Two different versions of perfection from the same singer/ar
Phil Rogers | Ann Arbor, Michigan | 01/30/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"On these two CD's, Kylie and her production "team" (Stock-Aitken-Waterman, aka `The Hit Factory') continued their fruitful, beat-laden excursion into the highest heaven of disco wonderland (which began with her 2nd CD, `Enjoy Yourself'), and beyond.
Note that it's not enough to say that oftentimes the Kylie team was paying homage to different folks, and different styles - because of the extent that what emerged seems to have equaled or even surpassed the models. Free rein is the key phrase here. Everyone involved is just kickin' it, going wild, and to make a new adverb, scorchingly so.
Note that, unless you are completely taken by storm from the get-go, my suggestion would be to listen to each of these stellar CD's a minimum of 8-10 times before attempting to form a firm opinion about either of them, since there is a lot going on here. There's plenty of depth and dimension that might not reveal itself immediately to the casual listener.
CD #1: 'RHYTHM OF LOVE'
"Better the Devil You Know": Though she'd already had several #1 hits, this might be thought of the initial BIG cannon shot (or call it icon) of Kylie's singing career - the first few strains of the intro start playing and you know this is going to be one of the greatest songs you've ever/never heard. Emotional intensity, infinite exhortation, melodic inventiveness and superiority, rhythmic drive - these will fly in your face all the way through the track.
5++++ stars
On the video, the images and the music really enhance each other(DVD: `Ultimate Kylie').
2. "Step Back in Time" Just as intense in its own way, but more in the happier, nostalgic direction, with generous touches of humor that will have you screaming. The lyrics name-drop the O'Jays and several songs from the High Funk/Disco period. The video on the `Ultimate Kylie' DVD is full of non-stop fun and good feeling.
5 ++++ stars
3. "What Do I Have to Do" It's difficult for me to comprehend how three such intense tracks (all 3 were singles) could find `themselves' together sequentially. This one is at least as emotionally intense as the 1st track, and further flaunts Kylie's relationship with her production team as one of the best ever.
5++++ stars.
The video on the `Ultimate Kylie' DVD is quite wild, showing her reenacting the looks of a number of famous 20th century actresses.
4. "Secrets" Medium-tempo, relaxed sort of disco track - inspiring writing, perfect arrangement - and as is usual with this production team, there's great harmony and articulation from all the singers, begetting a terrific blend.
5 stars
5. "Always Find the Time": The introduction flaunts great counterpoint and syncopation between the rhythm tracks and the smooth synthesizer strings. In the song proper, the back-up harmonies are arranged such they sound flanged - a very up-to-date sound for the 80's. The song structure and overall sound reminds me of Michael Jackson.
5 ++ stars
6. "The World Still Turns": Especially on the chorus, but intermittently all the way through, Kylie sounds more like Michael Jackson than it would seem to be humanly possible.
5++++
7. "Shocked" For this one, the intro clocks in at slightly over a minute and a half, with various rhythmic/melodic elements moving in and out - by the time the song proper begins, it's like a fast-moving river of sound into which the singer(s), as it were, dive into. There are further MJ overtones, more at the "Beat It" side of things.
5++ stars
8. "One Boy Girl" begins with an upbeat New Jack Swing beat-box rhythm, with various funk guitar elements seasoning the mix. The vocals are harder than anything else on the CD so far. In the middle there's a section broaching great interaction (part of the story) between rapper "The Poetess" and Kylie.
5++++ stars
9. "Things Can Only Get Better": Funk guitar starts the song in the left speaker, followed by a very crisp hi-hat beat on the right, and a punchy, kick drum shortly thereafter. Gradually the groove fills in; the vocals come in at around 47 seconds, at which time the track takes off, blistering through to the end. This one's the heir to "Enjoy Yourself" from Kylie's 2nd CD, classic old-school disco at its best.
5++++ stars.
10. "Count the Days": is a complete tour de force hearkening back the heyday of Evelyn "Champaign" King, Patrice Rushen, Teena Marie and company, only with updated recording techniques so that this is simply put, over the top excellent.
5++++ stars
11. "Rhythm of Love": Another New Jack Swing track, this time the rhythm's not confined to the drums - instead, being spread around the rest of the rhythm section, including keyboards, muted funk guitar/bass, even the singers. I seem to detect shades of Janet Jackson. A signature effect of the chorus is two sets of harmonized vocal duo-tracks trading back-and-forth off of each other.
5++ stars
CD #2: 'LET'S GET TO IT'
Here, it was as if Stock-Aitken-Waterman 'decided' to make another great album, but this time freed themselves from the paradigm of building it solely around Kylie - it ended up with a much more collective or even tribal flavor, like this was some phenomenal variety show/musical, wherein she seemed more like the main lead singer/actress, part of the extended cast, rather than being a mere soloist. There is a lot of variety - every track shines very well on its own - and the sequence is phenomenal.
1. "Word is Out": The influence of Stevie Wonder (writing and singing) is all over the verse section of this track. And the multiple recurring choruses will hook listeners until the end of time. There's great emotional color, and intense fervor all the way through. You can check out the video of this track on Kylie's 'Greatest Hits 87-97' DVD.
5++++ stars
2. "Give Me Just a Little More Time": this might actually be better than the original, at least on certain days. The video is to die for (on the either the 'Greatest Hits 87-97', or `Ultimate Kylie' DVD's): they're in a club scene, sunlight streaming in the large windows - though it seemed to me like it had to be New Orleans, the club is actually somewhere in London. Everybody's dancing - it's dreamy, really.
5+++ stars
3. "Too Much of a Good Thing": pays profuse homage, perhaps subconsciously, to the somewhat spare sound of Soul II Soul. Stock-Aitken-Waterman keep things more florid (as only they are capable of), but the punchy accents, the vocal phrasing, and rhythm all seem to owe lots to Jazzy B and his team.
5++++ stars.
4. "Finer Feelings": more Soul II Soul vamping, though it's subtler. And every detail of sound presents itself as if full of wonderment. You can check out the video of this track on Kylie's 'Greatest Hits 87-97' DVD.
5++++ stars
5. "If You Were With Me Now": Is a terrific duet with Keith Washington: the singers' voices both soar - they are astounding here - things couldn't be any better! You can check out the cool video on Kylie's 'Greatest Hits 87-97' DVD - it's also very moving.
5++++ stars
6. "Let's Get To It": is an original-sounding, easy going dance track, with a great warm organ groove and punchy percussion accents. This is one of those supremely fine feel-good-vibes songs.
5++++ stars
7. "Right Here, Right Now": This song displays a telling major-minor mode interplay throughout its melodic/harmonic texture, and emphasizes intense chorus work - that wonderful, magical old gospel influence is going to jump you and knock your boots off - folks, this one is way gone!
5++++ stars
8. "Live and Learn": This has more very intense chorus work. Sixteenth-note groups in the verse melody and in the rhythm track (there and elsewhere) - and subsequent 16th-note based syncopations yield a relaxed, flowing funk rhythm that only somewhat belies the song's intensity. The overall tone heads into similar territory as "Things Can Only Get Better" from the `Rhythm of Love' CD; and it's placed in a similar position in the sequence of tracks.
5++++ stars
9. "No World Without You": Is Kylie's intense and skillfully-sung solo ballad. The accompaniment is spare: clean guitar probably mixed with a warm clav, and what sounds like a stick bass on occasion.
5++++ stars.
10. "I Guess I Like It Like That": is a very long tribal-club-dance tune that totally funks it up. And does Kylie ever go wild when she leans and soars into those long, improvised melismas near the beginning of the track - you just gotta hear this!
5++++ stars
All this goes to show how almost unfailingly great Stock-Aitken-Waterman were as songwriters, arrangers, and style jockeys, and that their recording/mixing/mastering engineering team has vaulted into contention for being judged as one of the best ever on the planet!
In answer to the criticisms that SAW copied various styles of American R&B [without actually stealing melodies, of course] - Waterman answered (in an interview/article viewable on the unofficial SAW website) that they in fact did it better than the Americans, whose music he said sounds watered down by comparison. Though this may seem arrogant and presumptuous on his part, I had already come to this conclusion before having read his statement/interview. SAW not only wrote great music - they managed to get their singers/artists to perform better than usual, and, seemingly, better than everyone else around at the time.
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Track Listings (11) - Disc #1