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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Breath of Fresh Air,
By Cabir Marc Davis (Amazon) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Shadows & Light (Audio CD)
Despite Grammy nominations for their wonderful first album, this group bombed after the release of this CD, and disbanded within four months of the album's release. It debuted at No.4 on the Billboard charts, and slid way below the Top 100 in the next few weeks. In what could be called one of pop music's greatest mysteries, 'Shadows and Light' could be called the 1990's best kept secret, though upon repeat listening it becomes evident why the album failed as badly as it did.For people who name the album a 'flop', well it WAS a flop when you compare it to sales records of their previous album. That CD went deca-platinum, and still sells worldwide. This album on the other hand, went twice platinum, which is not a 'flop' by sales records, but it was enough to discourage the girls from ever stepping into the recording studio again (and they haven't, ever since). 'Shadows and Light' begins nicely enough with a harmonious riff, followed by the largely forgettable 'Its Only Life', perhaps the album's most unnerving track, simply because of bad production and heavy instrumentation. The second song, however, is what most people will remember this album by. 'You wont see me cry' was the first single release from this album, and it even reached the Top 10 on the US Charts. The second single release features as song three - 'Give it up', which was also the last music video that the band did together. It had a limited US single release, before stores kicked it back to the record company. After this, 'Shadows and Light' tries to make some sort of social statement, with songs on parental relations, child abuse, and the like, which all sound pretty nice, but actually listening to them can get tiring. The problem with this CD is that it tries to sound serious in patches, and forgets to have fun. Think back to that glorious rendition of 'A Reason to Believe' on the first album. This CD has none of that soul. This becomes more evident on 'Fueled for Houston', a track very reminiscent of the Beatles 'Back in the USSR'. However, it also spells the spiralling-to-death of this CD. One track, 'Dont take me down' could have had good single potential but it gets lost toward the end of the album and sticks out like a sore thumb. Thr turkeys of the set are reserved for the end. 'Goodbye Carmen' and 'Alone', two of the most trite lyrics the group has ever written, close the album, and, quite literally at the time, the band's career. 'Shadows and Light' is just that, with just way too much of the former. The bright spots here are few, but they shine on brightly, sounding as radiant in the 2000s as they did in the 1990's. I would highly recommend this album to all girl-group lovers, especially if you heard them first time round. While this album is no classic and will be remembered as what finished Wilson Phillips for good, it certainly deserves a few listens.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not bad second album, but with some jarring loud production,
By
This review is from: Shadows & Light (Audio CD)
I can't help feeling that while Wilson Phillips did make a brief blip with their two albums, their timing was bad, especially with their second album, Shadows And Light. Alternative and grunge were on the rise, as was hip-hop, and with Mariah Carey holding the larger shares in soaring love ballads, WP seemed an anomaly in this newly flowered field. For those expecting more catchy songs ready as radio fodder, such as "Hold On" and "You're In Love", the radio starved, and so did their career. Although they still sing in unison, utilizing that winning harmony sound, their individual voices come out more, but the production yielded louder brassy sounds which made the trio's harmonies more a cacophony than something sweet.After a vocal prelude with "I Hear You," things kick into gear with "It's Only Life," a lively number with rock guitars and synths extolling the glories of an exciting life. However, the post-modernist lines about "there's no wrong, there's no right" does give one pause. Chynna is lead vocalist here. They all sing lead vocals on "You Won't See Me Cry" a self-affirming ballad that later gets into higher gear with some string arrangements and drums. One of the better songs here. The up-tempo "Give It Up" was a single. I like it, sure, from the brassy synth opening, the catchy drums and horns, and Wendy's Susanna Hoffs-ish voice, but sadly, market tastes had changed and this didn't do as well as their other singles. Carnie sings on "This Doesn't Have To Be Love," and given her voice, she seems best suited to singing lead on ballads such as this. While Carnie sings, Wendy and Chyna do accompanying speeches reflecting her thoughts. Example: "Softly, love is standing here with demands" W and C chime in with "Tell me what you want from me" Why couldn't this have been a single? "Where Are You" is another ballad, this time by Chynna, but tackles some abuse suffered when one was six. However, she merely asks of the perpetrator, "Where are you... who hurt you? and where are you now?" Both Wilsons sing lead on "Flesh and Blood" on a familial conflict, trying to reach their father through his pain. I wonder if this was written in mind with the troubles Brian Wilson had during his check-in to the clinic, the death of Dennis Wilson, and legal troubles with Mike Love over the Beach Boys. Wendy Wilson sings "Don't Take Me Down," which has shades of "Impulsive" and some Belinda Carlisle songs. Chynna sings the string-laden "All The Way From New York" denoting the separation between LA and NY and the reunion between two people. The heavily produced piano ballad "Alone" sung lead by Wendy, is about a misunderstood woman who doesn't want to be alone but doesn't want to leave her home. Poses quite a problem doesn't it? The reprise for "I Hear You" is just a choral exercise that demonstrates their well-done harmonies. The trio hooked with Glen Ballard once again, and his production, keyboards, and arrangements work to some extent, but the jarring high-volume of louder songs like "Fueled For Houston" or "It's Only Life" and the trio's harmonies correspond to that sound, resulting in something loud and brassy instead of soft and melodic. One wonders what a third album would've been like, but alas, that never happened, as the Wilsons and Chynna Phillips did their own thing in years to come.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Give It Up for the Girlz,
By
This review is from: Shadows & Light (Audio CD)
Why this album was so overlooked is still a mystery 9 years later, but still a ear album to me. From the funky upbeat numbers It's Only Life with its sassy horn section & Fueled For Houston, a Texas style catchy pop song which combines Chynna's forceful backing vocals and Carnie's chocolate lead to the mature, reflective & accessible You Won't See Me Cry (with a totally gorgeous video & saxophone), All The Way from New York & Flesh & Blood which are both about the girls' ailing relations with their fathers, to the album's beautiful Goodbye Carmen, it delivers by the powerful lyrics, amazing harmonies & excellent meoldies. Consistent, beautiful & chillingly gorgeous - worhty of any self-respecting record collection
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