666. Deee-Lite - World Clique (1990)


















Track Listing

1. Good Beat
2. Power Of Love
3. Try Me On...I'm Very You
4. Smile On
5. What Is Love
6. World Clique
7. ESP
8. Groove Is In The Heart
9. Who Was That
10. Deep Ending

Review

Well this is a fun album, it isn't 'high-art' but it is not attempting to be that, it's light, bubbly, fun dance music. There is nothing wrong with that if that is all you are trying to do.

Then the album has a particularly great track in Groove Is In The Heart, their greatest hit and for a very good reason. Deee-Lite mix soul, funk, hip hop and dance music like no one else before but like plenty afterwards.

Does it sound a bit dated? Sure. Is it extremely fun nonetheless? Definitely. Is it great music? Not really, but it isn't bad. It's quirky, a bit brainless and enjoyable, that all you want from dance music anyway.

Track Highlights

1. Groove Is In The Heart
2. Good Beat
3. Who Was That
4. Deep Ending

Final Grade

8/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

Guest artists on the album include Bootsy Collins ("Try Me On... I'm Very You," "Smile On," "Groove is in the Heart," and "Who Was That?"), Q-Tip ("Groove Is in the Heart"), Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker (Try Me On... I'm Very You," "Smile On," "Groove is in the Heart").

Groove Is in the Heart:

665. The Shamen - En-Tact (1990)
















Track Listing

1. Move Any Mountain
2. Human NRG (Massey)
3. Possible Worlds
4. Omega Amigo
5. Evil Is Even [Edit]
6. Hyperreal Orbit
7. Lightspan
8. Make It Mine
9. Oxygen Restriction
10. Hear Me
11. 666 Edit
12. Make It Minimal
13. Hyperreal Selector
14. Lightspan Soundwave
15. Progen 91 (I.R.P. In the Land of Oz)

Review

Yes, well, it is more dance music, but there is a definite 90s feel to this, more so than 808 State. You can tell from the people that compose Shamen what this is more like, with people such as Paul Oakenfold, William Orbit and Orbital there is a more ambient, rather than rave feel to this.

That said it is still pretty much informed by ravey, Ibiza style music, but some songs more than others, this variety also makes the album superior to 808 State, it does not sound as dated as that one, even if it is quite dated itself, like most dance music really.

This isn't necessarily something I want to listen to again, it is very much music of its time, even if there isn't anything particularly wrong with it, It just hasn't stood the test of time that well.

Track Highlights

1. Omaga Amigo
2. Make It Mine
3. Hyperreal Orbit
4. Possible Worlds

Final Grade

7/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

Their third album, En-Tact, was released in 1990, and it spawned the hit singles "Move Any Mountain (Progen '91)", "Hyperreal" and "Make It Mine". Also notable was the appearance of rapper and DJ Mr. C (real name Richard West), as well as incorporation of a female vocal talent, Plavka Lonich - who was intended to become focal point of the group. The transformation into a successful rave act was complete.

Make It Mine:

664. Cocteau Twins - Heaven Or Las Vegas (1990)
















Track Listing

1. Cherry coloured funk
2. Pitch the baby
3. Iceblink luck
4. Fifty fifty clown
5. Heaven or Las Vegas
6. I wear your ring
7. Fotzepolitic
8. Wolf in the breast
9. River road and rail
10. Frou frou foxes in the midsummer fires

Review

Welcome to the 90s! I think we were all getting tired of the 80s, so this is a good thing. Now, this isn't an album that particularly screams 90s, but it also does not scream any other period, the Cocteau Twins' originality makes it something else.

I first got this album some 9 years ago, and I really didn't rate it that much, much preferring Treasure. Now my tastes have clearly changed because I really liked this album. The Twins are going in a more pop direction, instead of being completely otherworldly, and this ends up making a really consistently good album. Less of a hit and miss as Treasure.

Some tracks here are simply heart-achingly beautiful, others are just great, but never mediocre or even just good. The whole thing is a bit too different from most music to be able to be appreciated easily with just one listen through, but 3 or 4 will convert you, so do it.

Track Highlights

1. Frou frou foxes in the midsummer fires
2. Heaven or Las Vegas
3. Cherry coloured funk
4. I wear your ring

Final Grade

10/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

In terms of chart positions, it is the most successful Cocteau Twins album - reaching no.7 in the UK. The album is noteworthy for the musical evolution the band was showing at the time. The lyrics of vocalist Elizabeth Fraser are more intelligible; many of them concern her newborn daughter Lucy Belle. Guitarist Robin Guthrie was experiencing problems with drug addiction, and as a result of his decreased time in the studio, bassist Simon Raymonde's playing is more in the forefront.

Despite 4AD label president Ivo Watts-Russell proclaiming that this LP was one of the best releases ever on his label, he released the Twins from their contract at the end of 1990, as his relationship with the band had soured.

Heaven Or Las Vegas:

663. N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton (1989)

















Track Listing

1. Straight Outta Compton
2. Fuck Tha Police
3. Gangsta Gangsta
4. If It Ain't Ruff
5. Parental Discretion Iz Advised
6. 8 Ball
7. Something Like That
8. Express Yourself
9. Compton's N The House
10. I Ain't Tha 1
11. Dopeman
12. Quiet On Tha Set
13. Something 2 Dance 2

Review

Making a poor copy of Public Enemy and swearing loads in your tracks does not make you great. Write that 100 times on your blackboard NWA. So yes, this is derivative, of both Public Enemy and Beastie Boys, I don't know if I am the only one but I think the move from East to West Coast is the start of bad Rap.

Still there are some good things here, never was a track as openly angry as Fuck Tha Police, and it is a great track. But the birth of Gangsta Rap is really not something I approve of on the whole, yes there are some good albums but the focus shift from social inequality to "bitches and money" seems to be unhelpful to everyone.

And yes, I know NWA claim they were only reflecting reality, but doing it in the first person with no sense of consequence and a great sense of pride seems to be very much like glorifying of violence. Not that I think that "kids are gonna go out and kill people", I don't, but it seems adolescent and immature to me. I am to old for it.

Track Highlights

1. Fuck Tha Police
2. Express Yourself
3. Straight Outta COmpton
4. I Ain't Tha 1

Final Grade

7/10

Trivia

Of course the authorities went about it the wrong way:

From Wikipedia:

Because of the recurring violent and sexual lyrics and profanity, often specifically
directed at governmental organizations such as the LAPD, N.W.A always enjoyed a particular repudiation from U.S. Senators and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This situation persisted over the years with the group's visible head, Eazy-E. One of the reasons for this was the highly controversial track from the album, "Fuck tha Police", which resulted in the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service sending a letter to Ruthless Records informing the label of their displeasure with the song's message, and N.W.A were banned from performing at several venues.

Family Friendly version:

662. Jungle Brothers - Done By The forces Of Nature (1989)
















Track Listing

1. Beyond This World
2. Feeling Alright
3. Sunshine
4. What U Waitin' 4
5. U Make Me Sweat
6. Acknowledge Your Own History
7. Belly Dancin' Dina
8. Good Newz Comin'
9. Done By The Forces Of Nature
10. Beeds On A String
11. Tribe Vibes
12. J Beez Comin' Through
13. Black Woman
14. In Dayz 2 Come
15. Doin' Our Own Dang
16. Kool Accordin' 2 A Jungle Brother

Review

The Jungle Brothers are a part of the same collective as De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest and Queen Latifah, and you can tell. Still the three artists maintain quite different sounds while sharing influences, as a collective should. These guys are pretty cool.

There is a different in outlook from De La Soul, this album is much more focused on Afrocentric politics rather than squirrels, but it really belongs next to Three Feet High and Rising as a great 1989 alternative rap album.

The Jungle Brothers use a huge number of samples, and uncharacteristically take a lot from Jazz and World Music giving the album a different flavour and giving the band a particular originality. So, yeah, pretty great.


Track Highlights

1. Tribe Vibes
2. Doing Our Own Dang
3. Black Woman
4. Done By The Forces Of Nature

Final Grade

9/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

Rolling Stone gave the album four stars, claiming that the Jungle Brothers "don't lose a shred of their deftness by quoting the Bible, bad-mouthing drugs or espousing vegetarianism. Their joyously Afrocentric message comes through loud and proud – their idea of heaven is a two-month paid vacation in the motherland." The Face, New Musical Express, and the Village Voice all placed Done by the Forces of Nature on their best-of list for the year more awards and details. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source Magazine's 100 Best Rap Albums.

Doing Our Own Dang: