Prince And The N.P.G. - Diamonds And Pearls

YOURZ

Prince is responsible for writing The Cross, one of my all time favourite songs.  While I don't mind the original version, it is the cover version done by Aussies Died Pretty that blows me away.  And I've only ever seen them do it live.  (You can hear it here)  Still, sometimes great songs need to be covered before you realise how great they are.  But I've always had mixed feelings about Prince.  Some of his songs, as far as I'm concerned, are near genius while others are, well, I'll be polite and say less so.  Way less...

Diamonds And Pearls, unfortunately, falls in the latter realm.  Most of this album, released nearly 20 years ago now, makes me cringe and want to stick my fingers in my ears.  But there are a couple of cool tracks, though, like Gett Off, which is sticky sex turned into music and Cream, which is foreplay put to music.  But then, he has always had a way of being able to turn the sensuous into music.  But the pay off for this is having to put up with the schmaltz as well, something I'm not prepared to do.  Two songs does not make an album, as far as I'm concerned, so, sorry babe, but I'm gonna vote to...

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

MINE

Getting this album out of the drawer just made me angry.  Not because of the CD - it's OK, I guess - but because it revealed to me that for the THIRD time in my life I'm going to have to buy 1999.  Because it's gone, to who knows where.  Did I leave it at a party?  Did I lend it to someone who hasn't returned it?  Whatever the reason, my favourite Prince album is gone - again.  I lost it the first time in the infamous Surry Hills robbery that lost me Neneh Cherry.  And it was replaced pretty soon afterwards, as I recall.  But it's been a while since I dragged it out of the drawer and now it's not there (sob).

But all of this isn't telling you what I think of Diamonds and Pearls.  Prince's sex album.  Really, if you're playing Gett Off to anyone, you better be ready to get at least semi naked and get busy right then and there - that song isn't sexy, it sticks its hand down your pants and makes you jump.  And a lot of the other songs are either about getting it on, or of staring lovingly into someone's eyes.  Hip-hop fans will like Jughead and I generally only enjoy a couple of other tracks - Thunder and Cream.  It's not his best - but I'd vote we also get his greatest hits albums (YourZ sez: sounds good to me), because his Royal Purpleness has done some damn fine work over the years.  Not including movies, I hasten to add.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP if you're in that kind of a mood (wink wink)

For more information: http://www.last.fm/music/Prince (dude doesn't have a site - how cool is that!)

Neneh Cherry - Raw Like Sushi

YOURZ

I have to be very careful here.  Neneh is one of the very few artists Mine loves so much, any bad-mouthing is bound to be met with swift and ultra-violent retribution.  So...

I guess I can say Raw Like Sushi is alright.  I mean, Buffalo Stance is a pretty good song, even if the sounds are very dated.  And there is no doubting her ability to both rap and sing.  Her work with The Gorillaz on their track Kids With Guns is one of the highlights of their second album, Demon Days.

She also is truly a child of the world; her biological father was from Sierra Leone while her mother is Swedish.  Her step-father is Don Cherry, the American-born jazz man.  And she has that kind of earth-mother quality which is just beautiful.

Unfortunately, most of this album is just too 80s dance sounding for me to have any real appreciation of it.  But at least I didn't say it was shit, now did I? (Mine says: Greater love hath no man...)

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

MINE

In the (very) early 90s I was living in an inner-city suburb with its associated high crime rate.  One day I came home and tried to put my key in the door, only for it to fall inwards, revealing the fact that most of my valued possessions were gone.  I had no insurance (never again) and had to spend the next few months re-buying the most vital parts of my CD collection (they ignored the vinyl, much as they'd ignore the CDs these days!)

Raw Like Sushi was the very first CD I re-bought.  Not just because it's a good album, and it is, but because I really needed me some high-end girl power to get through that time.  There are some killer remixes on here, in fact I prefer the alternate mix of Heart to the original.  It's one of the first rap albums I bought, and helps me remember I really prefer the girly rappers.  At least they can sing worth a damn.

Nowadays I look at this and remember just how young I was then, even though I was convinced I was all grown up and sophisticated.  Much as Neneh would, I suppose.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP give me a motherfuckin' break beat!

For more information go to: http://www.nenehcherry.de/

Groove Armada - Lovebox

MINE

Hmmm.... why don't I listen to this more?  Probably because generally when I think Groove Armada, I think Vertigo.  But there's some truly great songs on here, mostly the ones featuring the brittle vocals sampled from Sandy Denny (Fairport Convention).  I love GA's vocal samplings (the Patti Page sample on Vertigo is my song of the album) but Lovebox was perhaps a bit diverse in styling for me at the time it came out.  And that's because you can just put Vertigo on and forget about it, it's really cohesive.

But this has been languishing in the collection for too long, and must come out for some spins around while I've got my groove on.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

There's something infinitely cool about British dance duos.  I don't know what it is and if I did, I probably would be in the sort of enviable position, musically, a lot of these people currently occupy.  And Groove Armada are one of the coolest, without a doubt.

Mine has mentioned Sandy Denny's vocals on Remember, a beautiful chilled number.  But Lovebox features real guest appearances as well as sampled voices. Groove Is On features both rapper Kriminul and Neneh Cherry, while the beautiful soulful voice of Richie Havens takes the lead on Hands Of Time.  On the opener Purple Haze, a guitar-driven piece, rapper Nappy Roots trades off against an unlikely but excellent Status Quo sample.

But the disappointment for me comes with the last quarter of the album, which slips into doofy dance territory and doesn't impress me in the slightest.  In fact, if it weren't for that the other three quarters of this album was so strong, I wouldn't have listened through these tracks.  I can't help wondering why the duo chose to end Lovebox this way, but it's disappointing.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP (until track nine, then change discs)

For further information go to: http://www.groovearmada.com/

In our collection we also have Vertigo and Soundboy Rock

Run-DMC - Raising Hell

YOURZ

Of all the hip hop albums I own, Raising Hell is probably my favourite of them all.  For me, it's as close to perfection as you could hope to get.  Even if you don't like hip hop, listening to this will elevate you.  Its simplicity, its massive rhythms and sharp, shaped MCing, coupled with the biggest crossover hit of its genre in 'Walk This Way' (and doing Aerosmith a huge favour at the same time), guarantee its iconic status.

Having done The Ramones yesterday and following up with this is is a task of sweet, musical pleasure.  Similarly driven and similarly maverick, both bands stood on the edge of their prospective peer groups but ended up showing 'em all what it's really about. Like The Ramones, Run-DMC not only defined the sound but the look and lifestyle as well. 

As much as I liked 'Walk This Way' when I first heard it, this is merely the sugary icing on a very tasty cake. It is tracks like 'It's Tricky', 'Raising Hell' and 'You Be Illin', heavily relying on samples cut with huge beats, that are the real stars of this set.  You can blame these songs for every crap MC trying to rhyme over rock riffs.  The difference is Run-DMC do it right every time.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

It's fun and all, and I do like that this is hip hop done smart.  But just like the Beastie Boys, I prefer their songs dropped into a DJ set. You see, I just can't listen to someone shouting at me, song after song after song.  It literally gives me a headache.

It doesn't help that the hip hop album that's just a short jump away alphabetically is my favourite (and hopefully we'll review this later) Neneh Cherry's Raw Like Sushi.  It's so easy just to take that jump... and the shouting stops.  It's so lovely when it stops!

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

For more information: http://www.rundmc.com/

Gorillaz - Demon Days Special Edition with bonus DVD

MINE

I love this album, I love Gorillaz, I can't wait for the new album, but it does piss me off how these special edition CDs muck up our storage. We have a lovely set of drawers that fit three rows of CDs across beautifully - except when confronted by albums like this. And while Damon Albarn's responsible for yet another of these misfits - our limited-edition copy of Blur's 13 - many others conspire to annoy collectors. I'm looking at you, Radiohead. And you, Nick Cave.

Anyway, back to Demon Days. Inspirational, joyous, musically layered and how about them special guests? Neneh Cherry, Dennis Hopper, Shaun Ryder, Ike Turner... not bad for an animated band. Featuring the vocal stylings of the man who's definitely on my list. You know, THAT list. I can't really write about this album because it just makes me want to listen to it. Or to play our DVD of Demon Days Live which never gets old. I guess I could give you an indication of how much this album has affected our lives by telling you that the "Feels Good" refrain from Feel Good Inc has entered our lexicon for any two-word or two-syllable communication. As in "mustard" or "Yes, dear". You know, it goes "dum, da-da-da DA DA - yes, dear" And if you don't, go out and buy this album. NOW. You won't regret it. I'm off to YouTube the videos.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP (put it on repeat all day)


YOURZ

Let me say it from the outset. Damon Albarn can do no wrong.

If I were any other way inclined, Damon would probably top my ‘To-Do’ list simply because of the sheer musical joy he's provided me over the years. This is how simple it is for me. Forget Lennon, forget Dylan, Springsteen or maybe even Strummer. Damon Albarn can do no wrong.

I’m sure the man, if he heard this statement, would scoff and say it's far from the truth. And maybe it is. But then, maybe it's just the sort of thing someone who really can do no wrong would say. It's cyclic, you see. (And you can also see I’ve thought about this far too much).

I’m not usually given to sweeping statements, but I believe his track record speaks for itself. Not only do you have his first band, Blur, to know how good he is, then there's the brilliant Mali Music, The Good, The Bad & The Queen and the opera Monkey: Journey To The West.

Then there's Gorillaz.

On paper, the idea of a virtual band starring four cartoon characters sounds like it could be an opening for ridicule and worse. In reality, Albarn’s intent was to highlight how manufactured pop music had become and in doing so, introduced the world to smart, genre-hopping music that spearheaded success around the globe on the back of their first album. The irony was delicious. As a result, Gorillaz were awarded an entry in the Guiness Book of World Records for being the Most Successful Virtual Band ever. Yeah, Josie & The Pussycats this ain't.

Demon Days, their second proper album, improved on their winning formula and resulted in even greater success around the globe. The Demon Days Live DVD, a run through of the album from start to finish, and shot over 5 sold-out shows in Manchester, is quite simply one of the best live concert pieces I’ve ever seen.

But then, I guess if you’ve read this far, you’d realise you’re talking to one of the converted and while a Gorillaz record might not be a religious experience, it's damned close.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP, waaaaay up…



For more information: http://www.gorillaz.com/

In our collection, we also have Gorillaz, G-Sides, Laika Come Home and D-Sides as well as the DVDs Phase One: Celebrity Take Down, Demon Days Live and Bananaz