Donna Summer - Crayons
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Free Music Notes for Crayons
Free Music Review: Summer is here at last!
Hit: 5 Stars
After a long drought of some 17 years, Summer is finally here. If you think I'm referring to the weather, you'd be half correct (what is Summer without Donna?), but I'm actually referring to the long awaited release of Donna Summer's first studio album in some 17 years.
"Crayons" finds Ms Summer at the peak of her creative and vocal abilities, and much like her classic albums "Four seasons of love", "Once upon a time", "I remember yesterday", "Bad girls", or "I'm a rainbow" there is a unifying theme running through the album; celebrating human diversity through diverse sounds.
Signed to Burgundy records, her label wanted her to do an album of standards like her contemporaries Rod Stewart, Diana Ross or Natalie Cole had. Summer however, had other ideas. She played them a song she'd penned, inspired she says by James Blunt's "You're beautiful", and the covers idea was never brought up again.
What we get is a beautiful kaleidescope of colours expressed in sound, with all the songs co-penned by Summer. Opening is the anthemic "Stamp your feet", an inspirational get-back-up-in-the-game message set to a dance/pop/hip hop sound. In a similar mould are the catchy but skeletal "Mr music" (with Timbaland-like synth strings and a reference to the ubiquitous iPod) and the tongue-in-cheek dig at her Queen of disco title "The queen is back" in which she name drops 2 of her big hits; "On the radio" and "Love to love you baby" (after a TV News segment-like intro). The last pair were co-written with Evan Bogart, son of her mentor at Casablanca records, the late Neil Bogart. Talk about coming full circle.
Title track "Crayons" is an incredibly bouncy pop song with an island feel and additional vocals from Ziggy Marley who sounds so much like his father. I love the fun "Ay ay oh ohs".
"Fame (the game)" is jaw-droppingly amazing, a dance/rock hybrid a la "Hot stuff" with a stomping beat which takes a look at the quest for, and pitfalls of fame with spoken verses (in an almost unrecognisable voice from Summer). This song sounds like it could have been lifted off "Bad girls" or "The wanderer".
"Sand on my feet" is a tender acoustic ballad with Donna declaring undying love for her man and sounding very young. This song is a real grower, and reminds me a bit of "Big girls don't cry" by Fergie. Next is another awesome song, the salsa/jazz-tinged tinged "Drivin' down Brazil" (I love the ad libs, and the heavy bass line) inspired Summer says by a player type cool guy she spotted driving down a street called Brazil in Florida.
"I'm a fire" is classic Summer, a latin-tinged dance song with a very European feel and a retro-yet-contemporary sound. This has already topped the Billboard dance charts, and is sure to please those hungry for her disco days. The version on the album is slightly different from the single version; additional verses, and additional fleeting harmonies.
Next comes a song bound to shock listeners. Is that really Summer singing? "Slide over backwards" finds Summer adopting the persona of a character called Hattie Mae Blanche DuBois (her photo appears in the CD too, of course it is Summer in silhouette), singing in a raspy drawl very much like Macy Gray, and singing to an upbeat harmonica/steel guitar laden honky tonk blues sound that would fit Tina Turner very nicely (think "Nutbush city limits"). It sounds strange at first, but grows more and more as you play it.
"Science of love" is a bouncy and edgy rock number which is incredibly catchy, with lyrics about trying (and failing) to resist a lover. Summer, after all, was the first recipient of the best female rock Grammy award, a feat overlooked by most. This song is very radio friendly.
Next is the album's masterpiece, the autobiographical ballad "Be myself again", the song she played for her record execs. It is a stark haunting piano ballad (with eerie synth flourishes during the bridge and chorus) and lyrics touching on the persona she had to display during her hey day, which was far removed from whom she really was. The opening poignant lines "Let me introduce myself/I'm a woman that you never see" reminds me of the beginning of the Rolling Stone's "Sympathy for the devil". Summer says she wanted her vocals to shine unencumbered by effects and beats, and thus came up with one of the most beautiful and powerful songs in her repertoire.
Closing cut (on most versions of the CD) is the powerful Gospel tinged "Bring down the reign" which starts off with the rumble of gunfire before haunting Eastern violins (played by Miri Ben-Ari; she also makes a fleeting appearance on "Stamp your feet") African chants (backing vocals by The Agape Children's Choir, a group composed of South African AIDS orphans) and percussion sweep in, with Summer singing a prayer for Darfur. This song is incredibly moving, and reminds me a bit of Wyclef's "Million voices" from the "Hotel Rwanda" soundtrack. A stunning performance, and a prayer I hope is answered, not only in Darfur, but everywhere there is hate, intolerance and killing.
As I stated, this is the closing cut on most versions of the CD, but some versions have a bonus cut, a track I feel is vital to your Summer collection. "It's only love" is a trancey dance song with surging, pulsing and throbbing synths, and Summer cooing in a voice last heard on songs like "Could it be magic" or "Now I need you". At a little over 7 minutes, it is a masterpiece, remniscent of her electronic classic "I feel love" and deserves to be massive. "Dancing dancing" she intones in a robotic trance as she takes us to a "land of a thousand dances". Awesome!! Buy, beg or steal a copy with this song!
The album comes in a nice digipak with lovely photos of Summer. Her famous effusive "thank you" notes are back, and her daughters get a very touching tribute.
There you have it. Her "Bad girls" album got 5 grammy nominations in the Rock, R&B, Disco and Pop categories, and "Crayons" has the potential to cut across genres come Grammy time. I know I'm a big Donna Summer fan so I'm probably biased (lol!), but this is definitely my favourite album released this year, and up there with the best of Summer's career, and one of her most heartfelt and personal artistic statements.
Free Music Review: AT LAST - Donna Summer's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
Hit: 5 Stars
Oh, hold on a minute... this is an album of new material. That just sounds like a greatest hits collection.
Well, I'm sure that, by now, most listeners already know the story behind that. Suffice to say that among this palette of varied - some might say conflicting - styles, the big, seven-minute disco workout I'm A Fire is worth the investment on it's own. But I'm getting ahead of myself - here's a track-by track-breakdown:
STAMP YOUR FEET From the opening whoa-oahs, there's no doubt that Donna's back in business with a radio-friendly belter of an "encouragement song" (as the lady herself describes it). The production signals a relentlessly modern approach, and boy, is this what's delivered over the next hour or so.
I LOVE MUSIC Kicks off all high-octane R'n'B in the style of Usher or Justin Trousersnake, and when she tells us, "I've got my iPod" in the opening line, it's hard not to wonder whether she's not just angling for a high-profile product ensdorsement. But it wins you over with its exhuberence. Perhaps moreso than...
CRAYONS, with it's nevertheless great lyric about celebrating diversity and a pleasant enough guest vocal from Ziggy Marley. Its skittering raggaeton vibe (think Rihanna's 'Pon De Replay) might be an already discarded flavour, but if you think Donna's already had one double espresso too many, she cranks up the pace even more on...
THE QUEEN IS BACK. "She wants a Toblerone". What the hell is THAT opening line all about? OK, I know she's singing something else, but it does sound uncannily like that. This rocking, tongue-in-cheek number seems based on a theme tune for a boxing flick like Rocky 6 or something, and you do get the sense that she's been limbering up in the gym for another sparring session with the `Industry'. Time for a bit of a rest between rounds? You've got to be kidding.
FAME rocks it out even more, with a jaded lyric about... well, the clue's in the title. Naturally, you're going to be put in mind of David Bowie's eponymous hit; then your mind might wander to Tina Turner's cover of Bowie's "1984", with which it has more common, musically. Then it might hit you that Crayons is a comeback album on a par with Tina Turner's Private Dancer. And THEN, the actual songs just get a whole lot better, starting with...
SAND ON MY FEET A mid-tempo ballad in which Donna enjoys a seaside holiday with her hubby, to the accompaniment of an acoustic guitar. Nice - you could imagine Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson or Pink singing this... then feel all warm and fuzzy that Donna Summer decided to come out of "retirement" to co-write and record it herself.
DRIVING DOWN BRAZIL is a bit of a story song, and Summer knows how to tell a story - this time to a playful bossanova beat. One of the real highlights of the album and, although it probably won't be single, it should be.
I'M A FIRE - That voice! Reminiscent of her disco monsters of the Seventies and Eighties, the slick production is nevertheless very much of the Noughties (naughties?), and hits the bullseye in the same way as a contemporary production/remixing team like The Freemasons, when they use a reliable, warmly-voiced industry pro like Siedah Garrett. Donna teases us with the line, "Can you feel it? Do I need to say it? Can't you just feel it?" before the track morphs into an even more infectious latin stomper, skipping through some holiday Spanish, but in a soaring vocal deilvery which even talents as great as La India and the estimable Liz Torres could take pointers from. I've heard some remixes of this track, and most of them have tended to follow the tedious, dated, bangbangbang, Victor Calderone/Junior Vasquez-style tweaking of the US gay circuit party (nightmare!). This original mix (by Sebastion Arocha Morton, I think) is as near to perfection as we're likely to get, but I wouldn't mind hearing some UK mixes, all the same.
SLIDE OVER BACKWARDS is a backwoods, bluegrass number all huskily and lazily intoned like Macy Gray - or "B.B. Queen"? Donna lives in Tennessee and she's clearly having a bit of fun here, singing as an alter ego called Hattie Mae Blanche Dubois(!) Well, if Tori Amos can do it...
SCIENCE OF LOVE. Rockiest track of the lot and very radio-friendly. Tipped as a future single, but I'd be surprised if it becomes one here in the UK. Her voice is especially strong on it, though.
BE MYSELF AGAIN is a piano-led torch ballad which comes across like the climax of some autobiographical stage show Donna might have penned - perhaps more hardcore fans could illuminate me on that one, if they know something I don't. Ms Summer always had an awesomely mature vocal style, but it just crackles away on this. It might be a bit too melodramatic for some but, if it is a showtune, then it's a Memory or a Don't Cry For Me, Argentina.
BRING DOWN THE REIGN Warm, slightly worthy ballad about the Darfur genocides, featuring a kiddies' choir. It's nice enough, but might have been a bit of a damp squib to close the album, if it hadn't been for...
IT'S ONLY LOVE Lucky European purchasers (and US fans intrepid enough to track down a special edition) get this bonus track, which is another seven-minute disco treat. It's not lyrically clever, and I can understand why it was left of the mainstream US release - daytime radio won't understand it at all, it's really little more than a groove - but its late-night hedonism will tear up any club set. The vocal is cool, soulful and while it puts me in mind of a Chaka Khan or a Rosie Gaines, it's still unmistakably Donna. Unlike in the US, a huge chunk of the UK population had its DNA chemically altered enough by the three "Summers of Love" in the late 80s for us to lap this up 20 years later. I can think of a few DJs and producers over here who'll be itching to get their mitts on the masters for remixes, too.
So that's it: sorry if I've made comparisons with other vocalists along the way, in order to try to describe the songs - I guess it just demonstrates how Donna Summer has been and still is a template for so many others. At 59, she wears me out at - ahem - let's say 39... and is more in command of her legendary voice than she ever has been. Somebody give the woman a freaking Toblerone - she's earned it.
Free Music Review: Welcome Back Ms. Summer!
Hit: 5 Stars
I have to admit I was intrigued when I found out Donna was coming out with a new album. I've always liked her as a recording artist. She was the backbone of Disco, which was my era - I enjoyed her music through all her major albums for Casablanca [75-80]. It was always Donna, Giorgio Moroder, Pete Belotte and Harold Faltermeyer that were coming up with the freshest grooves and beats, and crossing genres as well.
I loved her work during the Geffen years, where she seemed to pull away from the usual formula of her recordings. Ditto for her two albums for Atlantic; "Another Place And Time" and "Mistaken Identity". She was never scared to explore new musical horizons whether the albums were considered successes or not, which I admired. Anyone can do what their label tells them and put out the same crap and shite over and over again.
But you could always tell that Donna followed the beat of her own drummer. I think in her heart, she wanted every album to be a success, but Donna was never one to rest on her laurels and wandered around so many different styles - each new album was refreshing. [Case in point - 1981's "I'm A Rainbow" that Geffen Records refused to release, 1982's Quincy Jones produced "Donna Summer" and 1987's All Systems Go produced by Harold Faltermeyer]. I remember hearing "This Time I Know It's For Real" for the first time and thinking Wow, Donna's back in the house!
This time around, she was signed by Burgandy - which is a Sony imprint and who also recently signed Ms. Chaka after she left Warner Bros., and did an album for Princes NPG records [as well as a couple of indies].
The sound and tone of the album leans very heavy on bass. A lot of the highs are mixed down and not very bright. Another thing is the drums tracks are mixed way down. You FEEL the beat rather than hear the beat. As a fan of big, chunky beefy drums, this was a bit awkward at first for me.
But then there are THE SONGS:
The songs are EXCELLENT! The first single 'Stamp Your Feet' sounds like typical radio play - it's fresh and should do well for her. The other song that caught my attention was 'I'm A Fire' - which will burn down the clubs. I listened to this cut while driving on the freeway and thought, once again, - wow - Donna's in the house again! I can see this song becoming a very strong club staple.
The songs that resonated the most for me outside of I'm A Fire are "Sand On My Feet", "Driving Down Brazil", "Slide Over Backwards" where she sings in this incredibly raw 'backwoods, old New Orleans' type of voice which sounds just great. Also loved "Science Of Love". "Be Myself Again" is a very touching and sensitively performed song. You can tell by listening it is very heartfelt. "The Queen Is Back" is a funny tune and she's having fun poking fun at herself which was great and provided me with a chuckle while driving and listening to it. I recall listening to one of the songs while driving and she asks 'do you feel it'? And I replied, out loud - yes Ma'am, I most certainly do.
Not only did she have a hand in composing almost all of the tunes on the album, but her voice is in GREAT shape. I've read a few reviews here that mentioned her vocals are processed a bit too much. Donna doesn't need vocal processing at all, but it is a fact of the times - on most ALL commerical records - the vocals use extensive processing. It is a production style that is very popular. Some need it - some don't - but most use it anyway. The processing, be that with digital reverb, digital delay, and/or vocoders - I can say that her vocals are processed a LOT LESS than other artist's commercial recordings of late, and she doesn't use any pitch perfectors either - she doesn't need em folks.
She, in a word, SOUNDS GREAT. I would have to say that the production style of the record took me a bit of time to get used to, but people need to know that this is a GREAT album and to give it a shot! Definitely worth the wait.
It's great to have you back Ms. Summer - I hope Crayons opens up many avenues of options for you to explore on your next record. Please don't make us wait this long for the next one though...
PEACE-
Free Music Review: The surprise triumphant comeback of 2008
Hit: 5 Stars
When I heard that Donna Summer was releasing a new record in 2008, I expected it to be one of those "cover albums" that all these "legacy" artists were doing these days. If not, then I expected that it would be some sort of Celine-style adult contemporary ballad album. So, I didn't have much high hopes for this CD. However, when I received "Crayons", I was astonished to find that this was a brand new collection of modern, upbeat and relevant songs that have been produced by some of the most sought-after and hippest producers of today (Greg Kirstin, Toby Gad etc.), and the end results were absolutely devastating!!!
At the age of 59, Ms. Summer delivers these 12 songs with such rare, fierce energy that will make most of today's younger diva-wannabes sound like they have been in an eternal narcotic coma. Her voice is better shape than ever, with much richer texture and depth than it did in the 70's. Musically speaking, Summer is on twin-turbo mode, delivering a refreshingly diverse style that is always in high spirit and energy. Pop, R&B, hip hop, rock, world music... you name it, it's there! To my surprise again, rather than sounding like a mish mash of clashing styles, strangely enough, this is an unbelievably cohesive collection of 12 superbly crafted songs. The secret lies within Summer's unmistakable vocals, which form the backbone and center piece of the music here, rather than the other way round. Ms. Summer handles the various styles with effortless ease, and her iconic vocals provide the consistent paint brush that magically blends all these contrasting styles together, painting a vivid soundscape of many different and yet harmonious colors.
Further cohesion of the album is provided by the consistent themes of the lyrics. Ms. Summer co-wrote all 12 tracks here. In fact, this is probably one of her most personal record to date. Summer sings about her own journey to career success ("Fame", "Be Myself Again", "The Queen is Back"), with a good dose of humor thrown in - how many references to the "Queen" can you spot in this record!? She also declares her love for her husband of almost 30 years ("Sand On My Feet", "I'm A Fire"). Clearly, she is at a place in her life where she is finally at ease with her at times tormented past, to the point that she can now sing about it with decidedly positive attitude that is both convincing and refreshing.
Highlights of the album include the current single, "Stamp Your Feet", that opens the record with an uplifting, anthemic statement; "Fame", a wonderfully chaotic and frantic rock/pop creation that is reminiscent of En Vogue's "Free Your Mind"; the Billboard #1 Dance Record "I'm A Fire"; the sensitive and very personal ballad "Be Myself Again"; and the socio-political epic of "Bring Down the Reign". In fact, it is extremely difficult and unfair to pick out specific songs from this extraordinarily strong collection.
I think that the die-hard Summer disco fans may be disappointed here - no, this is not a repeat of the Morodor/Summer formula here. It is far from a disco record. For the disco fans who refuse to move on, they should find consolation by the fact that Summer has a tremendous back catalogue with Morodor. For the vast majority of the music lovers, "Crayons" is an important, historic milestone for a legendary artist who just refuses to be stereotyped and who refuses to just simply walk away from an increasingly hostile industry that favors young age and image over real talents.... and thank goodness for people like her. No doubt a whole new generation will finally be introduced to Ms. Summer, who will now be opening the doors for many other legacy artists who deserve a second listen.
Free Music Review: I play this EVERY morning to get me out the door!
Hit: 5 Stars
This has been WELL worth the wait!
It opens with "STAMP YOUR FEET" a crump type cheerleaderish chant that is catchy and will get you out of your chair within the first beat! This is already the top hit on the charts now, so that should tell you something!
"MR. MUSIC" up to date beats, another crumpy hip hop song, catchy, and positively upbeat! Reminds me a little of " Mr. DJ" by Madonna. The bridge offers more cheerleader type chanting, as made popular by Gwen Stefani.
"CRAYONS" Fun colorful metaphors in this 'we're all the same' message with reggae great ZIGGY MARLEY adding his irie flavoured vocals. This is by far the "happiest' make you smile song on the album. Fast paced and catchy hook. Reminds me of: 'I'm So Excited' by Pointer Sisters.
"THE QUEEN IS BACK", she SURE is! And better than ever! This hard-hitting song-another great crump/hip hop dancers song! An obvious ode to her return with tongue in cheek references to her past hits: " So many years ago/ ON THE RADIO...She crept into your soul / AND LOVED TO LOVE YOU all" was very clever and reminded us how she has stayed in our hearts for over 3 decades! Another catchy chorus.
"FAME (THE GAME)", a tell it like it is song about being a celebrity and a day-in-the-life of. Fast rapped background vocal (on maybe her vocoded voice) talking about everything from Botox to platinum credits cards. Catchy with a locomotive type driven beat.
Slowing it down with "SAND ON MY FEET" ballad saying that all she needs is the sand and her lover. A sweet romantic break from dancing for 5 songs non-stop! You can almost imagine walking on the sand there with her!
"DRIVING DOWN BRAZIL" offers a Samba/Batucada beat latin flavoured beat that just makes you want to sit on a sidestreet and drink Mojitos, and goes down equally smooth!
"I'M A FIRE" Going a little more back to her DISCO roots on this one, I felt more back in highschool with this one!
"SLIDE OVER BACKWARDS" not sure what happened here, in the last few songs we went from Brazil to Disco to the Bayou! Her voice is raspy and almost a little creepy! Twangy banjos and harmonica dominate this song. It took me a while to get used to this one, still trying to not skip it when I play the CD! Reminds me of Tina Turner's "Nutbush City Limits".
"SCIENCE OF LOVE" Electronic voices open up the intro on this could be dance song, but I am not quite feeling it. She is having trouble getting away from her ex on this one, and blames it on science!
"BE MYSELF AGAIN" another ballad, very sparse: piano and vocals. An introspective sermon about coming back to being yourself again. Beautiful lyrics and song.
"BRING DOWN THE REIGN" another ballad, opens up with African type chanting. A message and cry out for help for DARFUR, AFRICA. Beautiful and very powerful. Let's do SOMETHING!
OVERALL, this album offers something for everyone; young and old, black and white, dancers, singers, it is a VERY WELL ROUNDED album, I am very proud to say I own!
SHOULD YOU BUY IT? Absolutely! I play it every morning when I get ready and I get ready so much faster because I am dancing to the fast beats! I actually got tired of taking it out of the CD player in the bathroom and then taking it with me in the car, that I made a copy for the car!!! So it basically goes with me EVERYWHERE!
Whatever mood you are in..There is a song on the cd for it!
WHO SHOULD BUY IT? Crumpers, hip hop dancers, teens, Summer fans, your mother, gays, straights, any race, anyone that wants to smile all day!