Hurricane [Import]

Grace Jones | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 11, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: PID
• ASIN: B001GAD7NA
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (80 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #235,498 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The original new wave, art/disco diva Grace Jones is back with her first album in 19 years (not including her two unreleased albums in the 90's). Hurricane features an all-star production team led by Ivor Guest, including Brian Eno, Tricky, and Sly & Robbie. Her one-off London Show at the Royal Festival Hall on June 19th for Massive Attack's Meltdown series of concerts saw the excitement for her forthcoming album sky-rocket, as The Times called it a 'sensational return to form', whilst the Telegraph observed that 'all around the gawping, whistling, cheering Festival Hall was the sense that this is how a star should be.' The show has been one of the most talked about of the year.The first single from the album is the haunting and twisted 'Corporate Cannibal'. The track also has a mind-altering new video, directed by Nick Hooker. Wall of Sound. 2008.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The iconic, dominant figure is back and is rocking the house!, November 12, 2008

By 

Grover (Atlanta,GA) - See all my reviews

Her first album in two decades finds Grace Jones's sound as untarnished by time as her public presence.
Model, actress, performer, entertainer, singer, producer, writer, supercharged warholian dominatrix and deranged bag-lady, the enigma that is Ms. Grace Jones has been reaffirming herself as the superstar with levels of charisma that border on the superhuman she has always been.
This aptly named "Hurricane" sees Ms Jones working with various purveyors of pop perfection, having been produced by musician/punchline Ivor Guest - Fourth Viscount Wimborne, who's created an impressive facsimile of her original musical style - alongside Grace herself and includes contributions from Sly and Robbie, Brian Eno and Tricky.
With a cultural legacy that has defined popular culture over the last 35 years, expect, as ever with Ms Jones, the unexpected.
This is a multi-layered album, giving listeners beats as hard-hitting and deliciously wicked as the artist herself, as well as soulful reflection, giving Hurricane a distinct, unexpected intimacy
"Hurricane" is more contemplative than the initial taste suggested.
Generally, the album feels corporating electronics, funk and soul, marrying reggae-matic grooves with sinister industrial-tinged techno backdrops reinforcing Jones's predatory manner on songs like "Corporate Cannibal" and "This Is", which opens the album in a scudding two-step twitch.
What's less expected is the tender attitudes she betrays elsewhere, coming over all ecological-collectivist in "Sunset Sunrise", displaying consummate bedside manner as she offers to "Love You to Life", and reflecting on her own family history in "I'm Crying (Mother's Tears)" and "Williams' Blood", which employs handclaps and choral refrain to build up an almost gospel fervour, before concluding, with no hint of irony, with a quote from "Amazing Grace". This track is among the most personal songs she's ever recorded, celebrating the contradictions between Grace's religious family background and eccentric, extravagant public persona.
Overall, it's Jones's incredible voice that finally dominates any stylistic experimentation, morphing from foreboding, growling raps to intimate, lilting lullabies. As she declares: "This is my voice, my weapon of choice".
Highlights of the album: "This Is", "Corporate Cannibal", "Williams' Blood", and "Hurricane".

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sticks out like a sore thumb......, November 11, 2008

By 

J. Bilby "littlebibs" (Kingston, New Hampshire United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

After listening to this collection over the past week and various
cuts leaked during the late summer, I find Hurricane, the brand new
import from Grace Jones a standout recording and after 19 years
a welcome comeback of the year. A performance artists like no other,
Hurricane highlights the many moods of Grace Jones and reflects back
to her 80's dub-reggae brillance along side a futuristic Massive Attack
style that works perfectly for grace, it updates her sound, yet brings
back what made her so unique. Its a mature work with standout collaborations from veterans Sly & Robbie, Brian Eno, Tricky, and many
from 1980's gems Warm Leatherette and Nightclubbing. Warm, haunting, filled with soulful backup singing, menacing sounds but never boring,
its Grace's most important statement, stands proud along side Warm Leatherette, Nightlclubing, Living my Life and Slave to the Rhythm. Grace's vocals', both (singing and speaking) have matured into a nice
weathered instument, she is in full control of her voice and on Hurricane
she travels into new territories but is always intoxicating. Stand out
tracks, "This is"(life), "I'm crying my mother's tears", "Corporate Cannibal", "Devil in my life", "William's Blood", "Love you to life",
"Well, Well, Well", and mellow reggae dub vibe "Sunset, Sunrise"(a song
written by her son,) and the adventurous title track "Hurricane", with
Tricky on vocals. Theres not a bad track here, its much more reflective, haunting, tender, fierce and self assured yet mature, almost "adult" here and there "HURRICANE" should reach a larger audience around the world. This is one of the best of the year and Comeback of the Year. Still able
to shock and surprise and cast a spell on all who take the time to
check this collection out, Grace Jones is back!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A force of nature!!, November 11, 2008

By 

Nse Ette (Lagos, Nigeria) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

2008 has truly been a year of comebacks for some music divas, first Donna Summer with her first album in 17 years "Crayons", then Labelle with their first album in over 30 years "Back to now". Now, presenting Grace Jones with "Hurricane", her first album in 19 years.

"Hurricane" comprises Trip hop-tinged Dub with Rock and electronic flourishes, think Massive Attack or Portishead dipping into Dub and you get the picture. Dark and atmospheric with deep (usually spoken) lyrics and some white noise in places. At just 9 tracks, there is no flab and everything is great really.

Standouts include the brilliant autobiographical "I'm crying (Mothers tears)" (this song is truly moving, a rare insight into the more sensitive side of Jones), "Corporate Cannibal" ("Pleased to meet you/pleased to eat you" she menacingly intones against an industrial backdrop of squealing guitars and buzzing effects), the Tricky produced stark yet breezy "Hurricane", the biographical "William's blood" (which ends with some strains of the hymn "Amazing Grace", a play on her name as well as the hymn I guess), the bouncy Reggae of "Well well well", and closing cut the piano-tinkled "Devil in my life".

Just as powerful as her eighties albums "Living my life" or "Nightclubbing" but more mellow. Proving she's still a force of nature at 60!!