My album list - March 2004

[PGCMc]

LatifahEaston said:

Kelly Clarkson , she does have a great voice. The problem is the crappy songs she's been given. I really liked Miss Independant but Low was more in the vein of these songs. The Trouble With Love Is - made me cringe and not in a good way. Anytime was less cheesy but far less memorable. A Moment Like This - fantastic singing toward the end. Before Your Love - . I feel like a total b**** so far. Her songs are just too much pop idol fodder for my liking. 4 CD's to go though!

You love these Mariah soundalikes don't you?

Wendy Moten & Kelly Clarkson were CD fillers...Didn't know if you'd like Kelly Clarkson but that just answered my question No you haven't been a total b****...you've given your honest opinion which I'd rather hear than you being nice about them just for the sake of it & your Review of this 1st CD wasn't too bad you half liked Just Whitney I reckon the you'll love the Mariah compilation Whitney's album tracks are nowhere near as strong as the singles unlike Mariah's albums

[PGCMc]

I love the end of Forever Yours where she goes until that day I'll FOREVER YOUUUURRRS

[latifaheaston]

I posted your CD's out on Thursday night. I sent my mother off to post them first class so you should've got them, unless she was being cheap. How long do things usually take from England to Ireland? I added a few extra CD's - just trying to inflict my 'taste' on you

[PGCMc]

I'll hopefully recieve them today...I give them all a few listens & get back to you on what I think of them

[PGCMc]

Nope haven't recieved them today it will probably be Monday now...I'm expecting you love the Cappella songs but then again you maybe won't

[latifaheaston]

Next up is the Whitney album tracks.

I'm a sucker for 80's/early 90's sounding stuff so Someone For Me is doin' it for me right now. Reminds me of Pink Cadilac by Natalie Cole for some reason minus the killer chorus though.

Where You Are - it's only okay.

I'm Your Baby Tonight - I really like this one. Not really an album track but I like it a lot anyway.

My Name Is Not Susan - total cheese. Love it! Reminds me of Pebbles' 'Giving You The Benefit'!

Lover For Life - nice but a bit bland.

Anymore - Of course, I love this one.

Miracle - All the right ingrediants but doesn't do it for me.

I Belong To You - upbeat ballads are what I like!

Who Do You Love - even better, she is far better at upbeat stuff than stale old ballads.

I'm Knockin & Queen Of The Night, rock too!

You Were Loved - Some great singing but not anything to rave about.

In My Business - my ears!!! Obviously Missy was in a really creative mood that day...

Get It Back - Whitney is not a convincing urban artist. She should stick to poppier styles.

Until You Come Back - I quite like this one. Keeps your attention more than some of the other ballads on the CD.

I Bow Out - Okay.


... i'm going onto the Urban Cookie Collective & Cappella now.

[PGCMc]

LatifahEaston said:

I'm Your Baby Tonight - I really like this one. Not really an album track but I like it a lot anyway.

I figured you only had the GH version which I don't really like I much prefer the album version

My Name Is Not Susan - total cheese. Love it! Reminds me of Pebbles' 'Giving You The Benefit'!

I like it too it's just the title that puts me off.

I Belong To You - upbeat ballads are what I like!

I agree it was a flop single & wasn't featured on the GH thought you might like to hear it Who Do You Love would've been a much better choice of single

Who Do You Love - even better, she is far better at upbeat stuff than stale old ballads.

I love her ballads but some it's just the early albums IMO aren't very good if you minus the singles

I'm Knockin & Queen Of The Night, rock too!

I love Queen Of The Night don't really remember I'm Knockin

In My Business - my ears!!! Obviously Missy was in a really creative mood that day...

I love this

Get It Back - Whitney is not a convincing urban artist. She should stick to poppier styles.

Like this too but agree she should stick more towards pop

Until You Come Back - I quite like this one. Keeps your attention more than some of the other ballads on the CD.

I think it's average

I Bow Out - Okay.

I love this & it was probably making your compilation that made me appreciate it more

... i'm going onto the Urban Cookie Collective & Cappella now.

You'll have to love it Kelly Overette was an early icon for me a bit of a bimbo but fantastic TOTP performances

[latifaheaston]

Urban Cookie Collective

I do remember 'The Key, The Secret'. It's wonderful. I think I can summarize the whole album as pure mid-90's euro pop. It goes downbeat after the second track but still remains strong. Nowt wrong with mid-tempo dance! All very samey but I quite like that. I really like track 8,'Bring It On Home (Family)!Sounds like Boney M meets Ace Of Bace. Hidden Land is a a bit dull but the fantastic final track 'High On A Happy Vibe' ends
things on a 'high'. I really like this album. I can see it getting a lot of play this summer. Reminds me a lot of Black Box's 'Dreamland' although it's quite different. No, it's more like Gina G's 'Fresh' album! . A thumbs up from me!

Cappella next!

[PGCMc]

LatifahEaston said:

Urban Cookie Collective

I do remember 'The Key, The Secret'. It's wonderful. I think I can summarize the whole album as pure mid-90's euro pop. It goes downbeat after the second track but still remains strong. Nowt wrong with mid-tempo dance! All very samey but I quite like that. I really like track 8,'Bring It On Home (Family)!Sounds like Boney M meets Ace Of Bace. Hidden Land is a a bit dull but the fantastic final track 'High On A Happy Vibe' ends
things on a 'high'. I really like this album. I can see it getting a lot of play this summer. Reminds me a lot of Black Box's 'Dreamland' although it's quite different. No, it's more like Gina G's 'Fresh' album! . A thumbs up from me!

Cappella next!

;D Knew you'd like it...Worldwide Reunion & Hidden Land are both dreadful but the rest of the album more than makes up for that...it was the 1st album I bought... I played it for 2 years non-stop...can't believe it's 10 years old now...

[latifaheaston]

I used to play Shania Twains 'Come On Over' on the way to school every day for a year. I don't think i've listend to it in at least 3 years though.

MARIAH - ALBUM TRACKS

I used to have the CD single of Joy To The World but it was dance mixes and I think different lyrics. I have to say as an active Atheist this doesn’t do a lot for me. Thankfully it ends!

Open Arms and I Am Free sort of merged into one another for me. The next two tracks (When I Saw You, & Long Ago) the same. Not really anything that catches my attention.

Forever is slightly better. Quite anthemic and memorable. Like it

Butterfly is rather nice. The lyrics are nice and little girly. Sweet is probably the right word. Sounds like R Kelly.

Can’t Take That Away is great. She really belts it out which is what I like to hear.

How Much with Usher is quite fun. Using some of those Bonnie & Clyde lyrics but they make the song their own. Still think Usher is a knob but the track works really well. I like it better than the Jay Z/Beyonce b****cks. Wasn’t it a Toni Braxton track originally? ;D

After Tonight is a bit bland but its okay. Not hateful in any way.

X-Girlfriend is quite fun. Doesn’t really go anywhere but it’s pretty good.

I’ve heard this Westlife-less version before. Much better, I really like it. I think she really feels the track which is important with cover versions. I love it when she gets really emotional. Fabulous ;D

Petals is a bit sickly for me.

Thank God I Found You is a bit messy. It would’ve been better with just Mariah and one bloke. A whole pack of ‘em and it sounds out of control and not in harmony with each other.

The One – It’s okay.

You Got Me – WTF! Oh she’s singing at a human pitch now. It was probably more amusing before. So-so

Clown – I remember downloading this one. Again, so-so.

Bringin’ On The Heartache. This is a bit better. She sings quite well on it. I can see why it didn’t get a single release though. It fits better with the album tracks than with her classic singles.

Miss You is quite pleasant but where’s the voice? I hate it when she whispers.

I like her voice but she needs better album tracks. Some of the stuff off Glitter was better. Although maybe that was more my awful taste than the actual quality of the music.

Way too many , better than Whitney's by far though. Cut & Paste your Traci review in here so we can keep it all together. It makes good reading! ;D

[PGCMc]

LatifahEaston said:

MARIAH - ALBUM TRACKS

I used to have the CD single of Joy To The World but it was dance mixes and I think different lyrics. I have to say as an active Atheist this doesn’t do a lot for me. Thankfully it ends!

I love it, it's just so happy...I played it non-stop last Christmas...I thought it belonged on your CD

Open Arms and I Am Free sort of merged into one another for me. The next two tracks (When I Saw You, & Long Ago) the same. Not really anything that catches my attention.

I thought the Daydream album was a bit bland to bein with but it did grow on me eventually Open Arms is FAB with loadsa plays...I Am Free has a nice chorus but nothing spectacular.

Forever is slightly better. Quite anthemic and memorable. Like it

I really hated this to begin with it reminded me of something from the Grease soundtrack but I do love it now ;D

Butterfly is rather nice. The lyrics are nice and little girly. Sweet is probably the right word. Sounds like R Kelly.

Well this was one of the 1st Mariah songs I loved I was really shocked when it bombed in at #22

Can’t Take That Away is great. She really belts it out which is what I like to hear.

I've always liked it too even knowing she's done a thousand songs like this before

How Much with Usher is quite fun. Using some of those Bonnie & Clyde lyrics but they make the song their own. Still think Usher is a knob but the track works really well. I like it better than the Jay Z/Beyonce b****cks. Wasn’t it a Toni Braxton track originally? ;D

It's OK...I like a few Usher songs but that's it...It was 1st done by Tupac then Mariah sampled it then Toni Braxton covered it & her producer let someone at Jay Z's record label & he rush recorded his version with Beyonce & got it out before Toni instead of trying to release her version she went on about how they'd taken money from her childrens school fees & her album bombed...in Hindsight I prefered the Jay Z version to the Toni version.

After Tonight is a bit bland but its okay. Not hateful in any way.

My All part 2 ;D she admitted to doing the Rainbow album in 3 months...I think she was scared of J-Lo stealing her crown...I prefer this to My All though

X-Girlfriend is quite fun. Doesn’t really go anywhere but it’s pretty good.

Very cheesy but good she was trying to keep up with Destiny's Child etc.

I’ve heard this Westlife-less version before. Much better, I really like it. I think she really feels the track which is important with cover versions. I love it when she gets really emotional. Fabulous ;D

I love it too ;D shame she had to get those pr**ks on it for the single version

Petals is a bit sickly for me.

Didn't like it initially but it really is a personal song to her really nice lyrics

Thank God I Found You is a bit messy. It would’ve been better with just Mariah and one bloke. A whole pack of ‘em and it sounds out of control and not in harmony with each other.

Cheese but I do like

The One – It’s okay.

It was planned as the 2nd single it's OK me thinks

You Got Me – WTF! Oh she’s singing at a human pitch now. It was probably more amusing before. So-so

Don't you love the chipmunk?? ;D

Clown – I remember downloading this one. Again, so-so.

Took awhile but did grow on me it's about Eminem

Bringin’ On The Heartache. This is a bit better. She sings quite well on it. I can see why it didn’t get a single release though. It fits better with the album tracks than with her classic singles.

Thought this was amazing to begin with but it really is just good now...love the intro

Miss You is quite pleasant but where’s the voice? I hate it when she whispers.

The vocals are quite whispery but it's still fantastic

I like her voice but she needs better album tracks. Some of the stuff off Glitter was better. Although maybe that was more my awful taste than the actual quality of the music.

Glitter was OK but nothing amazing...this CD was filled with 2 of her weakest albums IMO...I look foward to reading the remainder of your review

Way too many , better than Whitney's by far though. Cut & Paste your Traci review in here so we can keep it all together. It makes good reading! ;D

Whitney's was suprisingly dull I'll shift it here I put it in the K-Llo forum to avoid confusion ;D

[PGCMc]

Control: Very dancey at times her voice reminds me of Kelly Llorenna...with her looks you have to admire her trying to be credible...cos she could've been massive doing Gina G type songs it's quite good but admittedly not something I'd listen to all the time...did she only make 1 album??

Fallen Angel: Again very dancey this was a single & only made #72...did she come over here & promote??

Good-n-evil: a bit too shouty for me sorry but you can tell from it she must've had a dreadful life poor girl

Fly & Distant Lover: are both very trancey quite sad songs...I don't know about you but her voice although she's no Mariah but has got lots of emotion I just feel sorry for her

Outlaw Lover: Reminds me of Cappella to begin with...I would say this is the most poppy thing on the album the lyrics are quite amusing...maybe they shouldn't be

I Want You & Say Something: Again quite trancey...not so sad on this maybe sounding a little more confident

Fathers Field: This is dreadful she sound likes she's about to burst into tears her Dad sounds like a proper c*nt

The CD doesnt play the other 2 songs...I try & review Sheena tomorrow night

[PGCMc]

For Your Eyes Only = I don't like it

9 to 5 = Horrible tooting horns...I could imagine my mum liking this

Modern Girl = I like this ;D...I'm suprised it doesn't sound that dated

One Man Woman = I don't really like this either too wisy washy

When He Shines = oversung & don't like the repeated When He Shines

Just Another Broken Heart = Don't like the male backing vocals butr it is OK

Machinery = Oversung & too many horns for me

Telefone = Dated

Always Over You = very nice ballad...a bit of emotion in there...which I like

We've Got Tonight = I like this I like the Ronan Keating & Lu Lu version too

Strut = Liking this very funky

Sugar Walls = very 80s but good...these were produced by Prince?? didn't he go out with her??

Do It For Love = her voice sounds fantastic the songs not too bad either

Eternity = Sounds like a grower a bit weird

U Got The Look = Quite good...not really a fan of Prince's voice

The Lover In Me = I think I've heard this before...I love this ;D

Days Like This = Mediocre

101 & Arms Of Orion = Not sure

What Comes Naturally = ;D Early 80s late 90s I love this

Love is In Control = Fab much better than the Fabulous version ;D

[latifaheaston]

I'm glad you liked some of the Sheena stuff. I just put her hits on that one. I had a feeling you may feel that way about her early stuff. 9 to 5 is a cheese classic IMO. I always hear it when I go to America.

Sugar Walls, Eternity, U Got The Look, 101, Arms Of Orion - are all Prince productions.

I agree with pretty much all you said. Although I love Telefone and Days Like This.

I'm glad you liked Almost Over You - it's my favourite Sheena song. ;D

The Lover In Me and Days Like This were produced by L.A. Reid & Babyface.

[PGCMc]

I'll do the Brenda K. Starr album tonight cos Sheena is up the house so this will save me making noise

Breakfast In Bed/Kelly Bryan named her unreleased album BIB ...Yeah ;D this is very good reminds me of something that would come fro Whitney - The Album

You Should Be Loving Me/Typical 80s song & her vocals aren't as bad as I thought

What You See Is What You Get/Quite nice...nothing amazing...a little repetitive

I Still Believe/I maybe JUST prefer Mariah's version but this is very nice...It deserved to be a big hit shame her version didn't do anything her

Giving You All My Love/Dated! But I can imagine this really growing on me

Over & Over/Like this! Could be a grower.

Straight From The Heart/Reminds me of Paula Abdul...a bit average

Drive Another Girl Home/ ;D This is beyond TACKY very cheery...*I get to be a LUNATIC if I have to spend another night with you* ;D

All Tied Up/Don't really like this...a bit dull

A 9 track album she was a bit stingy...Anyway overall not an amazing album but not bad either

[latifaheaston]

My feelings exactly.

[PGCMc]

You'll have to finish reviwing the Mariah Carey CD & have another listen to the Cappella CD

Sheena Easton/93 - 99
Someone To Watch Over Me
How Deep Is The Ocean
The Nearness Of You
Never Will I Marry
The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else

None of the above are my thing...don't really like the big band sound btw her voice sounds quite good on these songs

My Cherie = still a bit of the big band sound...nothing fantastic but a big improvement

Too Much In Love = Reggae kinda sound?? I think this quite good a bit too much cheese but I like it ;D was this early 90s?? who write this for her

All I Ask Of You = This seems a bit dull...maybe it'll take time to grow atm I think it's boring

Flower In The Rain = Well I like her voice in this...she seems to have gotten very ballad heavy at this point...there's just something missing from it

Next To You = Quite Funky! I really like this

Love Me With Freedom = weird lyrics...pleasent enough...nothing amazing

When You Speak My Name = Very Cheesey & dancey...the best song so far on this CD ;D

One Man = Oversung!

Modern Girl 97= Very TACKY but fantastic ;D

St Judy's Comet = I don't get this song

My Treasure Is You = She had some weird titles later in her career...this is quite good couldn't imagine it doing that well if it had've been a single

Who Knows = A bit more rocky on this a bit bland but not bad

Carry A Dream = Innoffensive but a very nice soft ballad...much better than any of the others on this CD...Reminds me off a Vanessa Williams ballad...this probably did well for her in Japan cos I remember Vanessa's ballads did well there??

I Need Your Love = It reminds me of the beat Mariah had on Fantasy...It really does sound completley different to all the other songs

She needs a good record label who will provide her with some fantastic songwriter/producers & promote her probably as she does have a fantastic voice...I'd like a comeback

[PGCMc]

HARRY You really love this LEFTFIELD type stuff...I thought with that name she was trying to ripoff Blondie but this sounds more like Traci Lords

Goddess On The Floor = I don't really like this there's no singing just banging

10 Things = This isn't too bad...couldn't imagine going out & buying the album but wouldn't mind hearing it on the radio...she flopped pretty badly didn't she?? I remember seeing a clip of one of her videos on CD:UK & she looked very like Blondie

So Real = This is much better than 10 things

Follow Me = A bit too rocky for me maybe a grower...maybe not

Valley = Not too bad a bit more commercial

Underground = The intros of this & this & the last song make me think they're gonna be folky styled songs...not really fussed on this one

Eye = I reall feel bad but I don't like this either but I think it's better to tell the truth about what I think of it cos I like peoples honest opinions on my music taste

Push It = This isn't bad ;D that boyband D-Side have sampled this too... this should've been a single the best thing on the album so far

I Do What I Do = This is OKish...again a bit too rocky for me

Tastes Like Kisses = Nah!

Heroin = This isn't too bad...I quite like it...a bit more of a tune to it

Nothing Really Matters = too shouty for me

Imagination = Is this a cover?? it sounds familiar...again not too bad

I Don't Agree = BANG BANG BANG BANG...I think her favourite instrument is the drum machine...there's no singing...does nothing for me

She's In Parties = a bit hypnotic to begin with...not my thing

Goddess On The Floor (Remix) = Don't like this version either

Push It (Remix) prefer the other version she did of it...don't like this at all

This just isn't my thing...I'll take it yo are a big fan of her your music taste is alot more credible than mine...I'll do the Blondie albums soon

[latifaheaston]

I've listened to about half the Mariah CD so far. I'll get back to you with my final verdict.

Nobody has ever called my taste leftfield or credible, thank you!

I Need Your Lovin' is a bonus track from the Japanese 'Fabulous'. I put it on there as a bonus really. It is very different from the other stuff on there. Now I know your taste.... Pure cheese! That is of course a wonderful thing ;D

When You Speak My Name, Next To You, and Modern Girl '97 rule! Most of these songs were singles.

My Cherie was a top 10 in Japan. All I Ask Of You, and Too Much In Love were singles there too. Flower In The Rain was a single in France.

When You Speak My Name, Love Me With Freedom, and Modern Girl '97 were Japanese singles

My Treasure Is You, and Carry A Dream were also Japanese singles. But she didn't promote those two.

I really like the jazz ones but I was a bit shocked by it all to start with. It's not really my thing either. I do love her voice on it. I like how clear and strong it is away from heavy production.

----

That HARRY album is cool. But not poppy really. Imagination got a bit of airplay and yes it's a cover. My favourites are So Real, Follow Me, Imagination, and Push It. I respect honesty. If something sounds sh*t to me I always say.

Next time i'll stick to my cheesy stuff. Which reminds me have you ever heard any songs by TLC's evil ex-manager Pebbles? I'm in love with her at the moment....

[PGCMc]

There was a singer who recently sampled Girlfriend by Pebbles but that's all I know by her...was she a Paula Abdul type singer?? or maybe more Neneh Cherry?? I remember she was on one of those top 20 girlband shows talking about TLC...I take it she didn't manage them for long?? Was she married to L.A Reid? end of the questions

Blondie

Denis = It's OK not great

Presence = Same as above

Hanging On The Telephone = I really never got Blondie not fussed on this

Picture This = again it sounds a bit samey to me

Heart Of Glass = I quite like this...I remember loving the remixes of this & Atomic that were released about 10 years ago

Sunday Girl = Just Blends in with the rest of the songs

Dreaming = same as above

Union City Blue = Not bad but not excellent either

Atomic = their 3rd best song ;D

The Tide Is High = ;D I prefer Atomic Kitten & Billie's version

Call Me = this is OK the same as Union City Blue

Rapture = quite a few people have sampled it

Island Of Lost Souls =

French Kissin' In The USA = This is not bad quite like it

I Want That Man = ;D This is more in a similar vein to Maria...really like this

I Can See Clearly = a mixture of SAW & Blondie could be a grower

Maria = Their best IMO! really love it...a fantastic comeback single ;D

Nothing Is Real But The Girl = OK but not a patch on Maria...I remember reading at the time they were foolish releasing this as the follow up to Maria...did you think there was better on the album??

Good Boys = Took a while but has grown on me...

Not really a fan of Blondie as you can tell but they do have the odd fantastic song in there

I can't find the CD to the other Blondie CD...when I do I will review it...Thanks again