Releases...1988
Prince |
Associates Apollonia - Apollonia Brownmark - Just Like That Dale - Riot in English Good Question - Good Question Jesse Johnson - Every Shade Of Love Tyka Nelson - Royal Blue Three O'Clock - Vermillion Databank Xtra Sue Ann - Blue Velvet Ta Mara & The Seen - Blueberry Gossip dá Krash - dá Krash Stacy Lattisaw - Personal Attention Sheena Easton - The Lover In Me Jermain Stewart - Say It Again Pretty Poison - Catch Me I'm Falling |
| Prince - Lovesexy | |||
Producer:
Prince
Highest Pop Chart Position: |
Notes | ||
| Prince's next release
after Sign O' The Times was to have been The Black Album, but it was scrapped at the last
minute (inevitable leaks meant that bootlegged copies flooded the market) in favor of
Lovesexy. Lovesexy turned out to be Prince's most personal/spiritual album to date,
expanding from songs like "The Cross" further. Many of the songs were
musically complex, intricate and demanding for the average listener, only simplifying on the last three tracks, so
the set presented quite a challenge. The album sleeve of a tastefully nude Prince was a challenge
in itself to many retailers in the States for some strange reason, and many refused to openly
stock it on their shelves - harming sales in the US but interestingly this
was Prince's first No.1 album in the UK. CD copies of the album were not banded, the idea being that the
album should be listened to as a whole, as one musical journey from start to finish. Standout Tracks: Alphabet St., Anna Stesia, Dance On, I Wish U Heaven, Positivity Experience Rating: This is not music, this is a trip (7/10) |
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| Single
Releases:
Alphabet St [UK chart
position No.9 May 88], Glam Slam [UK chart
position No.29 Jul 88] I Wish U Heaven [UK chart position No.24 Oct 88] |
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| Apollonia - Apollonia | |||
Producers:
Ron Albert, Steve Barri, Ish, Michael Price, Bobby Sandstorm, Ric Wake
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Notes | ||
| Apollonia Kotero's one
and only solo release. If proof were needed of Apollonia's singing talent (or lack
of), look no further. To describe this album as awful is an understatement. The long
list of hired producers could do nothing to cover up the terrible truth. Her performance
on this collection of forgettable bland pop songs totally lacks soul or conviction.
She couldn't sing here to save her life. One song "Mismatch" (a
blatant rip-off of JJ's "What Have You Done For Me Lately")
offered some hope... but ends
up sounding like a Paula Abdul reject. Standout Tracks: Mismatch Paisley Involvement: None Experience Rating: Go get yourself some singing lessons girl... (2/10)
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| Single Releases: Mismatch, Since I Fell For You | |||
| Brownmark - Just Like That | |||
Producer:
Brownmark
|
Notes | ||
| Ex-Revolution bassman Brownmark 1st
solo offering from his new home at Motown although funky, was deeply flawed. Musically
some of the
set was very similar to the work he did with Mazarati. A competent bass player, many of
the songs turned out to be too formulaic and indistinguishable, thus most of the tunes
here ended up sounding the same and ultimately forgettable. A distinct lack of
light, shade and
color in the set overall. Standout Tracks: Next Time, Why Can't We Be Alone Paisley Involvement: None Experience Rating: Disappointing (5/10)
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| Single Releases: Next Time, I Can't Get Enough Of Your Love | |||
| Dale - Riot in English | ||||
Producers:
Robert Brookins, Attala Zane Giles
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Notes | |||
| Now this is an unusual
one.... Depending upon your personal taste or state of mind, you'll either love it madly
or detest it deeply. Dale (Bozzio) was formerly of rock group Missing Persons, which
was made up of several people had who worked with Frank Zappa (so you can probably guess
where she's coming from musically). None of her work with Missing Persons sounds remotely like
anything on display here. Striking looks, Dale had a very unusual/unique vocal and songwriting style (most of the tracks were written/co-written by her apart from the one obligatory Prince track "So Strong").
The stuff on this album was a little too left field and challenging for many to understand or
really get into. Needless to say the album was a major flop... but you really
can't fault the Paisley Park label for daring to be different and taking risks. Standout Tracks: Simon Simon, So Strong Paisley Involvement: Low Experience Rating: A brave but flawed attempt at something different (4/10)
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| Single Releases: Simon Simon | ||||
| Good Question - Good Question | |||
Producer:
Rick Neigher
|
Notes | ||
| Two good-looking young
brothers Sean and Marc Douglas from Philadelphia released their debut self-titled album on
Paisley Park. A collection of disposable commercial dance/pop songs clearly aimed
towards the teenage market was the concept and direction for this colourful duo. A kind of Milli
Vanilli with real voices. This was a classic case of image
over musical content. Consumers didn't buy it... nothing was heard of Good
Question ever since. Standout Tracks: Listen To Your Heart, Real Love Paisley Involvement: None Experience Rating: The question wasn't so good (3/10)
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| Single Releases: Got A New Love | |||
| Jesse Johnson - Every Shade Of Love | |||
Producer:
Jesse Johnson
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Notes | ||
| Jesse's last album for A&M
really showed off his guitar playing skills to full effect unlike his first two
albums where perhaps he held back a little.
The two opening tracks especially funked/rocked with a vengeance, and his acoustic
guitar playing on "I'm Just Wanting You" is a revelation which is
just outstandingly
beautiful. Standout Tracks: Love Struck, So Misunderstood Every Shade Of Love, I'm Just Wanting You Paisley Involvement: None Experience Rating: Give this man some respect (8/10)
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| Single Releases: Love Struck, Every Shade Of Love | |||
| Tyka Nelson - Royal Blue | |||
Producers:
David Z, Ricky Peterson, Preston Glass, Larry Graham
|
Notes | ||
| To prove that talent
runs in the purple family, Prince's big Sis releases her debut album in which she
writes/co-writes most of the songs without any help from little Bro. A mixture of
commercial mid-tempo R&B dance and ballads, her vocal range is very similar to Janet
Jackson's i.e. very limited... Nevertheless the pop/soul tunes, particularly
the ballads are
very pleasant to listen to. Standout Tracks: L.O.V.E., Paris, Marc Anthony's Tune, My Friend Paisley Involvement: None Experience Rating: If you like Janet, you'll love this... (7/10) |
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Single Releases: L.O.V.E., Marc Anthony's Tune, Be Good To Me |
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| Three O'Clock - Vermillion | |||
Producer:
Ian Ritchie
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Notes | ||
| Three O' Clock's one and
only album for Paisley Park (they had previously released 3 other albums for 2 indie
labels) was a pleasant enough melodic pop rock effort from the quartet of musicians which
would've performed well in the market, but like so many other releases on
the Paisley label (apart from Prince's own), lack of promotion from the
Mother label Warners failed it. The songs were well written and
produced with that late 60's English Beatle-y type sound mixed in with Beach Boys/Monkees
type harmonies. Prince contributed one song "Neon Telephone" to the
project. It's said that Prince
signed the Three O'Clock to his Paisley Park label after they were dropped
by IRS label having never heard a note of their music but knowing that they
were friends of the Bangles, for whom he had previously written "Manic
Monday." It seems like the Three O'Clock's paisley underground pop would
have been a perfect fit for Prince's suitably-named label, especially since
Around the World in a Day had shown that the two camps shared several
influences, but for some reason, 1988's Vermillion completely drops the
group's previous association with psychedelia, leaving them a mediocre,
slightly bubblegummy pop band. There are a couple of good songs here,
especially Michael Quercio's gentle ballad "Through the Sleepy Town" and
Jason Falkner's "Love Has No Heart," but they're overshadowed by inoffensive
at best, painful at worst trifles like "Love Explosion" and "World on Fire."
Ian Ritchie's production is horrible, over-synthesized, and sequenced to
within an inch of its life, but the nadir is Prince's contribution, the
gimmicky "Neon Telephone," which sounds like it took less time to write than
it does to listen to. Vermillion was the Three O'Clock's final album, and
it's a shame that they had to go out on such a bum note. ~ Stewart Mason,
All Music Guide |
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Single Releases: Love Explosion, Neon Telephone (Promo only) |
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| Sue Ann - Blue Velvet | |||
Producers:
Jesse Johnson; Robert Brookins; David,
Wayne & Jonathan Lewis; Mtume; Louil Silas, Jr.
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Notes | ||
| This second album
from Minneapolis native and songwriter/arranger (Celine Dion, Toni Braxton)
Sue Ann Carwell is an R&B workout. The first five songs were written
and/or produced by Jesse Johnson, and his input is obvious, even on the
funky Aretha Franklin remake "Rock Steady". Though having never
worked on an album directly with Prince, she is often regarded as his
first protégé, and this album displays that he clearly missed out on a
production opportunity with a true vocal talent. Standout Tracks: Fiction, Boyfriend, Rock Steady, You’re So Precious, Ooh, Ooh, Oh, Oh Paisley Involvement: None Experience Rating: Come inside the ‘Velvet’ rope… (8/10) |
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| Single Releases: I’ll Give You Love | |||
| Ta Mara & The Seen - Blueberry Gossip | |||
Producers:
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Notes | ||
| This second and last album by
Ta Mara and the Seen is a pale shadow of their debut. In an apparent
attempt at greater diversity, the band and producer Jesse Johnson watered
down their funk, and the result is bland at best. It is telling that two
of the best tracks, ‘Tuff Girl’ and ‘I Saved My Love’, were both
written solely by Jesse Johnson, while all other tracks are
collaborations. Of the rest, only the title track and a remake of Sly
Stone’s ‘Everyday People’ stand out. On a sidenote, Ta Mara (Margie
Cox) later went on to record ‘Standing at the Alter’, found on the
1-800-NEW-FUNK compilation. Standout Tracks: Blueberry Gossip, Tuff Girl, Everyday People, I Saved My Love Paisley Involvement: None Experience Rating: Ta Mara’s barely back on the Seen (5/10) |
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| Single Releases: Blueberry Gossip, Everyday People | |||
| dá Krash - dá Krash | |||
Producer:
Jesse Johnson
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Notes | ||
| This sounds like an early
Jesse Johnson album... not surprisingly because all songs here were produced and
co-written by Jesse. Lead vocalist of this 5-peice band, Robert
Jordan even makes a passable impersonation of Jesse's vocal
mannerisms. In fact, this could easily pass as one of JJ's own
albums in all but name - we just don't get
to hear the personalities of dá Krash. Recorded at Jesse's Jungle
Love studios in MPLS, this has all of Jesse's trademark sounds - the heavy
crashing rock snare drums, synths and inevitable guitar solos - underlined
by the funk. The songs.... "Temptation Sensation" and
"Easy Come, Easy Go" are above average jams, "Uptown"
is a pleasant ballad, "Tu Madre" is an inspired funky
instrumental feat. Ken Holman on Sax, the rest unfortunately comes across
as formulaic, clichéd Jesse Johnson out-takes. The album
failed to make an impact on the charts, they later changed their image, musical
direction and name to Kool Skool... Standout Tracks: "Temptation Sensation" "Easy Come, Easy Go" "Uptown" "Tu Madre" Paisley Involvement: None Experience Rating: Make some noize!!! (6/10) |
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| Single Releases: Trapped In Phases, Wasn't I Good To Ya? | |||
| Stacy Lattisaw - Personal Attention | ||
Producers: Brownmark, Vincent Brantley, Lou Pace, Jerry Knight, Aaron Zigman, Ron "Have Mercy" Kersey
|
Notes | |
| Former teen R&B sensation
Stacy Lattisaw hooked up with Brownmark to work on her first ‘adult’
album (and her second-last album to date). The result is indeed a more
mature sound. As is often the case in collaborations with Prince and
associates, the best tracks on the album are the four written and/or
produced by Brownmark: "Personal Attention", "Find Another
Love", "Changes" and "He’s Got A Hold On
Me". The first three are funky dance numbers, while the last
is a soulful ballad. Unfortunately, none of these songs were released as
singles and, while there were a couple of minor hits, the album
disappeared without much fanfare. Standout Tracks: Personal Attention, Find Another Love, Changes Paisley Involvement: None Experience Rating: Some killer, some filler, on the epitome of late ‘80’s R&B. (7/10)
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| Single Releases: Every Drop Of Your Love, Let Me Take You Down, Call Me | ||
| Sheena Easton - The Lover In Me | |||
Producers:
Prince, L.A. Reid, Babyface, Kayo,
Angela Winbush, Jellybean Benitez
|
Notes | ||
| After previously recording his
"Sugar Walls" and "Eternity", Sheena was tapped by
Prince to duet with him on "U Got The Look". This introduced
this well-established Scot to a sexier and more soulful side of herself. The
Lover In Me was her first album after that duet, and it shows, with
the pop princess transformed into a sultry R&B diva. While recording
only two songs on the album with Prince (and having a huge dance hit with
the remix of his "101"), Sheena maintained the funk with L.A.
& Babyface and Angela Winbush, and reintroduced herself to the charts
with the album’s title track. Unfortunately, Sheena’s future work with
Prince would include only "The Arms of Orion", her R&B and
pop hits quickly stopped coming. Standout Tracks: The Lover In Me, Days Like This, Cool Love, 101 Paisley Involvement: Low Experience Rating: Prince brings out the R&B lover in Sheena. (7/10)
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| Single Releases: The Lover In Me, Days Like This, 101, No Deposit, No Return | |||
| Jermain Stewart - Say It Again | |||
Producers:
Andre Cymone, Jerry Knight, Aaron
Zigman
Total Running Time: 52:48 |
Notes | ||
| Jermaine Stewart, former
Shalamar back-up singer and Soul Train dancer, was Jody Watley’s best
friend, so it was only natural that he’d collaborate with Ms. Watley and
then-husband Andre Cymone. As always, the best tracks are the five
produced by Cymone, though the other tracks blend well and altogether make
a fun, party album. Very reminiscent of Jody’s first album, especially
since she co-wrote and sings on several tracks. Unfortunately, Jermaine
passed away in 1997, but he will always be remembered best for his saucy
top ten hit "We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off". Standout Tracks: Don’t Talk Dirty To Me, Get Lucky, My House, My Body Paisley Involvement: None Experience Rating: A sad but sassy reminder of a lost talent… (7/10)
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| Single Releases: Say It Again, Get Lucky, Don’t Talk Dirty To Me, Is It Really Love? | |||
| Pretty Poison - Catch Me I'm Falling | ||
Producers: Andre Cymone, Kae Williams, Jr., Kurt
Shore, Fred Zarr, Eumir Deodato
|
Notes | |
| The debut album from Pretty
Poison is a relatively funk-free affair, focusing more on the
freestyle/dance groove found in their lone hit ‘Catch Me I’m Falling’.
But the group did try to funk it up with three tracks produced by Andre
Cymone in his heyday. Unfortunately, these tracks (Closer, Don’t Cry
Baby & Heaven) are the weakest and, surprisingly, the least funky! ‘Closer’
is a lame ballad, and the other two tracks are synth-funk overkill. In
fact, the album would have been much more fun without Cymone’s input!
For freestyle fans only… Standout Tracks: Catch Me I’m Falling, Nightime, When I Look Into Your Eyes, Hold Me, Let Freedom Ring Paisley Involvement: None Experience Rating: Somewhat mediocre, but far from poisonous (6/10) |
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| Single Releases: Catch Me I’m Falling, Nightime, When I Look Into Your Eyes, Let Freedom Ring | ||
