House, R&B, Soul & Rap > Dance House, R&B, Soul & Rap > 1980 to 1989 > up to 5 GBP

Advantages: The excellent U.K Top 20 hit, Private Life
Disadvantages: The dated, album track, Bulls***

...mainstream recognition with the superb Warm Leatherette album. Grace Jones shifted musical direction for the Warm Leatherette (1980) project, divulging into a diverse blend of sounds and styles ranging from Reggae, Rock, New Wave, Funk and Soul. The finished results were some of Jones most compelling recording work. This album was not least aided by the excellent production skills of Chris Blackwell and Alex Sadkin as well as the startling muscians ...
...The title track Warm Leatherette is an electric affair combining a striking mixture of Rock, New Wave and Reggae. Jones sounds even a little playful on the tracks chrous consisting of thrashing guirtar riffages. Jones fantastic cover version of The Pretenders, Private Life is given a more definitive and unique working over where Jones seemingly scowls through the duration of each verse whilst then singing gently in that raw (though narrow) vocal ... Read review

Advantages: The funky, I'm Not Perfect (But I'm Perfect For You)
Disadvantages: The painfully dated, Victor Should Have Been A Jazz Musican

...and the recording sessions for Inside Story were a little intense. Following on from her Reggae/Funk/Rock/New Wave infused albums such as the excellent Warm Leatherette (1980) and the critically-acclaimed Nightclubbing (1981), Inside Story (1986) divulged Jones into a far more commercial sound. Inside Story was a mixed concoction of Pop/Dance/Funk/R&B with subtle hints of jazz on one particularly awful track, Victor Should Have Been A Jazz Muscian. ...
...The title track, Inside Story, closes the album on a high. With a spiritual and poignant edge, this track does emerge as another of the projects highlights. Not one of her best albums, nor was it a great commercial success though this remains one of her most commercially visible albums. Ian Phillips July 2006 ... Read review

Advantages: The funky Pull Up To The Bumper
Disadvantages: None that really springs to mind

...early 1981 for the unforgetable Nightclubbing project. Grace Jones second album on Island Records is possibly the greatest of her considerably short recording career and captured Jones at her artistic peak. It features a series of remarkable recordings, encapsulating a multitude of styles such as New Wave, Reggae, Funk, Jazz and Soul. She was again aided by the fabulous production skills of those reggae kings, Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. Nightclubbing ...
...unique version of Iggy Pop's Nightclubbing is a total contrast to the original, flowing with strange, synchronized sounds that was way ahead of its time. The New Wave sounds of Art Groupie is another interesting concoction, but the music steadily steers direction, driving into jazz on the eccentric but undeniably brilliant, I've Seen That Face Before in which Grace delivers both English and French spoken passages. The disappointment of the album ... Read review

Advantages: Some of the tracks ignite
Disadvantages: Others are too dated

...Chivilles for the rather disjointed Bulletproof Heart album. Jones co-wrote the majority of songs along with singer Chris Stanley. Bulletproof Heart (1989) like Inside Story (1986) was another foray into mainstream Pop, divulging into Funk, R&B and Dance. The project seemed more of an effort on Jones' part to catapult her back onto the club scene where she had enjoyed immense success in the late 1970's. Opening the album is the funk-driven dance ...
...to be found scattered on Bulletproof Heart. With the jamming affair of Driving Satisfaction, you would think the album would get better from here on but the whole project is something of a mixed affair with some highs and some lows. Another anthem written by Jones and Chris Stanley, Kicked Around, features a ferocious, red-blooded Jones in sado-massachist (and even more freaky than usual) mode as she scowls through this tale of self-esteem, fighting ... Read review

Advantages: Great production
Disadvantages: Little variation

"Ain't A Damn Thing Changed" is the 1991 release from the East Coast Hip Hop duo of Gregg Nice and Smooth B, Nice & Smooth. It comes two years after their debut album "Nice and Smooth" which managed to grab the attention of many as they came with humourous rhymes to act as a counter-balance to all the newnew a Gangsta rap which had built up on the West Coast of America. These New Yorkers bring fire in this release, showign how the East Coast can ...
...1991). 1. "Harmonize" Nice & Smooth blaze through with this one as they show what they have to offer in singing as well as rapping with this opener, they do this by harmonizing some of the lyrics, to contrast with the MCing which they perform. The production to it is very suitable to the subject of this as they display what they are capable of, they use Public Enemy samples to show where they have come from (musically). *Three Stars** 2. "Cake ... Read review