LP Review: Emerald City
Released: 1986
LP Charts: #20 R&B, #91 Pop
Emerald City for some reason gets billed as a “stylistic departure” for Marie. To my ear, she wasn’t doing anything that wild or new. The main difference was it was 1986 and thus her sound was changing as a result of the wider landscape not any radical personal decisions from her. Anyways, Emerald City definitely has its moments, but in the end it’s an unsatisfying album.
Bootsy Collins provides guest vocals on the title track, but it’s still nondescript 80s funk. “Once Is Not Enough” manages to get your attention in the moment, but in the end isn’t that memorable once it’s over. The album at least seems to be gaining steam, cuz “Lips To Find You” is the best thing yet as it throws in some rhythm guitar straight from Lake Minnetonka.
All three of those songs would have (more or less) been right at home on her previous album Starchild. Some departure, I tells ya.
Anyhoo, their general head of steam gets lost on “You So Heavy”. Even though blues guitar virtuoso Stevie Ray Vaughan drops by, this song’s attempt at synthy hard rock is a messy failure.
“Shangri-La” is a synth-ballad and thus far stakes a claim as best song on the album thanks to some great 808 drum machine action. I’ma sucker for those soft percussion beats mixed with synthesized bass.
“Batucada Suite” comes out of left field as the one song on this album that actually was a bit unexpected. It’s steeped in Island Festival Mode replete with steel drums. It’s an above average song, not exceptional, but it’s also wildly different than all the other songs here, so that variety is appreciated.
“Love Me Down Easy” is a sluggish ballad that ain’t half bad. It ain’t half good either. That means it’s perfectly average,
Marie concludes the album with “Sunny Skies”. Bass legend Stanley Clarke cleans up on this jazz number. It supplants “Shangri-La” as the album’s best song. It’s also the longest track. A great coincidence and further proof that this album wasn’t that much of a departure for Marie. She’d done extended jazzy tunes for years (from her very first album, in fact!).
All that said, this is Marie’s weakest album since her debut.
ALBUM GRADE: C
Song Scores
Emerald City: 5/10
Once Is Not Enough: 6.5/10
Lips To Find You: 6.5/10
You So Heavy: 3/10
Shangri-La: 7/10
Batucada Suite: 6/10
Love Me Down Easy: 5/10
Sunny Skies: 7.5/10