Lost/Forgotten Album #264

This week's selection might not be the second in a series. Then again, it most probably is.

As I said last week, there might be an featured artist or two that brings the funk even though you might not expect them to have a funky bone in their body. That might be the case with this week's selection, 1994's "SHE" from Harry Connick, Jr.

Some of you might know HCJ from that movie with fighter pilots, you know, then one where he died. You might think it's "Top Gun", but it's not. It's that OTHER movie with fighter pilots. Not the one with Goose (who died). No volleyball either. There might have been aliens in the movie, but I don't remember.

Anyway, not only does this album bring some funk, but it also mixes in jazz, pop, rock and prog. What's even more interesting about this album is how different it is from his earlier work which was mostly jazz and standards. If you listen to his earlier work, this album might come as a complete shock.

I actually had the followup to this album all ready to go for this week's pick. However, I decided to change it at the last minute to this album just to see what kind of reception it gets. If it's good, I might post that followup (which goes even farther off the rails). If reception is bad, I still might go ahead and post that album anyway, just because I can.

Even though the allmusic.com review is 1.5 stars (?), the actual review is actually kind of good, I guess:

Known for a style reminiscent of a young Frank Sinatra, Harry Connick, Jr. takes a drastic turn on SHE, choosing the funkier side of his New Orleans roots. Enlisting the likes of George Porter Jr. and Ziggy Modeliste (the Meters' rhythm section), Connick easily shifts into a more '70s-oriented vibe. The Earth, Wind, & Fire sounding background vocals which wash over "Between Us" are preceded by Connick's grittier phrasing in the title track where he plays an organ like a man possessed. The experimentation on SHE is best exemplified on "Follow The Music" and its companion "Follow The Music Further" featuring a stab at beat-esque minimalism courtesy of Ramsey McLean's smoky recitation over a bare rhythm track.

Harry Connick, Jr. pays the ultimate tribute to his hometown, coming out of the slinky instrumental "Joe Slam And The Spaceship" into "To Love The Language" which lovingly embraces the vernacular of the Crescent City.

Amazon customers rate this album 4.2 stars, so who's right?

SHE

1. She
2. Between Us
3. Here Comes The Big Parade
4. Trouble
5. (I Could Only) Whisper Your Name
6. Follow The Music
7. Joe Slam And The Spaceship
8. To Love The Language
9. Honestly Now (Safety's Just Danger... Out Of Place)
10. She... Blessed Be The One
11. Funky Dunky
12. Follow The Music Further
13. That Party
14. Booker

Availability: New is less than $6 while used is less than $4.

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Permalink Reply by Niels (Mod) on September 11, 2015 at 9:55am

I bought a couple of HCJ-albums around '90-'91. Around that time, I was soooooo tired of Hair-Metal, and was looking for a different kind of music, to listen to. In fact, he kind of came across to me as a young David Lee Roth, or let's say a cross between DLR and Sinatra. I could only find a couple of good tunes on each one of those 2-3 albums, I bought, and looked elsewhere after something else to listen to. He would probably had been a bigger star, if he had been born a couple of decades ealier.

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Permalink Reply by RJhog (Admin) on September 13, 2015 at 9:20pm

I'll give you the fact that it doesn't really sound like I would have thought it would sound. It does have some soul, even some blues.

I was hoping that first song was a Kiss cover, but not so lucky. The second song has a bit of decent guitar work. That third track reminds me, for some reason, of Robert Cray. The fourth song sounds familiar. Maybe it's a cover? Not sure.

Not really sure what Follow The Music is. Maybe just an intro to the funk that follows it. But weird for sure. I don't think he has a funky voice at all. He can pull off the soul sound though. But that's probably why the only funky track so far is an instrumental.

To Love The Language sounds pretty much like I would have expected. I haven't disliked anything in particular to this point, but Honestly Now is the first track that I've thoroughly enjoyed. I can see myself adding a song like this to a mix that I was creating. Cool song and vocal performance.

And the rest of the album sounds pretty much just like the first 8 tracks. Except maybe that last track, it's pretty good. Not as good as Honestly Now, but not bad.

Overall, it's not a bad album to spin, but there's really only one standout track.

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Permalink Reply by Scott on January 28, 2016 at 11:14am

I don't know how this slipped by me? Maybe it was my sons wedding... or something like that...

Always thought of Connick Jr as a Big Band singer/songwriter, so I'd never considered listening to him before. He's got a bit of funk in him though and his melodicness is quite pleasant. Clearly the guy is loaded with talent and can play the snot out of the piano. Its the style that eludes me, and maybe its a Louisiana thing, who knows. Still, the music is appealing and there in-lies the quandary - Good Music that doesn't really strike me, how does that work?

Its does get to sounding a bit repetitive around track 8-9. The closer is probably my favorite, cool feel to it a bit of Roger Hodgson channeling in the keyboard work and bit of prog as well! Not radical prog but prog in his melodic cajun sorta way ...

Sorry so late... :-)