1993 Radio On Commentary
“Alright” - 6.5
“Another Sad Love Song” - Someone put up a note up on the Internet funky.music mailing list asking who did this song, as he and his girlfriend had just broken up to it. I can’t think of a better current song to break up to, and the guy seemed to appreciate that small blessing as well - Braxton’s cool, rich tones are such a relief from all the whiny/shrill Jodeci/En Vogue wannabes. Anita Baker, where are you when we need you? (9.0)
“Believe” - Bumped up 2 points for the video. Actually, maybe more than 2 - I can’t even remember the song on its own, but Lenny-doing-2001 is genius. I can’t believe nobody’d gotten around to raiding late-60s/early 70s films yet. Maybe Soylent Green next? (7.5)
“The Bonnie and Clyde Theme” - 5.5
“Break It Down Again” - I think Roland is the one with the long hair, the one still in the band, and the one I like. He’s the one who sang “Shout,” and the other guy with the short hair did “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” right? This is in the “Shout” mode, in any case, the way I like it - massive, melodramatic, and hooky. Not as mind-boggling as “Sowing the Seeds of Love” (the closer they get to outright ripping off the Beatles, the better), but pretty pleasant the occasional times I catch it on MTV. If it turns into a real hit, the tuneless verse melody may start to wear on me, but I’m figuring it’ll fade out in a couple of weeks; Roland looks sort of lonely up there on his own. (6.0)
“Can’t Get Enough of Your Love” - Barry lives! This really doesn’t add much to the original, and I doubt it’ll be much of a permanent comback for either Taylor or the C&Cs, but for now it’s good to hear all parties on the radio. I saw Taylor on VH1, and she was saying how her new album was going to have a lot of her own compositions, then the record company nixed it and brought in the rent-a-songs. She wasn’t very convincing in putting a good face on it - it really sucks that after all this time, she can’t call her own shots. I hope this cover was her idea, at least. (7.5)
“Can’t Help Falling In Love” - It can’t compare to Daryll and John’s version, of course, and I normally despise these tepid souls, but I’ll admit that somehow they manage a little bit of an ominous edge. Or maybe it’s just the good use of black and white in the video. (3.5)
“Can You Forgive Her?” (8.0)
“Chattahoochee” - (haven’t heard yet, but the remix sounds like a great idea.)
“Check Yo Self” - Using Das-EFX dates Ice Cube almost as much as the Grandmaster Flash sample; doesn’t he know they were last year’s flavor? Tasted better than Onyx, though. (3.5)
“Chief Rocka” - (haven’t heard)
“Creep” - I guess Radiohead are this year’s Live, and since I hated those guys and actually find this song pretty catchy, I guess that’s progress. (6.0)
“Cryin” - I can’t keep straight whether there’s one guy through the whole video or whether he keeps changing. But the fact that it’s interchangeable dudes rather than babes points out one of the things that makes Aerosmith so cool - like in “Janie’s Got a Gun,” they have the guts to give a video a female protagonist. I never knew you couldn’t give the finger on TV, though - is there actually a rule against it, or was MTV’s judgement call? Do they play it straight on The Box? Well, as Dean Wareham pointed out on “Slide,” “you can never give/the finger to the blind,” for whatever that’s worth. Oh - Kate also points out that “Cryin” is in the noble tradition to the rock waltz, which also includes “We Are the Champions,” “Comfortably Numb,” “Bed of Roses,” and, we think, “There Must Be Some Misunderstanding.” (10.0)
“Dreamlover” - I only enjoy about 1 in 3 Mariah songs, and it seems sort of random - love “Vision of Love,” “Emotions,” and “Can’t Let Go,” hate the rest of the perky singles, the Jackson 5 cover, and this. It’s cute and pseudo-Motowny and everything, but the hook’s just not there. For some reason, she just doesn’t seem to get as consistent songwriting as the rest of the megadivas - Paula had plenty of filler better than this on her last record. But maybe it’s just me, because nobody else seems to notice. Nice Dazzy Duks, though, along with good use of that little 3-note trill from “Rump Shaka,” so I guess this song unites generations of booty. (3.0)
“Get It Up” - (never heard, unfortunately. Sounded like a good idea.)
“Happy” - (haven’t heard)
“Hey Jealousy” - This has provided much discussion between me and Kate over the return of AOR. Our conclusion is that Seattle’s revival of guitar-rock has allowed classic mid-80s American rock to slip in the backdoor. You just have to dress up Jack’n’Diane in flannels and call them slackers. (10.0)
“Human Behavior” - (7.0)
“I Don’t Wanna Fight” - (4.5)
“If” - A filler single, like “Escapade,” that can sleepwalk into the Top 10 between the killer releases. That noise in the intro is either a Laurie Anderson sample or a serious rip-off; I was immediately disappointed on first listen that the whole song didn’t go on that way. That “nya nya nya” chorus is particularly irritating. I just hope they release the opera-rock track eventually. (4.0)
“If I Had No Loot” - I love these guys, and I like the album a lot, but I really can’t figure out how this is supposed to be their breakthrough single. It meanders along with half the energy of last album’s “The Blues.” At least, as Kate discovered, you can sing “Tumblin’ Dice” along to the verses. (4.5)
“I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” - worked better as the soundtrack to the commercial. (4.5)
“Insane in the Brain” - I keep on feeling bad that I don’t get these guys. I got stoned about a year ago, and immediately put on the first record to see if I liked it. I think I did, but what did I know - I was stoned. (4.5)
“In the Heart of a Woman” - (haven’t heard yet)
“It’s For You” - (I think I heard it, but I can’t remember what it sounded like.)
“Lately” - (0.5)
“Lick U Up” - I haven’t heard it yet; how does it compare to Chris Rock’s “I Wanna Suck Your Big Toe”?
“Look For Love” - (haven’t heard yet)
“No Rain” - Best Dead rip of the decade. (10.0)
“Oh Carolina” - (haven’t heard yet)
“One Last Cry” - When I first heard the duet with Vanessa Williams on VH1 while I was in the bathroom, I was sure the male voice was Don Henley. I was really pleased he was stretching himself. (3.5)
“Ooh Child” - My theory on this is that they recorded this right after the election, assuming that the Clinton spirit would lead to a ‘70s-style era of good feelings. That instead the political highlights of ‘93 have been “don’t ask/don’t tell” and budget cutbacks gives this cover a powerful bit of poignancy. (8.5)
“Pets” - I just sort of dismissed this for a while, until I listened through the lyrics, and fuck if it isn’t probably the best rock’n’roll environmentalist song ever. (10.0)
“Rain” - Have we come to this - Madonna as a waif? Man, I can’t believe I’m already rooting for her to have a hit single and get her career back on track. I’m really starting to get worried. (3.5)
“Right Here (Human Nature)” - I really love “Weak”; it’s got the purity of a great DeBarge cut. But what kind of catchphrase is “Right Here?” Seems like they could’ve come up with something more reassuring. (2.5)
“The River of Dreams” - I actually like this one - Billy makes about as good an ersatz Paul Simon as Paul does an ersatz Joseph Shabalala. (7.0)
“Ruffneck” - (5.5)
“Runaway Train” - (7.0)
“Slam” - Kate says this song always makes her think of the Spur Posse; it’s not always such a great idea to “let boyz be boyz.” But we both agree that while you can criticize each summer’s Jeep Slammer, you can’t deny it. (7.5)
“Soul to Squeeze” - (6.5)
“Step It Up” - (haven’t heard)
“Sweat (a La La La La Song)” - Oddly sadistic for such a cheerful sing-a-long: “And if you cry/I’m gonna make you dance some more.” Can’t we just leave the party and go home? (6.0)
“Plush” - original: 5.5. acoustic version: 7.5
“That’s What Little Girls Are Made Of” - 7.5
“The Ways of the Wind” - 4.0
“What’s Up Doc? (Can We Rock)” - 3.0
“When I Fall In Love” - 4.0
“Whoomp! (There It Is)” - 7.5
“Whoot, There It Is” - 7.5
Which is the one where they brag about being old school? I like that one a little better, I think. Actually, old school Miami rap was always pretty lame; this is really the first generation to not sound embarassingly clunky. Between the ascendancy of chintzy Miami beats, the success of the stripped-down SWV sound, and the return of Duran Duran, the backlash against New Jack finally kicked in this summer; suddenly those “Planet Rock” synths sounded warm and immediate compared to all the weird shit Teddy Riley uses. Actually, I figure New Jack will start sounding better again in a few years when I can start feeling nostalgic for it.
“Will You Be There” - 4.0
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