Customer Reviews

What Comes Naturally

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

 

 

I played this Sheena Easton album a lot back in 1991! I liked What Comes Naturally, but it's no contest to the album's more funkier songs, such as You Can Swing It (very Bell Biv Devoe-ish), Manic Panic, Time Bomb, Somebody, If You Wanna Keep Me (one of Vassal Benford's earlier songs) and so forth. It was a surprising shift since I had always known Sheena as a pop singer that had many nice '80s hits. But this album challenges even Paula Abdul and Janet Jackson's dance heavy albums! The new jack swing sound that was popular back then worked well for Sheena too. And while Sheena's time with this music was short lived, it was very chance taking. One of my favorite albums by her.

If you want to dance to Sheena Easton's music, this is the CD for you. "What Comes Naturally" features Sheena performing upbeat dance music that may not have been that "natural" for her to perform and record. The music is her response to the changing musical trends of the time, continuing in the direction she had taken on her previous release, "The Lover In Me". Listening to it today, you might not realize that this was originally released over a decade ago. The music is so full of energy.

Unlike her early releases, which featured many soft ballads, with keyboards and strings, the emphasis here is on the beat, and having Sheena vocally swing with it. If you liked her primary for lovely emotional songs like "Almost Over You", this music is not for you. The closest songs to that style are "To Anyone", "The Next Time" and "Forever Friends". The remaining tracks are upbeat numbers that are more suitable for active dancing. Very aerobic, workout music.

It is interesting to hear Sheena bringing her unique vocal style to this type of music. The album's single, "What Comes Naturally" kicks things off, and even features Sheena doing a bit of rap. "Half A Heart" is a tune that kind of updates her 80's rock sound. "Somebody" could be a Britney Spears song. "Manic Panic" is a bouncy rhythmic number. "Time Bomb" and "You Can Swing It" sound a lot like hip-hop to me. "The First Touch Of Love" is rhythmic tune with a more "electronic" sound. It's hard to keep still, listening to these tunes. Somehow your hips just want to start moving.

The sound of the songs may have been influenced by the success of artists like Paula Abdul. Listening to "If You Wanna Keep Me", you may notice a similarity in style. Unfortunately the audience for this CD was not particularly large. You won't find a timeless love song that brings a tear to the eye, but if you want to bump and grind, this is not bad at all. Purists should have no fear, this style of music is really not what Ms. Easton is about. If you want to hear Sheena singing the standards, check out her wonderful "No Strings" CD, which interestingly was her next release after "Naturally".

More than just a talented singer with a beautiful voice, the lady is a survivor. Having just seen Sheena Easton performing her classics in Vegas, I can say that she still puts great passion and fire into her music, but also has the maturity not to take herself too seriously. Seeing her in person, has caused me to give this CD a second chance, and I'm really glad I did because I enjoy it now more than ever.

If you like Sheena get this. It is one great song after the next. Hard to find anything about the CD that screams dud. The song To Anyone is such a classic it alone makes Sheena truly worthy. Along the venere of Isn't it so, I wouldn't Beg for Water, Just one Smile, and You've learned to live w/o me. You can feel the hurt. Suprisingly written by Matthew Wilder ("Short People") you have to wonder why Sheena isn't churning out hit after hit.

Sheena Easton's "What Comes Naturally" album was originally released in 1991, following her successful, dance-heavy LP "The Lover in Me".

At the time, I heard a DJ comment that this was like "a female Bobby Brown" album, and I would say that's an accurate description. This album has more of a hip-hop influence than its predecessor, which was more influenced by the Minneapolis sound.

The first three tracks "What Comes Naturally," "If You Wanna Keep Me" and "You Can Swing It" all have the influence of Pebbles or even Bel-Biv-Devoe, who were huge at the time.

For a white Scottish lass, Sheena is surprisingly able to pull off the hip-hop material and sounds much better and not as glossy and artificial as say, Lisa Stansfield. Can you name another female artist with the versatility to do country AND hip-hop?

"The First Touch of Love" is a slightly more laid-back cut.

The piano-intro of "Forever Friends" slows things down slightly, but it has a steady beat; "The Next Time" is slightly slower even still. Both tracks are ok but not outstanding.

"Manic Panic" is a hyperactive jolt that picks things up again and lives up to its fitting title.

"Somebody" is a sexy, slightly slower number and one of the better tracks. It almost has an S.O.S. Band sound to it.

"Time Bomb" literally starts off ticking and tries to be this album's "101" but is nowhere near as good, though it's great to hear Sheena's vocals at their most unrestrained here.

Thankfully, Sheena saves the best for last on this album and one of the best tracks is the fast-paced "Half a Heart". This one really swings and is a perfect blend of the Minneapolis sound and hip-hop. It has interesting processed background vocals, clever "wipes" and an almost carnival-like atmosphere throughout.

The closer is a haunting ballad called "To Anyone" which reminds me of Berlin's "Take My Breath Away" except it's much better and the tempo is less lethargic. Sheena's vocals soar on this song.

Sheena is now in full-diva mode on this album, but the problem is that none of the songs really stand out like many of them did on "The Lover in Me". This album really has no "Lover", "101", "One Love", or even "Days Like This". Still, it's an enjoyable listen and a great workout album if nothing else.

I have wanted to purchase this album for quite some time. I finally made the order than received it with two other Sheena albums. Sheena proved she is not your ordinary secular music artist. "What Comes Naturally" is her second album in where she performs songs with a harder edge. This change began several years before with the "A Private Heaven" album. Here Sheena sings songs similar to her 1990's contemporaries such as Vanessa L. Williams, Jody Watley, Tara Kemp, Karyn White, Pebbles, Jasmine Guy, Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul among others. She does it as well as well as them all!
Here is my rating of each song:

1. "What Comes Naturally" 10/10
2. "If You Wanna Keep Me" 10/10
3. "You Can Swing It" 10/10
4. "The First Touch Of Love" 10/10
5. "Forever Friends" 9/10
6. "The Next Time" 10/10
7. "Manic Panic" 10/10
8. "Somebody" 10/10
9. "Time Bomb" 10/10
10. "Half A Half" 10/10
11. "To Anyone" 10/10

The album opens with the sensual Dance-pop song "What Comes Naturally." It became a Top 20 Billboard Hot 100 hit, peaking at #19. The music video is one of her best yet! Lyrically it is straight forward about what she wants from the man she desires. Without a doubt she was sexy but classy in it. I love the lyrics. "If You Wanna Keep Me" is a song Paula Abdul could have made a major hit at the time, still I am glad Sheena got it. She rocked it! She tell her man to keep doing the things he did at the start of their relationship. It became an immediate favourite of mine. "You Can Swing It" was a wise choice as a second single, unfortunately it did not get the song push for radio airplay. There was no video for it either. So, this fabulous song did not hit the mark for those reason. It has aged well as it stand as one of the best forgotten New Jack Swing songs released to radio. "The First Touch Of Love" is a more electronic pop with parse beats and a nice bassline. A solid song. "Forever Friends" is a pleasant song about not letting go and keeping a friendship going. "The Next Time" is the first ballad on the album. It is about how she wish she did not have to break up with him. She hopes he will reconsider ending their relationship. Sheena sings it well. Her vocal approach suits it. The production of the song bares a slight resemblance to "Where Do Broken Hearts Go?." "Manic Panic" is one that has aged well. The problem is excellent! I love how she uses her lower register in the verses. It is about a man that her senses cannot ignore. "Somebody" is one of the most memorable songs here, musically. It the smoothest and funkiest mid tempo song here. Again it sung her lower register in the verses. Lyrically, you have to listen to it a few times before it gets caught up in your head. She tells her man to get it together because there is a new man who came into her life. He now wants to take her current boyfriend's place. While this song would also suit Britney, she could have done it good version of it on her first two album. However, she would ruin it now! "Time Bomb" is a New Jack Swing song with a bit of Hip-Hop to it. She warns a man not to waste his life on things like anonymous sex (it hidden in the subtext of the song) because we are only here for a limited time. It one of the catchiest songs on the album. "Half A Half" a the fastest song here. It is more Dance-pop and New Jack Swing, but it is just good! The is about the start of a relationship with a man that started well. As time goes on she saw he was not as true as she thought. The album concludes with dramatic keyboard balld, "To Anyone." At a time when these ballads were beginning to dominate the upper regions of the Billboard Hot 100 and Mainstream format radio stations, "To Anyone" should have become at least Top 30 on either the Pop or A/C charts. It still has strong potential to become a hit as it as aged very well. Sheena sings it will just the right amount of emotion. It is the only truly bittersweet song on the album.

Overall, "What Comes Naturally" is a A+ effort that obiviously was created and made with care and passion. It stands as one of the best albums most people do not have but should. This is especially true for anyone who enjoys the Pop/R&B/AC sound most popular albums at the time and for a long time after that possess. The album includes all the song lyrics, all the credits. It also has a few well chose photographs of Sheena at her most beautiful. The centrefold headshot photograph where she looks fabulous! It is an album I will treasure along with all of the Sheena albums. I hope she comes back to the upper regions of the albums and singles charts again, this time to stay!

Here's one i had on tape and just like every thing else i knew that one day that tape is gonna go pop well it can now anytime it want's too. And oh yes love that cd cover.

Rondall Banks

This is one Sheena Easton's most fun albums to date, which is now 2008. I have truly been a Sheena fan all of her career, but this release was truly a delight from track one to the end. Let's get together and What comes naturally, just seemed to fit the times for me when it was released. Early 90's and a joy for life were fit for the times. I truly would have worn out a vinyl copy of this album, thank god it was released in the era of CD's. Time Bomb is a true testament to our time now of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. I love Sheena and all her works from the past and for the future. Although, this review has dealt with a 1991 release mainly, Sheena has had several releases after this. No Strings, Fabulous, Home,(of which may be purchased through international based websites.)

This is quite a good album that should not be inorged. Here she emulates Paula Adbul with this set of savvy Urban/Dance-Pop tunes. Some highlights are "What Comes Naturally", "You Can Swing It", "To Anyone", and "Manic Panic" among other. An album worth checking out from this talented and very commerially viable artist. Also check out the following albums:
Laura Branigan-Laura Branigan
Samantha Fox-Just One Night
Millie Jackson-Young Man, Older Woman

I love this album, ...This album does have a few ballads but they are not slow. Sheena's voice is clear & smooth. My favourites are the first single, "What Comes Naturally", the second single, "You Can Swing It", the third single, "To Anyone", "Somebody", which could have easily been recorded by Samantha Fox or Britney Spears, "Manic Panic", and "If You Wanna Keep Me". This is a great album that should have brought her multi-platinum (at least double platinum) success to Sheena Easton, one of the best pop artists.

This is a great CD. In terms of todays music I'd say it was comparable to Vitamin C or Britney Spears but of course Sheena has a far better voice. This was her 8th studio album and it's excellent. The style of the music is dated slightly as it was made in 1991 but if you can get over that it's a great great mixture of R&B and Pop. Highlights are 'Manic Panic', 'First Touch Of Love' and 'What Comes Naturally'. Fans of Sheena's more traditional ballad filled albums should proceed to the checkout with caution but casual 90's pop fans wont be disappointed with 'What Comes Naturally'.