Juicy - Sugar Free

Juicy was brother and sister duo Jerry and Katreese Barnes, who released a few singles and two albums between 1982 and 1987. This was their biggest hit from 1985 and was produced by Eumir Deodato. I must admit that I didn't realise he did electronic music, I'm more familiar with his jazz-funk/disco stuff from the seventies, but it seems he did quite a bit of production through the eighties. It's very nice though, that slow Electro-Soul vibe reminiscent classics like Hangin' On A String or Dare To Dream. There are two versions on the 12" - the dance mix and the radio mix - no real difference apart from the length. There are also two bonus tracks taken from the first LP. Bad Boy is a more uptempo and pop sounding club track, Forever And Ever is somewhere between the two, not a club track but not as mellow as Sugar Free. All in all, a nice little package. Enjoy!

Juicy - Sugar Free (Deo-Super Dance Remix).mp3

Canterbury Digs

Here are my findings from Canterbury Rock (in Canterbury suprisingly!) and B-Side the C-Side in nearby Herne Bay.

Herbie Hancock - Death Wish Soundtrack LP
Libra - s/t LP
Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes - Expansions LP
Rhythm Heritage - Disco-fied LP
Climax Blues Band - Stamp Album LP
Steely Dan - Gaucho LP
The Limit - s/t LP
The Intergalactic Touring Band - s/t LP (for the artwork in the booklet)
Klaus Schulze - En=Trance LP
Klaus Schulze - Untitled double LP compilation
Omega 9 - Gammapolis LP (some weird Hungarian Prog-Rock)
Gabor Presser - Electromantic LP
Edgar Froese - Stuntman LP
Vangelis - The Dragon LP

Break Machine - Street Dance 12
Detroit Spinners - Love Is In Season (b/w Could It Be I'm Falling In Love) 12
Stacy Lattishaw - Jump To The Beat 12
Serious Intention - Serious 12
Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind 12
Juicy - Sugar Free 12
Wally Badarou - Chief Inspector 12
Keith & Darrell - Work That Body 12
Chantal Curtis - Get Another Love 2x12
Bryan Loren - Easier Said Than Done 12
T.C. Curtis - You Should Have Known Better 12

Wax Stag - Short Road

This featured on a recent compilation cd I received from a friend. The video is some bizarre, probably drug related shenanigans, but the song is just joyous!

Evelyn Thomas & Eleanor Grant

A couple of Electro-Soul gems from 1984 for you today...



Heartless on Vanguard records was written and produced by Ian Levine & Fiachra Trench, who supposedly started the High Energy trend with their production of Evelyn Thomas' other 1984 hit High Energy. Heartless is a much smoother and more soulful number though, the loose vocal & piano intro leading beautifully into a super funky groove with a nice little synth hook. It's a great song once it gets going, with a well delivered vocal about a lover who turns out to be married. Not sure the key change near the end was needed but top stuff otherwise.

Evelyn Thomas - Heartless.mp3

I picked up this track by Eleanor Grant thinking it would be a cover of the Michael Jackson classic. It's not though, they just share the same title. The 12" was released on Catawba/CBS Records and was produced by George Kerr. It's a good track with a classic chunky 80s beat and bassline sound. I can't find much info about Eleanor Grant; Discogs only has 3 releases listed and there is nothing on Youtube. Oh well, just enjoy the music!

Eleanor Grant - Don't Stop (Til You Get Enough).mp3