Customer Reviews

Man

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My wife Neneh returns after the quietly trendsetting "Homebrew" with this strong 1996 effort entitled "Man"."Man" was recorded mainly in London and Spain,Neneh's stepfather Don Cherry recently had died in her Spain home so many of "Man"'s songs have recurring themes of death,longing,and moving on.But it never gets depressing or weepy so put away the razorblade!:) Unlike "Raw Like Sushi" and "HomeBrew",Neneh doesn't focus her tasty,cultured blend in a more streetwise hip hop direction but more in a singer-songwriter premise."Man" is very song-oriented and the production is superior.Although "Raw" was funkier and "HomeBrew" was more textured,"Man" still shows folks simply weren't ready for Nen because she was so ahead of her time.

Among the standouts on the ten-track "Man" is the achingly beautiful,bluesy "Woman",a riveting take on James Brown's classic "It's A Man Man Man's World"."Woman" has that cinematic appeal,you know like a emotional action scene kind of quality
which explains why it was featured in the 1996 action flick "The Long Kiss Goodnight"."Woman" also had a great video which ganered Nen with many British music honors.
The tender "Feel It" features a very vulnerable Neneh singing the tale of a young man's growing up.Although the piano version that was included on the UK-issued CD single of the song makes the song feel more 'alive'.
The funky,agitated rock of "Kootchi" shows a return to Neneh's appealing,sass-filled sexual side.Unlike say,Madonna or even the scrumptous Janet Jackson,Neneh's sexuality was more accesible and warm.More human.Here was one beautiful woman who seemed touchable and attainable.And authentic."Kootchi" and "Woman" also show that Neneh's vocals have matured.
The lithing "Carry Me" gracefully tells the tale of a young girl's death from the dying girl's perspective."Golden Ring" is a power ballad sung in a flamenco,Spanish style which explains the influence that the flamenco scene in N's dwelling of Spain had taken.
Now many fans grumbled at the three "older" tracks featured on the '96 release of "Man".N's haunting remake of Marvin Gaye's
"Trouble Man" had been featured on the 1995 Marvin Gaye tribute album;"7 Seconds" a haunting anthem beheading racism that was a HUGE hit across the globe but barely heard here in the States,and "Together Now" which was featured on Tricky's "Nearly God" LP(Tricky had wrote an album for Neneh but she decided not to release it;rumors of an EP of those songs persist).But since all three tracks are great,age does nothing but make them sound better.

"Man" is more atmospheric and leaning towards trip hop and rock than N's previous albums.It's obvious with this album that Nen was trying to pull off a tough move:being SMART,being HERSELF,
yet still being ACCESSIBLE.Nelly Furtado and Missy Elliot would play from Neneh's playbook to more commerically successful results.Unfourtantly,"Man" never was released in the US since N's label Virgin was going through a merger so sadly,"Man" and it's brillance never got to see the light of day in the US.

"Man" is worth the hefty US import pricetag.Hopefully N.C. will finally get her true props one day for all the ground she's broken.

This CD was to be released in America following the "Woman" single on "The long kiss goodnight" soundtrack. Once Virgin Records merged with a parent company, this CD was released only overseas. What a shame! This CD is a mix of rock, trip-hop, flamenco, and pure soul/jazz. On her first CD "Sushi" Cherry established herself as a rapper with soul tendencies. On her introspective followup "Homebrew" she showed maturity as a writer and a performer, kicking back with Guru, Micheal Stipe and Portishead. She also kicked some gripes at Lenny Kravitz on "buddy X". This CD feels like a trip around Spain, Paris and back to NYC for some funk like "hornbeam". This album has a remarkable flow that captures your ear and demands many numerous listens. Cherry will realese her 4th CD this January and will no doubt evolve even further. I don'y mind buying her CD's at import prices, because they are worth it. I almost don't want her to emerge on the States, I like that her music is underground, and meeting fellow fans is a true pleasure. No collection of modern music is complete without the entire Cherry collection. This was her finest hour! SZ

With her third release, Neneh Cherry continues to evolve as an artist to be reckoned with critically, although unfortunately not commercially (at least in the U.S.A). That is a shame because Neheh is not a puppet with producers and writers pulling her chords. She's a fully self-directed writer, performer who has backed away from using her obvious beauty to sell a few more records.

Her vocal chops have matured and the production on this release is as flawless as it was on her 2nd release. She sings in an immediate and strong fashion while exposing her vulnerabilities. Although some of my words may lead some to believe that Neneh would seem like a self-important artist, her music is so accesible that I can't fathom why she has not taken off like a rocket. Listen to "Woman" and "7 Seconds" and I dare you not to become a fan.

I have not heard anything from this artist since she released this way back in the late 1990's. If Virgin released her from her contract or dropped her, won't anyone else work with this artist so that she can continue to bring us positive music with a sound that is so alive that it is almost surreal.

This is a beautiful CD. I don't understand why it was not released in the United States. As in her other recordings, Neneh covers a lot of genres in this one. "Woman" is a great song. I swear I heard a version in Spanish on the radio in Seoul the other day.

I bought "Raw Like Sushi" and liked it, so when "Homebrew" came out, I bought it too. And I LOVED it. But then Neneh Cherry disappeared from the music scene. Now, finally, there is "Man." "Man," for me, fulfills the promise of "Homebrew." It has that same Neneh Cherry style that defies definition; part R&B, part Soul, part Rap, part Pop. Her voice is etherial, and her melodies get Under Your Skin (anyone get the "Red Hot & Blue" joke there?). If you enjoyed "Homebrew," then place your order for "Man" right now. You won't be disappointed.

I always found myself going back for listens of Cherry's 1992 CD "Homebrew" over this 1996 release. I liked "Man" but it never quite hit me like "Homebrew," a classic if ever there was one. Until I put on my headphones and let the music put a rhythm to my beat. There is so much more to this CD than first meets the ear that it's truly remarkable. The subtlties of Cherry's voice, the faint electronic buzzing in the background (UFO encounters!), the starkness of it all. It's amazing. This has become a favourite of mine and I listen to it at least once daily.

It has to be considered some kind of crime that Neneh Cherry is without an American record deal (which is why this album was never released in the U.S.). "Man" shows the artist continuing to evolve while maintaining an identifiable sound and style. It's an excellent album that differs from its excellent predecessors in several ways (generally, "Raw Like Sushi" had more street energy and "Homebrew" had a more adventurous range). Those differences aren't deficiencies; they're conscientious choices. "Man" is Cherry's most consistent album to date in tone and style. It has a bit of that Portishead gloom running throughout - which is not surprising since they've worked together - but Cherry gets a lot more emotional mileage out of it than they do. Standout tracks include "Woman," "Bestiality," "7 seconds," and her take on "Trouble Man" (which is also on the surprisingly good Marvin Gaye tribute album of a few years back) but there isn't a bum cut in the lot here. Cherry's musical choices seem at once surprising and absolutely "right." This is a terrific album by an artist who continues to both challenge and satisfy her audience. Too bad she doesn't have one here.

I loved "Home Brew" and was wondering why this CD wasnot getting a US release. So I decided ... to obtain it.It was worth it. Cherry has really grown as an artist. This is not like anything she has done before. Romantic with a groove --- this is a great CD.

I think it is a real shame that this album is yet unreleased in the United States, but Lauren Hill with all her mediocrity gets the limelight as if there was never a greater songwriter. Does that say something about American consumers or the American music "industry" ? This is certainly a case of "manufacturing consent" in the music world ...

The first track from Neneh Cherry's third album begins with a dark, haunting string that leads into a satisfying trip-hop rhythm. Immediately it becomes apparent that the brilliance of Cherry's past recordings like "Manchild" and "7 Seconds" were no fluke. There's something for everyone here - R&B, rock, hip-hop, Jazz, acoustic guitar, trip-hop, dance - and yet it all seems cohesive thanks to the increasing strength and clarity of Cherry's distinctive vocals. While MAN is not as brash and original as Raw Like Sushi or as heartfelt and satisfying as Homebrew, it is a record that is definitely worth owning.