Customer Reviews

Starchild

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Starchild" was my introduction to one of the greatest singer/songwriter icons of all time and this amazing masterpiece should have been a major blockbuster with a number of #1 hits! Find it totally amazing and very sad an original classic such as "Starchild" can be completely overlooked making one wonder what is wrong with the Grammy Foundation and the Music Industry in general for letting this happen. Opening single blockbuster hit from "Starchild" is "Lovergirl", featuring a free flowing unique arrangement with a soulful vocal that jumps off the track from Teena making one wonder why this huge hit didn't make this classic set of originals take off, becoming another "Thriller" type of success at the Grammy Awards! What is up with such a gross oversight and maybe because Teena is not a male? Funky soulful diva lets it rip making "Help Youngblood Get To The Freaky Party" a party that if you love hot and cooking music you won't want to miss then won't want it to end! Very fortunate to attend Lady T live In Concert when "Starchild" was released and what a mindblowing experience watching this extraordinary material performed live yet each song translates great throughout the grooves of this wondrous set and those must have been some sessions...even more amazing is this brilliant singer and performer wrote all these richly varied songs plus possesses one of the greatest voices in music today taking the listener deep inside each tremendous original in an riveting & deeply soulful way. Hypnotic & sublime soulful classic "Out On A Limb", one of the most mesmerizing ballads ever by anyone and Teena sings the hell out of this extraordinary anthem creating a thrilling spine-tingling listening experience that is incomparable! Phenomenal musical journey continues with powerful "Alibi", a great rhythm rocker that should have been a huge hit with soaring vocals and wonderful tempo changes plus a red-hot guitar solo that is mind-twirling! Flowing rocking arrangement make "Jammin" a fun ride while title song "Starchild" is a fine & funky jam. Teena duets are remarkable making for another solid classic a glorious duet "We've Got To Stop (Meeting Like This)" which is a heartstopping riveting duet with Rick James in concert and this passionate sublime version matches the live one with each stunning to experience! Unforgettable & heartfelt is the Teena Marie gorgeous and deeply soulful tribute to Marvin Gaye, "My Dear Mr. Gaye" is a haunting classic that can bring one to real tears while the spiritually moving closer "Light" ends an extraordinary musical journey. The music world needs to give this lady her just due and lets hope that this finally happens at the Grammy Awards this coming year for Teena Marie's new masterpiece "La Dona"!!! Teena Marie is a once in a lifetime legendary singer/songwriter who deserves her moment in the sun. BRAVO TEENA MARIE AND THANK YOU for the gift of music from your soul to ours...

I had this CD on vinyl when I was in high school, at the time that it was released, and recently bought the CD on a whim. I am SO glad I did! I had really forgotten what a wonderful CD it is. Teena Marie has one of the best voices in the music industry, and her artistry is breathtaking -- she is one of the most emotional singers I've ever heard. And every single song on this disc is good; I don't hit the skip button at all, except when I decide I have to hear "Out On A Limb" again, out of sequence. Why Lady T's musical genius has never been acknowledged by the music industry is surely one of the world's great mysteries.

Woah! This is album is worth it for "Out on a limb" alone! What an amazing track! The great thing about Teena is that by this point, she was really breaking new ground, she just didn't, and still doesn't, sound like anyone else. "Limb" is amazing. The moody music, the lyrics are extraordinary and of course THAT voice. If you don't have this album, you need it! Other great tracks are "Lovergirl", "Chains", "Help Youngblood.."

Teena explodes with this album inot the realm of pop! "Lovergirl", "Jammin", and "Out on a Limb" make this CD shine! Teena makes the best tribute to Marvin Gaye with "My Dear Mr. Gaye"- a play on his own album "Here My Dear"- this album sounds like it from the 80's and it is very Prince influenced, but her voice and lyrical artistry make this CD worth the money. Teena Rocks!

I have about a couple of albums that I own that I can say that I like almost every song off of them and this album is one of them. "Starchild" shows Teena at her '80's best and she really outdid herself with this album. Though she had a string of late 70's early 80's disco/soul hits such as "I'm Just A Sucker For Your Love" and "I Need Your Lovin'" that made her the super star she is today, Teena maintained a strong career string by releasing some timeless 80's pop hits such as the most known, "Lovergirl". "Starchild" is an excellently crafted album that features a little bit of pop, rock, funk and soul all thrown together to make a very diverse album.

Lovergirl (10/10)- Who doesn't like this song? It's a Teena classic with the guitar riffs and Teena belting it out tremendously. A true 80's pop song.

Help Youngblood Get To The Freaky Party (10/10)- I REALLY like this song, even though it's pretty cheesy at times. Some rap influences are thrown in the mix of this funk joint that is sure to get you dancing and humming the guitar solo.

Out On A Limb (10/10)- Superb singing! Teena really pours her heart out on this tune. It's an excellent song and worth one star alone! Beautiful!

Alibi (8/10)- A rock/pop joint that sounds like something that Madonna would have done. Cool lyrics come from this driving song that ends with a guitar solo. Pure 80's.

Jammin' (9/10)- A funky song that keeps pumping out the chorus, "Jammin'-Jammin'-Jammin' for the first time'". Very Prince sounding but with a Teena twist to it. The guitars keep jammin' till the end. A driving pop song.

Starchild (10/10)- The most Teena Funk sounding song off the album. A perfect blend of guitars and synths and Teena singing her heart out as usual. A funky song that makes you feel like you are riding on a star to the moon with Teena :)

We've Got To Stop (Meeting Like This) (5/10) Probably my least favorite song and the weakest cut on the album. This song doesn't really impress me, maybe Rick James should have sang the male lead, lol. A pretty bland ballad that doesn't compare to "Out On A Limb" or the next song...

My Dear Mr. Gaye (10/10)- A great tribute to Marvin Gaye. Leave it to Teena to give her twist of a Marvin classic at the end. Marvin's music is backgrounding this track with Teena once again belting it out. It starts slow and then speeds up with the sax blaring and Teena copying Marvin's music style. A beautiful song.

Light- A little short song about Teena's gift of music with the piano backing her up. That sums up the album!

One of Teena's shining moments, this album will be in my CD player for a long time, I am sure of it!

for me this is her best epic release.as writer,arranger,producer,musician&vocalist she has always been super bad but very underrated.Lovergirl is very early 80's.it has a Rick James&prince thing going.MY Dear Mr.Gaye is incredible.we've got to stop is the best duet she never did with Rick James.out on a limb is a slow jam classic.she is very versatile.a true genius.

As one who has considered Lady T my Lovergirl from the very beginning of her career, I truly think this album was her peak. She hits us right in the face at her funkiest with Lovergirl to start this album. Tells the tale of trying to save a lost soul on "Youngblood" , then takes us to a powerful emotional climax with "Out on a Limb". By this point, you'll probably need a drink, a smoke, or something to help catch your breath because she grabs hold of you and takes you on an emotional rollercoaster ride with the rhythms, rhymes, and orchestration that Lady T lovers have come to know and love. Before it's over with though, she hits us with a gut-wrenching tribute to Marvin Gaye with "My Dear Mr Gaye". This is Lady T at her finest. Order this one now (I wouldn't pay a hundred bucks for it, just be patient, the record companies will HAVE to re-release this one.) If you gotta have it now, then buy the MP3 version.

Lady T, thank you for sharing your soul with us...you will forever live on in ours.

This CD gave Teena Marie her all-time biggest hit with the classic "Lovergirl". While issued as a single, the power ballad "Out On A Limb" (strangely) made no headway on the Pop charts--it nonetheless remains one of Teena's most powerful and emotive ballads. Other noteworthy tracks include the gorgeous "My Dear Mr. Gaye" and "We've Got To Stop Meeting Like This". "Starchild" was Teena Marie's most commercially successful album ever.

During the first several years of the 80's Teena Marie seldom made a musical misstep.Her four albums the preceeded this were brilliant but all failed to cross over to a pop audience-'Starchild' did.One big reason might have been the dancable opener "Lovergirl",her biggest hit and the song most people associate with her.Musically this album in very much a follow up to 'Robbery' minus the loose concept and plus a more concerted effort to write songs that are tuneful and pop oriented.

One thing that seperates 'Starchild' from the rest of Teena Maries catalog up until this point is the complete lack of jazz and latin musical references.All the music on on this recording is either soul ballads,funk or dance-pop.As in the case of the 'beat crazy' "Help Youngblood Get To The Freaky Party" and the brilliant "Jammin" rap and hip-hop are the musical base."Alibi' has a similar structure to the big hit-something that often happens on pop albums.

It is on the two ballads that I believe the album almost becomes too predictable.Both have a nearly identicle structure and while "We've Got To Stop (Meeting Like This)" make some excellent lyrical points about long distance relationships the music doesn't really achieve transcendance.

The title cut is a superb slice of mid 80's funk and by far the most grooving 'song' on the album."My Dear Mr.Gaye" is a very interesting tribute.At first her cosmic lyric is matched (again)

to a dull sounding ballad.Then midway through the song structure changes to mimic Marvin Gaye's own 'What's Going On' era sound and the tribute becomes more obvious.The final cut is a brief gospel piano reference.

While 'Starchild' emphasizes smooth R&B and doesn't have any of the more exotic musical features Teena Marie was previously accociated with the album does find the artist in a place showing her ability to remain true to her art while being accesible to a broader pop audience.And since this is also her biggest selling release she certainly succeeded.Even though a longtime fan of her early music might find this polished recording something of a shock,to everyone else this is probably this album most fully explores her grasp of pop,R&B,funk and soul and is a great first place to get an introduction to Teena Marie's music.

You could never go wrong with any Teena Marie album, but this one, arguably is one her best yet on the Epic label. I remember hearing this album back in 1984 and was impressed how she did this vocally and musically, especially the Marvin Gaye tribute "My Dear Mr. Gaye". "Lovergirl" gave it that pop/rock feel, while "We've Got To Stop", and "Out On A Limb" has proven that she still knows how to come up with a lush ballad. Other noteables are: "Jammin'", "Starchild", and "Alibi". "Starchild" (the album) is definately Teena Marie at her best yet...Sdeez