... However in 1980 following a new record deal with Island Records, home to various Reggae acts, Jones achieved further mainstream recognition with the superb Warm Leatherette album.
Grace Jones shifted musical direction for the Warm Leatherette (1980) project, divulging into a diverse blend ... Read review
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 ... ...
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 ... more
In the late 1970's Grace Jones became something of a Disco Diva as she burst onto New Yorks club scenes with Disco hits such as I Need A Man and Do Or Die. However in 1980 following a new record deal with Island Records, home to various Reggae acts, Jones achieved further 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 behind her with Sly Dunbar on drums, Robbie Shakespeare on bass guirtars, Barry Reynolds and Michael Chung alternating on guirtars, Wally Badarou assuming keyboard duties and Uzziah Thompson jamming away on that pounding percussion. Jones inserts effectively through all eight of these inventive recordings as well as providing her own backing vocals.
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 style she became accustomed to on her next pair of albums. Private Life, encapsulating Reggae and New Wave vibes, deservedly became one of Jones' biggest hit singles in the U.K where it climbed its way to No.17 on the main U.K Top 40 Charts.
The bouncy, Funk-driven A Rolling Stone (which Jones co-wrote) featured Jones delivering a surprisingly more soulful performance whilst her rocking interpretation of Bryan Ferrys' Love Is The Drug is masterful with Jones delivery strong and assertive.
Jones' cover of an old Motown track The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game is instantly infectious with a sturdy lead by Jones and contagious musical arrangements that makes this one of the projects highlights.
Bulls*** is a little bland and silly and is the only real let down of the album though Jones does manage to slightly redeem it by delivering a spirited performance though of far stronger musical merit was the mellower tone of Breakdown, where Jones delivery is seemingly cradled with mixed emotions shifting from shining self-assurance to points of dispair and moments of vulnreability.
Pars conveys the more breathy, seamless quality in Jones voice that rarely surfaced on a lot of her earlier work at Island Records. The mood is more mellow and atmospheric with Jones becoming immersed into the swirling orchestrations.
Warm Leatherette (1980) alongside her subsequent release Nightclubbing (1981) contains some of her the very best tracks Jones ever recorded in her relatively short and somewhat erratic recording career and incidentally also became one of her biggest sellers. Without doubt, essential Grace Jones to fans of this extraordinary and off-the-wall Diva.
...on the sleeve of her Warm Leatherette album in 1980.
The petulant authority of Grace’s countenance on the cover was reflected by the music, which was spare and commanding. Island Records’ boss Chris Blackwell had decided to involve himself in shaping her future, calling in the crack reggae rhythm section of drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare. Whereas her previous records had featured comatose camp standards like Send In The Clowns, ... ...funk and reggae interpretations of songs by adventurous modern songwriters such as Bryan Ferry (Love Is The Drug) and the Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde (Private Life).
Grace no longer sounded like a closet Shirley Bassey, but adopted a sneering, monotone delivery that was both ironic and sinister - nowhere more so than on the title track, originally a B-side by UK synthesiser wizard Daniel Miller’s alter ego The Normal, that pondered the joy of having ...
dave27 11.10.2000
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Advantages: Hurricane emerges as Grace Jones most compelling recording project Disadvantages: None that springs to mind
WOW! This stunning. literally perfect new studio album by the inimitable, off-the-wall GraceJones (her first project since 1989's Bulletproof Heart) far surpassed what i'd originally expected. Now, don't get me wrong, i've always loved the weird but wonderful GraceJones, but had long since given up hope of her returning to the music scene, let alone with such concise precision, depth and fire. Her last project Bulletproof Heart was a rather hit-and-miss affair, alternated by some stunning results (Love On Top Of Love<, Bulletproof Heart and On My Way) and some rather forgettable, nondescript recordings. Bulletproof Heart failed to re-capture the glories of GraceJones recognised masterpieces - WarmLeatherette (1980), Nightclubbing (1981) and Slave To The Rhythm (1985). On the excellent albums Warm Leathrette, Nightclubbing and Living ...
Advantages: The funky Pull Up To The Bumper Disadvantages: None that really springs to mind
Following the excellent WarmLeatherette (1980) album, her debut on the Island Records label which saw her rewarded with more commercial acceptance, the outrageous and off-the-wall diva, GraceJones returned to the recording studios in early 1981 for the unforgetable Nightclubbing project.
GraceJones 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 (1981)begins with the curiously compelling, Walking In The Rain, which sets a dark, atmospheric tone for the duration of the project ...
Advantages: The super-infectious Nipple To The Bottle Disadvantages: Is less than 40 minutes long
Firstly, I have to admit that as much as I love and enjoy Living My Life, this is my least favourite in the trilogy that GraceJones recorded with Sly & Robbie etc. It just doesn't quite hit the heights of the critically-acclaimed Nightclubbing (1981) and the still-superb WarmLeatherette (1980) though Living My Life certainly has its moments with the outstanding tracks Nipple To The Bottle, The Apple Stretching, Everybody Hold Still and Inspiration. Regardless of it being the weakest in the trilogy (which, of course, is just my own humble opinion), Living My Life stands as a solid piece of work and is totally essential to any GraceJones fan. So theres plenty to recommend here and it must be noted that the whole sound of this album was groundbreaking for its time.
Produced by Alex Sadkin and Chris Blackwell, these sessions were all ...
Product Information for "Warm Leatherette - Grace Jones" »
Product details
Title
Warm Leatherette
Performer
Grace Jones
Genre
R&B
Sub Genre
Dance
Release Date
06/08/2001
Recomended Retail Price
4.99 GBP
Original Release Year
1980
Label / Distributor
Island / Universal Music
Engineer
Alex Sadkin
Producer
Chris Blackwell; Alex Sadkin
Pieces in Set
1
Studio / Live
Studio
Stereo
Stereo
Format
Performer
EAN
42284261128
Catalogue Number
IMCD 15
Additional notes
Album Notes
Personnel: Grace Jones (vocals); Barry Reynolds, Michael Chung (guitar); Wally Badarou (keyboards); Robbie Shakespeare (bass); Sly Dunbar (drums); Uzziah Thompson (percussion). Recorded at Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas.
Titles on disc 1
1.
Warm Leatherette
2.
Private Life
3.
Rollin' Stone
4.
Love Is The Drug
5.
Hunter Gets Captured By The Game
6.
Bullshit
7.
Breakdown
8.
Pars
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Listed on Ciao since
11/10/2000
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