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My first exposure to Marcella Detroit happened while living in Europe. Shakespear's Sister had a huge hit on the radio with 'Stay'. I was immediately taken with her voice. If you know me, you know I don't usually take interest in vocalists. I did really get caught up in that song. Enough to buy the album years later and when I discovered she was more than just a legitimate voice, but a songwriter and musician as well my interest grew. I bought 'Jewel' without hearing a single song from the disc.
My continued impression of the disc is favorable, though I do find it inconsistent. The cover tunes, although probably appropriate, are somewhat lackluster and really don't fit her. Marcella has a magnificent powerful voice. She's also got an off beat dark writing style. On this record she tries to blend that with Motown sounding R&B styles with varying degrees of success. In my opinion, she would have fared better focusing on developing her own original sound rather than integrating Motown. She covers Sly And The Family Stone's 'I Want To Take You Higher' using a bluesy 90's beat. However modern the music sounds, the vocals are mixed so far back in the track there's no power and the club layers only serve to slow the beat further. Ashford And Simpson's 'Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing' is performed with Elton John. Once again, the vocals are mixed back on the track and the music is so subdued there's no intensity. I suspect both of these tracks were recorded in the same session.
The rest of the disc is broken up between some really interesting and different songs with those Detroit arranges with the Motown feel. 'I'm No Angel' and 'You Don't Tell Me Everything' are both songs with that straightforward Motown drumming. 'I'm No Angel' also incorporates Detroit's interesting lyrics and some great vocals.
The title track, 'Jewel' is an amazing number with tense vocals and an urgency you can almost cut with a knife. The vocal distortions create a feeling of confinement and apprehension. It's because of this mood, the song is effective. As she changes keys and maneuvers through the song, Detroit evokes a feeling of Old English chamber music. It's an odd but completely satisfying number. 'I Believe' sounds like something from "The Crying Game", but it's a very pretty if unremarkable number. 'Perfect World' has an interesting drum motif and though the lyrics are somewhat cliche, it's still an enjoyable tune. 'Art Of Melancholy' is a masterpiece. Truly something original and exciting. The vocal delivery is powerful! 'James Brown' is lackluster and would have served better sung by someone in a lower register. A song she should have donated to someone else. 'Detroit' is a brilliant tune. Not only is it awesome for her, it could easily have been a major staple for other artists. It's got an amazing drive. It's one of those tunes with lasting potential.
'Cool People' is probably my favorite track on the disc. Both this song and 'Prima Donna' are songs that fit neatly into the Marcella Detroit sound. 'Prima Donna' features some Beatles sounding background vocals. 'Out Of Mind' has the feel of a 1950's ballad. I could picture this song being played at a high school formal with couples waltzing sweetly across a gym floor. I really enjoy this song. The chorus is beyond sweet and sentimental.
So my overall opinion remains inconsistent, but amazingly brilliant at times. An amazing talent showcasing some of the things that should have made her one of the biggest names in the business. If you can find it, you should certainly try it. My final word: INCONSISTENT.
MARCELLA DETROIT - JEWEL
01. Jewel
02. I Believe
03. Perfect World
04. Art Of Melancholy
05. James Brown
06. Detroit
07. Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing
08. I'm No Angel
09. I Want To Take You Higher
10. You Don't Tell Me Everything
11. Cool People
12. Out Of My Mind
13. Prima Donna
The one thing I've always loved about Marilyn Manson is what I call the great "galloping" drum beats they sometimes use. Adam and the Ants championed the loping drum sound back in the 80's and Marilyn picked up the banner for the 90's and 2000's. But that's not the only reason. I've also been drawn to the theatricality of this group. So much outrage over something so simple minded.
Marilyn Manson is one of those people who woke up one morning, looked out the window on his suburban neighborhood and said, "I'm gonna write and perform music based on everything a mother would hate." The band and songs were conceptually created to upset parents. In that sense alone, Marilyn Manson is a social experiment in modern parent/child relationships.
As a "Best Of" compilation, 'Lest We Forget...' fails to achieve a true "Best Of" title. I've always thought if you really wanted to create a "Best Of" record you'd let the hardcore fan base choose the tracklist. These are the people who would really have a say in what the best songs by the group actually are. In the grand tradition of record company formula releases, the "Best Of" is actually a single disc collection of released singles and oddities. But hardly represents the band's best work.
For the most part, I genuinely like the majority of the songs on this release. Marilyn Manson falls into a category of music I like to call "Go-Go Metal". Bands who use industrial beats and sounds, combined with new wave synthesizers, power chord guitar work and a theatrical approach to live performance. I've enjoyed bands in this genre for a long time. They have so many elements of entertainment I find exciting.
Considering I have all of Manson's albums, going through this disc song by song will be kinda pointless. Better by far to focus attention on the tracks that are safely assigned strictly to this release. The cover tunes are the most obvious. Depeche Mode's 'Personal Jesus' makes an appearance and the arrangement is fairly faithful to the original version. Of course the very subject matter and lyrics make it perfect for Manson's character to perform. In fact, after listening to his version, Martin Gore would have done better donating the tune to Manson first time around. It easily fits his image more than it ever fit theirs. And that's from a die-hard Mode fan.
Although Soft Cell's version is also a cover of the 1964 Gloria Jones classic 'Tainted Love', it's the first version of the song to gain any notoriety. Based on it's success, other bands have recorded the track or sampled Soft Cell's arrangement. From my understanding, Manson recorded this song for a movie soundtrack that used popular artists of the time covering 80s classics. Another track worth drawing some attention to is the cover of the Eurythmics classic 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)'. Although it appears on a regular album, it's interesting to see it among a compilation containing to many cover tunes.
I think I'd be interested in seeing Manson release an all cover tune record. He's done some brilliant covers. Like the cover of Danny Elfman's 'This Is Halloween' from Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" or David Bowie's 'Golden Years'. He's also performed live cover versions by other artists such as Madonna's 'Like A Virgin'. That would be an interesting CD.
My final word: TWO THUMBS UP. I quite like what's happening here. Great disc with some awesome tunes. Would be better if was titled 'Lest We Forget The Singles Of', but that's being nit picky (even if it is accurate).
MARILYN MANSON - LEST WE FORGET THE BEST OF
01. The Love Song
02. Personal Jesus
03. Mobscene
04. The Fight Song
05. Tainted Love
06. The Dope Show
07. This Is The New Shit
08. Disposable Teens
09. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
10. Lunchbox
11. Tourniquet
12. Rock Is Dead
13. Get Your Gunn
14. The Nobodies
15. Long Hard Road Out Of Hell
16. The Beautiful People
17. The Reflecting God
Clannad is an interesting band. Most Americans will recognize them as family members and former band of New Age celebrity, Enya. 'Banba' is an interesting album for a number of reasons. It shows more variety than some of their previous albums. You get some standard folk sounding material, a few adult contemporary numbers and some film scoring. It's a lovely blend and shows just how versatile Clannad can be.
My favorite songs are 'The Other Side', which has a catchy infectious hook that just doesn't quite, 'Banba Oir' a delicate yet peaceful song and 'I Will Find You'. 'I Will Find You' is similar in style to Clannad's arguably most famous track, 'Theme From Harry's Game'. It contains all of the depth and sincerity of the film and expresses itself in an intensity one can literally feel. There's great power there.
The other songs are all strong material. Certain ones are pleasing, others not so much, but one can't deny the talent here. The band is in perfect form and the vocals are flawlessly delivered for a perfect disc.
My personal tastes aside, I think this is easily one of Clannad's most accessible albums and one of the most popular with fans. You can't go wrong giving this disc a chance. My final word: HAUNTING.
CLANNAD - BANBA
01. Na Laethe Bhi
02. Banba Oir
03. There For You
04. Mystery Game
05. Struggle
06. I Will Find You (Theme From 'The Last Of The Mohicans')
07. Soul Searcher
08. Caide Sin Do'n Te Sin
09. The Other Side
10. Sunset Dreams
11. A Gentle Place
I saw this concert back in 1998. I don't remember Incubus playing, but I remember all the other acts. I went to the show because Rammstein was playing and I was a huge Rammstein fanatic. I couldn't wait to see them again.
From what I remember, it was an extremely enjoyable program for a festival type show. The fist group I remember playing was Orgy. I had the single for 'Blue Monday' but I didn't yet own the actual album. They were new and I liked what they were doing and became really excited after seeing them live. They inspired me to actually fork out the $15. and buy 'Candyass'. Looking back, I think I wouldn't have gone to such an extreme knowing what I know now. I remember the Limp Bizkit set and I really enjoyed their show, though I wasn't quite sure what to make of the break dancers. That was kinda odd. But I like the blend of Urban and alternative rock. It was fun!
Now Ice Cube... As much as I enjoyed his set, I don't think he was a good addition to this tour. In fact, I think it was a terrible idea. The audience was extremely restless and I heard more than one person screaming obscenities at him. It really dropped the momentum out from under the hype. You had some really great bands opening the show who warmed the crowd up. Then Ice Cube and the power in the room took a nose dive.
Fortunately, Rammstein came on and in my opinion totally upstaged Korn. They completely blew the roof off the place. It was awesome!
Now let's discuss the audio CD released to pump up ticket sales. It was nice to have a collection of performances of the show. However, I'm disappointed Rammstein only has one track on the disc. On the home video and DVD, they show two Rammstein songs. Still, at the time it was better than nothing. However, now... All these years later, Rammstein has a whole slew of live material for sale. DVDs and CDs. So this little item becomes less interesting. It is nice to have some of the other performances. There are a few things worth noting. Namely, Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit referring to the audience as "Baby" during their performance. "Do you like breakdancing, Baby?" It's funny and smart at the same time. Durst gets intimate with the audience without doing anything more than using a familiar term of endearment.
Then there's Jay Gordon of Orgy who's only comment comes at the beginning of 'Blue Monday'. He announces the song title, as if there's any doubt. With the most recognizable drum beat and melody, this little blurb is both redundant and absurd. Better by far to introduce the band's original material. The 'Intro'/'Interlude' s are more annoying than transitioning. I would strongly suggest avoiding this release unless you were a die-hard fan trying to complete a collection of one of the groups in question.
If you missed the show... You really missed out. It was an awesome experience and I will never forget how much fun I had. My final word: WORTHLESS.
FAMILY VALUES - TOUR '98
01. Intro
02. Incubus - New Skin
03. interlude #1
04. Orgy - Dissention
05. Orgy - Gender
06. Orgy - Blue Monday
07. Interlude #2
08. Limp Bizkit - Cambodia
09. Limp Bizkit - Faith
10. Limp Bizkit - Jump Around
11. Interlude #3
12. Ice Cube - Check Yo Self (Remix)
13. Ice Cube - Natural Born Killaz
14. Ice Cube - Straight Outta Compton/F* Tha Police
15. Interlude #4
16. Rammstein - Du Hast
17. Interlude #5
18. Korn - Shot Liver Medley
19. Korn - Freak On A Leash
20. Korn - Twist/Chi
21. Korn - Got The Life
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
I saw this movie long before I realized my interest in the soundtrack. Let me state for the record... This film is absolutely brilliant. The soundtrack is another matter entirely. Although it has moments of absolute brilliance, it isn't a complete collection in that it leaves out a large number of songs appearing in the film. The tracks it does include seems to consist of the songs the producers thought would make the most money. Not always the smartest move when it comes to compiling a soundtrack.
The Ini Kamoze track opens the disc and it's ok. I remember it got some airplay and I saw the video on VH-1 a couple times. The Supercat track is awesome. It's a nice bluesy 50's number with a great beat. I quite like it. I really love the Salt-N-Pepa track, 'Here We Come'. It's funky, straight up and in your face. Salt-N-Pepa have always interested me and this track is a wonderful addition to the record. M People's contribution is cool, but somewhat standard fare for house records at the time. I'm sure it was mixed like crazy. Janet Jackson's number is lackluster but also fairly common for her during this time. This is right about the time I checked out on her. She became boring and everything sounded largely the same.
The Rolling Stones number is laughable and unwelcome. It's place in the movie is also annoying. It's the one song I absolutely feel has no business anywhere near this project. The Sam Phillips cover of 'These Boots Are Made For Walkin'' is wonderful. She captures the intensity of the original number with a folksy twist.
For years, I dished The Cranberries. I just hated them. Every song sounded like a broken record. Then I saw this film and heard this number. I think this song is incredible for a number of reasons... First and foremost, I love the message. "You're so pretty the way you are..." What an amazing statement in both the film and the music. Plus the mix is absolutely riveting. The Deep Forest song called 'Martha' is actually the track 'Marta's Song' from their album 'Boheme'. I like this track quite a bit as well. There is a slight difference in the bass track, but otherwise, it's the exact same number.
The Brand New Heavies tune is interesting but not remarkable. I enjoy the vocal delivery and although I've never invested much time or energy into this band, I'm interested in hearing more. The Cece Peniston song is pretty typical of her stuff, but it's fun and I really like the song. I can sing along and tap my feet. That's a great feature in a tune.
Now here's the reason I should've bought the disc. There's a Prince composition by The New Power Generation here. 'Get Wild' appears on the 'Exodus' record, but this version is quite different in a number of ways. There's different effects happening throughout the song. Specifically, Mayte in the background saying stuff in Spanish. There is a different vocal take as well. It really is worth having. It shows some of the progression in the way Prince writes and records music.
TTD clocks in with 'Supermodel Sandwich'. I have to be honest, as much as I normally enjoy his work, this is one of my least favorite numbers ever. The Perfecto Mix of 'Lemon' by U2 is pretty interesting though not incredible by any means. It's got a nice rhythm and flow. But the gasping cries of Bono detract from the overall effect of the song. It's all beat and no substance.
Overall, it's an interesting collection, but hardly one that goes well together. Like the fashions in the film, this disc is all over the place. You'll probably pick this up for one or two numbers you're interested in rather than the entire collection.
If that's the case, save the money and buy the tunes online individually. Check that... I just saw how much this disc was selling for on Amazon... If you want more than two songs, you might as well go ahead and buy the disc online. With prices like $.01... You can't get it cheaper. My final word: INTERESTING.
READY TO WEAR - MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE
01. Ini Kamoze - Here Comes The Hotstepper (Heartical Mix)
02. Supercat - My Girl Josephine
03. Salt-N-Pepa - Here We Come
04. M People - Natural Thing
05. Janet Jackson - 70's Love Groove
06. The Rolling Stones - Jump On Top Of Me
07. Sam Phillips - These Boots Are Made For Walkin'
08. The Cranberries - Pretty (Remix)
09. Deep Forest - Martha
10. The Brand New Heavies - Close To You
11. Cece Peniston - Keep Givin' Me Your Love (West End Mix)
12. The New Power Generation - Get Wild
13. Terence Trent D'Arby - Supermodel Sandwich
14. U2 - Lemon (Perfecto Mix)
Die Fantastischen Vier is German for The Fantastic Four. This is an interesting CD for a number of reasons. I picked it up while I was living in Switzerland and I'm glad I did. The Four are different because they rap in German. As Hip Hop became more and more popular around the world, different artists in other countries started expressing themselves using this American style. This band is one of the few who started in Germany.
It was fun and interesting to hear kids from another culture embracing an American art form so dramatically. And truth be told, I sometimes think they do it better than most rappers in the states. The disc contains some sampling. But not to the point of overwhelming the listener. One of the most annoying things about rap is the sampling. It gets boring when all you hear is a repeated line from another song over and over. The Four use samples to create new sounding songs and verse. To this level, I absolutely applaud them.
I also like the nature of their lyrics. There's no ultra inflammatory statements or bigotry. Instead, they focus on telling stories or seeking acceptance for their lifestyle and chosen art form. In almost every case, I found the songs to be funky with excellent beats and fun lyrics. My favorite tracks on the disc are 'Saft', 'Die Da!?!', 'Na Gut', 'Es Wird Regen Geben', 'Lass Die Sonne Rein' and 'Nonixnarretz'. There are some songs that drag and seem a little preoccupied. Mainly, 'Arschloch'... I don't like this tune at all. Way too long and dull.
So they're interesting and I like what they're doing. I'm not sure I really need to translate or discuss the lyrics as most Americans won't see a reason to relate to what they're singing about, but it is fun to listen to this disc and enjoy the fun of rapping in a foreign language.
This group continues to enjoy chart success in Europe. If you get a chance, listen to them or pick up one of their discs. They're a lot of fun. My final words: SWEET & FUNKY.
DIE FANTASTISCHEN VIER - 4 GEWINNT
01. Vier Gewinnt
02. Die Da!?!
03. Hort Euch Den Hier An
04. Saft
05. Dicker Pulli
06. Na Gut
07. Einen Noch
08. Es Wird Regen Geben
09. Nenn Ihn Prasident
10. Plattenspieler
11. Hip Hop Musik
12. Lass Die Sonne Rein
13. Thomas Und Die Fraun
14. Nonixnarretz
15. Jaaa
16. Reich
17. Individuell Aber Schnell
18. Arschloch
