Nicole McCloud - What About Me? (1985), Rock The House (1988/89), Love Town (1998) & So What? (2002) QUADRUPLE POST!!!!

Why not start the new year with our first QUADRUPLE post? I have been a fan of Nicole McCloud from the moment she emerged in 1985 with her breakout dance hit "Don't You Want My Love".  But not much was heard from her since her last album was released in 2002.  So imagine my surprise when I was switching through channels on TV late last year and saw a familiar face, looking almost as youthful as she did in 1985. She was on The X Factor US, and the voice was also familiar and amazing.  I waited to see her name, which was Lillie McCloud.  I was sure that it must be Nicole's daughter, but soon discovered after a second of searching online that it was indeed Nicole herself (Lillie is her real first name, while Nicole is one of her middle names)!  I was shocked that an artist who I followed and admired through much of her recording career was being presented as a new artist.  But I soon realized that, although she had a long career, she still remained unknown to the general public, and this was the best forum to bring her front and center and let the public experience what I already enjoyed about the lady.  Unfortunately she was eliminated on The X Factor in the fifth week, but not before she gained the admiration of the judges and an adoring new fan base.  While her heart is now in gospel music, she did eventually acknowledge her dance diva past after it was uncovered on the internet and created controversy.  Her past is now well-documented on the internet as a result, but I will give a bio anyway. ;) She was born in Rochester, New York, and after performing locally for years, finally got her big break in her 20s after meeting producer Lou Pace (who would go on to produce all of her albums).  Her amazing voice and looks got her a deal with Epic sublabel Portrait Records, who released her first single, a remake of Heatwave's ballad "Always And Forever," in 1985.  It was a minor R&B hit, but it was her next single, the upbeat "Don't You Want My Love," that would become her best known hit, reaching the top ten on the Billboard Dance charts and pop top 40 charts worldwide.  It helped that the song was featured on the soundtrack to the hit movie Ruthless People. (The song was also recorded by Isle postee Chantal Condor.)  It's success led to her debut album which, along with the previous singles, were released under the name 'Nicole' in most markets, though some releases used her last name as well.  Her next three singles, the Timmy Thomas duet "New York Eyes," "What About Me" and "Housecalls," were also minor R&B hits.  This led to her second album on Epic in 1988, Jam Packed.  The first single, "Jam Packed (At The Wall)," was again a minor R&B hit and the house remix brought Nicole back to the dance chart as well.  The next single "Rock The House" became an even bigger hit on both charts.  It's success led to Lou Pace re-releasing the album on his own label Oceana the following year under the title Rock The House, with different artwork and a reordered tracklisting.  The song re-entered the dance chart that year.  Despite the minor chart success, Nicole was dropped from Epic.  She wouldn't be heard from again until 1992, when she was featured on The Source's successful rave remake of "Rock The House".  The following year she appeared on three tracks on U.S.U.R.A.'s album Open Your Mind, including the single "Drive Me Crazy" (I had the album and always thought it sounded like her, but couldn't verify it was her at the time).  These collaborations led to the single "Runnin' Away," released in 1994, which became her biggest hit on the Billboard Dance chart thanks to the E-Smoove house mixes, reaching #3.  It would be re-released in many versions over the next four years, charting in the UK pop charts at #69 in 1996.  That same year she signed to Aureus Records and released a house version of the Doobie Brothers' "Long Train Running," and it hit the lower end of the top 40 on the Billboard Dance charts. An album, Love Town, followed in 1998 (finally using her last name) and it was much more dance oriented than her previous albums.  It included "Runnin Away," "Long Train Runnin' (Without Love)" and "Rock The House", as well as "Stay In Love", which Isle postee Mona Q would have a Billboard Hot 100 hit with three years later.  Though two promo singles were released - "Missing You" and "I Ain't Crazy" - neither was a hit and the album went unnoticed.  Nicole kept at it, however, and joined Angel Williams and Simone Böhlhoff to form vocal trio Voices Of Freedom, who featured on dance singles such as "Lift Your Hands Up" in 1999.  In 2001, Nicole released "One Good Reason" on an indie Florida label, this time as Nicole J McCloud.  The song again hit the lower end of top 40 of the Billboard Dance chart.  An album, So What?, was released the following year and included remakes of some of her previous songs, as well as a version of "Tell Me Where It Hurts," previously a single by Isle postees Try 'N' Be.  The next single, "Search'n," brought Nicole back to the Billboard Dance chart top 10.  But she became discouraged with her music career, as she never wanted to be pigeon-holed as a dance diva, and it was not paying off financially.  Nicole left the industry in 2004 to raise her kids and moved to Slovakia with her partner.  Though she continued to perform and record occasionally, it wasn't until 2010, when she recorded the theme song for the Slovak version of Simon Cowell's Got Talent TV series, that she considered re-entering the music business full-time.  She moved back to the US and auditioned for the X Factor, and the rest is history (on an interesting side-note, another successful 80s based, Lou Pace produced diva, Donna Allen, competed on rival show The Voice the same year).  Now Lillie (she claims Simon Cowell called her by her first name after seeing it on her legal documents, so she continued to use it) is pursuing gospel music, and though that is not necessarily my fave genre, I am thrilled to have this versatile, underrated and amazing singer back in the spotlight where she has always rightfully belonged.

Live performance of Don't You Want My Love

Live performance of New York Eyes

 Download What About Me?

1		Don't You Want My Love
2		New York Eyes
3		Housecalls
4		What About Me
5		Always And Forever
6		Why You Take My Love
7		Ordinary Girl
8		Shy Boy
9		It Happens Every Night

 
 Download Rock The House

1		Rock The House
2		Desire
3		Let's Talk About Love
4		So Lost Without Your Love
5		Jam Packed (At The Wall)
6		Two Hearts Are Better Than One
7		Everlasting Love
8		Throwdown
9		He's So Romeo

 Download Love Town

1		Stay In Love
2		Runnin Away
3		Missing You
4		Love Town
5		Thinkin' About You
6		Live Your Life
7		I Ain't Crazy
8		Rock The House
9		Maybe Next Time
10		Try My Love
11		Dreamin'
12		Pray For Love
13		Long Train Runnin' (Without Love)
14		Missing You (R&B Mix)

 
Download So What?

1		One Good Reason
2		Search'n
3		Get Your Hands Off My Man
4		This House Is Not A Home
5		Lessons Of Love
6		Get The Hell Out Of Here
7		Why Should I
8		Tell Me Where It Hurts
9		Missing You
10		Stay In Love
11		Your Love Is King To Me
12		If You Come To Me
13		One Good Reason (Megamix)
14		Damn I'm Pretty
15		Don't You Want My Love 2002
16		Search'n (Remix)

Isle Of Deserted Pop Stars' Top 50 Albums Of The Year

For the first time on the Isle, I've decided to add my list of my Top 50 new albums released in 2013.  I have both a top 15 and then 35 other albums I loved this year.  Both the top 15 and then the bottom 35 are in alphabetical order, as ordering them is near impossible.  All of these albums resonated with me in one way or another over the year.  I figured fans of the Isle might be interested in checking them out, as I'm sure many visitors have the same taste as I do, if this blog is any indication.  Here's hoping none of these artists become "deserted" in years to come.  ;) It's not likely any of them will. Feel free to sample them all - links to videos are in the album titles.  Happy holidays!

Claire - The Great Escape / Disclosure - Settle / Feathers - If All Here Now / Haim - Days Are Gone / Jenny Wilson - Demand The Impossible! / Jessy Lanza - Pull My Hair Back / Lady - Lady / Lucius - Wildewoman / Luscious Jackson - Magic Hour / Owl Eyes - Nightswim / RÜFÜS - Atlas / Sharon Doorson - Killer / Sharon Needles - PG-13 / Tristen - Caves / Young Galaxy - Ultramarine

Abbe May - Kiss My Apocalypse / AlunaGeorge - Body Music / Berndsen - Planet Earth / Blue Hawaii - Untogether / Body Language - Grammar / Club 8 - Above The City / Colette - When The Music's Loud / Cults - Static / Denitia & Sene - His And Hers. / Diana Vickers - Music To Make Boys Cry / Electric Grandma - Electric Grandma / Elliphant - A Good Idea / Empire Of The Sun - Ice On The Dune / Footprintz - Escape Yourself / Heloise & The Savoir Faire - Diamond Dust / House Of Wallenberg - Legends / Kool Thing - Kool Thing / Low Sea - Remote Viewing / Men - Labor / Momofoko - Movement / Ms Mr - Secondhand Rapture / Nabiha - Mind The Gap / New Found Land - New Found Land / New Young Pony Club - NYPC / Oh Land - Wish Bone / Parralox - Recovery / Pet Shop Boys - Electric / Pick A Piper - Pick A Piper / Soldout - More / Studio Killers - Studio Killers / Summer Camp - Summer Camp / SX - Arche / Tecla - We Are The Lucky Ones / Tristesse Contemporaine - Stay Golden / Wild Belle - Isles

 

And the only song and video that mattered this year was 'BANKS - This Is What It Feels Like'       

Nayobe - Nayobe (1986) & Promise Me (1991) DOUBLE POST!!

It's due time to feature a lady who is considered by many the first true queen of freestyle.  It is believed that she is the first Latin woman to have a freestyle hit, and second woman overall, after Shannon.  Whether this is true or not, any fan of freestyle knows exactly who Nayobe is.  Brooklyn born Nayobe Catalina Gomez burst on the scene in 1985 with the song "Please Don't Go", arguably the first vocal 'Latin Hip Hop' song.  Before then, after performing in talent shows and off-Broadway appearances as a young girl, she met manager Sal Abbatiello when she was 14 at a skating rink.  Hearing her singing aloud, he asked her to join a talent contest at the popular Dance Fever club.  She won ten times in a row, which resulted in her being signed to Sutra Records and back-up singing gigs with hip hop acts like Lovebug Starski, The Fat Boys and Kurtis Blow.  She was presented with "Please Don't Go" and loved it, and it was an instant club hit, reaching #23 on the Billboard Dance charts.  She even perfromed it in the film Krush Groove.  Though the freestyle sound was a big hit, the label chose to release the 60s R&B flavoured "School Girl Crush" as the next single.  When it failed to hit, they went back to the freestyle formula and released "Good Things Come To Those Who Wait" and "Second Chance For Love", both of which were also Billboard Dance hits, reaching #15 and #30, respectively.  Her self-titled album was also released, as was another single, the ballad "Guess I Fell In Love", but it failed to chart.  However, her dance chart success led to her being signed to Epic offshoot WTG, and the track "It's Too Late" was included on the soundtrack to the movie Twins.  It became her biggest hit, reaching #5 on the Billboard Dance charts.  In an attempt to widen her audience, the label then set her up with top R&B producers like Teddy Riley, Frankie Blue, Les Pierce, David Frank and Mic Murphy.  The result was a new jack swing album, far from the sound of her debut.  With a change of sound and image, her fans didn't embrace (or perhaps even notice) her new sound, and though the first single, "I Love The Way You Love Me", managed to hit #14 on the Billboard Dance charts and was a minor R&B hit, the album and follow-up single "I'll Be Around" were fairly unsuccessful and she was dropped.  Nayobe took some time off, but returned with the single "All Night Long" in 1995, a remake of the Mary Jane Girls classic (according to Nayobe, it failed because Mary J. Blige released her version the same year). She also recorded a new freestyle track that same year, "What Am I To Do", for the Freestyle Lives compilation. Then, thanks to the label's president, she signed a two album deal in 1997 with Sony's Latin division to release Latin music, but after the president was fired, she was dropped before her album Dame Un Poco Mas could be properly promoted.  Luckily, during that time a friend got her a gig dubbing Salma Hayak's singing voice in the movie 54 for the song "The Night I Fly".  After changing management, Nayobe signed with Platano Records in 1998 and released a self-titled salsa album the following year.  It was not a huge success, and Nayobe claimed that if it failed, she'd either give up music or focus on house music (something that she dabbled in in 1991 with the song "Good Love").  Luckily, instead of retiring, she returned in 2005 as a featured artist on the #19 Billboard Dance chart house hit "You're My Angel" by DJ Mike Cruz.  Since then Nayobe has been touring the hugely popular freestyle concert circuit with many of her contemporaries, garnering new adoration and even receiving the first Fever Lifetime Achievement Award earlier this year.  You can bet we haven't heard the last of Nayobe's incredible voice blaring through clubs the world over.

Video tribute

Download Nayobe
(Note: This is the 1991 reissue of the album entitled Please Don't Go, which contains bonus tracks)
 

1		Please Don't Go
2		Good Things Come To Those Who Wait
3		Guess I Fell In Love
4		Roses
5		School Girl Crush
6		Second Chance For Love
7		The More I Need (The Less I Have)
8		I Don't Have To Make Believe
9		No Te Vayas (Please Don't Go)
10		Please Don't Go (Remix)
11		Please Don't Go (Dub Version)

Download Promise Me

1		I Love The Way You Love Me
2		I'll Be Around
3		Can't Let Go
4		You Are You
5		You Are Everything
6		Who Do I Call
7		Some Kind Of Emotion
8		Promise Me
9		Main Squeeze
10		Have I Said I Love You Lately

Quartz - Perfect Timing (1991)

I was recently listening to a 'Best Of' by British soul singer Dina Carroll, and noticed that in the beginning of her career she performed with a house duo called Quartz, consisting of Dave Rawlings and Ron Herel.  Naturally I had to get my hands on their album, and voila!  It was actually Quartz's track "It's Too Late", a remake of the Carole King classic, that first brought Dina to the top of the charts.  She had released a few solo singles and singles as a featured artist in the late 1980's that barely dented the charts.  Then Quartz's management picked her to feature on two tracks - "It's Too Late" and "Naked Love" - from their upcoming album.  Quartz themselves had released a few singles in the previous years, with "Meltdown" being a club hit and "We're Comin' At Ya," featuring rapper Stepz, reaching # 65 on the UK pop charts.  They also managed to reach the top of the Billboard Dance charts as producer and featured artist on Clubland's "Let's Get Busy (Pump It Up)".  But it wasn't until "It's Too Late" was released that either Dina or Quartz would have a UK top ten pop hit, reaching #8.  They followed up with "Naked Love", but it only managed to hit #39.  No other singles were released, the album failed to make any major impact, and Dina moved on to a very successful solo career.  After issues with the management of funds and the record company, the duo broke up in 1991.  Herel went back to DJing, pursued acting, and became a popular radio host on BBC 1.  He currently co-directs Uptown Records and records with 126 Blonds.  Rawlings continued to record as Quartz and released singles for the next couple of years including "Hot For You" (again with Clubland), "Give Me Desire" and 'Distant", all on his own label, WBR.   In 1994 he teamed up with DJ Paul Mundy and formed acid jazz project The Jazz Vandall’s.  He produced their work, as well as the music of others, and released it on his new label, Burning Records. He eventually sold his recording studio and has since worked as an engineer for live bands, with occasional DJ gigs.

Video for It's Too Late

Download Perfect Timing

1		Naked Love
2		It's Too Late
3		Obsession
4		If Love Is (What You Want)
5		Admiration Of Genius
6		Meltdown
7		We're Comin' At Ya
8		Transient Mind
9		Naked Love (Part II) (Big Apple Mix)
10		It's Too Late (DMC Mix)
11		Naked Love (Buster Cone Mix)
12		Meltdown (Hardcore Mix)

Voyéur - Boulevard (1988)

Since I just featured the amazing remix of Voyéur's "Hangin' On The Boulevard" on Lost Pop Treasures, I figured I'd feature their album here to coincide with it.  I had never heard of Voyéur until I picked up that single in some delete bin, and I immediately loved it.  It wasn't until years later that I found the cassette of their only album in a delete bin.  I was hoping for more of the same but, alas, it was not a house album, but much more pop-funk in nature.  I wasn't a fan at the time, but I recently came across a rip of the album and gave it another listen.  Certainly not as bad as I remembered.  As for Voyéur themselves, little can be found about them other than that they were a duo consisting of Bahamian vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Grant Williams, who produced the album, and Bermudian vocalist June Ventzos.  The two appear to have previously done some session work for other artists, like on Ruffin & Kendrick's track "Goodnight Pillow".  The entire album was written by the two, and two singles were released, "Hangin' On The Boulevard" and the ballad "Another You For Me".  Obviously great success was not forthcoming, and even though they were signed to a major label, Columbia, and "Hangin'..." was a minor dance hit, they soon disappeared.  Though I can't find much on Grant's whereabouts (his common name makes internet searching difficult), I did discover that June kept singing, including contributing to the 1993 holiday album, The Bermuda Christmas Collection. She currently lives in Arizona, as her Facebook profile outlines.  Surely you can contact her there should you wish to know more.

Download Boulevard

1		Hangin' On The Boulevard
2		Colour Of Money
3		Another You For Me
4		Fools Love
5		Sad Goodbyes
6		Don't Throw Me Away
7		I Can Love You Better
8		The Only One
9		Falling For You

Sara Craig - E.P. (1991), Sweet Exhaust (1994) & Miss Rocket (1997) TRIPLE POST!!!

Out of the blue Sara Craig popped into my head this morning, and it occurred to me that she would be a perfect artist to feature on the Isle.  She is another of those artists that seem to have disappeared and are impossible to find any new info on on the internet, which is what makes her perfect for this blog.  Plus her music really should be heard, especially outside of her native Canada, as it is unusual and haunting.  If you like theatrical artists like Feist, Kate Bush, Sinead O'Connor, Jane Siberry or Tori Amos, but with a bit of a darker yet poppier edge (she sites influences like Eartha Kitt and Tina Turner), then Sara's for you.  Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, Sara boldly posted an ad in a Toronto magazine in 1987 looking for musicians to work with, even though she had no experience.  After working with cover bands and as a session musician, she moved to the thriving music scene of Toronto, where she independently recorded and released her solo E.P. (which was reissued four years later by her label Attic after her success), which became an indie hit in Canada and even spawned a minor hit single in "Bike".  She was soon signed to Attic Records and released her major label debut three years later.  The album was produced by John Punter, a long-time producer who had previously worked with huge acts like Roxy Music, Bryan Ferry, John Cougar and Slade, and it was recorded in a local church. The first single, "Thank You (Very Much)", was a charting Canadian hit, and its success was obviously helped by the success at the time of groups like Nine Inch Nails, whose "Closer" was like a companion piece to the dark song.  (Even more amazing is that it contains a brief sample from Isle postee Ingrid Chavez's first single, "Elephant Box".)  It was followed by "Cry Baby", and Sara was nominated for a Juno for Best New Solo Artist.  She took a few more years to record her next album, choosing to pursue a poppier and less dark sound to reflect her changing mood.  This time she recorded in London, England, with British producer Chris Tsangarides, who had his greatest successes with Concrete Blonde and The Tragically Hip.  The result was a much lighter affair, which was reflected in the singles "Miss Rocket" and "Mr. Right".  The album wasn't as successful, however, perhaps due to the change in musical direction, and it was the last anyone would hear from Sara, apparently.  A pity.  Unless anyone out there can shed some light on what became of this talented lady?  Till then, enjoy the work of a very unique artiste.

Download E.P.

1		Aspiring To
2		Bike
3		Tik Tok
4		Is It The Mind
5		Broomstik

Download Sweet Exhaust

1		Cry Baby
2		Thank You (Very Much)
3		I Thrive
4		Liar
5		Wakerlife Waltz
6		Sparks Fly
7		Sitting On A Fence
8		Souless Cage
9		Close To You
10		Bombarde Me
11		Wow
12		Sweet Exhaust
13		Elastic

Video for Mr. Right

Download Miss Rocket

1		Mister Right
2		My Sky Too
3		Breakwall
4		Hey Beauties
5		Pushing You Away
6		Who Are You
7		Keep On Driving
8		Miss Rocket
9		You Make Me Happy
10		You're Fine