Customer Reviews

Chic-Ism

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm a die-hard Chic fan but let's be honest: the wheels were starting to come off the machine by the time this 'reunion' album was released in 1992, a whole fifteen years after they first burst onto the scene with hits like "Everybody Dance" and "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)". Drummer and original member Tony Thompson isn't on this and neither are vocalists Alfa Anderson and Luci Martin. Keyboardists Robert Sabino and Andy Shwartz had also long since gone, taking with them some fundamental aspects of the Chic sound I'd grown to know and love. With new vocalists Sylver Logan Sharp and Jenn Thomas, and even a rapper(Princesa, who raps on "Something You Can Feel" and "Chicism") on board, Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers did their damndest to keep up with the changing times but it was essentially a losing battle. At least it was as far as I was concerned.

There are still flashes of the old brilliance though. Tunes like "Your Love", "One And Only One" and "Doin' That Thing To Me" are modern and show progression while still maintaining the essentials of the Chic sound (including the wonderful Chic strings) and the opener, "Chic Mystique" is quite a nice little foot tapper, as is "Jusagroove". All the same though, unless you're either keenly interested in nostalgia or a die-hard Chic fan like me, I'd say give this one a miss. Or to put it another way: it's not that this is a bad album per se; in fact it's pretty good. It's just not essentially Chic and as such, is slightly dated. Unfortunately, while these cats were able to set trends in the late 70s and early 80s, by the early 90s, they simply seemed to be following them.

Their first four albums are simply unmissable in my opinion but after that it's like that old saying: you pays your money and you takes your chances. I had this album on vinyl for ages, still enjoy playing it and just had to get it on CD but like I said, I'm a die-hard Chic fan. Quite frankly, I think they were one of the greatest bands of my generation. Given my love for the band and their sound, and the moments of brilliance I referred to earlier, I have no problem giving this album four stars.

"Chic-ism" was released in 1992 before it ultimately went out of print in the United States. That's a doggone shame because we finally have, after all these years, the reunion of Nile Rogers and Bernard Edwards (rest in peace, brother) in one of the most legendary dance acts ever! Next to other then-happening trends, "Chic-ism" may sound old school, but it's certainly not old fashioned. These guys can come up with a groove that's air-tight using REAL INSTRUMENTS and soulful vocals. "Chic Mystique" shines while we're treated to another uptempo number, the flawless "In It To Win It" replete with a slammin' bassline and Nile's trademark guitar. "Doin' that Thing to Me," is also another welcome throwback to the 1970s, and, in a good display of range, they offer the sensual ballad "One and Only Love." But my jam of choice is the infectious "MMFTCF" with its repetive chorus and, again, a good bassline and impressive guitar work. This is hip and happening stuff; it's so hip, P. Diddy is known to often sample Chic's work for his own jams. And it's easy to see why. While Bernard is no longer with us, the legacy of Chic lives on. Quite simply, they were one of the baddest groups around.

After a prolonged absense from the recording scene, Rodgers and Edwards reunited to produce this album. There were several disappointments, beginning with the use of different drummers than Tony Thompson, whose superb work was fundamental to the earlier incarnation of Chic. The use of different vocalists seemed prompted by a desire to attain Blackbox style, belted-out singing. Incorporation of rap breaks also seemed a nod to the prevailing trends. Many of the songs were penned in ways that shared much with the dance scene of the 90's. In all, this project seemed to respond to the trends rather than anticipate or make them.

There were, however, a number of strong tracks. "Your Love" and "My Love's For Real" showed Rodgers' and Edwards' pop sensibilities and ear for catchy melodies. "High" veered toward guitar rock while retaining a funk base, and "MMFTCF" was the strongest of the irritatingly self-referential songs ("Chic Mystique," "Chicism.") Best of all, the Chic elements of old came shining through on the sublime "Doin' That Thing To Me." This song utilized strings, was percussively infectious, and contained the best, breezy lyrics on the disc. Certainly not in league with their peak material, Chicism was a good effort compared to other albums of the time.

As much as I love Chic and think Nile Rodgers is a musical genius, I don't think one must expect much of this record. I had no idea of what was going to be found here, but essentially what you get here is a lot of generic dance music, and good luck if you can distinguish one song from another. Gets tiresome after about 20 minutes, and let us face it: there is no Chic without Tony Thompson, the original ladies and keyboardist-violinists from the 70's. Drums here sound like banging on a cereal box, and the singers...well, listen to the demo available in Amazon for this record, maybe you can save some bucks. My respects to Nile Rodgers, but there are some times when you must know when to lay to rest a good band's name, and start another if you want to keep making music. But if you expect Chic quality and grooves, you won't find them here, folks. Sorry for this review, but this is nothing special, really.

Track Listing
1. Chic Mystique
2. Your Love
3. Jusagroove
4. Something You Can Feel
5. One And Only One
6. Doin' That Thing To Me
7. Chicism
8. In It To Win It
9. My Love's For Real
10. Take My Love
11. High
12. M.M.F.T.C.F.
13. Chic Mystique (Reprise)

Then, this release is probably worth your investment.

Although a decade has passed since its release, this entry in the Chic catalog harkens back to the group's heyday. As one of the last times that founders Nile Rodgers and the late Bernard Edwards collaborated on a musical endeavor, it marks a return to form for the seminal disco band of the 70's. The patented throbbing guitar riffs, the Chic "strings", and the powerful vocals of singer Fonzi Thornton (et. al) combine to make the album listenable for those that "shook their booties" to earlier classics like "Good Times", "Le Freak" and "I Want Your Love."

Now, if the price could just be lowered!!!

this album illustrates what went wrong with chic. they just couldn't find any way to escape their groove, and they lost their quirk. i loved 'take it off', but this album just sounds old.

buy it if you must. it *is* chic after all. there's some decent stuff to sample if you're working some mixes, but other than that, you won't want to listen to it often.