MO' BETTER BEATS

Rip It Up, Issue 187, 1 February 1993, Page 25

MO' BETTER BEATS

CARMEN ELECTRA Carmen Electra Prince Rogers Nelson writes so many songs he can't release them all, so he gives them to other people. Following on from Vanity, Apolloma, Sheila E and Cat comes Electra, Prince's latest protege. Electra is a bit more independent, writing some of her own material, and using other producers. That aside her material is still very much in the pound-ing-funk-with-sexy-lyrics genre, a sort of layperson's guide to phone sex. Songs include 'Fantasia Erotica', 'Carmen On Top', 'Skin Tight', and my favourite: 'Go Go Dancer' ("Me swinging from a brass pole/ls it art or just a display, of flesh contained, slangin' and bangin' to a bass drum"). For some annoying reason my review CD had all the songs recorded in the wrong order, check yours at retail. ri r+ DAK MADISON I WISH THE PHONE WOULD RING Expose 12" Pure black radio fodder from the Miami trio who set the stage for copycats Seduction. Very very good with hi energy tempo (remember 'Jam on me'?) they slow down to mid tempo very smoothly and there is no denying the catchiness. A song to play in the background while you chew your gum on the phone and talk about your School C results, ill RENE NAUFAHO IT'S GOING TO BE A LOVELY DAY The Soul System, with Michelle Visage This is C&C Music Factory with the ex-lead singer form Seduction, so if you loved their version of U2's 'Pride (In the Name of Love)' you'll find this hard to resist. Otherwise you'll shudder at what Bill Withers is probably thinking. I bet the video's amazing. 11l RENE NAUFAHU VARIOUS ARTISTS Kickin!

Following on from lastyear's excellent Rhythm series comes a new rival in the market. Once again it's a compilation of dance tracks heard on the likes of 91FM and Mai 88, but Kickin' goes a step further by including local artists too. Supergroove, Marie Sheehan, and Upper Hutt Posse are mixed in with likes of TLC, Eric B & Rakim, and Smart E's, whose

'SeasamE'sTreet' is just that. With 17 tracks in all, this value plus. mi NICK D'ANGELO FATHER NIC Everything's Going To Be Alright. This guy pisses me off because every single he releases is a blatant lift from someone else's record, and it still goes large on the radio. Every time I hear a kid grooving out to EMC I want to grab their necks, give them a good shake and shout: "Do you know where this came from?". There's no denying the appeal of FMC but how can you avoid a real funking bass shaker when you're sampling from all the great dance tracks? This really isn't much more than FMC rapping over a souped up version of Chic's 'Good Times' DAK DADI MAK MADISON REEL TO REEL Grand Puba (Album) From the school of Gang Starr and Blacksheep is this New York trio who, if nothing new, offer the latest CD to roll with your boys or to play in your bar when nobody's there. Don't expect the main man Grand Puba to break into a sweat while he's rapping up a storm (or breeze) and neither will you while you're dancing to it. (You definately will not be hearing any of these tracks at Hero '93 — get the message?) Highlights include 'Who Makes

the Loot?'(duet with Brand New Heavies') and 'Check It Out' (duet with Mary J Bilge), ttt RENE NAUFAHU ROCKMELONS Form One Planet Brisbane 83 and I'm at the Campus Radio Station being given some local music to take backto Aotearoa. "Here" says the man "this is the best shit in Australia, it's only a demo but once this band get signed they're going to be huge". Ten years later the Rockmelons are on their way! Ten years ago Australian rappers were ten years behind us — now they've caught up, with Eric Sebastian providing a cool rap here. The flip-side 'Bubble and Squeak'is raggapop. Hey! I was there at the beginning. nil NICK D’ANGELO BOBBY BROWN Get Away A vast improvement from his last single, this is cruisey but still danceable. Teddy Riley keeps the best mix for himself, using asample from Whodini's 'Magic Wand'. 111+ DAK MADISON HOUSE OF PAIN Shamrocks and Shenanigans Another cruncher from the East Coast's whiteboy Irish trio who introduced slam-danc-ing to rap. five versions to choose from and a bonus track (from the album) 'Put Your Head Out'. Best is the guitar mash on the Butch Vig Mix. These guys sample Johnny Lee Hooker and Paddy Reynolds, so you know it's different. ill NICK D'ANGELO BRAND NUBIAN In God We Trust Good to see that Brand Nubian don't let their Afro-American Muslim Pride get in the way of some good old fashioned gun-lovin' hodissin' gangsta rap. No sirree Bob. The band that promised so much on their arrival on the scene have settled for more of the same, and mediocre with it. Some good use of samples with "elements" of Wilson Pickett, Isley Brothers, Lonnie Smith, and a track called 'Look at Granny Run, Run, Run', but sadly the lyrics are nothing new.

DAK MADISON