Not.com.mercial
AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Albums:
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Not.Com.mercial
- Artist: Cher
- Rating:
- Release Date: 2000
- Total Time: 40:58
- Type: Lyrics are included with the album
- Genre: Rock
Review
In late 2000, Cher issued the album Not.Com.mercial, which was sold exclusively via the website www.cherdirect.com. The album, as the title implies, was not sold in stores. So, from the onset, the album was marked as a rarity. It's also a rarity because it's the first album comprised almost entirely of original material written by the lady herself. The album has a 1970s singer/songwriter feel. At times it sounds somewhat country and twangy, other times somewhat bluesy, but always completely different from her previous effort Believe (these songs were written during a songwriting retreat in 1994, so well before her transformation into a dancefloor staple). The songs range from slow to mid-tempo and have quite engaging lyrics, proving Cher adept in the role of storyteller. Album highlights include the bluesy "(The Fall) Kurt's Blues," which was written for tragic grunge god Kurt Cobain. The catchy, twangy "Disaster Cake" was written about one of her daughter's former girlfriends, and "Fit to Fly" recalls late-'80s, Heart of Stone-era Cher. Also included is an old Sonny & Cher tune, "Classified 1A," which was shelved because it was deemed un-American. The album is a tad muddled (some melodramatic lyrics, as in "Sisters of Mercy" when she yells the chorus "sisters of mercy, daughters of hell!"), but overall the songs prove effective, and the album is a must for the singer's legions of fans. Good liner notes, too. ~ Jose F. Promis, Rovi| Not-So-Perfect World (2006 Album by Endi) | |
| Nota (2010 Album by Nota) |
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
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Not.com.mercial
| not.com.mercial | ||||
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| Studio album by Cher | ||||
| Released | November 8, 2000 | |||
| Recorded | 1994 in France | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock, folk rock, soft rock | |||
| Length | 40:58 | |||
| Label | Artist Direct | |||
| Producer | Cher, Bruce Roberts | |||
| Cher chronology | ||||
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| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
not.com.mercial is the twenty fourth album by American singer-actress Cher, released November 8, 2000. The album was released exclusively through Cher.com and Artist Direct, although there it eventually received a limited CD release. The album follows Cher's largest commercial hit Believe.
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Contents
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Album history
The majority of not.com.mercial was written by Cher in 1994 when she retreated to France. The song "Born With the Hunger" was written by Eikhardt, and "Classified 1A" is a newly-remixed version of her 1970 Sonny Bono-penned song. The folk/rock-themed album with some slow ballads was proposed to Warner UK when Cher signed with the company in early 1995. Rob Dickins, head of Warner, reportedly turned down the project as being "not commercial".
In 1999, Cher decided it was time to release the record as an exclusive for fans through her website and Artist Direct. Though no singles were released, the song "Born With the Hunger" has been featured on the international version of The Very Best of Cher.
None of the songs have ever been sung live and little information is known about the album itself, although Cher's liner notes explains a lot. The song "(The Fall) Kurt's Blues", co-written with Pat MacDonald of Timbuk3 and Bruce Roberts, is her tribute to rock singer Kurt Cobain, who committed suicide in 1994.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Still" | Cher, Bruce Roberts, Bob Thiele | 6:15 |
| 2. | "Sisters of Mercy" | Cher, Pat MacDonald, Roberts | 5:01 |
| 3. | "Runnin'" | Cher, MacDonald, Roberts | 3:56 |
| 4. | "Born With the Hunger" | Shirley Eikhard | 4:05 |
| 5. | "(The Fall) Kurt's Blues" | Cher, MacDonald, Roberts | 5:17 |
| 6. | "With or Without You" | Cher | 3:45 |
| 7. | "Fit to Fly" | Cher, Doug Millett, Kevin Savigar | 3:53 |
| 8. | "Disaster Cake" | Cher, MacDonald, Roberts | 3:25 |
| 9. | "Our Lady of San Francisco" | Cher, Michael Garvin, Rich Wayland | 2:15 |
| 10. | "Classified 1A" | Sonny Bono | 2:55 |
Personnel
Notes
- In an interview conducted with Cher by Lawrence Ferber, she said that "We did the whole thing in 2 days with the guys from the Letterman band – we were just making demos." The personnel from the David Letterman band in 2000 is as follows:
- Felicia Collins, Sid McGinnis: Guitars (Collins also does backing vocals)
- Paul Shaffer: Keyboards
- Bernie Worrell: Synthesizers
- Will Lee: Bass, Backing Vocals
- Anton Fig: Drums, Percussion
- Tom Malone: Trombone
- Al Cheznovitz: Trumpet, Flugelhorn
- Bruce Kapler: Saxophone
Production
- Arranged & Produced By Cher & Bruce Roberts
External links
- Cher talks to Lawrence Ferber about the making of "not.com.mercial"
- List of personnel in the David Letterman Band, AKA "The CBS Orchestra"
- CHER TRIES A NOT-SO-SUNNY CD
References
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