Review
After my January 2016 review of Telstar’s Get On This, I took six months off. This second volume has 32 dance hits and uses the following acts on the front inlay: Massivo, F.A.B. featuring MC Parker, Bobby Brown, Chad Jackson, Technotronic, Paula Abdul, Blue Pearl, Soup Dragons. The booklet features a painting that wouldn’t be out of place on a 4AD release while pages 6 and 7 have text background that reminds me of Pixies’ Bossanova.
The spectre of Madchester hangs heavy. We begin with Technotronic’s wonderful fourth single, Rockin’ Over The Beat (Rockin’ Over Manchester 7″ Mix) – a nice change from the LP edit – which now seems more evocative as every year passes by. Beat On The Street and debs parties. Yazz’s Treat Me Good is an upfront workout which seems almost reflective in its delivery while Bobby Brown’s Freestyle Megamix (7″) is still marvelous – On Our Own, Don’t Be Cruel, Every Little Step, My Prerogative. We go dark with Queen Latifah’s little-known and elongated Come Into My House, remixed by The 45 King while Monie Love drops the funky Monie In The Middle. Decreasing the tempo, Lisa Stansfield’s Affection and Massivo’s chilled-out twist on Minnie Ripperton’s Loving You. And stones. . . I’m Free.
“It’s so hot in here.”
I worked in a grain yard – Minch Norton – all through the hot summer of 1990. Blue Pearl’s hard-hitting Naked In The Rain formed part of the soundtrack. A stunning debut produced by Youth and ably assisted by 808 State’s Graham Massey. Next comes Chad Jackson’s punishing Hear The Drummer Get Wicked followed by the fabulous F.A.B. and the ’60s marionette banger Thunderbirds Are Go. Anything can happen as we go deep into piano house territory on Tingo Tango’s euphoric It Is Jazz. The ubiquitous Dub Me Good To Me leads into Daryl Pandy’s slamming crossover tune I Love Music. And then Simon Harris returns with a curious cover of Don’t Stop The Music. On duty: Dina Carroll and Monte Luc. CD1 ends on a timely note – I am typing this while watching Spain v Iran.
“Express yourself
It’s one on one.”
Starting CD2: Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe, otherwise known as Bell Biv DeVoe. Poison is tough stuff, programmed pack-jam beats. In the sky with diamonds are Candy Flip and the gorgeous swirl of This Can Be Real. July 1990, post World Cup comedown banger. “Absolutely the most fun I’ve ever had making a video. I recruited everyone I knew. The producer (he’s on the phone next to me), my ex-girlfriends, all my mates (Steve, Chris, Lee, Mole…to name but a few) stood on a conveyor belt and ‘performed’ as they passed the camera. We originally wanted to shoot it in one take – but ended up cutting it. It was summer, we were young, it was great. Not the best video I’ve ever made – but the most enjoyable.” (Miles) Equally laidback is Free, a deadly slice of UK street soul that’s still magic while Fresh Connection’s downtempo version of Love Don’t Live Here Anymore fits in perfectly. Love and devotion. If you like that, you may enjoy IJ & The Sound Wave’s hazy take on 10cc’s I’m Not In Love.
“There’s a pub if you got to go.”
Calling Berwick Street! Take the riff from The Smiths’ How Soon Is Now? and layer it over a Soul II Soul rhythm track. The result was the rather tripped-out Hippychick which fits this sequence like a hand in glove. To the promised land via the Rebel MC – it’s their final release of 1990, the sweetly sung Rebel Music before yet another cover – Da Yeene’s Drive My Car – beep! beep! After Paula Abdul’s funky Opposites Attract, it’s the return of the Maxx – Klymaxx and the swinging Good Love. For some completely different, look no further than the Art Of Love by the Art Of Noise. Their Loaded, an irresistible unique groove. Jamming on, Don Pablo’s well known Venus, Deskee’s crucial Dance Dance, Critical Rhythm’s trance halls sound. End of the line: Salsoul meets Philip Glass in Olimax + DJ Shapps haunting cover of Last Night A DJ Saved My Life. Once more – let’s make some noise – D-Shake’s pounding epic house banger Yaaah. Beat On The Street choon.
Favourite tracks
D-Shake – Yaaah
Olimax + DJ Shapps – Last Night A DJ Saved My Life
Candy Flip – This Can Be Real
Art Of Noise – Art Of Love
Lest we forget
Tammy Payne – Free
A Pop Fan's Dream 
I had this on cassette at the time, I picked up cheap on CD a few years back. I still think it’s a great collection, hoovering up some lesser heard songs (even if many are covers!) from the time and featuring the great forgotten Art Of Noise single, ‘Art Of Love’ which I remember Jeff Young playing a lot.
As my school friends pointed out to me at the time, it does sound rather unfortunately like Tingo Tango are saying ‘Dingle Dangle’ in their song.
The Simon Harris track I quite like, but I’ve also seen it elsewhere (on a Megabass mix possibly) with no credit for Dina Carroll – not sure if this is her first recording of any kind or not btw – and the other guest artist being called Monte Luv rather than Monte Luc. Given that ‘v’ and ‘c’ are next to each other on the keyboard, someone’s done a typo but I have no idea which is correct!
Hi Andy – yes, a nice almost alternative slice of the summer 1990 period. Worth the price alone for Art Of Love. Tingo Tango – yes! 🙂
I think Dina Carroll did some mid 1980s work (uncredited – Masquerade got the kudos). Discogs lists variations for Monte Luc and Luv – I’d imagine they’re one and the same.
Glad to see someone else who likes the Olimax version of DJ Saved My Life. It made the grand old position of no. 98! People have no taste!
Great version Andrew! Should have been massive….
I had this back on cassette in 1990… I seem to remember it being released around the summer. I’ve had three copies on CD since then and all three had the same issue with disc 2 whereby it would skip randomly. One of the copies was clearly either pressed at a different time or by a different manufacturer (the disc looked a little different to the other two) but even that had the same problem. So I gave up and got it on vinyl instead. lol Anyway, it’s a top notch comp, full of gems… I probably didn’t even know half the songs when I first got the album but there are lots of nice surprises in there.
It’s a gem – as is the first one.
Two CD pressings – Nimbus and PDO
The latter is defective – as were many of its pressings 1989-1993 from the ill-fated Blackburn plant.