Just out., April 20, 2001, Page 49, Image 49

aprii 2 0 . 2001 ?
Boogie nights
S tranger T han F iction
Ultra N ate • Strictly Rhythm Records
love this album. 1 can’t remember the last
time a new disc has entered my C D player
and stayed there for days,
but Stranger Than Fiction is
the rare exception.
My only previous
*íZ.f
encounter with Ultra Nate
came when she pumped
new life into Gordon Light-
foot’s dreary “If You Could
Read My Mind” along with
Amber and Jocelyn Enri­
quez for the 1998 dud 54-
Little did I know what I
was in store for.
This Baltimore
singer/songwriter effortlessly
fuses dance grooves with alternative pop with
acoustic soul. Although much of the credit has
to go to the all-star roster of producers (Robert
Clivilles of C + C Music Factory and N ’dea Dav­
enport of the Brand New Heavies are among
them) and guest stars (Lenny Kravitz plays gui­
tar and provides hacking vocals on one track)
lined up here, Nates talent can’t be denied.
Her monotonous delivery gives “I Don’t
Understand It” a Crystal Waters vibe. But on
the next track, “Gone Like Yesterday,” her
voice is digitally warped, similar to the tech­
nique recently used on Cher’s “Believe” and
Madonna’s “Nobody’s Perfect.”
“G et It Up (The Feeling),” which samples
the Isley Brothers’ “Tell Me W hen You Need It
Again,” is a rousing women’s anthem. The
standout track is “Desire,” an infectious cele­
bration of female fantasy.
$
Dance divas deliver multiple floorgasms
by
J im R adosta
Nate even attacks a
raunchy sex song like
“Breakfast for Two” with
wild abandon, infusing it
with G-rated joy and ener­
gy. Never before have lines
like “Tonight there’ll be no
goodnight kisses as my front
door” and “We’ll be doing
it till the sun comes up"
seemed to innocent.
Stranger Than Fiction
has its darker moments,
too, but they’re disguised behind bouncy
rhythms and catchy beats. “Pretender” follows
the aftermath of a heartbreaking relationship:
“I’m dying inside, but no one will ever know,
I’m wearing the saddest smile.”
T his is the magic tragic com bination that
future divas are made of. Ladies, you’ve been
warned.
hottest world beats. He
sings on only one track,
“See You Through” by
Cultural Diversions.
Ever the trendsetter, he hopes to introduce
the United States to what he calls “the sexiest
sound around,” two-step. “It’s basically R & B
with a bit of ragga,” he says.
But is any of that infamous Boy George wit
and wisdom on display here? Somewhat.
Even as a DJ, he presents a clever sequence
of tunes. For example, Dark Globe’s “Some Say
She’s Retro” follows Lee Combs’ “Future Sound
of Retro," and Bassdubs’ “Volume 1 ” is posi­
tioned right before Oscar Goldman’s “Thrust 2.”
The remaining tracks will energize both dis­
cotheques (Kinky Roland’s “Bom Funky”) and
raves (Vzions’ “Everybody Jump”). George
even includes a remake— Boogie Macs’ “Girl
from Ipanema”— that manages to bring fresh
air to a stale relic.
E ssential M ix
Boy George • London-Sire Records
S olace
Mandalay
j o,
this isn’t yet another Culture Club
greatest hits set. Obviously, you haven’t
been keeping up with your W here Are
They Now? homework.
Boy George, who has become one of dance
music’s most respected producers and DJs, put
together this nonstop 17-song mix of today’s
So he pulled out
, my Jim B e a m ”
and to his surprise
n was every bit
as hard as his
Canadian Club. 1
V2 Records
; first heard this London-based duo last year dur­
ing The Next Best Thing, an awful movie with
an awesome soundtrack. Their contribution to
that collection, “This Life,” also is included on
this new release, which features selections from
the U.K. albums Empathy and Instinct.
Mandalay— named after the stately home in
Full L o tte ry
A T M • A /C
Rebecca— takes atmospheric trip-hop music
to a new level. They’re not as edgy and
angry as the Sneaker Pimps, but they’re
not as dull and depressing as Dido.
Nicola Hitchcock’s quivery voice is remi­
niscent of both Bjork and Portishead’s Beth
Gibbons. When combined with the musical
n mastery of multi-instrumentalist Saul Free­
man, the result is both mellow and haunting.
For those who prefer more “hop" in
their trip-hop, a limited edition version of
Solace also contains a bonus remix CD. Don’t
miss Victor Calderone’s epic 11-minute ver­
sion of “Beautiful.”
W igstock : T he L egendary C ompilation
L egendary E vent
Various Artists • Nervous Records
of the
J Steve Travolta is the man behind the
turntables on this collection of house
artists who have performed at the Wigstock
festival throughout its 17-year history. Perfect
for us poor folks who can’t afford a trip to New
York City for the annual drag soiree.
Any compilation featuring CeCe Peniston
(“Nobody Else”) and Crystal Waters (“100% Pure
Love”) definitely has got the right idea. Other
highlights include “Beautiful People” by Barbara
Tucker and “Flawless” by The Ones Starring Jojo
Americo, Nashom and Paul E. Alexander.
Unfortunately, W igstock ventures into dan­
gerous territory by including updates of dance
classics that simply never should be touched:
Taana Gardner covers Seduction’s “Heartbeat,”
and Byron Stingily covers Sylvester’s “You
Make Me Feel (Mighty Real).” In each case,
the strength of the original renders the inferior
remake unnecessary. J D
A Guide
to Area
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CC Slaughters— 219 NW Davis St................ 5
Chopsticks Express— 2651 E. Burnside St 13
Club Portland— 303 SW 12th Ave...............11
Darcelle XV— 208 NW Third Ave...................5
Dirty Duck Tavern— 439 NW Third Ave. . . 6
Eagle PDX— 1300 W Burnside St..................7
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Egyptian Club— 3701 SE Division St............ 8
Embers Avenue— 110 NW Broadw ay......... 9
Estrellas— 2845 SE Stark St...........................4
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Neighbors— 1417 Villard St................. Eugene
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Panorama— 341 SW 10th Ave........................1
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300 Club— 300 Liberty St. SE ......... Salem
3 Friends Coffeehouse— 201 SE 12th Ave 2
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Touchstone Coffee House—
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