From: leo@ph.tn.tudelft.nl (Leo Breebaart)
Subject: Kronto Singles Review Vol.2, #10
Followup-To: rec.music.misc
Summary: 27 Jun - 14 Jul
Originator: recmusic@galaxy
Reply-To: leo@ph.tn.tudelft.nl
Organization: Delft University of Technology
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 10:56:46 GMT

This is part ten 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.

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WINNER OF THE WEEK:

GUNS 'N ROSES - November Rain (***)

Yes! After several miserable releases, finally a song that shows exactly
why Guns 'n Roses *isn't* just another mediocre rock band, as so many
critics would like them to be. This song is completely ridiculous
(even more so when you look at the video, in which Axl's young bride
dies after an encounter with an apparently lethal rainfall) and over the
top, and it's kitsch, and pretentious, and it goes a bit too slow at 
first, but by the time they reach the final part (with the orchestra,
chorus, and all that) and Slash starts murdering that guitar, you 
definitely know that this song has got "it". No question about it.


LOSER OF THE WEEK:

MR. BIG - Just Take My Heart (0)

I didn't like "To Be With You" very much, but at least it had some form
of originality. With "Just Take My Heart" Mr. Big manages to compress
so many west-coast rock-ballad cliche's into one song that it becomes downright
painful. Not even Poison would stoop to these depths. Avoid.


OTHER SONGS:

DEF LEPPARD - Make Love Like A Man (*)

Talking about songs that have got that magical "it"... I suppose I will
never be able to explain properly why a Def Leppard song such as 'Animal'
*has* got "it", whereas this dreary horror, with almost the same
melody, the same song structure and even basically identical lyrics
most definitely has *not* got "it". Avoid.


ROXETTE - How Do You Do! (**)

Fine! Thank You!
It will be interesting to see if Roxette can pull it off again and have
major US hits with their new material. It won't be that material's fault,
if this song is any indication: formulaic, but solid, euro-rock, that's
just the teeniest bit different from all the others, with great attention
to the details. They have now completely lost their Heart-epigonism -- thank
goodness for that, one Heart is quite enough, thank you.


MICHAEL JACKSON - Who Is It? (***)

Finally, Michael Jackson releases the best song of his "Dangerous" album
on single. Sure, it is sounds a bit too much like 'Billy Jean', and his
mannered, hiccupped singing is worse on this song then ever before --
but the melody is sweet, the beat is pulsating, and the drum sound
is unbelievably cool & funky.


GENESIS - Jesus He Knows Me (***)

A daring concept! Imagine this: a song that makes fun of... TV Evangelists.
But then we wouldn't want Phil & Co. to tackle a subject that might
possibly hurt their sales, right? Originality is overrated anyway.
The tune itself is bouncy and lightweight and very listenable, though,
but unbelievably standard in its arrangements and production. I'll
stop writing now before I am tempted to make tha rating two stars or less.


DEL AMITRI - Be My Downfall (***)

Good, very solid folkish rock. No awards for originality, but the fine
arrangement/production and the powerful vocals more than make up for
that.


SHAKESPEAR'S SISTER - I Don't Care (**)

Pop with a difference. The Sisters' music still borders on the gimmicky,
but it surely is refreshing to have songs in the charts every now and again
that to do not sound like everything else.


PRINCE & THE N.P.G. - Sexy Motherfucker (*)

After a steady, but long flow of strong releases from last year's
"Grafitti Bridge" the all-new Prince single disappoints me big time.
Not even the cute organ sound and solo can save this boring, droning
overlong funk-workout. James Brown fans might like it, though...


U2 - Even Better Than The Real Thing (*)

You know you are in trouble when people talk more about your Amazing
Video clip than about your music itself. If anyone can explain to me
how they did those incredible sweep-shots I'll be very grateful --
just don't force me to turn the sound up on Bono's moaning and mumbling
his way through yet another uninspired U2 offering.

-----

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

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

Newsgroups: rec.music.reviews