Raw Like Sushi

I don't think this has dated well, though there are some fresh sounding bits.

Swedish? Hell yeah! Pretty solid album. Buffalo Stance obviously the best track, everything else sounds cool but not groundbreaking from my perspective. Glad I listened and discovered though! Strong 3.5

I like

Buffalo Stance es un bombazo. También están bien Manchild o Kisses in the wind. El resto hip-hop de los 90 hecho desde Europa. Tuvo su momento pero creo que no dio más de sí.

Random fact completely irrelevant to the rest of the review: today I learned "Raw Like Sushi" was released in June 1989, on the very same day as Beijing's Tiananmen Square protests. Tank Man nailed that buffalo stance. This album seems to scream of possibility, a last gasp for the 80s and a hint of what would immediately follow. There's a competent fusion between mainstream pop and emergent hip-hop with dance styles that would become more defined in the years to come. Neneh Cherry worked with various members of Massive Attack on the recording, and would later lend her vocals to some of "Blue Lines" in return- it's interesting to trace a through-line beginning here. Drawing as it does from these styles, "Raw Like Sushi" is very clearly date-stamped, from the opening cry of "DJ!" to the pervasive scratch sound effects and the hollow, atomic drum machine beats. But when it works, it really works. The album begins brilliantly- "Buffalo Stance" glows with confidence and boasts a simple yet instantly memorable synth and vocal line. Cherry quickly establishes herself as a very dynamic, likeable presence (from introducing the percussion in stages to the goofy "WOT is he LOYKE?" interlude). "Kisses on the Wind" is another upbeat gem where the litany of "Like a Prayer" comparisons feel most appropriate: all uptempo grooves, twinkling synths and reedy vocals, it feels like it would have been at home in the charts upon release. Unfortunately, the exuberance is short lived. After fourth track highlight "Inner City Mamma" (with another groovy chorus line) proceedings become disappointingly staid. The melodies seem to dry up, arrangements don't stray from the late 80's programmed framework, and the energy becomes a little more reserved. It's an anticlimactic case of a top-loaded album, where the inspiration evaporates after the first half. Cherry is still a great vocalist throughout, glimmering with promise and carrying the weight of the material. Occasionally her raps become tiring and outweigh the strength of the sung vocals, but on the whole she just about sells the songs. The material overall is well worthy of a three stars, if only for the lead single (which will remain in your head long after the rest of it has faded).

Not my music

Bon, engagé. Ca sonne bien et j’ai aime pour le moment. 3.75. Je ne m’attendais pas a aime

Reminded me of Paula Abdul, pretty good 90s rap feel.

Like the combination of influences/genres here and nostalgic for alot of the synth tones but somehow it doesn't coalesce as an album for me.

Respectable but very 80s sounding hip-hop. Not my thing. Definitely Prince meets Michael Jackson.

kinda fun

Quite enjoyed this. Good singer, decent rapper. good songwriting but there is a but of filler here. 3/5

Pretty good, but not great. The songs tend to go on too long, and maybe one or two songs could have or should have been cut. I do dig the late 80s hip hop vibes though. I'd probably give it 3.5/5 if I could, but alas. The first song was the best.

Weirdly quite enjoyable

Not bad

Enjoyable in an "of its time" kinda way. Don't think it's one I'd return to though.

Interesting mix of pop/hip hop/ r&b Fav tracks: Buffalo Stance, Inna City Mamma

A lot more enjoyable than I’d expected. It held up really well.

I give this a 4/5 for being such a nostalgic album. Such a great time in my life when I lived in the Netherlands and this was the hottest album at the time. I listened to it many times back then and loved it. Now, it has been many years since I've heard it. It isn't quite as good as I remember, but I loved hearing it again. 3/5 overall.

3.5, this was pretty good. I was expecting it to fall a bit more on the hip hop side than the pure 80s vibe it had. Very very tempted to bump to a 4, but would I seek it out to listen again, eh probably not though that's not meant as a slight on the album

It's got some bops that's for sure. Had never heard of Neneh Cherry before, and while this isn't really my kinda jams, I didn't mind having it on in the background.

Good 90s club music, but I can easily see why she's classified as a 1HW.

3/5

Very 80s hip hop

Decent 80's pop with tons of early hip-hop influences. Fun little trip.back.in time for me with this one.

Бедноватый альбом. Впрочем, возможно, так можно охарактеризовать весь ранний хип-хоп. Аранжировки слишком блёклые. Конечно, акцент делается на вокалистке, голос её неплох, да, но не богоподобен, чтобы вытащить альбом. Задумался, а как бы оно звучало, будь на вокале Майкл Джексон. Возможно, поинтереснее, но всяко не шедевр. Что там по трекам: Buffalo Stance – цепляющие поп-элементы, вполне звучит как хит. А ещё как трек, который я бы не скипнул в GTA. Флоу речитативов в куплетах тоже неплох, но скучноват. Manchild – попытка сделать что-то интересное, но вышло нечто одиозное. Навязчивое, раздражающее. Эффект складывается из-за перепадов в вокальных партиях. Там где звучат ровно – неплохо. Heart – выцепил с первого же прослушивания. Цепляющий припев, приятные куплеты. Напевал между делом. Остальные треки можно в целом охарактеризовать так: неплохие припевы, скучноватые куплеты. В итоге имеем, вероятно, занимательный альбом для своего времени, но довольно блёклый в 2к22.

Liked it more than I thought I would. Manchild and Phoney Ladies are the highlights. Not a fan of the LL Cool J inspired rapping.

Very 90s

was pop ok

This was an interesting listen. I had no expectations going into it, and was pleasantly surprised. Cherry is a decent rapper and a better singer. I do think this album would’ve benefitted from some editing - every song seems to be trying to do everything, and some of them are all over the place. “Buffalo Stance”, “Manchild” start the album off strong, then it’s weaker through the middle with a strong finish on “My Bitch”. Oh also, it’s interesting that a couple of members of Massive Attack helped write “Manchild” - it sounds almost like a proto-Massive Attack song.

Very listenable, was surprised that I liked it at all since this isn't my normal hard rock style of music.

Not bad. Few tracks I’d go back to which is more than can be said about others on the list. I don’t think it’s aged particularly well. Feels very ‘early 90s’.

Surprisingly enjoyed it. Not a 4 because I wouldn’t really listen to it again, buts it’s still good

'Chocolates, bananas, doughnuts and salami Ain't gonna fit cause you're full of bologna' Extremely tame lyrics on this album. Fun enough to listen to but man, the lyrics / style haven't aged particularly well haha

Not easily classifiable as a whole, Raw Like Sushi is one of the most soulful and "hip-hop" albums considered neither R&B nor rap.

Enjoyed more than expected. I was unfamiliar with her

No conocía a Neneh Cherry, la verdad, pero pues tiene un sonido muy ochentero en la línea de lo que hicieron Janet Jackson y Paula Abdul. Me entretuvo pero no agregué ninguna canción a mi playlist personal

Good album. Same genre/style as Janet Jackson or Shelia E.

Good, really enjoyed listening to it. ***

No lo sé, Rick. El sonido característico de los 90s me gusta, está cool, pero también, como diría Maria, es como estar escuchando una hora de lo mismo. Canción favorita: Love Ghetto. Mood: early Will Smith vibes

Decently fun album with a wide range of styles and instrumentation. 5/10, probably sounded more modern on release than it does today.

Nice

I liked it when she wasn't doing that terrible 80s rap

Had no clue what to expect with this one. Very 90s angsty rap feel. A couple songs I liked the vibe of, but not something I'd listen to regularly.

I quite liked this

I had no clue she made music like this at the beginning of her career. It’s a weird pre-Spice Girls style that I have difficulties appreciating.

I don’t think this was ever good

Annoying

80's rap pop? I mean cmon

She had a big hit with Buffalo Dance the rest is just meh.

Just annoying very dated scratching and pop crap. Really hasn’t stood up over time. Although didn’t like this then. Certainly don’t like it now. Not sure what the hype about Neneh Cherry is.

Recognised the first couple tracks. Very 80s, but successfully so. Musically eclectic, with lots of energy and attitude. But sharply diminishing returns after that. Not without its qualities, but disappointing as an album.

Ihme hybridi paskaa kasaria ja proto-ysäriä. Rasittavan kuulonen laulaja, räpit ihan ookoo kasaria, mut kyllästyin ekan kahen biisin aikana ja pyörittelin vaan silmiä sille kuinka halpaa kasaria tuntu olevan vaan valtaosin. Ei jatkoon.

I think Neneh is talented, but this album is afflicted by the sound of its time. Late 80s pop didn’t have a lot to offer me.

At least the album title feels accurate; it's like raw fish from the 80s.

wow. Literal one hit wonder on here. Lovely woman and I do like "Buffalo Stance".

I'd actually never heard Buffalo Stance before...and whoa, what's this? An awesome 80s pop album I'd never heard before? No, it was just the one song batting leadoff....and the rest quickly became a slog. Buffalo Stance still sounded awesome...80s for sure but it worked and it was still great. The rest of the songs are just terribly dated. One minute she wants to rap (and it's not great rapping) the next minute she wants to be Paula Abdul, the next minute she wants to be Whitney Houston and she does none of those things well. It's a voice that's certainly not terrible but also not really great. It was a chore to listen to. I made it halfway through, skipped ahead to a song called "My Bitch" because that seemed like it warranted attention (it didn't), listened to Buffalo Stance once more and turned it off.

2/5. One of the most reused lazy lines in music criticism is “this music sounds like it came out in [insert year]” which is usually just a long-winded way to say it sounds dated. However, this Nenah Cherry album REALLY sounds like it came from the late 80’s in terms of its approach to pop-rap. Which is for me to its detriment as I’m not the biggest fan of this era/sound. The opener “Buffalo Stance” was pretty good though. Another album that I can appreciate in the sense that it clearly influenced a number of artists to come after, but I personally got very little out of.

What in the Paula Abdul late 1980s mess is this? First time ever hearing this artist and album but immediately felt like 1988 - almost had me pining for the parachute pants and mullet I wore junior year of high school. There is minimal value here beyond nostalgia; wholly forgettable. 2/5

raw like sh**

I had the memory of a triphop jazzy Neneh Cherry, probably thanks to her collaboration with Nick Caves and alike in the Wim Wenders project "Until the end of the World" in 1991 (I still have the soudntrack CD somewhere). I must say I am disapointed as the music background is much too dated in a bad way.

Je ne suis pas nostalgique de ces années là et la musique est très datée. Bref, aussi vite écouté qu'oublié ! Je mets 2 étoiles car ce n'est pas inaudible comme certains albums récemment écoutés

Classic example of a great hit, followed by... songs.

A decent sounding album blending ‘80s hip-hop and RnB, with tracks Buffalo Stance and Inna City Mamma that you’ll probably know. However, I think Cherry was much better when singing rather than rapping/talking, which there was more of as the album went on. Vibes wise, I can’t help but feel that Cherry, raised by two notable artists, was cosplaying a bit as a black working class woman? The vague social sentiments we get interspersed throughout the album feel like a bit of a telltale sign that this is all a bit inauthentic.

Like the titular dish, this hip-hop/dance-pop album was probably more appealing when it was fresh. After 37 years, however, it’s unfortunately gone off (for me at least). I found the production really dated, the rapping really basic, and the songs really boring. It’s a shame as I can appreciate that this would have been rather distinctive back in 1989, with a female rapper-singer tackling lyrical themes of growing up, relationships with men, motherhood, etc. ‘Buffalo Stance’ is still good fun, and some other tracks are all right, but there’s not enough here for me to give it 3 stars.

buffalo stance is a great track and manchild is fine, but the rest of this is just no killer, all filler. if there's some reason neneh cherry is incredibly culturally important and i'm completely clueless, then i'm afraid that's yet another failing of the american school system. it's their fault, not mine. favorites: buffalo stance, manchild, buffalo stance - sukka mix

Not great, but listenable. 4/10

The late 80s at their 80est. I mean, the samples, the aggressive energy, the fashion is all there. That being said there are a few singles that were undeniable pop. The hook on Buffalo Stance is a freaking masterpiece.

Holy shit, dit album heeft misschien wel het meest cringy begin van alle albums op deze lijst. Tering zeg. Een soort Telekids rap is het. Het album hangt van gare 80's geluidseffecten (die neppe scratches bijvoorbeeld of die typische orchestral stab), slechte raps en gedateerdheid aan elkaar. Het klinkt niet verschrikkelijk alsin je oren doen geen pijn en je hoofd wordt er niet moe van, maar het is wel slecht zeg. Veel commerciëler kun je het ook haast niet krijgen. Het had niet in deze lijst gehoeven. Ik geef 2 sterren.

great idea, killer 1st track but the rest is so bland and blah

So not into this. She’s trying to be funky, but there’s no funk. Don’t like her.voice and the lyrics are pretty bad.. Mediocre.pop.

Not my thing

I didn't like it when it came out and it didn't get any better over the past 35 years

Poppia ja räppiä yhdistelevä levy, joka ei kuulosta kovin freesiltä enää nykyään.

Not my style at all, I like the message in the songs but can’t vibe with the style.

Ved ikke helt hvad jeg synes om den. Kan godt lide instrumentationen, men rappen rammer lidt skævt. Det giver mig kæmpe Fresh Prince vibes. Der er god energi og groovy beats, men kommer nok ikke til at høre det igen.

Cheesy like mozzarella.

shit

I can't help but think of that Rico Suave lyric "I eat em raw like sushi". Since this came earlier than that, i wonder if that influenced that lyric choice. I haven't heard "Buffalo Stance" in ages. I'll add that to the playlist. The rest of it does nothing for me.

Reeks of 1989.

An album that is of its time where most songs have the same sound. Albums that make this list should be able to stand the test of time and still sound fresh but this one falls short of that. A couple of good songs though to make it two stars.

This was better than I was prepared for it to be. Not running out to listen to it again mind you.

Heard it before. And I'm afraid Buffalo Stance is the only good thing here. The rest is terrible late 80s stuff with silly lyrics 2/5

This was ok, nothing that special. I can't say anything about it.

There was some nostalgia in this one for me, but listening to it almost 40 years later - I realize it just isn’t that good.

Nice flash back to Buffalo stance but not much else here.

I remember Neneh Cherry's name, but not her music so I dug in to her artistic history a bit. She seems to have been involved with Massive Attack at some point, which is probably where I first read her name in some liner notes. In any case, this album is painfully dated. The insane drop off of streams on spotify from Buffalo stance to the rest of the album is really funny; the first song has 30 million+ listens, the next 10 million, then 1 million, then sub 500k for the remaining 10+ tracks. Having listened to the whole thing, I can see why. It's not genre bending like the critics imply, it's just new jack swing for over an hour and that genre has really not aged well. It can be fun when you're in the mood but otherwise it sounds like a parody of itself. We probably don't have another album like this on here, so maybe that's the reason it's in the list. This album stands on the strength of Buffalo Stance but that's it, the rest is almost painful to listen to.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORIIIIIIIIIIIIING

Understand why people could like this but I’m not the target audience

Some people really like this, I was not one of them.

1.9 2x decent enough beat just not my thing

The Cherry Thing is a much better way to experience her talents.

At first I thought it was going to be pretty good. It got old quick though and wasn’t very into it after 3 songs. Still significantly better than Mariah Carey’s bullshit.

Still don't know what a Buffalo Stance is...

flip a coin. heads the song sucks bad tails the song kinda rules.

A fun listen, typical late 80's.

I wish I didn't detest the sound of 97% of old school rap. It's just so annoying to meeeeeeeeee. There was at least like, 2 tolerable songs though, and I simply have to respect the fact that without this type of shit walking (crawling, truly) then the Actual Good Stuff of 00s-onward wouldn't exist today. Thank you for your service Neneh, I hope I never hear your voice ever again.

Not my genre. A product of its time, for sure.

Couple good tracks but most are just ok.

I feel like this album finally made sense for me, regarding the incredibly 80s production, when I read that her first single was written on a Casio keyboard using autochord. Sonically the album is in fact incredibly dated, but as someone who enjoys cheesy synths of the late 80s/90s it isn't a dealbreaker here. However, the songwriting just isn't clicking for me. I'll admit I'm not equipped to relate to the maternal themes that make up most of this album's lyrics, but I still gotta say they are not doing it for me. The particular standout in this regard was "The New Generation", a song that made me do a double take and go find a lyrics sheet to read due to coming off as what I can only describe as a weirdly natalist screed. Album also isn't helped by the fact that while she has a good voice, her delivery/flow does not do the extremely dense lyrics any justice. There are cheesy albums of this era that stood the test of time but this isn't really one of them, in my opinion. 4.5/10.

I've never heard of her or any of the songs. Buffalo Stance is very catchy. Wasn't feeling it after the first couple of songs. Not my type of music. 2/5

ass

So 80s oof

NEW JACK SWING nonie de begriff ghört so funny hahaha buffalo stance hani glaub scho auscho ghört aber jo LEIDER befürchte ich, dass mier das album nöd so wird gfalle es jsch halt echli asi aber ich finds soo schnell soo cheesy hahaha s "klavier-solo" bi inna vity mama isch no cool, hetti nöd erwartet poah ich bin ja jz würkli en guy, wo megaaa um production cared aber ALLES tönt so FLACH und CHALT iwie? v.a. wennd lyrics (zumindest das woni verstahn) na cool und wichtig sind HAHAHAH outré risqué locomotive isch ja SO ARSCH alsooo de refrain findi eig würkli na cool aber de beat het mich gekillt yo langwilig!

Good hip hop but it felt too dated

Lol. What is this and why is it on this list? This didn't age the well the day it was made much less now. The rapping is kind of unintentionally funny. The lyrics are a disjointed mess. But I like the social conscious tones it strikes. (Keep the schools open and someone love her with more than a big dick!)

Very baggy jumpsuits vibes, not my type but I appreciated the jump back in time

The album started with a couple of well known bangers, but was mostly a poorly dated time capsule from the late eighties.

the arrangement and production is kinda fun on some tracks, but the lyrics got so cringey i got pretty turned off to the whole thing.

Why was this one on the list???

A bit of a mess but the energy was there!!

The first song is good The rest of the album is spent reminiscing about how the first song was good It's alright, the album is fun, but all of the songs feel a lot more clunky and awkward after the opener

Intriguing, this is certainly better than I might have expected. The constant obsession with how people be frontin' and maxxin' is a bit annoying, though. If the song content were a bit more illuminating, the music could shine a bit more.

19 - Neneh Cherry - Raw Like Sushi - Rating = 2 Opens with Buffalo Stance which is the hit from this record. Fun song if dated. Slow groove… really dated… not so much… Kisses on the Wind is even more dated… wow. Inner City is a little sticker jam but still screaming early 90’s. The Next Generation… sort of a hip-hop rap vocal with a cheesy beat… no. Love Ghetto is just cheese… Here’s the thing… these songs are all too long and feature early-90’s synth beats… I’m not going to put this on.. Buffalo Stance saves the album… I’m not offended by this album like some of the ones we’ve had on previous days… but it’s not a good album in today’s world.

Starts so so strong…..hits hard but with a couple of absolute bangers to draw you in. But it’s the singles that come first. Which is telling. After the first few tracks the quality just falls off a cliff sadly. An album that’s 80% filler for me (which wasn’t that uncommon in the 80s). 2 - shame really…starts so well. The first two tracks DO belong on a best of the 80s playlist though.

not my bag

This was fine. "Buffalo Stance" is great but I didn't really dig most of the songs. I do wish someone, someday would refer to me as an Outre Risque Locomotive.

I couldn’t get into this at all and kind of forced myself to finish it.

Listen, I love hip hop and rap and I respect the old school artists but man it can sound so corny sometimes lol. Appreciated the Stevie Wonder sample on Inna City Momma. Speaking of, when tf am I gonna get a Stevie album. Anyway, some solid tracks here when she was singing.

Funky but not my taste

I don't have anything against Neneh Cherry, I think she seems like an interesting person, and I do think this album is earnest, and personal to her. But I just don't think the execution on this is great. Raw Like Sushi is a decent collection of songs. But I think it's let down by some really clunky production decisions, cheesy lyrics and slightly obnoxious 80's-isms. This is kind of cool as an early combination of hip-hop and RnB. And Cherry can even kind of carry a serviceable rap performance. But the hip hop production influences here were a little bit behind where the genre was in 89' and it just makes a lot of the album's more hip-hop moments sound incredibly awkward. Additionally, while these are songs she clearly cares about, I just don't think her lyrical approach makes them especially interesting or unique. And the big 80's synths and reverb on top of it aren't helping. But Neneh Cherry does get in some good melodies, and she can sing well. This ends up at least listenable from front to back. But when I try to dig in here, I just don't really find much that impresses me.

I guess this is not for me... It's not entirely terrible but feels dated in the wrong way.

not my vibe

very 80s

Hiphopop? No nie moje klimaty, ale zaskakujące połączenia

Fun enough mix of pop and early hip hop. Enjoyed it, but never threatened a second listen.

5/10

It sounds like something written for a fake band on a 90’s Disney channel sitcom. Like if there was an episode of Sister Sister and the twins wanted to help their friend get a show at a venue they had an “in” at

2.0

I couldn't wait for this to end

Sounds like she had three half decent songs and someone said to her "look, if you could just cobble together another, I dunno, 11 tracks, something, ANYTHING, then we'd have just about enough to put out a whole album".

No Moneyman Can Win My Love 1001 Albums Generator 235 (2/25/2026) If this album came out any later than 1989, it would be considered a parody. It is so of its time and it sounds so dated. And I can't even excuse the simple, dated production, because this came out the same year as Paul's Boutique. But beyond that, it's a fine example of this sort of early electro-rap style. Buffalo Stance was the big hit and for good reason. It's this really cool mix of pop rap, synthpop, and some kind of experimental synth choices. No other song really reaches the same levels unfortunately. Manchild is slower, but some moments of Neneh's vocals sound off to me. Inna City Mama is another nice slow, sultry tune. And it's kind of downhill from there. There really isn't much to walk away with from the second half of Raw Like Sushi, except that Neneh Cherry sounds so much like Michael Jackson on some of these songs, especially Love Ghetto. An alright, but inessential listen. 2.5/5, rounded down to 2. Favs: Buffalo Stance Manchild Inna City Mama Least Fav: Phoney Ladies

Holy cow, this music was dated when it was released. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a more 1980s sound ever (derogatory). She attempts to rap on a lot of the songs, but her flow is weak as hell, like she wanted to do music like Madonna, but the studio saw she didn’t have the chops and went to the hip-hop well to give her an “edge.” It’s not unlistenable, but it’s not good music. 2/5

Generic late 80s/what would become early 90s Pop/R&B/Hip-hop with some interesting ideas here and there. Ultimately this one gets filed in the "Why is this included on this list?" folder. 2/5

First track is great. Nothing of interest after that

Bring back disses like "you're so digital, girl" and "you're like one of those cabbage patch creatures"

Buffalo Stance is great... Not so much after that...

Really didn't do much for me, but this being female hip hop from 1989 hasn't escaped me either

It’s not that she’s not talented, it’s that this style of music is very dated and these songs don’t have the charisma to be thought of as classics of that era. There are plenty of 80’s music that are loved even though they are dated. This isn’t that. The album would have been helped if the songs weren’t all 5 minutes long. It’s ok to write 3 minute songs.

Not to be taken too seriously, despite some of the song topics. Tries to address lots of societal and interpersonal problems, but like most albums of its time, the calls to action are hollow and cheesy. Can’t fault her for her heart being in the right place though. I thought “Buffalo Stance” would ware me down by its end, but I actually started coming around on it as it ran on. Don’t mind it at all. “The Next Generation”, however, was hilariously clunky. I had a good laugh at this one. Is it pro-life? Is it a bitter breakup song? I don’t really know. 2/5, harmless but nothing crazy good imo

Didn’t do much for me. The opening song was catchy enough but the whole album just had me thinking Madonna/Spice Girls-wannabe and not a very good one at that. Sorry, not for me

Ahh not really my kind of thing. 80’s pop

The 80s were weird.

*Tony Romo voice* ehhh I don’t know Jim. She started out hot with Buffalo Stance but the rest was pretty bad Jim. Watch for a 2/5 coming up here

I do not like this album but it is at least interesting. It is interesting because it is such a snapshot of this era. It sounds like pop/hip hop music from 1987 to 1991, not like some of it but like all of it. The drums, the horn stabs, the James Brown breakbeat and voice. The producers basically took a bit of anything and put it on here, not like say "The Bombsquad" but as to make a pop record. I don't think this is very good but man it sounds like 1989.

Baustelle, Gerstetten, Deutschland. Lame…

Started strong … ended average.

This was so cheesy! (In a fun way.)

Buffalo Stance Manchild

Not the best I’ve ever heard.

It’s very 80s and cute, but it’s just not for me.

Me gusta que no hay mucho ruido pero sí tiene un ritmo vigoroso, solo que no es lo mío

2/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/neneh-cherry/raw-like-sushi/ Holy fucking shit this album sounds like a product of its time and aged like fine milk. Especially the rapping parts are absolute ass. First song is kind of a banger tho.

Did not age well

Give me the fugu fish. Nay nay I say, this is no cherry on the top.

Favorite Tracks: Buffalo Stance / So Here I Come Rating: 2.2 Had to just skip a couple of these tracks; "The Next Generation" was so weird it made me uncomfortable, "Heart" is SO cheesy, and "My Bitch" was super cringe. Some fun samples; there's a LOT going on here but it mostly comes together into kind of a fun, rattly, synth-y 80's pop melange. Overall this one album just isn't for me though.

I can pretend to appreciate what this album accomplishes, but this is a no for me dawg.

Pass

Eclectic? Painfully late 80s

It was ok

begint goed, maar zoals alle rap is ook mijn goesting rap verdwenen

This is a bit too smooth for my tastes. It also got a bit samey after a few tracks. I think you had to be there, as the production hasn't aged that well.

Bright, punchy grooves built from crisp drum-machine snaps, rubbery bass lines, sharp rhythmic stabs, splashes of horns and synths, and vocals woven directly into the beat through a confident mix of rapping, singing, and spoken asides move this pop-rap album like a fresh burst from a shaken soda can—sparkling, assertive, and eager to fizz over the edges.

Full of 80/90s attitude! It feels so forced. And it’s a full hour long!

80s poppy hip hop, has that over dynamic Michael Jackson production I don't like that makes a lot of the 80s a slog for me. I feel Neneh knew what the best bits were cos these ones would be repeated too many times. Lyrics and flow were pretty typical for the time I'd say, definitely run dmc influenced. Not a 1 but it really isn't for me, 1.5.

Buffalo stance is a pretty iconic track, not convinced about the rest of it. She can rap though, it's just all a bit 80s for me. Bit like Deee-lite or similar. It's long too. Didn't realise she was Swedish. Think 2 is about right

nat really my deal, its like Debbie Gibson met MC Lyte and they made an album

Flawless perfection

Some great songs, and huge influence on the Bristol scene. Can’t see myself coming back to it often though

It’s ok. The strangest chord progression of manchild is weirdly the most memorable track, which is a bad bad thing. Because the rest of the album is actually ok. But instead of a centrepiece, manchild is just so bad and it ruins the album.

I feel like this album left quite a bit to be desired. Her flow is good, but it felt choppy at times. I like the beats most of all, and you could tell Cherry is really trying to push some boundaries. However, for whatever reason, it just feels like it doesn’t stick the landing. Shout out to Outré Risqué Locomotive. That song slapped.

There were moments I enjoyed in this album but overall it comes off as cheesy as hell. Better than other albums I’ve given one star so it’ll get two stars, but just barely.

Her voice reminds me of a Temu Michael Jackson. I have no idea why "Buffalo Stance" has so many listens. I was struggling to get through this very 1989 era album. It's like a blend of my least favorite aspect of 80s and 90s music, and it's way too long.

Got confused thinking I was listening to the "Boomerang" soundtrack. 2/5

A one hit wonder that I would not have included on this list from the 1980s. I feel that much better and more popular albums from the 1980s were avoided in order to include this and it ultimately is not worthy of the spot. This was never considered a great album, not in 1989, and not now. So many great albums from 1989 from artists from the B-52s, Nine Inch Nails, Billy Joel, Madonna, The Cult, Motely Crue, and Don Henley, and Dimery ignores them for this? The only reason that ratings of the 80s on this list is so low is because Dimery has more often than not chosen among the weakest of the 80s albums and ignored many of the more time-tested albums that came from perhaps one of the greatest decades of Rock and Pop. There is also an overrepresentation of English acts that simply were not culturally relevant in the 1980s, while ignoring some of the other beloved and popular English albums because why? Not hipster enough for Mr. Dimery?

hmmm no this wasn't for me

Starts with "Buffalo Stance" which is probably the peak of the album and, as I've noted before, I struggle with albums who blow their creative load right off the bat.

Sounds like a bunch of Swedes wrote what they thought American hip hop was? I know they were going for Paula Abdul more than tribe called quest- but just kinda sounds like a suburban mall talent competition.

I really don't get it. I feel like she's a knock-off Janet Jackson.

chato e datado. 3 estrelas

50/1001 First listen. Buffalo stance is a great catchy dance song. This rest of this album though? Just why? This list is so silly at times. Sounded like Do the Bartman was gonna be next. This definitely transported me back to 1989. Not bad, just not for me. 4/10

Not my scene but Buffalo Stance and Manchild still hold up well.

Buffalo Stance is the entire “1980s production style” crammed into one song.

It sounds so painfully of its time.

Confession time - I only knew about her from her work with Gorillaz on Kids With Guns. Previously tried to listen to her music but it never caught me. Unfortunately, it still didn't. Buffalo Stance was good but every other song on this album sounded the same and I had no desire to give it the customary second listen.

buffalo stance is my fave...otherwise, not super into it.

Sooo 80s. Only Buffalo Stance was listenable.

No no no, it's Mariah Carey

2 - not great

Dated. Some of this reminds me of rapping from Will Smith which probably isn't a good thing. Still good singles though

Raw can be a good quality but I also think it's important for Music to be well done. This isn't really either and instead just sounds undercooked.

Boring pop, with bad vocals on top.

This sounds like she tried out for coyote ugly and didn’t make it

I liked this more than I expected. It's nothing special, but it's fun.

Neneh is already on the back foot with me because I learned that she’s a nepo baby (her step-dad is renowned jazz multi-instrumentalist Don Cherry). She had four powerhouse producers at hand- three of which were involved in Massive Attack’s Blue Lines-to record Raw Like Sushi. And it's hip hop, a contentious genre for me. At the time of release, this album was refreshing for UK listeners. A pop centric hip hop album from a confident whippersnapper. But now? I found it to be cringe. It's definitely music of its time. Creatively and visually frivolous. One of many pieces of music that were a creative response to the highly conservative times the Brits were living in. PS, to the British press and anyone who rang the BBC to complain about seeing a very pregnant Neneh perform on Top of the Pops in 1989- shame on you. Overall: 3/10

So dated it hurts. Prefer her cousin Glacé

Disappointing. I like Neneh Cherry. Loved her Homebrew album (the follow up to this one), and many of the other songs I've heard from her over the years. The The's "Slow Train To Dawn", her cover of Marvin Gaye's "Trouble Man", "7 Seconds" with Youssou N'Dour. This, however, sounds like music that badly written teens from the wrong side of town would be listening to in a made for TV movie.

I could see Buffalo Stance being on the list of 1,001 Songs to hear before you die, but the full album? The rest of the album sounds like she partied like it was 1989!

Correcto

This wasn't really my thing. I'm sure it was revolutionary for its time and the feminism in its lyrics and themes was cool, but I just really didn't enjoy listening to it much and it was a slog to get through. Two stars.

Really not my thing.

Not the worst I've heard, but overall did not like. A couple songs were ok but nothing great.

This R&B is not for me. Not bad music to say but not my thing. 2/5

This is so unneccessary. Buffalo Stance is head and shoulders the best track here, and that is really dated. I remember it being really exciting when it came out, and it’s still a good tune, but it hasn’t aged brilliantly, and I’ve never understood the weird Dick van Dyke mockney bollocks in the middle of it - “Wot is ee loike!? D’ja no worrae meen!”. Weird. The rest of the album apparently exists, but I doubt anyone pays any attention past track 1 - and an hour and a quarter for a debut album (for the CD version)? Nobody needed that. Boring album that should be over after five and three-quarter minutes.

Вообще не понимаю, что это делает в этом списке. Абсолютная посредственность. В те годы девушки-рэпперы были и получше.

I don't love this era of pop production. The sound to me is uninspiring. I do think the sexual subject matter explores all through the topic. But I didn’t love the album.

Starts fast with the two big hits and then disappears into the early 90s at quite the pace. It makes me think of watching movies when I was a kid. When they sort of tried to bring rap to the mainstream via things like Turtle Power and Do the Bartman.

I like '80s pop. I like '80s hip Hop. Today. I learned that I don't particularly like them when they're mixed together. Favorite track Outre Risque Locomotive

rep nigačica. kreće se između dosadno/zaboravljivog i napornog. sve u svemu skroz bezveze

Very dated now... "You're so Digital girl!!"

Doesn't age well for sure. Didn't hate it, but didn't do too much for me outside the odd song like Heart.

Other than the first song, everything just sort of blended together. Not very interesting, and definitely sounds a bit dated

Didn't really fuck with this at the time. Don't fuck with it now.

Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

This album felt very dated, but it was still fun and engaging. This album is just a few months older than I am, which is great because I was feeling too old recently.

Basic 80 r&b/pop. Not great

Early 90's pop. Pretty fun. I have no connection to it, so I won't listen anymore, but I bet this album was a fun bunch of jams some years ago.

I admit, I didn’t listen to the whole album, but I have some thoughts. This is one of those instances where something really is so bad that it’s good. Meaning that the songs on here were so cheesy that you couldn’t help but feel good when you listened to them even if they sucked kinda. I don’t know how to explain it. One reviewer encouraged listeners to watch the Buffalo Stance video. I second that. It did NOT disappoint. I can't give many stars for this wonderful train wreck, but I refuse to give it one star either.

Première toune catchy, sinon écoute assez difficile. Dans le genre il y a mieux.

Lots of synths. Some of them are pretty fun and have a good beat/melody to them, like in the opening track, Buffalo Stance. There's a *lot* of Mixolydian mode in the synths and backing vocals, characteristic of disco/post-disco and early hip-hop. Lots of harsh cut-off production too – maybe it sounded cool and fresh for its time, but man, it sounds so forcibly dated now. Record scratch sounds are fine if they're used once or twice per album, but every single darn track? Yeah. I'm good. A lot of the musical elements here are best ignored when listening through a modern lens. Manchild has to be the best song here, mainly for avoiding the quick-cut DJ SFX and sticking to the tried-and-true method of having good melody, harmony, and beat. The digital triangle sound on Buffalo Stance is quiet, but impossible to ignore once you've noticed it. Very much like Usher's "Yeah!" in that way. It's very annoying and takes some solid effort to make myself enjoy the rest of the music. But I get there in the end – at least for that song. The rest of the record is a little patchy, with the former half being significantly better than the latter. The lyrics are uneven and discontinuous, and the samples are overused both then and now. To her credit, Cherry does seem like she's having a ton of fun – but she may well be the only one. As with other parodied vocals (unless it's specifically meant to be comedic), I'm not a fan of the forced hip-hop voice. The entire project screams "I'm following a trend". Outré Risqué Locomotive and My Bitch are the two worst offenders on the album in this regard, and that's reflected in them having lower Spotify listening numbers. 2/5 Key tracks: Manchild, Kisses On The Wind, Inna City Mamma

I mean, this was of its time. Not bad musically, but nothing I’m gonna revisit.

That was an experience. Like a time warp to the 80’s. I didn’t like it but I enjoyed it.

Really not great. Got a hit of nostalgia for the first track, then the rest was a disappointment.

Why it's on this list? I mean, I don't hate it, but it sounds so bland. It was fun until the second song began

Je connaissais « woman » qui est incroyable. J’ai été un surprise que ce soit pas du tout représentatif du reste Sympa mais oubliable +1 du fait que ce soit une femme qui fasse du hip hop

Buffalo Stance didn’t really hit me as a kid in ‘89. I remember seeing the video in the mall a lot. I was young but even then it felt generic and contrived, and to be honest I don’t think I ever gave this whole album a listen for that reason. After indulging the 1001 gods I’ll say this, Neneh’s voice is very distinct and I respect her for making a name for herself by being herself but beyond that I can’t say anything she did was that remarkable. Her flows were dated and cheesy, even for 89’s standards, and her singing wasn’t that impressive to me. But there is some fun to be had in this record. There’s value in the sound of it, perfectly visualizing the synths and mixing style of the 80’s. Beyond that I can’t say I needed to hear this entire record. I’ll give it a 2.5 for the nostalgia.

I'm not sure why this one is on the list. Pretty run-of-the-mill 80's jams. Buffalo Stance brings back memories. Manchild was pretty good. This reminds me of the skating rink in the 80's. I'll give this a 2.

Buffalo Stance - 5 Everything else - 1

CDs were a mistake (also the internet, but that’s neither here nor there). An album of generic 80’s pop with only one good song wouldn’t be that annoying if it was 30 minutes long but at an hour and seven minutes this felt interminable.

This hasn't aged particularly well - it's a modicum better than several of its contemporaries. 2/5

This did not age well but then, did it ever. I’m so glad no one walked in on me while I was listening.

I wouldn't really say this is an essential album. It sounds very of-it's-time, and not really in a good way. It's far from the worst music on this list, but I've also heard way better R&B/hip-hop than this.

From a modern perspective, this album is a comically large tub of cheese balls. Some of the beats are passable but the bars are weak. I'm sure the brits will figure out this hip hop thing eventually

Not my style, a bit cheesy

Haven’t heard this since the 80s. I gave it a short spin and that’s all I needed to hear. Buffalo Stance is cool. That song and this style blazed a path for other females in this space. Santigold comes to mind. She probably loves this. That said, it sounds very dated and frankly I would much rather just listen to Santigold.

love her attitude though

Started as a surprise, maybe a Diamond in the rough that no one talks about, but quickly rolled into so dated in sound and entertainment value (2.5/5)

So, yesterday I made some snarky comments about the a-ha album being cookie-cutter 80s euro-pop. I apologize to a-ha, because this album is worse. It's cookie-cutter 80s euro-pop masquerading as hip hop. If uncanny valley was a thing in 1989, that's how this album would have been described. It's *approaching* hip hop, but it's by someone who has clearly observed the American experience from afar rather than personally experienced it. It's like the book/movie The Help. The way the black women talk in that book becomes FAR more problematic when you learn that it was written by a white woman. Same with this album. It's like Neneh Cherry saw Salt-n-Pepa and thought, "I can do that." Spoiler: she cannot.

It's dated but inoffensive. Nothing really stood out and there's nothing that will bring me back, but it's not terrible.

1.9 I made it half way through, that was more than enough. The hook/chorus of the opener was decent but the rest of the track, the nonsense chatter at the start and dotted throughout ruined it. Reading after that that track was the one hit wonder dismayed me. Like a lot of 80s non-gangsta hip hop it sounds completely dated. Not sure of how it made the list.

Not my vibe.

I don’t like the music. I also don’t like her use of the line “two sixths Chinese” in “The Next Generation.” 2/6 is neither a properly reduced fraction nor a possible ancestry fraction with a finite number of parents. Only fractions of the form 2^(-m/n) are possible. Obviously that’s a nitpick and is not the point of the line, but I got distracted researching genomics, and the album never recaptured my attention.

Just not feeling this. It didn’t age well at all

Idk just not into it, felt a little repetitive

A fun time-capsule album. I think the artist captures the vibe if hip-hop in the late 80's through a unique lens, due to her being European. While some of the rhymes fall flat and the subject matter gets into 'after-school special' territory, there is enough here to enjoy and some beats/production elements really stand out.

Commercial garbage.

There are a few good tracks, particularly Buffalo Stance but it sounds of its time and hasn’t aged particularly well.

Honestly, the 80s pop side of this album is really not that bad. The hip hop stuff is a bit more cringy and doesn't really mix well. The instrumentation is pretty fun, though! I specifically like the electronic slap bass sound. If Buffalo Stance is her best song, though, this album is going to start feeling really long. The lyrics are toooouuuuughhh. "You're like one of those Cabbage Patch creatures." what??? Yeah, it gave its best right off the bat, and then just didn't really do anything else good. And even Buffalo Stance wasn't exceptional. I really could have gone my whole life without listening to this. Favorite Song(s): Buffalo Stance

I usually don't mind when music sounds like a product of its time, but something about this feels particularly dated. New jack swing is a genre that can sound more dated than other styles, and this album sounds cheesier than most. The lyrics feel cheesy. Most of the songs feature social commentary, but I felt like the messages were too on the nose or written in a way that felt clumsy or silly. I like the hook on "Love Ghetto." "Phoney Ladies" was pretty cool too.

"Raw Like Sushi" is a great album name. I was expecting some extra sexy sultry type record but from the first song on I don't really get that. I really enjoy the first track "Buffalo Stance", it's got a lot of 80's charm (that clean electric guitar is SO 1980's), along with a ton of fun hip hop elements. It's a pretty cool blend. This album dares sometimes, and sometimes it is cool, and sometimes it just doesn't hit. "Manchild" is a good story with an amazingly weird chord progression (for a pop song), but the execution just falls a bit flat. Some of the others are similar let downs, like "Inna City Mamma" just doesn't feel authentic to me? The chorus and guitar part of "Buffalo Stance" has stayed in my head though, which is great, but as I finish the album I can't help but feel like this was a super dated listen. I don't know if it's the lack of poetry- where so many lyrics were blunt and kind of corny.

Not the biggest fan, a bit too long of an album

Smooth FM shite

well produced but still kind of boring after a few tracks.

Non imaginative music.

Well this one came out of left field. Never heard this one, and likely will not hear again. Good to listen through though. Sadly, I would have really dug an all instrumental version of this album. There was some really interesting sequencer stuff happening.

Buffalo Stance is a banger. The rest of the album less so, at times it feels like they have just borrowed the beat from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme. Now this is a story all about how...

I really liked the programming and pop hooks, but did not love the rapping (nothing against rap, I'm only against her rapping)

Not terrible, just seems kind of generic overall. Lots of filler.

Could not get into this...feels almost like something I'd like but it was just too much

Meh

Buffalo Stance is amazing but it's doing all the work here

New jack swing sure was a genre huh Best song: Buffalo Stance

First track was the only one I was familiar with and it is with pretty good reason as the rest of the album is not worthy of this list. Oy!!!

Not my vibe

Cringe

2.5

This might be the most of its time album in this whole list. If I didn't know a thing about this album ahead of time I would have said this is straight up 1989. It has every pop trope of that year. Listen to any Billboard Top 40 countdown from that year and you will hear at least a dozen songs that sound exactly like this album. Quite frankly, other than the mega-hit "Buffalo Stance" I really don't find this album essential or influential. It jus is what ever 1989 is. (5.4) ★★½ (two on the app)

Nor a genre I enjoy a lot, and generally quite boring. 2 stars

I've only ever heard "Buffalo Stance", and hearing the full album, it's kind of evident why. Where that song is really hooky, the rest of the album is sadly really mediocre, dated pop. Definitely not an essential album. Put "Buffalo Stance" on a playlist and call it a day. 2.5 stars.

2.5

Eh I apologize there are some aspects that are well done but I cant get past the first few tracks. A giant hodgepodge

divertidinho, mas muito muito datado. muito rap bobinho dos anos 90.

This was described as an eclectic, but it sounds more like they just tried throwing everything on this album. A few days ago, I had The Band’s self titled album, which was a great sample of only playing what the song called for and not overplaying. This album is an example of the total opposite.

That was VERY dated

Not a fan of her singing and rapping, however most of the beats are pretty good from an 80's perspective. The best song was Love Ghetto.

★★½

hilarious

Ok so every song sounded identical to me… soundtrack starts and then droning voice begins.

It just doesn't hit the way it really wants to

Not sure where Neneh is getting her sushi from but it can’t be any better than a New Jersey gas station. Cringey lyrics. No flow. This is an album made by your people pleaser friend’s “tough alter-ego” and thinks it’s fire because no one stopped them (they didn’t show it to anyone ahead of time) Inna City Mamma was alright tho

cheesy

Very 80s, like Temu Madonna. Don't know why this deserved to be on the list. It's ok, but not needed to hear before dying.

Isoin hitti kuin videopelin taustaksi tehty

i like some tunes but the lyrics are nothing special

"Raw Like Sushi" is a very 90's name for an album that came out in the late 80's. It's obviously meant to imply authenticity and that you're getting a raw version of the artist. I just kind of rolled my eyes and put it on. "Buffalo Stance" was a little confounding. What is a buffalo stance? I assume something portraying strength and defiance, but I don't know. It's a weird name for a song and I really understand why it's the opener for this album. The album itself is fine. A pretty typical 80's/90's pop album, with all the production trappings and trimmings you'd expect. A lot of it seems to be spent on telling the listener who she is over and over again, ensuring that we understand that she's interesting or cool. It grows boring over time. On the whole, it's a fine listen but largely forgettable. Two stars. Standout Tracks: The Next Generation, Outré Risqué Locomotive

Whilst fun, it's just not my cup of tea at all

yeah cold

I saw the other ratings and was expecting the worst— it’s not quite the worst but I don’t understand how this is on the list. It just sounds like STEREOtypical 90s club music, right?

The most interesting thing I learned today is that Neneh Cherry is from Sweden. One of the reviews on this site said the album is like teenage Disney channel music. Spot on assessment.

Wasnt that great then, didn’t hold up to now.

Yeah i get it

Witzig fand ich, als sie ganz am Anfang die Instrumente vorgestellt hat

2.1

n0t 4 m3

Is it going to be pop or hip-hop? Never quite decides. She is more interesting when she verges hip-hop. I can pass on the pop.

I'm not here to dis Neneh Cherry, she's fine. But by what criteria does this warrant inclusion? The songs are average, at best. The arrangements are pretty good, though the production is hopelessly dated. And Cherry sounds like she came in late in the game to lay down her vocal parts all alone in a great big empty studio. There's a disconnection to the entire affair. So, I don't get it. I'd wager there were 100 better albums released in 1989 alone.

It's a bit shit, but I feel like 1 star is too mean.

One or two good is tunes

Buffalo Stance is pretty good, and the black-market-baby song was amusing. Overall, though… really?

Buffalo stance is great everything else sounds like pure distillation of 1989 music