Customer Reviews

Blue Print

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1 star:		(2)

 

 

To all of the A Guy Called Gerald Fans who bought this CD thinking it was Drum and Bass, read before you buy. Contrary to the other two reviews of this 2CD set, Blueprint is a solid compliation of 70 soul/funk classics. Look at the title-"Blueprint," and as AGCG details in the liner notes, these tracks are the blueprints of his sound. This is the stuff he grooved to coming up. These tracks heavily influenced his music. When you understand that going into this purchase, it makes all of the sense in the world. In the current compilation series craze in UK music, "Another Late Night," "Back to Mine" series, etc.... this comp stands out. Many of these songs are not found on ordinary 70's genre compilations. Marvin Gaye's "Don't Mess w/ Mr. T" and James Brown's "Talkin'Loud and Sayin'Nothin'" are rare tracks from these often compiled artists. I dare you to find me another comp with Phoebe Snow's "Two Fisted Love" on it. Solid tracks from WAR Mtume and Kool & The Gang and many others round out this set. So if you're my age (26) or older, or and you remember hearing these cuts while roller skating(not roller blading), or, if you're a fan of late 70's funk and soul, snap this set up. Essence is also an amazing disc, but sometimes you gotta go back to the source.

This was a very disappointing album. Disc One is a so called "mix" of funk/rare songs, but the blends are simplistic at best. Some songs seem more like a fade out than a blend meaning "beat to beat". In addition, these songs had very little commonality between them at all. Not that that is a necessity but a mixing Striplin's "Can't Turn Me Away" into Ripperton's "Lovin You" just doesn't make any sense. Maybe I totally missed the concept he was trying to convey. Maybe I should read the liner notes, but I don't think that will change my perspective. I bought this for the mixed version with the hopes that there was some creativity or thematic approach taken. Because I and most music (funk/R&B) aficionados already have most of these songs anyway, Disc Two is useless to me. I'll only keep this because I don't have the Striplin cut. But once that album becomes available, Blueprint becomes a frisbee headed to my friend in Alabama. Keep funkin!

If you love REAL SOUL & FUNK music this CD is definitely for you. I fell i love with this CD at a party and had to buy it for my collection. It doesn't really mix the old school jams together but, is a complete collection of all your favorites.

I wish i had read the back of the album closer before buying it--i thought it was a dj mix, after hearing gerald's name mentioned on a local radio station--its just recycled soul classics with one or two interesting tracks thrown in--make sure youre a true fan of the genre before buying (i wonder why Virgin megastore had it on display in the electronica section????) Oh well, time to sell....

Let me begin by saying that I am an avid Gerald fan, and his last album, Essence, is in constant rotation in my cd player. This cd however, is NOTHING like Essence, it isn't even DnB/Jungle/Electronica and should not be classified as such. Upon reading the track listing in my local Virgin Megastore, I saw names like Marvin Gaye and James Brown and I thought that he had remixed some of their songs to a jungle beat. This is not the case. It is old school funk, plain and simple. It sounds more like a compilation you would see on late night TV like "NOW! Music Vol 6" or something.

Conclusion: Do not buy this CD if you like Essence or are into jungle at all. Do buy Essence. Shame on you Gerald, shame...