LP Review: Wild and Peaceful
Released: 1979
LP Charts: #18 R&B, #94 Pop
This album shoulda been titled Rick James present Teena Marie, cuz this is totally a Rick James album, but with Teena Marie on vocals. James co-produced every track with Art Stewart (who co-produced James’s first two solo albums). Slick Rick also wrote four of the five original songs here. Marie only got one co-write on her own album.
The day is not far where she would write and produce all her own music. But that day ain’t here yet
James’s domination of this album is starkest on the opening “I’m A Sucker For Your Love”, which is technically a duet, but James has like 2/3 of the lead vocals. Plus the funk track is typical early James product. That means mucho recyclage of Bootsy Collins. Most obvious on that front are backing vocalists sounding like children amped up on sugar and helium. I dunno, seems like Marie shoulda had a bigger role on her first Motown single (it did reach #9 R&B).
All that said, “I’m A Sucker For Your Love” is a good party song, if you like P-Funk knock offs. FWIW, there is an instrumental with the saxophone emphasized over the vocals. I like its streamlined approach more than the vocal version, which is cluttered with the multiple singers.
Marie handles herself quite nicely on “Turnin’ Me On”. However, since it’s a sex song written by James, the lyrics are unimaginative. “Déjà Vu (I've Been Here Before)” tries to shoot for the stars lyrically, but just comes across as corny. It’s also too long. The ballad drags on for over seven minutes. After the umpteenth invocation of the chorus, you too will be suffering from a case of déjà vu.
The balladry continues with “I'm Gonna Have My Cake (And Eat It Too)”, the one song Marie co-wrote. It’s a tepid stab at jazzy R&B. Marie would get much better at this in the future, but the production here is muddled. Her future jazz excursions came with much crisper sounds, so the cool catness stands out clearly.
Shit, another too-long ballad comes along in “I Can’t Love Anymore”. And it’s the worst of the bunch.
Oh, I almost forgot the cover tune. That’ll be “Don’t Look Back”, which was first recorded by the Temptations. It’s an enjoyable discofied updating of the song. It’s even more enjoyable because it’s not a ballad.
ALBUM GRADE: C-
Nothing here is remarkable or distinctive for Teena Marie, especially when you listen to her later albums and revisit this one. The biggest demerit is having four of the six tracks being ballads that make the album more sluggish than it should be, particularly Side Two, which was nothing but ballads.
Song Scores
I’m A Sucker For Your Love: 6.5/10
Turnin’ Me On: 6.5/10
Don’t Look Back: 6.5/10
Déjà Vu (I've Been Here Before): 6/10
I'm Gonna Have My Cake (And Eat It Too): 5/10
I Can’t Love Anymore: 3/10