Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Eh. Whatever. Not terrible. Some catchy tunes.
premature ejaculation of an album. spaffed its load before we'd even got the booklet out of the CD case.
Shit like sushi
So 90's it hurts!!
Not very appealing to me. The first song is okay-ish. Nothing else came close to getting my attention. Not 1 star bad, but never again.
There's something here worthing listening to, but I'm struggling to hear it amongst the uncessary arrangements. The very definition of trying too hard.
Я с первых треков вообще не поняла прикол: это что за плоская попса? Невыразительная, банальная. В середине я пару треков перемотала и собиралась поставить единицу. Вторая часть с хип хопом пободрее и поинтереснее, но я все равно не насладилась. Разве что узнала кусочек, взятый для моего любимого Brand E Фрушанте... Даже полезла читать отзывы, чтобы понять, что тут такого, почему это great album... Нашла довольно точное определение: несмотря на его революционность в свое время, альбом не выдержал испытание временем.
The most 1989 album ever. Still a fun and vibrant set.
Not for me. In 2023 it's sounds to generic.
This album was cool overall, kind of a time capsule of the type of pop music that was en vogue when I was first starting to become aware of popular music. It's also a nice harbinger of how house music would increasingly become a part of pop music. However, I'm not really sure how significant this album is overall. It's pleasant enough to listen to, though 3/4
In the right mood the new Jack swing thing works for me. Never will be more than sort of a fun diversion in my musical listening world, but a nice diversion on occasion.
upbeat and catchy. not sure if it was her accent, but she actually reminded me of queen latifah.
This was reaching beyond her grasp. She had a lot to say about a wide range of topics but her ability to effectively communicate those positions was... not great. But... buffalo stance, amIrite? Super standard style of the time.
Always loved Buffalo Stance. The rest ain’t bad, either.
I dont think there is a single redeemable thing about this album. It most definitely is the worst album I have heard on here, and it probably would top the charts of my all-time worst albums I have ever heard. Nonsensical lyrics, funny sounds in mixes, the flattest and cringiest beats and instrumentals that would make an average contemporary producer "take a trip to Belize", if you catch my drift. Im going to go on a limb here, and guess that Mrs Cherry is a nepo-baby, and her daddy gave her some cash to make this pile of waste, cause she wanted to prove to everyone that she got something special.
Meh, didn't catch my ear.
Respect for late 80's. Buffalo Stance is great. The rest is OK. 3/5
Decent album, saved by the singing parts because the rap parts sounded amateurish and corny
While listening to the first song my first thought was. What am I listening to? Not a good start, but we will see how this goes. No. I can't. 0 out of 5 (if that was an option) so a forced 1 out of 5.
Oooooffff was this rough. I couldn't get through 30 seconds without visually cringing. It's so 90s, trying-too-hard-to-be-energetic since the execution of almost everything is just bad. 3/10
Cherry's flows are old ("classic"); Production is vintage. Raw certainly has more interesting music than its siblings, a little less breadth than it thinks it does, that last point only upping the British charm of the thing.
A unique mix of hip hop, pop and r&b. This album really is a glorious time capsule of the time it came out. Every beat sounds like it’s from the 1980s…because it is. I really like a lot of this.
This is irritating Bad 90s beats, awful lyrics, annoying voice And no singles.
Dated af and pretty annoying
Not my thing. I think I'm missing some context for where this fits in the history of rap and hip-hop, but the record generally lacks in interesting melodic ideas and groove. In both ways, it's very much of its time for successful pop. The Next Generation isn't bad, but I nearly quit during Love Ghetto, which uses a baseball metaphor for its refrain but seems to misunderstand how a home run is talked about in that sport. Not a godawful record, just a bit boring to my tastes.
My wife loved it
Absolutely terrible. She can't sing, music videos are strange, and the lyrics are childish at best.
Just when you think it can't get any better than "Buffalo Stance," it hits you with "Manchild." Although the rest of the album can't quite top that opening double act, it still has an aggressive hip-hop streak that took female pop out of the 80s and into the 90s.
This is a belter of an album, packed to the rafters with banger after banger. Love the vocals, the innovative rap style and just what Neneh Cherry did for Hip hop in general. I absolutely love that very vintage hip hop 80s sound but it's also so distinctive to Cherry in my opinion. Super fun and uplifting, yet very bold strong messaging throughout. Buffalo stance is obviously incredible but also Next Generation and So Here I come other highlights. Very varied throughout the album. Wonderful!
I did not like this at all. Granted in a very small and bad mood when listening to this but still it just grated on me the entire time. Repetitive and dull
It's a total banger. I love it. Buffalo Stance is such a tune.
Album had it's enjoyable moments, but they were brief. Sounds like a mashup of everything 80s.
Delightfully fresh and funky, brilliantly upbeat.
Meh. Late 80s pop R&B crap.
Heart //
This was very of the time. It was compared to Prince and Madonna, but there's no way it reaches those levels. The single was pretty good though.
Different but good.
I can understand why people listened to this album back in the days, but unless you were a big fan, I don't see how any new listeners could really appreciate this album in 2023.
I don’t wanna listen to this. I know the first song. It’s fine. More like Nono Cherry
I came into this album knowing nothing about it besides seeing that on the Wikipedia article it was hip hop and new jack swing and while I liked it I feel like it may not have been the best inclusion for what it is trying to represent. It had very catchy melodies and choruses and I really liked most of the songs but I do feel as if it got carried by these choruses because the verses even for the era were so elementary and poorly written. If you were picking albums to represent female rappers from the late 80's-early 90's I feel as if there would be about 8-9 albums I would pick over this. I am pretty sure there was no inclusion of a MC Lyte, Monie Love or Salt-N-Pepa album on the list and would have also included "Black Reign" by Queen Latifah but that is because I have a strong personal bias towards Queen Latifah. Personally I believe that all of these artist have albums that better represent the genre from that time. I think this album is sort of was included just to cover the female rapper and new jack swing requirements because this list has a surprising lack of both of these categories. There seems to me to be an over abundance of albums from a plethora of rock subgenres but a massive lack in albums from these two categories. You pick like 30 new wave albums and 80 post-punk albums but can't include more than 5 albums from female rappers and more than 1 new jack swing. I am not even opposed to the new wave and post-punk picks and I like a lot of the choices but I think there needs to be some sort of balance in the list. Personally I would have included at least one album from the 3 female rappers I included earlier and would have probably added a couple from new jack swing artists like New Edition, Jodeci and Guy. This came a long way from just me reviewing this Neneh Cherry album and I say all that I have said to say I am not even opposed to this albums inclusion cause it was still very good like a 7.5-8/10 but its inclusion feels analogous to a diversity hire. It is here just to cover all the bases not to show your appreciation of its original genre or what it represents as an early breakthrough for female rappers.
Pretty funky. Pretty soulful. Pretty good. 3.5 rounded up.
Headphones made this especially joyful. The detail in the synth instrumentation and the rhythmic and energetic grooves plus the really fresh attitude Cherry brought to music is just a wonderful throw back to the era. Some defining sounds of the era which remain so fun to listen to.
The first time I heard Neneh Cherry’s voice was on a 1982 single by Rip Rig & Panic, entitled You’re My Kind Of Climate. Great track & I often wondered during the 80’s what had happened to her. Then this album happened. What a terrific record. Buffalo Stance still stands up as one of the great 80’s singles. In fact the first 3 tracks on the album were all successful singles. Apart from Buffalo Stance, my favourites here are Love Ghetto - any song with repetitive sporting metaphors will do me - and Heart. So many winners on this album.
I first heard "Buffalo Stance" when it was initially released in 1988, and I didn't get it. I didn't think it was 'right' to mix genres the way this track does. I thought that if you're going to rap, rap. And if you're going to sing, sing. It was probably a full six months before the penny dropped, and I understood what she is doing here. I had been wrong and extremely short-sighted about how songs could be constructed and performed, and Neneh Cherry was visionary and right. And massively influential; artists mix rapping and singing within a track all the time now, to the point where it isn't remarkable at all. But Neneh was the first person to do it (or, at least, to do it in a way that was commercially and critically successful), and she re-wrote the pop playbook. I am ashamed ghat I didn't immediately recognise the genius of what she did here, but once I understood, I got it. I bought the album when it came out, and it is an iconic album of the 80s. It sounds of its time, but still pretty fresh to my ears. I love her confidence and energy, and the deft mixing of genres. It is no surprise that the Massive Attach crew were involved in the production of this record, and they built on this formula with their amazing Blue Lines album. The album is front-loaded with the singles, which I still enjoy. As a result, I realise that I usually only play side 1 (because that's where all the hits are), so it was a nice surprise to listen to side 2, and it also has pretty strong material, that I enjoyed hearing again for the first time in a while. She has such a great voice and a fascinating and original viewpoint. I had been thinking I was going to rate this four stars, but as I listen to it again, and think about how influential it was, and how fun it still is to listen to, I really am leaning towards five stars. Dimery's list has a real problem with under-representation of female artists. I often think he doesn't understand what female artists are trying to do, and can't see the value. And this is an explicitly and wonderfully female album, and it changed the way pop music sounds. And I really enjoy listening it. I enjoyed it at the time, and I enjoy it now. I think it has to be five stars.
Tegner godt
This album isn't sure what it wants to be. Is it R&B? Is it pop? Is it hip-hop? Is it trip-hop? Too convoluted. I wish it was more rap because those songs work better and it would have been a more interesting album. Instead the pop stuff sounds so dated and meh.
Some catchy lyrics but there’s a lot going on here and I’m not sure I like it.
Extrêmement daté sur tout : les samples, la batterie, la basse, les cuivres. Ca pue les fin des années 80 à des kilomètres, mais ça a quand même du charme. Ca devrait être 2 mais c'est 3 grâce à "Buffalo Stance", vraie bonne chanson je trouve.
Not my cup of tea, didn't really vibe with this. One track was alright but can't remember which one.
really good vibes throughout tbh. some fresh prince theme-esque rapping but not really a bad thing.
Hip Hop elements a little basic but damn she has her own personality and keeps energy up all the way through the album. 4.8
Tried to fuse a bunch of sounds together in the same way that a kid would try to make a meal by adding every ingredient in a fridge. But worse. A true 1.
dated. corny/cheesy with some enjoyable moments here and there but five tracks in i was ready for it to be over. i like a lot of the instrumentals, but the rapping is sooooo of its time.
Buffalo Stance is good, as is Kisses, but the rest doesn't really strike me
Non stop bops. This was such an awesome trip. Dated, yes, but in the best kind of way.
Wow, how very 90s. I'd say this was a very mid album for me.
Interesting level of cross cultural hip hop, considering the British origin. Really enjoyed the production.
Me in jr high asking girls to dance to this...it happened
Not bad. A little long for what it is. Wouldn't put it on myself, wouldn't turn it off if it came on. Buffalo Stance does kinda slap.
Cool
Great first song. Rest is not for me!
This was weird. Wouldn't really call it boring like a two star, so I guess it's a 2.5, which sadly rounds to a 3. Some of the lyrics were weird, either because of how dated it sounds or just how blunt they are. There were many times a lyric caught my attention, but it was never a good thing. Music itself wasn't too bad, but not very memorable. My favourite song was Buffalo Stance.
- Clearly not the target audience for this album tbh - Funky and fun - A 2.5 but recognize it's not for me
- introducing the instruments to start the album was badass - enjoyable
Very late 80s hip hop, not a bad thing. A lot of clever lyrics, the music serviceable but mostly contained to that scratch and beat of its era. Good stuff from an artist I hadn't hear before.
Recognised the first and second song, from then onwards, more of the same. Pretty good; i liked the well weighted and consistent use of genre crossovers. However, feels a bit dated; it seems half of all music for the thirty years after this uses the same techniques, and the same blends of generic modes of pop, and hip hop music.
Really enjoyed this Years ahead of all other late 80s hip hop
This was not for me. It was too 80s pop but I did like the rap that was parsed in throughout.
This was enjoyable. As long as she doesn’t get into a rap battle with Eminem she’ll be fine. I loved how she had a positive message to go with good beats. Very well done and I had no idea this came out in the 80’s.
When I was 15 years old, this was the bomb. And it is still ok, but has not aged all that well. The late 1980s production (very loud drums in the mix) is annoying and apart from the well known bangers, it also contains a lot of filler material.
I know maybe two of these tracks - and one of them is obviously Buffalo Stance. Such a great late 80s track. The rest of the album doesn't disappoint. Particular favourite was "My bitch" - the pure joy of both singers having enormous fun shines through splendidly.
raakaa... ei oo näin RAAKAA musiikkia koskaan tehty... rraaaaaaaaww shit... totas nois mitäs nyt sanois totanoin...joo-o. hyvähyvä...semmonen tänään taas semmonen stoori niin sanotusti heh.. noh, juu kai tässä, kai tässä mennään seuraavaan sitten katotaas mitä huomenna löytyy ja love ghetto
Great hooks and lyrics on a few of the songs, but the production makes it sound like a Nokia ringtone.
One hit
extremely 2000's for an album from 1989. thats the most impressive thing about it.
This is really of its time, but is full of bops with a few questionable songs (looking at you Next Generation). Kinda hate the record scratch production but I will give this the benefit of the doubt for the era!! 4/5
I’m not sure what happened here, but this sounds like it should’ve been a lot bigger album than it was. It’s not exactly my flavor, but Buffalo Stance is a GREAT opener. The album does lose some steam from there on, but it is peak 80s pop.
Left me feeling unsatisfied and a bit queasy, like gas station sushi.
It's really all about the first song - nice number. The second song has a nice chord progression. Other than that, the tracks are kind of ordinary.
Zero stars. Why listen to a Swedish knock-off of Madonna, Janet Jackson, etc., when you can just listen to the aforementioned artists? Instead we have what would eventually spawn all of the synthesizer-based, auto-tune Radio Disney garbage. What a crap sandwich.
I remember her being pretty foxy, and those two hits weren't terrible, but the rest of it...ugh
It’s… like, almost good.
Buffalo Stance was great. Rest of the album was 80s rap. Didn’t age well.
There are beats and (I assume they're) samples that I like on this album, and sometimes the way Neneh Cherry raps reminds me of Chuck D's flow of all things, but the album feels like a bygone era that struggles to be interesting both in the realm of pop and hip-hop, so a mix of both just spoils moments after starting, and while this album isn't too long, each song feels like it drags. It's okay in short doses, but a whole album can be a bit much. Just a whatever album.
Fantastic! I think I'd heard her name before but don't recall hearing any of her work. Such a cool blending of 80s pop, R&B, and hip-hop. I'll have to hear more of her albums. Impressive stuff here.
All the tracks sounded the same, not for me but it’s fine I guess. Only good song was My Bitch
Not my thing at all. And it’s dragging on and on. Very underwhelming stuff. 2 out of 10
Well presented. Strong statement hip-hop. Videos led me to think she had a huge ego at that time. Nothing but her in focus
The first track is great, but the rest…
It sounds outdated, but it's not the worst of that time. The singing is not that good. The rapping has a more natural flow than a lot of her contemporaries. The first three songs were big hits here, but they definitely wouldn't be if they were released now. Favorite song: So Here I Come.
Corny
Ei osunut meikäläisen makuun ja varsin nopeasti mielenkiinto lopahti.
Siinä se meni taustalla ärsyttämättä
Hmmmm not for me
I expect that this was a culturally important album given the time, but it doesn't do much for me.
My ears are bleeding
This album definitely influenced a lot of 90's pop/hip hop. There's some cool beats in this album, but overall not really my cuppa tea. I appreciate getting different genres than rock though. I'd probably give this one a 2.5 if I could.
Buffalo stance was catchy, but the rest of it was hot garbage. Sounded like if AI created a new Michael Jackson album
I have no clue what type of music this is supposed to be. The combo of terrible 80's sounds and some just not great rapping (?) makes this a no from me dog.
Ahhh I remember this. Very talented lady and Mabel's mum too. Her Wiki page is an exercise in talent name-dropping but sadly most of these tracks now sound very 80s which is a big no-no in today's climate. Still, there are enough high points remaining to warrant it's place in the 1001.
Way too much drum machine. Basically a deep cut 80's RnB album. I don't get the inclusion of this at all.
I was intent on hating this and eventually succeeded, but not without uncovering some interesting factoids about this person ... like, you know that dude Buck? Buck Cherry, that's her brother, and the dude Eagle Cherry, that's her other brother, and did you know she was an original member of the Sex Pistols!? Ok, that's not true, but she does evidently have some limited street cred across the pond which is why I have to expect more from this album. This entire sounds like some ripoff 1980's commercial that runs on Saturday morning cartoons and advertises Kool-Aid with some dork on a skateboard... pretty lame.
Good that it’s not raw like milk (apparently an actual trend in this Bizarro world America of 2025). Sushi, on the other hand, is raw and fantastic. Neneh Cherry is neither raw milk nor sushi, but “Raw Like Sushi” is so very 1989. Not in the birth of Taylor Swift kind of way, but in the rap/R&B/rock fusion that walks a fine line between cheesy and hard. Cherry finds herself too often on the wrong side of that line though. She may have a great musical pedigree, but despite (or perhaps because of) her heritage and background she comes off a bit fake. “Buffalo Stance” is a bop though, and makes you want to know how to hit the buffalo stance. But then you find out that a buffalo stance is, as Cherry told The New York Times, "an attitude you have to have in order to get by. It's not about fashion but about survival in inner cities and elsewhere." I’ve got the elsewhere part down. I’m hanging in a buffalo stance.
Lost a star for all the lyrics that embodied that time period where the message seemingly everywhere was that sex is terrifying and men are terrible.
This is a ripping 1980s parody without the ironic lyrics. Absolute trash.
"Buffalo Stance" is a classic, but it appears there's a reason I only know one of her songs: the rest of the album isn't great (and at times it's outright cheesy).
I was so stoked to see Neneh on this challenge. She's incredibly talented and should've risen to stardom but just didn't make it. Her song, Buffalo Stance, is on high rotation cause it's that good - perfect, in my opinion. The video is equally captivating & is a true example of late 80s hip-hop. I took a Neneh Cherry deep dive about 5 years ago & learned she's from Sweden (score another for the Swedes...they're some of the most musically innovative artists in the world). I enjoyed this album so much, I ended up listening to it on repeat. What a talent. 4.5 stars
As someone who generally doesn't like hiphop, I found this album very easy listening. There's something very oldschool about it, yet at the same time, the mix of other styles makes it fresh and interesting. This is actually more of a 3 for more, but I'll just add on another star because it's so rare that I find hiphop enjoyable.
Better than most 80s hip hop/pop music
I was expecting something bubblegummmy, but it's a pleasant surprise.
Acceptable.
Starts off extremely strong. Last song is also really good as well. Enjoyed the diversity of the album. Some misses here and there.
Buffalo Stance certainly stands above the rest of the album, but it is engaging in that it is a good mix of both melody and rap.
Hmmm 3
Best Song: Inna City Mamma. Nice synthy little singalong. Worst Song: My Bitch. Seems like a really odd choice to have a man come in at the end of this solo female album to call the artist a bitch. And the song sucks. Overall: Very dated, for better or for worse. I enjoyed it enough while listening to it, but I doubt I'll ever have reason to return (let alone remember having listened to it to begin with).
At the time, there was something unique and original about the Neneh Cherry sound (not so much today, but let's give Cherry the credit she deserves). Alas, this unique sound is only well expressed in 2 tracks, with the rest drowning in repetitive mediocrity.
Other than a nostalgic trip back to my junior year in high school and reminding all to not get fresh with me, not all that rememberable of an album.
Definitely a real bridge of 80s and 90s styles. It was all quite cool and catchy, though a few songs were weaker. Buffalo Stance is a classic though. Favourite: Buffalo Stance
Revolutionary
This album was fun, very solid 90s (1989 I know...) hip hop vibes. Buffalo Stance is a classic with such a solid hook. Good times.
Rad
There’s a bunch of great tracts on here but the album has lots of filler to make up the time.
Starts exceptionally strongly. Fades a bit. Still pretty cool.
"Hello, could I please have fourteen serves of 1989?" "Certainly sir, take this Neneh Cherry album !"
This was a fine album, not my particular music taste. Interesting combo of raps and 80's beats.
Disappointing really; it sounds dated (to be fair, most stuff of this ilk does) but beyond "Buffalo Stance" and "Manchild" (both great) I really couldn't take much interest.
While this really isn't my thing and I feel like it hasn't aged particularly well, I am happy to concede that Neneh Cherry was onto something really different with this album. The incorporation of various styles of music was really forward thinking for its time. Cherry also tackles subject matter that isn't common in late 80s pop music. Several strong songs and quite a bit of filler. Fave Songs: Buffalo Stance, Phoney Ladies, Love Ghetto, Outré Risqué Locomotive
Not really into this one
Did you know that Neneh Cherry and Eagle-eye Cherry are siblings?
meh
"Raw Like Sushi" is the debut album by Swedish musician Neneh Cherry. The album is noted for its distinctive and eclectic mix of genres and trends across pop music. Although, put in the hip hop, new jack swing and R&B categories. Neneh sings and raps and is accompanied by sets of sounds (that's for sure) including pianos, synthesizers, brass horns, guitar and percussions. The lyrics are based on her experience as a Mother and her education and upbringing. The songs were mostly written by Neneh and her husband Cameron McVey (Booga Bear). Neneh introduces the hi-hat and tambourine and we're off with "Buffalo Stance." She's rapping and then goes into pop. Very, very catchy and original song. Well-timed synth noises and melody lines. The title is based on the fashion stylist Ray Petri and the lyrics to stand up for your rights. The second single "Manchild" is slower, almost ballad territory. Beats. Scratching. Synths. Neneh composed this on a casino keyboard. The man needs to grow up. "Kisses on the Wind" has a very 80's dance-pop feel. A good use of blending and sampling of songs by Ralph Mc Donald and The Jimmy Caster Bunch. "Inna City Mamma" combines hip hop and jazzy piano. Nice singing. About growing up in the city. "Heart" uses turntables for the beats and scratching. A good example of the new jack swing style combining hip hop and R&B. Neneh is essentially a dual singer here either fighting over a guy and/or fighting her heart. There are a lot of positives to this album: the switching between rapping and swinging, variety of styles -hip hop, jazz, R&B, soul (fusion approach), unique, enjoyable pop-style music and Neneh singing voice sounding a lot like Madonna. It is very 80's pop sounding at times but, overall, a very enjoyable listen today.
It opens with its best two songs, which is always a worry. After this it has great lyrical content and okayish production - I feel like a few more years development of these music production techniques it'd be a lot more engaging. She is a compelling figure without the music to back it up here (it also ends in the most Brummie fashion ever - I am THERE for that.)
I recall when "Buffalo Stance" came out, and I liked it, but I never heard anything else from Neneh Cherry. So when this album came up on my listening list, I was curious. And then, reading the intro on Wikipedia, I saw comparisons to Prince and Madonna. Coupled with the fact that this is in the 1001 album list, I went into this interested. After the first few songs, I realized that this is very average '80s pop. I think '80s pop is the best decade for pop music, but this is average at best. Maybe even less than average. This is the first album I'm giving a 1. It might deserve a 2, but since it has no business being on a "1001" list, it gets a 1. (It's interesting to read the 5 star reviews. Of the almost 60 albums I've reviewed, looking at other the average rating for each, this is actually the lowest of the 58 I've reviewed. Sooo average pop. But yet, there are a lot of 5 star ratings talking about how Neneh should have been huge. Interesting. Are people serious or trolling?)
W?
tries a little bit of everything that was cool in 1989, fails in almost every aspect
What is this?
Ok but why
A few nice old school hip-hop moments with kick-ass beats, but when I say a few, it's like 2% of the album. Overall, it ages very bad and it's mostly boring to annoying point.
This album is kind of frustrating to listen to. I really like the choruses of most of the songs, but it’s all really dated.
I don't know this album but I've heard a bunch of Neneh Cherry singles over the years. Bog 90s rnb? Ok, way more 80s than the other stuff I've heard. Has that Prince flavour, jazzy pop with bits of other genres thrown in. First song was great, rest was average. 3/5.
I get it, she's Swedish and was a power figure in the British urban scene. Somehow she was a major influencer in the industry and opened the doors for the Wild Bunch, which led to Massive Attack / Tricky / Goldfrapp. I remember this record from the 80's and I couldn't get into it, and decades later it hasn't aged well either. I can't discern anything innovative, compelling or talented, other than the deft DJ and studio engineering chops. However, though it may not count to the score of this record, I'm still wrecked by "Move With Me" which was featured in Wim Wenders' "Until the End of the World."
If I keep getting albums like this I’ll give up.
Hip hopnew jack swing. Un poco cansina.
I still can’t tell what the big deal is with this record.
Meh, I liked it when it cane out but not my jam anymore
Ok. Very niche 80 sound
1/5. Honestly, even the hits were not interesting. I usually remember at least something from the album but there was nothing to gather from this one.
This opening to Buffalo Stance is rough. The hook on the song is pretty strong, but the rest of the performance feels forced. There's no flow to it - it doesn't sound genuine, more like something that was scripted out beforehand. And this carries throughout - any rap on this album sounds like it's coming from someone who doesn't mean it. The rhymes are pretty weak. "If you want to rock, you've got to roll it / If you gonna live, you've got to show it" - this sounds like something that came from a producer saying "The kids don't give a shit what you say as long as it's got a beat!" The hooks are fine but pretty thin overall. Outre Risque Locomotive is probably the second-best song on the album - it punched through from the background. The lyrics don't help it, but the hook got into my head. And putting this in context - this is an album I needed to hear before my inevitable death? And we still haven't seen a De La Soul album? No Whitney Houston? Not even the Lauryn Hill solo album? Come on.
Pros: some of these choruses are sublime, some neat sound collage stuff going on, lesser-spotted theme of motherhood ('The Next Generation') present which is interesting. Cherry's lively, exuberant personality shines through. Cons: Almost any time the hip-hop influences step to the fore. Cherry is an atrocious rapper. Songs like 'Buffalo Stance' and 'Heart' are cracking pop almost ruined by this ineptitude. It's also a big contributing factor to Raw Like Sushi sounding a bit dated. I think this just about shakes out as a three star offering.
Yeah, you guys pretty much covered it. Honestly, I had a moment early on where I thought, "You know, this is kind of nostalgically fun." But that lasted maybe two songs? Craig, that lyric you quoted is terrible and it's not even the worse line in that song! Bad, bad. Sadly, I guess my takeaway is that Neneh Cherry is horny?
A time capsule of the late '80s. Buffalo Stance really shines with some inventive production and momentum. 3/5
Very cool album! Not quite my style, but it is a shame Neneh didn't reach the popularity of others of her era (Prince, Madonna, etc.).
Today's album is a pop/hip hop record out of Sweden. Before today I'd never heard of Neneh Cherry. After a bit of research, I learned that this was her debut solo album. She sounds like Salt-N-Pepa mixed with Madonna. This album is as late 80's as it can get with the heavy synth sounds and the hip hop grooves. Overall, a perfectly average album. Not something I would actively seek out, but not something I was rushing to shut off either. Favorite songs: Buffalo Stance, Outre Risque Locomotive, Inna City Mamma, Heart, The Next Generation, Manchild, My Bitch Least favorite songs: Kisses on the Wind 3/5
I will probably never get back to this, but it's still pretty impressive, all things considered. Hip-hop vibes before hip-hop was "officially" invented, 90s rythms before 90s happened - all somehow implanted into 80s standards.
album feels quite dated, got a couple catchy hits.
Cracking album
Mixed feelings "eh, it's not that bad" with "when will it end??". Nothing changed in my life after hearing this album
Sounds like all of he 80. pop trends mashed together. Which is great and horrible both at once.
Ég dýrka þetta albúm. Verð 16 ára aftur við hlustunina.
Sounds like Sonic the Hedgehog 3, in a good way
Great dance type album
It took me a while to get through this one, not because it's a bad album, but it just was not my jam. 2.25/5, rounding down to 2/5.
Wel leuk, maar niks aparts
late eighties/early nineties r&b/hip hop, not quite new jack, but close. A lot of originality here. A lot of ground covered musically and thematically. Not an album I was overly familiar with, but one I very much enjoyed and want to spend time with in the future.
wow, i really thought this would be right up my alley but i didn't end up liking it at all. pretty bummed about this one.
Literally some of the worst music I have ever heard. I couldn’t make it through the entire album because if I did then I’d have to kill my self. Like holy shit is her voice and lyrics complete dog shit. Damn this album is awful.
What a dumb title and the production has held up over time just about as well as sushi does, which is to say not very. The whole thing sounds thin and tinny and like they played the most basic beats on discount-store equipment, and like a lot of other reaching pop/R&B acts of the time (hello Bill Biv Devoe). There's some likable energy here, but this feels like a kids records – made by and made for – with not much heft and one guesses most of these protagonists long since would have outgrown and/or have fett a bit embarrassed by it.
Fun, super feminist, late 80s pop/rap here. It's not really my favorite kind of music to listen to, and I'm not sure I'll be coming back to this one often, or ever, but I do feel like it's worth an extra star just for the confident feminism, which is rare in this genre. I feel like the production is a bit dated and it all sounds a bit same same to me, but the lyrics are killer. I'd give it a 3.5/5 but I'm rounding up because of the great content.
There is something groovin on this blend of hip hop that makes it OK. Not much veering off the formulae though.
Buffalo Stance is a great pop song and really captures the spirit of 1989, dated as it may sound now. Some of the others I like too but I’m not fond of her rapping/shouting style which sounds unnatural and contrived.
It’s too bad this album doesn’t feature 7 seconds, (with Youssou N’Dour) which IMO is her best song. Buffalo Stance is a decent cover of Malcolm Mclaren’s hit, but the rest of this album sounds dated and doesn’t grab me at all.
A high energy pop album with strong synths. I can hear a lot of Madonna and Janet Jackson. "Buffalo Stance" is the standout track, with nothing even coming close. There's some filler, but there are also a lot of decent bops. Favorites: Buffalo Stance, Kisses on the Wind, Inna City Mamma, My Bitch
Nothing special about. Just an 80s pop album. It’s not bad, just no song stands out and are easily forgettable.
Not my bag
Meh
So much fun, dated, but great
Great album. Whatever happened to her? Shame two tracks were withheld.
Not my thing, but actually I quite nice.. reminds me off my childhood
This was awful, some things just need to die and be left in the 80's and this is one them.
An easily forgettable compilation of generic “hip hop” style tracks. I wouldn’t remember this from the past except that Buffalo Stance was a bit of an MTV hit. Not Bjork bad, but bad.
Tedious garbage. It sounds like it was made my a committee of people who had never listened to hip hop or R&B.
This is just terrible. Everything in this album has been done, and done better, by other people. Not for me at all.
Super fun!
Hip-hop y R&B. Me ha gustado. Un 4.
Not for me
Eh
Not for me
Fun but a bit dated
Síðníundatugar synþa hiphop-popp. Hljómar eins og Prince ripoff eða homage í mínum eyrum. Ekki leiðinlegt, en ég þarf þetta ekki.
Not good AND cringe
Buffalo stance is very very good but the rest of this was kind of ridiculous
I bet this felt so progressive when it came out but feels extremely dated.
Found it quite boring, with a lot of the songs sounding the same to me.
Stranger song is such a good track. I do like Leonard Cohen, been a while since i heard this. Knocking it down to a 4 though because it gave the animal house vibes when Belushi smashes that fellas guitar.
I know my mate Nick loved this album giving it a 4, not for me though. First song was boss as well but the rest just didn't wet my whistle
liked and still like whole album, smart version of bubblepop, produced well and e.g. Manchild and Buffalo Stance and Next Generation as strong as when released. She was part of underrated Rip Rig+Panic, bit less smooth.
not for me
This sounded like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles album if the turtles were angsty teenage girls. if I were a teenage turtle or teenage girl I’d probably give this 4 but I’m neither so 2.5 stars from me
странный альбом, но по описанию на вики я ещё другого ожидала
Buffalo Stance is a nostalgia grenade for me, but the rest of the album didn’t particularly stand out as anything more than fine.
Very dated sounding. It's fun and upbeat and she has a good voice but not really my thing.
Odd, pretty dated, but very important. Part of a very successful musical family, none of whom were involved in this album. Fun, and often funny, but the first two songs stand out a mile. Not sure the remixes on the linked Spotify version add anything.
Listening to this album was like being slapped in the face by 1989. The elements of early hip-hop and rap with the underlying drum machine beats. Strong TLC, Salt-n-Pepa, and Janet Jackson vibes. The beginning of the intro track is a little odd, calling out instruments. Super dated. I will say that her rap is VERY good. Clean and excellent cadence. Probably won't listen to this again, but I can appreciate it.
this is an album that surprised me! it sounded fresh for 1989, even though it came in at the end of the eighties with lots of synthesizers. there was some good variety and even some dance songs were included, but it stayed easy and smooth enough. and there were some cute rhymes in here! before i knew it, i had listened to this album a few times over.
I had never heard of Neneh Cherry, and honestly, that's a shame! I feel like she could have existed among the best of 80s R&B and pop. I can't imagine a better year for this album to come out than 1989, because it sounds like a complete sound mashup of the entire 80s decade with tidbits from every 80s genre that you can imagine. It was eclectic in the best way possible. The lyrics on this album were very clever and fun, as well. Buffalo Stance is officially going in my "guilty pleasures" bucket, because despite the utter 80s cheesiness of it all, I couldn't stop enjoying it. Not every song was as much of a win for me, but I honestly didn't hear any songs that I didn't at least baseline enjoy. This album was a nice surprise, and definitely a hidden gem for anyone who loves the sounds of the 80s.
This is better than I expected.
Seems a mix of classic 80’s sound and more influential 90s hip hop. Good catchy album worthy of the list, but slightly dated sound stops it getting more than a 3.
Buffalo stance is one of my all time jams. You can’t help but move when that song comes on!!
I love her sound & voice. Big fan of this album.
Instant hate. What the fuck is wrong with you, 1001 guy?
Very 80s, a little bit Janet Jackson/Paula Abdul, but not quite enough Salt n Pepa! Always liked Neneh’s voice. Hit singles are still great, but dated.
Fine
Pas mal!
C'est très bien essayé de la part de Neneh, mais vous savez tous que je suis un expert en sushi (cf mes critiques d'At Fillmore East et de Led Zeppelin). Je m'en vais donc "débunker" certaines idées rencontrées dans cet album : · "L'alimentation des Japonais repose quasi intégralement sur les sushis"- Buffalo Stance. FAUX, leur consommation reste occasionnelle au Japon. · "Un sushi sans poisson cru, ce n'est pas un sushi." - Love Ghetto. FAUX, il existe des sushis faits avec du poisson cuit, on les appelle "yakizushi". Arrête de raconter n'importe quoi Neneh. · "Certains restaurants proposent des formules de sushis à volonté."- Outré Risqué Locomotive. VRAI, j'évoque deux d'entre eux dans mes critiques d'At Fillmore East et de Led Zeppelin. · "Les sushis au thon, au saumon ou à la crevette doivent être dégustés de préférence avec une sauce sucrée."- My Bitch (bonus track). FAUX, la sauce salée est à privilégier. Voilà, j'espère que vous comprenez maintenant qu'il ne faut pas croire tout et n'importe quoi.
Mais pourquoi Robert a t'il selectionné pour sa liste elitiste, un album d'une rappeuse suedoise des années 80 ? Cette question m'empêche de dormir depuis plusieurs jours, je suis actuellement interné au Triemlispital de Zürich afin que plusieurs médecins puissent m'aider à retrouver le sommeil.
weak vocals
Too 80’s sounding for me.
Good, I enjoyed the album, especially the instrumentals.
Solidly good album, she's got a great voice and the grooves are excellent. 4 stars.
I need to wear more neon 90’s gear
Bra med masse synth
Weird late 80's pop with huge late 80s rap influence
HL: "Buffalo Stance", "Manchild", "Inna City Mamma", "Love Ghetto", "Outré Risqué Locomotive" 1st instinct was to say I've never listened or heard of this artist before, but a lil Spotify sleuthing says she was featured in "We Will Always Love You" by the Avalanches (one of my favourite lockdown finds). For one track, but still. I didn't anticipate to enjoy this as much as I did, after all, what other new jack swing have I listened to?- Michael Jackson? That is probably bc this is music for moving, and not sitting & contemplating. Good thing I was walking home from work when I heard this. "Manchild" is probably #1 for me on this album. "Locomotive" near the end is a really fun track as well. December 11, 2022
Dated on release, this album definitely didn't stand the test of time. The samples are tired, the flow is weak, and the lyrics are a disjointed mess. It's pop trying to pass itself off as "edgy" by co-opting hip-hop but can't seem to actually pull it off. It wasn't good in '89 and it's not good now.
Pretentious if pop can be. 80-luvun poppia ja karseaa räppiä. Lyriikat eivät tarkoita mitään. harmittaa miten helppoa tätä on kuunnella. Oikei, välillä kun huomio kiinnittyy lyriikoihin.. vitutus on suunnaton.. Jos ei englantia osaisi... voisi albumi nousta leveilemään kolmeen tähteen.. Monikaan ravintola saa sen enempää.. rengasyritykseltä..Mitselin.. Tämä Tuntuu aivan selvältä ykköseltä.. KATSO ALBUM COVERIA!! Ja kyllä se on hyvin tärkeä asia.. Easy listenimg oaskat lytyiikat, pop yrittåmättömyys... Kuitenkin harmittaa antaa yksi.. hyvä laulaja.. never forget...
So perfectly 80s
Not a big fan…
Fun to hear this again. I would add a half star if I could.
Quite good stuff!
Corny rap from the late 80's with production that is distinctly electro synths and hip hop beats. Buffalo Stance is memorable for it's incredibly busy hooks and interesting production choices. The truth is that Neneh Cherry is remembered mainly for being one of the few women rapping during this period. This is especially notable because she was born Swedish, but moved to New York in the early 70's, and then again to London in the late 70's. It was there she remained, though the pop rap influence of New York would also cross the Atlantic into the 80's. This would serve as the basis for Raw Like Sushi, along with the typical 80's dance-pop production that was shifting and adopting various different elements from subgenre such as new jack swing, trip hop, and freestyle. This smorgasbord of production styles comes across as disjointed and poorly conceived. Oh, and dated. This album has aged like milk. It's a skip from me.
Didn't activity make me want to not listen. I tolerated it, more than I enjoyed it. 33/112
A lot boxier than I remembered.
takie naciągane trochę
Can appreciate it was a trailblazing album for 1989, but it's just way too cheesy for me. Doesn't hold up well now.
hopefully the worst album to make this list. horrible, trite, affected, sophomoric lyrics. despite that, some of the tracks are definitely fun listens, and she got better at least.
Lolz wtf? I'm guessing this was like groundbreaking when it came out but generally to appreciate that stuff you need to have been there or at least read some context. Painful listen tbh.
What is this
I cringed the whole way through this. Very embarrassing
10/10 navn på album Dette vokste på meg, fra masse plagsomme lyder til å bli en bop
klarte ikkje høyra heile
Ya know what, I like most music. It's only if it annoys me that I tend to actually dislike a particular song or artist. And this album definitely annoyed me. 2 stars because it wasn't actually terrible. Just annoying.
Enoyable, think some of the lyrics were written from the massive attack geezer. Sounded dated in parts and the song about kids made her sound a bit like a pro lifer. But good honest to god hiphop.
Not for me. Even the singles at the time annoyed me, and the rest of the album is the same
Thought it was a'right at the time. In retrospect, I enjoyed the singles and began considering it a classic. On actual listening it's got some great tracks but doesn't consistently hit every ball out the park I like the originality it shows.
Great opener with Buffalo Stance, then Manchild is okay, but it's all downhill from there on out.
Hip hop. Pop
slightly wholesome and extremely dated early 90s female rap. didn't need to have so many tracks, but it's kind of fun listening to SFW rapping to relationship drama over 80s educational tv beats
this album is catchy as hell!!!!!!! get funky, baby!!!! all things considered, this is an 80s pop record. it's got the familiar drum loops, that iconic 80s synth, and all the catchiness of its contemporaries. it's also got a little bit of rap in there?? unfortunately, pop-rap from this era is incredibly cheesy, and she's got that 'i went to the hat store today' flow a little bit (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1bbBqnG_cg) neneh cherry's most familiar contemporary is madonna, and it's easy to see why the two would draw comparison, but i feel like this album has a little bit more to say than most of madonna's work. "inner city mama" has a whole hell of a lot to say, as does "the next generation." neneh cherry was pregnant while she was writing this album, and you can tell she was looking towards the future when she wrote these lyrics. i liked this one. i don't know if it's gonna go in my regular rotation or anything like that, but i'm glad i got to listen. not necessarily my cup of tea genre-wise, if i'm gonna go 80s i'm gonna get more alternative than this, but as a whole, really not bad.
Not my cup of tea.
hyvää poppia, etenkin a-puoli! ei aivan kasatikolinaa, ei vielä ysärijytää, lisänä vanhentuneen kuulloinen räppi. toimii. edellä aikaansa? tulee fiilis, että Nylon beat on ottanu paljon tästä. mutta se lienee vaan tämä yleis-pre-ysäri-girlpower.
Kasariretroilua, joka onkin tehty jo kasarilla. En osaa suhtautua tähän millään tasolla romanttisesti, minkä takia tuskin kuuntelen levyä koskaan uudelleen, mutta on tällä tarttuvatkin hetkensä.
- [ ] This really isn’t my style, but it’s fine pop music. I do think the novel 80s pop trends (drum machines, synth, sampling) have aged incredibly poorly. And this CD is super-long on them. But like peak MJ, there’s enough of classic R&B here to make it worthwhile. Nehneh herself has a nice voice, although I don’t care for her rapping, and there’s too much of that. The opener is the strongest song, a nice upbeat pop hit, with fairly effective use of sampling (although instantly dateable in a not-totally-good way). The rest is similar, barring a couple just totally-garbage all-rap songs like “Next Generation”- it’s just not as catchy, which is the only goal here. On a list of 1001, this almost certainly gets a boost for early influential female rap-pop plus Latin crossover, which I don’t care about at all (wrong kind of influential). And I’d never pick it for myself, but I actually thought it was a nice listen, or most of the songs at least- just a few too many duds, and not at the next level like some other comparably 80s pop (eg Whitney).
It's funny because I love the 80s and 90s when it comes to fashion, aesthetic, cars, etc but I feel like those years have wildly differences in music and how well it ages. Some of the sounds from drum machines in this specific era just sound so CORNY now. I've never heard this album or artist before and the most compelling thing I noticed is that she's a chorus master, but the rest of the song just seems kind of blah. A good album, but nothing I want to listen to again
This is a horribly dated album. On top of that, the list's entry for it namedrops her stepfather, Don Cherry, despite not having a single album by him or his bandleader, Ornette Coleman, on the list. What is this garbage? Why isn't there a single album from the founder of free jazz but there's this dated, obnoxious, late-80s rap album from one of his bandmembers' step daughter? Can we get someone who knows something about music to curate this stupid list?
The hit is pretty good I suppose. But this is just early 90s pop. Not for me.
I feel like I'm walking onto some sort of social experiment seeing the praise this album got, I don't get it AT all. Sounds like a parody or demo. Could not finish. I'm sure it had its time and place, but it sounds incredibly dated, repetitive (same flow over and over and over again) and dissonant. Love Ghetto and Phoney Ladies do stand out, they are quite groovy but the crowd samples ruin it in the former. By the way, what's with the lyrics on "Kisses On The Wind"? Kind of creepy...
She copies several of her contemporaries but never comes close to approaching their level. There are some really non-sensical lyrics in here, too. The only track I enjoyed was the bonus track. Best track: My Bitch
This is not a genre of music I tend to enjoy listening to and that didn't change for this album. I found the lyrics clunky and the songs too long for how repetitive they were. I also dislike when singers start speaking during songs and there was SO much of that in her music. Not for me.
This was a fun album. Not my usual genre but I really liked the feel of the album and was entertained the whole way through.
Great lyricism in this album and it was clear to the listener what her messages were. Loved her vibe!
First song was amazing, rest of album was fine.
This sounds like a missing link between 80’s pop styles and 90’s alternative pop. “So Here I Come” is a standout and a great example. Dense samples you couldn’t get away with anymore, like De La Soul’s classic lost albums. It’s smart and fun and has things to say. I remember Buffalo Stance and Kisses on the Wind, but there’s a lot more here.
3.1 - New jack swing comes to Sweden? It's danceable with plenty of color and energy. I hear songs like "Buffalo Stance" play at the Whole Foods and the workers bopping along to the beat, so there's a nostalgic crowd-pleasing element to this type of music. But there are better examples of new jack swing (Janet Jackson's "Control" or even "Cooleyhighharmony" by Boys II Men). And Neneh Cherry's message and attitude are consistently corny and one-note.
Damn that's an "old school 80" style album. Not my style unfortunately.
Really enjoyed it. Wasn’t expecting a vibrant synth pop based album and it delivered!
Hip-hop y R&B. Me ha gustado. Un 4.
Hip hopnew jack swing. Un poco cansina.
Nah. Uninspiring pop.
Some numbers are okay and even recognizable (buffalo stance); some are really not for me (especially the rapping parts).
Great classic rap, meaningful lyrics
This album is EXTREMELY 90s, maybe too much so at times. But definitely got some bangers in between the more generic ones. Vocals and lyrics were great, carried most of this project. Not much else to say, it’s good for what it is, and I really respect it for that. Will be adding those first couple tracks to my playlists, easily stronger vs the rest of it.
Eeeh
Good bearing how aggressively it is of it’s time
Rätt Lit
I honestly don't understand how this one made it into the book. To my ears, the album is chock-full of mediocre-at-best hip hop.
This is a pretty sweet, and a little spicy collection of dance tracks and hip hop beats. The style is very 80’s, but in a nice way. The lyrics are sung sweetly and rapped with clear diction and very little swearing compared to many other examples of rap I’ve heard. She represents troubles she’s had with men, and is quite frank about when she is and isn’t receptive to their advances. I had never heard these songs before, even though it seems she had a pretty big hit with Buffalo Stance. This was never my scene. Anyway it’s still an ok collection. There may even be one or two I would like to hear again.
English accents, string ballads, dj cuts, man children, questionable social commentary, raw sushi, talking spanish, prepubescent sexual tension, slutty locomotives, mixed metaphors, incoherent writing structure, what does getting shirty mean? The nonsensical nature of the writing kind of makes sense considering she's Swedish. Can't deny it's an interesting thing to listen to.
Zeer pop-achtige hiphop en R&B muziek. Goed als achtergrond voor mij
this sucks expect manchild was kinda nice
Mñe, no mi estilo pero bien. 2
I really liked the first track, Buffalo Stance; it’s a really cool blend of 80s hip hop and pop that I hadn’t heard before. However the rest of the album really didn’t stand out to me musically, however I did enjoy the political themes in the lyrics.
I am a big fan of this release. I knew of Neneh Cherry through Rip, Rig & Panic. It took me forever to find the RR&P release back in the day. The disparate elements she integrated was nor commonplace at the time. Nor was the focus on womanhood. At a time when there were clearly drawn lines between pop and what would become hip-hop, Neneh Cherry blurred the lines in the best possible way.
Madonna with teeth and a message. Lots of female positivity to address the misogynistic, male lyrics in so many rap and hiphop songs of the time. It's not a great album but it was fun to listen to. Reminded me that I have one of slightly later albums (that leans more to rock) that I haven't heard in years. Will listen to that one again.
I had no issue with this album, but like a lot of late 80's/early 90's albums I don't think it aged well sonically. I wouldn't listen to this again, but I can see how teens at the time found it to be a fun album.
Sucks
not my thing, soz
Not bad
Very good hip hop
Really enjoyable late 80s / early 90s RnB vibes.
Still sampled today in some dance songs.
Never have heard of this, but I kinda love this... Sounded like a better version of one of the many Prince proteges from the 80s.
I’m surprised this came out in 1989. This sounds like much older (late 70s or really 80s) rap both lyrically and musically. It was an ok album, kind of generic lyrics.
This is all well and good...but no idea why I need to hear this before I die.
meh
Had a couple of late 80s albums this week taking me back to my youth. But really striking how contemporary they sound these days, ten maybe 15 years ago this would sound as dated as hell but not now, aside from the odd scratch noise. This sound is everywhere in modern music. All time bangers front and centre, it's a blast at the beginning. I drift off halfway through as nothing can compete with the absolute classic singles particularly, but it's still a great, fun, pop album.
I was not familiar with the artist or any of the songs. The album was pretty good. It had that early rap and hip hop feel while maintaining that 80s feel. At times the music reminded me of Michael Jackson and Prince. It wasn't a bad album. I doubt I revisit it or listen to any of the songs again.
The sound of this record is very dated and doesn't hold up at all. The rapping was mediocre and I wasn't a fan of her voice. I did not enjoy this album.
Unbelievably 90s 2.5
Oh boy, does this album broadcast 1989, or what? The videos for some of the tracks are a perfect encapsulation of that point in time for popular music. Other than recognizing a time period, I don't have much in common with who this record was written for. I like understanding different cultural perspectives, but this is not music I would choose to listen to. Once was enough.
rap sections: 5/5. sublime. dated 80s vocal sections: 2/5.