LP Review: Wonderful and Kickin'
WONDERFUL
Well, Rick James finally submits an outright embarrassing album. Much as I dismiss Garden of Love, it was James trying something different. It failed, but I wouldn’t call it an embarrassment even if it did have embarrassing moments.
Wonderful is an embarrassment. He’s not trying anything new, he’s just floating from one current trend to the next. And the lyrics are often gross. Yes, I know Rick James is a freak, but there’s a difference between freaky and gross. He crosses that line many times.
The LP does fool you at the outset with the title track. “Wonderful” has standard loud late 80s drums. James is also shamelessly jacking the Bar-Kays’ “Certified True”, which was already jacking Cameo’s sound from “Word Up”. Despite all this the song works well enough and gives you hope that perhaps that even if James is derivative, he’ll at least be competent.
“Judy” keeps up the ruse as James this time jacks Prince.
However, the jig is up with “Loosey’s Rap”. At first glance it might seem like an interesting track as James brings in Roxanne Shanté to guest rap. However, the groove is boring as is Shanté’s rap. She was and is capable of better material than this, so I’m blaming James for this crummy song. Despite my assessment, “Loosey’s Rap” was released as a single and somehow became James’s fourth and final #1 R&B single.
“So Tight” — James continues ripping off Cameo’s “Word Up”
“Sexual Luv Affair”—sounds like a reject from R&B/Blues label Malaco.
“Love’s Fire”—rips off Meli’sa Morgan’s “Fool’s Paradise”
“I Believe In U” — it ain’t great, but thank God there’s some originality in the occasionally jazzy bass guitar.
“In The Girls' Room” — gross song. I feel gross having listened to it.
“Hypnotize” — James incorporates House music? It isn’t a success, but at least it’s different.
“Sherry Baby” — just generically dull.
“Hot Summer Nights” — generically dull, but with a duet partner.
ALBUM GRADE: F
Minus the first two songs (“Wonderful” and “Judy”) y’all can skip this one entirely.
KICKIN’
Recorded in 1988 and 1989, but not widely released until 2014, Kickin’ gives one heckuva an okie doke. The title track leads off the album and it is a decidedly good song. It manages to sound contemporary for 1989 without being trapped in 1989. Lots of lively instruments, most notable of which are a sizzling electric guitar and a busy house-like piano. There’s even a cool jazz guitar solo at the end.
Let me tell you, my hopes were extremely high after hearing that song.
Then it all came crashing down. Now don’t get me wrong, this ain’t as bad as Wonderful, but James settles into a mediocre groove for most of the album. Only “Runaway Love”, an update of James’s early 80s punk-funk, and “School Me”, built in the vein of a late 60s R&B funk workout, catch your attention.
ALBUM GRADE: D-
A bad album with one really good song (“Kickin’”) and two pleasant tunes.