The following is an alphbetical arrangement of the records listened to and reviewed for URB Magazine back in 1991 by Stuart Coleman. Some were published by Raymond Roker at that time. Some were not. That's what editors do. The complete archive is being presented for entertainment purposes only. Some are funny, some suck, and some are right on.
Anthrax
"Bring the Noise" CD single, IslandWith the opening double bass drum kicks and dueling guitars you can tell this is no ordinary rap song. Turn it up and bring on the noise cuz' Anthrax is shredding some fresh live groove on the Public Enemy classic "Bring the Noise" .
While many music pundits argue that heavy metal and rap are the illegitimate offspring of pop music, this collaboration forges a synthesis that is both heavy and danceable, with a sensibility that even Stravinsky could enjoy.
Few could forget the 1986 Run-DMC cover of Aerosmith's Walk this Way which went to #4 on Billboard's pop single chart. Considering that single helped propel Run-DMC's album to triple platinum status it is surprising that there have been few rap-metal syntheses since then. What is not surprising is that P.E. and Anthrax have teamed together, considering their musical admiration for each other. In the original Bring the Noise, Chuck D raps, "Beat is for Eric B and LL as well, hell, wax is for Anthrax, still it can rock bells"
On this single, Chuck D raps the first two verses while the the vocal chores are headed by Anthrax's Scott Ian on the second two. With the crunching metal assault on the beat, the effect is an over the top, through your gut bodywarp into headbanging hip-hop land.
Public Enemy `s Chuck D and Flavor Flav teamed with Anthrax to shoot a video in Chicago on June 10, during a break in Anthrax's Clash of the Titans tour of America.
While one could hope this opens the door to greater understanding between metalheads and hip-hoppers, the true test of understanding is still on the street. I guess we'll have to wait until August 5 to see if Public Enemy get down with gloom meisters, Sisters of Mercy. Perhaps a rap version of Floodland?
"Bring the Noise" is the first single from the Anthrax Island records release, "Attack of the Killer B's". Turn it up. (MC SC)
Arthur Baker & The Backbeat Disciples
"Give in to the Rhythm", RCA Records/BMGSo there's this barbecue see, Arthur Baker has a few friends over for cocktails and canapes. So he says he has a bunch of rhythm tracks and a few ideas for some basslines. So anyway, this is a sort of seventies disco revival party but it's really cool. Al Green lays down a message in, "Leave the Guns at Home" and Leee John lays down some sultry come-hither syrupy soul in "C'mon, C'mon". Then it's a wild disco track with one of those super drum lines that gets the whole party dancing and playing percussion when you start to wonder how many tracks can Arthur Baker produce on? Quick, what color is your mood ring right now? Well, they're going almost psychedelic at this party. Hey, do the Hustle-three-four. Fresh drinks everyone, it's time for overdubs. And being a seventies party they stay up all night and record their classic party record with the production overblown to maximum party funkiness. So the next day, they wake to find an album that runs the gamut of dance from disco to house and acid to soul. Messages? Hey, they we're just having fun. Arthur Baker knows how to orchestrate a party record. (MC SC)
The Brand New Heavies
Never Stop 12" remixes, Delicious VinylSometimes , seven mixes of the same song can wear down a man's patience but with this collection, I didn't have to stop. Still, as smooth as the groove is, the words, "Never Stop, never give it up" and the associated hopes of long-term love get a little hokey after a while.
Featuring smooth vocals from N'dea Davenport, the tracks feature the sultry, jazzy soul we've come to expect from the new media darlings, Brand New Heavies (Did you see their page in Vanity Fair?) Not to be confused with the Front 242 song by the same name, these remixes provide a pleasant backdrop for an evening of romance or slow dancing. (MC SC)
Ce Ce Peniston
Finally 12", A&M RecordsFinally? Gee I've never heard a house track with a rap break in the middle before. How do they get all those people to clap at the same time on the rhythm track? "Mr. Right, The man of my dreams, the one who showed me true love, or least it seems." It's a nice sentiment, sure, finding that special person, the one you can love, if only for a night. Okay sure, tasty work from Felipe Delgado and David Morales and singer Ce Ce can belt out a chorus. This tune is already gaining its rightful place on the top 40 radio stations. Can I have this dance please, I want to show you how well I move vertically before we get down to the bedroom action. What, I don't have cocoa brown skin and curly black hair? I guess I'm not the one one for this girl but if you qualify, the line forms outside the undressing room. But watch out, Ce Ce's last name sounds like a 2000 pound cock. (MC SC)
Chubb Rock
"The One", Select RecordsChub-a-dub , word-a-dub, chub-a-dub, rock. The Chubbster is more than "the one", he's several. But the Chubb is a self-made man and wants to make himself bigger, richer, better. He is a nimble pronunciator with good diction and has the vernacular and imagination to tell an entertaining story. Big heavy bass and powerful kickin' rhythms make it powerful enough to crank through the chariot's sub-woofers. So a girl did the Vanessa Del Rio on him? I'm sure that this is just the half of it for this big lovable word-up kind of guy. Okay, so there's a touch of the islands here and lots of friendly bragging. The Chubbster is down on drugs, guns and dissin' but if it's girls he's kissin, this man's on a mission. So make way for the Chubbster. It's time for understanding our neighbors and demanding unity and equality for all. But save a little extra for the One. He deserves it. (MC SC)
Cut`N'Move
Get Serious, Sony Music EntertainmnetWriter/producers Jern K and Per Holm lay down that funky music for rapper MC Zipp and female vocalist Thera for the Danish rap/dance quartet that is Cut`N'Move. Boy, they rap just like cute little kids on Star Search, you'd hardly know they are Danish. But let's not forget the obligatory blends of house, jazz and r&b hooks that are the mainstay of new pop product
Has CBS Records gone bonkers since Akio Morita made the once venerable label part of the Sony entertainment empire? First tens of millions for a recluse dancer with an identity crisis and now this `Get Serious' indeed. (MC SC)
D'bora
E.S.P., Smash/Polygram RecordsMoney can't buy love but it can buy slick producers and engineers. Money can't create talent but it can buy well arranged songs and studio time. D'bora sings well on these 10 tracks, covering themes of love and affection with titles like "Love Desire," "With You," "Good Love," "Where Can He Be?" I'm sure you're starting to get the picture. The sound is urban contemporary disco with the sultry vocals, painting pictures of love lost, love unrequited and love found. 12 songwriters combine with 8 producers to create a record that is as placid as it is disposable. "With You" and "Keep on Givin Lovin" are the strongest of the litter along with "Dream About You" also available in 12" remixes. While this collection is sure to find favor among those who enjoy overproduced love opuses while knocking back a Remy and coke, I'll take my brandy straight and original. (MC SC)
Danny Madden
These are the Facts of Life, Giant/Warner Bros. RecordsIt's records like this that make me think I'm serving a penance until I get on the Wax Trax mailing list. Whoa, Oahh, Whoa, let's get busy. Granted, Danny has a fine, no, a great voice, and it deserves to be recorded and played and sold to an appreciative audience. Mr. Madden is a fine songwriter with good concepts about love, peace, unity, caring and hope. The music is a funky soul that serves as a backdrop for his operatic tenor. Expect to find these tracks, most certainly the title track, creeping up on dance stations for their latenight romance music slots. Lot's of groovy cool production tricks here from the like of Dancin' Danny D, Dave Morales, Carl McIntosh, and Simon Law. If you're looking for sweet strings, layered background vocals and a candlelight dinner with that special sister, this might be your snifter of tea. (MC SC)
The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy
Television, The Drug Of A Nation 12" remixes, 4th & B'Way/Island RecordsAnother hip-hop act with the KXLU seal of approval (airplay) and I concur. I think Ray gave me this to review because I had done without a television for six months until I won a color remote model at my company picnic. So even if I am watching Jeopardy again, I would gladly trade it toward some MIDI equipment. Michael Franti and Rono Tse spin the bleak truth about the damaging effects of television on America in this tell-it-like-it-is slick groove on top of a slithery drum track. While the rhyme may be lacking, there's no misunderstanding the verbiage here. Corporate America has very few redeeming qualities: exploitation, oppression, deception and profit manipulation. Television is the the mind control drug of the corporate/government power brokers and they wield it with a vengeance. Public broadcasting exists only because of the largesse of multi-national corporations trying to whitewash their image. While this slab doesn't have that funky dancefloor boogie till you're stupid appeal, it is an important song and one that should be heard. Take the TV stations hostage and play this again and again until people shut off their boxes and get busy. (MC SC)
Eek-a-Mouse
U-Neek, Island RecordsSlide a little rap production into the the semi-dub-nonsense style of Jamaica's flamboyant singer and emerge with a pleasant sometimes romantic and sometimes cynical view of the world. After years of playing the college circuits and regional reggae shows, this first major label release gained a lot of attention for the cartoonishly flavored cover of Led Zeppelin's "Dyer Maker." But this record is more than his trademark silliness, as evidenced by his love songs, "You're the Only One I Need," "Love Me" and "So Fine."
The hip-hop style gets some encouragement form songs like "Gangster Chronicles," and "So Fine." paving the way for well deserved radio crossover. "Border Patrol" slings back into the heavy reggae mood with a story of the singers problems with immigration when he comes to the country. Eek-A-Mouse paints good stories and few are as amusing in the braggart style as "No Problem," where he pines about being rich, ruling and and living the good life. He want to be the ruler of countries so that he can fix the world's problems. I don't see no problem with that, and I don't see any problem with this album. "U-Neek" is a pleasant mix of reggae styles with good stories and an amusing delivery. Let the bass kick. (MC SC)
Fun Foundation
"Masterplan-12" Remixes" , Pendulum/Elektra RecordsWith their multi colored 70's retro image and campy name, one hopes for a musical/style innovator, but insteads finds three singers in a producer's concept band.
Slick production and studio-smoothed vocals make for an easy-beat soul/rap project, but the product falls short of breaking new ground. While producer Rainer Preuss and a handful of musician/programmers have produced a clean and varied collection of Euro and urban dance sounds, it is an overtly commercial product. Singing is handled by James Readon, with Andrea Barker and Erin Lordan, former singers with Starlight Express (Remember the roller-skating musical?)
While the message is primarily aimed at making the body move, the words in "Masterplan" call for unity before the Lord and individual empowerment:
"Crush down the power of Satan and his way he taught
Lying, cryin, cheatin and dyin, that's just the way it is.I ain't lying
Throw down the guns and shoot with the Word
If You Don't, troubleWord!!!
(Chorus) People get ready, it's a masterplan, Doing the best that you can"
More pentacostal than baptist, this slab should do well on the dance charts but won't win the hearts of purists. (MC SC)
Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch
Music for The People, Interscope RecordsIf the best part about reviewing records is trading them in for better ones at the CD exchange, the worst part is listening to drivel like this. This sounds like NKOTB with a bad attitude. Hold on! It's Is! Marky Mark, founding member with with current New Kid and brother, Donnie Wahlberg producing. They've made a record with big fat beats and heavy production but, I probably find more humour in this record than Marky Mark intended. Listening to the bad-ass rhymes and his constant self assertion as a serious rapper is giggle and groan material. Sure, he tackles the real life problems of drugs, gangs, crime and the other afflictions that go along with under-education but the effect is more white bread rap. Revamping the Lou Reed classic "Walk on the Wild Side" with updated Boston lyrics deserves bamboo splints under the fingernails. Word! Word this sucker, if this is music for the people, include me out.
Material
The Third Power, Axiom/Island RecordsOkay, where's the Remy? It's time for party and it's going to be filled with classy respectable musicians. On vocals alone, you've got the Jungle Brothers, Jalaluddin Mansur Nuriddin, Shabba Ranks, Bootsy Collins, Gary Shider, Gary Mudbone Cooper, and Jenny Peters. Throw in Sly and Robbie on the rhythm section and get Herbie Hancock and Bernie Worrell to tickle the ivories. Conduct some live brass, string, and horn sections and Voila! Bill Laswell has produced the all-star celebrity jam record with the eye of horus seal of approval. The music runs from the spaghetti reggae of "Reality" with Ennio Morricone's help to the jazzy electro funk instrumental of "Drive-By". Nothing bites too hard here but, the fat bass and smooth jazzy production make for a kinda groovy record for the CD changer. (MC SC)
Momma Stud
Cockadoodledo, ViirginThe silly name aside, you mix it up and what do you get? Cock-a-doodle-do, Yeah. Blues and funk and gospel and rock in a spin cycle to produce a soulful exercise in derivation. But this freshman release is more than what sounds like Sam and Dave b-sides isn't it?
"Stormy" highlights the production talents of ex P-Funker Bernie Worrell with it's horns, layered vocals and smooth, crescending groove. This song probably best represents the bluesy societal angst that plagues this quintet. Kudos to to singer Saroyan Ernest Carter for his range and emotion.
If you loved "The Big Chill" soundtrack, you will find lots to enjoy here. I'll stick to the big beat and a fuzzbox, Oh lord yeah, wooo woo. (MC SC)
Resident Alien
It Takes a Nation of Suckers To Let Us In, DewDooMan/ColumbiaBringing more good-humored hip-hop from Strong Island, these two Jamaicans and an Antiguan mix up reggae and hip-hop in a record that is very listenable. Charting lyrics through domestice violence, machismo, food and your mama, Double B, Mr. Bugg and Dragon lay down rhymes that will hook your ear and crack a smile.
Fezzes off to producer Prince Paul for his creative mixing and sampling. The songs establish their own identities and musical pictures and are the backdrop for some whack statements and subtle barbs.
While some of the grooves take on serious issues, the emphasis is on fun. This trio should find a ready audience in those who enjoy the DeLa Soul and KMD. (MC SC)
Souled Out International
Shine On/12" remixes, ColumbiaDig away the layers of chorus, delay, doubling, flanging and reverb and find that Sarah Warwick does have a fine voice. Ooooh, Haaay, Mmmm. How how about those tasty drum lines? I could swear I've heard those drum lines and keyboard patches before. Wait a minute I have! This couldn't be one of those cheesy, let's make a record, producer driven, dancefloor market-driven slabs, could it? With music "programming" by Ricky Crespo and Fred McFarlane this record is brought to you by Sold Out PRoductions and if that isn't an admittance of guilt, What is? Enough questions. Shine On -- not. (MC SC)
Voice Farm
"Bigger, Cooler, Weirder" , Morgan CreekAt once, familiar and foreign, this freshman release for Morgan Creek records displays an eccentricity and sensibility that is laced with humor, easy beats, and a pop smoothness that is equally at home on the dancefloor as in the bedroom.
Fermented in the "Freethinker" movement of San Francisco, this trio has a host of accomplishments under its collective girdle. Last year they supported Depeche Mode on their entire US tour and have previous independent releases on the Ralph and Systematic labels. Charly Brown and Mike Reilly form the keyboarding/songwriting core and with the recent addition of Ken Weller on guitar/bass their techno/wacky dance sound gains a bit of string power.
From the opening line of"I have an immediate urge to fling off my bikini," in the song "Free Love," one can tell they are entering a world of abandon, understanding and cosmic transcendence. "Thank You" is an affirmation of the psycho-sociological exploration of the limits of personality/ego development. Like "Free Love," it contains sexual moaning and innuendo in a campy phone fantasy sense. "Come on a my house, gonna give you candy, kisses, licorice whips, candy caneseverything" is seduction with a sweet tooth. "Seeing is Believing" explores the positive mental reaction from nudism. While these are fun sexual themes, they are based on a larger belief.
"Hey Free Thinker," is their rappin, raison-d'etre where they lay down their manifesto,"Think right: express yourself, show your love, you are in control, go on out there and live it."
While a number of the songs use a fair amount of television imagery, nothings comes close to Marilynn Fowler's narrative "Ode to Buffy" twisting stories from Gilligan's island to the 60's Brian Keith show, Family Affair. In "King of the Rat Race," a jazzy TV secret agent theme underlies the slimy underworld of international soda-pop exploitation.
While this album will be hard pressed to find favor among straight-up hip-hoppers and hardcore dance junkies, it should find an audience who's tastes run from Depeche Mode to the B-52's. (MC SC)
Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers
Jahmekya, Virgin RecordsYah mon so we can make things betta for ourselves and our neighbors. Change comes from within, not forced from the outside. We can be seduced by this allure of a big beat and smooth production, reggae style. While this record would be considered reggae only in parts by purists, the Zigster and his tribe have enough roots to not worry about labels. Instead they concentrate on making a slick islands-flavored dance record. "Herbs'n'Spices", a song about lifestyle? What could it mean? "Jah is True and Perfect" is good for the gospel crossover but could use some more fatness. "Small People" sees the children inherit the earth. "Namibia" calls for the people to recalim their country and perhaps is intended to raise concern about that country's brutal dictatorship. "Raw Riddim" throws down a good hip-hop backbeat courtesy of Ghetto Youths United but remix honors go to "Good Time", a funky crossover dance tune with better than average vocal treatments. With his recent performance at the Greeek Theatre, Ziggy and his tribe have proven again that they have more than inherited a place in the world reggae scene, they have earned it. (MC SC)