Customer Reviews

Little Spice

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Loose Ends provided some of the best European/British R&B around for the 80's. Their brilliant artistry and sophisticated knack combined pop jazz with richly textured and syntehsized R & B grooves for an overall atmospheric experience.While one could still hear the Western R&B influence Loose Ends had they still possessed their own remarkable and unique flavor. I have yet to hear of another group in the new millennium that comes remotely close to these guys. They were the cream of the crop and still are in my music collection !

I remember when "Hanging on a String" came out in '85. I was hooked. Never before have I heard such a sound. Then I saw the video and instantly I became a huge Loose Ends fan. To me, the group could do no wrong and that's evident with this smash U.S. debut album. Other gems that set the mood is the album's title track (also sampled by rap group Camp Lo),"Choose Me," and the funky "Tell Me What You Want." This CD is a definite treat.

I grew up listening to Loose Ends due to my music loving mother who passed her passion on to me. And one of my fondest memories is cleaning up the house with her on the weekends playing all her Loose End LPs. Jane Eugene has the most soul-jerking voice and whatever she sings about you for sure understand, not to mention just the vibe that the group itself has goin on, it will blow you away. I also noticed that one of the reviewers was looking for the Real Chuckeeboo album, well you can find it at "http://www.townsend-records.co.uk/acatalog/Townsend_Catalogue_Loose_Ends_1256.html" And at that you get a CD so you can play it to death, they also have other Loose Ends CDs there so check it out if you're missing one from your collection. And dont hesitate to pick up A Little Spice, if ya dont you will regret it!!

I LOVE THEIR MUSIC. THEIR STYLE IS ORIGINAL AND SMOOTH. I ONLY WISH THEY WERE STILL PRODUCING. I AM LOOKING FOR ONE MORE CD TO COMPLETE MY COLLECTION, "THE REAL CHICKABOO." I'M ALMOST CERTAIN THAT'S THE NAME OF THE CD. ANYONE KNOW WHERE I MIGHT FIND IT?

It was probably the end of 1984 when "Hanging On A String" hit the American South like a boll weavil plague, and, before you know it, Loose Ends had become a household name. This album was the group's debut and exposed many of my circumstance and generation to the joys of 80s UK Soul. Though the album lacks the focus of their next two releases, "A Little Spice" features some great dance tunes that nicely bridged late 70s funk/disco with late 80s house/techno. "Dail 999" and "Let's Rock" come to mind. "Tell Me What You Want" picks up where "Hanging On A String" left off, immediately establishing the group's trademark sound on their debut album (most groups take a couple of LPs to pull off such a trick). "Choose Me" is catchy and chic without being too dated. A good buy from the good ole days!!!

Loose Ends is one of the greatest R&B groups of all time; unfortunately they are also one of the most underrated and unknown bands in music history. "A Little Spice" is a classic album and a must have in any serious collection of music. Its upbeat and infectious grooves are intertwined with a jazzy beat that was ahead of its time and still remains fresh to this day. You can't help but feel that groups like Soul II Soul were somehow influenced by Loose Ends.

THIS IS A FANTASTIC ALBUM , THE BEST CD I'VE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE! IF LOVE "LOOSE ENDS" AND THE R&B SOUND OF THE 80' BUY THIS CD!! I'M WALTER FROM ROME(ITALY) IF YOU WANT TO E-MAIL ME!!

Loose Ends just had it together with this debut! Carl McIntosh had these funky grooves in him as his group from London broke US shores with Hanging on A String. That song still is funky some 2 decades later, its Casio keyboards and sound effects still standing out! But the rest of the album is solid too, like 999 and others. And they had a fine looking female singer---oooohhh did she look so sexy on the album cover! But Carl had some funky grooves, as they continued to get better on the '86 and the even funkier '88 album as well as the '90 album!

For retro style R&B in the 80's you had the Style Council-for the modern style you had Loose Ends.Overall 1983's 'A Little Spice' has a certain quality of early house styles-not disimilar to the SOS Band releases of the same vintage (I'll bet they heard the work of Jam & Lewis before recording this) and produced an album with stripped back keyboards,the occasional smooth sax chart and alot of LINN drums.The best songs here are easily "Hangin' On A String (Contemplating)" and the Michael Jackson-like dance track "Dial 999",both of whitch sport very strong,catchy hooks and great vocal harmonies.As for my personal favorites they would be the softly jazzy "Choose Me" and the polished R&B mambo of the title track,a very lyrical instrumental with a lovely spanish guitar lead.Overall Loose Ends have a very polished sound but favor a more artful and complex approch to music making then alot of others.Bands like Sade would soon make a killing from territory first explored by Loose Ends-the sensuasly chilly smooth jazz backdrop with plenty of funky soul layored over the top.So in conclusion 'A Little Spice' features great music all round and is one of the few 80's R&B/pop albums that will actually need to have some time put into it in order to funny get into their sound.And to me that's an affirmative plus.Nothing here is too surface oriented-there's alot boiling under as well.

Great cd, my favorite is song is "CHOOSE ME".
Go out and get your copy today, you will love that you did.
You'll enjoy it, especially when you're down and out. It will rescue you all the time.