I'm glad I bought this cd the first time I saw it, having been looking for Nona's stuff for years(I got the "Nona" LP at a used record store nearly a decade before). Nona's brilliant mixtures of rock, R&B, funk, electro, disco, and even a touch of gospel all spiced with a forward thinking New Wave/punk spirit are intelligent, well-crafted, and emotionally accesible, and catchy-as-hell. Such a shame she is virtually unknown, she deserved so much more than she got.
I first saw Nona's picture in a R&B magazine and later in a write up about her in the "New Wave" section of a magazine(there were write-ups on most of the current artists at the time divided into "Pop", "New Wave", "Rock" and "Heavy Metal"). Although I hadn't heard her music, I know I wanted to(it was the same picture as the cover of this album). A year later, I saw the video for "I Sweat" and of course I loved it. A perfect blend of synth-pop and funk, sort of Devo-meets-George Clinton. I still have that video to that day. I also heard "Transformation", with it's spooky, slinky sytnth-pop and funk on Miami Vice; the voodoo episode. Perfect.
This album has a great selection of her songs. The only complaint that I have is that they didn't include "Do What You Wanna Do" a staple of the radio dance mixes when I started listening to them back in early '85 and a house music classic, even though the song predated house by a few years!
Get your hands on this album for great songs by a vastly underated artist.
March 2, 2008A collection of Nona Hendryx means everything and nothing at the same time. So many hits for such a wonderful artist so compressed in a single CD! Some of them are cut and so they loose much of their meaning; consider for example "Design 4 Living", here, without its fantastic ending and so for many other trucks. Anyway listen to it and buy it when you'll find. PLEASE RCA, PUBLISH ON CD ALL THE NONA HENDRYX CDs: it's a huge shame that are non available!!!!!
August 23, 2007 Includes most of her well known songs, and has songs from every solo album that she made, even including 2 from her 1977 solo debut, the blistering rock of TAX EXILE, and EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE SOMEBODY. Most of the RCA singles and album tracks are the edited versions, probably due to time limitations of a CD. It's great to have these songs on CD. It even includes an edited version of a Labelle song that Nona sang lead on, from their last album, the indescribable A MAN IN A TRENCHCOAT [ VOODOO ]. The only quibble I have is that the label [ Razor & Tie ] put on the long version of BUSTIN' OUT, which lasts almost 9 minutes & features long instrumental passages . They should have put on the 3:45 minute single version that is to the point and packs more of a punch. It would have fit on another song, like TO THE BONE , LIVING ON THE BORDER or DO WHAT YOU WANNA DO . Classy liner notes & packaging with the many faces of Nona to view, as well as hear. Other than that - no complaints!
May 7, 2007I love that song every since it came out in 1983. I had not heard it since the early 80's. When i heard about Amazon.com i happened to search for her and i ordered the CD took it to my hometown and everybody remembered that and asked where did i find that at and they all ended up ordering it.. I ordered that in 2000.Still listened to it now and it is 2007.. Now that is a legend..
January 25, 2007 |  | One of the most underrated, criminally overlooked artists! |  |
So sad this comphrehensive overview of Nona's entire career is now OOP on CD only after a few years after being released by Razor & Tie - ALL of Nona's strongest tracks are here - so many fine moments to choose from, but a few of my own favorites are from Nona's self-titled NYC art-funk album from '83 produced by the Bill Laswell/Material gang. I got this LP at a radio station giveaway and have kept it close my in collection for over two decades! If you don't think TRANSFORMATION or B-BOYS are funky (esp the rare Jellybean remix edit!), you don't have a pulse. Possibly my favorite tracks are either KEEP IT CONFIDENTIAL (the vocal run at the end, the uplifting neo-gospel vibe!) or prime Jam & Lewis 80s shuffler WHY SHOULD I CRY? - a take-no-prisoners should-have-been-hit, and would have been had it been sung by Janet, etc. Even ARTHUR BAKER-helmed "D.O.A." had the goods, but stalled at the gate at Top 40 - WHY?! Nona has the looks, the songwriting chops, the stance, and and the sheer ground-breaking attitude to pull it off, but sadly the public at retail & radio wouldn't let her, due to her unwillingness to dilute or "dumb down" her potent mix of rock and R&B that transcended borders and broke down barriers. And that VOICE - a strong, clear siren song that cuts glass or caresses when it needs to get the job done - I once saw Nona do a cover of "Bennie & the Jets" in full S&M regalia at an AIDS benefit in the LA in the early 90s - among a hit of heavy-hitters, she easily stole the show. If you see this CD on the bins or online, GRAB IT PRONTO! It's just a pity her original labels didn't see fit to release the ORIGINAL FULL LPs on CD!
March 30, 2005More reviews at Amazon.com ...
