Customer Reviews

Here Not There

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

 

 

Child's follow up to her eponomously titled 1990 U.S release is definitely a testament to Child's breadth as an artist. The album was all over the map musically whereas the debut, which featured the mammoth "Don't Wanna Fall In Love", mainly featured keyboards and synthesizers which many feel was what made that set seem less substantial and a more dated offering in contrast to "Here Not There". Her sophomore effort had a decidely more organic and live feel.

Though "Entertainment Weekly" assigned "Here Not There" a "B" in its issue dated August 27th 1993, it said that given the great range and depth of styles explored, the album was a case study in commerical suicide since there was not a unifying musical thread to the set thus rendering the project difficult to promote and market.

The reviewer also was astute to point out how intriguing "Here Not There" was in that the rock material on the set suggested the imminent direction of trends in Post Grunge and Dance. He hit the nail right on the head. "I Do Not Feel As You Do" which musically may have owed a bit to the male power pop of the hair bands that preceded it was still a study in how visionary Child was in that is proved she was a fantastic songwriter of epic proportions outshining many of her male contemporaries laying the groundwork for the likes of an Alanis Morrisette 3 years later to come on full-force.

Prior to Child who experimented on her "Here Not There" set there were few females doing this brand of power rock/pop and writing their own songs. "I Do Not Feel As You Do" was blissfully beautiful with its jangly ringing and its haunting melody. It was a ballad in the style we now consider the Goo-Goo Dolls '98 hit "Iris" a contemporary Pop/Rock ballad. "Monument" to this day evokes Post-Grunge Matchbox 20 although "Monument" remains a far more arresting and intriguing piece than say "Bent". "SSHHH" was the obvious precursor to '97's No Doubt's "Don't Speak" and "Sarasvati" which featured Jane singing a chorus in Sanskrit happened five years before Madonna was able to "push the envelope" doing the same thing on "Ray of Light".

By the same token the dance block including the Stevie Wonder inspired "Perfect Love", and the infectious thick funk of "Calling" were all expertly written and ornate and far better as antecedents of the milque-toast cookie-cutter pop the likes of which is manufactured by Britney Spear's swedish producers.

It was utopian pop in the hands of Child; in the hands of Spears it was unadulterated fluff. "Calling" should have been the first single for Pop radio as its hook has that R & B feel that may have stood a chance of winning over radio programmers at the time. Instead, "Here Not There" was the first radio cut, then came "Do What'cha Do" and then "All I Do" - the latter made in-roads on the Billboard Hot 50 Club Play reaching the Top 30 with various remixes.

Warner Brothers dropped the ball on the project too early in the game to know what would have happened had they chosen a sensible first single - even for that time the title-cut "Here Not There" seemed an odd choice as the first emphasis cut in the fall of '93.

As was not the case when Child burst onto the scene with the rhythmic "Don't Wanna Fall In Love", the face of radio was changing so much at that point in '93/'94 as format fragmentation made trying to pick and market one cut to the masses increasingly difficult as radio was looking for songs from commercial acts that exhibited current trends - which was not the case with much of the material on "Here Not There"not to mention the task of trying to reintroduce Child who had been off the radar for 3 years to the public at large. Perhaps had they chosen something more mainstream a la "Calling" or remixed "All I Do" as the first single the course of history would have been different and the goal of an across the board smash a la "Don't Wanna Fall In Love" would have been reached. Warner Brothers made the wrong decisions where the album was concerned.

Back to "Here and Now": Child's latest effort "Surge" released last year is available from her website in partnership with Sugarwave Records of L.A and to paraphrase the artist's own words is "an analog experience told through a digital means". This statement about her latest set entitled "Surge" reflects where she has gone musically on her former two albums culminating in the latest phase of her musical evolution. To her fans, she was and always has been a visionary genius. For her, it must be effortless and natural.

I had never heard of Jane Child until I came to Amazon and was browsing through a bunch of CDs. I googled her and found her single "Don't Want to Fall In Love" and though it was a nice 80s pop song. However when looking at the reviews of this, I kept seeing people say it's "all over the place" and nothing like her debut. Since I'm always looking out for music that is creative and eccentric, I decided to pick this up. I have to listen to songs/albums a few times before I start to really appreciate them, and after looping it a few times I began to fall in love with it. At first I didn't see how it was "all over the place," since all the songs sounded like 80s-style pop/rock songs. Even now it doesn't seem as wildly diverse as some reviews make it seem, but I guess that's because I'm used to listening to artists and albums who incorporate a variety of musical styles. To me "all over the place" would be something like pop standards (Tony Bennet) and nu-metal (System of a Down) on the same album. Anyway, I think anyone who's into 80s pop and rock (from soft ballads to hard rock) will at least enjoy this album, if not love it. The only song I can think of that strays far from those styles is "Sarasvati," which happens to be my favorite song on the album. It definitely has more of an experimental/fusion feel to it. Some other favorites are "Heavy Smile" and "Step Out of Time," which are more of the hard rock variety, along with "All I do" and "Calling," which are pop songs similar to her biggest hit "Don't Want to Fall In Love." Anyone who likes music in general and isn't particularly into a single genre will like this album.

jane child needs to make a comeback. it's that simple.

she needs to come back and remind us that canadian women can rock it really hard--even harder than alanis morrisette. and that canadian women can write lush melodies and great lyrics just like sarah mclachlan. and that canadian women are wicked little grrls, like that fabulous esthero.

yes, this is a woman that is versatile, creative and fully in charge of her gifts. each song on this disc is a great listening experience. warners missed the boat with this cd. i remember when it came out, the last track was released as a single and went nowhere. tragic, because 'here not there' is a pretty, pensive ballad with a classical flavor to it.

but the other tracks, particularly 'savarsati' and 'i do not feel as you do' are just larger than life and broad, colorful strokes on a pallid canvas known as pop music. this woman needs to be in the studio, at least scoring films or something. it's criminal she is not a mover and shaker in music these days.

Jane Child has been one of my favorite artists recently. Something about her music tends to make me drop everything and listen, her music is so intricate and it sucks you in like a vaccuum. I own this album as well as Jane's debut album, and I have to say that her music is on heavy rotation on my CD player along with Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey and Green Day. From friends browsing through my CD's, they come across her and ask, "Who is Jane Child?" I get a rush just to tell them that it's this fabolous singer/songwriter/keyboardist and then I describe that she had a major hit in 1989, "Don't Wanna Fall In Love", then the "Oh's!" escape from their mouths and they say, "Oh, I love that song!" It's a shame that Jane is only known for that one song because the rest of the music in her catalog, is just as good and at times better than "Don't Wanna Fall In Love".
With her debut album, Jane goes the pop/80's New Jack sound. The sound is industrial, cold, sharp and funky. With "Here Not There" released in 1993, the case is totally different. This album has a more, hot, gritty rock and pop approach to it. It's also the most musically diverse album I have ever heard in my life. If you are looking for every musical genre, look no further, this album touches on EVERYTHING! From rock, pop, blues, Indian rhythms, alternative (fresh out of the box at this time), funk, R&B...EVERYTHING is here! "Here Not There" can be described as a buffett of tunes, different beats, vocal stylings and arrangements flow from this bad boy.
I noticed some reviewers on here said that Jane was touching on some musical styles that were uncommon at the time. I agree with that, because you can hear, especially if you listen closely, how Jane was experimenting with different sounds. There are hints of grunge mixed in as well as what was to become 90's pop a la Spice Girls.
Well, the best song off of here has to be the funky good time of "Do Whatcha Do". This was the sole purpose of me buying the album and I must say it sounds even better in my CD player. This song oozes with New Jack and sharp pop beats. Jane plays those keyboards to the max this time! This song has got to be Jane's best work ever! The song is infectious, great to dance and/or bob your head to. Trust me you will be dancing to this tune if you are not.
Other funky Jane cuts, include the Stevie Wonder-ish "Perfect Love" which is a great song to jam out to on a Friday or Saturday night. This song grooves and flows and is just a very happy and spirited song. "Calling" is another funk ridden tune that oozes with New Jack/R&B influences, right down to the syncopated vocals and the fuzzy keyboards.
"Monument" is a gritty rock piece that is poetry in motion for real. Deep song and this song sucks you in from the start. And it's very epic sounding. "All I Do" is the only pop sounding song on here. It's very Taylor Dayne-ish/Kylie Minogue-ish, meaning that Jane uses a cutesy voice with poignant, divided lyrics that repeat differently every time backed behind a pop-ish dance/rock tune. "Shh!" sounds like something that No Doubt would do later, like "Don't Speak". This song sounds very 90's rock, that crisp and in your face type of rock. That starts off slow and builds. Great song. Switching over to a more blues vibe comes "I Do Not Feel As You Do". It's a very heavy and heartwrenching song about a love gone wrong. Has a smoky jazz club feeling to it back by some stellar blues bass. A crazy, swinging keyboard and drum machine begin the cluttery "Heavy Smile". This sounds like the stuff she did on her first album, very industrial and sharp, but this song features Jane really laying down the vocals and proves that Jane has chops.
I really haven't gotten into the rest of the songs, like "Mona Lisa Smile", "Sarvasti", "Step Out Of Time" and "Here Not There". For some reason they just don't appeal to me as much as the ones I have described above. I promised myself to give these songs a second listen but for right now I'm hooked on those.
I just don't understand why this album was fully ignored. This album has alot of potential to be classic album. I also believe that the distribution of certain singles off of this was to blame. "Here Not There" was the offical first single off of this. This is not a song that should be considered a single because it's not all that "catchy" for pop radio. "Do Whatcha Do" should have been the first single, not the second because by that time people lost interest. Then the follow up should have been "Calling" because it's also catchy and radio friendly as well (and would have made a great music video--picture phones, operators, Jane lying on her bed with a phone...I should be a music video director...:) The follow-up should then next be "I Do Not Feel As You Do", it is more in the R&B frame and the lyrics are catchy and the song is flowing and unique. If this had been the pattern of the singles released, we probably would have a best seller, and then who knows? Jane Child may still be having hits today or whould have gotten more recognition as an artist. One can sit and wonder.
"Here Not There" is an album for a person looking out of the norm for something fresh, different and stylistic. If you are looking for something to get you up and dancing, jamming or rocking out, this album is for you. I wish Jane Child would come out with more CD's because her music is something that is unique and a total breath of fresh air. This CD has yet to leave my player and I know that I'm going to turn some friends onto her stuff, cause it's not to be not expereinced! Do Whatcha Gotta Do and buy this!

JEN'S TOP 5
1. Do Whatcha Do
2. Calling
3. I Do Not Feel As You Do
4. All I Do
5. Monument (tie w/Perfect Love & Shh!)

Im just going to say that this is one of two of my favorite albums ever. Jane is one of the most talented people i know, and she can sing anything. plus shes really nice.:) If you miss this album, your missing alot, cause she is the one of the few artist in the world that stays true to herself, while making remarkable music.
She has been a big inspiration to me, in many ways, and I hope she continues to make music, otherwise the world would be lacking the continuation of something unique and beautiful.

10 years later and I just get around to hearing Jane Child's second release. I was a huge fan of the song "Don't Wanna Fall In Love" (which has a great new jack remix that's extremely hard to find now). I was always fascinated with Jane Child, her look alone sort of scared me, considering she was doing the piercing thing way before it became trendy and crossover. If you have to put a "label" on Jane Child, or come up with a definition of her musical style, I would say she remotely resembles a "female Prince". As far as vocal style, her ecclectic nature reminds me of how Prince is. She writes her own music and doesn't pigeon hole herself into one musicical genre. Her vocal range is what I would desribe as a "gospel operatic", which is simply moving to hear. I would actually love to hear her sing some gospel hyms. On "Here Not There", tracks range from early ninties dance beats to straight up rock and roll, to even Indian rythmes on ""Sarasvati". It's definately a physitzoid experience, but one that I can deal with and understand. I like this album so much more than her first. It's an interesting ride with alot of twists and turns that only the seasoned music listener may be able to handle. Some of my favourite tracks include the Bobby Brown-esque "do whatcha do" (this song would be absolutely fantastic for a boy band to cover and remake, N'sync are u listening?). I love "Monument" (probably my fav track so far). "Perfect Love" is an awesome friday nite driving with the top down song. "I Do Not Feel As U Do", great song with great lyrics (you can transcribe the lyrics to a messy break up situation). "Calling", a fun song, very catchy. "Step Out Of Time", has that energetic good vibe feeling of down home rock and roll, love it. And "Sarasvati", love the ending, it's one of those epic "guns n' roses" type songs. Jane Child deserves alot more recognition. I feel like forcing people to hear her music, knowing that most people now a days are searching to fill an empty void in music. I wish I worked at a bar, so I could play this cd, I know people would come up and ask who it is. I'm sort of hoping Jane Child will eventually collaborate with a big name to give herself more of a platform, and I really wish musicians would cover some of her songs, she has some great ones that would do them justice. Anyways, I'm impressed with this album, I hope more people will take notice and discover an unearthed gem.

Im just going to say that this is one of two of my favorite albums ever. Jane is one of the most talented people i know, and she can sing anything. plus shes really nice.:) If you miss this album, your missing alot, cause she is the one of the few artist in the world that stays true to herself, while making remarkable music.
She has been a big inspiration to me, in many ways, and I hope she continues to make music, otherwise the world would be lacking the continuation of something unique and beautiful.
Jane, we love you.