Kylie Minogue celebrated her 52nd birthday on May 28 and whilst her sales numbers are not where they used to be and her presence on the charts with every new release is not as assured as it once was she is still putting out music that is worth hearing. Today, we look back to her self titled fift studio album which was released in 1994 released on the indie record label DECONSTRUCTION.
This album is generally seen as Kylie’s attempt to forge a new musical direction after her tenure at PWL and her close association with Stock, Aitken and Waterman. I would say that it does that successfully moving away from the bubblegum dance-pop sound featured on previous albums to a more mature sophisticated sound draving a much wider palette of sounds from the dance-pop that Minogue was known for but also acid jazz, ambient, piano house and R&B influences. The sound was still accessible just more polished with left of mainstream pop influences able to shine through.
This approach is best captured by the lead single “Confide in Me”. Released in August 1994 “Confide in Me” was not a typical Kylie single even the length of the song which clocks in at almost six minutes (5:51) was a massive departure. Produced by BROTHERS IN RHYTHM the song isa dizzying combination of pop and trip-hop with a heathy dose of middle eastern instrumentation and it ranks as one of Minogue’s best singles.
The alnum debuted at number three in her native Australia and number four in the United Kingdom and the album eventually was certified Gold.
an attempt to draw a line under her PWL/SAW years KYLIE MINOGUE is a great triumph and thats why its today’s AOTD.
Check out Confide in Me below.
Real Love is the second studio album by British singer Lisa Stansfield, released by Arista Records on 11 November 1991. Stansfield co-wrote all songs with Ian Devaney and Andy Morris. Devaney and Morris also produced the album.
Real Love peaked at number three in the United Kingdom and a rather disappointing number 43 in the US where it spent 40 weeks total on the Billboard 200. Real Love failed to replicate the success of Stansfield’s eponymous album “Lisa Stansfield” which reached number 9 on the Billboard 200
Despite this lacklustre showing the album managed to provide Stansfield with two number ones.”Change” the lead off single reached number one on the US Hot Dance Club Songs and “All Woman” was a number one hit on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
The highlight of the album is “All Woman” which is given an incredibly soulful performance by Stansfield that elevates the song to a modern day R&B Classic as enduring as Karyn White’s Superman.
They are other noteworthy tracks on this album such as the dancefloor ready aforementioned “Change” and the dreamy gorgeous “Time to Make You Mine” which is arguably Stansfield’s sexiest vocal performance on any of her albums to day. I find the album a consistently rewarding listen with some stellar vocal performances. It ranks as a solid sophomore album and thats why its today’s ALBUM OF THE DAY!
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
There are some songs that you just never can forget or get enough of. Something About You by Level 42 is one such song for me. Released in 1985 the single was released ahead of their album World Machine their sixth album also released in 1985. Something About You became the British group’s biggest Stateside hit peaking at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 on this very 31 May 1986. It replicated that success in their native UK where it charted one place higher at number 6.
Reportedly the band wasn’t sure that this song was good enough for the album. It had a more commercial Pop/R&B sound and glossier production than their previous jazz-funk recordings. Nevertheless, this song’s indelible melody propelled it to the top 10 and helped the World Machine sell over three million copies and a 72-week stay on the US charts.
The song’s lyrics centre on Love found and then lost but which never fades from the memory.
How, how can it be that a love
Carved out of caring, fashioned by fate
Could suffer so hard
From the games played once too often?
But making mistakes
Is a part of life’s imperfections
Born of the years
Is it so wrong to be human after all?
Have a look and listen below.