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This isn't a regular album for Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam. Instead, it's a greatest hits CD of sorts. More like a thrown together compilation of a fan's favorite songs. Lisa Lisa was paired with Cult Jam back in '85 by production team, Full Force. In fact, the first record was actually called 'Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force'. Anyway, after that first record, Full Force moved on to release their own material and further their producing goals. Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam became the vehicle they used to launch themselves forward. Irregardless of how the band came about, during their highpoint, they were all over the radio, MTV and pretty much everywhere you went.
Full Force readily embraced the "Minneapolis Sound" produced by Prince and various other groups coming out of the Midwest at the time. They were based in New York, but nevertheless wrote with dominate synth lines carrying the main melody and bass tracks with heavily mixed live and electronic drum sounds reverberated in the background. I quite liked a lot of the songs they were putting out. I never bought any of their records, but when I saw this in a bargain bin, I decided it was worth a couple bucks to get copies of some of my more favorite songs and also expose myself to more of what they'd done.
Sadly, I've come to realize Full Force is a hit and miss thing with me. I either love the track or hate it. The Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam material is no exception. Also notable is the absence of some of the band's more popular hits like 'Lost In Emotion'. This release seems haphazard and hardly worth the effort in the long run. Ballad wise, I find Full Force almost unendurable. Too often ballads can sound weak and complaining. The ballads on this disc seem to all fall into that category. 'Head To Toe' and 'I Wonder If I Take You Home' are the only decent Full Force tracks on the entire disc. The other dance tracks are generic for the period and don't stand out at all. Especially 'I Love What You Do To Me'. The first time I heard it, I thought I was listening to Bell Biv DeVoe. Extremely weak material.
The only other song worth mentioning from this release is the Clivelles & Cole track, 'Let The Beat Hit 'Em'. Clivelles & Cole are famous for C+C Music Factory, but also made a name for themselves as producers and for remixing later on. It's a strong track, but so far removed from the sound Lisa Lisa is known for, they eclipse her with their production. Still, it's a worthy ditty.
I think if you're out to purchase material from Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, there must be a better, more complete singles collection out there somewhere. The point of greatest hits records is to actually include hits. If this CD were a dart game, I'd say whoever put it together missed the board altogether. Do yourself a favor and just download the single tracks you want and avoid this messy ensemble. My final word: MESSY.
LISA LISA & CULT JAM - HEAD TO TOE
01. Head To Toe
02. A Fool Is Born Every Day
03. Let The Beat Hit 'Em
04. Sensuality
05. Behind My Eyes
06. I Wonder If I Take You Home
07. Kiss Your Tears Away
08. Dance Forever
09. I Love What You Do To Me
10. This Is Cult Jam
Back in the day, a new Janet Jackson CD was something to look forward to. I think it was about the time 'Janet' came out that I started loosing interest in her. It wasn't because she was getting boring... If anything, her music was becoming more diverse and I always like artists who challenge me. So what made me lose interest? I think it had more to do with the inconsistency in the quality of the material she was recording. I felt half the tracks on 'Janet' were throw away "filler" material. And subsequent albums have been the same. Not to mention the inordinate amount of segues littering her tracklists. On the first couple albums they were quite nice and clever, but as the discs progressed, she got carried away with it. Not always to the listening pleasure of her fans.
I stopped buying her stuff after 'Velvet Rope'. I'd pick up singles if I liked something here and there, but when this disc came out, a good friend of mine swore up and down this was "THE" record of the year and I had to have it. He played me a couple songs off the disc and I was convinced this was gonna be a great disc. I bought it. So was it a good choice or a mistake? Truth be told... I'm not sure.
Personally, I really really like Janet. I like watching her talk, perform and generally, I like her singing. She seems like a person I'd enjoy knowing. That being said, you can't base your appreciation of a musical work simply on your personal feeling toward the artist.
The segues are a problem. They're all over the place and annoying at times. Picking one segue theme and sticking to it would be advisable. She starts off with talking to what is implied to be an artificial intelligence who acts also as a friend. That would be fine if she followed through with it during the entire disc, but it only pops up a couple times. Instead of getting into the segues, I'll focus on the songs...
There are some outstanding musical numbers on this disc. The first song is 'Feedback' and it's awesome. Not only is it a great tune but the video is quite interesting as well. My absolute favorite track is 'Rock With U'. I'm not sure why this song appeals to me other than it's got an exciting beat and comes on fairly relentlessly. It's amazing! Other outstanding tracks include '2nite', 'Luv', 'Greatest X', 'So Much Betta', 'The 1' and 'Discipline'. 'Discipline' is extremely provocative and suggestive. It's very erotic and highly sensual. 'The 1' features Missy Elliott and is extremely funky.
This album is a departure from Janet's regular fare. She's not working with her long time producer partners Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. She's using different people who are bringing her a new sound, but her songwriting input has lessened greatly.
I think it's better than anything she's done in a long time. There are still some throwaway songs that are boring and skippable, but you get the sense she's moving into something new. Whether she embraces this change or not remains to be seen, but it's worth the purchase for the funky numbers. Time to rediscover this artist.
I'm hopeful for the future once again. My final words: HOPEFUL & PROMISING.
JANET - DISCIPLINE
01. I.D.
02. Feedback
03. Luv
04. Spinnin
05. Rollercoaster
06. Bathroom Break
07. Rock With U
08. 2nite
09. Can't B Good
10. 4 Words
11. Never Letchu Go
12. Truth Or Dare
13. Greatest X
14. Good Morning Janet
15. So Much Betta
16. Play Selection
17. The 1 Feat. Missy Elliott
18. What's Ur Name
19. The Meaning
20. Discipline
21. Back
22. Curtains
Although I knew Tool and listened to some of their stuff on the radio, I never really embraced them. They were musically more complex than I normally like in a rock band. They're a thinking man's rock. Whereas I prefer to go merrily along with sound and enjoy it in the moment. My first exposure to A Perfect Circle was on MTV. I saw the video to 'Judith' and I was really grooving to the beat. I loved the song. Shortly after I moved to North Carolina and the first gift Bryan gave me was this CD. I loved it. I had no idea A Perfect Circle shared the same frontman with Tool. From the song perspective alone, the band is far more accessible than Tool is. They've probably had more mainstream success because of it as well.
The first impression you have when you look at this disc is the beautiful artwork. This is exactly the reason why I love owning CDs vs. downloading. Sometimes, you get something truly exceptional in the packaging or the artwork is simply amazing. 'Mer De Noms' is an example of this. Then there's the meat and potatoes of the disc... The actual music.
To call this disc one of the greatest rock albums of all time wouldn't be an understatement. It's one of the strongest records I've ever heard. Right from the start, with 'The Hollow' the band sets a precedence. With a strong, compelling rhythm, the song builds aggressively to a melodic breakdown that never really looses the tune's momentum and comes back like a right hook to the jaw. 'Magdalena' has an offbeat intensity that suits the lyrical content. There's a desire unsatisfied and an almost unresolved quality to the song progression that feeds this feeling. 'Rose' starts with a wilted sound. It's weak and almost boring, but further listening allows for the musical crescendo. Once the full force of the track kicks in, it's a power packed punch, blossoming into a red swell.
'Judith' is a stand alone track. It's uncompromising beat carries you along with all the rage of the vocal delivery. Philosophically, this song is quite aggressive. Musically, it's phenomenal. I absolutely love this song! There's no way around it. 'Orestes' is another song that builds to an amazing climax. It begins with a peaceful slow pace and evolves into a fuller sound like flashing police lights. "Cut away, clear away, sever this umbilical residue". Absolutely incredible lyrics. '3 Libras' is another amazing song. It makes me think of Bryan so much. I feel like this song describes how we were at the end. He couldn't see me. I became invisible to him. It's another of my all time favorite songs on the disc.
Both 'Sleeping Beauty' and 'Thomas' are excellent songs with interesting builds; but 'Renholder' is the unfettered masterpiece of this half of the album. More organic and feeling like something you'd hear on a movie score rather than a rock album, this gypsy campfire song is mysterious, spooky and completely in place with the feel of the record thus far. 'Thinking Of You' plays along the same lines with a spooky motif played under the first verse. The rhythm section begins to sound less organic and more computerized, but the bridge and chorus promise salvation. Maynard's vocals bring the only relief to the song's urgency with the words, "Sweet revelation, Sweet surrendering".
'Brena' is a melodic ballad with beautiful lyrics and a natural feel to the song progression. It is followed by the slight and still 'Over'. Maynard sings softly over a piano and xylophone sound. Very peaceful and the perfect denouement. I'd call it a French art film if I had to relate it to something in real life.
These songs all seem to be extremely intimate portraits of people known by Maynard or other band members. There's a confiding quality to the disc. A whispered confidence shared between conspiring friends. Ultimately, it's one of those discs everyone should own. No collection is complete with 'Mer De Noms'... Especially yours. My final words: A PERFECT CREATION.
A PERFECT CIRCLE - MER DE NOMS
01. The Hollow
02. Magdalena
03. Rose
04. Judith
05. Orestes
06. 3 Libras
07. Sleeping Beauty
08. Thomas
09. Renholder
10. Thinking Of You
11. Brena
12. Over
This is another album I initially bought for the Prince songs... Many years later however, I saw her live in concert and she blew my mind! I absolutely have great respect for this woman. And when I listen to her CDs now, I listen to them from that headspace.
Anyone who knows me well knows I'm seldom interested in vocalists. I enjoy certain voices and I have respect for many, but usually those who write with a band or compose their own material. I find little to no satisfaction in following vocalists. Of course there are some exceptions to the rule. Seeing Patti live has earned her a place in that rare category.
With such renewed interest in her, I listened to this album much differently than I did when I first bought it. The first song is one that obviously made the record company rounds... Celine Dion had a minor hit with the same track. Though the arrangement is similar, Patti's version is easily the superior number. Although it would be simple to write a lot of these tracks off as fluff, Patti performs each tune with conviction. She heard something in each one and uses her expressive vocals to portray the characteristics of each song in its best possible light. This disc has many stand-out moments. The Full Force track, 'I Got It Like That' features an amazing scale by Patti. She rips it up! Even though the song has typical Full Force sound, it's hardly one of their finer moments; sounding instead like a song written around a pop culture cliche rather than an original concept.
The Prince songs are incredibly strong, though 'Love 89' tends to be musically more complicated and less straight forward than 'Yo Mister'; the latter being a typical sound for him during this period. The true genius of 'Love 89' is summed up in the lyric, "don't take time 4 Jesus, unless u got time 4 the sinners that be." To put forth such a blatant commentary about hypocrisy through an artist of LaBelle's stature was a bold move and even more powerful with her vocals backing it up. This track is also unique because it features the first time Prince uses the term, "New Power Generation"; which became not only his label after Paisley Park shut down, but also the name of his backing band ever since. It's also been a reoccurring theme musically for him. It all started here, folks!
'Be Yourself' is worth the time. It's an exceptional piece of work from a truly brilliant talent. You'll enjoy yourself. My final word: EXCEPTIONAL.
PATTI LABELLE - BE YOURSELF
01. If You Asked Me To
02. I Can't Complain
03. Be Yourself
04. Yo Mister
05. I Got It Like That
06. Love 89
07. Still In Love
08. I'm Scared Of You
09. Can't Bring Me Down
10. Need A Little Faith
11. I Can Fly
Morrissey is the ex-lead singer of 80's pop icons, The Smiths... He went on to have esoteric success as a solo artist. He's got a devoted following of fans who follow his every move. He's an interesting man in a number of ways. I've noticed how he uses his influence to help other artists. He directs his following towards other bands he respects or personally enjoys. But he's also unapologetic about aspects of himself such as his ego or cruel things he's done. I believe Morrissey holds grudges. To me, he reflects many traits we normally try to hide from others. I feel this because he writes neurotic and often self deprecating lyrics. But let's be honest, we all feel like this... Few of us actually talk about it. Hehehe. We all wonder if someone actually loves us. We all wonder if we're good people, or lovable in any way. Morrissey takes those ideas and writes songs about them. His subject matter is truly unique. There's also a "Greaser" or rockabilly quality to his look. He appeals strongly to a more centered type of crowd.
On this album, the grand tradition of Morrissey's solo albums continues in good form. He doesn't have a musical collaborator like Johnny Marr from the Smiths; which often leads to sub standard hooks or music that can sound somewhat generic at times. Still, it's usually an even split between filler songs and great material. This album follows that formula but leans more towards the great material than the filler.
The first two tracks, though controversial and even confrontational, are ok but nothing to get excited about. Then comes 'I Have Forgiven Jesus'... What an amazing tune. Using Jesus as a metaphor for social acceptance, he forgives the messiah for abandoning him as a youth. This is a thinly veiled discussion of the hardships he struggled with, (mostly internally it seems), namely because he was gay. Most gay people share a common experience of being ostracized from their social circles because they're different. Especially in America, religion can have a huge impact on the social structure of a community and many gay people find themselves alone without any of the advantages of a community simply because they love differently. They're left to find other places to make home and other people to love. I could go on forever about this, but it's enough to say I can relate to the song and it's impact is powerful.
Following it up with a one, two punch... 'Come Back To Camden' is a strong number followed by an even stronger track. 'I'm Not Sorry', is a wonderful piece about living without the burden of social guilt. It's musically flowing and quite fun to sing along with. I love the line, "Slipping below the waterline". Both 'First Of The Gang To Die' and 'Let Me Kiss You' are brilliant tunes. 'First Of The Gang To Die' is a track similar to 'Boy Racer' and other numbers in that same sound genre. Although he names the lead character, "Hector"; which makes me think it was inspired by the gang scene in Los Angeles where Morrissey was living, the song still maintains that 50's feel. 'Let Me Kiss You' seems more like a tragedy rather than a song. He expresses that infatuation you can feel with someone. Morrissey reminds you that if you could have just one night, one time, nay... Just one kiss even... From that someone you've wanted for years, you could die blissfully happy. It's very sweet in it's own way.
'I Like You' is a rather poignant song about gradual development. About taking the time to learn to like someone rather than jumping into it. He sings about that moment of discovery where you turn around and say, "Hey, I actually like this person".
I'm very happy with 'You Know I Couldn't Last'. It's an almost rock anthem of sorts. Morrissey talking about the fading career of a superstar. He gives you the impression he knew it would happen all along. In fact, he was waiting for it. Hehe. So I'm quite happy and fond of this Morrissey record and I enjoyed listening to it again. My final words: WHAT A BLAST!
MORRISSEY - YOU ARE THE QUARRY
01. America Is Not The World
02. Irish Blood, English Heart
03. I Have Forgiven Jesus
04. Come Back To Camden
05. I'm Not Sorry
06. The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores
07. How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel?
08. First Of The Gang To Die
09. Let Me Kiss You
10. All The Lazy Dykes
11. I Like You
12. You Know I Couldn't Last
I don't know the order of the singles from this album. So I'm just posting them as I listen to them. When you look at all the songs on 'You Are The Quarry', 'Let Me Kiss You' is easily one of the strongest. However, as a single, this particular release leaves a lot to be desired. The version of the title track is the same as the album I believe. The interest in this release is the non-album track 'Don't Make Fun Of Daddy's Voice'. However, it's not a very exciting song. The music is quite upbeat, but unfortunately, it doesn't grab me in a favorable way. It has an offbeat sound, yet I find the tune more irritating than appealing. I think the poetry of the song is great though. It's an interesting tale for sure.
Probably one for more die-hard Morrissey fans than the general consumer. Think about downloading the track rather than buying the disc. My final word: OK.
MORRISSEY - LET ME KISS YOU
01. Let Me Kiss You
02. Don't Make Fun Of Daddy's Voice
These singles are only interesting for the non-album tracks. The versions of the official song are usually edits of album versions; which you most likely already have. This disc is no exception. 'First Of The Gang To Die' is a really great tune. It's the second song that really captures your attention. 'My Life Is A Succession Of People Saying Goodbye' is a sentimental, but lovely tune about people who lose touch over the years, and those we purposefully break with. That longing for those people in your life again... It has an intriguing build and resolves itself beautifully. Certainly worth the effort to locate. Of course these days you can find it online and just download the tune without much effort. And without purchasing the single. Enjoy it. My final word: ENJOYABLE.
MORRISSEY - FIRST OF THE GANG TO DIE
01. First Of The Gang To Die
02. My Life Is A Succession Of People Saying Goodbye
