Customer Reviews

Sheila E.

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sheila E's 1987 album is still my favorite one by her. Even though it came during a year that Whitney Houston, U2, Whitesnake, Motley Crue,LL Cool J, Michael Jackson and others dominated the music charts, this is a very funky album. I still love Koo Koo with its tribal drums hitting on there! I even danced to it in a program because it just jumped out of left field. And even though it peaked at No. 35 on the R&B chart and its video got some airplay on MTV and BET, it has a strong message in it while still remaining funky. David Z (or it is really Prince who came up with those funky grooves?) gives Sheila E some strong numbers here. Hold Me surprised many people, proving that Sheila E could kick it on a ballad. But what wins on this collection is Sheila playing the drums and percussion so very well like she did on Romance 1600 and In The Glamourous Life. Though she's moved on to gospel and jazz sounds, this album reflects her many strengths as an artist and musician.

Ok, I admit I'm a Sheila E. fan from way back (The Glamorous Life, her first), but I am very sorry this CD was overlooked by so many people. It has 10 tracks on it. The best song on the CD for me is definitely "Love on a Blue Train," which shows exactly how much talent Ms. E. has. It's a long, very musical offering with a great jazzy feel. Another of my favorites is "Wednesday Like a River." Sort of folksy jazz, if there can be such a thing. "Hold Me" is the power ballad on the CD, and I love it too. "Boy's Club" shows how much influence Prince had on her, what with the sexual innuendo, and Soul Salsa shows her Latin side. This is a great album for fans of the "talented chameleon performer" genre.

On her third effort, Sheila E. was still on Prince's Paisley Park label, under Prince's management team of Cavallo, Ruffalo, and Fargnoli, with yet another self-produced album "in association with David Z." Thus she has the "E" band, a group of totally different musicians, including Levi Seacer Jr. on guitar, bass, keyboards, and backing vocals. The result is a better album than Romance 1600, a mixture of upbeat Latin sounds and funk, with a smidgin of Prince-like influences, and regarding the albums I have by her, the second best, after The Glamorous Life, of course.

"He can't resist me beat," Sheila says of a guy she wants to snare in "One Day (I'm Gonna Make You Mine)," whose sound smacks of Prince's Parade period songs with bongos.

"Wednesday Like A River" is a mid-paced romance number with the lyricism of Prince, especially a physical experience as "physical poetry." Using water as an analogy for her growing passion, she sings "Wednesday like a river/Thursday rivers are lakes/Friday finds me in the ocean." What of Saturdays, I wonder?

"Hold Me" was the first single, a lush dark cafe-type string-synth ballad co-written with Eddie Minnifield, the sax-playing Eddie M. from her Romance 1600 album. She does this ballad well, and her voice soars a bit, but it doesn't compare to the silky and sultry "Noon Rendezvous" from her first album.

Quick-paced drums, dramatic synths, and a grinding guitar by Seacer mark "Faded Photographs." She barely avoids the cliche of a picture saying a thousand words with "your eyes say a thousand words to me." And the rest of him?

A slow drum and bass number with "Kiss"-style guitar, "Koo Koo" is her first attempt at a social protest song, with some of the love instead of war rhetoric popularized by Prince in such songs as "Free" and "Partyup." Apart from young girls who learned about life the hard way by having an abortion, the rap says it all: "Come and dig the Koo Koo war/rumor has it got started 'cause our leaders got bored/new toys with a laser, teach our children to kill." SDI, yes? And she raps it best with "A kiss on the lips is better than a knife on the back." One of the best songs here.

"Pride And The Passion" with whirling string synths and the atmosphere of a party in full swing, with some Prince-like sounds.

One of two randy songs by Sheila E., the funky beat-happy "Boy's Club" where girls dance with rich men who buy them drinks, and where the best thing to see is "a girl with four legs...you better look closer, there's someone her dress." This is this album's "A Love Bizarre," for comparison purposes.

"Soul Salsa" is an ethnic instrumental jam with timbales, bongos, congas, and other Spanish instruments. Sheila does the congas and bass while her father Pete, a former drummer for Santana, does the timbales, and other family members take other instruments. Seacer does the guitar and organ, while the sax and piano give this an early Miami Sound Machine-type sound.

"Hon E Man" features the swirling psychedelic string interlude found in Prince's "Pop Life," and some pounding drums and sax. The way she sings the song predicts Prince's "Gett Off" from Diamonds And Pearls, though it lacks the rap of the future song.

Prince used the analogy of an airplane to making love on "International Lover." The fun but naughty "Love On A Blue Train" doesn't quite accomplish that, but it's Sheila's first recorded act of congress on a moving vehicle. Hope her licence is up to date. I mean, "Let me take your ticket, I'll show you where to stick it" surely doesn't entail the conductor's hand. More like her hand, or somewhere else.

All songs were written or co-written by her, so that makes her stand out, but she doesn't do any drumming here. Not to worry-she'd have plenty of that to do on Prince's Sign 'O' The Time album, also released the same year as her album, and the accompanying tour. More upbeat and consistent than Romance 1600, Sheila E. shows Sheila E. putting on a party with an effective ballad, also incorporating some rap in her songs, not surprising as she had starred in Krush Groove.

I am a true fan of music and I am here to say that Sheila E.'s self titled album IS an excellent effort from her. This album shows how much legitimate talent she REALLY has. But if ANY of you four that are selling this REALLY think your going to sell a used CD with "LIGHT SCRATCHES" for over $50.00, you have got to be f--king kidding me!!! And to the person who is selling their "NEW FACTORY SEALED CASSETTE TAPE" for $52.49+ shipping & handling, I got one thing to say to you; WINNERS DON'T USE DRUGS!!!!!. I hate to say it Miss Quality, but the last time anybody(that I know of)bought a cassette tape on purpose was back in 1991(when the Chicago Bulls beat the L.A. Lakers for the NBA Title, 13 YEARS ago), and that was for $7.95. Sweetie, I'm NOT trying to clown you, but you got to be realistic. I can honestly say with 99.999999999999999999999999999% certainty that NOONE this day and age in their right mind is going to pay $52.49+ shipping & handling for a cassette tape.

Length:: 1:34 Mins

Sheila E.'s 3rd release was in my oppinion, her most creative effort. Under the heavy influence of Prince, this album came out during his "Sign O The Times" album, along with Madhouse and Jill Jones, all under Paisley Park. It was a funky free- 4- all, and Sheila E. guzzled up some of that creative juice and let Prince lead the way. His heavy influence can be heard throughout several tracks, this cd showcases that unmistakable Paisley Park sound, capturing a special time in the 80's when love was in the air. Here is a breakdown of the tracks and my oppinion of each song:

1. One Day (make U mine): 4/5 I didn't like this song back in 1988, but I've changed my mind. It's one of the more funkier numbers and very Prince sounding.

2. Wednesday like A River: 5/5 an acoustic affair with lyrics like poetry. a breezy song that makes u feel good, Sheila gets creative.

3. Hold Me: 3/5 a minor hit for Sheila on the adult contemporary scene. sappy lyrics about love, some may find it romantic, a lil too sugary 4 my taste.

4. Faded Photographs: 5/5 a good rock jam with cool lyrics. Sheila explores the rock genre with explosive results.

5. Koo Koo: 5/5 the Sheila E. version of Prince's song "Sign O The Times", with controversial lyrics like "first she had an abortion, now she's got the blues". The video is kick a**, Sheila E. looks fantastic.

6. Pride and the Passion: 5/5 another feel good jam where Sheila gets down like she oughta should.

7. Boy's Club: 5/5 m' fave track on the cd. this song is mystical and romantic, I love the music, it reminds me alot of Prince. It captures the moment, a sexy groove for all tha sexy people.

8. Soul Salsa: 2/5 the worst track on the album. it's a frantic jam that showcases the drums and the latin sound. Unfortunately it sounds like bad background music you would hear at El Torito.

9. Hon E Man: 5/5 I don't know how to best describe this song, the word strange comes to mind. I'd like to see Miley Cyrus even attempt to do a song like this. This new generation don't know what time it is, ok!

10. Luv On A Blue Train: 4/5 This is another song I didn't quite "get" when I was a teenager, but it sounds good today. Is yo blue train runnin' on a koo koo track?" Now I know what that means 20 years later!

I'm happy they finally released this on cd. I'm not happy that WB did a crap job with the packaging. The cd booklet looks like a bad bootleg you could buy in Tijuana Mexico. Talk about "Faded Photographs". They also could have included "The World Is High", which was a b side on the "Hold Me" 45 record. Anywayz, it is nice to have "Sheila E." on cd after 20 years. Now where's the Jill Jones re-release????????

I had been looking one of these song "Koo Koo" I had EP Record Still.. But found album on CD Only.. So, I ripped CD into MP3 and play on my ipod.. :) AWESOME!

A very good CD. Probably the most known song off this album is KooKoo.
Anothe favorite of mine is 'Hold Me'.

If you are a big Sheila E. fan then this CD is a must have.

Sheila E's self titled CD from 1987 was her final release on Prince's 'Paisley Park' label, and it was a terribly overlooked project 20 years ago, but it had some success on the charts with the unlikely slow jam 'Hold Me'. 'Sheila E' also featured other interesting tracks, but 'Koo Koo' had Prince written all over it, and was also a popular track. Released during the same time as the classic 'Sign o The Times' project, 'Sheila E.' is now out of print, and a great footnote in the classic days of Prince (which also produced the rare 'Jill Jones' in 1987 on the Paisley Park label!).

Sheila was quite busy in 1987, and it's amazing that she had time to record a solo CD! She was also involved in 'Sign o The Times', BOTH 'Madhouse' CDs ('8' & '16'), other recording sessions, plus being on the road playing in Prince's band was also important. All in all, 'Sheila E.' is a great item if you can find it on vinyl or CD, but collectors are urged to get a copy asap.
Peace, SD
(of 'Chaka's World')

P.S. If you own a copy of 'Sheila E', consider remastering & adding the following tracks for a better experience...

11. Koo Koo (The Extended Mix)
12. The World Is High (Rare 1986 B-Side of Hold Me)
13. Paradise Gardens (Rare 1987 B-Side of Koo Koo)

The "E"in "Sheila E"must stand for exceptional!!This is a well written,thoughtful and mature album,that is topped off with sultry vocals and great beats!! the opening track("One Day")has Sheila secretly desiring(who am I kidding...more like LUSTING/OBSESSING over)some(potentially)lucky guy...(who we must assume,is stunningly handsome,judging by the various(erotic)sounds,Sheila is making,while describing this guy:"oooooooooh","Mmmmmmmmm")On this song Sheila displays some real confidence/arrogance,when she( SO assuredly/confidently)states:"I KNOW he wants me,I know he does!"Sheila also made a statement(directed at this(poor)fella)that I(before I realized,that was indeed a "STALKER"song,as seen from the eyes/mind of said stalker!!)found rather"disturbing":"Sometimes I wanna BEAT YOU UP!!In the line immediately preceeding that"scary"declaration,Sheila said:"I guess many women,have no shame!!" On a non-violent note "Faded Photographs"is a nice thoughtful track,where Sheila is displaying some nostalgia/melancholy over pics of a former"friend".."Hold Me"has been an absolute FAVORITE of mine,since I was a junior in highschool!! Oddly enough though,I never knew(until earlier this very year)that it was Sheila E. who made this FANTASTIC song!!All these years,I thought it was Regina Belle(for some reason)who made this song.. It was on this sites' discussion boards,where some helpful soul,alerted me to the fact,that it was Sheila who made this(sultry)song,with its' straight to the point message:"Everytime I see your eyes(and/or hear your voice)...."Touch me,hold me"... My favorite part is where Sheila EMPHATICALLY declares:"Our love must be,STRONGER,than before!!" Sheila sounds so genuine,when she asks:"Would it be so wrong,to want you,by MY side?!?"Bottom Line:EXCEPTIONAL ALBUM!!