With her glorious return to stage, there need to be more threads about Kylie Minogue! I've been reviewing albums in my spare time for a few years now and it proves to be a fun little distraction. I just now noticed going through the lot that I called her an "insouciant lass" in 3 separate reviews.

Please feel free to add your own!



Kylie
1988
2 stars

Launched with a great deal of hype and expectation, Kylie delivered hit after hit for the young Minogue. Under the helm of Stock, Aitken and Waterman, this album is heavy on the hits and light on the substance. Worldwide smashes "The Locomotion" and "I Should Be So Lucky" brought Kylie fame and, ultimately, self-admitted embarrassment and inescapable notoriety as a lightweight 80s cheesepuff. Most of the album consists of typical SAW beats and insouciant themes of young love, with mostly dire results.

Nevertheless, the album isn't without its charm. Lesser known hits like "It's No Secret" and "Got to Be Certain" benefit from good production and memorable melodies, as well as lack of overplay. The best of the bunch here, "Turn It into Love" was only issued as a single in Japan.

Kylie is more of a novelty album than one worth many listens. Cheesy as it may be, it does mark the introduction to the career of a pop chameleon. For all of its drawbacks, it does make her excellent work from 1997 on even more surprising and compelling.




Enjoy Yourself
1989
2.5 stars

Kylie's follow-up to the mega-smash Kylie improves slightly over its predecessor, but is still bogged down with some indigestible cheese. Emblematic of the album, "Hand on Your Heart" is undeniably catchy, but its appeal is so superficial that it is rarely listenable. The accompanying video clip may hold the title of the most embarrassing in her career, which is really saying something.

However, the proportion of good tracks jumps with Enjoy Yourself. "Never Too Late" is a surprisingly well-written melody for the SAW team, while "Wouldn't Change a Thing" is also memorable. The title track also holds up well and offers a glimpse of what was to come with the far superior Rhythm of Love.

Unfortunately, Kylie was still struggling to forge her own identity, and the album suffers as a consequence. The homage to 50s pop is merely stomachable on "Tears on My Pillow", but unbearable on "My Secret Heart". An update in sound and image was necessary and- thankfully- in the works.



Rhythm of Love
1990
4.5 stars

Hello! Fresh off the heels of two commercially successful yet barely stomachable cheesefest albums, Rhythm of Love is a shockingly (no pun intended) timeless dance album. Perhaps due to her new romance with INXS frontman Michael Hutchence, Rhythm of Love benefits from a musical and visual makeover. Long gone is the naïve Kylie of yesteryear, cast out in favor of a sexier image and fuller, harder sound.

The album leads off with three pop gems. The effervescent "Better the Devil You Know" with all of its bombast and many hooks garnered Kylie some actual credibility, especially in the gay market. The disco-funk of "Step Back in Time" is a wonderfully executed homage to the heyday of the 70s. The persistent beckoning of "What Do I Have to Do" with its bombastic dance beats and climbing synth flourishes is a definite highlight.

Elsewhere, Kylie perfects her pop with the confessional "Secrets" and the irresistible "Always Find the Time." Later, she achieves her first successful ballad with "The World Still Turns." Proving that non-singles can compete with singles, "Things Can Only Get Better" plays like a New Order vamp with a message. The highlight of the album, though, is the scorching "Shocked" with its sultry buildup and unrelenting beats.

Rhythm of Love isn't without its flaws. "One Boy Girl" brings cheese to the foray with an embarrassing attempt at a rap spat between Kylie and a guest rapper. Nevertheless, even it is salvaged by the sharper production.

Rhythm of Love is the undeniable beacon of Kylie's early career. Its addictive beats and well-crafted songs prove that pop can be really, really good without saying much. Its success is further augmented by the dramatic falloff of its successor, the tragic Let's Get to It.



Let's Get to It
1991
1.5 stars

Let's Get to It is the perfect example of an album that is trying too hard. Off of the critical success of 1990's Rhythm of Love, which saw Kylie tackle edgier beats and a sexier image, Minogue and crew rushed to capitalize a year later to fulfill her contractual obligation.

The infections dance offerings of Rhythm of Love give way to more repetitive, contrived concoctions on Let's Get to It that make most of the songs sound more like remixes than pop staples. Moreover, the album is rife with random vocal samples that clearly are designed to give the album more "cred," but end up doing just the opposite.

While the sexier image of Rhythm of Love appeared as the genuine self-discovery and maturity of a 22-year old woman, the SexKylie persona adopted on Let's Get to It is trashier and much more forced. This is regrettable, because otherwise good songs with mature sentiments like "Finer Feelings" seem less sincere.

Despite its many drawbacks, Let's Get to It isn't without its merit. "Word Is Out" is an enjoyable pop number, but it pales in comparison to its Rhythm of Love predecessors. "Give Me Just a Little More Time" has a decent groove or two and the aforementioned "Finer Feelings," if you aren't too turned off by the image, is a pretty nice ballad.

All in all, it was a fitting end to a turbulent partnership with Stock, Aitken and Waterman, who were trying to reel in Kylie's adventurous side for a more wholesome, bankable image. It was clearly time for a new beginning for Kylie.



Kylie Minogue
1994
4 stars

Having completed her first contract, Kylie had grown tired of the stringent control placed on her material and set out to do some damage control with 1994’s Kylie Minogue. From the opening string seduction of the first track, “Confide in Me,” it is clear that Kylie has distanced herself from her bubblegum past. Long gone is the insouciant, saccharine-tinged Kylie of yore, replaced by a more mature woman seeking substance over style for the first time on record. Real instruments replace the now stale synth melodies of her past. A more confident, trained voice glides gracefully over tracks. Most of the time, it works.

The aforementioned “Confide in Me” is proof positive that Kylie’s new direction would yield instant results. A paean to openness, it is a sweeping, ethereal epic complete with string accompaniments and a sitar or two. The opening single from the album, it was a commercial and critical triumph. Hot on its heels was the seductive cooing of “Put Yourself in My Place,” another instant classic. Other highlights include the genuinely inviting call of “Automatic Love” and the tripped out, house-tinged “Where Has the Love Gone?”

Although Kylie Minogue succeeds in its artistic aspirations, the flighty past from which Kylie so earnestly tries to disassociate herself seems to include the one element of her previous albums that gave them some charm- fun. Listeners accustomed to her ephemeral pop side may find themselves bored by an album of confessional, earnest and subdued music. Nevertheless, the album stands as an important one in Kylie’s career. Taken with the superior successor Impossible Princess, Kylie Minogue marks a time of growth and maturity and offers the most valid glimpse of Kylie’s true persona.




Impossible Princess
1997
5 stars

Largely considered her greatest commercial flop, Impossible Princess was doomed from the start. Pushed back several times and renamed due to the untimely death of Princess Diana, it was virtually ignored by the public. This is an unfortunate fate because the album is really sublime. Although the mood and contents of the album were hinted at by songs such as "Confide in Me" and "Where the Wild Roses Grow," Impossible Princess is an entire album of contemplative, brooding ponderings over a similarly dark sonic canvas.

From the opening whirlwind of "Too Far," complete with a truly psychotic piano melody and lyrics delivered in a half-spoken rush, it seems that Kylie is determined to garner some artistic credibility with Impossible Princess. Indeed, much of the album indicates an attempt to distance herself even more completely from the meaningless surface pop stardom of before. Whether it be insatiable ("Drunk"), lost ("Limbo"), ironic ("I Don't Need Anyone"), searching ("Jump"), self-depricating ("Did It Again") or dichotomous ("Dreams"), Impossible Princess paints the portrait of a complexed, turbulent Minogue that stands as a complete contrast to the insouciant lass of before.

While the album is full of morose and defiant overtones, moments of tenderness and even sweetness creep through. "Say Hey" hides a vulnerable confession of a crush behind a thumping techno beat, while "Breathe," the album's most notable hit, offers soothing reassurance.

Nevertheless, Impossible Princess is strongest when its heroine is her weakest. The stark "Jump" casts Kylie in formidable doubt, scraping her soul to ache that "it only hurts sometimes." The leap of faith into the unknown, depicted perfectly by a sparse beat and ominous synths, is genuinely moving and captivating. The aforementioned "Too Far" is a thrilling gaze into Kylie's insecurities, while "Limbo" is a frenzied exorcism of frustration.

Sadly, today's pop culture is overwrought with typecasting. The world was not ready for Kylie to bare her soul as she does on Impossible Princess. This album obviously meant a lot to Kylie, and it must have come as a rude awakening when the album was shunned upon release. But while it marked Kylie's commercial nadir, it also triumphs as her creative peak. Kylie would later resurface with glitz and glamor on Light Years, but perhaps the true Kylie is scripted in the self-doubt and complexities of Impossible Princess.




Light Years
2000
4.5 stars

Tick, Tick, TICK....the clock's steady ticking had become a bellowing roar in Kylie Minogue's eardrum to start the new millennium. By the end of the 90s, she had all but disappeared from the map. Her two previous records, Kylie Minogue and Impossible Princess, saw the popstar achieve a degree of artistic credibility tangible enough to warrant a duet with Nick Cave. Nevertheless, her commercial viability took a serious nosedive. While her DeConstruction period proved thoroughly enjoyable, it was evident that Miss Minogue was in major need of a stylistic makeover. The world simply was not ready for ironic songs of inner turmoil from the insouciant lass who had so cheerfully resurrected the Locomotion not so long before. Enter Light Years, the album that would usher in Kylie's commercial comeback and as such, an album aimed directly at her fans' puerile pop palate. Light Years sees Kylie abandon the irony in favor of forthright neo-disco and pop to great success.

Pop had burst onto the scene anew and Kylie took advantage of the opportunity to recapture her glory with an album ripe for mass consumption. The sonic equivalent of glitter, Light Years is loaded with a frenetic disco pulse and an attitude that could forge fun even amidst a mass human extermination. Led by the succulent dance anthems "Spinning Around" and "On a Night Like This", the relentless assault on the hips begins with a walloping 1-2 punch unmatched in her repertoire. The dancefloor now alight with its myriad colors, Kylie leads her troupe in perfect harmony through the defiant "So Now Goodbye" and the scorching furor of "Disco Down".

Somewhere along the line, Kylie had become a gay icon, and Light Years proved the perfect propaganda to enlist her pink army once again. Having already seduced her camp, the stage is set for possibly the most glorious triumvirate of kitsch laid to record. Once boarding the "Loveboat", which is just as twee as a cocktail umbrella, it's hard to resist joining the Conga line and shuffling along to the boppy "Koocachoo". Nevertheless, these pale in comparison to "Your Disco Needs You", a queer call to arms so ridiculous and revelrous that words fail to capture its gay grandeur. What follows is the only real miscue on the album- the saccharine ballad "Bittersweet Goodbye", which simply doesn't have a ticket on this disco train. Elsewhere along the ride is the Spanish-tinged "Please Stay", the delicious hypnotic chug of "Butterfly" and the utterly astonishing title track, ever as transcendent and timeless as its main influence, Donna Summer's "I Feel Love". This is not Kylie the cute bubblegum heartthrob or Kylie the postmodern raver. This is Kylie as Venus of the dancefloor, and she has come to take no prisoners.

Light Years provided the perfect platform for Parlophone to launch Kylie's Renaissance. By simply reminding the world that she could have fun again, she maneuvered her way back into the public consciousness. It set the stage for bigger things to come, as the subsequent Fever saw Kylie capture the world (yes, including America) by storm. Nevertheless, Light Years remains the most unabashed display of pop in her canon, which is quite the feat.



Fever
2001
5 stars

Among the most aptly named albums of all time, Kylie Minogue's Fever is an irresistible rush and a bona fide electronic dance classic. Like most Americans, I remembered Kylie Minogue as "the Locomotion girl" until I was entranced by the video for the smash "Can't Get You Out of My Head." Little did I know what was in store. This album is dangerously addictive!

There is not a single ballad to slow the flow. From the opening disco delight of "More More More" to the closing funk romp of "Burning Up," Fever delivers on all of its 12 tracks. The sublime "Love At First Sight" has earned its place in the realm of pop classics. An endearing single, it forms the heart and soul of Fever: instantly catchy, but substantial and endearing enough for repeated listens. Following "Love At First Sight" is the ubiquitous, seductive "Can't Get You Out of My Head," with its chugging synths and alluring vocals, not to mention its unforgettable "la la la" chorus. Long revered as an icon of dance music, Kylie validates her status with this song alone, which even lured critics with its charms. Another single, "In Your Eyes" is the album's sultriest track and easily among the best. Recalling another one of her dance smashes, 2000's "Spinning Around," "In Your Eyes" is guided by a seductive bass line while the vocal harmonies exude true longing. "Come Into My World" sounds like its more famous cousin to "Can't Get You Out of My Head," and while it didn't earn as much airplay, it has the distinction of earning Kylie her first Grammy.

While spear-headed by its singles, Fever does not have any filler. Nearly any of the album's tracks would have fared well on radio. One of the album's key cuts, "Fragile" lets Kylie reveals her vulnerability. Whereas most of the album is over the top, "Fragile" is able to convey a subdued, almost melancholy tone. Kylie turns to straightforward disco on the defiant "Dancefloor," and apart from its updated production, the song sounds as if it could have been issued during disco's late 70's heyday. The best of the non-singles is "Love Affair." With an effortless melody, strong vocal performance and seductive lyrics, it delivers a home run. Instantly memorable, it also offers a clue as to the album's influences, as some of the textures recall Madonna's landmark album Ray of Light.

Fever also spawned several top-notch B-sides, from the quirky, warped "Boy" to the perfect pop of "Tightrope," from the funk of "Good Like That" to the gorgeous ballad "Never Spoken." Also available are the straightforward "Rendezvous At Sunset," the Scooby Doo soundtrack-lifted "Whenever You Feel Like It" and the subdued "Harmony." The best of the bunch is the scorching "Baby," whose warped bass line offers a clue of what was to come with 2003's equally stunning Body Language.

A whirlwind listen, Fever will finish without a trace of its affliction. Nevertheless, the thermometer doesn't lie. Your ass has been owned...by Kylie Minogue. Now hit "play" again. And again, and again, and again...



Body Language
2003
5 stars

The world of pop superstardom seems inevitably wrought with a series of highs and lows. In the 21st century, a the disparity between commercial and critical triumphs and nadirs has grown wider than perhaps ever before. No artist better embodies this phenomenon than Kylie Minogue. After the dark ages of the late 90s, Kylie emerged energized and refreshed in the 2000s with unlimited aspirations. 2000's Light Years reaffirmed Kylie as a pop princess with staying power, thanks to smash disco hits such as "Spinning Around" and "On a Night Like This". Having hypnotized the world over with her seductive "la la la" chant in "Can't Get You Out of My Head", Kylie cemented her status as a pied piper of pop that could do no wrong throughout 2001 and 2002. Fever extended the disco theme and went on to become the most successful album of Kylie's career, building expectation and hype of her follow-up to great proportions. When Kylie finally delivered her next album in late 2003, however, the public was taken aback by its contents: sultry, urban, synthesized pop that featured a darker, moodier but more sophisticated Minogue. As such, Body Language recalls 1997's underrated Impossible Princess while retaining the pop sensibilities of Fever. Like those two albums, Body Language stands tall among her catalogue as a seminal release, in spite of its failure to live up to commercial expectations.

The album starts with a series of synthesized snarling songs with a much harder edge than her previous efforts would allow. "Slow" seduced UK audiences into granting it the number 1 spot on the chart and proved that sexual tension that is drawn out and subtle is more potent than the overly-aggressive trampiness rampant in the pop world. Kylie coos over the Kraftwerk-inspired synthesized sizzle, urging us to relax and "skip and beat and move with [her] body". Truly sexy. Next up is the 80s-drenched synth-funk workout of "Still Standing", which sees a strident Kylie bask in the glory of her recent success. Do we want her to sing pop? If it follows the form of "Still Standing", the answer is an overwhelming yes! Completing this trilogy is the buzzing chug of "Secret (Take You Home)". Recalling Prince's glorious 1999 synth-funk, Kylie is generous with the pheromones as she utilizes a snippet of Lisa Lisa's "I Wonder If I Take You Home" and a surprisingly effective rap to up the ante. Resistance to the charms of this song is futile, and it ranks among her very best work. Princely influences are peppered throughout much of the remaining tracks, particularly on the deeply libidinous groove of "Sweet Music", another standout, and in the jagged, warped bass of the truly strange "I Feel for You".

The more straightforward uptempo and midtempo numbers still carry a noticeable urban tint. The hit "Red Blooded Woman", for better or for worse, fits right in with Destiny's Child's "Survivor" and Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River", while "Obsession" sounds like a lost TLC gem bubbling between two dueling synth patterns. The best of these, "Promises" shows that Kylie's pop ear is still well-tuned even amidst the wash of strutting synthesizers.

The slower songs do nothing to diminish the greatness of this album. On "After Dark", Kylie also proves that she is just as comfortable after the club closes and the mood calls for a more chilled offering. The third single, "Chocolate" is creamy, sultry R & B that conjures the days of a truly rhythmic groove. Add to that the fact that the song boasts a truly killer hook, and the song rightly merits its place among Kylie's favorites on the album. Elsewhere, the liquid pulse of "Someday", complete with lines like "I want my records back to get my heart on track", adeptly captures the bitterness and pain of a relationship gone sour, while she immediately follows with the string-laden seduction of the unabashedly gorgeous "Loving Days".

With Body Language, Kylie delivered an edgier, more experimental album more suited to adult tastes than its predecessors. She took a stylistic and thematic risk, opting for a more sophisticated approach, which may explain its commercial shortcomings. Nevertheless, our starlet can hang her hat on the fact that this classy effort stands as her most diversely and thoroughly satisfying record yet. The strength of the many B-sides and bonus tracks associated with the album further affirms the musical success of Body Language. It is particularly rare in the pop world for an artist of Minogue's stature to deviate from the formula that generated formidable international success, and while sales may have suffered, her reputation and longevity most certainly will benefit from an album like this. Congratulations on another stunning album, Kylie.

Ambitious.

I almost agree on your reviews BUT:

Enjoy Yourself Should have 1 Star
Let's get to it 4 Stars

By the way NNE loved Let's get to it...even made it album of the month
Fever 4 Stars
[Edited 11/20/06 14:59pm]

One of my most favorite Org moments is when CalhounSq posted a thread about Kylie's plastic surgery and it blew up into a huge ass flaming post and she came back like 2 weeks later and said something to the effect of damn, her most popular thread on the org ever was about a broad she could care less about

I have to admit, I really questioned a person's sanity when they started praising this chick but I can announce that I am officially a Kylie fan. Not quite a Kylie whore, but working my way there

wow, you've put more work into all of that than she did.
[Edited 11/20/06 16:36pm]

KidOmega said:

Strangely...Kylie has recorded more songs than Madonna. Also her b-sodes are more....numerous than madge's. LOL

KidOmega said:

Don't front- you love it.

GangstaFam said:

I'ma review the plethora of Kylie comps too.

BeatsPerMinute said:

Enjoy Yourself is pretty lame, but I do find it better than Kylie and LGTI, which is simply tragic, in my opinion!

Fever popped my Kylie cherry, so it gets 5. Plus, it's nonstop fun!

Moonbeam said:

Every remix album?

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

It's only a matter of time.

Bonus Dannii review!



Neon Nights
2003
4.5 stars
Poor Dannii. Often maligned as the less spectacular Minogue, since 1987 Dannii has been overshadowed by her sister Kylie. Yet with Neon Nights, she proves that there is room for 2 Minogues in the music biz. Sadly, the album went mostly unnoticed despite its infectious fun.

Neon Nights is by and large a retro dance album. From the opening vinyl hiss audible on the opener "Put the Needle on It," Dannii 'n crew unleash a whirlwind recording filled with rubbery synth bass lines either inspired by or lifted directly from 80s funk tracks. Only 2 songs exceed 4 minutes in length, while the rest deliver their punches in rapid succession.

The album is anchored by its singles. The aforementioned "Put the Needle on It" is a raunchy scorcher with a truly warped bass line and tantalizing synth touches. Another track predating the rest of the album, the frenzied "Who Do You Love Now," a cut released with Riva in 2001, is a rare moment on the album that is truly driven by emotion. Arguably the album's best track, "I Begin to Wonder" plods along to the octave-stepping bass line before opening up to a blinding chorus reminiscent of Sly Fox's "Let's Go All the Way." Less effective, "Don't Wanna Lose This Feeling" is still enjoyable, straight-forward pop.

Despite being spear-headed by its singles, Neon Nights offers more highlights. The sultry "Creep" is one big burst of pheromones, while "Mighty Fine" is an engaging, funky track. "Push" successfully samples the often lifted riff from "White Pony," while "A Piece of Time" sounds like a video game with some timely short circuits. Unfortunately placed at the end of the sappy "It Won't Work Out," the bonus track "Come and Get It" is 6 minutes of house pleasure. Not only is the album fun, it is also quite humorous. "Vibe On" is a not-so-subtle ode to her bedtime friend, while "For the Record" features some of the most spastic vocals put to record.

Nevertheless, the album does suffer some weak moments. "For the Record" is at times too humorously bad to bear, while "Mystified" is simply bland. "It Won't Work Out" is a cheesy ballad that has no place on this high-paced, fun album.

Released in early 2003, Neon Nights is an unexpected triumph from the lesser known Minogue. Although it didn't garner the commercial gaze it sought, it is a step in the right direction for Dannii. A fun, effervescent listen, Neon Nights is above all else a great dance record. There isn't much beneath the surface here, but who cares?

Moonbeam said:

GangstaFam said:

Oh No. Don't even bring that Danni chick into this conversation! Can anyone say Coat tails!?
[Edited 11/20/06 17:12pm]

Oh, Hello Brothers!!

GangstaFam said:

Maybe.

GangstaFam said:

It is great! Apparently, a compilation called The Platinum Collection is to be released with unreleased stuff from Neon Nights! One of the tracks, "Just Can't Give You Up", leaked today but I can't find it!

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Dannii was actually famous in Australia before Kylie for her role on Young Talent Time. See?!

Moonbeam said:

Look, I'm a fresh convert, don't make me revolt against Kylie just yet

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Kylie's the only one who deserved fame, though.

Moonbeam said:

She's having another hits collection?

Moonbeam said:

Didn't she have a music career first? I thought Dannii was known as the singer and Kylie as the actress.

GangstaFam said:

I think there are 2 comps coming out next year with outtakes and stuff.

GangstaFam said:

Yes- Young Talent Time was a singing variety show. Dannii didn't have actual records until after Kylie did, though.

BeatsPerMinute said:

You're not lying!

Moonbeam said:

In fairness, Madonna has had a lot of compilation and soundtrack stuff.

BeatsPerMinute said:

it's that whole "keep throwing everything at the wall and something is sure to stick" mentality when she records an album. that's why there are so many leftovers. she has no soul or ideas, so she just goes in and records 100, assuming that there might be 12 decent ones to put on an album

GangstaFam said:

and to be even more fair, a lot of Madonna's stuff is actually pretty good

KidOmega said:

Wow, you're sure on a roll tonight.

BeatsPerMinute said:

False Madonna has more released albums and songs than Kylie
1.Madonna
2.Like A Virign
3.True Blue
4.Like A Prayer
5.I'm Breathless
6.Erotica
7.Bedtime Stories
8.Evita
9.Ray of Light
10.Music
11.American Life
12.Confessions On A Dancefloor
plus tracks recorded for Soundtracks, Compliations and what not

1.Kylie
2.Enjoy Yourself
3.Rythym of Love
4.Let's Get To It
5.Kylie Minogue
6.Impossiple Princess
7.Light Years
8.Fever
9.Body Language

there are more bsides and unreleased tracks of Kylie's floating around but still does not have as many songs as Madonna availible.