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Big Fun

 
Album Review: Big Fun

  • Artist: Inner City
  • Rating: StarStarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: 1989
  • Total Time: 40:16
  • Genre: Electronica

Review

In the 1980s and '90s, a lot of dance music spotlighted female singers with thin, weak voices who seem on the verge of death. But house music has often been a home to expressive, big-voiced divas who can truly wail -- a fine example being Paris Gray of the duo Inner City. Along with producer/composer Kevin Saunderson, Gray was responsible for some of the most rewarding dance music of the late '80s and early '90s. Inner City's debut album, Big Fun (titled Paradise in the U.K.), is full of house gems that enjoyed extensive dance club exposure, including "Good Life," "Do You Love What You Feel," "Ain't Nobody Better," and the title song. While Saunderson's production is decidedly high-tech, Gray's warm, passionate singing is mindful of dance music's heritage and underscores its soul and gospel roots in a delightful way. Unfortunately, Inner City never crossed over to the R&B or pop markets as Virgin Records hoped -- an irony considering that Big Fun is so much more individualistic and soulful than most of the generic efforts that dominated black radio in 1989. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Inner City Theme Kevin Saunderson Inner City (2:50)
Paradise Paris Grey, Ann Saunderson, Kevin Saunderson Inner City (4:05)
Ain't Nobody Better Paris Grey, Kevin Saunderson Inner City (4:01)
Watcha Gonna Do With My Lovin' [Def Radio Mix] Reggie Lucas, James Mtume Inner City (4:15)
Big Fun Paris Grey, Kevin Saunderson, James Pennington, Arthur Forrest Inner City (3:25)
Do You Love What You Feel Paris Grey, Kevin Saunderson Inner City (5:01)
Good Life Paris Grey, Kevin Saunderson, Roy Holmon Inner City (3:25)
Set Your Body Free Ann Saunderson, Kevin Saunderson Inner City (4:01)
And I Do Juan Atkins, Paris Grey Inner City (4:18)
Secrets of the Mind Paris Grey, Kevin Saunderson Inner City (4:55)

Credits

Ben Grosse (Mixing), Michael Iacopelli (Engineer), David Morales (Remixing), Ben Grosse (Engineer), Roy Holmon (Assistant Producer), Simon Gowler (Phjo), John Poppo (Remixing), Juan Atkins (Producer), Paris Grey (?), Duane Bradley (Mixing), Frankie Knuckles (Remixing), Chris Andrews (Engineer), Kevin Saunderson (Producer), Simon Gowler (?), Hills Archer (Art Direction), Kevin Saunderson (Mixing), Magic Juan (Mixing), Bernie Grundman (Mastering), Kevin Saunderson (Engineer), Hills Archer (Design)
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Wikipedia: Big Fun
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Big Fun were an English boyband (1988-1994), featuring Phil Creswick, Mark Gillespie and Jason John (a.k.a Jason Herbert), and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman.

Their only album, A Pocketful of Dreams (released in 1990), reached the Top 10 in the UK Albums Chart;[1] and contained the hit singles "Blame It on the Boogie" (a cover of The Jacksons' 1978 hit), "Can't Shake the Feeling", and "Handful of Promises".

Their final single "Stomp!" was issued in 1994, under the name 'Big Fun II' as one of the members had left the band and although this failed to obtain the commercial heights of their earlier work, it reached the dance chart in the United States. [2]

After disbanding, Gillespie and Creswick became painter and decorators and John returned to being a model booker.

Contents

Discography

Singles

[1]

  • "I Feel the Earth Move" was intended to be released before "Blame It on the Boogie" and got as far as advertising but was pulled at the last minute. A few months later it became a top 10 hit for Martika.

Albums

A Pocketful of Dreams
Studio album by Big Fun
Released 1990
Recorded 1989-90
Genre Synth pop
Electronic
Label Jive Records
Producer Stock Aitken Waterman (tracks: 1, 2, 3, 6, 10),Phil Harding & Ian Curnow (tracks: 4, 7, 11), Pete Hammond (tracks: 5, 8, 9),
  • 1990 - A Pocketful of Dreams (#7 UK)
  1. "Handful of Promises"
  2. "Blame It on the Boogie" (12")
  3. "Can't Shake the Feeling"
  4. "Fight for the Right to Party"
  5. "Not That Kinda Guy"
  6. "We're in This Love Forever"
  7. "Why Did You Break My Heart"
  8. "Bring Your Love Back"
  9. "The Heaven I Need"
  10. "Hey There Lonely Girl"
  11. "I Feel the Earth Move" (CD and Cassette bonus track)

References

  1. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 57. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 
  2. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8178162.stm

External links


 
 

 

Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Big Fun" Read more

 

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