Various Artists - Do The Right Thing Soundtrack - 1989 - Motown

Spike Lee's movies always had something to say, and this movie tackled racism head on. Often a shocking film, and certainly a thought-provoking one, I have to say I care little about movies, and as the 90s progressed into the 00s even less interested in the "soundtracks". However, not unlike his previous "School Daze" movie, the associated soundtrack was an essential purchase. So many quality songs on here to choose from, and unlike today which is rap oriented, this soundtrack offers various flavours and styles that play an important part in describing in musical terms how different New York is in terms of identity and race. I recommend the CD for any one of the following songs, so you pays yer money and you makes yet choice. The sound clip below is of Perri's SUPERB "Feels So Good". Sublime is a word that doesn't do this track justice. Our old friend Paul Laurence, along with Raymond Jones, are responsible for this beauty, and 20 years on it remains a classic, fresh sound. It was also a single too!

Lori Perry teams up with Gerald Alston on the Paul Laurence produced "Hard To Say" and the vocal interplay is smashing, it truly is. Such a shame that these two talents never met again over the microphone. For an amazing vocal jazz expedition look no further than the tremendous Take 6, and their "Don't Shoot Me" takes on the issue of fraying tempers matched with a trigger happy environment, made worse by a long hot summer! The song is well performed and may sound quite fun, but in context with the blistering heat and the simmering racial tensions it really takes on a different atmosphere. It's left to Al Jarreau to provide the KILLER track, and assisted by producer Raymond Jones he crafts the most sensual, delicious and jaw-dropping cut. the song runs at a full 6 minutes, and though I love the song beyond words, it is the final 2 minutes that still floor me to this day. A full string section takes charge and they single-handedly serve up the most exquisite musical experience. I can sit and listen to this beautiful passage time and time and time again. Such a good film and an even better soundtrack.

Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe

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Evan Rogers - Faces Of Love - 1989 - Capitol

I have very warm recollections of 1989, and part of what makes up that bag of memories and emotions is the great, great music that was released that year. So much was released that year I still have CDs on my wants list that I have yet been fortunate to acquire! 'Twas always thus. I have to include this sizzling set from writer / producer Evan Rogers, who, along with Carl Sturken produced a batch of classy dancers and ballads throughout the 1980s for themselves as well as other artists. Today is a different matter and I can't say I feel the same but these guys have always had their fingers on the pulse with what's going down but I fear the likes of Rihanna etc do nothing at all for me. Absolutely nothing. This 1989 album, though, is definitely NOT aimed at pre-pubescent children and teenagers unlike toady's mainstream RnB trash.

The popier side of this gent was alwayys going to play it's part, but the more accessible and tolerable part comes in the form of the single release, "Call My Heart Your Home", which isn't bad as far as crossover songs go, and his duet with (then) new artist Deitra Hicks should have been a LOT bigger than it was. Not my cup of tea but you can hear the huge hit potential in this. My personal choices, though, mop the floor with these offerings. Here we get what I see as the REAL Evan Rogers. The synth / acoustic guitar introduction to "Love Like A River" is one that gives me goose-flesh. Evan's soft vocals are soulful - achingly so - and renders this as an ESSENTIAL cut for anyone who loves connoisseur-quality late 80s quiet storm soul. Such a song must not be allowed to disappear off of the radar. Equally, "Whenever I Call Your Name" should be a winner for those like me who love top-draw 80s material. Songs such as this meaty ballad helped define and ingrain the hot summer of 1989 into my mind, searing it there forever. My collection has many gems within it but it's all the richer for these two real soul nuggets.

Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe

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Paul Laurence - Underexposed - 1989 - Capitol

1989's "Underexposed" stands, unbelievably, as this ultra-talented man's last album. Although still active in the studio - more recently with Freddie Jackson - I crave a NEW album from the man. The 90s saw a raft of talented, able artists disappear off the radar and as far as I am concerned it's about time they returned to the studio and give us what we want and not what the accountants at the record companies think will make a quick buck. Paul Laurence has style. His work is so unique and specific to him that we can know, within seconds of hearing a new track, that he has had a hand in it. Now that's what I call talent. Paul's style suits me in so many ways. He can turn out a thumping dancer at the drop of a hat and can turn on a sixpence and offer a burning hot ballad fit for the best, smoothest balladeers of our time. Think Eric Gable or Freddie Jackson. Yet on both tempos we have an immediate, undeniable sense of Paul Laurence.

This means that he pours his heart and soul into what he does and his very essence is in there. The likes of Leon Ware, Jon Lucien and James Ingram are of this ilk and mark Paul out as something special indeed. And that brings me to this CD. I may be reading - or listening too much into the album, but it appears very personal and autobiographical and as such bittersweet. And all's the better for it. For this outing I would like to bring 3 songs to your attention. "She's Not An (Ordinary Girl)" - an ass-kicking puny groove, sweet vocals and quirky lyrics such as "friends, homeboys and countrymen...lend me your ears..." Ha! Very good indeed and a real foot stomper. Now... a mighty fine track can be found in the thumping beat ballad,"Sue Me". This is a song to whop up the volume and let the bass-pins rip. Brilliant. Check it out below. The pain expressed in "She's Gone" really opens up a door into the soul of a hurt, disgraced man. The lyrics are so poignant and the haunting backing vocals - typical of a Laurence ballad - are pitched just right. This tale of a tortured conscience is precautionary. The motto is: don't covet another man's rhubarb!

Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe

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Babyface - Tender Love - 1989 - Solar

In 1989 I bought my first three CDs from a big department store downtown Stockholm. One of them was Babyface’s second album “Tender love”. The by then still quite new CD technique had attracted my for some years but it wasn’t until now I had the money to buy my precious Pioneer PDS702 CD-player. The competent machine is still around today and still offering that all fresh and spectacular crystal clear sound.

Babyface, or Kenneth Edmonds, was not new name to me back then. He had both produced and written, together with friend L.A. Reid, several hits in my possession for the legendary The Whisper (“Rock Steady”), Pebbles (“Girlfriend”) and Bobby Brown (“Every Little Step”). He even got his own band with Reid called The Deele that had a few minor hits during the 80s. In many ways he took over after the decline of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis in the late 80s as THE hot black producer and I liked his stuff a lot!

His second album on the legendary Solar label is really competent soul and it is preferably the heart aching ballads that really catches my attention. And even though much of it sounds awfully similar I must admit that it is very hard, why not say impossible, to resist the touching music. Track one, the quirky pop funk “It’s no crime” became a huge hit (#1 on the R&B charts) but it’s the amazing ballads a bit later of “Whip Appeal” (#2 on the R&B charts), “Soon As I Got Home” and “Given A Chance” that unconditionally open up the door to my heart. Both the music and the lyrics here are meaningful, so touching full of pure love! The rest is fine soul too but these three really raises my spirit sky high. Babyface has the ability to really affect people. It’s hard to describe what it is; he simple moves me over and over again.

I really hope you haven’t missed this beautiful album, otherwise I strongly suggest that you buy one of the finest moments in the late 80s and lay back and close your eyes.

Patrik Andersson

Patriks Soul Funk Special

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Miles Jaye - Irresistible - 1989 - Island Records

Hard to believe this fine album is 20 years old this summer. I think that this is Miles Jaye's finest work to date. "Irresistible" has to be the perfect tag for this album. I can remember the HOT Summer of 1989 very, very well, and getting tapes posted of Richard Searling's radio show every month. The day I heard this album on one particular show I was so taken aback that I was clamouring for the album there and then. Once I had it in my hands the album was played to death. I still play it on a regular basis, on CD now, though, even more than any other albums he has released. Miles Jaye is the epitome of a REAL soul singer. Powerful, masculine, virile and unafraid to allow the sheer force and power of his vocal chords to shine through. Not unlike his mentor, Teddy Pendergrass, this man was well versed in matters of the heart and crafted tunes to dance to and make love to in equal measure.

From starters orders the bar is raised exceptionally high. The title track shoves aside the New Jack Swingers with no mercy and lets all and sundry know that a real singer is here with real music. "Next Time" is hot enough to scorch the turntable, CD player - whatever...such a wonderful voice and such a sexy, well paced ballad. Top-draw if ever I heard it. One track that really gets me going is the KILLER "Slo-Dance", a song that slowly builds up to a pounding ballad with gritty vocals and plenty of warm, summery, synth to warm the cockles. As I write this, listening to this song - this album - I am choking up. God, the power of great soul music! Happy memories and wonderful music, it's all we need. A song that has me in pieces is "Message" - possibly the finest thing the great man has ever recorded. Amazing. Mind you, the dramatic "Interlude" and "I'll Be There" are equally as superb. I used to whack the volume up up on this and soak up the music and the hot sun. Happy days. However, the song that most will connect with is the beautifully fresh and evergreen "Heaven". Music like this cannot be beaten. Simply wonderful, and well worth seeking out should you not own it. Miles Jaye's finest moment.

Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe

The Manhattans - Sweet Talk - 1989 - Valley Vue

Valley Vue was a great little label in the late 80s and early 90s and one of the best things to be released on the little, yet mighty, label was this excellent album from the veteran Manhattans who, had, then, notched up 25 years. By 1989 Gerald had left for pastures new at Taj / Motown and for this album the lead singer came in the shape of the more than able Roger Harris. The album was available on LP and CD (still available!) and had input from some very classy names from the soul world such as Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers, Leo Graham, Michael Wycoff and Gary Taylor! All create a stunning mix of dancers and ballads which was – yet again – ignored at the time, but deserves to be in the spotlight now. Fans of quality, major label sounding late 80s soul are in for a real treat. The album teaser was the brilliantly buoyant single, “Sweet Talk” - a track I even heard played on late night TV show the Hit Man and Her! LOL. Sturken and Evans had already made their mark by 1989, and the tune they proved the gents with here was not only suitable for the group but was also very much in keeping with the times. Stylish and effective.

The deep, deep voice of William “Blue” Lovett gives us a splendidly alluring performance on the classy “Just A Matter Of Time”. His monologue borders cheesy BUT the music and sax really create some atmosphere! The two KILLERS on here really are the shining stars (no pun intended!) on this album. If Gary Taylor's most haunting ballads on “Take Control” are your bag then you will die for “Why You Wanna Love Me Like That” and “I Won't Stop”. The former was a new track on which Roger Harris sounds absolutely amazing – Gary Taylor really was, at this time, capable of no wrong and this song to this very second still kills me. The haunting synths and unique style that Taylor employs is mouth-watering. The guys are treated to a cover of Gary's own song from “Compassion”, “I Won't Stop”. I find that Gary seems to improve his own work when he gives it to someone else! This is certainly the case here and the song is heightened to astral proportions by the use of THOSE Monte Moir-styled haunting synths. Gary also joins in the backing harmonies, and as such makes the song a real killer. Timeless, these songs are as essential today as they were in the Autumn of 1989 when originally released. Amazing.

Barry Towler,

The Vibe Scribe

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