Showing posts with label cherry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cherry. Show all posts

Thursday, June 11, 2020

Day 0648 - Raw Like Sushii

Neneh Cherry "Raw Like Sushi" (1989)



It was almost a foregone conclusion that Neneh Cherry would become an artist of some description.  She was born to a painter mother and a musician father.  After parting with Neneh's father, her mother would go on to marry jazz trumpeter Don Cherry (who famously worked with Ornette Coleman, mentioned two posts earlier).  Neneh travelled the world, played in a number of bands (including punkers the Slits), and she deejayed, exploring rap and reggae among other genres.

Her husband was a producer for the first Massive Attack album (on which Neneh would also worked).  The album has hints of that sound, of looped beats and soundscapes that feel like they have a foot in the club and a foot on the street, but with a bit more of a pop and rap slant.

Neneh promoted the strength of women, and the power of motherhood, having done tv performances heavily pregnant or carrying her infant child.  Definitely some of the songs here touch on the topic of motherhood with "Inna City Mamma" and "The Next Generation".

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Day 0601 - Darklands

The Jesus and Mary Chain "Darklands" (1987)


With "Darklands" J&MC move from a fuzzed-out 'shoegazer' sound, to something that almost sounds like "upbeat Joy Division".  Their drummer had left to become the lead singer of Primal Scream, so the band opted to replace him with a drum machine.  As a result of this, and I guess their general songwriting style, their songs have zero groove.  It's not necessarily a bad thing, it just means that their songs drift along like a dreamy wave heading serenely for shore, rather than like choppy surf.

I feel as though their previous album "Psychocandy" was the one that the band is better known for.  But I prefer the rolling, pulsing drone pop of "Darklands" over the fuzzy cloud of "Psychocandy".  I listened to this one 2 or 3 times and would happily spin it again.

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Day 0569 - Infected

The The "Infected" (1986)


I enjoyed this much more than the previous The The album in this list (Soul Mining).  It has a strong pop base with some great beats and nice funky bass.   Some of it is upbeat and pulsing, other tracks are slinky and moody, one track even features an early appearance from Neneh Cherry ("Slow train to dawn").  Good solid 80s pop, with angry, socially conscious lyrics.