Torrents, movies, download, music, games, free, RARBG Rarbg Index page.
EMI/Manhattan Records, released November 1986
Bought: Our Price Richmond, 1990?
7/10
Flicking through Grace’s well-received memoir recently, I noticed that she rates Inside Story as her favourite album – pretty surprising considering the likes of Nightclubbing and Living My Life nestling in her discography.
But close reading of the small print reveals why it’s her most personal project – she co-wrote every track (with ex-Camera Club/’Slave To The Rhythm’ co-writer Bruce Woolley) and also co-produced the album with Nile Rodgers. And while hardly a classic, Inside Story‘s a much more wholehearted and successful record than the previous year’s Slave To The Rhythm.
It seems pretty inevitable that Nile would end up collaborating with Grace. They were long-time acquaintances on the NY party scene since the Studio 54 days. On paper, he would seem the perfect fit for her, though she barely gets a mention in his excellent memoir ‘Le Freak’ (though he has promised a sequel which will presumably feature her a lot more).
Inside Story‘s lead-off single ‘I’m Not Perfect (But I’m Perfect For You)’ surprisingly didn’t make much impact on the US or UK charts but was a minor hit all over Europe. Its Keith Haring-directed video is particularly striking though, featuring cameos from Andy Warhol and a load of other NY art figures, and there was also an interesting 12″ mix by early house pioneer Larry Levan.
The album is great when it sticks to short, sharp, frivolous pop tunes but comes a bit unstuck when going for something more ambitious. ‘White Collar Crime’ is very much the son of ‘Slave To The Rhythm’, sneaking in a few of that song’s chords and an almost identical two-note verse, but it’s let down by asthmatic synths, a puny drum machine and Nile’s sketchy bass playing, though Lenny Pickett’s punchy horn arrangement is a winner.
The title track is weirdly reminiscent of Leonard Cohen’s ’80s output while ‘Victor Should Have Been A Jazz Musician’ is possibly the standout, namechecking Nina Simone and featuring some lovely Wes Montgomery-style guitar from Rodgers.
Inside Story‘s rhythm section sounds in general are slightly disappointing – Rodgers’ guitar is too low in the mix and a Linn machine takes care of all the drum parts. This suits the mechanized grooves of ‘Barefoot In Beverly Hills’ (almost an example of early house music), ‘Party Girl’ and ‘Scary But Fun’, but the jazzier tracks are crying out for a real drummer. I wonder why Nile didn’t enlist the services of Mr Steve Ferrone, seeing as they’d recently worked together to superb effect on Al Jarreau’s L Is For Lover and Duran Duran’s Notorious.
Inside Story was not a hit, reaching only #61 in the UK album chart and #81 in the US. It’s unlikely to ever get the big-budget, bells-and-whistles re-release/remaster treatment, but sounds pretty good these days.
Advertisements
Inside Story | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 14, 1986 | |||
Recorded | 1986 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 41:57 | |||
Label | Manhattan | |||
Producer | ||||
Grace Jones chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Inside Story | ||||
|
Grace Jones Inside Story Lyrics
Professional ratings | |
---|---|
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Robert Christgau | B+[2] |
Inside Story is the eighth studio album by Jamaican-American singer Grace Jones, released in November 1986, her first with the Manhattan Records label. The album spawned the hit single 'I'm Not Perfect (But I'm Perfect for You)'.
- 5Chart positions
Background[edit]
Having achieved a major success with the comeback album Slave to the Rhythm and the best-selling hits compilation Island Life, both in 1985, Grace Jones delivered her next album the following year. Released under her new contract with Manhattan Records, Inside Story saw Jones working with producer Nile Rodgers of Chic (Jones had previously tried to work with the band during the disco era[3]). The album was recorded at Skyline Studios in New York and post-produced at Atlantic Studios and Sterling Sound. Inside Story is notable for being Jones' first foray into production, which resulted in frequent, heated clashes with Rodgers.[1] Musically, the album explores varieties of pop music, with elements of jazz, gospel and Caribbean sounds, marking the point when Jones turned towards a more accessible, commercial sound. All songs were written by Grace Jones and Bruce Woolley. The artwork for the album was designed by Richard Bernstein (artist), who had previously worked with Jones on artwork for the '70s albums Portfolio, Fame and Muse.
The release of Inside Story was surrounded by Manhattan Records' 'most extensive marketing and merchandising campaign ever', as described by the Billboard magazine.[4] The promotional strategy would include magazine and newspaper advertisements, street posters, radio spots and more, with the record company targeting the US market, where Grace had never been a mainstream pop star. Eventually, Inside Story would become one of Jones' greatest album successes, making the top 40 in a number of European countries. Despite being her lowest-charting album in the UK, it still sold well enough in the British market to be certified silver there. The album also remains her last entry to date on the US Billboard 200 albums chart.
A remastered, copy protected edition of the album was released in 2004 on EMI Records, along with Bulletproof Heart. Unlike the latter, the re-released Inside Story came with no bonus tracks.
In the 2015 book I'll Never Write My Memoirs, Jones stated: 'When I listen to Inside Story, I can hear the energy of what was going on the moment it was made. [...] It's where I was at the time. Nile's ear was different from mine, and he was responding to his idea of me, and it was an American Nile production, with all that entails, but I think it is beautiful. There were other ways of doing that material, but I like how it ended up. I don't listen to all my records, but I play that one a lot, because it is interesting to hear what Nile was thinking.'[5]
Singles[edit]
'I'm Not Perfect (But I'm Perfect for You)' became the album's lead single, accompanied by a popular music video. The song would become one of Jones' most successful singles and her highest (as well as last ever) entry on Billboard Hot 100. 'Party Girl' was released at the end of 1986 to very modest success, only making the top 40 in Italy.
The third single was different for the North American and European markets. The R&B-influenced 'Crush' was chosen for the US and Canada, while the European market received the jazzy 'Victor Should Have Been a Jazz Musician'. Neither single, released in spring 1987, achieved chart success.
Track listing[edit]
All tracks written by Grace Jones and Bruce Woolley.
Side one | ||
---|---|---|
No. | Title | Length |
1. | 'I'm Not Perfect (But I'm Perfect for You)' | 3:57 |
2. | 'Hollywood Liar' | 3:50 |
3. | 'Chan Hitchhikes to Shanghai' | 4:33 |
4. | 'Victor Should Have Been a Jazz Musician' | 4:42 |
5. | 'Party Girl' | 3:44 |
Grace Jones Inside Story
Side two | ||
---|---|---|
No. | Title | Length |
6. | 'Crush' | 3:27 |
7. | 'Barefoot in Beverly Hills' | 4:07 |
8. | 'Scary But Fun' | 3:55 |
9. | 'White Collar Crime' | 4:59 |
10. | 'Inside Story' | 4:31 |
Personnel[edit]
- Scott Ansell – sound engineering
- Richard Bernstein – computer image
- Knut Bohn – engineering
- Greg Calbi – mastering
- Barry Diament – digital editing
- Steve Elson – baritone saxophone, flute
- James Farber – recording, mixing
- Mac Gollehon – trumpet
- Stan Harrison – alto saxophone
- Grace Jones – vocals, production
- Kevin Jones – digital interfacing, sequencing, drum programming
- Lenny Pickett – tenor saxophone
- Nile Rodgers – production, arrangements
- Budd Tunick – production managing
- Bruce Woolley – arrangements
![Grace Jones Inside Story Rarlab Grace Jones Inside Story Rarlab](/uploads/1/2/6/6/126641227/712854123.jpg)
Chart positions[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Certifications and sales[edit]
|
Release history[edit]
Region | Year | Format(s) | Label |
---|---|---|---|
Worldwide | 1986 | LP, CD, Cassette | Manhattan |
Yugoslavia | 1987 | LP | Jugoton, Manhattan |
Europe | 2004 | CD | EMI |
References[edit]
- ^ abRon Wynn. 'Inside Story - Grace Jones'. www.allmusic.com. Retrieved 2006-12-28.
- ^Robert Christgau. 'Robert Christgau: CG: grace jones'. www.robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 2012-04-12.
- ^'Nile & Bernard - Chic - Tribute @ Disco-Disco.com'. www.disco-disco.com. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- ^Billboard – Google Livros. Google Books. 1986-12-13. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
- ^Jones, Grace; Morley, Paul. I'll Never Write My Memoirs. Simon & Schuster. p. 303. ISBN978-1-4711-3521-7.
- ^Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). Sydney: Australian Chart Book. p. 160. ISBN0-646-11917-6.
- ^'Discographie Grace Jones' (in German). austriancharts.at. Archived from the original on 2010-10-31. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
- ^'Suche nach 'grace jones''. www.charts.de (in German). Retrieved 2012-04-05.
- ^'Liedsuche' (in German). www.charts-surfer.de. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
- ^'Discography Grace Jones'. charts.org.nz. Archived from the original on 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
- ^'Discography Grace Jones'. swedishcharts.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-24. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
- ^'Grace Jones' (in German). hitparade.ch. Archived from the original on 2010-08-02. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
- ^'Grace Jones | Artist | Official Charts'. UK Albums Chart. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
- ^ ab'Grace Jones'. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2009-11-11.
- ^'Grace Jones Album & Song Chart History'. www.billboard.com. Retrieved 2012-04-05.
- ^'Grace Jones Album & Song Chart History'. www.billboard.com. Retrieved 2012-04-05.
- ^'British album certifications – Grace Jones – Inside Story'. British Phonographic Industry.Select albums in the Format field.Select Silver in the Certification field.Type Inside Story in the 'Search BPI Awards' field and then press Enter.
External links[edit]
- Inside Story on Allmusic
- Inside Story on Discogs
- Inside Story on Rate Your Music
Grace Jones Inside Story Album
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Inside_Story_(Grace_Jones_album)&oldid=909129730'