laurarichardson said:

jungleluv said:

I hate it when Singers bring politics into music. The fact is Sheila hasn't made any good music since the 1980's. All of her best work was her first 3 albums and her collaborations with Prince. This cover version/interpretation is a mess.

Because singers are not citizens or voters! Do you realize how that sounds?

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A rare case of me agreeing with you, laurarichardson

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Everyone should be free to express themselves the way they want. That means that some will express political opinions. I feel that music is a perfect vehicle for any type of expression.

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Now, that doesn't mean I particularly like Sheila E.'s opinion or the way she expresses it. I'm quite interested to hear this new album, but since I didn't pre-order, I'll have to wait a little bit longer. The two covers that have been released this far did not excite me. (and I have never liked any rendition of the star spangled banner (Hendrix included), nationalism is bad, mmkay?)

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Of all the reasons to criticise this album, expression a political opinion should be very low on the list, imo.

NotACleverName said:

jungleluv said:

I hate it when Singers bring politics into music. The fact is Sheila hasn't made any good music since the 1980's. All of her best work was her first 3 albums and her collaborations with Prince. This cover version/interpretation is a mess.

I was thinking this exact thing, jungleluv. I really don't feel Sheila fits this "political activist" role very well. It doesn't feel believable, to me. Not saying she is disingenuous.....I'm simply not buying into this new image.

Yes, leave all political thought and opinion to the professionals.

laurarichardson said:

mediumdry said:

laurarichardson said:

Because singers are not citizens or voters! Do you realize how that sounds?

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A rare case of me agreeing with you, laurarichardson

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Everyone should be free to express themselves the way they want. That means that some will express political opinions. I feel that music is a perfect vehicle for any type of expression.

.

Now, that doesn't mean I particularly like Sheila E.'s opinion or the way she expresses it. I'm quite interested to hear this new album, but since I didn't pre-order, I'll have to wait a little bit longer. The two covers that have been released this far did not excite me. (and I have never liked any rendition of the star spangled banner (Hendrix included), nationalism is bad, mmkay?)

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Of all the reasons to criticise this album, expression a political opinion should be very low on the list, imo.

Thank you. We are in the mess we are in right now in America because too many people are sitting on their butts and not speaking out.

jungleluv said:

I hate it when Singers bring politics into music. The fact is Sheila hasn't made any good music since the 1980's. All of her best work was her first 3 albums and her collaborations with Prince. This cover version/interpretation is a mess.

R U serious. Sheila's best work was in the 80's? Obviously you stopped listeneing after the 80's because i feel like she did her best work after that period, not to say that she didn't do great work in the 80's but Sex Cymbal and the E-Train albums were definite progressions from the 80's material. Sheila is one of the few Prince associates to have great material and a strong name and presence in the music industry BEFORE and AFTER working with Prince. As for this single and video, i get the song conceptually(and it ain't no MPLS sound, it's JB) and the video concept is timely and i actually come away with a new appreciation for the opening monologue.

You can listen to some of the tracks and hear Sheila talk about the new album on Brigade-Radio_One

Listen here

anthonyspeaks said:

jungleluv said:

I hate it when Singers bring politics into music. The fact is Sheila hasn't made any good music since the 1980's. All of her best work was her first 3 albums and her collaborations with Prince. This cover version/interpretation is a mess.

R U serious. Sheila's best work was in the 80's? Obviously you stopped listeneing after the 80's because i feel like she did her best work after that period, not to say that she didn't do great work in the 80's but Sex Cymbal and the E-Train albums were definite progressions from the 80's material. Sheila is one of the few Prince associates to have great material and a strong name and presence in the music industry BEFORE and AFTER working with Prince. As for this single and video, i get the song conceptually(and it ain't no MPLS sound, it's JB) and the video concept is timely and i actually come away with a new appreciation for the opening monologue.

The E-train band she had was excellent and Prince respected her decisions enough that she was a talent scout for him. In addition, this was a pledge project and she was able to get enough of the public to help pay for the making of the CD and actually get it out.

This is exactly the kind of thing Prince was about and it is unfortunate that other associates can't pull this off.

anthonyspeaks said:

jungleluv said:

I hate it when Singers bring politics into music. The fact is Sheila hasn't made any good music since the 1980's. All of her best work was her first 3 albums and her collaborations with Prince. This cover version/interpretation is a mess.

R U serious. Sheila's best work was in the 80's? Obviously you stopped listeneing after the 80's because i feel like she did her best work after that period, not to say that she didn't do great work in the 80's but Sex Cymbal and the E-Train albums were definite progressions from the 80's material. Sheila is one of the few Prince associates to have great material and a strong name and presence in the music industry BEFORE and AFTER working with Prince. As for this single and video, i get the song conceptually(and it ain't no MPLS sound, it's JB) and the video concept is timely and i actually come away with a new appreciation for the opening monologue.

Her Sex Cymbal album was bland and sounds really dated if u listen to it now.

In terms of the album, I was torn because as you can tell by my name, I love Sheila E. but I hate covers. And even the clips and one off videos here and there left me cold. But listening to the album in it's entirety is quite an experience. The musicianship is excellent, and of course the message is on point. She stays fairly true to the original vibes of each of the tracks selected. I encourage you not to judge this project based on clips or the videos she's released but as a whole. It really does work well and it may be her strongest project since her Paisley days.

SheilaE4Ever said:

In terms of the album, I was torn because as you can tell by my name, I love Sheila E. but I hate covers. And even the clips and one off videos here and there left me cold. But listening to the album in it's entirety is quite an experience. The musicianship is excellent, and of course the message is on point. She stays fairly true to the original vibes of each of the tracks selected. I encourage you not to judge this project based on clips or the videos she's released but as a whole. It really does work well and it may be her strongest project since her Paisley days.

I agree.

now that the album is out, I listened to it as a whole. While the musicianship is fine, there's a few things that stand out. For one, she doesn't make the songs her own. Hardly anything adds to the songs. It's a bit like listening to a cover band (but a high quality cover band).

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Second problem I have is the mix. There's no oomph! It's like the took an equalizer and turned down half of the lower frequency sliders. Wasn't this supposed to be funk? If it's Bootsy playing on the James Brown medley.. you can hardly hear him, and certainly can't feel him!

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So... a somewhat anemic assortment of covers that don't add much. It'd be nice as a tribute concert, but whoever mixed and mastered this should take a class with the guy...m vulfpeck. (look through the presentation, just listen to the sound difference)

it's on Spotify now

MacDaddy said:

FINAL TRACKLIST INCLUDING PLEDGE BONUS TRACK
1) Message 2 America
2) Come Together – Revolution
3) Everyday People
4) Inner City Blues – Trouble Man
5) It Starts With Us
6) Jesus Children Of America
7) James Brown Medley
8) Blackbird
9) One Nation Under A Groove – Mothership Connection
10) Pusherman
11) Respect Yourself
12) I Am Funky
13) Yes We Can Can
14) America – Free
15) What The World Needs Now Is Love

• Bonus Track ******************
  16) The Ghetto (downloadable only

Which service does provide song 16?

I can't recall what JB song was used there, can anyone help? Thx

What JB song was used where? There's quite a few on the album...

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You probably mean Doing It To Death though, aka Funky Good Time.

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[Edited 9/5/17 0:22am]

spaceboy said:

MacDaddy said:

FINAL TRACKLIST INCLUDING PLEDGE BONUS TRACK
1) Message 2 America
2) Come Together – Revolution
3) Everyday People
4) Inner City Blues – Trouble Man
5) It Starts With Us
6) Jesus Children Of America
7) James Brown Medley
8) Blackbird
9) One Nation Under A Groove – Mothership Connection
10) Pusherman
11) Respect Yourself
12) I Am Funky
13) Yes We Can Can
14) America – Free
15) What The World Needs Now Is Love

• Bonus Track ******************
  16) The Ghetto (downloadable only

Which service does provide song 16?

The bonus track is available to anyone who pledged via PledgeMusic.com

MacDaddy said:

spaceboy said:

Which service does provide song 16?

The bonus track is available to anyone who pledged via PledgeMusic.com

Ok thanks. I missed that and it is closed now.

mediumdry said:

What JB song was used where? There's quite a few on the album...

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You probably mean Doing It To Death though, aka Funky Good Time.

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[Edited 9/5/17 0:22am]

Yes that was the one Thx

Yeah, that is really great video)

Thanks Shelia. I'm enjoying the album.

anthonyspeaks said:

jungleluv said:

I hate it when Singers bring politics into music. The fact is Sheila hasn't made any good music since the 1980's. All of her best work was her first 3 albums and her collaborations with Prince. This cover version/interpretation is a mess.

R U serious. Sheila's best work was in the 80's? Obviously you stopped listeneing after the 80's because i feel like she did her best work after that period, not to say that she didn't do great work in the 80's but Sex Cymbal and the E-Train albums were definite progressions from the 80's material. Sheila is one of the few Prince associates to have great material and a strong name and presence in the music industry BEFORE and AFTER working with Prince. As for this single and video, i get the song conceptually(and it ain't no MPLS sound, it's JB) and the video concept is timely and i actually come away with a new appreciation for the opening monologue.

I don't think her albums after Prince were really good.
I did buy Sex Cymbal, but it lacked some kind of electricity...

the more latter albums like the one released a few years ago was really not good at all.

But this album I like. But it is an album of covers.

Sheila E is a great performer.

this album is a bit like the E-Train albums. Well played fusion that's dangerously close to muzak.. Was nice to see her play Stephen Colberts show with multiple songs (although all that was shown was the intro/outro of songs).

She sounded good with the house band.

OldFriends4Sale said:

I've seen Sheila E. perform her own shows live over the years and she is a great performer but an album of old covers just doesn't do it for me.

laurarichardson said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

I don't think her albums after Prince were really good.
I did buy Sex Cymbal, but it lacked some kind of electricity...

the more latter albums like the one released a few years ago was really not good at all.

But this album I like. But it is an album of covers.

Sheila E is a great performer.

Funny Eric Leeds was in the E train and he raved about that band. There is a market for this type of music.

what is funny?

the E Train band w/Writes of Passage was not Sex Cymbal

and I said 'the more latter albums' like ICON

Writes of Passage was good music

Do you have Writes of Passage?

I'm a jazz fan

OldFriends4Sale said:

I don't think her albums after Prince were really good.
I did buy Sex Cymbal, but it lacked some kind of electricity...

the more latter albums like the one released a few years ago was really not good at all.

But this album I like. But it is an album of covers.

Sheila E is a great performer.

I agree,that last album 'Icon'...I really,really tried to like it,but I just wasn't impressed with most of it.

but unlike some of the other former Prince proteges,Sheila stays busy and tours constantly.She always finds a way to get some new music out.She's a hard worker.Gotta admire that