Customer Reviews

Fruit at the Bottom

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
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Released in 1989, this is what many call Wendy and Lisa's "funk" album. After working with Prince it was pretty much inevitable that Wendy and Lisa would make an album like "Fruit At the Bottom". It's funky, it's clever, and it's fun. Not to say that this is a complete ripoff of Prince or the Minneapolis Sound, while embracing both they still managed to keep their own sound, which is quite impressive. They also added Cole (sister of Lisa) and Susannah (sister of Wendy) for backing vocals and drummer Carla Azar, giving this album a "fuller" sound.The albums kicks off with "Lolly Lolly" (later remixed by Prince). With somewhat nursery rhymish, silly, fun, and girly lyrics and funky/folkish/countryish music, it's a heck of a song. The girls even attempt rap on this one. One of the most genre-blending songs done by the two. Also a great example of how much of a good idea it was to add Susannah in the vocal department, adds more "soul".Then we're onto "Are You My Baby", which contains two bass lines (kid you not) and some impressive vocals by Wendy.Next there's "Saticfation", a colaboration with The Time's guitarist Jesse Johnson. Another funky gem.Next there's "Always In My Dreams", the only song to feature a complete lead vocal by Lisa (unfortunate, I know). Dreamy and sweet, this'll have you swaying. Though Lisa does go off in pitch a few times, it's stil a beautiful song. Next there's "Everyday", which is sort of hard to explain. Just think of something that could've been recorded for their solo album but more upbeat. Would be very interesting to hear this sung by Prince......Anyways, we're at "From Now On (We're One)", very pop-rock. The first verse is sung by Lisa, the rest sung by Wendy. It features some impressive drums by Carla and impressive guitar "wails" by Wendy. The girls can rock.Now we're onto "Tears of Joy", an edit wouldn't have hurt. It's gorgeous, though, gorgeous.Next is "Someday I", which features VERY impressive harmonies. Somewhat offbeat, but perfect at the same time.Next is "I Think It Was December". Another song with great harmonies (they sure were having some good days in the vocal department back then). It features Lisa's piano playing(ALWAYS a treat) and somewhat spiritual lyrics. Gosphel meets pop.Now we're onto the closer and the titletrack, "Fruit At The Bottom". Yeah, I know you're looking at the title and going "what does that mean?" I'm not gonna say, let's just say Prince, er, " writing style" sorta rubbed off on them. The chorus is a little annoying but part of it's charm at the same time. All in all this album is more solid and enjoyable than their debut, leave it to them take the influence of the type of music they played for a large part of the 80s and still make it their own.This album shows that they were no ammatures, Prince really does hire the best.

This is one of those albums that you let play all the way through over and over again. What a great sophmore album. The music is really cookin on this album. It's alot more uptempo and alot more soulful-rock than the first album. Wendy and Lisa were always making music that was so ahead of it's time. Well alot of Prince related artists were always ahead of their times too. If you like ladies who can rock, groove, sing and write their own music then you must get this cd.

This sophomore effort from Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman is one of their most assured efforts to date. I was cruising some record shops in Los Angeles during the summer of '89 and found this gem on vinyl. Remembering how much I loved their gorgeous 1987 debut, I ripped open the plastic, dropped the needle and was surprised at the agressive, funky new music these women created. While one misses the icy, glacial, ethereal musings of the first album, the pleasures found on fruit are a joy to themselves. "Lolly Lolly" is a slamming funk/rock number that incorporates rap, R&B and pop into a seamless whole. "Are You My Baby" is one of the few songs in popular music to boast 2 basslines! (listen closely to the instrumental passage that opens the song) and "Satisfaction" features Jesse Johnson (of The Time) on guitar and backing vocals. The soulful, floating ballad "Always In My Dreams" is remniscent of the work on their debut and "Everyday" is a slithery funk jam that recalls mid-80's Prince. My favorite track here is the straight rock/pop of "From Now On We're One" featuring a gorgeous lead vocal by Lisa Coleman on the first verse and an insistent, itchy guitar lick by Wendy that will stick in your brain forever. "Tears Of Joy" is another great, acoustic guitar driven ballad that has a hypnotic riff and drum loop supporting Melvoin's gentle vocal. The remainder of "Fruit...." is astounding and features great singing (the gospel soul of "I Think It Was December")lyrics of hope and triumph (the wistful "Someday I") and Carla Azar's slamming drums (the closing title track, also features some squealing, siren-like guitar wails by Wendy) that make this a remarkable and thoroughly enjoyable LP to listen to from start to finish. A great collection of top notch tunes!

I got this CD yesterday (on New Year's Eve!) and I can't recommend it enough. The music is pure, melodic pop on the surface, but there are also touches of funk, rock, and jazz that set this album apart from the typical "pop" album. Wendy has a very expressive, energetic voice and Lisa adds beautiful piano solos and spacey synths that are reminiscent of the Revolution. The lyrics are infectious, and many times I feel like they have put my innermost feelings into music. If you enjoy classic Prince songs like "Mountains," "Condition Of The Heart," and "Pop Life," you will definitely love this album! However, you do NOT need to be a Prince fan to enjoy this. Wendy & Lisa's music is more "user friendly" (without all of Prince's weird sexual stuff), but it is still very creative and artistic. A must have if you love music that is classy and FUN at the same time!

More than anything else, it's the absence of Wendy and Lisa. True, Prince is a musical genius but truth be told, he often lacks focus, restraint, and dare I say it...taste. In my opinion, Wendy and Lisa added an element of class to his music, and their contributions to the arrangements of many of his Revolution-era music becomes more and more evident when one becomes familiar with their post-Prince work.

I am SO glad I finally decided to search for W&L's albums...so many years after they left the Prince fold. I should be ashamed of myself for waiting so long.

Is it possible to utilize a great deal of your former bandleader's influence and still carve your own distinct identity? This -or something similar- must have been running through both Wendy and Lisa's minds while writing and recording their sophomore effort, "Fruit at the Bottom." There are far more Princely overtones on this record than on their self-titled debut, but Wendy and Lisa still assert themselves as thoroughlly unique and innovative musicians.

Shades of purple are found mainly in the writing; "Satisfaction," "Everyday," and particularly the knee-shakingly funky "Are You My Baby" all sound like they might have been brought to a Revolution jam session for Prince's perusal. Still, the ladies' considerable jazz chops and arrangement skills have them aiming far higher than anyone else who got their start in Paisley Park, and few will read the credits expecting to find Prince's name outside of the thank-you's. After all, there are plenty of moments that Prince would have never attempted: the cool, moody balladry of "Tears of Joy," the slightly-gothic pop of "Lolly Lolly" (definitely a missed opportunity for a single in the States), and the soulful, down-home gospel of "I Think it Was December" are all portraits of distinct individuals serving up their own brand of mature pop.

The contrast of styles is another striking element; one minute they're knee-deep in the funk of "Are You My Baby," and the next they're flourishing in the adult rock of "From Now On (We're One)." And they're equally at home with the serious, lovestruck poetry of the elegant ballad "Always in My Dreams" as they are with the lighthearted (but no less clever) tale of a girl having a bad day that gets rescued by her lover in the funk overdose of a title track, on which even a gradually irritating chorus ("Fruit at the bottom! Fruit at the bottom! Fruit at the bottom! My lover's got 'em!") ends up being half the track's charm.

A great deal more surefooted than its predecessor (only "Someday I" fizzles as a mediocre composition with interesting but irredeeming production), "Fruit at the Bottom" put a hold on the attention of those whose head were turned by Wendy and Lisa's debut, and proved the women to be two of the most interesting and exciting musicians in pop. Don't let the title fool you: on this record things are sweet throughout.

True masters of song and lyric! And they know how to get funky too! Prince please bring them back to your life because your music hasn't been the same without them! Get all their music, they're worth every cent!

okay!!!after their debut album,i was like okay,they are sad over the revolution being disbanded.well!!!!fruit at the bottom was like,okay ,we're over it,let's jam!!!i saw the video for "are you my baby " on BET!!!THEY WERE JUST TOO FUNKY FOR MTV BACK IN THE DAY!!!!!!!THE ALBUM WAS LIKE A CUP OF YOGURT !!!!!the cream was at the top!!!"lolly lolly"was like the princest cut-they stormed out of the box with the distorted helium vocals,then "are you...baby?",man,hold up!!!!you didn't see it comin'!!!!you knew this is what they were capable of!!!!corey glover of living colour said this was one of his favorite albums!then after the "satisfaction"blast with jesse johnson,formerly of the time and his own solo work,they slow it down for "always in my dreams"this was the jammm!!!!so melodic and works that just have you thinking about writing you own quiet storm!wendy has always seem to sing from the heart!she believes in the words and on this song,she's showing the listener that love stilland always will exists."form now on,we're one"is my favorite track and i tell you why,lisa!LISA!LISA!SHE'S SO QUIET!WHEN HER VOCALS LEAD,YOU JUST LISTEN!!!!The lyrics and the music are so uplifting,you just soar from the start to the end!this is a special album because they sound like they had fun making it!!!! you'll have fun listening to it!!!!!

Overall, "Fruit at the Bottom" lacks the lush beauty of Wendy and Lisa's debut album. However, the duo took some truly adventurous musical chances here, and that took guts! "Are You My Baby" should have been a Number One hit (or was it?), "Satisfaction" is irresistibly funky, and "I Think It Was December" could make an atheist want to believe in God! This album is well worth checking out.

These women are not only beautiful, they are also seriously talented musicians,song writers,composers and vocalist! I'm convinced that they are the funkiest white girls to ever come out in modern music period!It should not be a surprise considering they played a very big part as most people should know, in some of PRINCE's most brilliant songs during the PARADE album recordings.I can still recall back in the late eighties,that these ladies made it very popular for white girls to have flava, and hang out with black dudes. This album is FUNKTASTIC!WENDY&LISA display a magnificent job of fusing: FUNK,ROCK,GOSPEL,SOUL and even a little NEW WAVE into this exceptional album!My favorite songs are:SATISFACTION,ARE YOU MY BABY,ALWAYS IN MY DREAMS,I Think It Was December,EVERYDAY and The FUNK BOMB:Fruit At The Bottom!That song is straight out of a PRINCE jam session circa 1986,It's a hot A** slick track!On the gospel song: I Think It Was December, they display awesome soul,passion,harmonizing and musicianship, that would bring a smile to that cat PRINCE's face.This is a very solid album in the soul music genre.Also,if you're into the Minneapolis funk sound of the eighties, then you will not be disappointed with this album.This is a work of art that will stand the test of time.