Full Force would write songs, record music and produce fully completed tracks for singers who were looking for music. They would write music very similar to the Minneapolis sound and were quickly lumped into the same category with many of Prince's offshoot bands. However, there is a distinct difference between the two. Especially because Full Force has all members contributing to the sound whereas Prince is generally focused on his own vision of what something should be.
Full Force also seem to be more heavily R&B based whereas Prince listened to other types than just soul. Another aspect of the band is they seem to be more open to new or different trends in Urban music. In some cases, it works to their benefit because they're able to amalgamate new sounds into what they're doing. On the other hand, it can also hurt them by making them sound like their chasing a sound rather than being innovative.
"Don't Sleep" starts out espousing some message about the African American community being subject to mental manipulation through the government and media. They trumpet a call to arms and warn you, "don't sleep" or you'll brainwashed.
However, the album then moves on to songs implying all kinds of sex. I'm pretty sure their political message gets completely washed out by filling their disc with porno fluffer material. The band members have great voices and they're talented musicians. Many of the songs on the album are quite good, but they're not exciting enough to make me put it in the. truck and blast it out the window.
I was never partial to their production work and I didn't follow them back in the 80's. The reason I picked up this record is because it was on sale used and I got it for virtually nothing. They cover a song Prince wrote and gave to The Time. 'Girl' was the first song but not the last he wrote with that title.
It's a mediocre cover that doesn't really fit on the record. And quite honestly, the disc is so singularly obsessed with getting into a woman's pants the subject becomes boring. I never make it through the entire record.
I think as a group, they're talented and if they really focused on a message or pushed themselves, we'd see an amazing project. But this album isn't it.
There's just nothing I really wanna say about this disc. It does nothing for me. Just nothing. My final words: MISOGYNIST DRAMA AND ONE PRINCE TRACK EVEN WITH UPDATED SOUNDS FAILS TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION. SKIP IT, KIDS.
FULL FORCE - DON'T SLEEP
01. Intro-Lude (Hudlin' Brothers "No Snooze" Intro...)
02. Don't Sleep
03. Nice 'N' Sleazy
04. Quickie
05. If It's Cool Witcha Baby
06. Interlude (Quiet Storm)
07. Your Place Or Mine
08. Physical Commitment
09. Wait Till I Get Home
10. Interlude (2 Points)
11. Go Wit The Flo
12. Interlude (The Byrd Factor)
13. After All This Time (Ain't It Great To Be Black)
14. Girl
15. Sharon
16. Making Love On The Dance Floor
17. My Love Is Free
18. Interlude (900-Force Line)
19. God Will Fix It
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
It would be fair to say "Purple Rain" was how I discovered music. Or more accurate, how I became passionate about music. It was different from anything I'd ever heard before and the sounds resonated in my very soul. Some people see God in nature, while others see it in man made structures. Some people hear heaven in a Mozart concerto, while others hear it in simple folk music or jazz. I heard it in the electronic funk rock of the Minneapolis sound. Of course my tastes have expanded greatly since then, but I will always remember these first bands I felt passionate about.
For those of you not in the know, The Time are a band formed in the 80s, in Minneapolis, by Prince who used the group as a vehicle to make more of his music available. He had various relationships with the individual members and they have all gone on to have careers beyond the Prince influence. Some more successful than others.
Still, you can't hold Prince fully responsible for the success of The Time. Sure he wrote some great tunes for them and they still play his stuff today. But It's the characters played by the band members that make the group truly memorable.
Morris Day struts around the stage like a peacock preening for a mate. He flashes his feathers, well in his case it's expensive jewelry, fancy clothes and his Stacy Adams... His onstage antics with Jerome and the cool demeanor of the zoot suit dressed band all culminate into a tight, satisfying live act.
As for this album... Two songs appear in the Motion Picture, "Purple Rain". The other tracks are musical numbers written to further the mythology and reputation of the band and its girl chasing leader. Unlike previous Time records based heavily in funk, this disc starts off with 'Ice Cream Castles' a number you can hardly call an old school funk effort. It's got an incredible beat, a nice melody and is catchy as all hell, but it doesn't have that funk/bass bottom to drop into. Everything happens on the surface of the song, much like icing on a cake. I've heard rehearsals of the tune where the band really work the crap out of it, but here it kinda meanders along. That's not a bad thing. It's enjoyable and satisfying. But it's not exactly what you've come to expect from The Time.
It's followed by 'My Drawers'. This number is more traditional funk. It's infectious and hard not to move too. The Minneapolis sound is all over this number as well as a nod to R&B Godfather, James Brown.
"U better find a brand new bag,
Cause this is my drawers"
'Chili Sauce' is a feature length segue. The song, or should I say seduction piece, features a dinner date between Morris and young woman he attempts to seduce. The conversation is quite humorous and features Prince disguising his voice as the waiter. The track also features Jerome Benton as Morris' sidekick and comedic foil.
If this were a vinyl record or cassette tape, those three songs would encompass the first side, while the second side contains the music most people are familiar with. Starting with 'Jungle Love', borrowing a chant from "The Wizard Of Oz", the 2nd side kicks in with a funky fever. There's very little I can say about the two tracks on this side appearing in the "Purple Rain" movie. They've been discussed to death. Needless to say, they are classic funk tracks and will go down in history as two of the biggest hits of the 80s. 'Jungle Love' fared better than 'The Bird' on the charts, but the tunes are equally funky and oh so much fun. The middle track, a slow paced song called, 'If The Kid Can't Make You Come' is an odd piece. First of all, I never understood why it was in the record. In the movie, Prince plays the part of Morris' arch rival. He is called, The Kid. And in the song, Morris sings,
"If the kid can't make you come
Nobody can"
Suggesting the kid is the ultimate. But how can that be if they're enemies? It closes with a woman in the throes of orgasm pledging her allegiance to The Time like they were an American Flag. It's funny and quirky, but what really makes this track worth hearing are the surprising musical changes that happen throughout. The background music acts effectively as a collage of sound creating a picture of the moment. You can see it all happening in your mind. Successful composers are fortunate to create a mindscape like this when they score for a film. Prince and The Time do it here without the company of a film.
Ultimately, The Time will always be an 80s favorite. I even like the stuff they're doing now. If you haven't treated yourself to this offshoot group, you should check it out. I know it's worth it. While listening in the truck the other day, I jammed it loud. It's holding up quite well for an almost thirty year old piece of music. My final word: PERFECT COMPANION PIECE TO PURPLE RAIN AND GREAT ON ITS OWN AS WELL!
THE TIME - ICE CREAM CASTLE
01. Ice Cream Castles
02. My Drawers
03. Chili Sauce
04. Jungle Love
05. If The Kid Can't Make You Come
06. The Bird
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
Vernon Reid is the former band leader of late 80's metal band Living Colour. They had a huge hit at the end of the decade with the song, 'Cult Of Personality'. Reid released this solo record later when the band's popularity was starting to wane. I picked it up because ASCAP's website listed the song 'CP Time' as a Prince composition. That being the case, I of course picked it up. What I didn't realize was the song credit is given because the song contains a sample of a song written by Prince.
Here's the breakdown on sampling... And what I consider constitutes actual writing credits... There are two types of sampling that I can think of. I call them A) Incorporation and B) Performance. An Incorporation sample is when an artist takes a song by another artist, bases their own composition on that song or borrows a brief portion of the track to enhance a progression thereby creating an entirely new piece of music. MoKenStef incorporated Prince's 'Do Me, Baby' on their song 'He's Mine' which in my opinion is a legitimate and new Prince composition. By the same token, Danny Elfman incorporated elements of Prince's 'Scandalous' for several tracks on his original Batman Score. The second sample, the Performance is when an artist actually lifts a piece of an original recording and uses that sample as a repeating motif in a new song. The first involves a new performance of a melody or key progression whereas the second is basically stealing of another recording. I'm very anti-Performance sampling. In the case of 'CP Time', it's a Performance sample from an old track by The Time. The re-occurring sample features Morris Day shouting, "What time is it?" over and over. Prince may have written the lyric, but it's Morris Day that's actually being sampled here because his performance is the element being used on the track.
Ok, rant over. Let's discuss the record. So based on faulty information and an erroneous credit to Prince, I bought a record I was sorely disappointed with initially. In fact, the disappointment I felt obscured my judgment of the disc for many years. I finally listened to it all the way through and was in for a rather interesting experience. 'Mistaken Identity' is a fusion jazz record. Reid takes elements of funk, metal, jazz and R&B to create a unique blend of sound. It's not always effective but when it's on, it's really on. The track titles are tongue-n-cheek pop culture references that sometimes deter from the strength of the music. The music itself can often be heavy handed and sound like minor grooves for Reid to solo over with his guitar.
But there are just as many wonderful moments of shiny solid material here. The wispy start of 'Uptown Drifter' is pure mood and carries you along for a beautiful ride. Some excellent guitar playing here. There's the brilliant 'Important Safety Instructions (Mutation 2)'; which gives spiritual instructions on the use and misuse of karma. I find this particular track to be both humorous and amazingly lovely musically. Probably my favorite track on the record is one of the only tracks with a vocal performance. 'Signed Fictitious' is a sparkling track that really highlights an Urban feel. It's amazing!
Despite the energy of the great tracks, 'Mistaken Identity' is often tedious with guitar solos and can often sound more like a mishmash of styles rather than a cohesive piece of music. Irregardless, Reid embraced an interesting and progressive direction by combining such clashing genres. He has the potential to create something really incredible. I need to follow up and see where this leads. Of course, I've probably missed the best of it. But I've certainly enjoyed what I've heard. The best thing to say can be summed up by my final words: MUSIC SOUP.
VERNON REID - MISTAKEN IDENTITY
01. CP Time
02. Mistaken Identity
03. You Say He's Just A Psychic Friend
04. Who Are You? (Mutation 1)
05. Lightnin'
06. The Projects
07. Uptown Drifter
08. Saint Cobain
09. Important Safety Instructions! (Mutation 2)
10. What's My Name
11. Signed Fictitious
12. Call Waiting To Exhale (Mutation 3)
13. My Last Nerve
14. Freshwater Coconut
15. Mysterious Power
16. Unborne Embrace
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
