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Thread started 03/19/19 3:59am

MattyJam

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Lets discuss Chaka Khans 90s/00s output...

Apart from the album with Prince, I rarely see her other 90s/00s output getting discussed on the org, so I wanted to start a thread about it.

One album I could never get into was 1992's The Woman I Am. To me, this is her worst album in her back catalogue. There's a handful of nice tracks, especially You Can Make The Story Right, Love You All My Lifetime and Give Me All, but there's a lot of filler tracks on this record and the production value has dated terribly. I know a lot of early 90s albums haven't aged tremendously, but this is definitely one of the worst culprits.

I started a thread recently on Dare You To Love Me, and have since been collecting all the one-off soundtrack releases, songs like Miles Blowin, Power, Free Yourself and It Ain't Easy To Love Me. It's such a shame this album never came out, as it is miles better than The Woman I Am.

I know Funk This got a mixed reception on the org, but I personally love it, even if it is a little too reliant on covers. The original material is fantastic, especially Angel, Back In The Day and Superlife. And all the covers are really unique and well done.

I've really been enjoying Hello Happiness as well since it came out. Isn't That Enough is such a dope jam! Appart from the pointless instrumental track and its relatively underwhelming length, the songs themselves definitely deliver.
[Edited 3/19/19 4:01am]
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Reply #1 posted 03/19/19 5:01am

hausofmoi7

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‘Hello Happiness’ from her new album i have been playing a lot.

‘Never miss the water’ from her greatest hits album feat Meshell Ngdegeocello makes the sky open up and the sun shine. It’s next level.
One of my favourite songs from any artist.

‘It’s All Good’ Feat De La Soul knocks hard. That beat and her voice was a perfect mix.

There have been many great post 90s and 2000 Chaka Khan moments.

“Funk This” album I really liked also


.
[Edited 3/19/19 5:09am]
“It means finding the very human narrative of a man navigating between idealism and pragmatism, faith and politics, non- violence, the pitfalls of acclaim as the perils of rejection” - Lesley Hazleton on the first Muslim, the prophet.
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Reply #2 posted 03/19/19 5:29am

MattyJam

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hausofmoi7 said:

‘Hello Happiness’ from her new album i have been playing a lot.

‘Never miss the water’ from her greatest hits album feat Meshell Ngdegeocello makes the sky open up and the sun shine. It’s next level.
One of my favourite songs from any artist.




Something Deep is my fave cut of the new tracks on Epiphany!
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Reply #3 posted 03/19/19 8:20am

OperatingTheta
n

'Hello Happiness' is short, but VERY sweet and funky. 'Come 2 My House' is a beautiful album with many quality cuts.

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Reply #4 posted 03/19/19 8:53am

kitbradley

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Not much to discuss. Chaka's 90'/00's output was extremely sporatic. "The Woman I Am" being the strongest of the bunch. TWIA ties for best Chaka album with "What Cha Gonna Do For Me".


"The Woman I Am" - This was the last Chaka album I was really excited about. Rolling Stone magazine said this marked the first time in over 10 years Chaka performed an entire album in a crystal clear voice. Her vocal performance was remarkable! Production was spot on, excellent material and I was thrilled that she didn't make the mistake other veteran artists were making around the time by jumping on the New Jack Swing bandwagon. Well deserved Grammy win for her. "Love You All My Lifetime" was the best single WB ever released on her. If you look back on her live performances from 1992 and 1993, you can tell she was really excited about the material and she connected to the songs.


"Dare You To Love Me" - the songs that were released, some were great, others not so much.


"Come 2 My House" - great album that was totally ignored by the public. Couple of really bad filler songs ("Democracy being the worst one) but mostly great material.


"Classikhan" - My least favorite Chaka album. She sounded terrible. The song selections sucked. Too show-tunish for my tastes. This is the album I'd like to forget she made.


"Funk This" - Again, a mixed bag for me. Same as "Dare". Some great songs, others not so great. Her voice was not in the best shape. Very raspy. She growled thru many of the songs. Not one of my favorite albums.



"Hello Happiness" - forgettable fluff. terrible production values. Does not sound like a Chaka Khan album in any way, shape or form.


[Edited 3/19/19 9:16am]

"It's not nice to fuck with K.B.! All you haters will see!" - Kitbradley
"The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing." - Socrates
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Reply #5 posted 03/19/19 9:39am

MattyJam

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kitbradley said:

Not much to discuss. Chaka's 90'/00's output was extremely sporatic. "The Woman I Am" being the strongest of the bunch. TWIA ties for best Chaka album with "What Cha Gonna Do For Me".




"The Woman I Am" - This was the last Chaka album I was really excited about. Rolling Stone magazine said this marked the first time in over 10 years Chaka performed an entire album in a crystal clear voice. Her vocal performance was remarkable! Production was spot on, excellent material and I was thrilled that she didn't make the mistake other veteran artists were making around the time by jumping on the New Jack Swing bandwagon. Well deserved Grammy win for her. "Love You All My Lifetime" was the best single WB ever released on her. If you look back on her live performances from 1992 and 1993, you can tell she was really excited about the material and she connected to the songs.




"Dare You To Love Me" - the songs that were released, some were great, others not so much.




"Come 2 My House" - great album that was totally ignored by the public. Couple of really bad filler songs ("Democracy being the worst one) but mostly great material.




"Classikhan" - My least favorite Chaka album. She sounded terrible. The song selections sucked. Too show-tunish for my tastes. This is the album I'd like to forget she made.




"Funk This" - Again, a mixed bag for me. Same as "Dare". Some great songs, others not so great. Her voice was not in the best shape. Very raspy. She growled thru many of the songs. Not one of my favorite albums.




"Hello Happiness" - forgettable fluff. terrible production values. Does not sound like a Chaka Khan album in any way, shape or form.



[Edited 3/19/19 9:16am]



Interesting that you rate The Woman I Am so highly, and yet I could never get into it. Don't you find that it's aged really badly?

Out of curiosity, what are your favourite cuts off the record?
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Reply #6 posted 03/19/19 11:52am

kitbradley

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MattyJam said:

kitbradley said:

Not much to discuss. Chaka's 90'/00's output was extremely sporatic. "The Woman I Am" being the strongest of the bunch. TWIA ties for best Chaka album with "What Cha Gonna Do For Me".


"The Woman I Am" - This was the last Chaka album I was really excited about. Rolling Stone magazine said this marked the first time in over 10 years Chaka performed an entire album in a crystal clear voice. Her vocal performance was remarkable! Production was spot on, excellent material and I was thrilled that she didn't make the mistake other veteran artists were making around the time by jumping on the New Jack Swing bandwagon. Well deserved Grammy win for her. "Love You All My Lifetime" was the best single WB ever released on her. If you look back on her live performances from 1992 and 1993, you can tell she was really excited about the material and she connected to the songs.


"Dare You To Love Me" - the songs that were released, some were great, others not so much.


"Come 2 My House" - great album that was totally ignored by the public. Couple of really bad filler songs ("Democracy being the worst one) but mostly great material.


"Classikhan" - My least favorite Chaka album. She sounded terrible. The song selections sucked. Too show-tunish for my tastes. This is the album I'd like to forget she made.


"Funk This" - Again, a mixed bag for me. Same as "Dare". Some great songs, others not so great. Her voice was not in the best shape. Very raspy. She growled thru many of the songs. Not one of my favorite albums.



"Hello Happiness" - forgettable fluff. terrible production values. Does not sound like a Chaka Khan album in any way, shape or form.


[Edited 3/19/19 9:16am]

Interesting that you rate The Woman I Am so highly, and yet I could never get into it. Don't you find that it's aged really badly? Out of curiosity, what are your favourite cuts off the record?

TWIA does not sound dated at all, especially compared to most of the other albums from the early 90's. "I Feel For You" sounds extremely dated. All of the bells and whistles of the mid-eighties. Most Chakaholics I know consider "The Woman I Am" one of her best albums. Certainly a lot more substance there than "I Feel For You", an album Chaka absolutely hated by the way. It's hard to choose but my favorite tracks from TWIA are "Facts Of Love", "A Love With No Strings" and "Be My Eyes".

I love every song on TWIA. The only weak link, if I were forced to choose, was "Don't Look At Me That Way", which Rolling Stone agreed was a boring Diane Warren song.


It's all subjective, my friend. Some people enjoy "Hello Happiness". I, on the other hand, as a lifelong Chakaholic, find the album very insulting and a slap in the face for so many reasons. I think it's an album that is totally beneath her and better suited for someone just starting out in the business. I can't even go back at this point for a second listen. I look at he handful of live performances I've seen from Chaka promoting the album and she appears as if she doesn't give a rat's behind about these songs. Also, "Happiness" is the very first Chaka album that has failed to make an appearance on any Billboard Album chart here in America.

"It's not nice to fuck with K.B.! All you haters will see!" - Kitbradley
"The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing." - Socrates
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Reply #7 posted 03/19/19 12:15pm

MattyJam

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kitbradley said:



MattyJam said:


kitbradley said:

Not much to discuss. Chaka's 90'/00's output was extremely sporatic. "The Woman I Am" being the strongest of the bunch. TWIA ties for best Chaka album with "What Cha Gonna Do For Me".




"The Woman I Am" - This was the last Chaka album I was really excited about. Rolling Stone magazine said this marked the first time in over 10 years Chaka performed an entire album in a crystal clear voice. Her vocal performance was remarkable! Production was spot on, excellent material and I was thrilled that she didn't make the mistake other veteran artists were making around the time by jumping on the New Jack Swing bandwagon. Well deserved Grammy win for her. "Love You All My Lifetime" was the best single WB ever released on her. If you look back on her live performances from 1992 and 1993, you can tell she was really excited about the material and she connected to the songs.




"Dare You To Love Me" - the songs that were released, some were great, others not so much.




"Come 2 My House" - great album that was totally ignored by the public. Couple of really bad filler songs ("Democracy being the worst one) but mostly great material.




"Classikhan" - My least favorite Chaka album. She sounded terrible. The song selections sucked. Too show-tunish for my tastes. This is the album I'd like to forget she made.




"Funk This" - Again, a mixed bag for me. Same as "Dare". Some great songs, others not so great. Her voice was not in the best shape. Very raspy. She growled thru many of the songs. Not one of my favorite albums.




"Hello Happiness" - forgettable fluff. terrible production values. Does not sound like a Chaka Khan album in any way, shape or form.




[Edited 3/19/19 9:16am]



Interesting that you rate The Woman I Am so highly, and yet I could never get into it. Don't you find that it's aged really badly? Out of curiosity, what are your favourite cuts off the record?

TWIA does not sound dated at all, especially compared to most of the other albums from the early 90's. "I Feel For You" sounds extremely dated. All of the bells and whistles of the mid-eighties. Most Chakaholics I know consider "The Woman I Am" one of her best albums. Certainly a lot more substance there than "I Feel For You", an album Chaka absolutely hated by the way. It's hard to choose but my favorite tracks from TWIA are "Facts Of Love", "A Love With No Strings" and "Be My Eyes".

I love every song on TWIA. The only weak link, if I were forced to choose, was "Don't Look At Me That Way", which Rolling Stone agreed was a boring Diane Warren song.


It's all subjective, my friend. Some people enjoy "Hello Happiness". I, on the other hand, as a lifelong Chakaholic, find the album very insulting and a slap in the face for so many reasons. I think it's an album that is totally beneath her and better suited for someone just starting out in the business. I can't even go back at this point for a second listen. I look at he handful of live performances I've seen from Chaka promoting the album and she appears as if she doesn't give a rat's behind about these songs. Also, "Happiness" is the very first Chaka album that has failed to make an appearance on any Billboard Album chart here in America.



I appreciate your thoughts on it. I know TWIA is rated quite highly by many fans, but for me, it just doesn't connect. Good call on A Love With No Strings, that is a good song. I think maybe I was being a bit harsh in calling it her weakest album, it is definitely better than Destiny, ClassiKhan and I Feel For You.

I really enjoyed Hello Happiness as a whole, although the live performances so far have been a mess.
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Reply #8 posted 03/19/19 1:49pm

SoulAlive

'Funk This' is a terrific album,but because it's mostly a covers album,I got bored with it quickly.For me,that's how it is with covers albums....after awhile,I just wanna hear the "original" versions of those songs.The new material was great though."Angel" is one of Chaka's best songs music

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Reply #9 posted 03/19/19 1:56pm

MattyJam

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SoulAlive said:

'Funk This' is a terrific album,but because it's mostly a covers album,I got bored with it quickly.For me,that's how it is with covers albums....after awhile,I just wanna hear the "original" versions of those songs.The new material was great though."Angel" is one of Chaka's best songs music



It wasnt mostly a covers album though. It had eight original tracks:

Back In The Day
One For All Time
Angel
Will You Love Me
Disrespectful
Hail To The Wrong
Superlife
Let Go
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Reply #10 posted 03/19/19 1:59pm

SoulAlive

MattyJam said:

SoulAlive said:

'Funk This' is a terrific album,but because it's mostly a covers album,I got bored with it quickly.For me,that's how it is with covers albums....after awhile,I just wanna hear the "original" versions of those songs.The new material was great though."Angel" is one of Chaka's best songs music

It wasnt mostly a covers album though. It had eight original tracks: Back In The Day One For All Time Angel Will You Love Me Disrespectful Hail To The Wrong Superlife Let Go

you are correct.I need to pull this one out again.I kinda forgot about it.

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Reply #11 posted 03/19/19 2:02pm

SoulAlive

eek

kitbradley said:

"Hello Happiness" - forgettable fluff. terrible production values. Does not sound like a Chaka Khan album in any way, shape or form.

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Reply #12 posted 03/19/19 2:08pm

SoulAlive

to those of you who didn't purchase Hello Happiness on vinyl,check this out......

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Reply #13 posted 03/26/19 11:54pm

MattyJam

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kitbradley said:



MattyJam said:


kitbradley said:

Not much to discuss. Chaka's 90'/00's output was extremely sporatic. "The Woman I Am" being the strongest of the bunch. TWIA ties for best Chaka album with "What Cha Gonna Do For Me".




"The Woman I Am" - This was the last Chaka album I was really excited about. Rolling Stone magazine said this marked the first time in over 10 years Chaka performed an entire album in a crystal clear voice. Her vocal performance was remarkable! Production was spot on, excellent material and I was thrilled that she didn't make the mistake other veteran artists were making around the time by jumping on the New Jack Swing bandwagon. Well deserved Grammy win for her. "Love You All My Lifetime" was the best single WB ever released on her. If you look back on her live performances from 1992 and 1993, you can tell she was really excited about the material and she connected to the songs.




"Dare You To Love Me" - the songs that were released, some were great, others not so much.




"Come 2 My House" - great album that was totally ignored by the public. Couple of really bad filler songs ("Democracy being the worst one) but mostly great material.




"Classikhan" - My least favorite Chaka album. She sounded terrible. The song selections sucked. Too show-tunish for my tastes. This is the album I'd like to forget she made.




"Funk This" - Again, a mixed bag for me. Same as "Dare". Some great songs, others not so great. Her voice was not in the best shape. Very raspy. She growled thru many of the songs. Not one of my favorite albums.




"Hello Happiness" - forgettable fluff. terrible production values. Does not sound like a Chaka Khan album in any way, shape or form.




[Edited 3/19/19 9:16am]



Interesting that you rate The Woman I Am so highly, and yet I could never get into it. Don't you find that it's aged really badly? Out of curiosity, what are your favourite cuts off the record?

TWIA does not sound dated at all, especially compared to most of the other albums from the early 90's. "I Feel For You" sounds extremely dated. All of the bells and whistles of the mid-eighties. Most Chakaholics I know consider "The Woman I Am" one of her best albums. Certainly a lot more substance there than "I Feel For You", an album Chaka absolutely hated by the way. It's hard to choose but my favorite tracks from TWIA are "Facts Of Love", "A Love With No Strings" and "Be My Eyes".

I love every song on TWIA. The only weak link, if I were forced to choose, was "Don't Look At Me That Way", which Rolling Stone agreed was a boring Diane Warren song.


It's all subjective, my friend. Some people enjoy "Hello Happiness". I, on the other hand, as a lifelong Chakaholic, find the album very insulting and a slap in the face for so many reasons. I think it's an album that is totally beneath her and better suited for someone just starting out in the business. I can't even go back at this point for a second listen. I look at he handful of live performances I've seen from Chaka promoting the album and she appears as if she doesn't give a rat's behind about these songs. Also, "Happiness" is the very first Chaka album that has failed to make an appearance on any Billboard Album chart here in America.



I've been listening to TWIAM a fair bit this last week, and it's started to open up to me.

I maintain my original assertion that the production values are really dated, even for 1992. But there is some great songwriting on the record and Chaka sounds great throughout.

Telephone, Love With No Strings, You Can Make The Story Right and Give Me All are all fantastic tracks.
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Reply #14 posted 03/29/19 4:13pm

lool

That Tieks collabo is 🔥.
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