Reid/Babyface track from the late ’80s stretch in which they defined R&B. “Forever Your Girl” (presented, as are most songs, in a remixed single version) is all perky synth horns and fluttering eyelashes. Actually, most of the rest of Abdul’s music finds her in cutesy, cheerleader mode. Nothing else in her career comes close (although the similar “Cold Hearted” comes close - it loses points when separated from its risqué video). Not only did this song introduce a new phrase into the pop lexicon, but it stands as one of that era’s defining songs. But beyond the lyrics, everything about the song is tough - from the staccato drums to the droning guitar that pops up in the chorus. It’s Abdul at her most aggressive, challenging a lover’s true intentions. There’s only one essential Abdul single, and that’s obviously “Straight Up”, the third single from her debut album Forever Your Girl and the track that became the first of her six (six!!) number ones. This is why the quality of this hits compilation falls off as soon as she finds success and decides to be an artist as much as a videogenic dance diva. I hate to make the comparison again…but unlike Jackson (who has appeared to develop her relationship with producers Jam/Lewis to the point where they can be considered equal creative partners), Abdul lives and dies by her songs and production. She was blessed (cursed?) with a nasal chirp of a voice that was by far the weakest of her contemporaries you’re not picking up her record to be blown away by the vocals. Quite possibly, the biggest irony about Abdul is the fact that if she were to appear on Idol as a contestant, she wouldn’t even get through the audition phase. This is, of course, assuming you want anything by her to begin with. Greatest Hits: Straight Up!, at 18 tracks, is a bit overstuffed, but look at it this way: With this album in your possession, you will never have to own anything by Paula Abdul ever again. Although her reign at the top of the charts was quick (1989-1992), the singles were plentiful. So even though she’s now best-known as the slightly loopy (OK, very loopy) judge on Fox’s American Idol, there was a time when Paula Abdul was the most popular female singer in America. Her first hit singles rode the coattails of Jackson’s sound as hard as records by Pebbles, Karyn White, Jody Watley and a million lesser copycats did during the same period. Consequently, without Jackson’s dance/pop breakthrough, I don’t think Abdul would have ever decided to record an album. At that time Abdul was only known as a cheerleader for the Magic-era Los Angeles Lakers. The first and most obvious one is that Jackson’s breakthrough album, 1986’s Control, featured several videos choreographed by Abdul. It’s just as easy to say Paula Abdul’s success wouldn’t have happened without Janet Jackson as it is to say Janet Jackson’s success wouldn’t have happened without Paula Abdul, and there are a couple of factors at play here.
0 kommentar(er)
