Search - Neville Brothers :: Valence Street

Valence Street
Neville Brothers
Valence Street
Genres: Pop, R&B
 
On Valence Street, the brothers offer few surprises: the groove is mighty, while the choice of material weakens the disc's overall impact. "If I Had a Hammer" is hardly as indelible a social statement as their chilling ver...  more »

     
   
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CD Details

All Artists: Neville Brothers
Title: Valence Street
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 1
Label: Sony
Original Release Date: 2/9/1999
Release Date: 2/9/1999
Genres: Pop, R&B
Styles: Funk, Soul
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 074646890622, 5099749165724, 007464689062

Synopsis

Amazon.com
On Valence Street, the brothers offer few surprises: the groove is mighty, while the choice of material weakens the disc's overall impact. "If I Had a Hammer" is hardly as indelible a social statement as their chilling version of Bob Dylan's "With God on Our Side" was on Yellow Moon, while too many of the new songs rely on tired romantic clichés. Everything falls together on a few tracks, particularly Richard Thompson's "Dimming of the Day" and "Mona Lisa," a collaboration with Wyclef Jean that originally appeared on his Carnival album. The ghostly funk of "Tears" and "The Dealer" also shows them at their best, suggesting that more fire and brimstone and less "Little Piece of Heaven" is the way to go. --Rickey Wright

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CD Reviews

Utterly Fantastic
Andy Agree | 02/27/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Recently the Neville Brothers were in Omaha for a concert. We enjoyed hearing some of the Valance Street CD. I have listened to Valence Street at least six times since it was purchased. The lyrics combine nature, life and human emotions, and add the Neville Brother twist. My favorite tunes are Utterly Beloved, Mona Lisa, Little Piece of Heaven, Until we meet again, Over Africa in that order. I love listening to the combination of instruments enriched with the hypnotic voices of Aaron, Cyril and Charles. Thank you Amelia and Arthur L. Neville, Sr."
Pretty Damned Good!
Andy Agree | 02/17/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)

"While not possessing quite the borderline-religious-experience, funky-to-the-bone hysteria of the Nevilles' live shows (especially those old two-set Mardi Gras marathons at Tipitina's), this is probably the Brothers' best studio record since Yellow Moon. It has a nice balance, showcasing the diverse talents of all four Neville Brothers (Art, Charles, Aaron, and Cyril), and the sound is uncluttered and with emphasis on the vocals. The ballads ("Dimming of the Day", "Utterly Beloved") are lovely, and the New Orleans-Caribbean version of "If I Had a Hammer" is a highlight, as is that Uptown New Orleans party entitled "Real Funk." Still, an added spice of Cyril's congas and percussion here and there, and perhaps an acapella-harmony "Indian Red" (as I have heard them do live) might have elevated the record to a masterpiece. As it stands, it's merely pretty damned good."
There is no bad Neville Brothers CD
R. Kyle | USA | 07/06/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)

""Over Africa" is a stunning opener. The guitar riffs and rhythm really gets you off your feet. The covers of "If I had a Hammer" and Richard Thompson's "Dimming of the Day" are well done, too. Wyclef Jean's addition on "The Dealer" is great--and the lyrics are definitely ones you would want to listen to again and again.



Not my favorite Neville Brothers CD, but a solid addition to my collection."