Has anyone heard these albums by Teena Marie? What do you think of them?

I have both of those albums.Neither album can compete with her early-80s work,but there's some cool tracks on these albums.

From La Dona---"Honey Call","I'm Still In Love","My Body's Hungry"

From Sapphire---"Cruise Control" with Smokey Robinson,"Make It Hot" and "A.P.B."(the album's highlight,imo)


You'll have to skip through a few of the hip-hop sounding tracks,but when you do,it's smooth sailing all the way.Several tracks have that classic,jazzy R&B sound that Teena is known for.

I have both and agree with SoulAlive about it not competeing with previous material.

But I prefer La Dona. I played it quite a bit actually and have a few favorites. Sapphire is okay but didn't appeal to me as much but there are some nice ballads like You Blow Me Away and The Way You Love Me come to mind.

Thank you both. I`ll probably end up getting both
I also found "Passion play" on ebay recently, can`t wait to hear that one...

Icicle said:

Passion Play by Joni Mitchell? That's the only one I know.

JackieBlue said:

'Passion Play' is an album that Teena released indepently in 1995.Here's the back of the CD cover:


I've never heard this album...I wonder is it any good?

square biz and wishing on a star are classics

SoulAlive said:

Get out! I've never heard of it and now I'm curious.

I`ll have to remember to write a short review when i recieve the cd

JackieBlue said:

I remember hearing about it back in the mid-90s,but it came and went really fast,with very little promotion and no singles.I'm curious,too!

Icicle said:

Please do

I recall an interview from a few years ago.Teena said that she was really disappointed with how 'Passion Play' was distributed.She said that she now has hundreds of un-sold copies collecting dust in a wherehouse.She also said that she wouldn't release music independently anymore,which is why she eventually signed the record deal with Cash Money/Universal.

She should put them out on ebay...

I`m still waiting for "Lady T" to be re-released. When "Wild and peaceful" was re-released with bonus tracks by Hip-o-select in 2005, the plans were to re-release all her earliest albums.

Doesn`t look like that`s going to happen....

Icicle said:

is that your favorite album by her?

SoulAlive said:

I haven`t heard "Lady T" yet, but i like "Aladdin`s lamp" and "Now that i have you", the rest i don`t know.
By the albums i have so far, "Wild and peaceful" is my favorite...

Icicle said:

I'm torn between 'Irons In The Fire' and 'It Must Be Magic'.Can't decide which album is my favorite.Have you heard these albums? They're excellent!

SoulAlive said:

Yeah, i have the "Two LPs on one CD" version, with both albums. BUT i have to get the "It must be magic" cd too, because of the bonus tracks...

I like "Irons in the fire" because of the title track, "Tune in tomorrow" and "Chains", but out of those two, i`d have to choose "It must be magic", simply because of "Yes indeed"...

Another song i love is "Cassanova Brown", especially the "standing room only..." part

Man...I feel I'm missing some great music!

I have to chime in- Teena is my Favorite Female artist...

get into Lady T, It Must be Magic and some of the older stuff..

Beautfiul " real" music -

All Live Music captured the way it's supposed to be captured and Harmonies out of this world.. And she did most of the Production herself..

The Girl is Deep..

I got into her when Ooh La La La Came out and then went all the way back..and was blown away with every previous album that I purchased..

I must have played the Square Biz album a million times.

You will not be sorry..

I'm a casual Teena Marie fan and was quite impressed with Sapphire. There are a lot of good cuts on their imo.

Icicle said:[quote]

SoulAlive said:

Yeah, i have the "Two LPs on one CD" version, with both albums. BUT i have to get the "It must be magic" cd too, because of the bonus tracks...

I like "Irons in the fire" because of the title track, "Tune in tomorrow" and "Chains", but out of those two, i`d have to choose "It must be magic", simply because of "Yes indeed"...

Yes.

I dedicated that song to the Love of My Life. We're no longer together but the song keeps me warm whenever I hear it.

"It Must Be Magic" is the greatest Teena Marie CD:
"Square Biz"
"Portuguese Love"
"Revolution"
and of course...

"Yes, Indeed"

"Do I love you, knowing this can never be..."

Okay, now i`ve gotten "Passion play", and listened through it...

There are some desent tracks here:


"Hypnotized" - A Linda Jones cover, it`s an okay ballad, but nothing more.

"Slow grind" - A little dated, but a catching saxophone driven refrain. I like how she refer to one of her ealriest songs; "Slow grind - i told you i was going to have my cake"

"Climb the walls" - The album`s standout track. This is classic Lady T, a beautiful ballad

"Pretty man" - A nice, slow "Spanglish"(!) song with a beautiful latin rhythm...

"The air i breathe" - Normally, this would be a pretty average song considering the lyrics, but Marie`s vocals saves it... It`s almost up there with "Climb the walls"

The rest of the album is very forgettable, all uptempo tracks, that just doesn`t go anywhere.

.
[Edited 1/27/07 2:17am]

love it!



[/quote]

haven't heard it.

CHIC0 said:

I see this album is very popular on the org

cop both of them
while it's no irons in the fire, she delivers some good modern R&B
I used 2 love LaDona more than Sapphire but Sapphire has been in rotation since last year.

My copy of la Dona may still have plastic on it

Never picked up Sapphire... love the old Teena albums though!

I have both cd's by lady t. I am surprised that people like la dona
better. I like it but for 17 tracks less than half of them were real good.
I loved the first 5 tracks and pretty much skip down to the last two.
With sapphire i pretty much liked the whole set. Both cd's are worth buying.
As far as her early 80's stuff, I liked the square biz album and my favorite
starchild. As far as any of her other albums i do not know how good they were
because i would only hear an occasional single like i need your lovin or sucker
for love. Do not buy emerald city. It was probably her worst. Do buy la dona and
sapphire and starchild if you don't have them already.
How could i forget? Naked to the world with ooh la la la. Good cd also.
Ooh la la is probably one of her best ballads next to out on a limb.
[Edited 1/28/07 20:55pm]

Icicle said:

thanks for the review.I may have to check that album out.

phunkdaddy said:

wow... I actually enjoy
that second side of Emerald City

and about It Must Be Magic
I kick myself in the ass
all the time for not getting the vinyl
when I stumbled upon it a few years back
but that was before I had heard it
worth the money for "Where's California" alone!!!

about La Dona & Sapphire though
I haven't heard either
as I'm still working to make
my late 70's/early 80's collection complete

have you guys heard "Stop The World" from her 'Robbery' album? That song is GREAT!!! One of her most underrated hit singles.

It Must Be Magic is my favorite Teena album.

But the one that has played almost consistently since it came out, the one I had to buy another copy of since the original done wore out is

Emerald City

It has the most variety, the most adventurous, and dammit, Stevie Ray Vaughn on guitar....