Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 28 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Wednesday.
Here is the Top 40 in full.
Obviously some of the records will be the same as last week so therefore the review will be the same for these. I've indicated which ones are new so you can skip the others if you read last weeks post.
Once again my opinions are inevitably going to differ from other people, but I'm not trying to convince anyone something is good or rubbish, I'm simply giving my opinion.
So this is the top 30 from this week in 1995 with my verdict on each record:
The 3rd and final Top 40 hit to date for the Crash Test Dummies which was a cover of a record by XTC and was made for the film "Dumb and Dumber". Unlike their other 2 Top 40 hits it's Ellen Reid who takes lead vocals rather than Brad Roberts. Still has that Crash Test Dummies charm to it though.
Verdict - Good
The Human League 1995 comeback continued with this record. Unlike their other hits, this one has minimal vocals from Phil Oakey with Susan Ann Sulley taking the lead vocals instead. It still sounds out of place in 1995 though.
Verdict - Rubbish
28. Tricky - Black Steel (New)
The 2nd Top 40 hit for Tricky which was a cover of a Public Enemy done rock style. Tricky was one of those acts who appealed to both people into rock and dance music at the time. I'm a fan myself and own the "Maxinquaye" album from which this is taken from.
Verdict - Good
This was the start of The Beatles mini Top 40 comeback in the mid-90s. It appeared on their debut album "Please Please Me" and was originally done by The Shirelles. I didn't think much to The Beatles in 1995 but have grown to appreciate them a lot more as I've got older and as a result I like this record.
Verdict - Good
After topping the charts for the first and only time at the end of 1994, East 17 only just managed to squeeze into the Top 10 with their follow up record. It's back to the Tony rapping/Brian singing formula much like their debut hit "House of Love". It's a formula that works so why not.
Verdict - Good
When Terence Trent D'Arby went in the rock direction in 1993 I wasn't convinced. He continued to go in the same direction for this 1995 comeback which would be his final Top 40 hit to date. This record is much more like it though, don't know why but it works for me.
Verdict - Good
24. Reef - Good Feeling (New)
This was the Top 40 debut for Reef. What started alienating me from the rock crowd at school was their music tastes were getting softer and by the time Reef were considered by them to be a good band I thought this was too namby pamby and that rave was the way forward. I've not really changed my mind in that respect, but it's not a bad record.
Verdict - OK
The penultimate Top 40 hit to date for Simple Minds. It wasn't as successful as its predecessor "She's A River" but has managed to have twice as many views on YouTube. They could still produce the goods in 1995 though, it's good a good guitar line throughout and a laid back tempo that's good to chill out to.
Verdict - Good
This was a cover of the McFadden & Whitehead song from 1979. For years I thought the original was by Luther Vandross, he'd been around for almost that long. I guess it's a record that suits Luther Vandross very well.
Verdict - Good
After having 6 Top 40 hits from her self titled album already, Janet Jackson releases a double a-side of records both from that same album. There's something quite nostalgic about "Whoops Now", a 60s style record done 90s style if that makes sense. "What'll I Do" is a cover of a 60s soul record, but the original is far far better.
Verdict - Good / Rubbish
This got no further than 29 on it's first release, but fared better when it was rereleased in 1995 after appearing on the Levi's advert. I do however remember hearing this on the radio in 1993 and liking it. The intro to it is very distinctive.
Verdict - Good
I remember watching this video. You had lots of strange looking people enter the photo booth, but then the last one to walk in was an ordinary looking bloke with long hair. Not only did I think the bloke with long hair was a bit out of place for looking normal, but I also thought long hair equaled rock music, and this was a dance record. I was therefore amazed to see the bloke with long hair was the bloke singing it, though in hindsight it makes a lot of sense. A bit overplayed now, but I still like it.
Verdict - Good
Even relative reggae pop newcomer Pato Banton was struggling somewhat from a chart perspective in 1995. He was never able to reach similar heights to his chart topping debut with this being his 3rd Top 40 which like his 2nd got no higher than 15. His debut had the Campbell brothers from UB40, his 2nd had Sting and now his 3rd had Ranking Roger from The Beat. It's a great catchy record and its relative lack of success means it hasn't suffered from overplay.
Verdict - Good
I remember going on holiday in 1995 and going to a restaurant the first night which was almost empty. As I dined it became apparent why nobody went there. The restaurant manager seemed to love this song, playing it multiple times that evening and encouraging diners to get up and dance to it with him. Needless to say I never went back. A boring depressing record.
Verdict - Rubbish
16. Hole - Doll Parts (New)
I remember being well aware in the days of Nirvana that Kurt Cobain's wife Courtney Love was in a grunge band called Hole. I even remember hearing their music from their first album. This however was their first Top 40 hit. I never thought much of them and this record always irritated me.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the last original Top 40 hit to date for Snap!. They were very much on the commercial side of dance music but purely from an enjoyment perspective I would say their latter hits are the best ones. The way dance music in general had evolved by this point suits this kind of record.
Verdict - Good
This was the big hit for Alex Party. It makes me think of the Smash Hits Poll Winners party but I can't find any evidence of this ever being on it. What it also reminds me of is that a few months prior I couldn't stand this sort of music but I was liking it by this point.
Verdict - Good
13. Tina Arena - Chains (New)
Here's a turn up for the books, an Australian pop singer who wasn't on an Aussie soap. This was the Top 40 debut for Tina Arena and the record she's best known for. This is how you make a pop ballad, once it gets going it's quite something.
Verdict - Good
This was the 6th Top 40 hit for Mary J Blige and the first time she'd made the Top 20. It's also her first Top 40 hit that was a cover with this originally being by Rose Royce. It's not as good as the original but still a pretty decent cover.
Verdict - Good
The Comic Relief single for 1995. At the time I remember being part of a quiz team and getting the question of who did this record. My team mate correctly answered Cher, Chrissie Hynde and Neneh Cherry, then I added "and Eric Clapton on the guitar". To this very day I still cringe at that moment, maybe because I was trying to point out something positive about the song when even Eric Clapton couldn't stop this song from being dire.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the first and biggest Top 40 hit for Bucketheads which was a project of Kenny Dope from Masters At Work. It was the first time I'd come across Kenny Dope and initially I thought he was the bloke in the video. Despite the fact I know what he looks like now, it's still the bloke in the video I picture when I come across Kenny Dope. It's a great record too.
Verdict - Good
9. REM - Strange Currencies (New)
Some have nicknamed this record as "Everything Hurts part 2". I see the similarities there but there are enough differences between both of them to be different. In fact I prefer this record, obviously helped by it not being overplayed as I don't think I've heard this since 1995.
Verdict - Good
The Top 40 debut for Brownstone and the record they are best known for. It reached number 8 in both the UK and America. I would also say this is their best Top 40 hit and was very much of it's time, that's a better time.
Verdict - Good
It had been getting on for a year since Wet Wet Wet first topped the charts with "Love Is All Around" until they released this, the follow up. It didn't feel like it though given how long "Love Is All Around" was in the charts for. I do feel like I shouldn't like this record, but I do.
Verdict - Good
As a raver in 1995 I liked to point out that this was music for young people that old people couldn't understand. This was one such record I liked at the time, little did I know that Paul Oakenfold wrote it with Rob Davis from 70s band Mud. It's a classic for sure.
Verdict - Good
Whilst the Corona Top 40 debut "The Rhythm of the Night" charted higher, I would say this follow up hit is the one they're best known for. It's a cheesy eurodance number but it's one of the more enjoyable variety and as such I quite like it.
Verdict - Good
The Top 40 debut for Strike which originally charted in 1994 but fared better when it returned to the charts in 1995. Its the record Strike were best known for. It's definitely one of those records that makes me nostalgic about the 90s.
Verdict - Good
This originally made number 38 in 1994 but did better when it returned to the charts in 1995 and gave Bobby Brown his highest charting Top 40 hit to date. It was also the last of his big hits. The single version was a K-Klass remix and is a dance record. A great uplifting record.
Verdict - Good
1995 was the year of The Outhere Brothers and this is where it all began. They were massive in 1995 and then afterwards they were nowhere to be seen really. I was a fan of their music, it was great fun to listen to.
Verdict - Good
At the time me and a couple of others were given lunchtime detention at school for a few days by the science teacher in the science lab. He would listen to his tape which began with this song. We would therefore laugh at this possibly 50 something bloke listening to Take That. I always hated Take That and still think most of their music is crap, but I have to concede that this one is actually quite good.
Verdict - Good
If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 25.5/30, or 85%. The best week of the 90s so far, this is going to be tough to beat.
No comments:
Post a Comment