WILD AND PEACEFUL
Release date 31 March 1979, Produced by Rick James and Art Stewart. Teena Marie's debut album seems to me like 'the album that had to be done'... Rick was tired of seeing her sitting in the studio without an album... and guess what? He wrote her one..Wild and Peaceful is nothing to me but a Rick James album that has Teena singing on it. No, I am not bashing the album, This album fits Teena like a glove, lyrically and emotionally. Lyrically, I think it was ingenous for Rick James to write words so sensitive and passionate that totally contradicts his style of writing for his first album. The highlights of the album are the beautiful musical composition of "Deja Vu" and the infectious groove of "I'm a sucker for your love". Personally, I feel that the lyrical and vocal finesse of "turnin' me on" set the world's pallette for the ultimate Teena Marie experience. Back then, someone so young did not express their sexuality in that fashion. The song bordelines orgasmic, yet preparing the world for Teena's future in the business. Rick "dug" writing about sex and Teena did also (this is prevalent in the other albums). "I'm gonna have my cake (and eat it too)" is the only track that Teena had part in doing, and obviously shows the young singer's jazz influence, while "don't look back", an updated Temptation, song shows her love of grass root rhythms (later shown in the Emerald City album). Overall, It was a good album except that they may have made "don't look back" a tad too long and "I can't love anymore" too short. If anything, this album is hypnotic.. and is one of the better quality works by Rick James.
{1979 motown }(revue courtesy of Jeanien)
playlist
1.I'm a Sucker For Your Love ( (Rick James)
2.Turnin' Me On (Rick James)
3.Don't Look Back (William "Smokey" Robinson-Robert White)
4.De Ja Vu (I've Been Here Before) (Rick James)
5.I'm Gonna Have My Cake (And Eat it Too) (Teena Marie-Marie Holland)
6.I Can't Love Anymore (teena marie)