Trouble in Paradise

Amazon.com
He's written some of the thorniest, darkest vignettes ever tucked into the verses and chorus of a pop song, but Randy Newman's greatest commercial successes have come with his most ephemeral material. "Short People" was a throwaway, albeit a terrific one, but it catapulted him onto pop charts and generated controversy among dim-bulbs who didn't realize he was kidding. Dwarfing that hit (pun intended) was "I Love L.A.," which has become an anthem despite the squalor of its imagery and Newman's hilarious inclusion of some of the ugliest thoroughfares imaginable in his litany of glorious local streets. Trouble in Paradise thus derives much of its familiarity from this one romping gag, yet its best songs tilt toward Newman's darker side, none more so than "Christmas in Capetown," which reconstructs the holiday through the eyes of an Afrikaner racist. Ho, ho, ho. --Sam Sutherland

Trouble in Paradise,Randy Newman,Reprise / Wea,Album Rock,Pop,Pop/Rock,Popular Music,Rock,Rock/Pop,Singer/Songwriter,Soft Rock

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Trouble in Paradise

Average customer rating: Newman's cheery view of 1980s American culture... A Big Nasty Redhead At My Side... The Master of Rock Noir This is Fabulous Stuff

Trouble in Paradise Randy Newman Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Oldies | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classic Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Land of Dreams Little Criminals 12 Songs Born Again Randy Newman Creates Something New Under the Sun ASIN: B000002KYN Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. I Love L.A.
2. Christmas in Cape Town
3. The Blues
4. Same Girl
5. Mikey's
6. My Life Is Good
7. Miami
8. Real Emotional Girl
9. Take Me Back
10. There's A Party At My House
11. I'm Different
12. Song For The Dead

Amazon.com

He's written some of the thorniest, darkest vignettes ever tucked into the verses and chorus of a pop song, but Randy Newman's greatest commercial successes have come with his most ephemeral material. "Short People" was a throwaway, albeit a terrific one, but it catapulted him onto pop charts and generated controversy among dim-bulbs who didn't realize he was kidding. Dwarfing that hit (pun intended) was "I Love L.A.," which has become an anthem despite the squalor of its imagery and Newman's hilarious inclusion of some of the ugliest thoroughfares imaginable in his litany of glorious local streets. Trouble in Paradise thus derives much of its familiarity from this one romping gag, yet its best songs tilt toward Newman's darker side, none more so than "Christmas in Capetown," which reconstructs the holiday through the eyes of an Afrikaner racist. Ho, ho, ho. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews:

Newman's cheery view of 1980s American culture..........2004-11-20

Newman makes a surprising claim in "Ragtime's" CD 2002 issue booklet. Referring to "Trouble in Paradise" he says "I think that's my best record. Not many others do, but I do." Newman then credits his film score composition for vastly improving his pop albums. This may sound puzzling coming from the man responsible for "12 Songs", "Sail Away", and the amazing "Good Old Boys". When speaking of Newman's accomplishments, "Trouble in Paradise" rarely receives effervescent laudations. The album actually seems mostly forgotten even though it made #67 on Rolling Stone's "Best Albums of the 1980s" list.

Newman's career took a turn in 1977 that led to 1983's "Trouble in Paradise". Newman's "Little Criminals" began the divergence from the heavily orchestrated acoustic folky sound of his 1960s - 1970s work to the more electronic sounds of the 1980s. True, a lot of this reflects the trends of the time, and maybe Newman had to follow the scene from necessity, but the trends blare like neon in this album. "Trouble In Paradise" simply sounds like a 1980s album. The synthesizer sounds and production scream of the era. The song "Miami" was even featured on an episode of "Miami Vice" (1986's "Trust Fund Pirates", episode #043; yes, anything can be found on the internet).

Regardless of the sounds and production values, "Trouble In Paradise" contains some great Newman. Arguably, it vastly improves on 1979's "Born Again". "I Love LA" starts off the album on Newman's typical tongue-in-cheek-but-sounds serious note. The video received almost constant MTV airplay, but the song didn't come close to "Short People's" chart status. "Christmas In Capetown" explores a nasty 1980s theme: apartheid in South Africa. This time the tale gets told from the point of view of one of those who "went along with the status quo" of the time. It's probably the album's best song. "My Life Is Good" probably qualifies as the album's 2nd best song. The lyrics comprise a rant (of a person who has a little too much of the spoiled good life) to a teacher who tries to question him. His rebuttal? "My life is good you old bag!" Some classic haunting Newman ballads also dot the album. "Same Girl", "Real Emotional Girl", and "Song For The Dead" prove that Newman hadn't completely abandoned his earlier style. The remaining songs, apart from the very obvious hit grope "The Blues" (even Paul Simon shows up with rather mixed results), range from great to simply good Newman. The lesser songs typically get saved by their lyrics (e.g., "I'm Different" is very funny even if it's not a great song). The lyrics in general, along with the album's title, explore the ugly side of paradise. Broken cities, racism, neuroticism, sexism, greed, obstinance, date rape, poverty, self-importance, and people who have trouble with change. "Trouble In Paradise" is Newman's portrait of 1983 America. The portrait seems to resemble Dorian Gray and Goya's "The Family of Charles IV". Trouble in Paradise, indeed.

"Trouble In Paradise" and 1988's "Land of Dreams" completely exhaust Newman's 1980s pop album output. By 1983 Newman found himself well entrenched in the Hollywood filmscore scene. Pop albums became something he did between more lucrative film music, as the grand total of 2 albums from 1980-1989 attests. This trend continued into the 1990s ("Faust" and "Bad Love" were Newman's only 1990s non soundtrack releases). Still, the albums he did release make up for the empty years. After all, two great albums a decade beats the pants off of 10 crappy albums a decade.

A Big Nasty Redhead At My Side..........2002-11-30

Trouble In Paradise veers away from the more 'traditional' Randy Newman songs, i.e., the trademark 'shuffles' and, well, variations on shuffle tempos. Here he takes a few more risks, shakes things up a bit, and deliberately works outside of himself to come up with a whole new sound. The good news is that Trouble In Paradise contains the best songs of Newman's entire catalogue; conversely, it also contains some of his worst.

'I Love LA', the opener, is without a doubt one of the best songs Newman has ever written. A twisted love paean to the sunny city itself, Newman juxtaposes an upbeat rock track to some suspect lyrics, singing of such unsavoury locales as 'Santa Monica Boulevard' and 'Sixth Street' while a chorus echoes "we love it!"

'Christmas in Capetown' is a brilliant song, again one of his best. It captures the anxiety and hostility of an Afrikaaner racist as he laments the state of South Africa, at the same time propagating the gap between blacks and whites with his racist overtures.

'My Life is Good' is excellent, as well as very funny. Newman assumes the role of an upper-class husband rocked by the news of his son's misdemeanours at a "private school" which "many famous people send their kids" to, he brags. The reference to Bruce Springsteen ("Rand, I'm tired... why don't YOU be the boss for a while?") and the line following that one (which can't be mentioned), is the funniest thing Randy's ever produced.

The remaining excellent songs are 'Take Me Back', 'Real Emotional Girl', 'Same Girl' and 'Mikey's'.

Conversely though, 'The Blues' is offensive in that it ridicules kids who take solace in music (that's hitting below the belt). Also musically's it's not a very good song. 'I'm Different' is the worst thing Newman's ever written - completely dreadful. 'Song for the Dead' doesn't work, and 'There's a Party At My House' doesn't make the grade either. So one star comes off for those ones.

But, barring the four bad tracks, Trouble in Paradise is an incredibly entertaining album that shows us a new side of Randy Newman. Here his songs take a new shape. They're longer, ringing in at an average of four minutes, as opposed to two. The songs also don't sound the same for four minutes - Newman mixes the whole thing up, so verses, choruses and bridges all sound different. Pick up Trouble in Paradise - it's a very underrated Newman album, and, what's more, Newman himself considers it his best.

The Master of Rock Noir.......2000-09-02

This is probably Newman's most enjoyable album, in terms of stinging skepticism and lacerating humor. "I Love L.A." is his great practical joke on the city--thousands ended up singing it at Lakers games, carefully avoiding the line about the "bum down on his knees." "Christmas in Capetown" actually makes you feel pity for a South African racist (while showing the ugliness of apartheid attitudes), in words that it would be impossible for a white artist to use today. "Mikey's" will appeal to every middle-aged dude confronted with the Backstreet Boys. "The Blues" (sung with Paul Simon) sends up self-pity in rock lyrics (while at the same time acknowledging the pain.) "My Life is Good" is a parody of Springsteen and an act of scalding self-criticism. And "I'm Different" may be Randy's greatest song, an exhilarating anthem for misfits everywhere--let's see Eminem top it.

This is Fabulous Stuff.......1999-06-04

Why do more people not know about this recording. It is so good. Forget that the backbone of Toto backs him up on this and does a damn good job. The real stuff here is in the writing. The lyrics twist the knife or tear the heart. The music could be the child of Gershwin from some slightly twisted parallel world. We have all heard 'I Love L.A.', and its fun even after you hear it time and time agian, but, listen to 'Miami'. This song is something else. And, 'Real Emotional Girl' ...I know her....poor wonderful creature- the girl and the song.'My Life is Good' is simply one of the funniest songs ever written. Who cares this recording is 15 or whatever years old, it plays pretty damn good today.

Average customer rating: Supergroup, respectable album more country-rock gone soft Prelude to Demise Sounds like a combination of Poco and Loggins and Messina Skip the first two songs and you've got a Perfect Album

Trouble in Paradise Shf Band Manufacturer: Wounded Bird Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Souther Hillman Furay Band Home By Dawn Black Rose John David Souther You're Only Lonely ASIN: B000068TKS Release Date: 2002-06-18

Tracks:

1. Trouble In Paradise
2. Move Me Real Show
3. For Someone I Love
4. Mexico
5. Love And Satisfy
6. On The Line
7. Prisoner In Disguise
8. Follow Me Through
9. Somebody Must Be Wrong

Album Description

The Souther, Hillman, Furay Band was one of those supergroup creations of the 70's. Chris Hillman was an original member of The Byrds, Richie Furay was one of the founders of Poco and J.D. Souther worked with Glen Frey of the Eagles. In 1974 they formed this unique group and recorded two albums. Trouble In Paradise rose to # 39 and is making its worldwide CD debut. Wounded Bird Records. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Supergroup, respectable album.......2007-07-02

I discovered Richie Furay and J.D. Souther purely by accident. I found the original S-H-F Band self-titled debut album in a bargin bin somewhere around 1979. I was familar with J.D.'s association with the Eagles but I had no idea who Richie and Chris Hillman were. After I threw down my $1, I've seeked out every recording from J.D. & Richie(sorry Chris) ever since. After reading the reviews here I felt compelled to respond.

I found this album to be more enjoyable than the first album. I thought the debut lacked direction and proved to be a bit uneven. But 'Trouble in Paradise' sounded more slick with good pop sensibilities. Now normally that would be considered an insult but after the spotty affair of the first album this was a welcome change. Yes this is in the same vain as Loggins & Messina/Poco/Eagles/Jackson Browne. But you can't dismiss the vocal and songwriting capabilities of J.D. Souther & Richie Furay. Thirty-two years later Richie's voice is still unwavering (check out 'The Heartbeat of Love'). I wish I could say the same about J.D. but we may never know since he hasn't recorded anything in 25 years.

If your considering this CD and have not purchased anything from Richie or J.D. start with their solo material(Richie: Heartbeat of Love, J.D: Home by Dawn or You're Only Lonely)and then revisit this.

more country-rock gone soft.......2006-06-04

Finding this album in store without having to order it online was a real treat and despite unenthusiastic reviews of it, I snatched it because it was available. I should have held out for SHF's first album, which is said to be better. JD Souther, Chris Hillman, and Richie Furay should have been the ultimate country-rock superstar band when put together, but this album does not demonstrate anything to that end. The vocal harmonies are as good as one would expect and the musicianship is proficient, but by 1975, the songs have lapsed into '70s California soft-rock lethargy. Certainly, such easy-listening music has its purpose, and I continue to listen to the record for purposes of chilling out, but it has none of the fire of the bands associated with S, H, and F: the Eagles, Flying Burrito Brothers, and Poco. The only song that recalls any of the members' country-rock backgrounds is "Prisoner In Disguise", a laid-back but soulful song with just the right touches of steel guitar, piano, and soaring vocal harmonies. On the title track, a poppy, jazzy number, the band seriously sounds like it's boring itself to sleep. If you're a big fan of any of the three stars, this affords one more opportunity to enjoy their work, especially that of Richie Furay, whose wonderfully twangy country vocals grace the front of just two tracks that aren't even country songs: "For Someone I Love" and "On the Line". One more notable song is "Mexico", a somewhat different song, with an agreeably warm south-of-the-border sound and vocals from JD Souther that are easy on the ears. Otherwise, though I can't yet speak for it, you might better spend your time and money on SHF's first album. See also my review of the "20th Century Masters" compilation of Poco songs.

Prelude to Demise.......2006-04-19

This second, and final, LP by the SHF Band reminds me of Buffalo Springfield's "Last Time Around"...it was good album, but you could almost feel it consisted of separate efforts by each band member, compiled together on one disc. Richie Furay's tunes clearly showed his leanings to Christianity, though they were well done; but only having 2 songs on the album spoke volumes of his interest and/or involvement. Souther, who made no effort to keep the group together, included a previously released song (Prisoner In Disguise) and uses the principals of the Eagles as background singers instead of Hillman and Furay on supporting vocals. Hillman's work stands out the best from my perspective, even though he has one less tune than Souther. The group also misses the work of drummer extraordinaire Jim Gordon, who was replaced after the first SHF album by Ron Grinel (Gordon eventually had some serious legal problems). Terrific sidemen Al Perkins and Paul Harris return, and the album is an easy listen--- great harmonies, country-rock beat and each tune was thematic in its own way. Still,it was clear this LP was the swan song for the group, which had failed to tour much to support its first album, due to an injury to Furay's hand. Furay and Hillman were much more compatible as bandmates, and Hillman has been quoted as saying he got tired of being the middle man between the exuberant goodness of Furay and the brooding, more moody Souther. Lost in the translation of all this was the potential for a great band, if not the supergroup that David Geffen had envisioned in the first place. By the time his hand healed, Furay was focusing on his family, personal life and his commitment to Christianity, and Hillman correctly surmised there was no way to effectively tour without him. All three---Souther, Hillman and Furay, released solo projects for Asylum with little fanfare and monetary success after the band broke up. Look for Souther's "Black Rose", Hillman's "Clear Sailin'" and "Slippin' Away" (what's in a title?) and Furay's triumvirate, "Richie Furay Band", "Dance A Little Light" and his best Asylum work, "I Still have Dreams". All were great in certain aspects, but Furay and Hillman's LPs were supported strongly by former bandmates from their past, somehow giving them more credibility than Souther, who continued to play his Eagle connection a bit too much.

Sounds like a combination of Poco and Loggins and Messina.......2006-01-05

This is a rather short CD, but isn't bad overall. The music sounds like a combination of Poco and Loggins and Messina. The first 2 songs sound especially like L & M. Of course, they would naturally sound somewhat like Poco because this is where Richie Furay came from. If you like pop/rock/country from the 70's you will enjoy this one!

Skip the first two songs and you've got a Perfect Album.......2005-06-29

Considering all the resurgence of attention paid to The Flying Burrito Brothers & Gram Parsons these days some 30 years after they made their 4 or 5 original albums, it's only appropriate that country-rock fans should also use amazon.com to link to the Souther-Hillman-Furay band, forgotten now but well worth the time to re-discover.

Their second outing, "Trouble in Paradise," is really nothing less than a flat-out 1970s country-rock classic if you just skip the first two mediocre tracks. Why they would open their album with the 2 weakest tracks is anybody's guess since most people would not even have the patience to listen beyond it. However if they did they would discover gems, 7 of them, back to back. Not every song is meant to be a hit, some are more meditative and build up their vibe slowly. However, "Mexico" "For Someone I Love" "On The Line" & "Prisoner in Disguise" could have been gigantic hits if given a little bit better production and frequent radio play or if a more widely known band like the Eagles happened to perform them. In their original versions sung by Souther & Furay, these songs are easily as soulful as anything the Eagles could have done with them in their prime.

These songs are the fruits of an easy-going laid-back, totally open-minded but still culturally American way of life, part-hippie, part-cowboy, part-adventurer, part-gentleman. There is subtle philosophy in this album happening all the time just like it did on the early Poco albums. These guys do have ideals they won't sell-out and so did the Eagles in the mid-'70s. Yeah, go ahead and laugh if you want but it's true, the Eagles "Hotel California" or Boston's first album, no matter how commerical they sound, how many million times they got played on AOR radio, do not have one ounce of compromise for the sake of popularity in them. Their highest expression of what they liked at the time just happened to be exactly what their audience liked best.

Conclusion: If you like the Flying Burrito Bros., Buffalo Springfield, Poco & the Eagles or authentic 1970s Country-Rock sounds in general, here's another classic you can add to your collection. Just skip the first two tracks and enter the perfect time warp for another one of those never-to-be-duplicated bygone-era mid '70s So-Cal sound country-rock albums. Because of the enormous success of the Eagles & the overplaying of their music to death, any style of music associated with them may not be hip to listen to anymore but it remains great, it's got quality, soul & class most of the newer artists of today only wish they had. And let's face it, if the Eagles hadn't hit the big time like they did, they would be being re-discovered now just like Parsons/Burrito Bros/Souther Hillman Furay BAnd. When you keep repeating these tracks over & over again because you can't get enough of them, don't say I didn't warn you!

Average customer rating:

Paradise in Trouble Chris Washburne & The Syotos Band Manufacturer: Jazzheads ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Latin Music | Styles | Music Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music Latin Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Afro-Cuban | Caribbean & Cuba | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Other Side: El Otro Lado Land of Nod Nuyorican Nights ASIN: B0000A4GAC Release Date: 2003-07-08

Tracks:

1. Money Is The Furture Tense
2. She's Dirty As A Boy
3. Anodyne Of Muddledom
4. Nuyorican Son
5. Whatever You Want From Me
6. Paradise In Trouble
7. Your Inside Out
8. On Whatever Day Of The Week Saturday Happens To Fall
9. Jazzy
10. Dr. Syo
11. Money Is The Future Tense (Remix)

Average customer rating:

Jane Goodall's Wild Chimpanzees Johnny Clegg , Amin Bhatia , Bruce Cockburn , Paul McCartney , and Bonnie Raitt Manufacturer: Four Winds ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Similar Items: Scatterlings of Africa Jane Goodall's Wild Chimpanzees (Large Format) ASIN: B0000YTOYY Release Date: 2003-12-02

Tracks:

1. African Dawn/Scrapbook
2. Great Heart
3. Hear Me Lord
4. Scatterlings Of Africa
5. Umfazi Omdala
6. Wondering Where The Lions Are
7. Tatazela
8. My Beautiful Baboon
9. Otana - My African Dream
10. Ndere
11. Garden Of Eden
12. After The Storm/Meet The Chimps
13. Trouble In Paradise
14. Epitaph
15. Family Tree
16. Jane's 'Great Heart'
17. Wild Life

Album Description

This exciting new CD includes the soundtrack from the award-winning IMAX film "Jane Goodall's Wild Chimpanzees" featuring songs by South Africa's Johnny Clegg with a luscious score by Amin Bhatia. Bruce Cockburn, Paul McCartney, Bonnie Raitt and Samite contribute their own selections to this celebration of the film, the wildlife of Africa and the work of Jane Goodall. Every CD sold generates a contribution to support the work of the Jane Goodall Institute.

Average customer rating:

Trouble in Paradise B.J. Cole Manufacturer: Silverline ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music Ambient | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Drum & Bass | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Big Beat | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Lounge | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music Retro Space Age | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Songlines Stop the Panic All the Roadrunning In the Wee Small Hours Sacred ASIN: B000E1XOBC Release Date: 2006-02-21

Tracks:

1. Trouble in Paradise featuring Trash Palace
2. The Interloper featuring Fluid
3. Are you Ready for some Country featuring A3
4. Alert the Sax Police featuring Bent
5. Casino Tan featuring Isobel Waidner and Geoff McIntyre
6. Beautiful featuring Groove Armada
7. Keep your Head featuring B Rajah
8. Milkshake Roadmap featuring Guy Jackson
9. Downtown Motel Blues featuring Neil Conti
10. East of Eden featuring Kumo
11. Surf Acid Hoedown featuring Luke Vibert
12. Elle Sait Ou Elle featuring Laura B

Album Description

Fire up the blender! Add one part tiki bar, two parts cool DJ chill, and a heaping dose of lazy pedal steel guitar, and voila…the perfect soundtrack to any party! So you thought the pedal steel meant Nashville and Tammy Wynette? Think again. Trouble in Paradise blends groovy pedal steel guitar with the hippest DJ's and serves up the most fascinating take on electronica and showcases this eclectic concoction in surround sound with many DualDisc extras. BJ Cole is recognized as an amazing pedal steel guitarist (surprisingly…not from Nashville!) who has collaborated with artists as diverse as Beck, John Cale, Shania Twain, Pink Floyd, REM, and Robert Plant. On Trouble in Paradise, BJ Cole glides menacingly above the blippy, hustling beat of Milkshake Roadmap (with help from drummer Neil Conti and processing by Brian Eno), gets trashy and low-down with A3 (of Sopranos theme song fame) on Are You Ready for Some Country, and "blends acid house with bluegrass" over Luke Vibert's shape-shifting groove on Surf Acid Hoedown. It's one cool musical cocktail and you're invited to the party!

Average customer rating:

Trouble in Paradise Elemeno P Manufacturer: Universal ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B000FCUYZE Release Date: 2006-05-22

Tracks:

1. You Are
2. Pardon Me
3. Ohio
4. Burn
5. One Left Standing
6. 11:57
7. Is This What We've Been Waiting For?
8. Death and the Maiden
9. Day I Went Under
10. Life's Not Fair
11. Stay/Go

Album Description

Two years ago, elemeno p's 'love & disrespect' crashed into the nz album charts at #1, their debut album (recorded in 2005 in melbourne's sing sing studios) has sold so far well over 3 x platinum in their home country now 2006 and its australia's turn, with elemeno p lining up their second album, 'trouble in paradise', and arming it with even more hit-wise power pop and rock sock-it punch than its predecessor. Describing themselves as "influenced by punk but not a punk band; influenced by emo, but don't have enough tattoos; influenced by pop, but not pretty enough to be a pop band", new zealand four piece elemeno p are set to hit the big time with 'trouble in paradise'. 2006.

Album Details

Two Years Ago, Elemeno P's 'love and Disrespect' Crashed Into the Nz Album Charts at #1. Now Elemeno P Are Lining Up their Second Album, Trouble in Paradise, and Arming it with Even More Hit-wise Power Pop and Rock Sock-it Punch Than Its Predecessor. Describing Themselves as "Influenced by Punk but Not a Punk Band; Influenced by Emo, but Don't have Enough Tattoos; Influenced by Pop, but Not Pretty Enough to Be a Pop Band", New Zealand Four Piece Elemeno P Are Set to Hit the Big Time with their Follow Up "Trouble in Paradise".

Average customer rating: Not just for gay men Silly, witty, fun Hilarious and Is it "Ron and Paul" or "Romanovsky & Phillips"? Gay men making jokes instead of being the but of them.

Trouble in Paradise Romanovsky & Phillips Manufacturer: Fresh Fruit ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Similar Items: Be Political, Not Polite Let's Flaunt It! ASIN: B00000008T Release Date: 1994-07-26

Tracks:

1. What Kind Of Self-Respecting Faggot Am I?
2. Guilt Trip
3. Lost Emotions
4. Wimp
5. To Myself
6. Homophobia
7. Must've Been Drunk
8. Trouble In Paradise
9. The Answering Machine Song
10. He Wasn't Talking To me
11. Don't Use Your Penis (For A Brain)
12. Carnival People

Customer Reviews:

Not just for gay men.......2006-08-11

Playful yet powerful these boys provide the sort of solas in troubled times as I garner from Pete Seeger and Peter, Paul and Mary only much funnier and more irreverent. I'm a mundane, suburban housewife in a southern banking town. In the 20 years I've been listening to R & P I've found that in addition to being great music, R& P's albums make a fine tool for screening new acquaintances for homophobia and acute right wingitis.

Silly, witty, fun.......2001-07-28

This is a great CD, it's hilarious, full of kitsch humor that's completely over-the-top. It's a pretty good CD to give to someone that might just be coming out, or to anyone who you think could use a little insight into what it's like to be gay. Some of the lyrics are a little dated, but, for the most part, the songs are about problems/issues/joys the gay community faces to this day.

Hilarious and.......2000-08-27

I am very glad I came across this Cd. The 1st time I heard it was 1987. I was 16yrs old, and just realizing I was gay. My wise old aunt gave me this tape on a hunch I was like her, along with some Judy Fjell tapes. This tape is hilarious. They are witty and intelligent. "Must've Been Drunk" and "Wimp" are my personal favorites. The words to "Drunk" have always stuck in my head like a good "CAMP" fire song should. And "Wimp" just cuts to the heart of the matter on everyones feelings of insecurity, but pokes fun at it in only the way Ron & Paul could. The "Dont Use Your Penis For A Brain" may now be a bit dated with the Ronald Reagan mention, but it is still true. Just fill in any current politicians name. "Carnival People" ,while it may be a tad on the schmaltzy side, is still a gem of a little story about theatre folk and ourselves to for those of us who go through or days pretending and acting. For the nostalgic ones out there, this is a must to have, along with the necessary copy of their album "Emotional Rollercoaster"

Is it "Ron and Paul" or "Romanovsky & Phillips"?.......2000-07-19

I joke that this album should have been called "A Fleetwood Mac Moment," considering that Ron Romanovsky and Paul Phillips were having marital woes as this disc went to press. I don't think this is the "real" breakup album, but the edgy and candid lyrics of a few songs here suggest it wasn't long in coming. Did Stevie and Christine suffer needlessly, guys?

People may scoff if I liken "Trouble In Paradise" to Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours," but both highlight alternate sides to the same human drama. Even the music shows slight similarities: piano/keyboard-centered melodies, slightly "sweetened" vocals and simple straightforward Pop arrangements. Producer/performer Teresa Trull adds just the right (albeit spare) musical accompaniment, at just the right mix level. Since neither Ron or Paul project their vocals, they are brought up in the mix, which is prudent since you have to hear the lyrics to fully appreciate the songs.

R&P trade off musical valentines and "dear johns," questioning their own individual worth as often as they consider the value of their relationships, real and imagined. Strangely, this album is not a downer, even though it's likely to remind listeners of their own heartaches.

There is politics here too. "Homophobia", like the best kind of "message" song, is short, to the point, and just a bit sassy. The real gem in this category is "Don't Use Your P*nis (For A Brain)". The 'message' is a bit broader, but the performance is irresistable. The Latin musical accents and the unforgettable chorus produce one of the funniest songs you could ever love.

There are more laughs and chuckles: "Guilt Trip" is exactly what it says, "Wimp" needs a kick in the butt, "Must've Been Drunk" wants to explain. The jokes aren't all obvious, and some of the lyrics are pretty sharp sentiments. My favorite track here also qualifies as a 'funny' tune: "What Kind Of Self-Respecting Faggot Am I?" Great vocal arrangement, great 50s-feel arrangement, very memorable lyric.

I guess the reason I prefer this album of the five or so in their catalog is because it sounds so un-affected. Though they had toured extensively by the time of this recording, they were still fairly straightforward performers...no ad-libbing and few diva-esque vocal moments. That kind of simplicity was what made Ron & Paul so loveable in the first place.

I should also mention this is a great "all purpose" disc, if you play it in moderation. It's nice for car trips, a laugh or two on the bus, or maybe played for friends after dinner. If the slightly fey cover graphic doesn't scare your mom or roommate away, they might get a chuckle or two out of this recording. The great thing is, the music and melodies stick with you. You'll want to sing along, long after you've memorized all the funny bits.

-Mic

Gay men making jokes instead of being the but of them........2000-06-12

Trouble in Paradise is a must have for any gay man or lesbain with a wicked sense of humor. Romanovsky and Phillips take aim at everything from stereotypes in "What Kind Of Self-Respecting Faggot Am I." They focus on how we would all like to see happen to our exes in Guilt Trip.

The songs range from funny to serious and thought provolking with "To Myself" which explores the feelings we've all felt when we realized the person we are enamoured with doesn't share the same feelings.

If you are a fan of R&P pick up this classic. It will be a welcome and well used addition to you CD collection.

Average customer rating:

Trouble in Paradise B.J. Cole Manufacturer: True North Canada ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music Nashville Sound | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music Ambient | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Drum & Bass | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Big Beat | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Lounge | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music Retro Space Age | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Dance & DJ | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B00069JA38 Release Date: 2004-11-15

Tracks:

1. Trouble in Paradise - B.J. Cole, Trash Palace
2. Interloper - B.J. Cole,
3. Are You Ready for Some Country - A3, Alabama 3, B.J. Cole
4. Alert the Sax Police - B.J. Cole
5. Casino Tan - B.J. Cole, ,
6. Beautiful - B.J. Cole, Groove Armada
7. Keep Your Head - B.J. Cole
8. Milkshake Roadmap - B.J. Cole, Guy Jackson
9. Downtown Motel Blues - B.J. Cole, Neil Conti
10. East of Eden - B.J. Cole,
11. Surf Acid Hoedown - B.J. Cole, Luke Vibert
12. Elle Sait Ou Elle - B.J. Cole, Laura B

Average customer rating:

Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills/Revelations Paradise Lost 2 Paradise Lost Manufacturer: Warpfilms ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Goth | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B0009OJ92M Release Date: 2005-08-02

Average customer rating:

Trouble in Paradise Ransom Manufacturer: Dark Matter Distribution ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000024W2L Release Date: 2006-08-01

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