Customer Reviews

Stranger Than Fiction

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I must admit that Ultra Nate has not had it easy in the 11/12 years she's tried to establish herself. After the promising debut "Blue Notes in the Basement" with it's jazzy inflections and deep house underground vibes, Warner Bros. tried to mainstream her as an R&B singer which churned out the so-so "One Woman's Insanity". After the hiatus she returned with the backing of the independent Strictly Rhythm label for "Situation:Critical". An album which saw her rewrite her ambtions for "One Woman's"- skript and pull it off better. Significantly better.
Now we come to "Stranger than Fiction" which ultimately is "Sitiuation's" successor. If not for the for the writing then for the music. As an artist Ultra Nate is moving foward. What few have a hard time understanding is that Ultra is an album artist. Not a disposable air head that a few producers led to a mic while shoving lyric sheets into her hand. She's not the type to make a few good singles and then throw an album together based on the strength of those singles. She writes her own material and she writes it well.
What is also notable is Ultra's devotion to the underground that spawned her. She returns and expands by collaborating with producers that have pretty much been ahead of their time. 4Hero- who's own two albums have pushed the envelope for drum n bass. D-Influence- my personal favorite- who's been England's best kept soul/ funk outfit since the early nineties and have been with Nate since "One Woman's Insanity". Attica Blues- who's ability to flip the script on beats and hip hop should have had another song on the LP. Other contibuters include N'dea Davenport(formerly of the Brand New Heavies), Lenny Kravitz , B-15 and Mood II Swing return as well.
But alas, Strictly Rhythm folded in the middle of the promotional push leaving Ultra to get little support for the singles- the phenomonal "Desire" and the funk driven "Get it up". The remaining singles the fun house # "I Don't Understand it" and the sensual drum-n bass cut "Twisted", which was the albums center piece, never got any promotion. Leaving the album to just sit. Conceptually, the album reads like a novel on the cycles of love and romance, it's highs and it's lows. "Stranger Than Fiction" comes from an artist who's in the game to push the credibilty of electronica. Not just climb the Hot Dance club charts of disposable 4 to the floor cheese.
Now an independent artist, her forthcoming album "Grime, Silk and Thunder" which may include a remake of The Pretenders "Brass in Pocket"is approaching a release date. Who knows maybe she'll work with Kruder & Dorfmeister, Jazzanova, Masters at Work, or King Britt.The curiousity is enough to warrant anticipation.

evolution

Ultra comes back strong with her second full-length CD on Strictly Rhythm. But those merely looking for a retread of "Situation Critical" will be disappointed. On STRANGER THAN FICTION, Ultra smartly aims beyond clubland without betraying her roots. Although the lead-off single DESIRE suffered the comparison to Ultra's monster hit "Free", it is stronger, musically and lyrically, than the former hit. In fact, from a strictly artistic standpoint STRANGER THAN FICTION is her most formidable set to date. Mood II Swing is on board for the retro-styled "I Don't Understand It" which will undoubtedly be another big club hit. On a few tracks, Ultra reaches back to disco's glory days for inspiration: BREAKFAST FOR TWO is a raucous party jam that is very reminiscent of Chic's best material, Ultra's breathless, doubled vocal even conjures fond memories of the Norma Jean Wright/Alfa Anderson tag team. Grace Jones is an obvious influence for the brassy, forthright GET IT UP(THE FEELING). And the way DEAR JOHN relates its tale of woe set to an irresistible, pulsating dance beat is pure Donna Summer.

Which of course is not to say that Ultra is anything other than original. From "It's Over Now" to "How Long?" to "Any Ole Love" to the new AIN'T LOOKING FOR NOTHING, no one will give you the no nonsense, lowdown on the vagaries of L-O-V-E like Miss Ultra. Her distinctive attitude and unique talent cemented her spot in the Diva pantheon right around the time of "One Woman's Insanity".

The title track here, which was co-penned by Nona Hendryx, is a sly, midtempo tune that I personally wish had been much longer (it clocks in at only 2:33, although it is reprised later). GHOST, an appropriately spooky ballad, co-written by N'Dea Davenport, deals with the pain of loneliness. The standout is TWISTED, an atmospheric, acid-jazz track that bears the stamp of its producer 4 Hero, but once Ultra pours her sultry, soulful vocal into the mix it is all hers. Given a fair shot -- and the right promotion -- TWISTED could be the one that takes Ultra into the urban mainstream, placing her alongside the Erykahs, Lauryns and Mary J.'s. Of course, the great irony of her career is that after 10-plus years of riveting, thoughtful, provocative music that meshes, bends and spans several musical genres, she is still commonly referred to as a "dance diva". Stranger than fiction, indeed. Whatever they may call her, the rest of us know that Ultra will always be in a league of her own.

I have to really admit that I really underestimated Ultra Nate. Her first album suprised me.but this one blew me away.She is much more talented than you would at first expect and completely underrated.
This is one of those Cd's you can listen to over and over.Love is stranger than fiction,it's true and Ultra Nate tells stories in her song that works for her and gets you into the song.
I must say this is highly recommended.You will not be disappointed in this one.

I COULDNT WAIT FOR THIS CD TO HIT. ID BEEN WAITING SINCE HER LAST IN 98. SHE WORKED WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WRITERS AND PRODUCERS ON "STRANGER" BUT IT WORKS IN HER CASE. "I AINT LOOKING FOR NOTHING" IS A HOT ROCK TRACK WITH LENNY KRAVITZ ON GUITAR. "GIVE IT UP" IS ANOTHA HOT DANCEFLOOR GEM BUT THE ULTIMATE IS " TWISTED" THAT SONGS OOOOOZES SEX, MAN ITS HOT. HER SONG WRITING SKILLS AND VOCALS HAVE NEVER BEEN BETTER. ITS A SHAME SHE WILL NEVER HAVE THAT TRUE BREAK THROUGH SUCCESS HERE IN HER HOMELAND ON THE MAINSTREAM. I GUESS THE UK WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE PAYING HER BILLS.

It irks me how many dance divas (with actual talent) do not get the recognition they deserve in this country, where Britney, Eminem, J-Lo, and Christina are mainstream artists. I feel better for supporting the REAL artists who may not be millionaires but they can hit high notes and make beautiful music just as well or better.

This is her fourth studio full length LP to date, and it's remarkably unique in all aspects. This is on the opposite spectrum of manufactured pop albums that are all over the store shelves today. Inside the cover, you will find some fab shots of Ultra in color, authentic and somewhat poetic song lyrics (all written or co-written by Ultra Nate), and liner notes with all kinds of sentiments from Ultra and a poem from her mother. The concept of the album is like a novel, with each track being a chapter. On the cover you will see a pile of worn-down paperback novels with the name of each track and a different photo on each novel....very original and creative concept, it deserves recognition.

Many vocalists and musicians put effort into this release, but the only problem is that I think the ability to make profit from this album is slim because Ultra (let's face it) has a limited auidence, and her name is only widely known in dance and underground club music. And while that may be enough to keep an artist alive, most tracks on this album are NOT dance music material, but rather on the uptempo jazz side, some elements of disco, and even R&B. In other words, this is not for the casual listener, this is for someone who is a devoted Ultra fan who wants more from her, even if it dosen't require a dance beat.

Stand out tracks, my fave in order are:
-Twisted (jazzy, bedroom song)
-Gone Like Yesterday (the most high energy track on the album)
-Ghost (the mellowest track- whispering ballad with guitar background)
-Get It Up (a very retrofied disco track, reminds me of the film Boogie Nights)
The two interlude tracks are nice also (tracks 1 and 12.)

In a world that's gravitating more and more towards hip-hop, it's refreshing to see Baltimore native Ultra Nate stick to her house roots. But house isn't the only thing she serves up on her latest album; Ultra gives you house, jazz, disco, and 2-step beats to meaningful and insightful lyrics about the highs and lows of relatiosnhips. Ultra will probably never get the recognition she deserves, but I am one of her faithful fans and definitely recommend this disc.

I am listening to this CD over and over.
First of all the concept is original. Nice cover - every song is treated as a chapter of a book.
It was a little bit hard to get into it because there are no evident song like 'Free' but on the other hand
there are no weak songs. The arrangments are elaborate and her voice has never been that great. The CD flows smoothly from one song to the other.
In two words....fantastic job.

If you like variety in your dance music and good singing to go along with it, you'll appreciate what Ultra offers you in this release.

What some fail to realize is that dance music is not only about beats that have you constantly pulsating and gyrating on the dance floor, but it's also about the lyrics that do the same to your mind. Ultra puts both together in a seamless blend of tunes that are continually moving her away from the sound of her Warner Bros. days.

My favorites? Get it up, Desire, Dear John and most of all TWISTED. Love the beats, love the lyrics, love the way she makes me slowly wind into the song. This is a testament to the fact that her songwriting has improved and become more focused.

Personally, the variety of producers is what adds to the flavor of the album. If hiphop can do it and enjoy world-renowned success, why can't dance?

Ultra Nate is finally back! And she shines on her third album. Her voice is just simply breathtaking, the production is tight and there is enough diversity on this album to keep you going; the funky Get it up, the 70s flavoured Dear John, the groovy Ain't looking for nothing or the surprisingly soft Ghost accompanied by a few guitar strokes...She's got it all. Maybe one or two songs drifted dangerously into the overproduced sugary european dancestyle. But The Diva makes it up with other perfect dance music, using also "real" instruments like Bass, Guitar or a whole Orchestra to back her up. By The way...yes! It is Lenny Kravitz on the guitar and as a backing vocal in Pretender. Unlike the other House Diva Kristine W, she didn't try to sound more mainstream in order to sell more albums. And we as her fans should be thankful that she stayed true to her sound. Let's face it! How many singers in the House/Dance scene out there are able to carry through a whole album without making one song sounding like the next?

Since she came onto the club scene in the early 1990s, Ultra Naté has carved out a niche for making refined yet refreshing disco records that are socially conscious and uplifting without retreating into bombast. "Stranger Than Fiction" is the fourth full-length album from this important dance artist ... and it starts off with a bang. "Love Is Stranger Than Fiction [prologue]," with its shuffling beat and almost whispered vocal, quickly yields to the funky "Ain't Looking For Nothing." In spite of a walloping beat and stinging guitar lick, this track is all Ultra, who carries the day with a confident and smooth vocal performance. The double entendre-filled "Get It Up (The Feeling)" is a catchy, if cheesy, mix of filtered keyboard riffs and vocoderized vocals that you'll probably be hearing all summer long. The shimmering "Desire" returns the singer to house heaven with its sparkling piano runs and a mammoth bassline, and was a No. 1 dance hit last year.

After that, though, the CD flags a bit. Scattered through the CD's bouncy but generic second half are three interesting flirtations with two-step garage, "Eternal," "Twisted" and "Gone Like Yesterday." These tracks, while certainly too light to be considered underground, nonetheless infuse some needed sonic texture to the CD, which despite its long list of producers and collaborators, suffers from an overall uniformity in pacing and tone. There are few rough edges to be found here; sometimes Ultra is too classy for her own good. Then again, "Stranger Than Fiction" is an infinitely more authentic club record than, say, the latest Kristine W affair. And the slight second half of the CD is salvaged by the stunning final track, "Ghost." Cowritten with N'Dea Davenport, "Ghost" finds Ultra singing gently, over spare acoustic guitar accompaniment, "I was sinking, slowly fading away, until he pulled me back again ... my friend ghost." It's a complete surprise, and I hope the next Ultra Naté record contains more of them.

(Note: The Japanese pressing of this CD contains two bonus tracks not found on the American release: a perfect cover of the Bee Gees classic "How Deep Is Your Love," and "Runaway," which was cowritten by Ultra and Nona Hendryx. These tracks are solid, so if you're a fan of Ultra's and can afford the import, I say spring for it.)