From: leo@ph.tn.tudelft.nl (Leo Breebaart)
Subject: Kronto Singles Reviews Vol.2, #11
Followup-To: rec.music.misc
Summary: 15 Jul - 28 Jul
Originator: recmusic@galaxy
Reply-To: leo@ph.tn.tudelft.nl
Organization: Delft University of Technology
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 10:58:42 GMT

This is part eleven  of my 1992 new singles reviews. It's a review of more-
or-less new singles that have come to my notice over the last few weeks. 
All opinions expressed are humbly mine. The rating system is simple:

****  = "Excellent", by the time you read this I will already have begged, 
        stolen or borrowed the album this song is on.
 ***  = "Above Average", if this song comes on the radio, I turn the volume
        up, and I will certainly try to get a hold of the album.
  **  = "Ok", this song is quite literally 'average', in the positive sense
        of the word. 
   *  = "Below Average", if this song comes on the radio, I turn the volume
        down, and pray for it to finish quickly.
 (0)  = "Worthless", songs that I can't understand *anyone* would like.

-----

WINNER OF THE WEEK:

BRONX STYLE BOB - Forbidden Love (***)

I have heard this guy is/used-to-be a hardcore rapper. If so, then 'Forbidden
Love' is a very unexpected turn. It is one of those very rare songs:
a truly new, original, ballad. Lots of soul and a hunting melody.
Terence Trent d'Arby couldn't have done it better.


LOSER OF THE WEEK:

STING & ERIC CLAPTON - It's Probably Me (0)

Sting and Slowhand try a very Robert Cray like bluesy thing, with Clapton
providing some dull ploing-ploing guitar playing, and Sting nuzzling some
inarticulate lyrics on top of that. This is really the most boring song
I have come across in a long time. It breaks my heart, considering
what these two guys might have been capable of.


OTHER SONGS:

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS - Give It Away (*)

I hate it when record companies decide to cash in on a huge successful
hit ('Under The Bridge' in this case) by re-releasing the single that
had come before it, and which had mercilessly flopped. Do they really
think we will like it better this time around? I certainly don't.


UGLY KID JOE - Everything About You (*)

Fake, fake, fake. The group, their name, the clip, the music (nasty hard 
rock: sort of a much more standard Guns 'n Roses, or a slightly harder
Black Crowes) -- it all sounds fake, and unreal, and desperately 'thought up'. 


MARIAH CAREY - I'll Be There (**)

I have *never* liked this song, and not even Mariah's strong, honest live
version succeeds in conquering my dislike, but I'll give her a second
star for the effort. As a side note, I want to ask exactly how
'unplugged' a song is, when it uses a.o. a grand piano and umpteen
background singers. Sure, the song is "live", but "unplugged"...?


INCOGNITO - Dont't You Worry About A Thing (**)

A Stevie Wonder cover in modern dance/hop style. Nicely done -- could have
used a bit more variation though.


LONDONBEAT - You Bring On The Sun (*)

The irritating *happiness* of this song is unbelievable. In the past I have
said nice things about Londonbeat in my reviews. They are sympathetic, 
upbeat, and make some nice music. But you can only take this shiny-happy-
people approach so far, and when you end up with yet another indistinguishable
euro-pop triviality even the shiniest happiest people lose their gloss.


JOE PUBLIC - Live And Learn (**)

Just a bit too monotonous and uneventful to be a really memorable song,
but a certainly better-than-average slow-hop tune.


INXS - Heaven Sent (**)

A strong new entry for INXS. Harder and rougher than what we were used to, 
I think. More enjoyable then previous duds like 'Suicide Blonde', yet
still a bit too insubstantial underneath all that noise. Makes me very
interested in the next single, though.


JAN-PAUL VAN DER MEIJ - Help Miranda (*)

A completely trivial cover in the Dutch language of a well-known Beach 
Boys tune. It gets its lone star solely for the ingenious manner in which
Jan-Paul transformed the title into something that still *sounds* like the 
original title, but which nevertheless is perfectly correct Dutch (and
still correct English as well, come to think of it).

-----

All remarks, agreements, disagreements, additions, or factual error
corrections welcome.

-- 
Leo Breebaart  (leo @ ph.tn.tudelft.nl)

Newsgroups: rec.music.reviews