Valence Street

Neville Brothers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 9, 1999)
• Original Release Date: February 9, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00000I159
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #98,164 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

On Valence Street, the brothers offer few surprises: the groove is mighty, while the choice of material weakens the disc's overall impact. "If I Had a Hammer" is hardly as indelible a social statement as their chilling version of Bob Dylan's "With God on Our Side" was on Yellow Moon, while too many of the new songs rely on tired romantic clichés. Everything falls together on a few tracks, particularly Richard Thompson's "Dimming of the Day" and "Mona Lisa," a collaboration with Wyclef Jean that originally appeared on his Carnival album. The ghostly funk of "Tears" and "The Dealer" also shows them at their best, suggesting that more fire and brimstone and less "Little Piece of Heaven" is the way to go. --Rickey Wright

Vibe

Valence ... is an exhilarating collection of diaspora blues.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly Fantastic, February 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Valence Street (Audio CD)

Recently the Neville Brothers were in Omaha for a concert. We enjoyed hearing some of the Valance Street CD. I have listened to Valence Street at least six times since it was purchased. The lyrics combine nature, life and human emotions, and add the Neville Brother twist. My favorite tunes are Utterly Beloved, Mona Lisa, Little Piece of Heaven, Until we meet again, Over Africa in that order. I love listening to the combination of instruments enriched with the hypnotic voices of Aaron, Cyril and Charles. Thank you Amelia and Arthur L. Neville, Sr.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Damned Good!, February 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Valence Street (Audio CD)

While not possessing quite the borderline-religious-experience, funky-to-the-bone hysteria of the Nevilles' live shows (especially those old two-set Mardi Gras marathons at Tipitina's), this is probably the Brothers' best studio record since Yellow Moon. It has a nice balance, showcasing the diverse talents of all four Neville Brothers (Art, Charles, Aaron, and Cyril), and the sound is uncluttered and with emphasis on the vocals. The ballads ("Dimming of the Day", "Utterly Beloved") are lovely, and the New Orleans-Caribbean version of "If I Had a Hammer" is a highlight, as is that Uptown New Orleans party entitled "Real Funk." Still, an added spice of Cyril's congas and percussion here and there, and perhaps an acapella-harmony "Indian Red" (as I have heard them do live) might have elevated the record to a masterpiece. As it stands, it's merely pretty damned good.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars There is no bad Neville Brothers CD, July 6, 2007

By 

R. Kyle (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Valence Street (Audio CD)

"Over Africa" is a stunning opener. The guitar riffs and rhythm really gets you off your feet. The covers of "If I had a Hammer" and Richard Thompson's "Dimming of the Day" are well done, too. Wyclef Jean's addition on "The Dealer" is great--and the lyrics are definitely ones you would want to listen to again and again.

Not my favorite Neville Brothers CD, but a solid addition to my collection.