Search - Grace Jones :: Island Life 2

The Very Best Of Grace Jones

ianphillips@uk.dreamcast.com | BOLTON, LANCASHIRE, ENGLAND | 10/31/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Island Life Volume 2 offers virtually nothing different to the first compilation that was origanally released in 1986, apart from the odd inclusion of some album cuts and also Sex Drive, a track she recorded in the early 1990's which literally sank without trace. Yet its a far more ideal compilation to have if you don't already have the first volume as this offers a more extensive range of Grace jones range. The romantic La Vie En Rose features Grace giving an actually effective vocal performance before the album dissolves into creaking disco tunes with I Need A man and Do or Die that both undeniably have a catchy hook to them despite distinctley being dated to the late 1970's. More adventurous and progressive was her cover version of The Pretenders, Private Life. Its trance-like, almost hypnotic arrangements set the tone for one of her greatest albums on which this track was origanally featured with Warm Leatherette (1980) that combined a cool blend of New Wave, Rock, Reggae, Funk and an even an injection of Soul. Her re-working of Bryan Ferry's Love Is The Drug is both effective and strong whilst the jamming Pull up To The Bumper again combines a neat mixture of Funk-Rock-Reggae and is one of her most infectious recordings. Other hits include the fabulous Trevor Horn produced Slave To The Rhythm, the exotic My Jamacian Guy as well as some notable album cuts including the hypnotic Walking In The Rain (NightClubbing 1981), the beautifully mellow Pars (Warm Leatherette 1980) and the blatantly weird but equally compelling I've Seen That Face Before (NightClubbing 1981). After she decamped the label for a deal with Manhatten Records her music career slid off the rails in commercial terms with neither Inside Story (1986) and Bullet Proof Heart (1989) cracking the U.K or U.S Top 50 Charts (Bullet Proof Heart actually failed to chart altogether) and has never had a hit since. However this compilation serves as a reminder of what a diverse albeit weird talent Grace Jones was and these tracks glide you through her glory days. Recommended."

Sex Drive

Jason | Raleigh, NC USA | 07/31/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"ISLAND LIFE-2 is a re-release of a "best-of" compilation which came out in 1986.

It contained 10 of Grace Jones' most successfull singles up until that time. This new version adds 4 EXTRA tracks:

2 obscure album tracks, "Pars" & "Feel Up" and two tracks from her 1992 EP "Sex Drive."



I was working as a DJ at a college radio station in North Carolina when we received some promo copies of "Sex Drive."

It contained 3 versions of the title song, plus powerful track called "Typical Male".

(NOT to be confused with the Tina Turner song of the same name)

It was an excellently produced, industrial-techno-rave single which I was certain would be a big hit.

I also assumed that a full-length album would soon follow.



Unfortunatley, I was the only DJ at the station who bothered to play "Sex Drive",

and none of my friends outside the station were even aware that she had a new song out.

Even my gay friends--big time Grace Jones fans--were surprised when I told them about the "Sex Drive" single.

None of them had even heard of it.



Meanwhile, a friend of mine in Atlanta told me on the phone that "Sex Drive"

was getting constant airplay on some of the radio stations where she lived.



"Sex Drive" came and went without a trace, and no full-length techno album ever appeared.

Luckily, 2 mixes of it are now available on ISLAND LIFE-2, but unfortunatly "Typical Male" was not included.

Why "Typical Male" was left off in favor of "Pars" or "Feel Up" I have no idea. (unless it was because of it's racy lyrics)

The inclusion of "Sex Drive" is the only thing which makes this compilation stand out from all of her other "best-of" CDs.

I would recommend hunting down a used copy of the original "Sex Drive" EP. They're still out there...





NOTE: This is NOT to be confused with ISLAND LIFE-1, which is still available, but does NOT contain the EXTRA 4 TRACKs.



"