Customer Reviews

Zagora

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is still a Loose Ends favorite release of mine ! Before hip hop or the "new" hard hitting style of rap I had almost forgotten what it was like to listen to a genuine R & B, adult contemp.jazz flavored, dance group or album. Leave it to the Brits or the U.K. to really sound like many of their American musical counterparts when it comes to good old fashioned R&B/Soul sounds. Zagora opens with the Middle Eastern sounding of Stay A Little While and then breaks into familiar mid-80's groove territory.Then, it goes for the slick and pulsating sassiness of Slow Down. The soothing sultriness of Sweetest Pain and the sweet balladry of You Can't Stop The Rain make any listener appreciate true vocal talent and musicianship from such a group.

The only other release, as the original trio of Loose Ends ,that would come close to this album is entitled The Real Chuckeeboo from 1988 (no longer in print nor available as a c.d. import).If any true fan or listener can spot this title at a used c.d. shop,two words of advice, GRAB IT !

Loose Ends. They had a sound and style like no other. Huge hits came from this small unit. Smooth vocals. Timeless melodies that stay etched in one's mind. Funky rythym arrangements. Clever sound effects (check out the synthesizer breakdown on "Stay a Little While"---don't leave...don't, dont, don't leave... ). . Zagora yields the classic head-bobbing tracks, "Slow Down", "Stay A Little While" and the hilarious "Who are You?". "You Can't Stop the Rain" is a gentle ballad. These are my favorite cuts off Zagora. I miss Loose Ends. They took the U.S. by storm with some serious grooves. Zagora is a must have for true lovers of "old skool" soul. You can still put this CD on and have an all-out jam session for real!

Loose Ends is playing in the Bay Area for New Year's Eve and I just finished listening to an interview with the lead singer and I just had to write a review. This is one of my favorite bands along with the SOS Band, whom it is quite evident influenced Loose Ends, and Cameo. I remember when I first heard 'Hanging on a String' on a recommendation from my mother, no less, and it totally blew my mind.

Although, I didn't buy the "A Little Spice" album, I bought their subsequent albums which are all good -- "Zagora" being the best one of all in my opinion with the classics -- 'I Can't Wait Another Minute' and 'You Can't Stop the Rain.' 'The Sweetest Pain' and 'Stay A Little While, Child' were in heavy rotation on my boom box as well. I had this album on cassette tape and played it so much that the tape thinnned out and finally broke. I guess it's time to cop a new one.

This band has been sampled by many hip hop artists, such as: Pete Rock and Shaq, who did his take on 'You Can't Stop the Rain.' For those of you who like really good music, buy this because there is something on this album for all "true" music lovers to appreciate.

The 80s saw many R&B acts from the UK make it big 'across the pond': Heatwave, Billy Ocean, Sade, Terrance Trent D'Arby and Soul II Soul are just a few, but, it was really Loose Ends (along with Sade) who had the most success in the R&B market of the American South, where I grew up. 'Zagora' is clearly Loose Ends' best album. "Stay A Little While Child" and "Slow Down" were two of the group's most successful singles while "Nights of Pleasure" and "You Can't Stop The Rain" have become permanent fixtures on "Quiet Storm" radio programs across the South. While the group's material before and since is well worth a listen, for those curious about Loose Ends, 'Zagora' is the most precise and well-rounded introduction to one of the groups who forever changed the sound of R&B on both sides of the Atlantic.

Like wizard producers Jam and Lewis was to the S.O.S. Band, Nick Martinelli sparked that same magic for one of U.K.'s finest groups. Zagora is definitely the album that put Loose Ends in a category all their own and with such hits as the silky but smooth "Slow Down," "Stay a Little While Chile," and "Nights of Pleasure," just to name a few, it's no wonder that this album still strucks a chord with listeners. It's definite truth that timeless classics never go out of style.

My fiancee & I really love Loose End's music. They are one of the BEST R & B singing groups EVER. We are searching for the 12" vinyl record of Loose End's "Got To Make You Mine" single which is on the "B" side of the featured single "Name of the game" (I'm uncertain of the featured single "Name of the game"...HELP!!). If, anyone knows where I can purchase this album single in New Jersey or New York, or online, please let me know. I'm getting married 11/27/99 and would like this played at my wedding reception & as part of a special gift (it needs to be the album record...NO, CD or cassette). Thanks, so much!!

"Zagora" would be the second Loose Ends album that would see Jane Eugene, Carl MacIntosh and Steve Nichols to the top of the R&B chart with the hit singles, "Stay A Little While, Child" and "Slow Down." There was also a minor hit in "Nights of Pleasure." If you are a fan of cool, sophisticated midtempo R&B a la the eighties with ultra smooth crooning and a hint of that now famous cowbell sound used chiefly by Jam & Lewis and cloned with great results, this is the album for you. "Zagora" followed up the highly successful "A Little Spice" album which boasted hits in "Hanging on A String," "Choose Me" and "Tell Me What You Want."

This group is really the original Soul II Soul. Since back in 86'when I was in the 10th grade in High School Loose Ends has been one of the all time favorite groups for me. Ever since the very first album "A little Spice" with the hit song "Hanging on String" which is the jam that really put them on the map, they were colossal. The follow up album "The Real Chuckeeboo" had phenominal success hich was a masterpiece, and then ending with "Look How Long" which had mediocre success right before the breakup of the group, was alright. This group was the breakout group for other R&B/Hip-Hop groups coming from the UK during that time frame. If you have all 4 albums from then then you have something on your hands. Their music could set the tone for whatever you were getting into and sounds very much as good today ( If not as better than a lot of the stuff thats out now ) than it did 18 yrs ago starting with the 1st album.

this is one of those albums, this one is so good i have it on vinly, cassette and cd. do not sleep on this i was and still am a big loose ends fan the sweetest pain till this day sounds like it was recorded today you won't be dissapointed.

When this album first came out I played it consistently, and I never got tired of it; moreover, it's been a good 10 years since I last listened to it. After running across Loose Ends on Amazon.com I decided to pull out all of my old tapes and give them a listen. I have however, over the years, pulled out A Little Spice every so often and listened to it.

But let me tell you, over the last two weeks, I haven't been able to stop listening to Zagora. I have listened to it at least 15-20 times. This album is a timeless classic that sounds just as fresh today as it did 15 years ago. Every song on this album is a masterpiece.

This group deserves so much more credit and recognition than it has ever received, and I wish that they would have been an international phenomenon. With such incredible songs as: Stay a Little While, Child [Remix], Slow Down, I Can't Wait (Another Minute), Sweetest Pain, Who Are You?, You Can't Stop the Rain, & Nights of Pleasure, Zagora deserves to be in everyones top 20 albums of all time.

Buy it, you won't be disappointed. I just hope that I can stop listening to it long enough so that I can check out The Real Chuckeeboo after all these years. I have officially re-fallen in love with LOOSE ENDS!!! (Not that I ever fallen out of love with them) :)