Customer Reviews

Street Faerie

5 star:		(79)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Man, this record was definitely a breath of fresh air when it came out in the summer of '99. I remember going to see her open for Lenny Kravitz on his Live '99 tour after this album was released. So many different elements at play here, but none seem to intrude each other's space or compromise the integrity of the project. DAMN, this is a great album! Sony must have been either too coked up or funneling too many dollars into Mariah's 'Rainbow' album (which also came out that year) to promote this record. I was working at a record store when this was released. When I saw the record company wasn't promoting it, I just opened a copy and started playing it. One Saturday, I kept it on repeat in the store and sold 30 copies! Hope she comes back with a follow up soon. This definitive piece formally separates Cree Summer from her crazy Freddie character from A Different World and Elmyra from Tiny Toons. Destined to be an obscure collectors item and sonic gem. Ok, I think I've said enough....

Cree Summer an artist i saw for the first time on the Lenny Kravitz/Black Crows/ Everlast tour last summer. Cree was amazing and in my mind stole the show. Her cd Street Faerie is one of the best cd's i ever heard. It ranges in style from the soulful r and b styled Soul Sister to the angry, venemous, and hard hitting Curious White Boy. Cree displays a magical element on Miss Moon and Revelation Sunshine. I hope Cree Summer is an artist that will see much success in the future because she has a lot of talent to share with the world.

When I heard that 'Different World'-alum Cree Summer was going to release her debut album, I was excited about her foray into singing. I am delighted to report I haven't been disappointed. 'Street Faerie' is fine wine for the ears and chocolate for the female spirit, and from the very first note, too. Cree Summer is a sprite, a nymph, a goddess, and 'Street Faerie' is her specialized fairy dust. Through it, she weaves a potent spell, and I am hereby spellbound. I give my highest possible recommendation for 'Street Faerie' and blessed kudos to the woman behind it, who can also currently be heard doing time as the voice of an M&M in their latest radio spots.

I too first heard Cree Summer on Jay Leno and was quite taken with her song "Revelation Sunshine". I usually would never consider buying a CD for a single song, but the song had this hook... Since I couldn't locate a single I gave in and bought the full CD and was amazed at her sound and Lenny Kravitz's far flung musical arrangements. From the Jethro Tull inspired riffs of "Fall" to the beautiful "Naheo" and "Miss Moon" this album just *shimmers*. I have been giving it or recommending it to friends and everyone loves it. The music is open but sophisticated and her lyrics are lovely. The music is an inspired fusion of 70's styles, a bit of folk, a bit of hip-hop and something that is all her own. I would highly recommend it.

So many slept on Cree's first album and I would have too save not for a Behind the Music on VH-1 about Lenny Kravitz where Cree played a prominent role.

As a woman with an unruly afro, I came to enjoy Cree's skills on the now defunct "A Different World." See, Lisa Bonet, Lenny Kravitz, Cree Summer and Neneh Cherry were my people. I loved their style. I loved they way the looked. I liked how they were different from the people in my neighborhood who were going through a jeri curl, tight jeans and Starter coat phase.

So I support anything by my neo-rocker funk soulstars. Be it Lisa's Bonet's spotty acting career (see "Angel Heart" and "High Fedelity") to the emergence of Neneh's brother Eagle-Eye's singing career, I was there, dollars in hand.

But I almost forgot Cree. The problem was, I couldn't imagine her singing. After all, she did all the voices for the black people on Tiny Toons and was the voice of Animaniac's Elmira. She's also the voice of Chloe on the animated version of Sabrina the Teenage Witch and the voice of the black girl on Batman Beyond.

Because this, the album, as much as I loved it, sometimes was funny because I kept seeing Acca Pella from Hysteria screeching over funk-rock laden "Curious White Boy." But besides that the album was a joy to listen to.

Some songs were beyond perfection. "Life Goes On" was a welcomed journey. "Revelation Sunshine" sent me humming on daisy rays for hours. And although "Curious White Boy" seems out of place at first, I love it as the first official angry black woman rock anthem. I love reciting the breakdown word for word at the top of my lungs while riding in traffic. The beat on "Miss Moon" is especially haunting and funky and all of her songs make me want to lie in a field of wildflowers with no shoes on, a smile on my face, toes wiggling with my big 'fro glistening in the sun.

A side note, it's interesting that Lenny produced the album. When Lenny and his ex, Lisa Bonet got divorced, Cree sided with Lisa, since she knew her before she knew Lenny. But apparently everyone's made nice-nice and we can work together again.

I seriously hope Cree does another album because save for Neneh Cherry and Imani Coppola (neither of which have had an album in years), there are simply not enough sistas out there rocking the guitar and screaming over amps. She's emensely talented and I'd like to hear what other avenues her talent can develop into.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out not only was Cree Summer an actress but a singer as well. This has to be one of my favorite cd's ever.! I'm disappointed that there was no follow up. You will definitey not be wasting your money purchasing this one!!

While I wouldn't go as far as saying the best album I've ever heard, this 1999 release is definitely a keeper. After receiving a four-star review from Rolling Stone, I thought Ms. Summer would have a long career...and she might yet. She is a much better singer than Jasmine Guy, who had a modest hit on her foray into recording. Most people didn't give this a real chance when it came out, but i believe over time this will stand the test. The first five songs are a tour de force, especially "Deliciously Down", which i play whenever I need a pick-up. She displays an elasticity of her voice which enables her to examine many different styles( see "miss moon", "revelation sunshine", "life goes on", and the vicious "angry boy")and Lenny Kravitz's hands are all over this effort...but I can't wait to see what she would do with a self-produced album. I am among those who wish she hadn't given up when the record company did. Her sound is very much Joss Stone, Norah Jones, P!nk territory. She was(is) ahead of her time.

I think it is a travesty that great music like this is so often overlooked in favor of carbon-copy, wannabe divas and tired, talentless teen boy bands. Cree Summers' brilliant debut is almost too good for words. With consistently strong material, a remarkable, expressive vocal range, impassioned delivery and Lenny Kravitz' endlessly inventive and lush production, "Street Fairie" still has 'hit album' written all over it, and any lover of truly great music would find it a wise investment. From the strummed acoustic guitars that anchor the first two selections 'Revelation Sunshine' and the mind-blowing 'Miss Moon' ,the album effortlessly switches gears on almost track, surprising the listener at every turn. The music here is so good, you'll find yourself straddling the fence between never wanting a song to end and not being able to wait until the next song starts! I have literally caught myself reading the lyric booklet and trying to imagine how the music on 'Angry Boy' or 'Fall' might sound while 'Still Heart' is still pounding it's muzzy, Sly Stone-ish vocals and walloping, funky drums into my brain. This is the kind of album that lingers with the listener while they're away from home and you can't wait to return to it just so 'Deliciously Down's' distorted wah-wah guitars can make you dance around like a whirling dervish, then bang your head to the catchy chorus of 'Mean Sleep'. And for all you listeners who want to kick back and get quiet and deep with yourselves (as I often do), you can sink your teeth into 'Life Goes On', 'Fall', 'Smooth My Heart' or "Sweet Pain' all terrific ballads ranging from classic rock acoustic, to percolatingly percussive, either way you can't go wrong. The crowning moment has to be the Native American pride number 'Naheo' that actually comes across as an impassioned tribute and not at all gimmicky. Attemptimg a song in this vein is always risky, but Cree (herself a Plains Cree Indian descendent)pulls it off with skill, respect and panache, in someone else's hands it simply wouldn't work. Of all the albums released by actors who thought they could sing, this is the only one I've ever heard that truly merits release. All of the essential elements are in place; a great voice, great production, great musicianship and detailed lyrics all delivered by a gifted, sexy young woman who KNOWS how great she is. For my money, the best LP of 1999, and Cree Summer can't follow it up soon enough. A MUSICAL BLESSING.

Cree summer's Street Faerie is a wonderful cd. Lenny Kravitz should remain her producer/collabrator for all of her future cds.
They are definitely a good match. My favorite songs are relelation sunshine and naheo, but miss moon, still heart, deliciously down, mean sleep, life goes on, fall angry boy, sweet pain, smooth my heart,soul sister and curious white boy are masterpieces as well. We knew she had a quirky and memorable style to her acting like her performances on the tv show,Different World. But her complete dominance of voice overs work within the industry is amazing also. The pure ease and positive joy that Cree radiates in her vocals reminds me of a young Minnie Riperton,not for minnie's multi-octave range, but the smile she brings to her songs that's infectious. If their was a dream black chick rock tour, I would include Dionne farris, Siedah Garrett with her new rocking style, Jada Pinckett with her new band and Cree Summer... what a great tour that would be. Buy this cd for pure vocals, live instruments and thoughtful lyrics.
You won't be disappointed!!!

I have to admit that upon learning that Cree had an album out, I thought "oh here we go, another actress turned singer" and didn't buy it until years later. What a stupid decision that was!! Cree can SANG! She can also write.. she's quite deep. Beyond that, Lenny Kravitz produced this album! Need I say more? They make a great team to say the least. Definitely one of the greatest albums U never heard. Solid tracks throughout.