A-HA - HUNTING HIGH AND LOW

This is the debut album of 80's pop icons, A-Ha. You get the impression they started off with the idea of conquering the world. As with many Scandinavian acts, A-Ha sang in English. And because it's not their native language, sometimes the lyrics seem odd or strange. Like the first single from the album, 'Take On Me'... It's a play on words from the more accepted slang, "Take me on..." or more appropriately, "I'll take you on..." Still they found a way to make sense even in their odd phrasing and audiences around the world embraced the band. State of the art videos helped fuel the group's success on MTV. In fact, the year 'Take On Me' was released, the video swept the MTV Music Awards in almost every category it was nominated. I think it won something like five. That same year, "The Sun Always Shines On T.V." also won some awards.

This record was surprisingly complex and interesting in more ways than one. Usually with synthesizer bands of this period you could categorize them in a couple ways... There was one musician who was trained and knew what they were doing or a band member who had a distinct ear for sound... A-Ha seem to have both. There's a hint of classical composition in certain songs and an innate feel for electronic sound. It's on par with or better than most of the synth groups of the time. But the distinct power of A-Ha is probably Morten Harkett's vocals. Morten has a resonating soulful voice. In one instance he can sound like a Vienna Choirboy singing sweetly in angelic tones too high for human ears and in the next, he can deliver a powerful soul stirring bombardment of orchestral proportions. It's the juxtaposition of his delivery that sets the group apart and gives them such an unparalleled sound. He emotes his lyrics.

There's a lot of ambitious swelling on this album. Songs with big, big natural progressions. For this kind of music, that's a rare quality. The only fault I can find with this record is the English translation of certain lyrics. I realize at the time if you wanted to be successful in countries worldwide you basically had to sing in English. But that's not the case anymore and it's a shame A-Ha didn't sing in their native tongue. It would've been nice to hear it.

Ok, I've gone on enough. Although I like certain songs on this record more than others, for the most part, the entire disc is enjoyable from start to finish. It's worth picking up and certainly a great addition to any collection. My final words: AN EXCITING START FOR AN OVERLOOKED BAND.

A-HA - HUNTING HIGH AND LOW
01. Take On Me
02. Train Of Thought
03. Hunting High And Low
04. The Blue Sky
05. Living A Boy's Adventure Tale
06. The Sun Always Shines On T.V.
07. And You Tell Me
08. Love Is Reason
09. I Dream Myself Alive
10. Here I Stand And Face The Rain

BLONDIE - THE BEST OF BLONDIE

I used to think Blondie was an 80's band until I discovered they actually started in the 70's. Of course their biggest success occurred in the 80's. They topped the charts in the early 80's and Deborah Harry became an 80's icon of superstar proportions. I loved many of their songs. I used to watch an all night video show called "Night Flight" or something like that and I remember seeing the video for 'Rapture'. It was awesome! I also remember seeing the band perform on Saturday Night Live at some point.

Anyway, Blondie was one of the first groups I ever knew and although I liked what I heard, it wasn't anything I owned. I bought this CD at a used shop in Vegas back in the 90's. I saw it and thought to myself, "You know... Isn't it time you actually had some of those songs?" I liked them, could sing along with them and there was no reason not to have them.

I bought the CD and I've never regretted that decision. I absolutely love the disc. There are certain songs that make me wonder if I'd be a huge Blondie fan outside of their more commercially viable material, so I'm kinda glad I've limited my exposure to these classics. I'm sure Blondie fans the world over would hang me for heresy for saying that, but as a casual listener it's better to stick with what's already popular than to jump into the deep end.

This collection has my all time favorite Blondie track on it. 'The Tide Is High' is a wonderful number written by John Holt for a band called The Paragons. Some of my other favorites include 'Heart Of Glass', 'Dreaming', 'Hanging On The Telephone', 'One Way Or Another', 'Call Me' and of course 'Rapture'. This is a wonderful collection because it really does highlight the best parts of this band and what made them so interesting and unique. Even the 50's quality tunes from their 70's releases are satisfying and fun to hear. This is probably one of my all time favorite best of compilations. My final words: DEFINITELY BEST OF!

BLONDIE - THE BEST OF BLONDIE
01. Heart Of Glass
02. Dreaming
03. The Tide Is High
04. In The Flesh
05. Sunday Girl
06. Hanging On The Telephone
07. Rapture
08. One Way Or Another
09. (I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear
10. Call Me (Theme From American Gigolo)
11. Atomic
12. Rip Her To Shreds

BETH ORTON - DAYBREAKER

Beth Orton came into my field of vision through The Chemical Brothers. They collaborated with her on a couple songs. She always had an interesting voice, but her tone and delivery are so subtle it never really caught my attention. I finally saw her perform on the television show Charmed and that was what really caught my attention. Her performance was so stoic and simple. She came across unassuming and completely lacking the pretentious flash and glamour of a rock star. In that shiny moment, I realized she was something completely different.

Orton's approach to this record is much like the cover photo... It's real and genuine, yet looks so much like a watercolor painting you catch yourself second guessing and taking another look. The music is beautiful, passionate and full while at the same time coming across like something non-committal. She leaves you almost wondering what comes next. 'Paris Train' is the opening track. Between the flowing, yet dismal pace of the song, you catch a glimpse of something Orton is setting you up to discover. She narrates her songs as much as sings them. There's a story happening here. The most beautiful line is, "I see right through the scenery". That line to me is perfect for how one views the world outside a train window. It slips past you so quickly it seems surreal. The follow-up number 'Concrete Sky' features Ryan Adams on vocals. It's a ballad but the combination of the two singers make it a compelling number. I really enjoy this number. 'Mount Washington' is an odd number but it has a wonderful chorus that redeems it. 'Anywhere' has a 70's soul feel to it. Orton sings it with sincerity and delivers a lovely performance once again, salvaging a potential stinker of a number and making it sweet. 'Daybreaker' is the odd man out on this record. It sounds more like something The Chemical Brothers would do for her than something Beth would choose for herself.

'Carmella' is the first truly infectious song of the album. The guitar strums in and Beth starts singing in falsetto before the meat of the verse kicks in. She gives it a driving stare and it transforms into something truly amazing. 'God Song' features a duet with Emmylou Harris and Ryan Adams appears again offering some background support. It's a down home kinda song, but it's lovely at the same time. Orton proves even as an British pop singer, she can hold her own with American superstars of country music. The next song is actually written by Ryan Adams for Beth. It's called 'This One's Gonna Bruise' and it's magnificent. That's almost an unfair statement when you consider how much I normally love Ryan and his material. But Orton takes the number and makes it her own without sacrificing the integrity of the music.

'Ted's Waltz' is another minor keyed number that's off center and strange right up until Orton's light voice caresses the music and gives it some heart. She transforms a lackluster number into something truly beautiful. The last cut, 'Thinking About Tomorrow' is one of my favorite songs of hers ever. I love the chorus, "This habit's so hard to break but it's easy to make..." Truly insightful and wonderful.

Beth is on my radar and I'm following her work now. Loving what I'm hearing and really getting into her. She's brilliant. My final words: PEACEFUL SERENITY.

BETH ORTON - DAYBREAKER
01. Paris Train
02. Concrete Sky
03. Mount Washington
04. Anywhere
05. Daybreaker
06. Carmella
07. God Song
08. This One's Gonna Bruise
09. Ted's Waltz
10. Thinking About Tomorrow

JANELLE MONAE - THE ARCHANDROID (SUITES II AND III)

I discovered Janelle Monae through a friend who recommended I listen to this CD and made me a copy. This is where record companies (at least in my case) make huge mistakes. When I really like something I buy it. Even if I already have a burned or ripped copy. And I loved this disc. Absolutely loved it. It's the most exciting new music I've heard in ages! I had no visual image of Monae when I heard the record, nor did I expect anything other than it was supposed to be funky. The CD starts off with a orchestral bit basically giving you the impression you're watching the opening credits of some movie. 'Suite II Overture' is interesting but also kinda lame. Still, it sets up the format Monae is trying to achieve with her narrative and to be honest, I'd much rather have interspersed segues like this than some of the more popular segues you see in Hip Hop/R&B music these days.

'Dance Or Die' kicks in with a great beat and Janelle singing in the background before the main vocal comes in. She raps this one; which recalls to mind Lauryn Hill's combination of various styles. It's a fantastic song you can really belt out at the top of your voice right along with the track and segues flawlessly into 'Faster'! Once again, a great beat keeps the momentum moving along. 'Faster' has a swing beat happening with Janelle singing in her beautiful voice over the top. Another segue takes us into 'Locked Inside' where the beat skips and slows somewhat but also continues the forward movement of these first numbers. In combination, they are utterly flawless in flow. They move between each other like mercury. I haven't heard an opening salvo like this in ages. Prince used to pull these 1, 2, 3 punches at the start of his records, but it's been a long time since those days. Very strong opening.

And then we come to the first ballad. I complain endlessly about the futility of balladry. I think it's the most overused, generic form of songwriting ever. So many people write ballads they intend to be deep and end up with dribble. It's just too unpredictable. However, Monae seems to get that idea. 'Sir Greendown' starts off sounding oddly like 'Moon River'. Before I go any further let me discuss the theme of this record for a second... This is a concept album. In fact, her previous record was the actual beginning of this story. It's about an android who falls in love with a human and how in that society, it's an illegal relationship. The songs supposedly detail their experience and the human man is named Sir Greendown. Whether or not this narrative is effective is kinda pointless as I don't listen to these songs with the plot in mind. 'Sir Greendown' is a lovely piece that lyrically means nothing to me as I listen to it, but the melody is soothing and the vocal delivery is also interesting. It's an excellent piece to sing along to. After the mellow vibe of 'Sir Greendown', 'Cold War' is like a punch in the gut. It comes with such force and an almost punk beat. It's a strong number, but the followup track, 'Tightrope' is the real kicker here. This number is the single from the record and whoever picked it to lead off the record's singles was an absolute genius. It comes on strong and pushes the beat forward with some incredibly strong vocalizations by Monae. A classic tune without a doubt. 'Neon Gumbo' is a segue leading into 'Oh, Maker'; which is another ballad. This one is also superior and another hit ballad-wise. It's followed by a 60s style screamer, 'Come Alive (The War Of The Roses)'. This number is still exciting, but has a frantic edge I'm not entirely comfortable with. The first suite ends with another ballad called 'Mushrooms & Roses'. This psychedelic ballad relies heavily on distortion to accentuate the music and Monae distorts her voice quite a lot as well. The movements are separated into suites; which I'm not entirely sure as to why. I am certain, if they ever made a movie from this record, it would make more sense.

The second movement or suite starts with 'Suite III Overture'; which is another orchestral piece this one incorporating bits from other songs. 'Neon Valley Street' is the first legitimate song and is based on the coda from 'Suite III Overture'. This is easily my favorite ballad on the album. I love the imagery she conjures on the chorus of this brilliant tune. Especially the line, "I'm holding your hand"... There's innocence, expression and sweetness all wrapped up in sincerity... It knocks me out. The first time I heard 'Make The Bus', I thought it was completely bizarre, but interesting. As time goes on, it's actually become the one track I feel is out of place on this collection. I like the last minute of the song but the build is so uncertain and changing I'm constantly left wondering what's the point. Not surprisingly, I found out after I bought the CD this is the only track not written by Monae. It's followed up by 'Wondaland'. This song could really be my favorite tune on the record. There's pop sensibility in this number. It kinda embraces that whole Britney Spears sound with the vocal distortion, but it's the lyrics and the vocal delivery that make it so infectious. It's simply wonderful. '57821' is another ballad that sounds somewhat like Simon & Garfunkel's 'Scarborough Fair'. There are also elements of choral music in the vocal arrangements. 'Say You'll Go' is another ballad and this one actually starts out sounding like something Prince would have written for "Emancipation". It's another song that's very delicate and beautiful. I actually like the ballads Monae has written for this record. She's very talented with this kind of music. The final number on this cd is 'BabopbyeYa'. It sounds like a jazz number from some sweeping 1940's Hollywood blockbuster film. It's a wonderful end to an epic album and I'm completely pleased and thrilled with it.

Janelle Monae is a new name and she's exciting, versatile and interesting. She combines all kinds of musical genre to create a full, rich, mature sound even if the concept of the record is somewhat juvenile. There's something for everyone here and for those who like a well rounded musical buffet, this is a literal smorgasbord. Pump it while driving, lay back and listen to the ballads or just groove all the way through playing it in the background. It will inspire, uplift and generally turn you on your ear. It's exciting and I can't wait to hear more from this interesting woman. My final words: UNEXPECTED DELICIOUSNESS!

JANELLE MONAE - THE ARCHANDROID (SUITES II AND III)
01. Suite II Overture
02. Dance Or Die (Featuring Saul Williams)
03. Faster
04. Locked Inside
05. Sir Greendown
06. Cold War
07. Tightrope (Featuring Big Boi)
08. Neon Gumbo
09. Oh, Maker
10. Come Alive (The War Of The Roses)
11. Mushrooms & Roses
12. Suite III Overture
13. Neon Valley Street
14. Make The Bus (Featuring Of Montreal)
15. Wondaland
16. 57821 (Featuring Deep Cotton)
17. Say You'll Go
18. BabopbyeYa

ALEXANDER O'NEAL - THE BEST OF ALEXANDER O'NEAL

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

SCRITTI POLITTI - PROVISION

Scritti Politti are a British band from the 80's formed and led by lead singer and songwriter, Green Gartside. He's an interesting guy for a number of reasons, but I find the Scritti Politti material I'm really drawn to are the albums featuring David Gamson. Gamson is an American keyboardist who's distinctive sound really defined Green's songs during their most popular period. Gamson later went on to work with other artists I'm really into. Like Me'Shell Ndegeocello and Tony LeMans.

I discovered Scritti Politti through a British magazine called Smash Hits. I used to buy it because it was the only place you could find information on many of the British New Wave bands during the 80's. Scritti Politti kept coming up over and over. I finally saw "Cupid & Psyche '85" in a bargain bin and picked it up. I was completely blown away by the sheer ecstatic happiness of the music and became a big fan.

On "Provision", the boys from Scritti continue the pop fun with excellent arrangements, Green's choirboy vocals and catchy hooks Stock, Aitken & Waterman would kill for. In fact, if I wanted to be cynical, I'd compare the production on any Scritti Politti record with SAW. The big difference is the more passionate lyric content and the hooks are spread out nicely. Sure there's a couple pieces of filler material, but more great tracks overall. That's not the case with SAW. 'Boom! There She Was' is a typical track. It's got a great beat, exciting lyrics and starts the album off with a dynamic punch. The momentum is building, and the rest of the record is set up nicely. There's a mix of the tune as the final track on the cd that's essentially an extended instrumental. It's also fun and ends the record on a positive high note. The band immediately moves into 'Overnite'; which is the first ballad of the disc. Normally, I'm not a huge fan of ballads, unless I find something truly interesting about them. Gamson uses light bell and chime sounds in his arranging and Green's high pitched voice make ballads a delicious sensation rather than a drudgery. Somehow, they write slow tunes that segue perfectly from the faster tunes. They compliment each other and flow nicely in sequence. Although 'Overnite' is an unremarkable tune in many ways, it's enjoyable when you listen to the disc as a whole. 'First Boy In This Town (Lovesick)' is a tune that really reminds of the SAW production formula. Mainly because of the way the background vocals are arranged. It features a 50's style girl group singing backup. The tune also speeds up the pace from 'Overnite'. It's followed up by 'All That We Are' another pop number. It starts slowly, but quickly picks up when the keyboards start to punctuate the rhythm. It's the play between the urgent synth and the drums that really sets this song apart from previous numbers on the record.

'Best Thing Ever' is probably one of my favorite numbers from this release. It's got a wonderful beat and just floats from the speakers with a natural flow. It follows the formula of an older Motown tune, but Green really delivers the goods. Again, the 50's girl band appear to back him up. The next ballad shows up as 'Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy)'. This number is really exceptional for a number of reasons. Green really pushes his vocal range on this number. It's got an interesting narrative and also shows up later on the disc in an extended version. It's the second track to get a remix on the end of the record. 'Bam Salute' shows another side of Scritti Politti that I've always enjoyed... They've always mixed a reggae rhythm section to certain songs and this one demonstrates that amazing blend while picking the pace up again. 'Sugar And Spice' relies heavily on a minor chord organ motif to really move the song along and it's very effective. That same organ sound shows up again on 'Philosophy Now'. If this were the actual last song on the record, it'd be a nice way to fade out. It's happy pop and very typical for the band.

So in the end, I have to say, compared to the other two records Gamson is on, both "Cupid & Psyche '85" and "Adonis And Bonhomie", "Provision" is the least of the records. It's still excellent by pop standards and enjoyable to listen to. But it lacks the breakout hits of the previous and subsequent efforts. I still enjoy it and I'm glad I own it. My final words: NOT THE GREATEST, BUT DARN NEAR.

SCRITTI POLITTI - PROVISION
01. Boom! There She Was
02. Overnite
03. First Boy In This Town (Lovesick)
04. All That We Are
05. Best Thing Ever
06. Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy)
07. Bam Salute
08. Sugar And Spice
09. Philosophy Now
10. Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy) (Extended)
11. Boom! There She Was (Dub)

PRINCE - FOR YOU

I'm pretty sure I've detailed my exposure to Prince in another post. How I came to really love and appreciate his work. Even though "For You" is Prince's first record, it's actually about the 5th or 6th for me. In fact, I think it was the last of his back catalog I purchased while catching up with him. When I was younger, I thought the further back you went, the crappier Prince's music got. I was so deeply connected to the sound of "Purple Rain" and "1999". Anything that didn't fit nicely into that sound was crap to me. However, since Prince was the only artist I knew of who was creating this music, I bought the older material and gave it a chance.

I think I have a unique perspective on the record. For me, it essentially followed the bigger hit records. And comparatively speaking, it isn't nearly as incredible as his later work. At the same time, I've had many, many years to listen to this work and invest in it on different levels. When you look at it like that, it shouldn't surprise you to learn I've grown to love this record. As I've discovered Prince through the years, I've developed an ear for his composition and his musicianship. I can listen to music and have a basic idea of when it was written and I can place it in his musical development. It's fascinating to listen to this earlier work and see how he evolves. I'm not sure there's ever been an artist you could so minutely trace their progression as much as Prince.

As much as I love the music here, I'm missing something. And it's the same thing I miss with most popular music. There's a strong heterosexual vibe on this record that I can't relate to. I'll go more in depth about that as I discuss the songs. But that barrier often prevents me from enjoying Prince's music as fully as I'd like.

'For You' is the title track and is basically a multi-layered vocal track with Prince singing the same lines over and over in different keys. The choral quality of the tune is rather pretty. And oddly prophetic. The simple lyrics are:
"All of this and more is for you.
With love, sincerity and deepest care,
My life with you I share."
Who knew at the time how much of my life I would share with Prince. And he with me and millions of fans worldwide. 'In Love' is the next song and I like it, but it always seems a bit murky to me. I've never quite related to the lyrics and when you consider lines like:
"I really wanna play in your river"...
it's not hard to understand why. This is a song so steeply based on heterosexual relationships, a gay kid like me could never fully appreciate the content. Same thing with 'Soft And Wet'. The one thing this track offers that 'In Love' doesn't is a more interesting musical arrangement. It's got a lot of quick starts and stops, but also interesting keyboard motifs happening. This song is one that really showcases Prince's ability to use his voice as an additional instrument to heighten arrangements. As he progressed, this became more normal and anticipated; but here is the first time you really see him blending his voice in innovative ways.

'Crazy You' is one of my favorite tracks on the record. I love the acoustic arrangement, the meandering beat and the desperate narrative delivered in a calm and somewhat sad voice. 'Just As Long As We're Together' is actually a track made from two separate songs. The instrumental bridge is a song Prince wrote called 'Jelly Jam'. It's shortened a bit, but it's an interesting combination. 'Baby' is another song I quite like, but don't really relate to. The song is basically about a guy finding out his girlfriend is pregnant and the song is his response to her news. Not in the sense I don't want to be a father or have kids. More from the standpoint of the relationship between the man and the woman.

'My Love Is Forever' is one of the faster paced songs on the record and is another one I really love. This album is loaded with more mid-tempo and slow material than faster stuff. But it should be noted it's also showcasing Prince as a song writer and musician. I think it would have been a stronger record if he'd focused on music he'd already demonstrated a mastery of rather than moving so broadly all over the board. 'So Blue' is another ballad based heavily on the accompaniment of acoustic guitar and discusses the sadness of losing a love. It's another track I love. The closing number on this record is 'I'm Yours'; which is essentially a rock and roll number with distorted electric guitar.

The majority of this music is performed by Prince in a falsetto voice. He's always said this was his natural singing voice. As a vocalist, I think Prince is great because he can use his voice as an instrument. His speaking voice is rather plain, but his singing voice is highly expressive. He can sound beautiful or ugly depending on the emotional context of the lyric. I have a great appreciation for vocalists of this nature.

As I've come to understand music more and more, I've started to see "For You" in the context of the music of the time and the artists who inspired Prince. It's quality is very similar to the singer/songwriters of that period, like Carole King, Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond and Joni Mitchell. Prince obviously admired these people and his approach to this record reflects a need to demonstrate his kinship to them. It is a showcase record more than a true debut. It attempts social commentary on 'Baby' as teenage pregnancy was becoming more common and less of a taboo. Still, underage sex and unwanted pregnancy were huge topics of concern back then. Less so today.

It hasn't stood the test of time as well as other Prince recordings, but I still find the music enjoyable and fun to listen to. Give it a chance if you're so inclined. My final words: SHOWCASE RECORD ON THE CUSP OF GREATNESS.

PRINCE - FOR YOU
01. For You
02. In Love
03. Soft And Wet
04. Crazy You
05. Just As Long As We're Together
06. Baby
07. My Love Is Forever
08. So Blue
09. I'm Yours