Grace Jones - Nightclubbing
#190
By Tom Mott
Grace Jones
Nightclubbing
Genre: Post-Disco Art
Allen’s Rating: 3 out of 5
Tom’s Rating: 4.75 out of 5
Highlights
Pull Up to the Bumper
Nightclubbing
I've Seen that Face Before (Libertango)
There is a certain dance club sound from 1980-81 that I absolutely love. Grace Jones, Tom Tom Club, Robert Palmer, Talking Heads, David Bowie, Blondie, Lizzy Mercier Descloux. It's a mix of funk, post-punk, post-disco, reggae, techno, and new wave. It's super sexy. It's cool. It's a club I want to be in, dancing into oblivion.
Chris Blackwell produced this and has a lot to do with the overall vibe. Sly & Robbie have a major role too. But Grace Jones was heavily involved and she needs to be talked about more. She should be idolized and tributed. She paved the way for so many later artists. This album was recorded in the same sessions that produced her 1980 album Warm Leatherette. These are the leftovers, but it's an even better album. It plays like a Greatest Hits album. It's smart and fun and idiosyncratic. It's Bjork before Bjork.
Most of the songs are covers, but that's not the right term because--like Devo reconstructing Satisfaction--she completely remolds them. Half the time, I didn't even realize they were covers. Of songs I love!
Something else about this album--that something Stephen Lam mentioned about another album--it's full of space. She gives the music room to breath.
If you like Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, and Fame/Fashion/Ashes-to-Ashes Bowie, you probably already know this album. If not, give it a listen!
WALKING IN THE RAIN (written by George Young the younger brother of Angus and Malcolm) plays out like Barry White 2.0 via Bladerunner.
PULL UP TO THE BUMPER is a dance-floor filler with an absolutely killer bass. Reminds me of L.A. apartment dance parties in the 90s. Co-written by Jones.
USE ME took me half way through to realize it's the Bill Withers song! In Jones's hands, it's a new song.
NIGHTCLUBBING is an Iggy Pop cover. Yes! I want to go nightclubbing with you!
ART GROUPIE has a crazy sound. Guitar? Bass? What is that sound! She wrote this one too. Ohmigod I'm crushing on Grace Jones right now.
I'VE SEEN THAT FACE BEFORE (LIBERTANGO) was cowritten by Astor Piazzolla the tango composer. It's lithe, lilting and sexy. I will forever associate this song with Emmanuelle Seigner in Frantic (Polanski). Can we please all move to France and live like Serge Gainsbourg?
FEEL UP is a groovy little world music mash-up by Jones. We talk about Malcolm McClaren (Duck Rock) and Paul Simon (Graceland), but Jones was right there fusing genres and beats from around the world. Magical song.
DEMOLITION MAN is perhaps the most infamous song from the album, due to the bizarre & fascinating music video. In my opinion not the strongest track, but around two-minutes in, it lock into a great hypno-groove.
I'VE DONE IT ALL AGAIN is a Marianne Faithfull song, and a lovely change of pace. This is a real beauty. A song to wake up to after a night of drinking and debauchery. I'm in.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx7gRrgruAU&list=PLlvn8uktX5Lt4MKurBg5rbaDpiobndxLr
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