Friday, June 6, 2008

Uncanny Alliance - The Groove Won't Bite (1993)

Uncanny Alliance was a duo consisting of producer and musician Orville Brinsley Evans and wonderfully-named vocalist E.V. Mystique. Reacting to the huge success of Crystal Waters' sympathetic "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)", Evans wrote a track that came from an opposing perspective. "I Got My Education" was a hilarious dis on the 'gypsy woman' in question, with Mystique rapping taunts and chanting "Miss Thing got nowhere to live," over a very similar beat to Waters' hit. The song became an instant dance smash, and major labels battled to sign the group. A&M finally won out. The duo released a second single, also laced with attitude, "I'm Beautiful Dammitt!" This too became a big dance hit. The album was finally released two years after their first hit (though I believe it only got a promotional release, as copies are hard to come by). Another single, "Everybody Up", was released and managed to hit the dance charts but didn't reach near as high as the previous two. "Happy Day" was also released as a promo, but went unnoticed, and so did Uncanny Alliance from then on. Which is too bad for everyone involved, as this album is one of my all-time faves and should have been a hit. I'd compare it most to Deee-Lite, but with a sassier front-woman. The songs are funny, funky and extremely danceable and addictive. Evans continues to produce, and he even remixed Bette Midler's even huger hit remake of "I'm Beautiful" years later. Mystique's whereabouts remain, well, a mystery.

Video for I Got My Education

Video for I'm Beautiful Dammitt!

Download The Groove Won't Bite

1
I'm Beautiful Dammitt! (Radio Version)
2
Happy Day
3
I Got My Education (Radio Remix)
4
Ain't No Meat Without The Sauce
5
The Groove Won't Bite
6
Release
7
Ooh, There I Am
8
Diggin' For A Brand New Hole
9
Everybody Up
10
Revolution
11
Miss My Love
12
I'm Beautiful Dammitt! (House Mix)

5 comments:

  1. I GOT MY EDUCATION! I GOT MY EDUCATION!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Always loved this CD. I ended up having to track down a copy for a friend. (This was in the days before easily burning a copy for a friend.) I can't imagine anyone not smiling just listening to "I Got My Education" and "I'm Beautiful Dammmitt!"

    ReplyDelete
  3. Orville is on Facebook - I'm friends with him on there. I sent him a message a while ago asking where I could find the CD. He told me (Amazon) and made a mention of EV - that she didn't have a copy. My assumption is they still talk.

    ReplyDelete
  4. You betta take that arm out that shirt and go fill out a JOB APPLICATION

    JOB APPLICATION!

    Love it!

    ReplyDelete